Control device and operating method for air treatment apparatuses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current air treatment apparatuses face challenges in effectively reducing allergen levels and providing user-friendly operation, as they often rely on complex particle concentration measurements that are difficult for non-expert users to interpret, and lack accurate allergen sensors, leading to potential operator errors and suboptimal performance.
Innovation Solution
A control device that enhances air treatment apparatus operation by using sensory equipment to measure particle concentrations, deriving an augmented air quality index through baseline processing and augmenting information, allowing for smart, autonomous operation and improved allergen removal capabilities without explicit allergen sensors, and providing a simplified, qualitative air quality index for user-friendly control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If complex particle concentration measurements are used to improve air quality monitoring accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in interpretation by non-expert users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer that transforms complex particle concentration measurements into a simplified air quality index. This intermediary system includes a processor that receives raw sensor data, applies calibration algorithms, and outputs an intuitive index value that users can easily interpret without needing to understand the underlying complex measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the measurement parameter from complex particle concentration values to a simplified air quality index through mathematical transformation and calibration. This parameter change allows the system to maintain high measurement precision while presenting information in an easily interpretable format to end users.
2Measurement precision
If explicit allergen sensors are installed to improve allergen detection accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses particle concentration sensors as a substitute or copy for dedicated allergen sensors. By measuring general particle concentration and applying algorithmic processing, the system replicates the functionality of specialized allergen detection without requiring complex and expensive dedicated allergen sensing hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the particle concentration sensor serve multiple functions: it detects both general air quality parameters and serves as a proxy for allergen detection. This multi-functionality approach allows the system to achieve allergen monitoring capabilities using a universal sensor platform rather than requiring specialized allergen-specific sensors.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors and processing modules are added to improve air quality assessment accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensing functions and processing operations into an integrated control device. The processor consolidates data from various sensors, applies multiple processing algorithms, and generates the air quality index through a unified system, thereby improving measurement precision while managing device complexity through integration rather than separate components.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a method and a control device (100) for operating an air treatment apparatus (10), the control device (100) comprising an input (102) arranged to receive measured data that is indicative of particle concentration from a sensing unit (130), a baseline processing module (104) arranged to derive particle concentration indicative information from the received measured data, an obtaining module (106) arranged to obtain augmenting information that is indicative of air quality, an air quality index augmenting module (108) arranged to determine an augmented air quality index based on the particle concentration indicative information and the augmenting information, and an operation control module (110) arranged to operate the air treatment apparatus (10) based on the augmented air quality index. The disclosure further relates to a corresponding computer program.