Regional Power Device Control via PLC and Wireless Mesh
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy management systems face challenges such as high costs for retrofitting communications cabling, low bandwidth and high latency in power line communications, difficulty in maintaining and updating control logic across multiple buildings, and the need for local overrides, which complicates energy consumption benchmarking and control.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising nodes, a gateway, and a controller that associates each node with a region, generates command signals based on target profiles, and includes features like status data buffering, fault detection, and presence sensors, with a data warehouse for centralized configuration management and rule synchronization across sites.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If power line communications (PLC) are used for communication, then existing cabling can be utilized, but bandwidth is limited and latency is high
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the communication infrastructure into two segments: PLC communication for non-time-critical data (configuration, monitoring) and wireless mesh communication for time-critical control signals. This segmentation allows each communication channel to be optimized for its specific purpose, resolving the contradiction between using existing cabling and achieving low latency.
Solution Approach 2:
A gateway device acts as an intermediary between the PLC network and the wireless mesh network. The gateway receives commands from the central controller via PLC, processes them, and transmits time-critical control signals to nodes through the wireless mesh network, thereby bridging the latency gap while utilizing existing PLC infrastructure.
2Area of stationary object
If wireless mesh network topology is used to increase working range, then coverage is improved, but latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements local quality by making the wireless mesh network topology adaptive: in areas with good signal strength and direct connectivity, the network uses shorter paths with fewer hops for time-critical communications, while in areas requiring extended range, it utilizes relay nodes but prioritizes non-time-critical data transmission through those paths. This resolves the contradiction by optimizing path selection based on location and data priority.
3Ease of operation
If control logic is decentralized to allow local overrides, then operational flexibility is improved, but consistency across sites deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control logic is made dynamic through a versioning system. Each site can have local overrides activated, but the system dynamically tracks which sites have deviations from the master control logic. When updates are pushed from the central controller, the system dynamically determines which sites need updates based on their current logic version, allowing flexible local operation while maintaining the ability to restore consistency when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where each node reports its operational status and any local override activations to the central controller. This feedback loop allows the central system to monitor deviations from standard control logic across sites, enabling benchmarking and identification of sites that may need control logic updates to maintain consistency.
4Productivity
If many devices are controlled in a building, then comprehensive energy management is achieved, but control logic becomes cumbersome to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the large number of devices into hierarchical groups: buildings contain multiple sites, sites contain multiple regions, and regions contain multiple devices. Each level can be independently configured and managed. This segmentation allows comprehensive energy management across many devices while reducing maintenance complexity by allowing localized configuration changes without affecting the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements universal control logic templates that can be applied across multiple devices and sites. A single control logic definition can be instantiated across numerous devices, and updates to the template automatically propagate to all instances. This universality enables comprehensive management of many devices while simplifying maintenance through centralized template management.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for controlling a plurality of power consuming devices is disclosed including a plurality of nodes, a gateway that communicates with the plurality of nodes, and a controller configured to send command signals to the nodes via the gateway. The controller associates each node with a region, each region representing a physical area and having a target profile associated therewith. The controller includes a command signal generation unit that determines command signals for a node based on the associated target profile, each node providing control signals to a corresponding power consuming device in response to a command signal received from the controller.