Z-Wave Master Unit Replacement Automation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The replacement of a master unit in a Z-Wave wireless communication network is complex and time-consuming, requiring manual button manipulation and additional registration processing, especially when dealing with multiple slave units, as users need to perform inclusion and handover processing manually.

Innovation Solution

A communication apparatus with a first setting unit for acquiring and setting initial information, an establishment unit for establishing wireless communication, and a control unit to control the establishment and handover of authority information, allowing automatic transition to a learning mode and inclusion as a slave unit, simplifying the handover of the master unit function without manual button manipulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual button manipulation is used for registration processing, then each slave unit can be registered with the new master unit, but the replacement process becomes very time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveregistration completenessVSAvoidreplacement time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically transitioning the new master unit to learning mode and executing inclusion processing with slave units before the user needs to complete the replacement. This prepares the network in advance, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual button manipulation during the actual replacement process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The replacement process is made self-service by enabling the new master unit to automatically perform registration and inclusion processing without requiring user intervention. The system autonomously completes the handover by detecting slave units and establishing wireless communications automatically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If individual registration processing is executed with each slave unit, then the wireless communication network can be reestablished, but the complexity of replacement work increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork reestablishmentVSAvoidreplacement procedure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple registration operations are merged into a single automated process. The new master unit simultaneously performs inclusion processing with multiple slave units through automatic detection and connection, consolidating what would otherwise require separate manual operations into one unified replacement action.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The manual mechanical button-pressing operation is replaced with an automated electronic system. The new master unit automatically transitions to learning mode, detects slave units, and executes inclusion processing through wireless communication protocols, eliminating the need for physical user manipulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If a new master unit is registered as a slave unit of an old master unit, then handover processing can be executed, but additional processing steps are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandover completionVSAvoidoperation simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the unnecessary intermediate step of registering the new master unit as a slave unit. The system directly transitions the new unit to master status and performs inclusion processing with slave units, removing the redundant handover step while maintaining reliable network transfer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of following the conventional sequence where the new unit first becomes a slave before becoming master, the patent inverts the approach by directly establishing the new unit as master and having it perform inclusion processing. This reverses the traditional handover methodology to simplify the overall process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS11277774B2Communication apparatus, control method of communication apparatus, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2022.03.15 CANON KK

AI summary

A communication apparatus acquires, from an outside, first setting information for controlling the communication apparatus, sets the first setting information in the communication apparatus, establishes wireless communication with a different communication apparatus, hands over second setting information, which indicates the authority of the different communication apparatus in the wireless communication, from the different communication apparatus via the established wireless communication, sets the second setting information in the communication apparatus, and controls the establishment of the wireless communication and the setting of the second setting information in the communication apparatus when the first setting information is set in the communication apparatus.