Positioning system and method for determining the position of fans
Assigneeebm-papst Mulfingen GmbH & Co. KG
InventorsMarkus Humm, Alexander Rau, Christian Antonius Knipp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for determining the positions of a number of fans (Vn,m) for generating an air flow in a preferably enclosed space. The fans (Vn,m) have an acceleration sensor to determine their position. The fans (Vn,m) are arranged in rows (R1, R2, . . . , Rn) and columns (S1, S2, . . . , Sm). At least the position (i, j) of one fan (Vi,j) is known.
Claims20
A method for determining the positions of a number of fans for generating an air flow in an enclosed space, that have an acceleration sensor for determining their position, the fans are arranged in rows and columns, wherein at least the position (i, j) of one fan (Vi,j) is known, the method comprising the following steps:
- a) driving the at least one fan (Vi,j), the position of which is known, in order to initiate an attenuated oscillation of at least those fans (Vn,m) that are arranged in an adjacent row or column position, respectively;
- b) detecting the attenuated oscillation of the fans (Vn,m) that are oscillating in this manner by a mechanical coupling using at least one of the acceleration sensors and controller and determining the potential neighborhood positions of these fans based on an iterative exclusion algorithm;
- c) repeating the steps a) and b) for the fans (Vn,m) determined, respectively, according to step b) until all positions (n,m) of the fans have been determined.
The method for determining the positions of a number of fans (Vn,m) for generating an air flow in an preferably enclosed spaces, the fans have an acceleration sensor for position determination, the fans (Vn,m) are arranged in rows and columns, wherein at least the position (i, j) of one fan (Vij) is known, a controller is provided that is configured to activate and determine the positions of the fans (Vn,m), wherein each of the fans (Vn,m) can be indirectly set into oscillation by a fan (Vn+l,m;
- Vn,m+i) in an adjacent row and column position, the method comprising the following steps:
- a. driving the fan (Vij) having a known position at a predetermined degree of activation and setting the position (i, j) of the fan (Vij) to the known position (i, j);
- b. measuring the attenuated oscillation of the fans (Vn,m) oscillating due to mechanical coupling and transmitting the data to the controller by the acceleration sensors;
- c. determining those positions (n, m) of all fans (Vn,m) having unknown positions in a row and/or column position immediately adjacent to the fan (Vij) based on the position of the excitatory fan (Vi,j);
- d. switching the fan (Vij), having a known position, to idling by the controller, e. driving one of at least two of the detected fans (Vn,m) at a predetermined degree of activation;
- f. marking the positions (n+1, m;
- n, n,m+1) of fans (Vn+1,m;
- Vn,m+i), having unknown positions located immediately adjacent to the fan (Vn,m) driven in step f) with the position of the excitatory fan (Vn,m);
- g. switching the driven fan (Vn,m) to idling and driving at least the second marked fan (Vn,m) at a predetermined degree of activation;
- h. determining the speed of the adjacent fans (Vn+l,m;
- Vn,m+i) having unknown positions, oscillating due to the second fan (Vn,m) by the acceleration sensors and transmitting the data to the controller;
- i. marking the positions (n+1, m;
- n, m+1) of fans (Vn+l,m;
- Vn,m+i), having unknown positions, located immediately adjacent to the fan (Vn,m) driven in step i) with the position of the excitatory fan (Vn,m;
- Vn,m);
- j. if a fan (Vn+1,m;
- Vn,m+i) has already been marked in step g) or step j), respectively, determining and setting the position (n, m) of the fan (Vn+1,m;
- Vn,m+i) to a unique, specific position (n, m);
- and k. driving one of the fans marked in step g) or j), respectively, and repeating the steps f) to k) until all fans (Vn,m) are determined.
A method for determining the positions of a number of fans for generating an air flow in an enclosed space, that have a sound transducer for determining their position, the fans are arranged in rows and columns, wherein at least the position (i, j) of one fan (Vij) is known, the method comprising the following steps:
- a) driving the at least one fan (Vij), the position of which is known, in order to initiate a sound pressure of at least those fans (Vn,m) that are arranged in an adjacent row or column position, respectively;
- b) detecting the sound pressure of the fans (Vn,m) that are rotating in this manner by a mechanical coupling using at least one of the sound transducers and controller and determining the potential neighborhood positions of these fans based on an iterative exclusion algorithm;
- c) repeating the steps a) and b) for the fans (Vn,m) determined, respectively, according to step b) until all positions (n,m) of the fans have been determined.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.