Smart Sensor Door Lock Anticipatory State Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electronic door locks face significant power consumption issues due to frequent operation, which is not efficiently managed by existing systems, leading to potential battery drain and reduced device lifespan.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a smart home network system that uses sensory devices to determine the target state of a lock device based on detected events, such as occupancy, to only actuate the lock when necessary, thereby reducing power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the electronic door lock operates frequently to ensure security, then the security and convenience are improved, but the power consumption increases and battery life decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by predicting future lock state requirements based on historical data and current context (occupancy, time, location). The ML model anticipates when locking/unlocking will be needed and prepares accordingly, allowing the lock to remain in a predicted target state without frequent operational corrections, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring actual lock operations versus predicted operations. The ML model learns from discrepancies between predicted and actual user behavior patterns, refining its predictions over time. This feedback loop enables increasingly accurate predictions of lock state requirements, reducing unnecessary operations and power consumption while maintaining reliable security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Speed

If the lock mechanism is actuated frequently to respond to events, then the responsiveness and security are improved, but the mechanical wear increases and device lifespan decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveresponsivenessVSAvoiddevice lifespan
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by predicting future lock state requirements based on historical data and current context (occupancy, time, location). The ML model anticipates when locking/unlocking will be needed and prepares accordingly, allowing the lock to remain in a predicted target state without frequent operational corrections, thereby reducing power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the system continuously monitors and adjusts lock state based on multiple inputs, then the security and convenience are improved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity managementVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces an intermediary ML prediction layer between the multiple input sensors and the lock actuator. This intermediary processes complex inputs (occupancy sensors, time data, location information) and translates them into simplified predictions of target lock states. The ML model acts as a mediator that handles the complexity of multi-input processing while presenting simple, actionable predictions to the lock control system, thereby managing system complexity while maintaining high adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3098784B1System and method for anticipatory locking and unlocking of a smart-sensor door lock
Publication Date: 2024.10.02 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP3098784B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3098784B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3098784B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electronic device associated with a lock device obtains a number of users detected within a premises, and detects a trigger event related to a lock device and premises. When the trigger event is detected, a target state of the lock device is determined based on: (1) the number of users within the premises, (2) user security profiles indicating a desired target state of the lock device when a respective user is within the premises, (3) locations of detected users; (4) user states of detected users indicating whether the respective user is asleep or active; and/or (5) a current premises mode, including an armed state and a disarmed state. A current state of the lock device is determined, and if the current state and the target state of the lock device are not the same, instructions are provided to the lock device based on the target state.