Ancillary Device Event Tagging for Terminal Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Smart terminals with enhanced functionality become cumbersome, making it difficult for users to manage unprocessed events like calls or messages in noisy environments, and existing ancillary devices can only receive information without actively controlling the terminal.

Innovation Solution

An ancillary device receives information about unprocessed events from a terminal, performs responsive actions to remind the user, and upon user input, generates a tag containing the event type and serial number, which is sent back to the terminal to generate a notification message, allowing users to interactively manage events.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the terminal screen size is increased to meet functional requirements and improve user experience, then the terminal functionality is enhanced, but the terminal becomes unhandy and difficult to manage in noisy environments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveterminal functionalityVSAvoidterminal manageability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the terminal's event processing functionality between the main terminal and an ancillary device. The terminal sends unprocessed event information to the ancillary device, which then provides reminders and accepts user inputs. This segmentation allows the terminal to maintain its large screen for functionality while the ancillary device handles event management, resolving the contradiction between enhanced functionality and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If an ancillary device is added to facilitate auxiliary control of the terminal, then the user can access event information more easily, but the ancillary device can only receive information and cannot actively control the terminal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevent access convenienceVSAvoidcontrol capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a feedback loop where the ancillary device receives unprocessed event information from the terminal, provides reminders to the user, and sends user inputs back to the terminal as control commands. This two-way communication enables the ancillary device to not only display information but also actively control terminal functions, resolving the contradiction between ease of access and control capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of information

If the ancillary device receives and displays all unprocessed event information, then the user can see event details, but the user cannot efficiently manage multiple events in noisy environments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevent information visibilityVSAvoidevent management efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial action by having the ancillary device process only unprocessed events rather than all terminal information. It selectively receives event information from the terminal, provides targeted reminders, and handles user inputs for event management. This approach prevents information overload while maintaining visibility of relevant events, resolving the contradiction between information visibility and management efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3319304B1Terminal control method and accessory device
Publication Date: 2021.03.03 HUIZHOU TCL MOBILE COMM CO LTD
  • EP3319304B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3319304B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A method of controlling a terminal and an associated ancillary device are disclosed. The method includes: the ancillary device receiving information of an unprocessed event from the terminal, wherein the information contains a type and a serial number of the unprocessed event; receiving a predefined operation from a user and producing a tag for the unprocessed event accordingly, wherein the tag contains the type and serial number of the unprocessed event; and sending the tag to the terminal, so that the terminal generating a corresponding notification message according to the tag. Thus, the unprocessed event present on the terminal can be directly processed through the ancillary device, and the terminal can eventually generate a notification message to notify the user of the unprocessed event.