Ad Hoc Mesh Network Self-Configuration for Consumer Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing low-power, personal area networks are complex for consumers to use, requiring technical expertise for configuration and installation, especially with the increasing number of devices and configurations, leading to overwhelming users and potential need for professional assistance.
Innovation Solution
A method that enables consumer products to form ad hoc wireless mesh networks using a communication module with both room-limited and room-transparent communication technologies, allowing devices to join and communicate, segment into rooms, and execute actions based on device states and user preferences, without requiring prior knowledge of the home layout.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If consumers use existing low-power personal area networks with multiple devices and configurations, then device functionality and connectivity are improved, but system complexity and difficulty of operation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-configuration and automatic room segmentation without requiring user intervention. Devices automatically join the network, determine their locations, and organize themselves into rooms based on signal analysis, eliminating the need for manual configuration and reducing operational complexity for consumers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes communication pathways and device groupings before user interaction is needed. By automatically analyzing communication signals and segmenting devices into rooms during initial network formation, the system prepares the network structure in advance, so users can immediately use devices without configuration steps.
2Reliability
If professional installation and configuration services are provided, then network setup reliability is improved, but cost and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The network system automatically configures itself without requiring trained technicians. Devices autonomously perform network joining, authentication, and organization tasks that previously required professional installation, thereby eliminating the time and cost associated with hiring specialists while maintaining reliable network setup.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs all necessary configuration actions automatically during device initialization and network formation. By pre-establishing device relationships and room assignments before user interaction, the system eliminates the need for subsequent manual configuration steps that would otherwise require professional installation time.
3Ease of operation
If devices are organized into groups based on communication capabilities and physical location, then network management and control are improved, but device complexity and configuration requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Devices automatically organize themselves into logical groups and rooms based on their communication signals and physical locations. The system autonomously analyzes signal strength and communication patterns to determine device groupings, eliminating the need for users to manually configure device relationships or understand network topology, thus reducing configuration requirements while improving management capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes device groupings and room assignments by analyzing communication signals during initial network formation. By automatically organizing devices into manageable groups before user interaction, the system simplifies subsequent network management tasks without requiring users to understand or configure the underlying organizational structure.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of generating an action in an ad hoc wireless network includes providing an ad hoc mesh network of nodes having at least one node associated with a consumer product and at least one node capable generating node data about a consumer product, sending node data to a computing device, using the computing device to retrieve data from a database and associate the data with the node data, and determining, at the computing device, an action based upon the association, and executing an action using the computing device.