Power-Saving Sensor Mode Control for Battery Life
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery-operated sensors, particularly in home security systems, unnecessarily transmit when the security system is in an unarmed or home-armed state, reducing their battery life due to frequent, unnecessary transmissions.
Innovation Solution
A system where a control unit communicates with sensors to disable them based on the security system's operating mode, allowing sensors to conserve power by reducing transmissions when the system is in an 'off' or 'home-armed' state, while maintaining functionality for 'armed-away' scenarios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors transmit each time an alarm condition is sensed, then the security system can detect and report unauthorized entry or movement, but the battery life is reduced due to frequent transmissions
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor's transmission behavior is made dynamic by adjusting its operation based on security system state. The sensor receives notifications from the control unit about whether the system is in armed or disarmed state, and dynamically adjusts its transmission behavior accordingly - transmitting when armed and suppressing transmissions when disarmed, thus optimizing battery usage while maintaining security reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit provides feedback notifications to the sensor about the current security system state (armed or disarmed). This feedback mechanism allows the sensor to adapt its transmission behavior based on system state, reducing unnecessary transmissions when the system is disarmed while ensuring transmissions occur when the system is armed and security monitoring is active
2Use of energy by moving object
If sensors are disabled to save power, then battery life is extended, but the sensor cannot detect or report alarm conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor operates in different dynamic modes based on received notifications - fully active when the security system is armed, and in power-saving mode when disarmed. This dynamic operation allows the sensor to balance power consumption with detection capability, being disabled only when security monitoring is not required
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit sends notifications to the sensor about the current security state, enabling the sensor to know when it should be active versus when it can be disabled. This feedback ensures the sensor maintains detection capability when needed (armed state) while conserving power when the system is disarmed and security monitoring is not required
Data Source
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AI summary
A sensor is disabled when it receives a signal from a control unit that the control unit has been placed into one or more particular operating modes. In response to receiving the signal, the sensor becomes disabled, thereby preventing detection and/or transmission of certain signals to the security panel. When the control unit is placed into another mode of operation, the control unit sends a signal to the sensor and, in response, the sensor is re-enabled, allowing the sensor to function normally.