Augmented Reality Wi-Fi AP Search Overlay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable terminals cannot effectively provide position information of available Access Points (APs) for connecting to Wi-Fi, leading to issues with selecting strong signal sources for internet services, as existing solutions only search for pre-configured free Wi-Fi areas.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that combines an augmented reality scheme with the AP search function in portable terminals, using a camera unit to photograph the environment, a communication unit to receive AP signals, and a controller to output AP positions and attributes on a preview picture, allowing users to select and connect to the strongest APs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the portable terminal searches for APs using conventional methods, then it can identify available APs, but it cannot provide position information of the APs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the AP search function with the augmented reality display function into a unified system. The controller integrates Wi-Fi signal detection results with camera image data, merging the functional layers to display AP positions directly on the real-world view, thereby providing position information without significantly increasing system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a camera as an intermediary device to capture the real-world environment and overlay AP position information on the captured images. This intermediary approach allows the system to visualize AP positions without requiring direct integration between the Wi-Fi module and display system, thus resolving the contradiction between information completeness and system complexity
2Reliability
If the portable terminal connects to APs without position information, then it can access internet services, but it cannot select the strongest signal APs effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color-coded visual indicators on the preview picture to represent different signal strengths of APs. By mapping signal quality to visual attributes (such as color intensity or icon appearance), users can intuitively identify and select the strongest signal APs without manually analyzing technical parameters, thereby improving both reliability and ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the abstract concept of signal strength into a spatial dimension by displaying AP positions and signal qualities directly on the augmented reality preview picture. This dimensional transformation allows users to visually compare multiple APs and select the optimal one based on both location and signal strength, enhancing the ease of operation while maintaining service accessibility
3Adaptability or versatility
If the portable terminal uses only pre-configured free Wi-Fi areas, then it can simplify the search process, but it cannot search for all available APs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enhances the AP search function to work universally with all types of APs (not limited to pre-configured free Wi-Fi areas) by maintaining the existing simplified search interface while adding the capability to detect and display any AP in the environment. The system automatically adapts to different AP types without requiring complex configuration, thus improving search coverage without significantly increasing device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method combine an augmented reality scheme with an AP search function and visually provide positions of searched APs as well as names of the searched APs and strength of signals received from the searched APs. The apparatus includes a communication unit for receiving signals of APs around the portable terminal, an input unit for receiving input for searching the APs, a camera unit for photographing environments around the portable terminal when searching the APs, a display unit for outputting an image photographed by the camera unit on a preview picture, an AP attribute ascertaining unit for ascertaining attributes of the APs which exist around the portable terminal and ascertaining positions of the APs, and a controller for outputting the APs on the preview picture to correspond to the positions of the ascertained APs.