Smart light switch/thermostat for control and energy management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-room properties, such as hotels, face inefficiencies in controlling and optimizing in-room devices like climate control and battery-powered devices, leading to high operating costs and guest dissatisfaction due to manual operation, inefficient power use, and latency issues with battery-powered devices like Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) door locks.
Innovation Solution
A smart light switch/thermostat system that integrates with in-room devices and a central host controller, enabling network connections for cloud control services, optimizing power use, and reducing latency by maintaining long connection intervals for battery-powered devices and sending frequent advertising transmissions to align with mobile device scans.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the PTAC is left on for extended periods to maintain comfort, then guest comfort is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by detecting guest departure through sensor data (motion sensors, window/blind sensors, appliance sensors) and proactively adjusting or turning off the PTAC before the guest would notice discomfort. This anticipatory approach maintains comfort during occupancy while eliminating energy waste after departure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops by monitoring multiple sensors (motion, temperature, humidity, window/blind position, appliance status) and automatically adjusting PTAC operation based on real-time room conditions and occupancy detection, optimizing energy consumption while maintaining comfort.
2Device complexity
If in-room devices are manually controlled, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases due to lack of centralized management
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs multi-functional sensors that serve multiple purposes: motion detection for occupancy sensing, temperature and humidity sensing for climate control optimization, window/blind position detection for energy management, and appliance monitoring for guest behavior analysis. This universal sensing approach enables centralized management without adding complex dedicated devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables devices to self-manage through automated control algorithms that process sensor data and adjust device operations without manual intervention. The PTAC, lighting, and other devices are automatically optimized based on detected occupancy and environmental conditions, eliminating the need for complex centralized control while improving operational efficiency.
3Use of energy by moving object
If battery-powered WPAN devices use long listen intervals to save power, then energy consumption is reduced, but response latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining persistent background connections and pre-negotiating communication parameters with mobile devices before guests need to interact with door locks. The system anticipates guest arrival and prepares communication channels in advance, reducing actual interaction latency while allowing the door lock to remain in low-power state most of the time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary gateway device that maintains continuous network connectivity and handles communication buffering. The battery-powered door lock communicates asynchronously with the gateway, which then communicates with mobile devices. This intermediary architecture allows the door lock to use long listen intervals while maintaining responsive guest experience through the gateway's buffering and forwarding capabilities.
Data Source
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Figure 2B
AI summary
In one embodiment, a smart light switch/thermostat is provided for deployment in rooms of a multi-room property (e.g., hotel) that is capable of monitoring and controlling in-room devices (e.g., climate control devices, lighting devices, A/V devices, etc.), as well as improving power optimization and reducing latency of certain battery-powered WPAN devices. The smart light switch/thermostat may be an in-wall device mounted in an electrical box (e.g., a 1-gang box) that maintains network connections (e.g., wired, WPAN and/or WLAN connections) to in-room devices being controlled and monitored, as well as to mobile guest devices and a central host controller that provides access to cloud control services. The smart light switch/thermostat may improve power optimization and reducing latency of certain battery-powered WPAN devices (e.g., BLE door locks) by operating as an agent for the room, opening a connection with a battery-powered WPAN device using a long negotiated connection interval, while sending send connectable advertising transmissions at a very short advertising interval.