Architectural Covering Control Mapping with Real-Time Position Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Configuring user devices to remotely control architectural structural coverings, such as blinds and shades, is challenging due to the difficulty in determining which controls are initially connected to which coverings, often requiring trial and error, especially in buildings with multiple rooms or numerous coverings.
Innovation Solution
The system uses broadcast signals from each covering to provide real-time position updates, allowing users to easily identify pairings between coverings and their representations on the user interface, enabling direct control and configuration of multiple coverings simultaneously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If trial and error method is used to configure controls to coverings, then control pairing can be established, but configuration time and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time feedback by displaying the actual position of each architectural structural covering on the user interface. When a control is activated, the corresponding covering position updates immediately, allowing users to see which control corresponds to which covering without trial and error. This feedback mechanism establishes correct control pairings instantly.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically detecting and displaying covering positions before the user needs to configure controls. The user interface pre-configures the mapping between controls and coverings based on detected positions, so when the user interacts with a control, the correct covering is already identified and ready for control.
2Adaptability or versatility
If individual control testing is performed for each covering, then control coverage is achieved, but the number of operations and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting the positions of all architectural structural coverings and generating the corresponding user interface representations without requiring user intervention. The system autonomously establishes the mapping between controls and coverings, eliminating the need for manual testing of each control.
Solution Approach 2:
The user interface provides a universal configuration method that works for any number of architectural structural coverings. The same interface and detection mechanism can handle multiple coverings simultaneously, providing a scalable solution that adapts to different building sizes and covering quantities without requiring different configuration approaches.
3Extent of automation
If multiple coverings need to be configured, then complete system control is achieved, but setup complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the configuration process by providing individual representations for each architectural structural covering on the user interface. Each covering can be detected, displayed, and configured independently, allowing the system to handle multiple coverings through separate, manageable units rather than as a single complex entity.
Solution Approach 2:
The user interface acts as an intermediary between the controls and the architectural structural coverings. It receives control inputs, translates them to the appropriate covering, and provides visual feedback about covering positions. This intermediary layer simplifies the overall system complexity by abstracting the control-to-covering mapping logic.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for configuring a user device to remotely control a plurality of architectural structural coverings are described. A user device receives a plurality of broadcast signals from a plurality of architectural structural coverings. Each individual broadcast signal is associated with an individual architectural structural covering and relays position information for the individual architectural structural covering. Each broadcast signal is also associated with an individual entry in a list of entries displayed on a user interface of the user device. Each entry comprises a representation of an architectural structural covering having a displayed position that matches position information from the broadcast signal and a position control for controlling a physical position of the associated architectural structural covering. When a user adjusts the position via the position control, an adjusted position instruction is sent to the associated architectural structural covering. The displayed position of the representation on the UI is changed to mirror a change in the physical position of the architectural structural covering as the user device observes broadcast position data from the architectural structural covering.