Load balancing wireless mesh networks for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large-scale HVAC mesh networks experience poor connectivity and performance due to over-population, leading to increased latency and reduced speed and throughput as the number of hops within the network increases.
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 to maintain an average network size, thereby optimizing resource utilization and data communication efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the number of controllers in a mesh network is increased to accommodate more RTUs, then the coverage and capacity of the network is improved, but the latency and reduced speed and throughput occur due to increased number of hops
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the large mesh network into multiple smaller local mesh networks, each managed by a gateway controller. This segmentation reduces the number of hops within each local network, thereby reducing latency while maintaining the ability to accommodate many controllers across the distributed network structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the mesh network by adding gateway controllers that manage local mesh networks. This creates a multi-level structure where controllers can be distributed across multiple gateway-managed networks, effectively adding a dimensional organization that reduces hop count while increasing total capacity.
2Quantity of substance
If the number of controllers in a mesh network is increased to accommodate more RTUs, then the coverage and capacity of the network is improved, but the connectivity and performance of the network deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the network into smaller local mesh networks managed by gateway controllers, the patent ensures that each local network maintains good connectivity while the overall system can accommodate many controllers. The gateway controllers act as anchors that maintain network integrity across segments.
3Productivity
If gateway controllers release controllers from over-populated mesh networks and add them to under-populated ones, then the resource utilization and data communication efficiency are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway controllers automatically perform load balancing by monitoring their local mesh network sizes and autonomously transferring controllers between networks. This self-service mechanism improves data communication efficiency without requiring external intervention, while the automated nature minimizes the operational complexity burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where gateway controllers monitor the size and performance of their local mesh networks and use this information to make automatic load balancing decisions. This feedback-driven approach optimizes resource utilization while keeping the control logic centralized in the gateway controllers.
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 compare the mesh network size for the local mesh network to the average mesh network size. The gateway controller is further configured to modify the number of controllers within the local mesh network based on the comparison.