Remote Gateway for Ice Machine Production Scheduling and Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Many ice machines lack the capability to remotely control or schedule ice production, requiring manual intervention for operation, and existing remote control options are limited and cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
A remote gateway system that interfaces with existing ice machine sensors, such as a full bin sensor, to override or interrupt signals, allowing remote control of ice production through a management system, including a cloud-based interface for scheduling and command transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual intervention is used to control ice production, then the ice machine operates reliably, but user convenience deteriorates due to lack of remote control capability
Solution Approach 1:
A remote gateway device is introduced as an intermediary between the user's mobile device and the ice machine. The gateway receives control commands remotely and translates them into signals that the ice machine's existing controller can understand, enabling remote operation without modifying the ice machine itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The remote gateway is designed to work with multiple different ice machine models and controllers by implementing a universal communication protocol. This allows a single gateway device to provide remote control functionality across various ice machine types without requiring model-specific customization.
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing ice machine sensors are used for control, then the system remains simple, but remote scheduling capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows users to pre-set scheduling parameters and control preferences through the mobile application before needing actual ice production. The gateway stores these preliminary settings and automatically executes them according to scheduled times, enabling advance planning and automated operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway continuously monitors the ice machine's operational status through its sensors and provides real-time feedback to the mobile application. This feedback loop allows users to see current ice bin levels, operational state, and make dynamic adjustments to scheduling or control commands based on actual conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are examples of an remote gateway for controlling ice production. The remote gateway is coupled to existing sensors of the ice machine. The sensors can include a full bin sensor. The remote gateway provides commands to the ice machine controller to trigger when an ice machine is on or off, for example, when producing ice. The remote gateway may receive instructions from a management system that is remotely located from the remote gateway. The remote gateway may also receive the instructions locally.