Surrogate-Based Control System for Sensor Connectivity Failure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Environmental control systems in occupant spaces face disruptions due to loss of connectivity between sensors and controllers, leading to inadequate environmental conditioning, which existing technologies struggle to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
A surrogate-based control system that identifies and utilizes spaces with similar environmental parameters to maintain control, exchanging information with the affected space's equipment until sensors regain connectivity, ensuring continuous comfort and predictive maintenance through correlation of environmental metrics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If wireless or wired sensors are used for environmental control, then measurement capability is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to connectivity failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a surrogate space as an intermediary entity that mediates between the failed sensor system and the control system. When primary sensors fail to communicate, the surrogate space acts as a substitute data source, providing environmental parameter information from a different physical location to maintain continuous control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the sensor system by establishing a surrogate space that replicates the functional role of the failed sensors. The surrogate space copies the environmental monitoring and control functions, allowing the system to continue operating with surrogate data rather than halting due to sensor failure.
2Reliability
If surrogate control is implemented, then reliability is improved during sensor failures, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-identifying and pre-characterizing potential surrogate spaces before failures occur. The system analyzes historical data and environmental correlations in advance to establish a pool of candidate surrogate spaces, so that when a failure occurs, the selection process is already partially complete and can proceed quickly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor sensor connectivity status and automatically trigger surrogate space activation when failures are detected. The system provides feedback loops that assess the performance of surrogate spaces and can switch between different surrogates based on current conditions, managing complexity through automated decision-making.
3Reliability
If sensor connectivity is maintained through redundant systems, then reliability is improved, but loss of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by maintaining full sensor communication only when needed, rather than continuously. The system activates surrogate space monitoring and data exchange only when primary sensor connectivity is lost, consuming energy selectively rather than continuously. This approach provides reliability when necessary while minimizing energy consumption during normal operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for surrogate control of a space that incurs an ineffective sensor connection with its controller for running environmental conditioning equipment to maintain the space at one or more certain environmental parameters such as temperature. A selection of a surrogate space from which the surrogate control is obtained, may be made by correlation of data over time and specifications of other spaces in a building complex. The surrogate control may be from the controller of the space selected for control of the space having the ineffective sensor connection. The surrogate space may be a construct of one or more spaces. It may be based on a virtual space that combines behaviors of other spaces for a good match. Diagnostics may be effected from information about spaces in the system.