Building Device Control Using Real-Time Occupant Status
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional home dashboard applications for controlling devices in a building can cause inconveniences or safety concerns for occupants when used remotely, as they do not provide real-time status information about occupants, leading to unintended device control actions.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that enables users to view real-time occupant status, including location, activity, and emotional state, through interfaces like touchscreen and speech/gesture recognition, allowing controlled device management with reduced risk of inconveniencing occupants by providing accurate and timely information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional home dashboard applications are used to control devices remotely, then device control capability is improved, but safety and convenience for occupants deteriorates due to lack of real-time occupant status information
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring occupant status (location, activity, emotional state) and using this information to inform device control decisions. The dashboard application receives real-time updates about occupants and adjusts device control recommendations accordingly, ensuring that remote control actions are safe and appropriate for current occupant conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary layer between the user and device control that processes occupant status information. This intermediary analyzes real-time occupant data and mediates control actions by providing recommendations, warnings, or blocking potentially harmful actions, thus protecting occupants while maintaining remote control capability.
2Reliability
If real-time occupant status monitoring is implemented, then occupant safety and convenience is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves multi-functionality by using a single integrated dashboard application that combines device control, occupant status monitoring, and decision support features. Rather than separate systems for each function, the patent integrates multiple capabilities into one universal interface, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges device control interfaces with occupant status monitoring into a unified system. The dashboard application combines multiple data streams (device status, occupant location, activity, emotional state) and control functions into a single integrated platform, simplifying the system architecture compared to having separate monitoring and control systems.
3Loss of information
If comprehensive occupant status information is collected, then appropriate device control decisions are improved, but information processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by selectively processing only the most relevant occupant status information for each device control context. Rather than analyzing all available data equally, the system prioritizes processing key parameters (such as location for safety-critical devices, or emotional state for comfort-related devices), reducing processing energy while maintaining decision accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
A device to provide information to a visual interface that is mountable to a vehicle dashboard includes a memory configured to store device information indicative of controllable devices of a building and occupant data indicative of one or more occupants of the building. The device includes a processor configured to receive, in real-time, status information associated with the one or more occupants of the building. The status information includes at least one of dynamic location information or dynamic activity information. The processor is configured to generate an output to provide, at the visual interface device, a visual representation of at least a portion of the building and the status information associated with the one or more occupants. The processor is also configured to generate an instruction to adjust an operation of one or more devices of the controllable devices based on user input.