Home Equipment Usage Index for User Response Availability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems cannot determine whether a user is capable of responding to external requests, such as changing delivery times, based on the operating status of their electric equipment.

Innovation Solution

A management system that includes a management apparatus and a first management server, which detects the operating status of electric equipment, calculates a responsivity index based on the usage of entertainment equipment, and increases the index if the equipment is used for an extended period.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the system uses operating status of electric equipment to determine user presence, then it can detect whether user is at home, but it cannot determine whether user is capable of responding to external requests

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser availability informationVSAvoiduser responsiveness detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter being measured from simple presence detection to a composite 'responsivity index' that incorporates multiple factors including entertainment equipment usage duration, power consumption patterns, and operating status to accurately assess user availability for external requests

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary calculation layer that processes raw operating status data from electric equipment through a responsivity index calculator, which acts as a mediator to translate equipment usage patterns into meaningful user availability information

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If the system monitors multiple pieces of electric equipment, then it can gather comprehensive operation information, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation information completenessVSAvoidmanagement system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The management apparatus is designed with universal functionality to handle multiple types of electric equipment through a unified interface, where the detector and transmitter components can work with any equipment that provides operating status information, eliminating the need for equipment-specific management logic

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the core monitoring and calculation functions into a separate management apparatus that communicates with electric equipment through standardized data exchange, separating the complexity of data processing from the equipment itself and allowing independent optimization of each component

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3979460B1Management system and management method
Publication Date: 2025.05.21 KYOCERA CORP
  • EP3979460B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3979460B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3979460B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In a management system 1, a management apparatus 10 includes a detector 11 configured to detect an operating status of a piece of electric equipment installed in a house, and a transmitter 12 configured to transmit, to a first management server 20, operation information of the operating status detected by the detector 11. The first management server 20 includes a receiver 21 configured to receive the operation information of the management apparatus 10 or the like, and a calculator 22 configured to calculate a responsivity index based on operation information of a piece of specific electric equipment among a plurality of the pieces of electric equipment, the responsivity index indicating a possibility that a user of the piece of electric equipment is capable of responding to an external request.