Adaptive User Interface for Presence-Based Environmental Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control systems for office or home environments lack individualized control options, leading to reduced user satisfaction and increased energy consumption, as they do not account for personal preferences and can overwhelm users with complexity.
Innovation Solution
A control device with a user interface that dynamically adjusts the range of control options based on presence information, allowing users to customize environmental settings like lighting, temperature, and air quality, while minimizing complexity by tailoring options to the number and location of occupants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users are provided with extensive control options for environmental parameters, then individualized control and user satisfaction improve, but user interface complexity increases and may overwhelm users
Solution Approach 1:
The control system segments the user base into different groups (e.g., present users, absent users, different roles) and provides different control options to each segment. This allows extensive control for those who need it while simplifying the interface for others, resolving the contradiction between individualized control and interface complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The user interface dynamically adjusts the available control options based on real-time presence information. When users are detected to be present, the system activates additional control parameters and customization options. When absent, the interface simplifies automatically. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making complexity conditional rather than static.
2Ease of operation
If control systems provide comprehensive environmental control options, then personal comfort improves, but energy consumption increases due to lack of automatic optimization
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors presence information and environmental parameters, using this feedback to automatically adjust settings. When no users are present, the system automatically reduces energy consumption by adjusting lighting, temperature, and other parameters. When users return, the system restores comfortable settings. This feedback loop resolves the contradiction by making energy efficiency automatic rather than requiring manual optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system performs self-service by automatically optimizing energy consumption based on detected presence patterns without requiring user intervention. The system autonomously adjusts environmental parameters to balance comfort and energy efficiency, resolving the contradiction between personal comfort and energy consumption through automated decision-making.
3Loss of energy
If building automation systems implement default automatic behavior for energy saving, then energy efficiency improves, but user satisfaction decreases when personal comfort preferences are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring multiple user profiles with individual comfort preferences before users arrive. When users are detected, the system automatically selects and applies the appropriate pre-configured profile, ensuring both energy efficiency and personal comfort are satisfied without requiring users to manually adjust settings or compromise their preferences.
Data Source
AI summary
A control device (110) for controlling the environment in a region (102) within a structure (104) by means of controlling operation of a control system (120), which is adapted to adjust at least one property of the environment in the region (102), is disclosed. The control device comprises a user interface (112) adapted to selectively indicate to a user a range of available values representing at least one property of the environment in the region (102) that is adjustable by the control system (120) at least based on presence information of any persons being present within the region (102) such that the extent of control of the environment in the region (102) by means of the control device (120) that is thereby enabled the user is based at least partly on the presence information.