Appliance Location Recognition via IP Address

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Electrical appliances often require manual content settings based on location or language, which can be inconvenient, especially when used in countries different from their origin.

Innovation Solution

The method involves an electrical appliance communicating with a network device to recognize its installation location using IP addresses, allowing it to automatically set or change content accordingly, such as language, time, and screen configurations, through wireless or wired communication protocols like WiFi-Direct or Bluetooth.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual content settings are required for each location, then content accuracy is improved, but user convenience deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent accuracyVSAvoiduser convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The electrical appliance automatically detects its installation location using IP address recognition and autonomously configures appropriate content (language, time format, etc.) without requiring manual user input. The system serves itself by performing the location-based configuration task that would otherwise require user intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The appliance pre-configures location-appropriate content automatically upon installation by detecting the IP address and retrieving corresponding configuration data before the user needs to use the device. This preliminary automatic configuration eliminates the need for users to manually set content later.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If automatic location recognition is implemented, then user convenience is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser convenienceVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an external server as an intermediary that handles the complex tasks of IP address analysis, location determination, and content configuration. The electrical appliance itself remains relatively simple, delegating the complex location recognition and content selection functions to the external server through network communication.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If location-based content adaptation is added, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent adaptabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The electrical appliance is designed with universal functionality to operate in multiple locations by adapting its content based on detected location. The same hardware platform can serve different regions by dynamically loading appropriate content (language, time format, etc.) without requiring location-specific hardware modifications.

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

Solution Approach 2:

An external server acts as a mediator that provides location-specific content configurations to the electrical appliance based on IP address analysis. This external intermediary handles the complexity of maintaining and managing location-specific content, allowing the appliance itself to remain relatively simple while achieving high adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2700974B1Method for recognizing the locations of electric appliances
Publication Date: 2020.03.18 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP2700974B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2700974B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2700974B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for recognizing the locations of electric appliances. The method for recognizing the locations of electric appliances according to one embodiment includes: a step of the electric appliances starting communication; a step of said electric appliances recognizing basic information required for recognizing the locations thereof; and a step of the locations of said electric appliances being recognized on the basis of the recognized basic information.