Household Appliance Multi-Sensor Layout for Undisturbed Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household appliances with integrated sensors face difficulties in maintaining precision and reliability due to the additional functions affecting sensor data quality, such as using a vacuum cleaner robot as a fire detector or surveillance system, which can interfere with its primary task.
Innovation Solution
The use of multiple sensors with different characteristics and purposes, where one sensor provides raw camera data for video streaming and another for object detection, allowing independent operation and improved processing results.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single sensor is used for multiple functions (e.g., video streaming and object detection), then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision and reliability deteriorate due to interference between different processing tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sensing function into separate sensors: one sensor dedicated to video streaming and another sensor dedicated to object detection. This segmentation prevents interference between different processing tasks while maintaining dedicated optimization for each function, thereby resolving the contradiction between device complexity and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a camera that provides raw data serving multiple purposes (video streaming and object detection), while also incorporating additional specialized sensors. This multi-functional approach allows the system to maintain versatility without compromising the precision of individual functions, as each function can be optimized through dedicated processing paths.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional functions are added to a household appliance (e.g., fire detection, surveillance), then the adaptability and versatility are improved, but the reliability of the primary task deteriorates due to sensor data interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments sensor functions by dedicating specific sensors to specific tasks: the camera for video streaming/surveillance and additional sensors for object detection/fire detection. This segmentation ensures that additional functions do not interfere with the primary cleaning task, maintaining reliability while enhancing versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing device acts as an intermediary that receives data from multiple sensors and directs it to appropriate processing paths. This intermediary role prevents interference between different functions by maintaining separate processing channels, allowing the system to achieve both high versatility and reliability.
3Productivity
If sensor data is processed for multiple purposes simultaneously, then the productivity and functionality are improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases due to data quality degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data processing into separate streams: one stream processes camera data for video streaming and another stream processes sensor data for object detection. This segmentation maintains high processing efficiency by avoiding data quality degradation from mixed-purpose processing while enabling multiple functions to operate simultaneously.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A household appliance (100) comprises at least one camera for scanning the environment of the household appliance (100) and for providing raw camera data, a first sensor (130) for providing sensor data based on the raw camera data, a second sensor (135) for providing sensor data based on the raw camera data, and a processing unit (125) for processing the raw camera data and/or sensor data. The sensor data from the first (130) and second sensor (135) are assigned to different purposes, and the sensors (130, 135) have different characteristics.