Management device

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing IoT system designs for managing equipment often result in excessive specifications and unpredictable operation costs due to the need to withstand peak loads, particularly when using auto-scaling methods.

Innovation Solution

The equipment management system incorporates a management apparatus with a receiving unit, load detecting unit, load determining unit, and reduction control unit that detects and manages loads above a threshold value, allowing for reduction control without increasing specifications, by adjusting communication conditions and prioritizing equipment information transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the management apparatus is designed to withstand peak load using auto-scaling, then the system can handle high load periods, but the operation cost becomes unpredictable and specifications become excessive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepeak load handling capabilityVSAvoidspecifications and operation cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic load management by enabling the management apparatus to flexibly adjust resource allocation based on real-time load conditions. The system dynamically switches between normal processing mode and peak load handling mode, allowing it to adapt to varying demand without requiring permanent over-provisioning of resources. This dynamic approach resolves the contradiction by providing peak load capability only when needed, rather than maintaining excessive specifications continuously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters based on load levels, specifically adjusting the acceptance of new requests and the processing priority of existing requests. When peak load is detected, the system modifies parameters such as request acceptance thresholds and processing priorities to maintain reliability. This parameter-based adaptation allows the system to handle peak loads without permanently increasing specifications, as the high-capacity state is temporary and condition-driven.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the management apparatus processes all requests during peak load, then service quality is maintained, but the load on the processing unit becomes unmanageable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice qualityVSAvoidprocessing unit load
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent ensures continuous service quality during peak load by implementing a prioritized processing mechanism. High-priority requests continue to be processed without interruption, maintaining essential service continuity. The system distinguishes between critical and non-critical requests, ensuring that useful actions (processing essential requests) continue uninterrupted while non-essential processing is deferred or rejected. This maintains service quality for critical functions without overwhelming the processing unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts and separates high-priority requests from the general request queue during peak load conditions. By identifying and extracting critical requests that must be processed, the system ensures service quality for essential functions. Non-critical requests are either rejected or deferred to lower-priority processing queues, effectively removing the burden of processing all requests simultaneously and preventing processing unit overload while maintaining essential service quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3605485B1Management device
Publication Date: 2022.06.08 DAIKIN INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP3605485B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3605485B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3605485B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An equipment management system (1) includes a control terminal (20a to 20c) that transmits state information related to an air conditioner (10a to 10i) and a management apparatus (30). The management apparatus (30) includes a calculation unit (341), a load determining unit (343), a reduction control unit (344), and a communication unit (33). The calculation unit (341) executes calculation of information processing that is based on information received from the control terminal (20a to 20c). The load determining unit (343) determines a load level corresponding to a load of the information processing by the calculation unit (341). The reduction control unit (344) executes reduction control to reduce the load on the calculation unit (341) in accordance with the load level. The communication unit (33) transmits the load level to the control terminal (20a to 20c). The control terminal (20 to 20c) includes a processing unit (23) that changes, in accordance with the load level, a communication condition of equipment information to be transmitted to the management apparatus (30).