Effectiveness maps

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current environmental maintenance systems lack a method to determine and visualize the effect of one environmental maintenance device on other devices within the same enclosed space, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors in maintaining desired physical conditions.

Innovation Solution

A computer system aggregates historic data from environmental maintenance devices to determine relationships and generate effectiveness maps, which visually illustrate the impact of selected devices on others, allowing for improved control and efficiency in environmentally controlled spaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If environmental maintenance devices are installed in an enclosed space to control physical conditions, then the ability to maintain desired temperature and humidity is improved, but the complexity of managing device interactions and determining their effects on each other increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to maintain desired physical conditionsVSAvoidcomplexity of managing device interactions

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring environmental parameters and device operations, then using this information to determine relationships between devices. The effectiveness maps provide visual feedback about device interactions, enabling administrators to adjust device operations based on observed effects, thereby maintaining reliable environmental control while managing complexity through information feedback.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary system (the computer system with effectiveness mapping capability) that mediates between the environmental maintenance devices and the administrator. This intermediary analyzes device interactions and presents simplified visual representations, reducing the complexity burden on administrators while maintaining reliable environmental control through informed device management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If multiple environmental maintenance devices operate in the same space, then the coverage and control capability are improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring the effect of one device on another increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol capabilityVSAvoiddifficulty of detecting device effects

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces direct physical measurement of device effects with a computational approach. Instead of using complex physical sensors to directly measure the effect of one device on another, the system uses computer-based analysis of operational data and environmental readings to determine relationships and generate effectiveness maps, significantly reducing the difficulty of detection and measurement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The computer system acts as an intermediary that collects data from multiple devices and environmental sensors, then processes this information to determine device relationships. This intermediary approach simplifies the detection and measurement process by aggregating and analyzing data centrally, making it feasible to track device effects even in densely populated spaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If administrators manually monitor and adjust environmental maintenance devices, then the adaptability to changing conditions is improved, but the loss of time for determining device relationships and optimizing performance increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to changing conditionsVSAvoidtime for determining device relationships

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by automatically determining device relationships and generating effectiveness maps in advance, before administrators need to make adjustment decisions. This pre-computation of device interactions eliminates the time loss associated with manual analysis, while the resulting effectiveness maps provide adaptable guidance for optimizing device operations under changing conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service by automatically analyzing device interactions and generating effectiveness maps without requiring administrator intervention. The computer system independently determines relationships between devices and presents actionable insights, reducing the time administrators spend on analysis while maintaining adaptability through automated, data-driven recommendations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS11567966B2Effectiveness maps

Publication Date: 2023.01.31 VIGILENT CORP

AI summary

Embodiments determine the effect of an environmental maintenance device on other environmental maintenance devices in environmentally controlled space. The determined effects may be modeled and graphically represented using, for example, an effectiveness map. In the case of a data center, an exemplary effectiveness map may illustrate the effect that one or more computer room air conditioners (CRACs) have on themselves and on other CRACs in the data center. In the case of an office building, an exemplary effectiveness map may illustrate the effect that one or more selected variable air volume (VAV) terminal units have on their own thermostat readings and the thermostat readings of other VAV terminal units in the office building.