A MODULAR CONTROLLER FOR DIFFERENT INPUT SIGNALS, AN ASSEMBLY METHOD OF THE SAID CONTROLLER AND A METHOD FOR ENERGY MANAGEMENT USING THE SAID CONTROLLER

Abstract

The present invention belongs to the field of control systems, in particular controllers of different processes. The invention relates to a modular controller for energy management, which can be adapted with regards to the manager's needs. The invention additionally relates to a method of modular assembly for different input signals as well as a method of energy management using the said controller. The essence of the invention is in that the controller has a housing inside which nine empty slots are provided; said slots may be equipped with arbitrary components with regards to the system to be controlled with the controller. Said empty slots may be provided with one or more of the following components such as relay, digital output, digital input, analogue output, analogue input, optically separated input, reading current signal, reading temperature sensor, etc. The controller may control usage or manufacture of gases, electricity and/or heat.

Claims

1. A modular controller for energy management, particularly for management and connection of devices or sensors in a central system, characterized in that the interior of a housing of the controller is provided with nine empty slots, which may be equipped with arbitrary components with regards to requirements of the system for energy management to be controlled with the controller, wherein the said empty slots may be equipped with one or more expansion cards in any combination: relay, digital output, analogue output, digital input, analogue input, optically separated digital input, means for reading current signal, and means for reading a temperature sensor; wherein the controller enables addition of discrete units/cards inside the base part of the controller.

2. The modular controller according to claim 1, characterized in that the controller does not recognize the type of card inserted to an empty slot, but the said type is set during controller configuration via an online interface.

3. The modular controller according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the controller comprises the housing, inside which the following is provided: a base plate, a processor, a power unit for ensuring energy supply for operation of the controller, means for ensuring network connection, an USB connector for connecting expansion modules and/or communication modules, a connection unit for connection with a computer server or a cloud, where a program for controlling and programming the controller, for processing signals/data and controlling energy management is run, wherein any following components in an combination may be connected to the base plate: communication interfaces, expansion cards (relay, digital output, digital input, analogue output, analogue input), communication module M BUS for communication between different devices, which are controlled by the controller, a mobile module such as GSM or LTE for connection to the cloud or server, and a computer module.

4. The modular controller according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of the said expansion cards in the controller has two types of connectors, which may be connected to connectors at empty slots in the controller, wherein: the first connector type is a connector that connects a controlled device with the electronics on the expansion card, and the second connector type is a universal connector that enables communication between the expansion card and the base plate.

5. The modular controller according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that expansion cards in arbitrary combinations inside the controller perform the following tasks: relay operates as electronically controlled switch for turning on different devices such as heaters, lights and similar; digital output operates as a low-energy electrical signal for turning on smaller burdens; analogue output enables continuous control of certain devices, most commonly electrically powered valve for heat conduits, wherein the continuous control is enabled with a definition of voltage or current in a particular range, which in turn means a particular state of the valve (open, close, and values in-between); digital input is for reading electrical signals of lower voltage, particularly for reading meters of different energy sources; optically separated input for reading voltage presence, which gives an information about device status, pump status or device error; reading a current signal from 4 to 20 mA for reading different industrial sensors, such as reading pressure, moisture, temperature values, etc.; reading a temperature sensor enables reading ambient temperature or water temperature.

6. The modular controller according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the following components: relay, with switching option at 230 V at 3 A, operates as electronically controlled switch for turning on different devices such as heaters, lights and similar; digital output, which functions as a low-energy electrical signal for turning on smaller burdens; analogue output for setting output voltage from 0 to 10 V DC or current from 4 to 20 mA, which enables continuous control of certain devices; digital input for reading electrical signals of lower voltage, particularly for reading meters of different energy sources; optically separated input for reading of voltage up to 230 V AC, 24 V DC or 12 V DC for reading voltage presence such as control of operation; reading a current signal from 4 to 20 mA for reading different industrial sensors, such as reading pressure, moisture, temperature values, etc.; and reading a temperature sensor PT1000 or PT100 for reading ambient temperature or water temperature, etc.

7. The modular controller according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the controller performs monitoring of usage of all types of energy such as electricity, gas, heat, heating oil, steam and similar, and also performs controlling of different devices that consume energy with the aim of consumption optimization such as furnaces, heat pumps, pipe conduits, radiators, convectors, ventilation units, refrigeration units, lighting units, and electric heaters.

8. The modular controller according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it controls individual functions or a combination of the following: usage or manufacture of gases by reading data from gas meters; and/or usage or manufacture of electricity by reading data from electric meters; and/or usage or manufacture of heat by reading data from calorimeters.

9. The modular controller according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that all settings and algorithms of the controller are stored in a cloud and that during an optional controller replacement the user has to enter a unique number of the existing controller from which the settings and algorithms are automatically transferred to a new controller.

10. The modular controller according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the controller is connected to the online system by using symmetrical and asymmetrical encrypted connection, preferably by using a suitable certificate and 2048 or 4096 byte encryption key.

11. An assembly method of the controller according to any of the preceding claims, the method comprising the following steps: to at least one, preferably each of the nine empty slots in the upper part of the controller a selected expansion card is inserted, wherein the said expansion card is used for control and management of a particular electrical signal, wherein the cards may also be inserted modularly in the bottom part of the controller into connectors, which are primarily intended for communication cards and serve as connection into the control system via the mobile network and for transforming electrical signals for different communication protocols; all cards are inserted into the controller by simple pressing of the expansion card into the base plate; and the identity of cards and their function is programmed in the online system.

12. A method of energy management with the modular controller according to any claim from 1 to 10, the said method comprising the following steps: assembly of the modular controller with selected expansion cards with regards to connected devices, which will be controlled with the controller; programming of the controller; following different signals and sensors, via which the controller obtains information regarding the current state of energy consumption; adjusting operation of devices with regards to pre-set parameters and/or pre-set schedules and/or environmental conditions.

Description

[0056] The invention will be described in further detail based on exemplary embodiments and figures, which show:

[0057] FIG. 1 Interior of the controller with shown positions for expansion cards

[0058] FIG. 2 Interior of the controller with shown positions of connectors

[0059] The controller according to a possible embodiments comprises two basic components, namely a base plate as shown in FIG. 1 and a computer module, wherein the base plate (base plate) enables connection of further expansions such as mobile (GSM, LTE, LTE-NB, and similar), M-BUS communication and input/output expansion cards. The computer module controls all modules and expansion cards, as a suitable program (software) for management of tasks related to energy management is run on the computer module. FIG. 2 shows the interior of the controller according to the embodiment, wherein the positions of connectors are the following: [0060] 1 40-pin connector for the computer module [0061] 2 10-pin connector for M-BUS [0062] 3 12-pin connector for a mobile (GSM) modem [0063] 4 10-pin socket—reserve [0064] 5 9×10-pin connector for expansion cards

[0065] The empty slots in the housing of the controller may be equipped with at least one or more of the following components, depending on the system to be controlled with the controller. Selection is made among the following components in arbitrary numbers and combinations: [0066] relay, with switching option at 230 V at 3 A, operates as electronically controlled switch for turning on different devices such as heaters, lights and similar; [0067] digital output—2× output of the current voltage, which functions as a low-energy electrical signal for turning on smaller burdens; [0068] analogue output for setting output voltage from 0 to 10 V DC or current from 4 to 20 mA, which enables continuous control of certain devices, most commonly electrically powered valve for heat conduits, wherein the continuous control is enabled with a definition of voltage or current in a particular range, which in turn means a particular state/position of the valve (open, close, and values in-between, for example ¾ open); [0069] digital input −2× reading of voltage up to 24 V for reading electrical signals of lower voltage, particularly for reading meters of different energy sources; [0070] optically separated input—reading of voltage up to 230 V AC, 24 V DC or 12 V DC for reading voltage presence, for example to determine if a furnace is working or a pump is turned on, or if any device has an error, etc.; [0071] reading a current signal from 4 to 20 mA for reading different industrial sensors, such as reading pressure, moisture, temperature values, etc.; [0072] reading a temperature sensor PT1000 or PT100 for reading ambient temperature or water temperature, etc.

[0073] The controller may manage individual functions or a combination of the following: [0074] usage or manufacture of gases by reading data from gas meters of different manufacturers (pulse, RS232, RS484, M-bus, Modbus, KNX, . . . ); and/or [0075] usage or manufacture of electricity by reading data from electric meters of different manufacturers (pulse, RS232, RS484, M-bus, Modbus, KNX, . . . ); and/or [0076] usage or manufacture of heat by reading data from calorimeters of different manufacturers (pulse, RS232, RS484, M-bus, Modbus, KNX, . . . ).

[0077] Further, the modular controller may control operation of furnaces, lights, heaters and similar devices based on known conditions in a building or based on weather forecast. The controller and the method for energy management with the said controller enables control of operation of all energy devices and automated energy bookkeeping, so that energy consumption is optimized.