Load Controller Group Messaging for Multi-Loop Lighting Zones
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In lighting control systems, the existing methods for controlling electrical loads across multiple zones and loops lead to delays and inefficiencies due to sequential message transmission, especially when the number of zones exceeds the number of available groups for group messaging, resulting in noticeable delays in controlling electrical loads.
Innovation Solution
The load controller reconfigures zone assignments for group identifiers, prioritizing larger zones for group messaging and using individual messages for smaller zones, and selects message types based on control commands to optimize communication efficiency, allowing simultaneous control of electrical loads across zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If sequential message transmission is used to control electrical loads across multiple zones, then individual control precision is maintained, but control delay increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the message transmission process into parallel streams by creating multiple independent communication paths (different loops) that can simultaneously transmit control messages to different zones. This allows the system to divide the sequential control task into concurrent operations, reducing overall control delay while maintaining the ability to control individual loads precisely.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple control operations by transmitting messages containing multiple control commands in a single transmission cycle. Instead of sending one command at a time sequentially, the system combines multiple zone control commands into unified messages that are transmitted simultaneously across different loops, achieving synchronized control across multiple zones.
2Productivity
If group messaging is used to control multiple zones simultaneously, then control efficiency improves, but message routing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the large-scale control problem into smaller, manageable groups by dividing zones into multiple groups, each handled by dedicated communication loops. This segmentation allows group messaging to be applied effectively to smaller subsets of zones, maintaining control efficiency while reducing the routing complexity that would arise from managing all zones as a single large group.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces loop identifiers as intermediary elements that facilitate message routing. Each message includes a loop identifier that acts as a mediator, automatically directing the message to the appropriate communication loop without requiring complex routing logic. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the routing process while enabling efficient group messaging across multiple zones.
3Measurement precision
If individual messages are transmitted to each controllable load, then control precision is maintained, but communication overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual control commands into single composite messages that contain multiple control commands. Instead of transmitting separate messages to each controllable load, the system combines commands for multiple loads into unified messages that are transmitted simultaneously, reducing the total number of messages while maintaining the ability to control each load precisely through the included control commands.
Data Source
AI summary
A load controller in a load control system may communicate messages with controllable loads on a plurality of loops for controlling electrical loads. Each controllable load may include a load control device and an associated electrical load. The messages received by the load controller may include a zone identifier. The zone identifier may be associated with the load control devices for being controlled together. The load controller may communicate messages to sets of load control devices for performing common control of the load control devices on each loop using group messages. The load controller may reconfigure the zones that are assigned group identifiers for receiving group messages on the loops, such that the group identifiers are assigned to the zones that have larger numbers of load control devices. The message types on a given loop may be selected based on the type of control being transmitted in the commands.