Restroom Fixture Occupancy Sensing for Reliable Usage Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for detecting bathroom occupancy are unreliable, leading to inefficient cleaning and maintenance schedules that inconvenience users and maintenance crews.
Innovation Solution
A restroom occupancy system using sensors, such as infrared and time-of-flight sensors, to determine fixture usage and occupancy levels, providing real-time data for maintenance and cleaning schedules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional occupancy detection systems are used, then bathroom occupancy can be monitored, but the reliability of occupancy detection is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the bathroom into multiple detection zones, each monitored by dedicated sensors. Individual fixtures (toilets, sinks, showers) have separate occupancy detection, allowing precise tracking of usage patterns at both fixture and room levels without cross-interference between detection areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines multiple sensor types (infrared, time-of-flight, weight sensors) to create a unified occupancy detection system. This multi-sensor approach merges different detection methods to achieve reliable and accurate occupancy measurement, overcoming the limitations of single-sensor systems.
2Productivity
If cleaning and maintenance are performed during peak usage, then maintenance tasks can be completed, but user inconvenience increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of occupancy patterns to identify optimal maintenance windows before scheduling cleaning tasks. By predicting low-usage periods in advance, the system prepares maintenance schedules that avoid peak user traffic, ensuring both high maintenance productivity and user convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors real-time occupancy data and provides feedback to dynamically adjust maintenance scheduling. When occupancy drops below thresholds, the system automatically triggers maintenance tasks, ensuring cleaning is performed at optimal times without manual intervention while minimizing user disruption.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are deployed throughout the bathroom, then occupancy detection accuracy improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses universal sensor nodes that can detect occupancy across multiple fixtures and zones. Each sensor is designed to perform multiple detection functions (infrared detection, time-of-flight measurement, weight sensing) and can be deployed in various locations, reducing the need for specialized sensors and simplifying system architecture while maintaining high detection accuracy.
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
Accurately determines bathroom usage patterns, allowing for optimized cleaning and maintenance schedules, enhancing user convenience and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The system may comprise one or more sensors, such as infrared sensors
Implementation Method 2
time-of-flight sensors
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for determining bathroom occupancy are disclosed herein. In this regard, one or more sensors may determine whether a plumbing fixture is in use. When a plumbing fixture is in use, the one or more sensors may trigger a visual cue that indicates that the plumbing fixture is in use. Additionally, the one or more sensors may send (e.g., transmit) information indicating that the plumbing fixture is in use to one or more computing devices. The information may include a start time of the fixture's usage, an end time of the fixture's usage, a duration of the fixture's usage, etc. The computing device may analyze the information from a plurality of fixtures associated with a location and present the analysis to a user, for example, via a dashboard.