Smart Appliance Gateway Protocol Translation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current networked appliances lack interoperability and advanced features for energy efficiency, smart grid integration, and internet-connected services, limiting their ability to provide enhanced control, productivity, and user experience.
Innovation Solution
The system employs commodity hardware, off-the-shelf software, OS-independent applications, and cloud-based infrastructure to enable interoperability among different manufacturers' smart appliances, using mobile devices and sensors for interactive digital connectivity, allowing for remote monitoring, control, and diagnosis, as well as energy management and data-driven services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If appliances are networked to provide remote diagnostic data and basic connectivity, then remote monitoring and fault diagnosis capabilities are improved, but interoperability among different manufacturers' appliances and advanced energy management features are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal communication protocol that enables different manufacturers' appliances to interoperate through a common interface. The gateway device translates between proprietary appliance protocols and standard network protocols, allowing single-family home energy management systems to work with diverse appliance types without requiring manufacturer-specific implementations.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device serves as an intermediary between appliances and the energy management system. It receives data from appliances using various protocols, translates it into a standardized format, and forwards it to the central management platform, thereby enabling interoperability without requiring direct compatibility between all appliance components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If proprietary communication protocols are used in networked appliances, then manufacturer-specific functionality is maintained, but interoperability and integration with unified energy management systems are hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The communication system is segmented into two distinct layers: an appliance-specific protocol layer that maintains manufacturer functionality, and a universal gateway layer that handles protocol translation. This segmentation allows each appliance to operate independently with its native protocol while the gateway manages the complexity of integration to multiple appliances from different manufacturers.
3Ease of operation
If basic network connectivity is provided in appliances, then remote monitoring is enabled, but advanced features such as energy optimization, load management, and interactive control are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where the energy management platform receives real-time consumption data from appliances, analyzes it against optimization algorithms, and sends back control commands to adjust appliance operation. This enables dynamic energy optimization, load shifting to off-peak hours, and interactive control features that go beyond simple remote monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for networking a plurality of appliances. The method and system include providing an appliance on a network, controlling operation of the appliance with a microcontroller, storing on a memory coupled with the microcontroller, computer executable instructions for operating the appliance, sensing the operation of the appliance, displaying information regarding the operation of the appliance, and communicating the operational data on a network. Network connectivity includes communication directly with a network, and with another appliance. A host system is connected to the network and adapted to receive the usage data and to transmit data to the appliance to influence operation of the appliance.