Camera-Based Smart Device Control With AR Interface Overlay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional user interfaces require users to manually search for and interact with multiple applications or voice commands to control smart devices, leading to inefficiency and increased network processing and bandwidth usage.
Innovation Solution
A virtual assistant application identifies smart devices through image recognition, generating and presenting customized user interface controls using augmented reality, allowing users to control smart devices directly from a mobile device's camera view without additional interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional user interfaces require manual searching and switching between applications, then users can control smart devices, but user efficiency decreases and interaction complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically identifies smart devices in the environment using camera images and presents relevant controls without requiring users to manually search for applications or devices. The camera captures images, the system processes them to identify smart devices, and automatically displays appropriate controls, allowing the system to serve itself in locating and presenting controls for smart devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical interaction (typing, navigating menus, switching applications) with optical recognition. The camera captures images of smart devices, and image processing algorithms automatically identify the devices and present controls, substituting the mechanical search and navigation process with an optical recognition system.
2Ease of operation
If multiple voice commands are required to control smart devices, then users can operate devices, but processing demands and network bandwidth increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification of smart devices using camera images before user interaction. By pre-identifying devices and pre-loading relevant controls based on image recognition, the system prepares the control interface in advance, reducing the need for subsequent voice commands and repeated processing requests.
3Productivity
If customized user interface controls are generated based on image data, then user efficiency improves, but processing demands on the system increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system processes only the necessary portions of image data required to identify smart devices and determine relevant controls. Rather than performing exhaustive analysis on entire images or all possible device types, the system focuses computational resources on identifying key device features and presenting only the controls relevant to the detected devices, reducing unnecessary processing.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus for controlling smart devices are described. In one aspect a method includes receiving image data for an image captured by a camera of a mobile device of a user and determining that the image depicts at least one of a smart device or a physical control for the smart device. In response to determining that that the image depicts a smart device or a physical control for the smart device, identifying one or more user interface controls for controlling the smart device, and generating and presenting, at a display of the mobile device, the one or more user interface controls for controlling the smart device. The method can further include detecting, at the display of the mobile device, user interaction with at least one of the one or more user interface controls, and controlling the smart device based on the detected user interaction.