Device Management via Base Station Intermediary

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users often fail to configure network settings for household appliances, leading to inefficient management and limited functionality, as these devices cannot connect to the control cloud without proper network connection, resulting in suboptimal usage of cloud-enabled features.

Innovation Solution

A device management system comprising a server connected to a network, multiple base stations for long-distance wireless communication, and devices that transmit operation information to the server via these base stations, allowing the server to store and manage operation data uniquely associated with each base station, enabling efficient management and tracking of device states.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If devices are equipped with cloud connection capability, then device functionality and management efficiency are improved, but network configuration complexity and user setup burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice management efficiencyVSAvoidnetwork configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables devices to automatically connect to base stations and transmit operation information without requiring user configuration. The device autonomously performs network registration and data transmission setup, eliminating the need for manual network configuration by users while maintaining cloud connectivity capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The base station acts as an intermediary between the device and the server. It receives operation information from devices and forwards it to the server, simplifying the device's communication burden and providing a managed connection layer that handles network protocol complexity away from the end user.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If operation information is collected from all devices, then management accuracy is improved, but data processing load increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice usage tracking accuracyVSAvoidserver processing load
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments data processing by having base stations perform initial data collection and validation before forwarding to the server. This distributes the processing load across multiple base stations rather than concentrating all data processing at the server, reducing the server's energy consumption while maintaining accurate device usage tracking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements location-aware data processing where base stations handle data from their local coverage area. Each base station processes and validates operation information locally before transmission to the server, reducing redundant data processing and optimizing the energy efficiency of data handling operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Extent of automation

If devices are managed centrally through a server, then management control is improved, but network dependency increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecentralized management controlVSAvoidnetwork connection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary data collection and validation at the base station level before requiring server communication. Devices can transmit operation information through base stations even when direct server connectivity is intermittent, and the base station buffers and forwards data when connection is restored, reducing dependency on continuous server availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3761658B1Device management system and device management method
Publication Date: 2024.09.11 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP3761658B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3761658B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3761658B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A device management system includes: a server (20); base stations (30) for long-distance wireless communication; and one or more devices (10) that communicatively connect to one of the base stations and that each sequentially transmit, to the server via the one base station, operation information indicating the current operation state of the device. Upon sequentially receiving the operation information, each of the base stations sequentially transmits, to the server, unique information unique to the base station together with the sequentially received operation information. The server sequentially receives, and sequentially stores in association with each other, the operation information and the unique information. When first and second unique information received at first and second times, respectively, are different, the server separately manages first operation information received in a first period ending at the first time and second operation information received in a second period starting at the second time.