Residential Temperature Control Using Dynamic Demand Ratios
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing environmental apparatus control systems for air conditioning in buildings fail to maintain consistent temperature control, especially when the response ratio of resident demands is low, leading to inefficient energy use and discomfort, as they struggle to manage temperature settings without considering building characteristics and resident preferences effectively.
Innovation Solution
An environmental apparatus control system that includes a demand collector, a project composer, and an apparatus controller, which uses a refined algorithm to determine control projects based on resident demands, allowing for consistent temperature control by selecting between temperature adjustment, maintenance, or neutral projects, even at low response ratios, and adjusts references to prevent excessive environmental changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the system uses a fixed threshold algorithm (25% rule) to determine temperature control decisions, then the control logic is simple and easy to implement, but the system cannot make consistent decisions when the response ratio is around 50% and both proportions are 25%, failing to keep the temperature when neither demand is predominant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the decision parameters from fixed threshold proportions (25%) to dynamic reference values (first reference and second reference) that are determined by the system based on current conditions. This allows the system to adapt the decision criteria rather than relying on rigid fixed thresholds, resolving the inconsistency that occurs when both proportions equal 25%.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustment of reference values that shift in response to changing demand proportions and response ratios. Instead of static 25% thresholds, the system dynamically determines references that account for the current state, enabling consistent decision-making across varying response scenarios including the critical 50% response ratio case.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system requests residents to submit environmental demands continuously, then the temperature control can reflect real-time resident preferences, but the complexity of demand collection and processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information needed for control decisions - the counts of first and second demands and the total number of residents - rather than processing complete resident feedback. This simplification reduces processing complexity while maintaining the ability to reflect real-time preferences through the demand proportions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a universal demand collection mechanism that handles both temperature lowering and raising demands through the same infrastructure. The demand collector and project composer serve multiple functions: collecting demands, calculating proportions, comparing with references, and determining control projects, reducing overall system complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the system adjusts temperature based on majority demand proportions, then resident comfort is improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates when the response ratio is low and the system makes frequent unnecessary temperature changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system continuously monitors demand proportions and compares them against dynamically adjusted references. This feedback loop allows the system to respond appropriately to genuine preference changes while ignoring minor fluctuations, thereby improving comfort through responsive control and reducing energy waste by avoiding unnecessary adjustments when demands are balanced.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic reference values adapt to changing response ratios and demand patterns, allowing the system to maintain resident comfort through responsive temperature adjustments while conserving energy by requiring more significant demand imbalances before making changes, especially when response ratios are low.
Data Source
AI summary
An environmental apparatus control system for a comfortable residential environment based upon demands from the residents. The system includes a project composer which relies upon a first reference (R1) and a second reference (R2) to determine a control project based upon the demands. The references are each determined by a first proportion of the count of the temperature lowering demands in the total number of the residents, and a second proportion of the count of the temperature raising demands in the total number of the resident. A first proportion of the count of the first demands in the number of the residents, and a second proportion of the count of the second demands in the number of the residents are obtained to give a current demand ratio which is compared with first and second references for determination of the control project. The first and second references and are defined respectively as different ratios of the first proportion to the second proportion.