PoE Home Sensor Network for Continuous Building Analytics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional residential construction lacks continuous data collection and analytics, leading to inadequate management of building systems, inefficiencies in energy usage, and vulnerabilities due to battery-powered sensors and control systems, which limits short-term maintenance and long-term design evaluation.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that utilizes Power over Ethernet (PoE) for powering and controlling sensors and actuators, integrating with cloud-based data analytics and machine learning for real-time monitoring and management, including automated configuration and pre-programmed sub-kits for easier integration, enabling centralized data collection and remote monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If battery-powered sensors and control systems are used in conventional construction, then the systems can be installed without complex wiring, but the systems become vulnerable to power loss and interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces battery-powered mechanical/electrical systems with a PoE-based electrical infrastructure. Instead of using batteries that require periodic replacement and are susceptible to power loss, the system uses Ethernet cables to deliver both data and power, eliminating the mechanical battery component and its associated reliability issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a multi-functional Ethernet infrastructure that simultaneously provides data communication and electrical power through the same cable system. This universal PoE architecture consolidates multiple functions (data transmission, power delivery, device control) into a single infrastructure, eliminating the need for separate battery systems while maintaining installation simplicity.
2Device complexity
If manual ad hoc data collection methods are used in conventional construction, then no complex data infrastructure is required, but no baseline for building performance exists and continuous monitoring is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service data collection where the building systems automatically generate, transmit, and store their own performance data through integrated sensors and PoE-connected devices. The system serves itself by continuously monitoring performance metrics and uploading data to the cloud without requiring manual intervention, thereby eliminating information loss while managing complexity through automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a feedback loop where building performance data is continuously collected by sensors, transmitted via PoE infrastructure to cloud-based analytics platforms, analyzed to establish baselines and detect anomalies, and then used to generate actionable insights for building optimization. This closed-loop feedback system ensures continuous monitoring capability and prevents information loss.
3Device complexity
If no centralized data repository is implemented, then system complexity is reduced, but short-term maintenance issues and long-term design evaluation cannot be captured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data management system into distributed PoE-connected sensors and control devices at the building level, which locally collect and pre-process data, and a centralized cloud-based repository that aggregates and analyzes data from multiple buildings. This segmentation allows local autonomy (reducing immediate complexity) while enabling centralized analytics (preventing data loss) through a hierarchical architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by establishing the centralized PoE data repository and analytics infrastructure during the building construction phase rather than adding it later. Sensors, actuators, and control systems are pre-configured with PoE connectivity and data collection capabilities during construction, enabling immediate data capture from day one and preventing the loss of early performance data that would be critical for maintenance and design evaluation.
4Device complexity
If basic linear depletion calculation is used for battery storage management, then the system is simple to implement, but battery lifetime is reduced and load management efficiency is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces battery-based energy storage with grid-connected electrical systems powered through PoE infrastructure. By substituting the battery storage mechanism with grid-powered electrical distribution, the system eliminates the need for complex battery management algorithms while ensuring continuous power supply and extending the operational duration of building systems through reliable grid connectivity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a house system comprising a plurality of sensors, each configured to sense conditions of one or more house electrical or mechanical systems, one or more environmental conditions relating to the house, or a combination thereof; a plurality of devices, each configured to control the operation of one or more house electrical or mechanical systems; a compute module, comprising data storage local to the compute module and a programmed data processor configured to apply machine learning to develop a model of one or more conditions relating to the house, responsive to one or more of a plurality of conditions relating to the house; a communication interface configured to communicate information from the compute module with an external communications network accessible by one or more parties relating to the house.