Store Equipment Control Using Real-Time Status and Local Conditions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing store management systems fail to consider store-specific characteristics and status when setting equipment, leading to inefficient electric power consumption.

Innovation Solution

A store management system that acquires store characteristic and status information to generate tailored equipment settings, using a store server and center server for unified management across multiple stores.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If equipment settings are managed by a unified standard across multiple stores, then electric power consumption of the entirety of stores can be suppressed, but store-specific characteristics such as location, sales floor area, and visitor frequency are not considered leading to waste

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectric power consumptionVSAvoidstore-specific characteristics consideration

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system determines equipment settings separately for each store based on store-specific characteristics (location, sales floor area, visitor frequency) while still managing them through a unified platform. This allows each store to have optimized settings tailored to its local conditions, preventing energy waste from inappropriate uniform settings while maintaining centralized management capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts equipment settings based on real-time store status information (current temperature, humidity, occupancy) combined with store characteristics. Rather than using static uniform settings, the system continuously optimizes settings to match current conditions, reducing energy consumption while adapting to changing store environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If equipment settings are adjusted based on store status at the occasion, then immediate comfort is improved, but store characteristics are not considered leading to suboptimal settings and energy waste

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment setting responsivenessVSAvoidelectric power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-determines appropriate equipment settings by combining store characteristic information with real-time store status information before actual operation. This preliminary optimization ensures that when equipment is activated, it starts with pre-calculated optimal settings that consider both store-specific characteristics and current conditions, avoiding energy waste from trial-and-adjustment operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors store status (temperature, humidity, occupancy) and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust equipment settings. The feedback loop ensures that equipment settings remain optimal by continuously comparing actual store conditions against target conditions and making adjustments to minimize energy consumption while maintaining comfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12572866B2Store management system and store management method

Publication Date: 2026.03.10 NEC CORP

AI summary

The present invention provides a store management system (10) including; a store status information acquisition unit (11) that acquires store status information indicating a status of a target store; a real-time modification unit (12) that modifies, based on the store status information, an operation plan being determined based on a characteristic of the target store; and an output unit (13) that outputs control information indicating a setting on equipment installed in the target store being defined by the modified operation plan.