HVAC Mesh Network Load Balancing to Reduce Controller Hops
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large HVAC mesh networks experience poor connectivity and performance due to over-population, leading to increased latency and reduced speed and throughput as the size of the network grows, making it challenging to manage hundreds or thousands of roof-top units effectively.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a load balancing system where gateway controllers determine and compare mesh network sizes, releasing controllers from over-populated networks and adding them to under-populated ones, thereby optimizing the number of controllers within local mesh networks to improve connectivity and resource utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the number of controllers in the mesh network increases to accommodate more RTUs, then the coverage and capacity of the network increases, but the latency and complexity of the network increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the large mesh network into multiple smaller sub-mesh networks, each managed by a gateway controller. This segmentation reduces the number of hops required for data transmission within each sub-network, thereby reducing latency while maintaining the ability to accommodate a large total number of controllers across all sub-networks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the mesh network by adding gateway controllers that manage groups of regular controllers. This creates a two-level structure where regular controllers handle local communications and gateway controllers handle inter-subnetwork communications, effectively managing large numbers of controllers without proportionally increasing latency.
2Quantity of substance
If the number of controllers in the mesh network increases to accommodate more RTUs, then the coverage and capacity of the network increases, but the connectivity and performance of the network deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the network into smaller sub-mesh networks managed by gateway controllers, the patent ensures that each segment maintains good connectivity and performance. The gateway controllers act as local hubs that maintain reliable connections within their respective sub-networks, preventing the connectivity deterioration that would occur in a single large mesh network.
Solution Approach 2:
Gateway controllers serve as intermediaries between regular controllers in different sub-networks. This intermediary layer maintains connectivity by handling communications between sub-networks, ensuring that the overall network maintains reliable connectivity even as the total number of controllers increases.
3Quantity of substance
If the number of controllers in the mesh network increases, then the capacity of the network increases, but the number of hops increases which reduces speed and throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into sub-mesh networks with gateway controllers as local anchors. This segmentation ensures that most communications occur within local sub-networks with fewer hops, maintaining high data transmission speed. Only inter-subnetwork communications require additional hops through gateway controllers, minimizing the overall impact on speed.
4Quantity of substance
If the number of controllers in the mesh network increases, then the capacity of the network increases, but the throughput of the network reduces
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the network into smaller sub-mesh networks, the patent reduces contention for network resources within each segment. This segmentation allows multiple sub-networks to operate in parallel, maintaining high aggregate throughput even as the total number of controllers increases.
Solution Approach 2:
The hierarchical structure introduced by gateway controllers creates an additional dimension for traffic management. This allows the network to route communications more efficiently by directing them through appropriate gateway controllers, preventing bottleneck formation and maintaining high throughput as the network scales.
Data Source
AI summary
A system that includes a plurality of controllers that are each controller is configured to operate at least a portion of includes a Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. The system further includes a gateway controller that is configured to determine a mesh network size for a local mesh network, to broadcast the mesh network size to other gateway controllers within a local area network, and to receive mesh network size information from the other gateway controllers. The gateway controller is further configured to compute an average mesh network size for the local area network and to determine that the mesh network size for the local mesh network is less than the average mesh network size for the local area network. The gateway controller is further configured to add one or more controllers to the local mesh network.