HVAC Controller Pulse Capture With Event-Driven Energy Metering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing HVAC controllers face challenges in effectively processing analog electrical signals from devices like temperature sensors and pulsed energy meters, where signal pulses may not be detected, leading to incomplete data for energy usage monitoring and system control.
Innovation Solution
The proposed HVAC controller includes a housing with multiple inputs and outputs, featuring a first controller that detects signal pulses and stores information, and a second event-driven controller that requests this data at reduced intervals, also inserting simulated pulses when necessary to maintain accurate energy usage measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the controller repeatedly receives voltage values at high rate to detect signal pulses, then signal pulse detection accuracy is improved, but data processing load and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The first controller performs preliminary signal pulse detection and preprocessing at a high rate, preparing data in advance. The second controller then requests only necessary data at lower rates, avoiding continuous high-rate processing and reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The second controller makes event-driven requests at periodic intervals rather than continuously sampling at high rate. This periodic data retrieval approach reduces processing load and energy consumption while the first controller maintains readiness to provide data when requested.
2Device complexity
If the controller uses a single processing mode for analog inputs, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different input devices decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller is segmented into two distinct controllers: the first controller handles signal pulse detection from analog inputs, while the second controller handles event-driven data requests and HVAC control logic. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in specific functions, improving adaptability to different input devices without significantly increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The first controller is designed with universal capability to detect signal pulses from various types of input devices (temperature sensors, energy meters, etc.). By creating a multi-functional detection layer that can handle different input types through a unified interface, the system achieves broad adaptability while maintaining relatively simple device structure.
3Loss of information
If the controller requests data frequently from the first controller, then data availability for the second controller is improved, but processing overhead and response time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The first controller continuously detects and stores signal pulse data in advance, preparing information before the second controller needs it. This preliminary data preparation ensures that when the second controller makes event-driven requests, the data is already available, reducing both information loss and access time.
Solution Approach 2:
The first controller autonomously monitors its own input signals and maintains an up-to-date record of detected pulses without requiring constant polling by the second controller. This self-service approach ensures data freshness while minimizing communication overhead and processing delays between controllers.
Data Source
AI summary
A Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) controller comprising a housing, a plurality of inputs, a plurality of outputs, a first controller configured to detect signal pulses the plurality of inputs and store information related to the detected signal pulses, and a second controller comprising an event driven controller configured to make event driven requests to the first controller the stored information.