Networked Safety Lockout Consensus for RV Controllers

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Solution Overview

Problem

In recreational vehicle safety lockout systems, multiple electronic controllers often operate independently, leading to inconsistent behavior and inefficiencies, as each controller must implement safety interlock circuitry separately, and different controllers may detect lockout conditions differently.

Innovation Solution

A distributed safety lockout system with networked devices that communicate via a communications network, allowing for a unified safety lockout status to be determined and broadcast across the network, ensuring all controllers operate consistently and safely, even if individual detection devices fail or are powered down.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If multiple electronic controllers operate independently with separate safety interlock circuitry, then each controller can autonomously detect and respond to safety conditions, but the system exhibits inconsistent behavior and reduced reliability due to different detection methods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautonomous operation of controllersVSAvoidconsistency of safety lockout detection

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the safety lockout detection functionality across multiple independent controllers by introducing a centralized consensus mechanism. Controllers exchange safety status information through a communication network and reach agreement on the unified safety lockout state, eliminating inconsistent behavior while preserving autonomous operation capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback loops where controllers continuously monitor and exchange safety lockout status with other controllers. This feedback mechanism ensures that all controllers maintain consistent awareness of the safety state, allowing them to respond uniformly to lockout conditions while retaining their autonomous decision-making capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of manufacture

If each electronic controller implements safety interlock circuitry independently, then the system can be modular and easier to manufacture, but the overall system complexity increases and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemodular controller designVSAvoidsystem-wide safety lockout coordination

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent maintains the modular segmentation of independent electronic controllers, each responsible for specific safety functions. By keeping controllers segmented and independent while adding a communication layer for coordination, the system preserves manufacturing advantages while reducing operational complexity through standardized interaction protocols.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The safety lockout system implements a universal communication protocol that enables all controllers to participate in the consensus mechanism. This multi-functionality allows the same communication infrastructure to serve multiple controllers simultaneously, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining modular architecture benefits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If separate controllers are used for different electromechanical devices, then the system can control multiple devices independently, but safety consistency across all devices deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindependent control of electromechanical devicesVSAvoiduniform safety lockout behavior

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a communication network as an intermediary that mediates between independent controllers. This intermediary enables information exchange and consensus building without interfering with the autonomous control capabilities of individual devices, thus maintaining versatility while achieving safety consistency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11692375B2Consensus building among networked devices for recreational vehicle safety systems

Publication Date: 2023.07.04 LIPPERT COMPONENTS INC

AI summary

A distributed safety lockout system for a vehicle, such as a recreational vehicle (RV), that includes a plurality of networked devices communicatively coupled via a communications network, and that is configured to implement a method for controlling an electromechanical operation of an electromechanical device based on a safety lockout condition determined through use of a consensus protocol in which a safety lockout status is agreed upon by the networked devices. The safety lockout status may be escalated by a safety lockout condition detection device that detects a safety lockout condition, such as movement of the RV. The safety lockout status may be de-escalated through a network contention mode of the consensus protocol in which each of the networked devices agree to de-escalate the safety lockout status.