Electronic Device Locating Misplaced Peripheral Keyboard

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of tablet and separable notebook computers often misplace external keyboards when they are not in use, leading to time-consuming searches when the devices need to be reconnected.

Innovation Solution

A method involving an electronic device with a locating unit, a connecting unit, a transmitter, and a display system that communicates with a paired peripheral device to determine and display the relative position of the devices, allowing users to quickly locate the peripheral device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the user separates the display system and keyboard for portability, then the convenience of using the device as a tablet is improved, but the keyboard may be misplaced and difficult to locate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice usage modeVSAvoidtime to locate keyboard

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously tracks and updates the relative position between the display system and keyboard, providing real-time feedback to the user through display messages that indicate the keyboard's location status (e.g., 'keyboard is to the left of the display system'), enabling quick location without time-consuming searches

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

A control unit acts as an intermediary that receives location information from both the display system and keyboard, processes this data to determine relative positions, and generates appropriate display messages, thereby mediating the communication between the separated devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If the user keeps the keyboard connected to the display system, then the keyboard location is always known, but the portability and flexibility of separating the devices is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvekeyboard location informationVSAvoiddevice configuration flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-establishes location tracking capability before separation occurs, continuously monitoring the positions of both devices even when disconnected, so that location information is already available when the user needs to locate the keyboard

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The location tracking system serves multiple functions: it tracks connected devices, monitors separated devices, provides location information, and generates guidance messages, making the system versatile enough to handle both connected and disconnected states without requiring separate mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9959741B2Method of locating peripheral device, computer program product and electronic device thereof

Publication Date: 2018.05.01 WISTRON CORP

AI summary

A method of locating peripheral device applied to an electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device is connected or electrically connected to a peripheral device. The method includes: obtaining a first location information via a locating unit; when the first connecting unit is connected to the second connecting unit, sending the first location information to the peripheral device; after the first connecting unit and the second connecting unit are separated, obtaining the first location information sent by the second transmitter via the first transmitter; obtaining a second location information via the locating unit; comparing the first location information and the second location information to determine the relative position of the electronic device and the peripheral device.