Environmental Sensor Movement Detection Using Illuminance Change
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Solution Overview
Problem
Environmental sensors often produce useless or erroneous data when unintentionally moved, leading to wasted time and energy, and incorrect conclusions due to continuous measurement without detecting the change in location.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a moving detection unit within the environmental sensor that utilizes existing sensor elements, such as illuminance, acceleration, and temperature sensors, to detect changes in physical quantities and trigger a response process, including alert signals or data cessation, to prevent incorrect data collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the environmental sensor continues measurement without detecting movement, then measurement continuity is maintained, but useless or erroneous data is accumulated
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary movement detection using acceleration sensors and illuminance sensors before data collection becomes useless. By detecting movement patterns (acceleration changes) and environmental changes (illuminance variations) in advance, the system can proactively stop measurement or mark data as invalid, preventing accumulation of erroneous data while maintaining measurement continuity during normal operation.
2Reliability
If the environmental sensor is installed at a fixed location, then stable environmental data is obtained, but the sensor may be unintentionally moved without detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reuses existing sensor elements (acceleration sensor and illuminance sensor) already present in the environmental sensor for their primary functions, giving them the additional function of movement detection. The acceleration sensor detects both environmental vibrations and movement-induced acceleration, while the illuminance sensor detects both ambient light and light changes caused by movement. This multi-functional approach enables movement detection without adding specialized components, maintaining measurement stability while avoiding increased device complexity.
3Device complexity
If existing sensor elements are used for movement detection, then device complexity is reduced, but detection accuracy may be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system detects movement by monitoring changes in physical parameters (acceleration values and illuminance levels) rather than using dedicated movement sensors. By analyzing the magnitude and pattern of parameter changes over time, the system can distinguish between normal environmental fluctuations and actual sensor movement. This approach achieves adequate detection accuracy using existing sensors by focusing on parameter change dynamics rather than absolute values.
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
The solution effectively reduces wasted time and energy by accurately detecting unintended movement and preventing erroneous data accumulation, thereby improving the efficiency and quality of environmental measurements.
Implementation Method 1
the moving detection unit may detect the moving based on a decrease in an illuminance detected by the illuminance sensor
Implementation Method 2
the moving detection unit may detect the moving of the environmental sensor when a change in an illuminance detected by the illuminance sensor is greater than or equal to a predetermined value before and after the acceleration sensor detects an acceleration greater than or equal to a predetermined value
Implementation Method 3
the moving detection unit may detect the moving of the environmental sensor when a change in a temperature detected by the temperature sensor is greater than or equal to a predetermined value before and after the acceleration sensor detects an acceleration greater than or equal to a predetermined value
Data Source
AI summary
An environmental sensor including a plurality of sensor elements that measure a plurality of physical quantities associated with a surrounding environment detects moving of an environmental sensor based on an illuminance and a change in the illuminance among the plurality of physical quantities, and transmits an alert signal to a user when the moving of the environmental sensor is detected.