Indoor Air Quality Control Using Regional and Local Forecast Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current building management systems lack effective methods for accurately monitoring and controlling indoor air quality by integrating regional and local air quality data, leading to potential inaccuracies and inefficiencies in air quality assessments and control measures.

Innovation Solution

A system that utilizes both regional air quality data sources and local sensors to generate air quality assessments, including predictive models for indoor and outdoor air quality, and provides recommendations for improving data accuracy and control actions, such as installing additional sensors based on uncertainty and customer interest maps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If only regional air quality data is used, then the coverage area is large, but the measurement precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoverage areaVSAvoidair quality measurement precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments air quality monitoring into two levels: regional monitoring using remote sensing data for broad coverage, and local monitoring using on-site sensors for precise measurements. This segmentation allows the system to maintain both large coverage area and high measurement precision by combining data from multiple scales.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges regional air quality data from remote sensing sources with local air quality measurements from on-site sensors to create a comprehensive assessment. This combination leverages the strengths of both data sources: the broad spatial coverage of regional data and the high precision of local measurements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Measurement precision

If only local sensors are used, then the measurement precision is high, but the coverage area deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair quality measurement precisionVSAvoidcoverage area

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Measurement precision

If more local sensors are installed, then the measurement precision improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair quality measurement precisionVSAvoidsensor network complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of deploying sensors throughout the entire building, the system uses a limited number of strategically placed local sensors that capture representative air quality data. This partial action approach achieves sufficient measurement precision without the complexity and cost of comprehensive sensor coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses regional air quality data as an intermediary to supplement local sensor measurements. This intermediary data source provides contextual information that enhances the precision of air quality assessments without requiring additional local sensors, thereby avoiding increased device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Quantity of substance

If regional air quality data is used, then the data coverage is comprehensive, but the reliability deteriorates due to distance from building

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata coverageVSAvoidair quality data reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses local sensor measurements as feedback to validate and adjust the interpretation of regional air quality data. This feedback mechanism ensures that regional data is applied reliably by comparing it against actual local conditions, thereby maintaining data reliability despite the distance from the building.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20230332794A1Building management system with indoor air quality management using outdoor air quality forecasting

Publication Date: 2023.10.19 TYCO FIRE & SECURITY GMBH

AI summary

A building management system can include one or more computer-readable storage media. The one or more computer-readable store can have instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to obtain, from a regional air quality data source, a first set of outdoor air quality data, wherein the first set of outdoor air quality data represents air quality measured for a region, obtain, from one or more local sensors coupled to and/or positioned proximate to the building, a second set of outdoor air quality data, wherein the second set of outdoor air quality data represents air quality measurements at one or more positions at or near an exterior of the building, and generate, using the first set of outdoor air quality data and the second set of outdoor air quality data, an air quality assessment for the building.