Context-Aware Device Grouping for Coordinated Action
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital personal assistant (DPA) devices and other electronic devices operate independently, requiring manual user input to coordinate actions across multiple devices, leading to unsynchronized operations and inefficient control of grouped devices.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that utilize context awareness information to automatically group and coordinate electronic devices, including DPA devices, for unified action based on user instructions, using processors to identify and communicate with responsive devices within a defined environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual user input is used to control each device separately, then device control precision is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates and time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically groups devices and executes actions without requiring manual user input for each device. The DPA device receives a single user instruction, automatically identifies candidate devices, determines the appropriate group, and coordinates execution across multiple devices, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring continuous user intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the control process into distinct phases: receiving user instruction, identifying candidate devices, determining device groups based on context awareness, and coordinating execution. This segmentation allows automated processing while maintaining control precision through structured decision-making at each stage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If devices operate independently in standalone configurations, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple independent devices into coordinated groups based on context awareness. Devices that operate independently can be dynamically grouped when needed, combining their capabilities for coordinated action while maintaining their individual simplicity. The grouping is determined automatically based on the user instruction and environmental context.
Solution Approach 2:
The device groupings are dynamic rather than static. The system can adaptively form, modify, or dissolve device groups based on the current user instruction and context awareness information, allowing the system to be versatile across different scenarios while keeping individual device complexity low.
3Productivity
If automatic device grouping is implemented, then ease of operation improves and productivity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The DPA device acts as an intermediary that manages the complexity of automatic device grouping and coordination. Rather than requiring each device to have complex grouping logic, the DPA device receives user instructions, determines appropriate device groups using context awareness, and coordinates execution across the group, centralizing the complexity management function.
4Adaptability or versatility
If context awareness information is processed automatically, then adaptability improves and ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically processes context awareness information from the environment without requiring user input. The DPA device autonomously monitors environmental context, processes this information to determine appropriate device groupings, and adapts its behavior based on the context, allowing the system to serve itself in terms of environmental awareness and adaptive response.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer implemented method, device and computer program device are provided that are under control of one or more processors configured with executable instructions. The method receives a user instruction to perform an action, identifies context awareness information concerning an environment where the action is to be performed. The environment includes a plurality of candidate electronic devices. At least one of the candidate electronic devices provides digital personal assistant (DPA) functionality. The method groups a collection of one or more responsive electronic devices, from the plurality of candidate electronic devices, based on the context awareness information. The method communicates the instruction to the collection of one or more responsive electronic devices to coordinate the action by the collection of one or more responsive electronic devices.