Method and apparatus for air purification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current air purification systems lack the ability to intelligently adjust their purification strategies based on the spatial capacity of the room, leading to suboptimal air cleaning efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The method involves acquiring an image of the room using an image acquisition device or communication with an image acquisition device to determine the spatial capacity information, which is then used to select a corresponding purification strategy, employing a reference object with known dimensions and applying geometric calculations such as the Pythagorean theorem to determine room dimensions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If air purification systems use fixed purification strategies, then device complexity is reduced, but air purification efficiency deteriorates because the system cannot adapt to different room spatial capacities

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair purification efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The purification strategy is made dynamic by automatically adjusting it based on the detected room spatial capacity. The system transitions from a fixed strategy to a variable strategy that adapts to different room sizes, thereby improving purification efficiency without requiring complex manual configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-measurement of room spatial capacity using image processing and automatically selects the appropriate purification strategy. This self-service capability eliminates the need for manual room size input while enabling adaptive purification, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If air purification systems incorporate image acquisition devices and spatial analysis, then adaptability to different room sizes is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptation to room spatial capacityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The image acquisition device serves multiple functions: capturing room images, detecting spatial capacity, and providing data for purification strategy selection. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate measurement devices, thereby improving adaptability while limiting the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Traditional manual measurement methods are replaced with optical image processing and automated spatial analysis. This substitution uses software-based solutions instead of mechanical measurement tools, enabling adaptability to different room sizes without proportionally increasing hardware complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Loss of time

If manual measurement methods are used to determine room size, then device complexity is minimized, but loss of time increases due to manual intervention

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime for room measurementVSAvoidautomation system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary automatic measurement of room spatial capacity as soon as the air purifier is deployed. By conducting the measurement action in advance and automatically, the system eliminates the need for delayed manual measurement, thereby reducing time loss while keeping the added complexity minimal through automated processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Productivity

If air purification strategies are not adjusted according to room size, then ease of operation is maintained, but productivity deteriorates due to suboptimal purification performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepurification performanceVSAvoidoperation simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically determines room spatial capacity and selects the appropriate purification strategy without requiring user intervention. This self-service approach maintains ease of operation by eliminating manual adjustments while simultaneously improving productivity through optimized purification performance matched to the actual room size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3327363B1Method and apparatus for air purification
Publication Date: 2020.06.17 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD
  • EP3327363B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3327363B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3327363B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The present disclosure refers to a method and apparatus for air purification. The method includes: acquiring (101) an image of a room to be purified and determining a location at which the image is acquired; determining (102) spatial capacity information of the room to be purified according to the image and the location; and performing (103) air purification for the room to be purified using a purification strategy corresponding to the spatial capacity information. With the technical solution, a purification strategy can be intelligently adjusted according to spatial capacity of a room to be cleaned, and thus intelligent performance of an air purifier can be improved.