Building Environment Regulation via Resource Allocation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing building environment regulation systems struggle to achieve desired environmental conditions proactively and face challenges in scheduling recurring events efficiently, leading to reschedulings and impromptu cancellations due to unavailability of resources.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that utilizes resource allocations to determine expected occupancy and adjust scheduling of recurring events based on resource availability, allowing proactive environmental condition setting and reducing unviable time period scheduling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If building environment regulation systems use sensors to detect and respond to environmental changes, then the system can maintain environmental conditions, but it cannot proactively prepare for changes and achieves conditions too late

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to achieve desired environmental conditionsVSAvoidtime delay in achieving environmental conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by using resource allocation data to predict future occupancy and proactively adjusting environmental conditions before occupants arrive. Instead of waiting for sensors to detect changes, the system anticipates needs and pre-adjusts temperature, lighting, and ventilation based on scheduled events and resource bookings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If existing resource allocation systems schedule recurring events without considering resource availability, then events can be scheduled quickly, but many events are scheduled at unviable times causing reschedulings and cancellations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevent scheduling efficiencyVSAvoidviability of scheduled events
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates feedback loops that continuously monitor resource availability and occupancy patterns. When scheduling recurring events, the system checks real-time and historical resource data to identify viable time periods, and uses this feedback to automatically adjust schedules, preventing unviable allocations from being created in the first place.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The resource allocation system transitions from static, fixed scheduling to dynamic scheduling that adapts to changing resource availability. The system can flexibly adjust event timing based on real-time resource status, occupancy patterns, and priority levels, allowing the schedule to evolve and optimize itself continuously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Use of energy by stationary object

If building environment systems wait for sensor detection before acting, then energy consumption is reduced, but desired environmental conditions are not achieved proactively

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy consumption of building systemsVSAvoidachievement of desired environmental conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary environmental adjustments based on predicted occupancy from resource allocation data. By anticipating when spaces will be occupied, the system pre-adjusts environmental conditions to optimal levels before arrival, ensuring comfort is achieved without excessive energy consumption from continuous operation or reactive adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3945479B1System and method for regulating a building environment
Publication Date: 2025.04.02 HUBSTAR INT LTD
  • EP3945479B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3945479B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3945479B1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

A computer-implemented method for regulating an environment of one or more areas of a building, comprising: receiving one or more control parameters based on an indication of an allocation of one or more resources at a viable time period for at least one event of a series of recurring events, wherein the viable time period is a permissibly adjusted time period satisfying one or more adjustment criteria for defining one or more permissibly adjusted time periods from a desired time period, and wherein at least one of the one or more resources is proximate to the at least one of the one or more areas of the building; and operating an environment system using the one or more control parameters to obtain one or more environmental conditions of the at least one of the one or more areas of the building at the viable time period.