Wireless Sensor Node for Building Comfort Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current building management systems face challenges in providing detailed occupant comfort due to limited sensor coverage, high costs, deployment difficulties, and low sensor autonomy, making it economically unrealistic to increase sensor density, and users face cumbersome procedures for reporting anomalies, leading to inefficient interventions.

Innovation Solution

A multi-service management device with sensors for environmental measurements, a transmitter for data collection, an alarm trigger, and a medium with a readable identifier for mobile terminals, allowing easy data association and reporting, which includes a URL for information transmission and an autonomous power source, enabling efficient and ergonomic data management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the number of sensors is increased to provide detailed occupant comfort knowledge, then measurement precision and coverage are improved, but device complexity and cost increase, making it economically unrealistic

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoccupant comfort measurement precisionVSAvoidsensor system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service through automatic anomaly detection by sensors, automated alert generation, and self-diagnostic capabilities that eliminate the need for manual inspections and reduce the number of sensors required while maintaining measurement precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback loops where sensors continuously monitor environmental parameters, compare them against comfort thresholds, and automatically trigger alerts or adjustments, enabling detailed comfort management with fewer sensors through intelligent data processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If traditional wired sensor systems are deployed to improve measurement coverage, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to cable pulling difficulties during deployment and reorganization

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental parameter measurement precisionVSAvoidsystem deployment ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical wired connections with wireless communication technology, eliminating the need for cable pulling and physical infrastructure installation while maintaining data transmission reliability and measurement precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The wireless sensor nodes are designed as universal, self-contained units that can be easily deployed, relocated, and reconfigured without infrastructure changes, enabling the same measurement precision whether deployed initially or repositioned during building reorganization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If wireless sensor systems are used to improve ease of operation, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to low autonomy of only 1-2 years

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem deployment easeVSAvoidsensor system autonomy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system extends operational autonomy by optimizing power consumption parameters through low-power sleep modes, energy harvesting from environmental sources, and efficient wireless communication protocols, thereby improving reliability while maintaining ease of wireless deployment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-charging battery capacities, implementing predictive maintenance schedules, and buffering critical data locally to ensure continuous operation and maintained reliability even when individual components require replacement after extended periods

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Loss of information

If complex reporting procedures are used to improve anomaly reporting accuracy, then information completeness is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to cumbersome user interaction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanomaly information completenessVSAvoidanomaly reporting ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service anomaly reporting where sensors automatically detect and report environmental anomalies without user intervention, while also providing users with simplified one-touch reporting capabilities that maintain information completeness through automated data attachment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback mechanisms to confirm anomaly reports to users with minimal interaction, automatically providing confirmation that the report was successfully submitted with relevant sensor data attached, thereby maintaining information completeness while dramatically simplifying the user experience

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3308368B1Sensors and alarms for multi-service management of a building and of equipment for the occupants thereof
Publication Date: 2019.03.06 GDF SUEZ SA
  • EP3308368B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The invention relates to a device (1) for multi-service management of a building and of equipment for the occupants, said device (1) comprising: • sensors (9) for sensing physical and/or chemical and/or biological measurements of the occupants' environment, e.g. the temperature, hydrometry or carbon dioxide level; • a first transmitter (7) for transmitting the measurements sensed by the sensors to a server. The device further comprises an alarm (10) that can be triggered by a user connected to a second transmitter in such a way that an alarm signal is transmitted to the server (5), and a support containing a device identifier that can be read by a mobile terminal in such a way that the server (5) can associate the measurements sensed by the sensors and/or the alarm signal with information from the mobile terminal, including the identifier.