Supermarket Refrigeration Control Gateway for Legacy System Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Supermarkets face challenges in managing and monitoring diverse refrigeration control systems, leading to energy waste and inefficiency due to the fragmentation of the digital controls industry, with existing systems requiring cumbersome and time-consuming methods to track energy usage across multiple locations.
Innovation Solution
The XLT (eXtreme Legacy Translator) system translates various refrigeration control systems into a common generic format, allowing for concurrent and remote management of multiple supermarket refrigeration systems, enabling universal monitoring and control through a centralized server accessible via the internet, compatible with legacy systems like ComTrol, Danfoss EIL, and CPC RMCC.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple proprietary refrigeration control systems are used in different supermarket locations, then each system can be optimized for its specific function, but managing and monitoring these diverse systems becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway device as an intermediary between proprietary refrigeration control systems and the central management server. This gateway translates proprietary protocols into a universal format, enabling compatibility across different systems without requiring changes to the original control systems or the central server.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal data format and communication protocol that can handle multiple types of refrigeration control systems through a single interface. The central management server uses this universal format to monitor and control diverse systems uniformly, eliminating the need for system-specific management approaches.
2Loss of information
If individual access to each control system is required for monitoring, then detailed system information can be obtained, but energy waste and operational inefficiency increase due to the time-consuming nature of accessing multiple systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates data from multiple proprietary control systems into a single centralized database on the management server. All system information is aggregated in one location, allowing operators to monitor entire supermarket chains through a single interface rather than accessing each system individually.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates copies of proprietary system data in a universal format on the gateway and central server. These copies enable querying and analysis without requiring direct access to the original proprietary systems, significantly reducing access time while preserving complete system information.
3Reliability
If legacy refrigeration control systems are maintained, then existing infrastructure can be preserved, but energy efficiency opportunities are lost due to inability to implement modern management practices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the central management server continuously monitors performance data from legacy systems and sends control commands back through the gateway. This enables real-time optimization of energy consumption based on actual system performance, allowing legacy equipment to operate more efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary analysis of system performance data to identify energy efficiency opportunities before implementing control changes. The management server pre-calculates optimal setpoints and control strategies based on historical data and environmental conditions, then applies these optimizations proactively to reduce energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to the field of supermarket refrigeration & HVAC control. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for concurrent and remote management of multiple supermarket refrigeration systems located at one or more retail sites. Embodiments may include at least one on-site computer, at least one central server, at least one user computer, one or more communication network, and one or more on-site refrigeration control systems. In embodiments, the on-site computer communicates with the on-site refrigeration control system(s), which may be the same or different, and multiple on-site computers and/or different store locations may be used. The on-site computer is capable of translating data received from these various refrigeration control systems into a single system-friendly generic format and the translated data is stored on the on-site computer. This data is intermittently copied and stored on a central server. Meanwhile, data and more particularly data updates are sent from the refrigeration control system to the on-site computer for storage. At a desired interval, for example every five minutes, the central server detects whether the information on the on-site computer is different from the information on the server. When there has been an update, the server downloads the current information in bulk from the on-site computer. The information on the server is then accessed by one or more users to manage the refrigeration control systems, optionally remotely. In contrast with other existing refrigeration control management systems, systems and methods of the present invention can be used with multiple legacy refrigeration control systems, including old and new versions of a system from one particular OEM provider, and/or different models from one particular OEM provider, and/or different versions or models from several different OEM providers. These systems and methods provide for compatibility between different control systems, which does not currently exist. Benefits of the inventive systems and methods include being capable of delivering information to a user, in response to a user query, faster than systems in which the user computer communicates with and obtains data stored on the legacy system itself.