Space Profile Metrics for Occupancy-Based Building Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional building domain systems (BDSs) fail to capture the full potential of interoperability, functionality, and interdependence between building devices, focusing on specific domains rather than the missions and functions of spaces or places, leading to a disconnect between how occupants experience spaces and how devices are operated and controlled, with limited data utilization and restricted energy management capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A building management system that integrates data sources to calculate utilization attributes, generate normalized metrics, and provide recommendations for space utilization, allowing for unified control of devices across domains based on space profiles and modes, enabling efficient energy management and adaptive control of building equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional building domain systems focus on specific domains rather than integrated space management, then device control within each domain is simplified, but the system fails to capture interoperability and interdependence between devices, leading to limited data utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a space profile that serves as a universal data structure capable of storing and managing multiple types of device information across different domains (HVAC, lighting, security, etc.). This space profile acts as a multi-functional container that integrates data from various device types, enabling the system to capture interoperability and interdependence between devices while maintaining a unified management approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a building management system as an intermediary layer between devices and users. This intermediary collects data from multiple domain-specific devices, processes it through space profiles, and generates comprehensive utilization metrics. The intermediary approach allows integration of diverse devices without requiring direct complex interconnections between them, thus managing system complexity.
2Ease of operation
If conventional BDS are focused on particular domains, then device management within domains is straightforward, but there is a disconnect between how occupants experience spaces and how devices are controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating space-specific profiles that capture the unique characteristics, device configurations, and utilization patterns of each individual space. Rather than applying a uniform domain-based control approach across all spaces, the system tailors the data collection and analysis to the specific needs and occupancy patterns of each space, thereby aligning device control with how occupants actually experience and use those spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms that continuously collect data from sensors and devices, process it through space profiles, and generate utilization metrics that reflect actual space usage. This feedback loop provides information about how occupants experience and use spaces, which can then be used to adjust device control strategies to better align with occupant needs and behaviors.
3Reliability
If conventional BDS collect data from sensors with restrictions, then data collection is manageable, but the usefulness of collected data is limited for energy management and planning decisions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges data from multiple sources including sensor data, device operation data, and space profile information into a unified utilization metric. By combining these diverse data types through the space profile framework, the system transforms restricted, domain-specific data into comprehensive, actionable insights that are highly useful for energy management and planning decisions while managing processing complexity through standardized data structures.
4Loss of information
If conventional BDS do not capture actual usage of spaces, then system operation is simple, but users cannot acquire information needed for successful energy management or building management decisions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical approaches to space monitoring with an information-based system using space profiles and utilization metrics. Instead of relying on simple occupancy sensors or manual tracking, the system uses a comprehensive data model that processes information from multiple sources to calculate actual space utilization, providing accurate information for energy management and building management decisions.
Data Source
AI summary
A system that serves a space includes one or more data sources that provide utilization data describing an actual utilization of the space and circuitry configured to calculate a utilization attribute of the space based on the utilization data and retrieve, from a space profile for the space, a utilization target corresponding to the utilization attribute. The space profile is selected from a plurality of selectable space profiles defining a plurality of target utilizations. The circuitry is also configured to generate a normalized utilization metric for the space by normalizing the utilization attribute relative to the utilization target and generate a recommendation for the space based on the normalized utilization metric.