Addressable Node Unit Power Management via Switching and Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing addressable node units face challenges in receiving digital addressing signals and maintaining power supply during idle states, especially in branched lines, which complicates digital transmission and requires additional measures.

Innovation Solution

The node unit incorporates a power storage device, preferably a capacitor, and a switchover unit to reduce current consumption, ensuring the evaluating circuit is powered even when the first node unit is cut off from the power supply, allowing for efficient digital addressing and fast addressing methods.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the first node unit is cut off from the power supply line to enable addressing of the next node unit, then the addressing signal can be passed to the next node unit, but the evaluating circuit of the first node unit loses power supply

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaddressing speedVSAvoidpower supply continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The power storage device is charged in advance during the period when the node unit is being addressed, so that it can supply power to the evaluating circuit during the idle period when the node unit is cut off from the power supply line for addressing the next node unit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The power storage device acts as an intermediary between the power supply line and the evaluating circuit, decoupling the power supply from the addressing signal path and ensuring continuous power availability to the evaluating circuit regardless of the addressing state

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If additional power storage devices and switchover units are added to ensure continuous power supply, then power reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply continuityVSAvoidcircuit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The power storage function is extracted from the main power supply line and implemented as a separate, simple power storage device (capacitor or battery) that can be easily integrated into the node unit circuit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The power storage device automatically charges and discharges based on the operational state of the node unit, requiring no external control or complex management circuitry - the system serves itself through the natural charge/discharge cycles of the storage device

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution enables simplified digital addressing and ensures continuous power supply to the evaluating circuit, facilitating faster and more reliable communication between node units, even in branched line configurations.

Implementation Method 1

This power store could actually be an accumulator or a chargeable battery, but is preferably formed by at least one capacitance, preferably at least one capacitor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentEP2532124B1Addressable node unit and addressing method
Publication Date: 2017.08.23 RADICOS TECH
  • EP2532124B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2532124B1 patent drawingFigure 2a
  • EP2532124B1 patent drawingFigure 2b

AI summary

An addressable node unit (30) has connections (15a, 15b, 16) for at least two lines (17, 18a, 18b) via which the node unit (30) can be addressed. The connections (15a, 15b, 16) are connected to a circuit (14) which evaluates an addressing signal. The node unit (30) has at least one power source (4, 22) which can be supplied with power via at least one of the lines (17, 18a, 18b). A switch (25) is provided in the path between the evaluating circuit (14) and the corresponding line connection (15a, 15b), said switch (25) has to be opened after an addressing process so that the power supply of the evaluating circuit (14) is ensured by the at least one power source (4, 22) after the addressing.