Ski resort management system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ski resort operators lack efficient management tools for coordinating lift systems, artificial snowmaking, and snow groomers, leading to resource overconsumption and suboptimal snow conditions due to inadequate information availability and fragmentation.
Innovation Solution
A management system integrating telemetry systems with an operator terminal, mass storage, and processing station to collect, process, and display data from lift systems, snowmaking, and snow groomers, enabling coordinated operation and resource optimization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If snowmaking systems and snow groomers are operated without integrated management, then operational autonomy is maintained, but resource consumption increases and snow quality consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges previously autonomous lift systems, snowmaking systems, and snow groomers into a single integrated management platform. The central server consolidates data from all subsystems and coordinates their operations, replacing independent control with unified management to reduce resource consumption and improve snow quality consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The management system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it monitors lift operations, controls snowmaking generators, tracks snow groomer activities, manages artificial structures, and coordinates resource allocation. This multi-functional platform replaces multiple separate management systems, achieving efficiency gains without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If snowmaking operations are performed without real-time data, then system autonomy is preserved, but snow quality consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where sensors monitor snow conditions, weather parameters, and system performance in real-time. This data feeds back to the central server, which adjusts snowmaking operations dynamically to maintain consistent snow quality across different runs and conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The central server acts as an intermediary between weather data, snowmaking systems, and quality monitoring. It processes information from multiple sources, makes coordination decisions, and distributes control signals to appropriate subsystems, enabling precise snow quality management without direct point-to-point control.
3Productivity
If artificial structures are managed without centralized coordination, then operational simplicity is maintained, but resource allocation efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary planning and coordination of snowmaking and grooming operations based on forecasted weather conditions and anticipated ski run usage. By pre-coordinating resource allocation and scheduling maintenance activities in advance, the system optimizes productivity without requiring complex real-time adjustments during operations.
4Loss of information
If telemetry data is collected from all systems, then management information completeness is improved, but information processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The data processing system is segmented into modular components that handle different types of information separately: lift system data, snowmaking data, snow groomer data, and artificial structure data. Each module processes its specific data type independently, then integrates results at the presentation layer, reducing overall processing complexity while maintaining information completeness.
Data Source
AI summary
A ski resort management system comprising: a data acquisition system that receives data from telemetry systems of the lift systems, of the snow generators and of the snow groomers of the ski resort; a processing station; mass storage units, containing a system database fed by the data acquisition system; and a display interface, accessible from operator terminals. The data acquisition system stores data and signals from the lift systems, the snow generators and the snow groomers in the system database. The processing station enables setting a mode of the display interface for alternatively displaying data relative to each lift system, to each snow generator or to each snow groomer, or to display, in an aggregated form, data relative to all the lift systems, all the snow generators and all the snow groomers.