Chronological Scheduling View for Multi-Device Action Sequencing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing control systems for scheduling actions across multiple devices are inefficient due to data being stored across multiple tables, leading to confusion about the chronological order of scheduled actions, and user interfaces often require navigating through different screens to view scheduled actions, making it difficult for users to recognize the order in which actions are scheduled to be carried out.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that receive information about scheduled actions, determine a chronological ordering, and generate a view in a user interface to display the scheduled actions in chronological order, allowing users to easily recognize the sequence of actions, with options to view actions for the current or future days and drill down for additional information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If scheduled actions are stored in multiple distributed tables, then data organization flexibility is improved, but user ability to recognize chronological order deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata organization flexibilityVSAvoidchronological order recognition
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary component (the scheduling system with chronological ordering capability) that mediates between the distributed data storage structure and the user interface. This intermediary retrieves data from multiple tables, sorts it chronologically, and presents it in a unified view, thus preserving data organization flexibility while restoring chronological order recognition for users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If user interface displays scheduled actions in multiple screens/windows, then information categorization is improved, but ease of viewing scheduled actions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation categorizationVSAvoidease of viewing scheduled actions
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple screens or windows displaying scheduled actions into a single unified chronological view. This combining approach allows users to see all scheduled actions in one place ordered by time, improving ease of viewing while maintaining the ability to categorize information through additional interface elements or filtering options.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If scheduled actions are viewed in category-based screens, then information organization is improved, but time-based recognition deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation organizationVSAvoidtime recognition for scheduled actions
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adds a chronological time dimension to the existing category-based organization by implementing a timeline or chronological ordering within the category views. This allows information to be organized by category while simultaneously displaying the temporal sequence of actions, enabling users to recognize both categorical relationships and time-based order without losing time recognition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3662367B1Systems, methods, apparatus and media for use in association with scheduling
Publication Date: 2023.10.18 IDEVICES LLC
  • EP3662367B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3662367B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3662367B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In at least one aspect, a method comprises: receiving information associated with a plurality of scheduled actions, each of the plurality of scheduled actions defining a device to be controlled, an action to be carried out with respect to the device to be controlled, a scheduled day on which to carry out the scheduled action and a scheduled time of day to carry out the scheduled action on the scheduled day; determining a chronological ordering that indicates a chronological order in which at least a subset of the plurality of scheduled actions are scheduled to be carried out; generating a view based at least in part on the chronological ordering; and displaying the generated view. Such methods may be performed or implemented by various devices, apparatuses and/or systems.