Occupant Detection Circuit for Region-Based Privacy-Aware Counting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems lack the ability to accurately and economically monitor the number of people in a space and determine if they are within specific regions of interest, while also raising privacy concerns.
Innovation Solution
An occupant detection device equipped with an occupant detection circuit and a control circuit that converts the location of an occupant from a first coordinate system to a second coordinate system associated with a region of interest, allowing for accurate tracking and counting of occupants within defined areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional occupancy sensing methods are used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision of occupant location and region monitoring deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary configuration during installation where the installer defines the region of interest boundaries and the control circuit stores the relationship between the detector's coordinate system and the region's coordinate system. This pre-establishment of coordinate relationships eliminates the need for complex real-time calculations during occupancy monitoring, achieving high measurement precision without operational complexity.
2Productivity
If comprehensive occupancy monitoring is implemented, then productivity of space management is improved, but loss of privacy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by monitoring only the specific region of interest rather than the entire space. The control circuit determines whether occupants are within the defined region boundaries without tracking their precise locations or movements throughout the entire environment. This selective monitoring approach maintains space management productivity while minimizing privacy intrusion by focusing detection efforts only where needed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple regions of interest are monitored, then adaptability of the system is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the monitoring space into multiple independent regions of interest, each with its own coordinate system relationship stored in the control circuit. Each region can be independently configured, activated, or deactivated without affecting other regions. This segmentation allows high adaptability for monitoring different areas (e.g., meeting room, hallway, conference room) while managing device complexity through modular configuration rather than requiring simultaneous complex transformations for all regions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables precise monitoring of occupant numbers and movements within specific regions, improving decision-making in areas like energy management, security, and space allocation while addressing privacy concerns through accurate targeting of monitoring efforts.
Implementation Method 1
The occupant detection circuit may comprise a radar detection circuit
Data Source
AI summary
An occupant detection device (e.g., sensor) may include an occupant detection circuit (e.g., a radar occupant detection circuit) and a control circuit. The occupant detection circuit may determine the location of an occupant in a space with reference to a global coordinate associated with the detection circuit and the control circuit may transform the location of the occupant into a local coordinate system associated with a region of interest in the space. The control circuit may use the location information to determine whether the occupant has entered or left the region of interest and adjust an occupant count for the region of interest based on the determination. The control circuit may acquire knowledge about the region of interest during a configuration or commissioning procedure.