Smart Light Switch with Geographic Holiday Lockout

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Jewish individuals face challenges in adhering to religious laws during holidays, as they must avoid changing light switch states, leading to stress and energy wastage, as existing solutions like taping switches or magnetic covers are time-consuming and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A smart light switch system that automatically adjusts its mode based on calculated religious times using date, time, and geographic location data, maintaining light states during holidays and offering energy-saving and preference modes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If physical methods like taping or magnetic covers are used to prevent light switch manipulation during holidays, then religious law compliance is improved, but time consumption and stress increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereligious law complianceVSAvoidtime consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical physical barriers (tape, magnetic covers) with an electronic control system embedded in the light switch. The control system uses a microcontroller to automatically detect holiday periods and lock the switch state, eliminating the need for manual physical intervention while ensuring religious law compliance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The light switch system performs self-service by automatically detecting its own location, determining holiday periods based on geographic data, and autonomously locking its switch state without requiring user intervention. The system calculates religious times based on its geographic location and automatically applies the appropriate lockout during Jewish holidays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If light switches are physically secured during holidays, then accidental manipulation is prevented, but energy wastage increases due to lights remaining on

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveswitch state protectionVSAvoidenergy wastage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The control system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on the time of day and holiday calendar. During nighttime hours on holidays, the switch is locked to prevent manipulation. During daytime hours, the system automatically unlocks and turns off lights that are not in use, thereby preventing energy wastage while maintaining switch state protection when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic action by cycling between locked and unlocked states based on the time of day and holiday status. Lights are automatically turned off during periods when they are not needed (daytime on holidays) while maintaining the ability to be turned on during appropriate times (evening/night), creating an energy-efficient periodic operation pattern.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If manual switch covering methods are used, then switch manipulation is prevented, but installation complexity and stress increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveswitch state securityVSAvoidinstallation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the holiday lockout functionality from external physical accessories (tape, magnetic covers) and integrates it directly into the light switch itself. The control system, holiday calendar database, and geographic location detection are built-in components of the switch, eliminating the need for separate installation steps and reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Measurement precision

If geographic location data is collected and processed, then accurate religious time calculation is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereligious time accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system performs multiple functions using a single integrated platform: it detects geographic location, stores holiday calendars, calculates religious times, and controls the light switch. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be separate complex systems into one unified device, managing complexity while maintaining high measurement precision for religious time calculations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9024545B2Method and apparatus for a geographically determined Jewish religious clock and electrical device combination with holiday and preference modes

Publication Date: 2015.05.05 UNITED ELECTRICAL SYST

AI summary

An independently functioning or centrally controlled wall light switch is configured to operate in normal mode and a Jewish holiday mode wherein the state of the light is fixed, regardless of the user's physical manipulation of the light switch. The control system automatically activates holiday mode by combining a geographically determined Jewish religious clock executed by software and hardware that utilizes the current time, date and geographical location of the apparatus in accordance with the Jewish definition of time and laws for calculating numerous religiously significant shifting daily points in time. The control system further incorporates several energy saving and preference modes by utilizing a particular day's calculated religious points in time in conjunction with holiday behavior patterns common to most Jewish families to provide the user with a greatly simplified means of programming an automatically adjusting on/off light timer and dimming overlay functionality during holiday mode.