Lavatory control system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lavatory management systems fail to guide users to use toilets in a desired manner, particularly when sanitary work is required on one toilet room while another is in use, leading to inefficiencies and interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A lavatory control system with an input terminal and controller that displays usage recommendation information to guide users to available toilet rooms based on sanitary work progress, using displays and sensors to manage toilet usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sanitary work is performed on a toilet room, then the toilet room becomes clean and hygienic, but the toilet room cannot be used during the work period causing user waiting time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by notifying users in advance about upcoming sanitary work schedules and affected toilet rooms. The notification system alerts users before the work begins, allowing them to plan alternative toilet usage and avoid waiting time completely.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring toilet room usage status and dynamically adjusting notifications. When a toilet room is detected as being in use, the system provides real-time feedback to both users (to avoid selecting occupied rooms) and cleaners (to reschedule work), resolving the contradiction between maintaining hygiene and ensuring continuous availability.
2Ease of operation
If a user enters a toilet room scheduled for sanitary work, then the user may use the toilet immediately, but the sanitary work cannot be performed on time reducing cleaning efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The notification system acts as an intermediary between users and cleaners, mediating the conflict between immediate toilet availability and scheduled cleaning work. The system receives user requests, checks against the cleaning schedule, and provides guidance on alternative toilet rooms or timing, ensuring both user convenience and cleaning efficiency are maintained.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts toilet room availability information based on real-time conditions. When a toilet room is both scheduled for cleaning and currently in use, the system dynamically updates notifications to reflect the changed status, allowing users to make informed decisions and cleaners to reschedule work appropriately.
3Loss of information
If the system provides detailed sanitary work information to users, then users can plan toilet usage better, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential information needed for user decision-making (toilet room availability status and alternative options) from the complete sanitary work schedule. By presenting simplified, action-oriented information rather than comprehensive operational details, the system reduces complexity while maintaining effective user guidance.
Data Source
AI summary
A lavatory control system according to an embodiment includes an input terminal configured to receive an input from a cleaner in charge of performing sanitary work on at least one toilet room among a plurality of toilet rooms; and a controller configured to perform control to cause, when information related to sanitary work progress of a toilet room is input to the input terminal, a display to display usage recommendation information that recommends or does not recommend use of the toilet room for which the information mentioned above has been input.