Remote Communication System Automatic Address Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing remote communication systems using serial ports for control units in industrial environments face inefficiencies due to the need for fixed and unique addresses, limiting communication efficiency as the number of control units increases, and requiring individual addressing and response mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A remote communication system with a main controller and control units, each equipped with a signal converter, microcontroller, and a switch, allowing for automatic address management and simultaneous data transmission and reception through a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter, enabling efficient data reading and writing across multiple units with error correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fixed and unique addresses are assigned to each control unit, then communication reliability is improved, but system complexity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically assigns addresses to control units through the main controller without requiring manual configuration. When a control unit joins the network, the main controller automatically detects and assigns an available address, eliminating the need for users to manually set unique addresses and reducing system maintenance complexity while maintaining communication reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the address assignment mechanism from static manual configuration to dynamic automatic assignment. The main controller maintains an address allocation table and automatically assigns addresses based on availability, allowing the system to adapt to changing configurations without requiring users to manually manage address parameters.
2Measurement precision
If individual addressing is used for each control unit, then communication precision is improved, but communication efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges individual addressing with group communication capabilities. The main controller can send commands to specific control units using their assigned addresses while also being able to broadcast to multiple units simultaneously. This combination allows precise control when needed while maintaining high efficiency through parallel processing of multiple units.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication system segments data transmission into different types of packets (single-unit commands, multi-unit commands, and broadcast messages). The main controller efficiently routes different packet types to appropriate control units, enabling precise communication when required while maintaining overall system efficiency through optimized data handling.
3Reliability
If only one control unit responds at a time, then signal collision is prevented, but communication efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous and efficient communication by allowing multiple control units to respond simultaneously or in parallel. The main controller sends commands to multiple units at once, and units can respond concurrently without causing signal collisions, maintaining continuous useful action throughout the network.
Solution Approach 2:
The system resolves the signal collision problem by adding a new dimension to communication - the ability to send commands to multiple units simultaneously through different transmission paths. This dimensional change allows parallel processing of communication tasks while preventing collisions through intelligent packet routing and address management.
4Device complexity
If multiple control units share the transmission terminal, then device complexity is reduced, but communication efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal communication architecture where a single transmission terminal can efficiently serve multiple control units through intelligent packet routing. The main controller manages the transmission terminal to send commands to specific units or groups of units simultaneously, making the simple connection structure highly efficient for communicating with multiple devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A remote communication system of a network includes a main controller and a plurality of control units, wherein each control unit is serially connected to the main controller and the control unit at next stage through a transmission terminal and a transmitter. Each control unit receives the data sent from the main controller and identifies the received data as one of a first, a second and a third packet. If it is the first packet and the main controller attempts to read data from each control unit, a switch in the control unit is turned on and a response data is transmitted to the main controller. If it is the second packet and a connection index is equal to a target unit address, then data is written to a corresponding single control unit. If it is the third packet and a target unit address is zero, data is written to all control units.