Venue HVAC Feedback Control for Varying Heat Loads

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Solution Overview

Problem

Gaming venues face challenges in controlling the environment due to varying heat loads based on the number of patrons and active gaming machines, which existing HVAC systems struggle to manage effectively.

Innovation Solution

An environment control system with controllable devices for heating, cooling, or ventilation, along with user input devices and sensors, where an environment controller determines which devices to control based on feedback and location information to optimize venue conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If manually controlled HVAC systems are used, then system complexity is reduced, but adaptability to varying heat loads deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidadaptability to varying heat loads

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates user feedback mechanisms where patrons can report thermal comfort conditions. This feedback is processed by the controller to automatically adjust HVAC settings, enabling the system to adapt to varying heat loads without requiring complex manual intervention or sophisticated predictive algorithms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If complex user settings and sensor feedback are implemented, then adaptability to varying heat loads is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to varying heat loadsVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service operation where the HVAC controller automatically adjusts settings based on processed feedback from users and basic sensor data. This eliminates the need for complex centralized control systems while maintaining adaptability, as each zone can independently respond to local conditions through automated feedback processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If real-time feedback collection is implemented, then adaptability is improved, but loss of time for processing feedback increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereal-time adaptabilityVSAvoidtime for processing feedback

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system processes feedback selectively rather than continuously analyzing all possible data points. It focuses on key thermal comfort indicators and basic sensor readings, processing only the most relevant information in real-time while deferring or aggregating less critical data, thus maintaining responsiveness without excessive processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10241529B2Environment controller, an environment control system and environment control method

Publication Date: 2019.03.26 ARISTOCRAT TECH AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

AI summary

An example environment control system for a venue includes a controllable device arranged to perform at least one of heating, cooling or ventilation of the venue so as to affect the environment of the venue; a plurality of input devices disposed throughout the venue, each input device operable by a user to input environment feedback; and an environment controller arranged to control the at least one controllable device based on the environment feedback.