LP Gas Tank Display Control for Replacement Prediction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing LP gas supply systems do not effectively identify the location of tanks that need to be replaced, leading to inefficiencies in finding and replacing empty tanks.
Innovation Solution
A remaining-LP-gas display control apparatus that predicts daily gas consumption, calculates the remaining amount of gas in tanks, and displays the location of tanks needing replacement by superimposing predicted usage days on a map or image, using a consumption obtaining unit, consumption predicting unit, replacement date predicting unit, location obtaining unit, and display control unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If traditional LP gas supply systems are used without prediction functionality, then the system structure remains simple, but the time and effort required to find tanks needing replacement increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by predicting future gas consumption and calculating remaining gas amounts before the tank is actually empty. The consumption predicting unit forecasts future usage based on historical data, and the remaining-amount predicting unit calculates when the tank will be depleted, allowing proactive identification of tanks needing replacement before they become empty.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously obtaining actual gas consumption data, comparing it with predicted consumption, and using this information to update and improve future predictions. The display control unit provides visual feedback by showing remaining gas information and replacement date predictions to operators, enabling them to make informed decisions about tank replacement scheduling.
2Productivity
If no prediction and display system is implemented, then the system remains simple to operate, but the productivity of tank replacement operations decreases due to inefficient location identification
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary information layer between the physical tanks and the operators. The display control unit acts as an intermediary by processing location data, consumption data, and prediction results to generate visual displays that show remaining gas information and replacement priorities. This intermediary system translates complex data into actionable visual information without requiring operators to manually search through multiple data sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a temporal dimension to the tank management process by incorporating time-based predictions. Instead of only showing current gas levels, the system predicts future consumption patterns and calculates remaining gas amounts over time periods, enabling operators to plan replacements based on forecasted depletion dates rather than reactive responses to empty tanks.
3Measurement precision
If manual monitoring of gas levels is used, then the system requires minimal computational resources, but the measurement precision of remaining gas prediction is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual monitoring methods with automated computational prediction. Instead of physically checking gas levels or using simple float indicators, the system uses the consumption predicting unit to calculate future usage based on historical consumption data, and the remaining-amount predicting unit to compute precise remaining gas amounts and depletion dates through mathematical modeling and data processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A remaining-LP-gas display control apparatus includes a consumption obtaining unit that obtains daily gas consumptions in a tank, a consumption predicting unit that predicts future daily gas consumptions for a set number of days such that each future gas consumption is predicted based on the latest gas consumption on the same day of the week included in the gas consumptions obtained by the consumption obtaining unit, a replacement date predicting unit that predicts the amounts of gas remaining in the tank and a date on which the gas remaining in the tank will be used up by using the obtained gas consumptions and the predicted future gas consumptions, and a display control unit that controls a display unit to display an image in which remaining-gas information is superimposed on a location where the tank is placed by using the predicted date and location information.