Wired Data Network Polling Signal Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Wired data communications networks in buildings, such as fire alarm systems, face challenges in accommodating a larger number of unique addresses and higher performance transceiver units while maintaining compatibility with legacy devices and systems, particularly due to limitations in message length and transmission characteristics of fireproof cables.
Innovation Solution
The network incorporates a control unit and transducers with memory for unique addresses and extended data handling, allowing for increased addressability and data transmission capabilities by using a polling signal with extended control and address data, enabling compatibility with both legacy and high-performance devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If message length is increased to accommodate more device addresses and sensor information, then the capability of the system is improved, but system response time deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The polling signal is segmented into multiple parts: a first part containing control data and address data for legacy devices, and a second part containing extended address data for new devices. This segmentation allows the system to handle extended messaging capabilities while maintaining compatibility with legacy devices that only process the first part, thus improving adaptability without significantly increasing overall response time for existing devices.
2Area of stationary object
If fireproof cable length is increased to cover larger buildings, then the coverage area is improved, but transmission characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the electrical parameters of the polling signal, specifically using voltage pulse width modulation to encode data. By varying the width of voltage pulses rather than relying on signal amplitude or frequency over long distances, the system can maintain reliable transmission characteristics across extended fireproof cable lengths, thereby improving coverage area while maintaining transmission reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If new transceiving units with extended functionality are introduced, then system performance is improved, but compatibility with legacy devices becomes more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The polling signal structure is designed to be universal, serving both legacy and new transceiving units. The signal includes a standard first part that all devices can process, and an optional second part with extended address data that new devices can utilize. This multi-functionality allows new high-performance devices to operate alongside legacy devices without requiring separate communication protocols, thereby improving system performance while maintaining compatibility through a single unified signaling mechanism.
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~6
Figure 7~8
AI summary
A wired data communications network for use in a building for the detection of fire or intrusion, comprising a control unit connected by cable to a series of uniquely addressable transducers for the transmission and reception of data in a polling signal, wherein each transducer has a memory for control data and for its own unique address and is configured to respond to a predetermined start voltage pulse in the polling signal to clear any control data stored in its memory and then to respond to control data and address data in the polling signal to compare the address data with its own address and to store the control data if the addresses match and, only if they match, then to transmit data on the cable to the control unit representative of its own status; at least one of the transducers being further configured to determine whether the control data have a predetermined characteristic indicative that they are extended data and, only if so, to respond to a second one of the predetermined start voltage pulses received immediately after the control data and address data to retain in its memory the control data and address data as extended control data and extended address data, and then to respond to a sequence of further control data and further address data to compare its own address with the unique address represented by the combination of the further address data and the extended address data and, if and only if they match, to store the extended control data and the further control data, and then to perform the said transmission of data to the control unit and any other process dictated by the extended control data; and the control unit is configured to generate and to transmit the polling signal including the extended control data and the extended address data and to receive and process the data from the transducers that it has thereby addressed.