BLE Remote Pointing Control for Precise Appliance Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing location-based systems for controlling devices are not precise enough and require pre-programming for various environmental scenarios, making them inefficient when appliances are moved or replaced.
Innovation Solution
A controlling device that utilizes a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) mesh network to adapt to new environments, auto-populate command interfaces, and operate without maintaining BLE links, using angle of arrival, angle of departure, and received signal strength indicator functionalities for precise location determination and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If simple location based determination systems are used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the location determination task into multiple independent components: BLE signal transmission, angle of arrival measurement, angle of departure measurement, and RSSI measurement. Each component is handled by specific device elements (transmitters, receivers, antennas) working together to achieve high precision without requiring a single complex system
Solution Approach 2:
The controlling device and location signaling devices serve multiple functions: they determine location through angle measurements and RSSI, identify appliances in the environment, and enable control operations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized systems, achieving high measurement precision without proportionally increasing overall system complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If pre-programming for various environmental scenarios is required, then adaptability deteriorates, but device complexity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The controlling device automatically identifies appliances in the environment by receiving identifiers from location signaling devices and autonomously populates the command user interface with appropriate control options. This self-service capability eliminates the need for pre-programming various environmental scenarios while maintaining low device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary appliance identification and environment assessment automatically upon entering a new location. By pre-executing the appliance detection and interface population steps, the system adapts to new environments without requiring complex pre-programming of all possible scenarios
3Use of energy by moving object
If BLE links are maintained for control, then reliability is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the essential control function from the BLE link requirement. Instead of maintaining continuous BLE connections for control, the invention uses angle of arrival, angle of departure, and RSSI measurements to identify appliances and populate control interfaces. The actual control commands can then be sent through alternative lower-power mechanisms, reducing power consumption while maintaining control reliability
Data Source
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AI summary
A radio frequency connection between a controlling device and a one of a plurality of controllable appliances in an environment is used to determine when the controlling device is pointing more towards the one of the plurality of controllable appliances relative to remaining ones of the plurality of controllable appliances. When it is determined that the controlling device is pointing more towards the one of the plurality of controllable appliances relative to remaining ones of the plurality of controllable appliances, the controlling device automatically makes active a command codeset usable to transmit commands to command functional operations of the one of the plurality of controllable appliances.