Occupancy-Aware Lighting Control for Hotel Room Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing illuminating systems in spaces like hotel rooms struggle to assist guests in finding light sources and other items upon entry, often disrupting occupants and increasing resource usage due to inadequate automation features.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a room automation system with sensors that detect occupancy and state changes, allowing illuminating devices to adjust brightness and duration based on predefined settings for different states, such as first-time entry, preoccupation, and subsequent entries, minimizing disruption and enhancing user familiarity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If all lights are turned on when a second person enters the room, then the second person can easily locate items and familiarize themselves with the space, but the first sleeping person may be disturbed or woken up
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different lighting conditions to different locations based on occupancy detection. When a second person enters while someone is sleeping, the system illuminates only the entry area and pathways rather than all lights, providing localized guidance without disturbing the sleeping occupant. This resolves the contradiction by making the lighting action locally adapted rather than uniformly applied throughout the room.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on real-time occupancy detection. The system transitions from static on/off control to dynamic adjustment where lighting intensity and duration are modified according to the detected state (single occupant vs. multiple occupants). This allows the system to provide adequate illumination for navigation while minimizing disturbance to sleeping persons.
2Ease of operation
If motion sensors automatically turn on lights when someone enters, then guests can easily find light sources, but lights may turn on unnecessarily when no one needs them
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses occupancy sensors to provide feedback about room usage status, and this feedback continuously controls the lighting state. The lighting system monitors occupancy signals and adjusts illumination accordingly - turning on lights only when occupancy is detected and turning them off when the room is unoccupied. This feedback loop eliminates unnecessary energy consumption while ensuring lights are available when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system serves itself by automatically detecting occupancy through sensors and making its own on/off decisions without requiring manual control. The system self-regulates energy consumption by activating illumination only during periods of detected occupancy, thereby eliminating waste while maintaining ease of use for guests.
3Ease of operation
If the illuminating device provides bright lighting for an extended period, then guests can fully familiarize themselves with the room, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system implements periodic illumination rather than continuous lighting. When occupancy is detected, lights are turned on for a predetermined duration sufficient for guest familiarization, then automatically turned off. This periodic action pattern provides adequate illumination for the necessary period while minimizing overall energy consumption during extended occupancy periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action by providing illumination for a predetermined, limited duration rather than continuously. This partial illumination period is sufficient for guests to locate items and familiarize themselves with the space, but terminates before excessive energy consumption would occur, thereby optimizing the balance between usability and energy efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Illuminating devices and systems are described herein. One illuminating device embodiment includes a computing component configured to determine a change in a state associated with a room in which the illuminating device is located based on a signal from a sensor, and an illuminating component configured to illuminate the illuminating device at a predefined setting associated with the determined state change and discontinue illuminating the illuminating device a predefined amount of time after the change in the state.