Water Condition Aggregation System Using Appliance Sensor Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing kitchen and bathroom devices lack the ability to seamlessly integrate and communicate with each other to provide personalized services based on user identity and preferences, limiting their functionality and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A system of interconnected appliances that collect and analyze sensor data to determine user identity, allowing for customized device functions and coordinated operations through a home hub communication device, enabling voice control and mobile application integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If kitchen and bathroom devices operate independently without integration, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to provide personalized services based on user identity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a home hub communication device as an intermediary that collects sensor data from multiple appliances, determines user identity, and distributes appropriate commands to relevant devices. This mediator architecture enables personalized services without requiring direct complex integration between all appliance pairs, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
2Ease of operation
If devices collect and analyze sensor data to determine user identity, then service personalization is improved, but data processing requirements and communication overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data processing and user identity determination functions from individual appliances and concentrates them in the home hub communication device. This extraction reduces the communication overhead at each appliance level, as devices only need to send raw sensor data to the hub rather than exchanging complex processed information with each other, thus resolving the contradiction between personalization and communication overhead.
3Productivity
If appliances are interconnected through a home hub, then coordinated functionality is improved, but system reliability may decrease due to additional communication points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the home hub receives sensor data from appliances, processes it to determine user identity, and sends commands back to appropriate devices. This closed-loop feedback system enables coordinated functionality while maintaining reliability through structured communication protocols and error handling at each feedback stage, resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for aggregation of water condition at household appliances comprises a communication interface and a controller. The communication interface is configured to send a reporting message indicative of data collected by at least one appliance to a central server. The controller is configured to receive an analysis message from the central server. The analysis message indicates a condition of water from the at least one appliance or a condition of water in a geographic area associated with the at least one appliance. The controller is configured to provide an alert in response to the analysis message.