Networked Electrical System for RV Coach Resource Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The recreational vehicle industry faces challenges with complex and labor-intensive electrical systems that require extensive rewiring and reconfiguration for each unique customer order, leading to high costs and inefficiencies due to the need for discrete wiring and centralized control processors, which are prone to failure and difficult to diagnose.
Innovation Solution
A networked electrical system using smart modules with CAN bus communication and redundant architecture, allowing for interchangeable smart modules to manage and control coach resources, reducing wiring complexity and enabling easy diagnostics and maintenance by distributing intelligence across multiple nodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If point-to-point or discrete wiring is used for each electrical device, then each device can be individually controlled and monitored, but the wiring complexity increases significantly and labor-intensive rewiring is required for each customer order
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical system is segmented into multiple intelligent nodes distributed throughout the coach, each capable of independent operation and communication. This segmentation allows features to be added or modified by simply connecting new nodes to the existing CAN bus network without requiring complex point-to-point wiring reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The CAN bus network provides a universal communication infrastructure that can support multiple different electrical devices and functions. The same bus architecture and communication protocol can accommodate various customer configurations, from basic to premium features, without requiring different wiring approaches.
2Device complexity
If a centralized control processor is used to manage electrical systems, then control can be consolidated, but the system becomes prone to single points of failure and difficult to diagnose
Solution Approach 1:
Control functionality is segmented and distributed across multiple intelligent nodes rather than consolidated in a single central processor. Each node can independently execute control logic and communicate with other nodes, eliminating single points of failure and enabling the system to continue operating even if individual nodes fail.
Solution Approach 2:
The distributed intelligent nodes continuously exchange status information and diagnostic data through the CAN bus network. This feedback mechanism enables real-time monitoring of system health, automatic detection of failures, and streamlined diagnostics by allowing individual nodes to report their status and receive diagnostic commands.
3Reliability
If extensive wiring is pulled through walls and chassis for each feature, then complete electrical connectivity can be achieved, but labor costs and installation time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual wire connections for different devices are merged into a single CAN bus communication line. Instead of running separate wires from each device to a central controller, all intelligent nodes share the common CAN bus infrastructure, dramatically reducing the amount of wiring required while maintaining full electrical connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The CAN bus network acts as an intermediary communication medium between electrical devices. Rather than requiring direct point-to-point wiring between each device and controller, the CAN bus mediates communication, allowing devices to exchange data and commands through the shared network infrastructure.
4Adaptability or versatility
If discrete wiring is used for each electrical feature, then individual device control is maintained, but adding features requires rewiring control panels and updating numerous engineering drawings
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical system is designed with dynamic configurability through the CAN bus network. New features can be dynamically added to the system by connecting intelligent nodes to the existing network, and the system automatically recognizes and integrates these new devices without requiring physical reconfiguration of control panels or updates to wiring diagrams.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical system for controlling coach resources for improved reliability and economy. The electrical system may comprise a plurality of smart modules networked together on a multiple channel network, one or more work modules each communicably connected with one of the smart modules, and one or more electrical devices controllably connected with one of the work modules. In one embodiment, the multiple channel network comprises multiple CAN busses and the work modules communicate to smart modules via RS422/485.