Dummy Device Interworking for Smartphone Screen and Battery Expansion

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current portable devices, such as smartphones, face limitations in screen size and battery capacity, leading to inconvenience in video viewing and multitasking, while larger devices like tablets offer better usability but poor portability and voice call functionality.

Innovation Solution

A method for seamless interworking between electronic devices and dummy devices, enabling physical coupling and wireless connection to enhance usability, allowing devices to operate as a single unit even when decoupled, using technologies like WiFi-Direct for maintaining service continuity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If a small-size smartphone is used, then portability is improved, but screen size and battery capacity are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice portabilityVSAvoidscreen size

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines a smartphone with a dummy device that has a larger screen and battery. The dummy device is physically coupled to the smartphone via a connector, merging the computing capabilities of the smartphone with the display and power resources of the dummy device, thereby achieving both portability and large screen functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Area of stationary object

If a tablet PC with large screen is used, then application utilization is improved, but portability and voice call functionality deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescreen sizeVSAvoiddevice portability

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the device functionality into two parts: a compact smartphone that provides portability and voice call capabilities, and a separate dummy device that provides the large screen for application utilization. These segmented components work together through physical coupling and wireless communication

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If physical coupling with dummy device is maintained, then service continuity is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice continuityVSAvoidinterworking procedure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the purely mechanical physical coupling system with a hybrid approach that incorporates wireless communication (WiFi-Direct). This substitution allows the system to maintain service continuity through wireless connections when physically decoupled, reducing the complexity of maintaining permanent physical connections while ensuring reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS9100541B2Method for interworking with dummy device and electronic device thereof

Publication Date: 2015.08.04 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

An operation method of an electronic device that is operable with a dummy device is provided. The method includes operating the dummy device through a physical coupling to the electronic device, establishing, by the electronic device, a wireless connection with the dummy device if a call is received by the electronic device, and operating the electronic device with the dummy device through the wireless connection.