AR Rooftop Sensor Network for Snow Load Inspection Decisions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rooftop snow load monitoring systems are complex, difficult to install, and expensive, failing to effectively reduce risks associated with excessive snow loads, including worker safety, property damage, and business disruption.
Innovation Solution
A novel building intelligence gathering, assessment, and decision-support system that integrates wireless rooftop snow load monitoring, VR-guided snow removing robot systems, automated snow conveying tunnel systems, and unmanned snow depth measuring aircraft, enabling real-time data collection and automated snow removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If prior art wireless rooftop snow load sensors and networking technology are deployed, then rooftop snow load monitoring capability is provided, but the system becomes complex, difficult to install, and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple previously separate functions (snow load sensing, wireless communication, power management, and data processing) into an integrated sensor node that operates as a unified system. This merging reduces installation complexity while maintaining monitoring reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor nodes are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: measuring snow load, communicating wirelessly, managing power consumption, and providing location data. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate systems, reducing overall complexity and cost.
2Measurement precision
If prior art wireless rooftop snow load sensors are deployed, then snow load measurement is enabled, but the system fails to effectively reduce risks associated with worker safety, property damage, and business disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors snow load conditions and provides real-time feedback to building managers through wireless communication. When thresholds are exceeded, automated alerts trigger immediate action, creating a closed-loop system that effectively reduces risks rather than merely measuring conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system detects snow load accumulation before it reaches dangerous levels, enabling preventive action to be taken. By providing early warning and continuous monitoring, the system allows building managers to address issues before they result in worker safety incidents, property damage, or business disruption.
3Ease of operation
If conventional building management systems are used, then basic building operations are managed, but the systems are not optimally integrated into snow load monitoring and emergency response networks
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor nodes are designed with universal communication capabilities that can interface with multiple different systems including building management systems, emergency response networks, and notification systems. This adaptability allows seamless integration across different platforms while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless sensor network acts as an intermediary layer between physical snow load conditions and digital building management systems. This intermediary enables seamless integration by translating physical measurements into standardized digital signals that can be processed by various management and emergency response systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A building intelligence gathering, assessment and decision-support system including a GPS system deployed about the Earth and supporting a plurality of GPS satellites for transmitting GPS signals to the surface of the Earth. A building data sensor network, including a plurality of GPS-tracked rooftop-mounted sensors, are mounted on the rooftop surface of the building, and adapted for collecting GPS-indexed data specifying conditions on the rooftop surface at particular dates and times of the year. The building rooftop conditions includes one or more conditions selected from the group consisting of snow load conditions, windspeed and direction, and temperature. The system also includes one or more hand-held mobile augmented-reality (AR) based rooftop navigation and inspection devices, each configured for communication with communication servers within a data center over a wireless data communication network. Each hand-held mobile AR-based inspection device is capable displaying digital images of objects and scenery captured in its field of view (FOV) while the user is moving about the rooftop surface, along with graphical indications of GPS-tracked rooftop-mounted sensors collecting data regarding conditions on the building rooftop surface. By virtue of the present invention, users can now navigate building rooftops, inspect rooftop situations, identify where GPS-tracked rooftop-mounted sensors have been installed, and quickly determine where particular conditions have been automatically detected during rooftop inspections.