Distance-Based Network Resource Discovery Policy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face difficulty in determining which network resources to communicate with due to the overwhelming number of available resources, both wireless and wired, and distinguishing between resources that belong to them or are available for use, as existing devices lack effective distance-based discovery mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method for distance-based network resource discovery, utilizing a determination module to calculate the distance between an information handling device and network resources, and a policy module to follow a discovery policy that prioritizes or limits resource discovery based on this distance, ensuring users focus on closer, more convenient resources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If network resource discovery includes all available resources within communication range, then the completeness of resource discovery is improved, but the complexity of user decision-making increases and usability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of resource discoveryVSAvoiduser decision-making complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the discovered network resources into different groups based on distance criteria. Resources are divided into closer resources (within threshold distance) and farther resources (beyond threshold distance), allowing the system to maintain complete discovery capability while presenting segmented, manageable lists to users based on their proximity preferences.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by providing different discovery presentations based on local conditions (distance). Instead of a uniform discovery interface, the system adapts the resource presentation quality according to the spatial relationship between devices, showing prioritized closer resources first while maintaining access to farther resources when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If network resource discovery includes all available resources within communication range, then the completeness of resource discovery is improved, but the quantity of information presented to users increases, causing information overload

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of resource discoveryVSAvoidquantity of information presented

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and separates closer resources from farther resources based on distance threshold criteria. By taking out the most relevant closer resources and presenting them separately or prioritized, the system reduces the information overload of presenting all resources in a single undifferentiated list, while maintaining complete discovery capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by initially presenting only the most relevant closer resources to users, rather than all discovered resources at once. This partial presentation approach reduces information overload while maintaining the option to access farther resources if needed, balancing completeness with usability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Ease of operation

If distance-based filtering is applied to network resource discovery, then the ease of user selection is improved, but the completeness of resource discovery may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of user selectionVSAvoidcompleteness of resource discovery

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic resource discovery where the filtering and prioritization of resources based on distance can be adjusted according to user needs and context. The system can dynamically switch between showing prioritized closer resources and including farther resources, making the completeness vs. ease-of-selection trade-off adaptable rather than fixed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary distance-based filtering and prioritization of resources before presenting them to users. By pre-processing the resource list to identify and prioritize closer resources, the system improves ease of selection while maintaining the ability to access the complete resource set when needed, rather than requiring users to manually evaluate all resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9641629B2Distance-based network resource discovery

Publication Date: 2017.05.02 LENOVO SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH

AI summary

An apparatus for distance-based network resource discovery includes a storage device storing machine-readable code and a processor executing the machine-readable code. The machine-readable code includes a determination module determining a distance between an information handling device and a network resource capable of communication with the information handling device. The machine readable code also includes a policy module following a discovery policy according to the distance. The discovery policy is associated with discovery of the network resource.