Patent Application
20240077240
This application claims the benefit and priority of Indian Patent Application No. 202221050278 filed Sep. 2, 2022. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to voltage protection modules for compressors of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems.
The background description provided here is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Compressor protection modules in HVAC systems protect compressors from various faults. Some example compressor protection modules include a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) based motor protection module, a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) based scroll over temperature protection module, a reverse phase protection module, a single phasing protection module, over and under voltage protection modules, a phase imbalance protection module, frequency supply over and under range protection modules, and a compressor short cycling protection module. The PTC based motor protection module and the NTC based scroll over temperature protection module prevent compressor overheating events. The reverse phase protection module prevents reverse rotation of a compressor.
The single phasing protection module prevents the compressor from operating when a phase of the compressor is lost. The over and under voltage protection modules prevent the compressor from operating when voltages are above or below predetermined safe voltage operating ranges. The phase imbalance protection module prevents the compressor from operating when the phases of the compressor are unbalanced such that voltages of one phase are less than voltages of another phase. The frequency supply over and under range protection modules prevent the compressor from operating when the frequency of power supplied to the compressor is not within a predetermined safe operating range. The compressor short cycling protection module prevents the compressor from operating when a cooling cycle of the compressor is reduced causing the compressor to turn ON and OFF more often, which can degrade the compressor.
A heating ventilation and air-conditioning system is disclosed and includes: at least one analog-to-digital converter configured to sample a voltage signal on or across one or more power lines to provide samples, the one or more power lines supplying power to a compressor; a voltage-based protection module configured to execute one or more voltage-based protection algorithms to protect the compressor; and a soft starter detection module configured, based on the samples, to detect i) presence of a soft starter, and ii) activity of the soft starter ramping up current to the compressor, and to, based on detecting the presence of the soft starter and the activity of the soft starter, disable voltage-based protection provided by the voltage-based protection module.
In other features, the soft starter detection module is configured to: disable the voltage-based protection provided by the voltage-based protection module during a soft start ramp up period; and enable the voltage-based protection provided by the voltage-based protection module in response to detecting an end of the soft start ramp up period.
In other features, the soft starter detection module is configured to: detect whether the voltage signal is a chopped voltage signal; in response to detecting that the voltage signal is a chopped voltage signal, determine that the soft starter is ramping up current to the compressor; and in response to detecting that the voltage signal is not a chopped voltage signal, determine that the soft starter is not ramping up current to the compressor.
In other features, the soft starter detection module is configured to: determine a first root mean square voltage of the voltage signal; determine a second root mean square voltage of the voltage signal; based on a difference between the first root mean square voltage and the second root mean square voltage, determine whether the soft starter is ramping up the current to the compressor; and disable the voltage-based protection provided by the voltage-based protection module in response to determining that the soft starter is ramping up the current to the compressor.
In other features, the soft starter detection module is configured to: determine the first root mean square voltage-based on a square root of an average sum of squares of the samples of the voltage signal; and determine the second root mean square voltage-based on a peak of the samples of the voltage signal divided by a square root of 2.
In other features, the soft starter detection module is configured to: track an amount of time during a startup of the compressor that the soft starter is ramping up current to the compressor; compare the amount of time to a maximum ramp time; and based on the comparison of the amount of time and the maximum ramp time, enable the voltage-based protection provided by the voltage-based protection module.
In other features, the soft starter detection module is configured to: in response to the amount of time being longer than the maximum ramp time, enable the voltage-based protection provided by the voltage-based protection module; and in response to the amount of time being less than or equal to the maximum ramp time, maintaining the voltage-based protection module in a disabled state.
In other features, the soft starter detection module is configured to: determine a peak voltage of the samples; determine a present partial sum of the samples; determine an accumulated partial sum based on the present partial sum; determine a first voltage-based on the accumulated partial sum; determine a second voltage-based on the peak voltage; and based on the first voltage and the second voltage, detect at least one of i) the presence of a soft starter, and ii) the activity of the soft starter ramping up current to the compressor.
In other features, the soft starter detection module is configured to: determine a first voltage-based on a square root of an averaged sum of squares of the samples; determine a second voltage-based on a peak voltage of the samples; and based on the first voltage and the second voltage, detect at least one of i) the presence of a soft starter, and ii) the activity of the soft starter ramping up current to the compressor.
In other features, the heating ventilation and air-conditioning system further includes: the soft starter; the compressor; a contactor connected between the soft starter and the compressor; and a control module configured to close the contactor to supply current from the soft starter to the compressor.
In other features, the control module is configured to enable the at least one analog-to-digital converter to sample the voltage signal subsequent to closing the contactor.
In other features, the one or more power lines are either i) supplying power from the soft starter to the contactor, or ii) supplying power from the contactor to the compressor.
In other features, a soft starter detection method for a heating ventilation and air-conditioning system is disclosed. The heating ventilation and air-conditioning system includes a voltage-based protection module configured to execute one or more voltage-based protection algorithms to protect a compressor. The method includes: sampling a voltage signal on or across one or more power lines to provide samples, the one or more power lines supplying power to the compressor; based on the samples, i) detecting presence of a soft starter supplying the power to the compressor, and ii) detecting activity of the soft starter ramping up current to the compressor; and based on detecting the presence of the soft starter and the activity of the soft starter, disabling voltage-based protection provided by the voltage-based protection module.
In other features, the soft starter detection method further includes: disabling the voltage-based protection provided by the voltage-based protection module during a soft start ramp up period; and enabling the voltage-based protection provided by the voltage-based protection module in response to detecting an end of the soft start ramp up period.
In other features, the soft starter detection method further includes: detecting whether the voltage signal is a chopped voltage signal; in response to detecting that the voltage signal is a chopped voltage signal, determining that the soft starter is ramping up current to the compressor; and in response to detecting that the voltage signal is not a chopped voltage signal, determining that the soft starter is not ramping up current to the compressor.
In other features, the soft starter detection method further includes: determining a first root mean square voltage of the voltage signal; determining a second root mean square voltage of the voltage signal; based on a difference between the first root mean square voltage and the second root mean square voltage, determining whether the soft starter is ramping up the current to the compressor; and disabling the voltage-based protection provided by the voltage-based protection module in response to determining that the soft starter is ramping up the current to the compressor.
In other features, the soft starter detection method further includes: determining the first root mean square voltage-based on a square root of an average sum of squares of the samples of the voltage signal; and determining the second root mean square voltage-based on a peak of the samples of the voltage signal divided by a square root of 2.
In other features, the soft starter detection method further includes: tracking an amount of time during a startup of the compressor that the soft starter is ramping up current to the compressor; comparing the amount of time to a maximum ramp time; and based on the comparison of the amount of time and the maximum ramp time, enabling the voltage-based protection provided by the voltage-based protection module.
In other features, the soft starter detection method further includes: in response to the amount of time being longer than the maximum ramp time, enabling the voltage-based protection provided by the voltage-based protection module; and in response to the amount of time being less than or equal to the maximum ramp time, maintaining the voltage-based protection module in a disabled state.
In other features, the soft starter detection method further includes: determining a peak voltage of the samples; determining a present partial sum of the samples; determining an accumulated partial sum based on the present partial sum; determining a first voltage-based on the accumulated partial sum; determining a second voltage-based on the peak voltage; and based on the first voltage and the second voltage, detecting at least one of i) the presence of a soft starter, and ii) the activity of the soft starter ramping up current to the compressor.
In other features, the soft starter detection method further includes: determining a first voltage-based on a square root of an averaged sum of squares of the samples; determining a second voltage-based on a peak voltage of the samples; and based on the first voltage and the second voltage, detecting at least one of i) the presence of a soft starter, and ii) the activity of the soft starter ramping up current to the compressor.
In other features, the soft starter detection method further includes: closing a contactor to supply current from the soft starter to the compressor; and enabling sampling of the voltage signal subsequent to closing the contactor.
In other features, the one or more power lines either i) supply power from the soft starter to the contactor, or ii) supply power from the contactor to the compressor.
Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, the claims and the drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.
The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
In the drawings, reference numbers may be reused to identify similar and/or identical elements.
In HVAC systems, compressors are often driven with soft starters to minimize the amount of inrush current experienced by the compressors during startup. Soft starters are also used to minimize voltage flickering on power lines supplying power to the compressors. A soft starter produces a chopped waveform, as shown in
Due to a chopped waveform of a voltage signal, a voltage-based protection module monitoring the voltage signal may generate one or more nuisance faults. Example nuisance faults (or false positives) are a missing phase fault, a reverse phase fault, an undervoltage fault, a supply frequency out of range fault, etc. This is because different points of the voltage signals are sampled. Due to the chopped or irregular nature of the corresponding waveforms of the voltage signals, the voltage-based protection module can behave inappropriately and generate the nuisance faults. As an example, chopped voltage signals having irregular portions may be sampled. The samples may then be evaluated by voltage-based protection algorithms executed by the voltage-based protection module. The calculations performed by these algorithms are based on the samples, which can result in false positives with regards to detecting faults. For example, if there is a 25% phase-to-phase deviation between samples of different phase voltage signals, then a corresponding voltage-based protection module may detect a fault due to the sampling of chopped (or irregular) portions of the voltage signals. The voltage-based protection module, based on the fault, may then shut OFF the corresponding compressor.
The examples set forth herein include an HVAC system that includes a protection module including a voltage-based protection module and a soft starter detection module. The soft starter detection module detects active presence (or ramping activity) of a soft starter and absence of the soft starter during startup periods of a compressor. The soft starter detection module enables and disables the voltage-based protection module based on the active presence and absence of the soft starter. This prevents false positives during startup. The soft starter detection module disables the voltage-based protection module for the period of time when the soft starter is ramping up current to the compressor.
The ramp up time of a compressor is not consistent and thus can vary.
Maintaining the disablement of voltage-based protection for a maximum soft start ramp time can also result in erratic behavior by a protection module executing voltage-based protection algorithms. This may occur, for example, when a system operator sets a soft starter ramp time to be greater than the maximum soft start ramp time. In this situation, a period exists when the current to the compressor is still being ramped up and thus a soft starter is still providing a chopped waveform and voltage-based protection is enabled. As another example, due to load variations, a soft starter ramp time may be less than the maximum soft starter ramp time. As a result, the voltage-based protection algorithms remain inactive for the maximum soft starter ramp time and an intermediate unprotected period exists, which can negatively affect life of motor windings in case of a voltage-based fault occurring during the unprotected intermediate period.
In order to eliminate the described intermediate unprotected periods 210, 212, the soft starter detection module may not disable the voltage-based protection module for a maximum amount of ramp time, but rather for an actual amount of ramp time. The soft starter detection module detects (i) when the soft starter is actively ramping up the current and thus is providing a chopped voltage signal output, and (ii) when the soft starter stops actively ramping up the current and thus provides a voltage signal output that is not chopped. The soft starter detection module disables voltage protection during the ramp up period and enables voltage protection at the end of the ramp up period.
The contactor 304 may be implemented as a relay and include a coil 320 that is energized to close the contactor 304 and transfer power from the lines 310 to lines 322, which supply power to the compressor 306. The power supplied via the lines 322 may be provided to a motor 330 of the compressor 306. The compressor 306 may further include sensors 332 and a compressor control module 334. The compressor control module 334 may operate the motor 330 based on outputs of the sensors 332. The sensors 332 may include voltage sensors, current sensors, temperature sensors, and/or other sensors.
The HVAC control module 308 controls operation of the contactor 304 and the compressor 306. The HVAC control module 308 may include analog-to-digital (A/D) converters 340, 342, 344 and a protection module 346. The protection module 346 controls state of the coil 320 and as a result ON and OFF states of the contactor 304 and ON and OFF states of the motor 330 of the compressor 306. The protection module 346 may include a voltage-based protection module 350, a soft starter detection module 352, a NTC based scroll protection module 354 and a PTC based motor protection module 356. The A/D converters 340, 342, 344 convert analog voltage signals to digital voltage signals. The analog voltage signals may be the voltage signals on the lines 322, as shown, or may be voltage signals on lines 310. The A/D converters 340, 342, 344 sample the analog voltage signals and provide the samples to the modules 350, 352. The modules 354, 356 may operate based on outputs of the sensors 332.
The soft starter detection module 352 enables and disables the voltage-based protection module 350 based on detection of active ramping up of current by the soft starter 302 to the compressor 306. The soft starter detection module 352 detects the installation (or presence) of the soft starter 302 and whether the soft starter 302 is actively ramping up current based on the samples from the A/D converters 340, 342, 344. This allows the soft starter detection module 352 and the protection modules 350, 354, 356 to be compatible with HVAC systems that do include a soft starter and HVAC systems that do not include a soft starter. The modules 350, 354, 356 implement corresponding protective algorithms 362, which may be stored in memory 360, such as a reverse phase protection algorithm, a single phasing protection algorithm, over and under voltage protection algorithms, a phase imbalance protection algorithm, a frequency supply over and under range protection algorithms, a compressor short cycling protection algorithm, a PTC based motor protection algorithm, and a NTC based scroll over temperature protection algorithm. The memory may also store a soft starter algorithm 364 that is implemented by the soft starter detection module 352 for detecting ramping up of current to the compressor 306 and disabling and enabling the voltage-based protection based on this detection. The soft starter algorithm 364 does not conflict with the protective algorithms 362 and hence the protection module 346 does not perform erratically.
The protection module 346 and/or the soft starter detection module 352 may include counters 370, such as a soft starter present counter and a soft starter absent counter. The soft starter present counter is used to confirm, during a startup event of the compressor 306, that the soft starter 302 is actively ramping up current. The soft starter absent counter is used to confirm, during a startup event of the compressor 306, that the soft starter has completed ramping up the current. The protection module 346 and/or the soft starter detection module 352 may also include a soft starter ramp timer 372. The soft starter ramp timer 372 is used to determine ramp time of the soft starter. If the ramp time exceeds a set amount of time (e.g., 0.5-2.0 seconds), the soft starter detection module 352 and/or the protection module 346 may override operation of the soft starter detection module 352 and enable the voltage-based protection module 350. This assures that the voltage-based protection modules 350 and implementation of the corresponding stated algorithms are not disabled for too long and/or an indefinite amount of time.
When the protection module 346 detects a fault, for example, via one or more of the modules 350, 354, 356 and/or via one or more of the algorithms implemented by the modules 350, 354, 356, the protection module 346 de-energizes (or opens) the contactor 304. When voltage-based protection is disabled during an initial startup period, the protection module 346 may de-energize the contactor 304 if one or more of the modules 354, 356 detects a fault. The protection module 346 may not de-energize the contactor 304 if the voltage-based protection module 350 is not completely disabled and detects a fault during the initial startup period when voltage-based protection is disabled. If a soft starter is not incorporated in the HVAC system 300, then voltage-based protection is enabled during startup of the compressor 306.
The soft starter detection module 352 of
At 502, the protection module 346 may determine whether the contactor 304 is in a closed (or ON) state (e.g., the coil 320 is energized). If yes, operation 504 is performed. At powerup, the protection module 346 turns ON the contactor 304. At 504, the protection module 346 enables the soft starter detection module 352.
At 506, the protection module 346 and/or the soft starter detection module 352 starts the soft starter ramp timer 372. At 508, the soft starter detection module 352 may initialize and/or set a partial sum, a partial sum counter, a present partial sum, a soft starter present counter, and a soft starter absent counter equal to zero.
At 510, the soft starter detection module 352 obtains a predetermined number of instantaneous voltage samples of one or more power line signals from one or more A/D converters (e.g., one or more of the A/D converters 340, 342, 344). In one embodiment, a single phase or a voltage across two phases is monitored. In another embodiment, two phases or two voltages across two pairs of phases are monitored. As an example, one of the voltage signals on one of the lines 322 may be monitored and 25 microseconds (μs) of samples of the one of the voltage signals may be collected. This may include collecting 80 samples over the 25 μs period.
At 512, the soft starter detection module 352 may calculate a peak voltage of the voltage signal based on the predetermined number of samples and store the peak voltage in a memory (e.g., the memory 360) or other storage device (e.g., a register or a buffer of the soft starter detection module 352). As an example, the peak voltage VP may be determined according to equation 1, where S1-SN are the samples, and N is the number of samples.
V
P=MAX(S1,S2, . . . ,SN) (1)
At 514, the soft starter detection module 352 may calculate the present partial sum PPS. This may be done according to equation 2.
At 516, the soft starter detection module 352 may determine whether the partial sum counter is equal to a predetermined value (e.g., 50). If not, operation 518 may be performed, otherwise operation 522 may be performed.
At 518, the soft starter detection module 352 may calculate an accumulated partial sum, which may be equal to a sum of the present partial sum PPS and the partial sum PS (or last accumulated partial sum value). At 520, the soft starter detection module 352 may increment the partial sum counter. For example, the partial sum counter value may be set equal to the partial sum counter value plus one. Operation 510 may be performed subsequent to performing operation 520.
At 522, the soft starter detection module 352 may calculate a first root mean square (RMS) voltage RMS1 based on the accumulated partial sum PS. For example, RMS1 may be calculated using equation 3.
RMS1=√{square root over (PS)} (3)
By performing operations 510, 512, 514, 516, 518, 520, RMS1 is calculated every predetermined period of time (e.g., 100 milliseconds (ms)=80×50×25 μs), where 80 is the number of samples obtained for each of 50 iterations.
At 524, the soft starter detection module 352 may reset the partial sum (or accumulated partial sum), partial sum counter, and the present partial sum to zero. Operation 526 is performed subsequent to operation 524.
At 526, the soft starter detection module 352 may calculate a second RMS voltage RMS2 based on the peak voltage. This peak voltage may be a peak voltage determined during a last iteration of operation 512 or may be a peak of the peak voltages determined during the last set of iterations of operations 510, 512, 514, 516, 518, 520. For example, the peak voltage may be the greatest of the 51 iterations of peak voltages determined during iterations of operations 510, 512, 514, 516, 518, 520, when the predetermined iteration value is equal to 50. RMS2 may be calculated using equation 4. In one embodiment, at least operations 512, 522 and 526 are repeated for a predetermined period of time each time the compressor 306 is turned ON. The predetermined period may be 5 seconds or less. As an example, the predetermined period may be 400 ms.
At 528, the soft starter detection module 352 may determine whether an absolute difference between RMS1 and RMS2 is less than a predefined value (e.g., 5 V). The predefined value may be referred to as an empirical offset value. If yes, operation 530 may be performed, otherwise operation 540 may be performed. In an embodiment, soft starter absence is detected when RMS2 is less than or equal to a sum of RMS1 and the predetermined empirical offset value. These determinations may be made to determine if a waveshape of the voltage signal being monitored is sinusoidal. When the voltage signal is sinusoidal and not chopped, absence of soft starter activity to ramp up current is detected.
At 530, the soft starter detection module 352 may increment the soft starter absent counter. At 532, the soft starter detection module 352 may determine whether the soft starter absent counter is equal to a first predetermined threshold (e.g., 4) or other predetermined threshold. In an embodiment the first predetermined threshold is greater than or equal to 1. If no, operation 510 may be performed, otherwise operation 534 may be performed.
At 534, the soft starter detection module 352 may set a flag in memory indicating that soft starter absence is confirmed. Soft starter absence may refer to a soft starter not being incorporated in the HVAC system 300 and/or the soft starter 302 not ramping up current to the compressor 306. This indicates that the soft starter 302 has finished ramping up current to the compressor 306. In one embodiment, soft starter absence is determined when RMS1 is equal to RMS2. In another embodiment, soft starter absence is determined when the absolute difference between RMS1 and RMS2 is less than or equal to the predetermined empirical offset value. At 536, the soft starter detection module 352 may reset the soft starter absent counter to zero.
At 538, the soft starter detection module 352 may enable the voltage-based protection module 350 and/or implementation of voltage-based protection algorithms, such as the reverse phase protection algorithm, single phasing protection algorithm, over and under voltage protection algorithms, phase imbalance protection algorithm, frequency supply over and under range protection algorithms, and compressor short cycling protection algorithm. This may include allowing the voltage-based protection module 350 to turn OFF the compressor when one or more of the voltage-based protection algorithms detect a fault. In one embodiment, as soon as the soft start period of ramping up current to the compressor 306 is over, the soft starter detection module 352 enables the voltage-based protection.
At 540, the soft starter detection module 352 may determine whether RMS2 is greater than a sum of RMS1 and the predefined value (e.g., 5V). If no, operation 542 may be performed, otherwise operation 546 may be performed. This determination is made to determine if a waveshape of the voltage signal being monitored is chopped for an initial portion of a startup period. When the voltage signal is chopped, presence of soft starter activity to ramp up current is detected.
At 542, the soft starter detection module 352 may determine whether RMS1 is greater than a sum of RMS2 and the predefined value (e.g., 5V). In one embodiment, the predefined value is 0V. In another embodiment, the predetermined value is less than 5V. If yes, operation 544 is performed.
At 544, the soft starter detection module 352 may set a flag indicating a calculation error has occurred. In the event of a calculation error, the values of RMS1 and RMS2 may be discarded. Operation 554 may be performed subsequent to operation 544.
At 546, the soft starter detection module 352 may increment the soft starter present counter. At 548, the soft starter detection module 352 may determine whether the soft starter present counter is equal to a second predetermined threshold (e.g., 4) or other predetermined threshold. In an embodiment, the second predetermined threshold is greater than or equal to 1. The second predetermined threshold may be the same or different than the first predetermined threshold. If no, operation 510 may be performed, otherwise operation 550 may be performed. By performing operations 532 and 548, RMS1 and RMS2 are confirmed every predetermined period of time (e.g., 4×100 ms or 400 ms, where 4 is the first and/or second predetermined threshold). In an embodiment, the second predetermined threshold is different than the first predetermined threshold.
At 550, the soft starter detection module 352 may set a flag indicating soft starter presence is confirmed and disable voltage-based protection. Soft starter presence may refer to the HVAC system 300 including the soft starter 302 and the soft starter 302 ramping up current to the compressor 306. This may include disabling the voltage-based protection module 350 and/or preventing voltage-based protection operations from being performed. Execution of voltage-based protection algorithms may be prevented. At 552, the soft starter detection module 352 may reset the soft starter present counter to zero.
At 554, the soft starter detection module 352 may determine whether the soft starter ramp time is greater than the maximum ramp time. The max ramp time may be set based on a type of load and/or size of the compressor 306. In one embodiment, the maximum ramp time is not more than 10 seconds. If yes, operation 556 may be performed, otherwise operation 510 may be performed. The soft starter ramp time is the current amount of time that the soft starter 302 has been ramping up current to the compressor 306 from the point in time when the compressor was last turned ON.
At 556, the soft starter detection module 352 may set a flag indicating a soft starter ramp timeout has occurred. Operation 538 may be performed subsequent to performing operation 554. The method may end subsequent to performing operation 538.
The above-described examples include enabling protection modules and implementation of protection algorithms when soft starter action of ramping up current to a compressor is over, thereby avoiding exposure of compressor motor windings to high current levels due to faults, such as high current level experienced during a single phasing fault. The soft starter algorithm implemented by performing the above-described method is used to detect the end of a ramp up period regardless of a length of the ramp up period. The examples disclosed herein are implementable independent of soft starter current rating and regardless of soft starter make or model. The voltage-based protection is disabled independent of maximum ramp period, which may be set by a system operator.
The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. The broad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims. It should be understood that one or more steps within a method may be executed in different order (or concurrently) without altering the principles of the present disclosure. Further, although each of the embodiments is described above as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of the disclosure can be implemented in and/or combined with features of any of the other embodiments, even if that combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and permutations of one or more embodiments with one another remain within the scope of this disclosure.
Spatial and functional relationships between elements (for example, between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, including “connected,” “engaged,” “coupled,” “adjacent,” “next to,” “on top of,” “above,” “below,” and “disposed.” Unless explicitly described as being “direct,” when a relationship between first and second elements is described in the above disclosure, that relationship can be a direct relationship where no other intervening elements are present between the first and second elements, but can also be an indirect relationship where one or more intervening elements are present (either spatially or functionally) between the first and second elements. As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A OR B OR C), using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed to mean “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”
In the figures, the direction of an arrow, as indicated by the arrowhead, generally demonstrates the flow of information (such as data or instructions) that is of interest to the illustration. For example, when element A and element B exchange a variety of information but information transmitted from element A to element B is relevant to the illustration, the arrow may point from element A to element B. This unidirectional arrow does not imply that no other information is transmitted from element B to element A. Further, for information sent from element A to element B, element B may send requests for, or receipt acknowledgements of, the information to element A.
In this application, including the definitions below, the term “module” or the term “controller” may be replaced with the term “circuit.” The term “module” may refer to, be part of, or include: an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog/digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog/digital integrated circuit; a combinational logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; a memory circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processor circuit; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system-on-chip.
The module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuits may include wired or wireless interfaces that are connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or combinations thereof. The functionality of any given module of the present disclosure may be distributed among multiple modules that are connected via interface circuits. For example, multiple modules may allow load balancing. In a further example, a server (also known as remote, or cloud) module may accomplish some functionality on behalf of a client module.
The term code, as used above, may include software, firmware, and/or microcode, and may refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures, and/or objects. The term shared processor circuit encompasses a single processor circuit that executes some or all code from multiple modules. The term group processor circuit encompasses a processor circuit that, in combination with additional processor circuits, executes some or all code from one or more modules. References to multiple processor circuits encompass multiple processor circuits on discrete dies, multiple processor circuits on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor circuit, or a combination of the above. The term shared memory circuit encompasses a single memory circuit that stores some or all code from multiple modules. The term group memory circuit encompasses a memory circuit that, in combination with additional memories, stores some or all code from one or more modules.
The term memory circuit is a subset of the term computer-readable medium. The term computer-readable medium, as used herein, does not encompass transitory electrical or electromagnetic signals propagating through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); the term computer-readable medium may therefore be considered tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of a non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium are nonvolatile memory circuits (such as a flash memory circuit, an erasable programmable read-only memory circuit, or a mask read-only memory circuit), volatile memory circuits (such as a static random access memory circuit or a dynamic random access memory circuit), magnetic storage media (such as an analog or digital magnetic tape or a hard disk drive), and optical storage media (such as a CD, a DVD, or a Blu-ray Disc).
The apparatuses and methods described in this application may be partially or fully implemented by a special purpose computer created by configuring a general purpose computer to execute one or more particular functions embodied in computer programs. The functional blocks, flowchart components, and other elements described above serve as software specifications, which can be translated into the computer programs by the routine work of a skilled technician or programmer.
The computer programs include processor-executable instructions that are stored on at least one non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium. The computer programs may also include or rely on stored data. The computer programs may encompass a basic input/output system (BIOS) that interacts with hardware of the special purpose computer, device drivers that interact with particular devices of the special purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, etc.
The computer programs may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (hypertext markup language), XML (extensible markup language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) (ii) assembly code, (iii) object code generated from source code by a compiler, (iv) source code for execution by an interpreter, (v) source code for compilation and execution by a just-in-time compiler, etc. As examples only, source code may be written using syntax from languages including C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Java®, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, Javascript®, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language 5th revision), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Flash®, Visual Basic®, Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK, and Python®.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202221050278 | Sep 2022 | IN | national |
