Consumable Usage Sensing with Edge Summaries and Server Validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for determining consumable product usage and consumption lack confidence in reported information, as they often provide data at a single point in time and rely on inaccurate consumer feedback.
Innovation Solution
A system with sensors and edge algorithms that collect raw data during sample time periods, execute edge algorithms to summarize data into single outputs, and utilize a cloud-based server for independent analysis to enhance confidence in usage and consumption reporting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If consumer feedback is used to obtain usage information, then data collection is simple, but accuracy and reliability of the information deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual consumer feedback (mechanical/human system) with automated sensor-based measurement systems. Sensors objectively measure product usage parameters such as weight changes, temperature, humidity, and usage duration, eliminating reliance on subjective consumer reporting and significantly improving measurement accuracy while maintaining ease of data collection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sensors and measurement devices as intermediaries between the consumable product and the data collection system. These intermediaries objectively capture usage information without requiring direct consumer input, thereby maintaining simplicity while enhancing accuracy through automated, unbiased measurement.
2Device complexity
If usage data is collected at a single point in time, then data processing is simple, but reliability of usage information deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous data collection through sensors that monitor product usage over extended periods rather than at single time points. The system continuously tracks parameters such as weight changes, temperature variations, and usage patterns, accumulating reliable longitudinal data that accurately reflects actual consumption behavior while processing this continuous stream through automated algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary data processing and filtering at the edge device before transmission to the central system. Edge algorithms pre-process sensor data to identify relevant usage events, filter noise, and aggregate measurements, reducing the complexity of central processing while ensuring reliable usage information is captured and prepared for analysis.
3Measurement precision
If edge algorithms process all raw sensor data, then usage determination accuracy improves, but data transmission requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and processes only the essential usage information at the edge device using local algorithms. Instead of transmitting all raw sensor data, the system extracts key metrics such as usage events, consumption amounts, and temporal patterns, then transmits only these processed results to the central system, maintaining accuracy while minimizing data transmission requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the data processing function between edge devices and central systems. Edge devices perform local processing of sensor data to generate usage determinations, while the central system performs higher-level analysis and aggregation. This segmentation allows accurate local processing with minimal data transmission, as only processed results rather than raw data need to be transmitted.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for determining usage of a consumable product includes a device assembly to receive the consumable product, and a server. The device assembly includes sensors to collect raw sensor data during sample time periods, and a controller to execute edge algorithms based on the collected raw sensor data. The edge algorithms summarize the raw sensor data collected during the sample time periods to single edge algorithm outputs. The server analyzes the single edge algorithm outputs to make a determination on the usage and consumption of the consumable product. To obtain a higher degree of confidence in performance of the edge algorithms, the server independently analyzes the raw sensor data. As refinements are made to the edge algorithms, the confidence of the edge algorithms is increased. Updated versions of the device assembly are simplified so that a minimal amount of raw sensor data is reported.