Shared Transmitter for Intercom and Mailbox Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high manufacturing and installation costs of smart mailboxes within residences have hindered their widespread adoption in intercom systems, particularly due to complex architectures and costly networking requirements.
Innovation Solution
A simplified intercom system architecture that integrates a shared transmitter/receiver for both the electric door entry system and mailboxes, using a common public telecommunications network for communication and control, allowing residents to remotely manage mailbox access and door unlocking through a unified module.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If smart mailboxes are equipped with separate transmitters/receivers and dedicated networking infrastructure, then communication reliability and control precision are improved, but manufacturing cost and installation complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The electric door entry system's transmitter/receiver is designed to serve dual functions: both door access control and mailbox management. The same communication infrastructure and control module are reused for both purposes, eliminating the need for separate dedicated systems while maintaining reliable communication for both functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the door entry system and mailbox control into a single integrated system. The control module 112 and transmitter/receiver 82 that originally served only door access now also manage mailbox locking/unlocking operations, merging two previously separate systems into one unified architecture.
2Measurement precision
If smart mailboxes use dedicated transmitters/receivers and separate networking infrastructure, then communication precision and control accuracy are improved, but manufacturing cost and installation ease are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The control module 112 is designed with universal functionality to handle both door entry control and mailbox management tasks. By reusing this existing module rather than creating dedicated control systems, manufacturing costs are reduced while maintaining accurate control over both functions through the same precision control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the control architectures of door entry and mailbox systems, allowing the same control module to manage both with equal precision. This consolidation reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining accurate control through unified signal processing and command execution.
3Reliability
If separate networking infrastructure is installed for mailboxes, then communication reliability is improved, but installation complexity and time are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the networking requirements of door entry and mailbox systems into a single shared infrastructure. The existing network connection of the electric door entry system is reused for mailbox communication, eliminating the need to install separate networking hardware and reducing installation time while maintaining reliable communication through the shared network pathway.
Solution Approach 2:
The network infrastructure is designed with universal capability to handle both door access commands and mailbox control signals. This multi-functional network design allows a single installation to serve both purposes reliably, avoiding the time-consuming process of installing and configuring separate dedicated networks.
4Device complexity
If a unified transmitter/receiver is shared between door entry and mailboxes, then manufacturing cost and installation simplicity are improved, but potential interference and signal reliability may be worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The control module 112 implements segmentation by creating separate communication pathways and processing channels within the unified system. Door entry signals and mailbox control signals are handled through distinct logical segments, preventing interference while maintaining reliable communication through the shared physical infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified transmitter/receiver system achieves multi-functionality with built-in signal discrimination capabilities. The same hardware components handle both door entry and mailbox communications reliably by implementing universal protocols that distinguish and process different signal types without interference, maintaining signal reliability despite shared infrastructure.
Data Source
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AI summary
This intercom system comprises: - an electric door entry system (10) equipped with a human-machine interface (80), a transmitter/receiver (82), and a control module (110) for an electric lock on an entrance door, - a mailbox with an electric lock, - a remote mailbox management module (112) capable of: • receiving, via an information transmission link established using the same transmitter/receiver of the electric door entry system as that used by the control module, an unlock code or an unlock command for the mailbox transmitted in response to a command acquired by a resident's handset, and, in response • transmitting the unlock command to the electronic lock of the mailbox and/or controlling the human-machine interface of the electric door entry system to communicate the received unlock code to the delivery person.