Dynamic Image Formatting Utility for Device Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The management of devices is hindered by the need to constantly update and maintain graphical images that reflect changing configurations and lifecycle updates, placing a significant burden on manufacturers and third-party supporters.
Innovation Solution
An image formatting utility that retrieves images from devices, updates them based on component presence and status information, and returns the formatted images to management tools, allowing for dynamic representation of device states without requiring extensive image management by developers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a single exemplary image is used to represent the device, then the image creation burden is reduced, but the image accuracy deteriorates as device configurations change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic image generation by retrieving base images from the device itself and overlaying component information in real-time. The management tool queries the device for current component presence and status, then dynamically composes the appropriate image representation, allowing the image to adapt automatically to configuration changes without manual updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The device provides its own images and component information to the management tool. The management tool retrieves images directly from the device and uses the device's own component presence and status information to format the images, eliminating the need for external image maintenance.
2Measurement precision
If images are manually updated for each device configuration, then image accuracy is maintained, but the maintenance burden increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The device provides its own images and component information to the management tool. The management tool retrieves images directly from the device and uses the device's own component presence and status information to format the images, eliminating the need for external image maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The management tool continuously queries the device for current component presence and status information, using this feedback to automatically update and format images. This closed-loop approach ensures image accuracy reflects the actual device state without manual intervention.
3Measurement precision
If multiple images are created for different device configurations, then image accuracy is improved, but the quantity of images to manage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic image generation by retrieving base images from the device itself and overlaying component information in real-time. The management tool queries the device for current component presence and status, then dynamically composes the appropriate image representation, allowing the image to adapt automatically to configuration changes without manual updates.
Solution Approach 2:
A single base image serves multiple configuration states through dynamic formatting. The same base image can represent different device configurations by overlaying or hiding components based on current device state, eliminating the need for separate images for each configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, an image formatting utility is embodied in code, stored and executed apart from any device that it retrieves images from, that, in response to receiving an image request from a device management tool: 1) retrieves an image from a device that is a target of the image request, the image illustrating at least a portion of the device; 2) retrieves component presence and status information for the device; 3) formats the image in response to the component presence and status information; and 4) returns the formatted image to the device management tool. Other embodiments are also disclosed.