Modular Air Quality Sensor Expansion for Configurable Indoor Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air quality sensors are limited in their configurability, as they either cannot add or remove different sensing capabilities, restricting their adaptability to monitor various components of indoor air quality.
Innovation Solution
A dynamically configurable air quality sensing system integrated within lighting products and accessories, featuring an enclosure with an integrated circuit board, a microcontroller, and an expansion socket, allowing for the addition or removal of air quality sensors without requiring multiple products, and enabling communication with building management or cloud-computing systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional air quality sensors are designed with fixed sensing capabilities, then device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is simplified, but adaptability and versatility are severely limited
Solution Approach 1:
The air quality sensing device is divided into modular components: a base unit with essential functionality and separate sensor modules that can be attached or removed. Each sensor module contains specific sensing capabilities (e.g., CO2, VOC, particulate matter sensors), allowing the system to be configured for different applications without redesigning the entire device.
Solution Approach 2:
The base unit is designed with universal interfaces and communication protocols that can accommodate multiple types of sensor modules. This multi-functionality approach allows a single base unit to support various sensing capabilities through module attachment, enhancing adaptability without proportionally increasing base device complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate sensing products are used to achieve comprehensive air quality monitoring, then sensing capabilities are comprehensive, but environmental intrusion and space occupation increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensing capabilities are merged into a single integrated device by combining the base unit with multiple sensor modules. This consolidation reduces the number of separate devices needed in the environment, decreasing space occupation and visual intrusion while maintaining comprehensive air quality monitoring capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensor modules are designed to nest onto or integrate with the base unit, creating a compact hierarchical structure. This nesting approach allows comprehensive sensing capabilities to be achieved within a smaller overall footprint compared to using multiple separate devices.
3Adaptability or versatility
If air quality sensors are designed as fixed-capability devices, then manufacturing precision requirements are reduced, but the ability to dynamically configure sensing capabilities is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static, fixed-capability sensors to a dynamic configuration where sensor modules can be added, removed, or swapped based on requirements. The base unit incorporates dynamic interface mechanisms (e.g., magnetic attachments, snap-fit connections, or plug-and-play interfaces) that enable easy reconfiguration without requiring precision manufacturing for each possible configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for dynamically configuring an air quality sensing device are provided. Systems include an enclosure having a communication module; an integrated circuit board mounted to or within the enclosure, wherein the integrated circuit board includes a connector in communication with the communication module; a first air quality sensor on the integrated circuit board; an expansion socket mounted on or arranged within the integrated circuit board, wherein the expansion socket is configured to receive an expansion integrated circuit board having an additional air quality sensor; and a microcontroller in communication with the first air quality sensor and the additional air quality sensor when the additional air quality sensor is installed via the expansion socket. The systems and methods can also include sending sensor status information to a cloud platform for retrieval and displaying of the sensor status information on a mobile application.