D2D Data Collection Unit for Hygiene Equipment Monitoring

Solution Overview

Problem

The installation of existing data collection and monitoring systems for hygiene equipment is complex, time-consuming, and costly, especially for users without experience or resources, and requires connection to pre-existing networks, which can be intrusive.

Innovation Solution

A data collection and monitoring system that uses device-to-device (D2D) communication to transmit data directly from a data collection unit to a terminal, eliminating the need for complex network connections and allowing for easy, cost-efficient installation by pre-pairing data acquisition units with the data collection unit, enabling users to monitor hygiene equipment status without extensive setup.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing data collection and monitoring systems are installed, then hygiene equipment status can be monitored, but the installation process becomes complex, time-consuming, and costly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehygiene equipment status monitoringVSAvoidinstallation process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-pairing data acquisition units with the data collection unit before deployment. The data acquisition units are pre-configured with identification information and paired with the data collection unit in advance, so that when installed at hygiene equipment locations, they can immediately transmit data without requiring complex on-site configuration or network setup. This eliminates the need for technical experts to perform complex installation procedures at each location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If existing data collection and monitoring systems are installed, then hygiene equipment status can be monitored, but the installation process becomes time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehygiene equipment status monitoringVSAvoidinstallation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-pairing data acquisition units with the data collection unit before deployment. The data acquisition units are pre-configured with identification information and paired with the data collection unit in advance, so that when installed at hygiene equipment locations, they can immediately transmit data without requiring complex on-site configuration or network setup. This eliminates the need for technical experts to perform complex installation procedures at each location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If existing data collection and monitoring systems are installed, then hygiene equipment status can be monitored, but connection to pre-existing networks is required which can be intrusive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehygiene equipment status monitoringVSAvoidnetwork connection intrusion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the extraction principle by removing the requirement for connection to pre-existing networks from the system architecture. Instead of relying on external network infrastructure that may be intrusive or complex, the system uses direct device-to-device communication where the data collection unit receives data from data acquisition units and transmits it to the terminal independently. This extracts the monitoring function from the network infrastructure, eliminating the need for intrusive network connections while maintaining monitoring capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS20230199349A1Data collection and monitoring for hygiene equipment

Publication Date: 2023.06.22 ESSITY HYGIENE & HEALTH AB

AI summary

A data collection unit arranged to collect data indicating hygiene equipment status includes a receiving unit configured to receive inbound data from hygiene equipment; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit outbound data directly to a terminal via device-to-device, D2D, communication; wherein the outbound data is based on the inbound data.