Load Control Layout Templates for Automatic Device Association
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large load control systems are cumbersome to design due to the complexity of establishing relationships between numerous control devices, making the design process lengthy and tedious.
Innovation Solution
A load control system that includes system controllers for communicating with control devices, allowing for the association of control-source and control-target devices through digital messages, and a design software with a graphical user interface for configuring and visualizing the system, enabling users to select and place electrical devices and window treatments on a floorplan, automatically creating relationships and preventing incompatible device selections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If design software is used to establish relationships between control devices in large load control systems, then the system can be configured with proper device relationships, but the design process becomes lengthy and tedious
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically generating device relationships based on floorplan geometry and pre-defined association rules. The design software proactively establishes control device associations before the user needs to review them, eliminating the need for manual relationship configuration and significantly reducing design time while maintaining proper system configuration.
2Ease of operation
If manual configuration of control devices is performed, then device relationships can be established with full user control, but the process becomes cumbersome and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service configuration by automatically establishing device relationships based on geometric proximity and pre-defined association rules. The design software independently performs the configuration task without requiring manual user intervention, thereby simplifying the operation while ensuring consistent and accurate device relationships through automated rule-based logic.
3Productivity
If the system automatically creates relationships between control devices, then the design process is accelerated, but device compatibility errors may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor device compatibility as relationships are automatically created. The design software checks whether control devices are compatible with their associated loads and provides real-time feedback to the user, allowing for immediate correction of incompatibility errors while maintaining the efficiency benefits of automated relationship establishment.
Data Source
AI summary
A load control system may be configured using a design (e.g., graphical user interface) software. The design software may display icons representing fixtures (e.g., lighting fixtures) and devices (e.g., load control devices, controls, sensors, etc.) on a canvas. The design software may define relationships between the fixtures and/or devices. The design software may provide load control templates defining collections of devices, for example, for particular rooms in a building. The templates may be quickly placed on the canvas to define a particular area. Fixtures may be added to a template on the canvas and the design software may automatically create relationships between the fixtures and the devices (e.g., load control devices) of the template. In addition, the design software may automatically create relationships between the devices of the template (e.g., between controls and load control devices).