Dishwasher Hand Gesture Control via Remote Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dishwasher user interface panels are often difficult to access and navigate due to their mounting location under the counter, leading to overwhelming options in a limited space, and pose a risk of electrical and mechanical breakdowns when used with dirty or wet hands.
Innovation Solution
A method using a remote server to operate a dishwasher appliance through hand gesture detection, where images are received, analyzed to detect hand gestures, and responsive actions are identified and implemented, allowing for simplified user input without the need for direct interaction with the user interface panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a physical user interface panel is mounted under the counter for space efficiency, then the appliance fits standard kitchen configurations, but the panel becomes difficult to access and navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical physical user interface panel with an optical/image-based interface. The system captures images of the user's hand gestures and processes them to determine control commands, substituting direct mechanical interaction with a visual recognition system that can be accessed from a distance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary image processing system between the user and the appliance control. Instead of directly touching the panel, the user makes hand gestures that are captured as images, processed through an algorithm, and translated into control commands, serving as a mediator that resolves the accessibility issue.
2Adaptability or versatility
If many control options are squeezed into a limited panel space, then all functions are accessible, but the interface becomes overwhelming to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional physical panel layout to a three-dimensional gesture space. Instead of arranging buttons on a limited surface area, the system utilizes spatial hand gestures in three-dimensional space, allowing numerous control options to be accessed through different gesture positions, orientations, and movements without crowding a physical surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces static physical buttons with dynamic hand gestures. The control interface becomes flexible and adaptable, where different gestures can be assigned to different functions, and the same physical space can accommodate a virtually unlimited number of control options through gesture variation rather than physical arrangement.
3Ease of operation
If a physical user interface panel is used with dirty or wet hands, then direct control is possible, but electrical and mechanical breakdowns may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electrical and mechanical contact-based interface with an optical recognition system. Hand gestures are captured through imaging and processed algorithmically, eliminating the need for electrical contacts or mechanical switches that could be damaged by water or dirt, while still enabling direct control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an image processing intermediary that separates the user's hand from the appliance's electrical systems. The hand gestures are captured optically and processed through software algorithms before executing commands, creating a protective barrier that prevents direct contact between potentially contaminated hands and vulnerable electrical components.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of using a remote server to operate a first appliance of a plurality of appliances connected to an external network includes receiving one or more images from a second appliance of the plurality of appliances, analyzing the one or more images to detect a hand gesture, identifying a responsive action associated with the hand gesture, and instructing the first appliance to implement the responsive action.