Remote Control Device Using Power Line Antenna for Signal Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Remote control devices used to control high-power electrical loads face overheating issues due to inductors in the filter circuit, which can lead to destruction or fires, and the increased size of printed circuit boards required to handle high currents, making them unsuitable for compact installations.
Innovation Solution
A remote control device that uses an electrical conductor of the power supply network as an antenna to separate radiofrequency control signals from power supply signals, employing a filter circuit with a tuning circuit and decoupling capacitors to prevent overheating and reduce board size, allowing for efficient control of high-power loads without inductor heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filtering circuit with inductors is used to separate control signals from power supply signals, then signal separation is achieved, but the inductors overheat when carrying high-amplitude currents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the inductor from the filtering circuit and replaces it with an external antenna connected to the power supply network. The antenna is positioned at a specific distance from the remote control device to enable signal separation without the harmful thermal effects of high-current inductors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary element (the external antenna) that mediates between the remote control device and the power supply network. This antenna serves as a coupling element that enables signal separation without requiring high-current inductors within the filtering circuit.
2Power
If printed inductors with increased trace width are used to handle high currents, then current carrying capacity is improved, but the printed circuit board size increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the printed inductor from the circuit board design and replaces it with an external antenna. This extraction eliminates the need for wide traces and large board area, as the current path is moved outside the printed circuit board to the power supply network conductors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the power supply network conductors serve multiple functions: they continue to provide power supply while also serving as the antenna for signal reception. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated high-current inductor traces on the circuit board.
3Reliability
If printed inductors are used in the filtering circuit, then signal filtering is achieved, but the device becomes unsuitable for compact installations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the inductor-based filtering function from the device housing and relocates it to the external antenna in the power supply network. This extraction significantly reduces the device volume, enabling compact installations in tubular actuators and recessed boxes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves the filtering function from the spatial dimension (physical inductors on the circuit board) to the electromagnetic dimension (external antenna coupling). This dimensional change allows the filtering function to be achieved without occupying physical space within the device housing.
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
The solution effectively prevents overheating and reduces the size of the remote control device, enabling it to safely control high-power loads without inductor heating and accommodating compact installations, such as tubular actuators or recessed boxes.
Implementation Method 1
uses an electrical conductor of the power supply network as an antenna to separate radiofrequency control signals from power supply signals
Implementation Method 2
employing a filter circuit with a tuning circuit and decoupling capacitors to prevent overheating and reduce board size
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
Remote control device (1) configured to be electrically connected to an electrical power supply network (2), the device comprising a first and a second power supply terminals (15, 16) and at least one output terminal (17), a radio frequency module (13) configured to at least receive radio frequency signals representative of control commands and to deliver a control signal, a filtering circuit (11) configured to at least separate the radio frequency signals representative of control commands passing through the first power supply terminal and direct them to the radio frequency module, a control module (14) electrically connected between the second power supply terminal and the output terminal, the second power supply terminal delivering an electrical signal, the control module being configured to control the amount of electrical signal passing through the control module according to the control signal delivered by the radio frequency module.