NETWORK NODE WITH INTEGRATED POWER DISTRIBUTION

• US 20140156091A1
• Filed: 06/05/2013
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: I/O Controls Corporation
• Original Assignee: I/O Controls Corporation
• Inventors: Ying, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 9,170,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/40 The network being an on-board power network, i.e. within a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40267 Bus for use in transportation systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/60 Planning or developing urban green infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.

Abstract

A control network comprises a plurality of network nodes arranged in a plurality of tiers, with first-tier nodes and lower tier nodes. A master control bus interconnects the first-tier nodes, which are also connected to a power source. Lower-tier buses interconnect groups of the lower tier nodes. The lower-tier buses include both data lines and a power source line derived from the power source, allowing the lower tier nodes to selectively distribute power to local loads. A first-tier node may be embodied as a hub controller configured to be connected to one or more of said lower-tier buses. The hub controller may comprise a plurality of internal hub nodes (including a hub master node and hub slave nodes) integrated within the same physical unit.

Claims

1. A hierarchical control network, comprising:

a plurality of network nodes arranged in a plurality of tiers, said network nodes comprising a plurality of first-tier nodes and a plurality of lower tier nodes;

a master control bus interconnecting said first-tier nodes;

an input power line electronically coupled to said first-tier nodes, said input power line providing a power signal derived from a high voltage power source; and

one or more lower-tier buses interconnecting said first-tier nodes to groups of said lower tier nodes, said lower-tier buses including both data lines and a power source line, said power source line derived from said input power line for providing high power to said lower tier nodes for local distribution;

wherein each lower-tier bus interconnects one of said first-tier nodes with one or more of said lower tier nodes, at least one of said lower-tier buses interconnecting one of said first-tier nodes with more than one of said lower tier nodes;

wherein data signals and high voltage are communicated over the data lines and power source line, respectively, from the first-tier node to the respective lower tier nodes with which it is connected over the first-tier node'"'"'s respective lower-tier bus; and

wherein said lower tier nodes selectively distribute power from the power source line to local loads.