Appliance Control Device Protocol Translation for Multi-Vendor Interoperability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing appliance control systems face difficulties in unifying implementations and achieving compatibility due to the need to manage different protocol specifications for each appliance, making it challenging to control a variety of devices effectively.
Innovation Solution
An appliance control device that acquires a list of executable functions for each appliance, including corresponding protocol information, and transmits requests using a selected protocol compatible with the desired function, allowing for unified management and improved compatibility across multiple appliances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If different protocol specifications are managed for each appliance and service, then compatibility with individual appliances is improved, but device complexity and difficulty of unification increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component that translates between standard protocols and appliance-specific protocols. This mediator layer handles protocol conversion, allowing the control device to communicate with diverse appliances using a unified interface while maintaining compatibility with individual appliance protocols, thus reducing management complexity without sacrificing adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The control device is designed with multi-functional protocol handling capabilities, enabling it to manage both standard protocols and appliance-specific protocols through a unified framework. This universal approach allows a single device to adapt to multiple protocol types without requiring separate management systems for each protocol specification
2Adaptability or versatility
If individual protocol specifications are defined for each service and appliance, then functional requirements are met, but ease of operation and unification become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments protocol handling into distinct modular components: a standard protocol layer, an appliance-specific protocol layer, and a translation layer. This segmentation allows each protocol type to be managed independently while maintaining overall system unification, making operations easier by organizing complexity into manageable segments rather than requiring monolithic protocol management
3Adaptability or versatility
If protocol specifications are customized for each appliance, then appliance-specific restrictions are addressed, but productivity and implementation efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring translation rules and protocol mappings in a centralized manner. By establishing protocol conversion relationships in advance, the system eliminates the need for manual configuration when adding new appliances, significantly improving implementation efficiency while maintaining appliance-specific compatibility through pre-established translation pathways
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for operating an appliance control device for controlling the operation of a variety of appliances are provided. The appliance control device may acquire a list identifying one or more functions executable by an appliance. The list may further identify a corresponding protocol corresponding to each function included in the list. The appliance control device may transmit a request to the appliance for execution of a desired function selected from the list using a specified protocol selected based on the corresponding protocol corresponding to the desired function. In turn, the appliance may transmit the list to the appliance control device upon request. Further, the appliance may also receive the request to execute the desired function in accordance with the selected specified protocol, and execute the desired function in response to the request.