Intelligent environmental air management system

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air management systems in buildings lack centralized coordination across various devices for monitoring and mitigating indoor air quality, making effective user control and hazard mitigation challenging due to their decentralized nature.

Innovation Solution

An intelligent environmental air management system with a central controller that integrates air hazard sensors, environmental condition monitors, and mitigation devices, allowing for centralized data processing, prioritization of hazards, and coordinated mitigation measures through wired or wireless networks, and user interface integration for alerting and user control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If multiple air quality devices are deployed throughout a building, then air quality monitoring coverage is improved, but system coordination and user control become difficult due to decentralized operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair quality monitoring coverageVSAvoiduser control
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple decentralized air quality devices into a unified networked system with a central controller that coordinates all devices. The central controller aggregates data from multiple sensors and provides centralized user control through a single interface, resolving the contradiction between expanded coverage and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The central controller acts as an intermediary between the distributed air quality devices and the user. It receives data from multiple sensors, processes information, and provides coordinated control responses, enabling easy user interaction despite the decentralized physical distribution of devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Area of stationary object

If multiple air quality devices are deployed throughout a building, then air quality monitoring coverage is improved, but device coordination becomes difficult due to decentralized nature

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair quality monitoring coverageVSAvoiddevice coordination
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple independent air quality devices into a coordinated networked system. The central controller unifies device operation, data processing, and mitigation actions across all devices, simplifying coordination while maintaining expanded monitoring coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The central controller serves multiple functions: it coordinates all air quality devices, processes data from multiple sensors, determines mitigation measures, and provides user interface management. This multi-functional approach reduces overall system complexity despite expanded device deployment.

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

3Ease of operation

If a central controller integrates multiple devices and functions, then coordinated air quality management is achieved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoordinated controlVSAvoidsystem structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the air quality management system into distinct functional modules: air hazard sensors, environmental condition monitors, mitigation devices, and a central controller. This modular segmentation manages complexity by organizing functions into separate, manageable components while maintaining coordinated operation through the central controller.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4124805B1Intelligent environmental air management system
Publication Date: 2024.09.18 CARRIER CORP
  • EP4124805B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4124805B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4124805B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A central controller for an intelligent environmental air management system includes at least one processor and memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor. The instructions, when executed, cause the central controller to detect and communicate with an air hazard sensor, an environmental condition monitor, and an air hazard mitigation device of the intelligent environmental air management system.