Context-Based Guidance Using Electronic Signs

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Physical signs are inefficient and can pose safety hazards due to the need for detailed study and potential irrelevance to a user's destination, while electronic signs do not fully address these issues by providing unfiltered information that may not be relevant or secure.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented system that determines a user's proximity and identity, filters direction information based on calendar and contextual data, and presents relevant, secure sign information on electronic signs to guide users efficiently and safely through environments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If physical signs are used to guide users, then users receive direction information, but users must study the sign in detail which slows progress and poses safety hazards

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirection information deliveryVSAvoiduser progress time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The electronic sign system customizes the information content based on the specific user's destination and context. Each user receives a tailored message that is locally optimized for their needs, rather than a generic fixed message. This resolves the contradiction by making the information both highly relevant (reducing study time) and efficiently delivered.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The sign system dynamically changes its message content based on real-time user identification and destination data. The electronic display can update messages instantly for different users, making the system adaptive rather than static. This allows the sign to provide relevant information quickly without requiring users to study lengthy fixed messages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If physical signs provide fixed instructions, then users receive consistent guidance, but the instructions may not pertain to the user's specific destination causing wasted time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesign message consistencyVSAvoiduser time wasted on irrelevant information

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary identification of the user and their destination before generating the sign message. By knowing the user's target destination in advance, the system can pre-compute and display the most relevant direction information, eliminating wasted time on irrelevant signs while maintaining message consistency for that specific user.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sign message parameters (content, destination reference, guidance details) are changed based on the identified user's specific needs. The system adjusts the message parameters dynamically to match the user's destination, ensuring consistency in delivery while varying the content appropriately for each user context.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of information

If electronic signs provide unfiltered direction information, then users receive comprehensive guidance, but privacy and security concerns arise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirection information completenessVSAvoidprivacy and security risks

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and displays only the essential direction information needed for the user's destination, removing unnecessary personal details and sensitive data from the public display. This extraction process maintains the completeness of guidance while eliminating privacy risks by separating essential navigation data from sensitive user information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces a privacy-filtering intermediary layer between the user's complete profile data and the public sign display. This intermediary processes the information to retain only what is necessary for direction guidance, acting as a mediator that preserves information completeness for navigation while blocking sensitive personal information from exposure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11455701B2Presenting context-based guidance using electronic signs

Publication Date: 2022.09.27 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Computer-implemented functionality is described herein for assisting a user in interacting with an environment. In one implementation, the functionality operates by: determining that a particular user is within a prescribed proximity to an electronic sign, or will be in prescribed proximity to the electronic sign, based on sensor information provided by one or more sensors within the environment; determining an identity of the user; determining at least one destination of the user based at least on calendar information; providing directions to the destination(s), to provide unfiltered direction information; optionally filtering the unfiltered direction information with respect to restriction information (e.g., privacy information, security information, etc.), to produce filtered direction information; composing sign information based on the filtered direction information; and sending the sign information to the electronic sign for presentation by the sign.