Multi-Plane Environmental Sensor for Personalized Comfort Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing load control systems in user environments, such as residences or office buildings, often rely on user-independent policies that do not account for individual occupant preferences, leading to suboptimal environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
A sensor device measures environmental conditions like temperature, humidity, and light intensity on multiple planes, transmitting data to a computing device which collects user feedback to build personalized comfort profiles, adjusting lighting and HVAC systems accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If user-independent policies are used to control environmental conditions, then system complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but adaptability to individual occupant preferences deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where occupancy sensors detect the presence of occupants and transmit this information to the control system. The system then adjusts environmental conditions (lighting, temperature, humidity) based on this feedback, enabling automatic adaptation to individual occupants without requiring manual input from each user.
Solution Approach 2:
The load control system performs self-service by automatically detecting occupancy and adjusting environmental conditions without requiring direct user intervention. The system serves itself by using sensor data to make intelligent decisions about lighting and HVAC control, eliminating the need for complex user configurations while maintaining high adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If personalized environmental control is implemented based on occupant preferences, then adaptability and comfort levels are improved, but device complexity and measurement requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the sensing and control functions into separate modules: occupancy sensors for detection, control devices for execution, and a communication network for data transmission. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high adaptability through coordinated operation of the segmented components.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication network acts as an intermediary between occupancy sensors and load control devices, facilitating information exchange without requiring direct complex interactions between sensing and control components. This intermediary layer simplifies the overall system architecture by providing a standardized interface for data transmission and control command delivery.
3Measurement precision
If environmental conditions are measured on multiple planes, then measurement precision and adaptability are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The occupancy sensors are designed with multi-functionality to detect environmental conditions across multiple planes (horizontal, vertical, and diagonal). Rather than using separate sensors for each plane, the system employs universal sensors that can detect occupancy and environmental parameters from multiple directions, reducing device complexity while maintaining high measurement precision for personalized environmental control.
Data Source
AI summary
A device located within a user environment comprises plurality of sensors to measure one or more environmental conditions within the user environment. A first sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to measure an environmental condition on a first plane and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to measure an environmental condition on a second plane. For example, the sensor device may measure the temperature, humidity, light intensity, color temperature, and/or the like. The sensor device may periodically measure the environmental conditions, and may periodically transmit the values of the measured environmental conditions to a computing device. A mobile device associated with a user may receive the measured values from the sensor device when the mobile device is within range of the sensor device, and may present a survey to the user that includes one or more questions that prompt the user to report their comfort level with respect to the measured environmental conditions. The mobile device and/or another computing device may build a profile for the location and/or the user based on the values and the user's reported comfort levels.