HVAC Comfort Map Control for Simple User Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Smart thermostats often have complex interfaces that users find difficult to interact with, leading to underutilization of their capabilities, as users either leave them unchanged or override them.
Innovation Solution
The system transforms direct user comfort feedback into a multi-variable data representation, known as a comfort map, which is used to adaptively control HVAC systems, allowing for dynamic temperature adjustments based on user feedback without requiring numeric temperature inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If smart thermostats provide advanced capabilities and features, then system functionality is improved, but interface complexity increases making users unable to voluntarily interact with the system
Solution Approach 1:
The thermostat system performs self-learning by automatically monitoring user temperature adjustments and occupancy patterns over time, building customized temperature schedules without requiring user programming or complex interactions. The system serves itself by gathering data and generating control strategies autonomously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors user overrides and manual adjustments, using this feedback to refine and update the learned temperature profiles. By incorporating real-time user behavior feedback, the thermostat adapts its control strategy to match actual preferences while maintaining simple operation.
2Measurement precision
If users are required to input numeric temperature values, then control precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates requiring complex user interaction
Solution Approach 1:
The thermostat eliminates the need for users to input temperature values by automatically learning and determining optimal temperature setpoints based on observed user behavior patterns. The system performs the measurement and control function autonomously without requiring user expertise or complex input.
Data Source
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AI summary
The interior comfort HVAC user-feedback control system and apparatus transforms qualitative feedback received from a user/occupant into a comfort map, or modifications thereto, a comfort map being defined at least in part by one or more comfort event windows. The comfort map data is used to determine a temperature setpoint sequence that avoids regions of the map corresponding to known and/or predicted regions of user discomfort.