Building control device having probability distribution based sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thermostats do not fully utilize the correlation of sensor ensemble errors, which limits their ability to provide accurate temperature measurements and control in building automation systems.
Innovation Solution
A building control device that incorporates environmental sensors, a memory, and a controller to estimate temperature by computing Joint Probability Distributions from sensor residual errors, identifying operational states, and generating accurate temperature estimates for improved measurement and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple environmental sensors are used in redundant configurations, then sensor system performance and reliability are enhanced, but the ability to accurately estimate temperature is limited without utilizing sensor error correlations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms sensor residual errors from unwanted deviations into useful information by computing Joint Probability Distributions (JPDs) that capture the correlation structure of sensor errors across different operational environmental states. This parameter transformation allows the system to leverage error correlations to improve temperature estimation accuracy while maintaining the benefits of redundant sensor configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by using computed JPDs to identify the most likely operational environmental state and select temperature estimates accordingly. The controller continuously monitors sensor readings, updates probability distributions, and adjusts temperature estimates based on the identified operational state, creating a closed-loop system that improves measurement precision through iterative refinement.
2Measurement precision
If Joint Probability Distributions are computed from sensor residual errors to identify operational states, then temperature measurement accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-computing and storing JPDs for multiple operational environmental states during a calibration phase. This allows the runtime system to simply query pre-computed probability distributions rather than performing complex real-time calculations, significantly reducing computational complexity while maintaining high measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the operational environment into discrete operational environmental states, each with its own pre-computed JPD. This segmentation allows the complex problem of continuous temperature estimation to be divided into manageable discrete states, simplifying the control algorithm by enabling straightforward state identification and corresponding temperature estimate selection.
Data Source
AI summary
A building control device for estimating temperature of a space incorporating environmental sensors, a memory, and a controller. The controller may receive detected environmental conditions, identify operational environmental states, obtain a probability distribution for each operational environmental state, determine temperature estimates and a probability estimate for each temperature estimate, identify an operational environmental state at which the set of environmental sensors are likely operating, select a temperature estimate for the operational environmental state at which the set environmental sensors are likely operating, and generate the selected temperature estimate.