Mobile Terminal Simulation for Facility Apparatus Control Schedules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional facility apparatus management systems are cumbersome and time-consuming when attempting to reproduce operating states for energy-saving analysis, requiring date and time changes across the entire system, which becomes more complex with increasing numbers of states.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus control system comprising a control device and a mobile terminal that simulates operating states by setting arbitrary dates and times, allowing the control device to operate apparatuses in those simulated states, with features like schedule editing and display of operating states as icons on a map.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the date and time used for the entire system is changed to reproduce operating states, then the operating states according to scheduled control can be reproduced, but the process becomes troublesome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the system into two independent parts: the control device that manages actual apparatuses and the mobile terminal that handles simulation. The mobile terminal maintains a local copy of the control schedule and can simulate operating states independently without affecting the main control system's date and time settings. This segmentation allows rapid simulation by only changing settings in the mobile terminal rather than the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile terminal creates a copy of the control schedule from the control device and stores it locally in its storage unit. This copied schedule can be used for simulation purposes without modifying the original schedule in the control device. The simulation unit uses this local copy to reproduce operating states at arbitrary dates and times, enabling quick analysis without system-wide changes.
2Measurement precision
If the number of operating states to be reproduced increases, then the analysis comprehensiveness improves, but the complexity and time required increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile terminal maintains a local copy of the control schedule and uses its simulation unit to independently reproduce multiple operating states. Each state can be simulated by simply changing the date and time settings in the mobile terminal's simulation unit, without affecting the main control device or requiring complex system configurations. This enables comprehensive analysis of multiple states with minimal additional complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile terminal's simulation unit performs self-contained simulation operations using its local copy of the control schedule. It can autonomously reproduce operating states at arbitrary dates and times without requiring intervention in the main control system. The apparatus state reflection unit then transmits only the necessary control requests back to the control device, making the system self-sufficient for simulation purposes.
3Ease of operation
If the mobile terminal simulates operating states and outputs control requests, then easy on-site confirmation is achieved, but the control device must handle both scheduled control and simulation requests
Solution Approach 1:
The simulation function is extracted from the control device and placed in the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal's simulation unit handles all simulation processing locally using its copied schedule, and only the final control requests needed to achieve the simulated states are transmitted back to the control device. This extraction reduces the control device's processing burden while maintaining ease of operation through the mobile terminal's user interface.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus control system includes control device controlling operation of apparatuses and portable mobile terminal communicable with the control device. In the control device, control unit controls each apparatus in accordance with control schedule stored in device-side storage unit and control request from the mobile terminal. In the mobile terminal, date and time setting unit sets arbitrary date and time as set date and time. Terminal-side storage unit stores terminal-side schedule in which control contents are associated with control dates and times for each apparatus. Simulation unit simulates operating state of each apparatus assuming that the apparatus is operating at the set date and time set by the date and time setting unit, using the terminal-side schedule. Apparatus state reflection unit outputs control request to the control device to cause the control device to control each apparatus such that the apparatus is in the operating state simulated by the simulation unit.