Dynamic Environmental Control for Collaborative Spaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional meeting environments lack the ability to enhance teamwork and creativity through dynamic environmental adjustments, such as lighting, sound, and scent, which are typically not easily customizable to support effective communication and idea generation among participants.

Innovation Solution

An information processing system comprising an image display apparatus, sensor apparatuses, and an information processing apparatus that detect user positions and control environmental effects like lighting, sound, and scent to create a 'digital alcohol space' that stimulates creativity and teamwork by dynamically adjusting the meeting environment based on user interactions and positions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional meeting environments are used with fixed lighting, sound, and scent settings, then the simplicity of the meeting setup is maintained, but the ability to enhance teamwork and creativity through dynamic environmental adjustments is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental adaptabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic environmental adjustments by continuously monitoring user positions, communication states, and meeting phases through sensors and AI processing, then automatically modifying lighting intensity, sound distribution, and scent release in real-time to match the current meeting context and enhance teamwork and creativity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The meeting environment automatically adjusts itself without manual intervention by using AI processing to interpret sensor data about user interactions and communication patterns, then autonomously controlling environmental effectors to create optimal conditions for different meeting phases, making the system self-regulating and adaptive

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If sensor apparatuses and environmental effectors are added to create a dynamic meeting environment, then teamwork and creativity are enhanced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveteamwork efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs multi-functional sensors that detect multiple parameters (position, orientation, communication state) simultaneously, and multi-functional environmental effectors that can produce different effects (lighting, sound, scent) through a single control system, reducing the overall number of separate devices needed while maintaining comprehensive environmental control capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The AI processing apparatus serves as an intermediary that simplifies the system architecture by centrally interpreting sensor data and generating coordinated control signals for multiple environmental effectors, abstracting the complexity of simultaneous multi-parameter control and enabling seamless integration between sensing and actuation components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If the system dynamically adjusts environmental effects based on user positions and communication states, then communication effectiveness is improved, but the energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication effectivenessVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements periodic sampling of sensor data at optimized intervals rather than continuous monitoring, adjusting environmental effects at key transition points in meeting phases, and using event-triggered updates based on detected changes in user positions or communication states, thereby reducing unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining effective communication support

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS11556308B2Information processing system, information processing apparatus including circuitry to store position information of users present in a space and control environment effect production, information processing method, and room

Publication Date: 2023.01.17 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

An information processing system includes: an image display apparatus provided in a space and configured to display an image; a sensor apparatus carried by a user who is present in the space and configured to output a signal for detecting position information of the user in the space; and an information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes circuitry configured to store a plurality of pieces of position information of a plurality of users including the user, who are in present in the space, in association with the plurality of users, the plurality of users being detected based on signals output from a plurality of sensor apparatuses including the sensor apparatus, and control environment effect production that supports communication between the plurality of users by the image displayed by the image display apparatus, based on each of the plurality of pieces of position information of the plurality of users.