Interactive Command Assistant for Whiteboard Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Interactive whiteboard appliances are cumbersome to control, particularly for novice users who struggle to navigate complex menus and icons, leading to hesitation and reduced credibility when using new features.
Innovation Solution
An interactive command assistant chat window is implemented, which provides textual prompts and communicates with an interactive command manager to generate executable commands from user inputs through a hierarchical command tree, simplifying the operation of the whiteboard by guiding users through available features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If complex menus and icons are used to provide comprehensive command options, then the functionality and versatility of the interactive whiteboard appliance is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates for novice users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a camera as an intermediary device that captures images of physical objects and converts them into digital representations within the interactive whiteboard system. This intermediary process bridges the gap between the physical world and the digital interface, allowing users to interact with familiar physical objects rather than navigating complex digital menus and icons directly
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates copies of physical objects by capturing their images with a camera and displaying them as digital replicas on the interactive whiteboard. Users can manipulate these copied representations (e.g., annotate, move, resize) without needing to understand the underlying complex command structures, thus maintaining versatility while simplifying operation
2Adaptability or versatility
If comprehensive command options are provided through traditional interfaces, then the adaptability of the system is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera serves as an intermediary that simplifies the interface complexity by providing a natural, intuitive method for users to access commands and functions. Instead of presenting users with complex menus and icons, the system uses image capture and recognition to automatically contextually determine available commands, reducing perceived device complexity while maintaining adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically analyzing captured images and dynamically generating context-relevant command options without requiring users to manually navigate complex menus. The whiteboard appliance autonomously determines what commands are applicable based on the detected objects and their properties, thereby reducing interface complexity while preserving full functionality
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for providing an interactive command assistant on an interactive whiteboard appliance is provided. A method comprises: generating an interactive command assistant chat window comprising a prompt; receiving a command word; submitting, to an interactive command manager, the command word causing the interactive command manager to identify a tree having the command word as a non-leaf node and including a second response options as child nodes of the non-leaf node; receiving the second response options each comprising an object word corresponding to the command word; displaying, in the interactive command assistant chat window, the second response options; receiving, via the interactive command assistant chat window, a second response option; in response to determining that the combination of the first response option and the second response option represent the complete command, generate an executable command; automatically causing the interactive whiteboard appliance to execute the executable command.