Air Purifier Filter Alerts Using Multi-Size Dust Variation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air purifiers face challenges in accurately determining the cleaning and replacement timing of filters due to variations in air contamination levels, and methods that improve accuracy, such as using a flow sensor, increase manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
An air purifier equipped with sensors to detect dust concentrations of different sizes, which calculates variations in dust concentrations over time intervals to provide timely alerts for filter cleaning and replacement, eliminating the need for additional sensors and improving user convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a flow sensor is used to estimate filter state, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The existing dust sensor serves dual purposes: monitoring air quality and estimating filter state. The sensor continuously detects dust concentrations, and the processor analyzes variations in these readings over time to determine when the filter needs cleaning or replacement, eliminating the need for a separate flow sensor
Solution Approach 2:
The dust sensor is made multi-functional by using it for both its original purpose (air quality monitoring) and the new function (filter state estimation). The processor calculates dust concentration variations at different time points and uses this data to trigger filter maintenance alerts, making one component serve multiple functions
2Device complexity
If driving time is used to estimate filter state, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors dust concentration readings and uses feedback from these measurements to estimate filter state. By calculating variations in dust concentrations at different time intervals and comparing them against thresholds, the system dynamically determines when filter maintenance is needed, providing more accurate feedback than simple time-based estimation
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from using a single parameter (driving time) to analyzing multiple parameters (dust concentration variations at different time points). The processor compares dust concentration readings taken at different intervals and uses the variation patterns to accurately assess filter loading, improving measurement precision without adding hardware complexity
Data Source
AI summary
An air purifier comprises: an inlet to suck air therethrough, an outlet to discharge the sucked air, a display; a sensor; a filter configured to filter dust from the sucked air; a fan configured to suck the air through the inlet and discharge the air filtered by the filter through the outlet; and a processor configured to identify a first variation of a concentration of dust having a first size detected by the sensor and a second variation of a concentration of dust having a second size detected by the sensor, and controls the display to display information related to filter cleaning based on a difference between the first variation and the second variation is greater than a preset value. The second size may be greater than the first size.