Comfort control system, user-end subsystem thereof, and system-end device thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current comfort control systems for indoor environments are inefficient in adapting to individual user preferences and physiological needs, leading to suboptimal energy consumption and comfort levels, as they primarily rely on set temperature adjustments without considering user activity or personal comfort parameters.
Innovation Solution
A comfort control system comprising a user-end subsystem with environmental control devices, sensors, and communication apparatuses that collect user activity data and send identifiers to a system-end subsystem, which uses databases to look up and adjust environmental factors based on individual physiological values and preferences, optimizing comfort levels while minimizing energy usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional temperature-setting control mechanisms are used, then the system is simple to operate, but it cannot adapt to individual user preferences and physiological needs
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the control into two independent parts: a simple user-end subsystem that only collects data and a computing apparatus that performs complex processing. This segmentation allows the system to gain adaptability through personalized profiles while keeping the user interface simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The computing apparatus acts as an intermediary between the simple environmental control devices and the complex requirements for personalized adaptation. It receives basic inputs, processes them through databases and algorithms, and generates appropriate control commands, thereby enabling adaptability without complicating the end-user interface.
2Reliability
If environmental control devices continuously adjust to maintain comfort, then user comfort is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating and storing optimal control parameters in databases for different activity levels and environmental conditions. When a sensor detects user presence and activity level, the system retrieves pre-computed parameters rather than continuously calculating and adjusting, thereby maintaining comfort while reducing real-time energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of continuous adjustment, the system uses periodic sensing to detect user presence and activity levels, then adjusts environmental parameters at these discrete intervals. The environmental control devices operate at these periodic intervals rather than continuously, reducing energy consumption while maintaining comfort during occupied periods.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system collects and processes detailed user activity data, then personalized comfort control is achieved, but system complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments data processing by collecting only essential activity data at the user-end subsystem (presence/absence and basic activity level) and leaving complex processing to the centralized computing apparatus. This segmentation enables personalization through detailed data analysis while keeping individual device complexity low.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters by using simplified sensor inputs (activity levels) that map to pre-defined comfort parameters in databases. Rather than processing complex continuous data streams, the system transforms sensor readings into discrete activity categories and retrieves corresponding pre-optimized environmental parameters, thereby achieving personalization with reduced processing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A comfort control system includes a user-end subsystem and a system-end subsystem. The user-end subsystem includes an environmental control device, a sensor and a communication apparatus. The environmental control device adjusts an environmental factor value of a predetermined area. The sensor senses an activity value of a user. The communication apparatus sends the activity value and an identifier corresponding to the user. The system-end subsystem includes a communication element, a comfort database and a computing apparatus. The communication element receives the identifier and the activity value. The comfort database includes a basic data table having a physiological value and a preference data table having a control parameter. The computing apparatus looks up the basic data table for the physiological value and looks up the preference data table for a corresponding control parameter. The computing apparatus controls the environmental control device to adjust the environmental factor value.