Method for operating a smart home system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Smart home systems face inefficiencies in energy consumption due to unbalanced heating demands between rooms, leading to increased energy use that is not directly verifiable by users, resulting in higher bills without clear attribution to specific temperature settings.
Innovation Solution
A method for determining scaling constants using a smart home system with sensors and a central controller to disaggregate heat distribution among heat emitters, allowing precise control and transparency of energy use, utilizing existing hardware with wireless functionality to adjust heat emitters based on measured values and scaling constants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If room temperature is set independently in each room, then user comfort and control flexibility are improved, but total energy consumption increases due to unaccounted heat loss/gain through shared walls
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the actual heat consumption of each heat emitter via heat meters and comparing it with the theoretically expected heat share. This feedback loop enables the system to detect deviations caused by thermal coupling between adjacent rooms and automatically adjust temperature setpoints to compensate for heat loss or gain through shared walls, thereby resolving the contradiction between independent room control and total energy efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts temperature parameters based on detected thermal coupling effects. When heat loss to an adjacent room is detected, the system increases the temperature setpoint in the affected room; conversely, when heat gain is detected, it reduces the setpoint. This parameter adaptation allows the system to maintain energy efficiency while preserving user comfort and control flexibility
2Device complexity
If heat consumption is aggregated at the central heat source level, then system simplicity is maintained, but transparency and traceability of energy use per room are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the aggregated heat consumption data into individual contributions from each heat emitter by installing heat meters at each heat emitter location. This segmentation enables the system to attribute energy consumption to specific rooms and heat sources, providing the necessary transparency for billing and optimization purposes while maintaining a relatively simple overall system architecture through modular measurement units
3Measurement precision
If additional sensors and heat meters are installed in each room, then measurement precision and energy attribution are improved, but manufacturing costs and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs self-service principles by utilizing the existing control infrastructure of the heating system. The heat meters are integrated with the existing heat emitters and control units, allowing the system to automatically perform measurements, calculations, and optimizations without requiring additional manual intervention or complex external monitoring equipment. This approach achieves precise measurement while minimizing additional hardware and installation costs
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method (40) for operating a smart home system (16) comprising a heat meter (20) and several sensors (28), each assigned to a heat emitter (14). The heat meter (20) measures the heat supplied by a central heat source (8), and at least one of the sensors (28) records a measured value that characterizes the heat emitted by the respective heat emitter (14). Based on the supplied heat and the measured value, a heat share assigned to the respective heat emitter (14) is determined. The invention further relates to a method (50) for determining scaling constants and a smart home system (16).