Monitoring Control System for Safety Critical Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current monitoring and control systems for safety critical loads, such as traffic lights and signaling lamps, are costly and inefficient due to the need for multiple isolated transformers and high energy consumption opto-isolators, which also fail to accurately measure RMS voltage.
Innovation Solution
A monitoring and control system that uses a master switch with load switches and a controller to monitor output voltage by measuring voltage differences between input and output terminals, employing a single analogue to digital converter and multiplexer to calculate output voltage, reducing the number of physical voltmeters and isolated power supplies, and utilizing a high voltage and low voltage separation with isolation barriers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate isolated power supplies and voltmeters are used for each signaling lamp, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate voltmeters and isolated power supplies into a single shared voltmeter that measures voltage across the entire parallel circuit. Instead of having individual measurement devices for each signaling lamp, the invention merges the measurement function into one common device that monitors the total voltage, thereby reducing component count while maintaining measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The single voltmeter serves multiple functions: it measures voltage for all signaling lamps simultaneously, detects faults in individual lamps through voltage analysis, and provides system-wide monitoring. This multi-functional approach replaces what would traditionally require multiple specialized devices, reducing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If opto-isolators are used for voltage measurement, then electrical isolation is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces opto-isolators (which use optical-mechanical conversion and consume significant energy) with a direct electrical measurement approach using a single voltmeter. The high-voltage and low-voltage sides remain isolated through the master-switch connection topology, achieving electrical isolation without the energy-intensive opto-islator components.
3Measurement precision
If RMS voltage measurement capability is added, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the voltmeter's capability to measure RMS (root mean square) voltage values instead of only instantaneous voltage. This parameter change allows the same single voltmeter to provide more comprehensive measurement information for AC signals without requiring additional hardware, as RMS measurement is achieved through signal processing of the existing voltage measurement.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention concerns a monitoring and control system (1) for monitoring and controlling a plurality of safety critical loads (3) comprising: a power supply (13a, 13b), wherein the power supply comprises a first line (13a) and a second line (13b); and a plurality of regulating devices (100, 200, 800; 1100) for regulating an output current and/or voltage, wherein each regulating device is adapted to be connected to a safety critical load via a first output terminal (104a, 204a, 804a; 1204a) and a second output terminal (104b, 204b, 804b; 1204b), wherein the plurality of regulating devices are connected in parallel to the power supply (13a, 13b); characterized in that the monitoring and control system further comprises: at least one measuring transducer (960; 1960) having an input terminal (964, 1964), wherein each measuring transducer converts, with respect to a reference voltage input (966; 1966), a voltage applied to the input terminal to an output signal, wherein the reference voltage input is connected to one of the first line (13a) and the second line (13b); and at least one multiplexer (958; 1958) being associated to the at least one of the measuring transducers (960; 1960), wherein the at least one multiplexer is adapted to select one of the first and/or second output terminals (104a, 104b, 204a, 204b, 804a, 804b; 1204a, 1204b), wherein the selected first and/or second output terminal is connected to the input terminal (964, 1964) of at least one of the measuring transducer. Further, the present invention concerns a corresponding method.