Pool and Spa Network Address Enrollment for Fast Device Discovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing device discovery and address assignment methods for networks, such as Modbus, require pre-assignment of unique addresses, making setup and configuration time-consuming and error-prone, especially when adding multiple devices to the network.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for dynamic device discovery and address assignment, where a master device transmits a discovery request, receives a unique identifier from slave devices, and assigns network addresses based on these identifiers, eliminating the need for pre-assignment and allowing any number of like devices to be added to the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pre-assignment of unique addresses is required for each device, then device identification reliability is improved, but setup and configuration time increases and error rate increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each slave device is pre-configured with a unique identifier during manufacturing, but this identifier is not used for communication addressing. The actual network address is assigned dynamically during device enrollment when the device first connects to the network, eliminating the need for manual pre-assignment of communication addresses while maintaining unique identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The slave device automatically receives its network address assignment from the master controller during the enrollment process. The device responds to a discovery request with its pre-configured unique identifier, and the master controller automatically assigns a network address without requiring manual configuration by the installer, reducing setup time and errors.
2Reliability
If pre-assignment of unique addresses is required for each device, then device identification reliability is improved, but configuration error rate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The slave device automatically receives its network address assignment from the master controller during the enrollment process. The device responds to a discovery request with its pre-configured unique identifier, and the master controller automatically assigns a network address without requiring manual configuration by the installer, reducing setup time and errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The master controller acts as an intermediary that manages address assignment. It receives discovery requests from slave devices, processes their unique identifiers, and automatically assigns appropriate network addresses, eliminating manual configuration errors that would occur if installers had to manually assign addresses to each device.
3Device complexity
If incremental addressing scheme is used, then device discovery is systematic, but flexibility to add any number of devices is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic address assignment where network addresses are allocated on-demand during device enrollment rather than using fixed incremental addressing. This allows the network to adapt to any number of devices being added, with addresses assigned dynamically based on available address space and device needs, providing both systematic discovery and high flexibility.
Data Source
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AI summary
A pool or spa system includes networked pool or spa devices that can be dynamically configured with network address by a controller. The controller can transmit a device discovery request on a network and can receive a discovery response from pool or spa devices that require a network address. The system determines and assigns the network addresses for the pool or spa devices based on unique device identifiers associated with the responding pool or spa devices. The network addresses assigned to the pool or spa device are transmitted to the pool or spa device to be used by the pool or spa devices to communicate with the controller over the network. The system can be used to discover and assign addresses to various types of pool or spa devices, such as pumps, underwater lights, chlorinators, water feature controllers, remote controllers, and/or other types of devices.