Wireless Master Control Circuit for Slave Position Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communication systems, the master apparatus may fail to obtain sensor measurement values due to sensor failures or communication interruptions, making it difficult to specify the target for repair and locate the slave apparatus.

Innovation Solution

A wireless communication apparatus is designed with a signal receiving circuit, a position estimator, a storage device, and a master control circuit to monitor the conditions and position of the slave apparatus. It displays the measurement value and position of the slave apparatus on a display device and provides error messages for communication interruptions, low battery state, and sensor malfunctions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the master apparatus monitors communication status with slave apparatuses, then the reliability of the wireless communication system is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional monitoring components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The master apparatus implements a feedback mechanism by continuously monitoring communication status with slave apparatuses and displaying both current status and historical position information. This feedback loop enables reliable detection of communication failures while maintaining system simplicity through centralized monitoring at the master apparatus level.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The master apparatus serves as an intermediary that centralizes the monitoring function. Instead of each slave apparatus requiring complex self-diagnosis capabilities, the master apparatus performs the monitoring intermediary role, simplifying individual slave apparatus design while ensuring system-wide reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of repair

If the master apparatus stores and displays historical position information of slave apparatuses, then the ease of repair is improved by providing location data during communication failures, but the loss of information increases due to additional data management requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance easeVSAvoiddata management overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The master apparatus performs preliminary action by storing position information of slave apparatuses in advance during normal operation. When communication failures occur, this pre-stored information is immediately displayed to assist repair personnel in locating the faulty slave apparatus, eliminating the need for complex real-time tracking during failure conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4002892B1Wireless communication device and wireless communication system
Publication Date: 2025.05.07 OMRON CORP
  • EP4002892B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4002892B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4002892B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A wireless communication apparatus is provided with: a signal receiving circuit configured to wirelessly receive a measurement value of a sensor from a slave apparatus; a position estimator configured to estimate a position of the slave apparatus; a storage device configured to store a history of the position of the slave apparatus; and a master control circuit configured to display the measurement value of the sensor and the position of the slave apparatus on a display device. When the master control circuit fails to receive the measurement value of the sensor from the slave apparatus, the master control circuit displays, on the display device, a latest position stored in the storage device, together with an error message indicating that communication between the wireless communication apparatus and the slave apparatus is interrupted.