Auto-addressing with position determination of bus subscribers
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11829313-B2
Publication Date
2023-11-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
A position-sensing method and device for sensing the installation location (F1, . . . , Fi) of slave units (SE1, . . . , SEi) in an operating region (A1, . . . , Ai) of a system (A) comprising a number i of adjacent operating regions (A1, . . . , Ai) each having a slave unit, wherein the individual slave units (SE1, SEi) have a changeable operating function for achieving or changing the physical state in the operating region in question of the system, and wherein a respective sensor (S1, . . . , Si) is provided in each operating region in question in order to sense a measurement variable (T) proportional to the physical state in the operating region in question and an evaluating device is provided in order to determine, upon the activation or changing of the operating function of at least one slave unit (SE1, . . . , SEi), the installation location (F1, . . . , Fi) of said slave unit from the change in the measurement variables (T) over time.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a method and a position-sensing device for sensing the position of the installation location of slave units in an operating region of a system having a number of adjacent operating regions, each comprising a slave unit. Each operating region during operation has a respective predetermined physical state, and a respective sensor is provided in each operating region to sense a measurement variable proportional to the physical state.
The method includes allocation or determining of a network address of a slave unit by means of an auto-addressing method. The operating function of the respective slave unit is activated or changed in order to reach or change the physical state in the operating region, and a detectable state change is sensed by measuring the measurement variable as a function of time using the sensors.
An evaluation function identifies a sensor with the greatest measured change of the measurement variable and associates the identified sensor with the network address of the activated or changed slave unit to determine a sensed installation location of the respective slave unit. The position-sensing device comprises sensors in each operating region and an evaluation device configured to determine the sensor with the greatest measured change and associate it with the network address of the activated or changed slave unit.
Claims Coverage
The patent includes two independent claims. Both independently define a localization concept that uses auto-addressing or a known network address, activation or changing of a slave unit operating function to induce a physical-state change, time-dependent sensing of a measurement variable proportional to the physical state, and selecting the sensor with the greatest measured change to associate it with the activated slave unit’s network address.
Position sensing by greatest measured change associated to network address
Associating a sensor with the network address of an activated slave unit by identifying the sensor with the greatest measured change of a measurement variable proportional to a predetermined physical state.
Auto-addressing and activation-driven physical-state change localization
Determining a network address of a slave unit by an auto-addressing method, activating or changing the operating function of the respective slave unit to reach or change the physical state, sensing a detectable state change by measuring the measurement variable as a function of time, identifying the sensor with the greatest measured change, and associating the identified sensor with the network address to determine the sensed installation location.
Position-sensing device with evaluation device selecting sensor with greatest change
Providing sensors in adjacent operating regions to sense measurement variables proportional to physical states and configuring an evaluation device to determine, upon activation or changing of the operating function of at least one slave unit, the sensor with the greatest measured change and associate that sensor with the network address of the activated or changed slave unit.
Across the independent claims, the core coverage is the same: time-dependent sensing of a measurement variable proportional to a physical state is used to find the sensor with the greatest measured change, and that sensor is associated with the network address of the activated or changed slave unit to determine the installation location.
Stated Advantages
Enables determining a sensed installation location of the respective slave unit by associating a sensor with the network address of the activated slave unit based on the greatest measured change.
Uses an auto-addressing method to allocate or determine the network address of a slave unit.
Documented Applications
Position sensing/localization of installation locations of multiple adjacent slave units (e.g., fans) using sensors and an evaluation device to map sensed installation positions to network addresses.
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