Distributed Appliance Bridge Control for Low-Power IR Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smart device bridge devices for controlling multiple appliances require a single unitary design, which limits placement flexibility, increases size and power consumption, and affects battery life due to the need for line-of-sight infrared transmission and high output power.
Innovation Solution
Implementing multiple discrete bridge devices, each dedicated to a specific appliance, allowing for proximity placement and reduced transmission power, with smaller command code storage and more compact, inexpensive designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single unitary bridge device is used to control multiple appliances, then the device can issue commands to several different appliances, but the device must be positioned within line-of-sight of every appliance and requires high transmission output power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single unitary bridge device into multiple separate bridge devices, each dedicated to controlling one or more specific appliances. This segmentation allows each device to operate at lower power levels while collectively maintaining the ability to control multiple appliances, thus resolving the contradiction between versatility and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary bridge devices positioned near specific appliances to relay control commands. These intermediary devices act as local mediators between the smart device and target appliances, eliminating the need for high-power direct transmission from a single unitary device and reducing overall power consumption.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single unitary bridge device is used to control multiple appliances, then the device can translate commands to various appliances, but the device dimensions and power supply design are impacted by the need for adequate transmission output power
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the unitary bridge device into multiple smaller bridge devices, each with dedicated appliance control capabilities, the patent reduces the volume of individual devices while maintaining collective versatility. Each smaller device requires less internal power supply capacity and occupies less space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent distributes bridge devices across different spatial locations near respective appliances rather than concentrating one large device in a central position. This spatial distribution allows each device to be compact while the system as a whole maintains comprehensive appliance control capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a single unitary bridge device is used, then it provides comprehensive appliance control, but placement is constrained by the need for line-of-sight infrared transmission to all appliances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the bridge device functionality into multiple distributed units that can be placed independently near specific appliances. This eliminates the line-of-sight constraint that would affect a single unitary device, as each segmented unit only needs line-of-sight to its designated target appliance(s), greatly improving placement flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Each bridge device is optimized for local appliance control in its specific placement location, with infrared transmission capabilities tailored to reach nearby appliances. This local optimization allows flexible placement throughout the environment without requiring a single strategic position for comprehensive control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables flexible placement, reduced power consumption, and a more compact form factor while maintaining effective appliance control, improving user convenience and device efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
translating these command requests into appliance-recognizable transmissions, these transmissions usually (but not necessarily) taking the form of infrared ("IR") encoded signals
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for use in issuing commands to a plurality of appliances each of a specific one of a plurality of different appliance types includes a smart device adapted to transmit command communications and a plurality of low-energy consuming controllers each adapted to transmit a command to a one of the plurality of appliances of a specific one of the plurality of different appliance types in response to receipt of a command communication originating from the smart device.