Automated Sensor Layout Generation for Facility Floor Plans
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Solution Overview
Problem
Generating sensor layouts for facilities is a time-consuming and error-prone process due to the individual placement and evaluation of each sensor, which does not consider the geometry of the space or interactions between sensors, leading to unnecessary additional sensors and increased hardware and installation costs.
Innovation Solution
A computing device with a processor and memory that automatically generates sensor layouts by defining sensor placement regions based on contextual data from a facility's floor plan, applying sensor placement rules to optimize sensor placement while considering spatial and structural features, and outputting a list of sensor devices and coordinates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensor layouts are generated by individually placing each sensor, then each sensor can be evaluated for its specific position, but the process becomes time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The facility floor plan is divided into multiple zones, and sensor placement is optimized for each zone independently while considering overall facility coverage. This segmentation allows parallel processing of multiple sensor placements, reducing total computation time while maintaining placement accuracy through zone-specific optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
Once sensor placement patterns are optimized for representative zones, these patterns are copied and applied to similar zones throughout the facility. This approach leverages the similarity between zones to rapidly generate placements for multiple sensors without repeating the full optimization process for each individual sensor, significantly reducing time while maintaining consistency and accuracy.
2Reliability
If traditional layout tools place each sensor individually, then each sensor position can be evaluated, but the tools do not consider the geometry of the space or interactions between sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple considerations into a unified sensor placement optimization process: facility geometry constraints, sensor coverage requirements, and inter-sensor interactions are all considered simultaneously through integrated algorithms. This holistic approach ensures reliable coverage while avoiding the need for multiple separate evaluation steps, reducing overall complexity despite the comprehensive nature of the analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual, iterative mechanical placement methods with automated computational algorithms that use mathematical models to optimize sensor positions. These algorithms automatically account for facility geometry, sensor fields of view, and coverage requirements, eliminating the need for manual trial-and-error adjustment while ensuring optimal and reliable placements.
3Reliability
If additional sensors are added to meet coverage specifications, then coverage requirements are satisfied, but hardware and installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses optimization algorithms that adjust sensor placement parameters (positions, orientations, heights) to maximize coverage efficiency. By changing these parameters intelligently, the system achieves full coverage compliance with the minimum necessary number of sensors, avoiding unnecessary hardware purchases and installation costs while meeting all coverage specifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs iterative optimization with feedback loops that evaluate coverage performance and adjust sensor placements accordingly. The algorithms continuously assess whether coverage specifications are met and refine sensor positions to eliminate gaps, ensuring compliance is achieved with the fewest sensors possible rather than adding excessive sensors to guarantee coverage.
Data Source
AI summary
A computing device includes: a memory storing sensor placement rules; a processor connected with the memory, the processor configured to: obtain a floor plan representing a facility, the floor plan including contextual data representing spatial and structural features of the facility; define, based on the contextual data of the floor plan, one or more sensor placement regions within the facility; for each sensor placement region: generate a sensor layout within the sensor placement region based on the sensor placement rules; generate, based on a correspondence between the sensor placement region and the floor plan, a list of sensor devices and corresponding coordinates for each sensor device; and output the list of sensor devices and the corresponding coordinates.