Equipment Operation Device Image Differentiation

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Solution Overview

Problem

In environments where multiple rooms have similar peripheral regions, such as identical air conditioners, existing equipment operation devices struggle to accurately detect and differentiate between registered and captured images, leading to incorrect equipment selection and operational issues.

Innovation Solution

The equipment operation device employs processing circuitry to acquire and compare image data from a camera with recorded images, detecting differences and recording new images when necessary, allowing for accurate operation application execution even when captured and registered images appear similar.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If peripheral images of operation target equipment in multiple similar rooms are stored for identification, then the system can recognize equipment in different locations, but the system fails to distinguish between identical or similar equipment, leading to incorrect equipment selection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment identification capabilityVSAvoidimage differentiation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the image comparison process into multiple stages: first comparing captured images with registered peripheral images, then comparing with operation history images when peripheral images are similar. This multi-stage segmentation allows the system to handle both distinct and identical equipment scenarios effectively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a temporal dimension by incorporating operation history images into the comparison process. When spatial differentiation (peripheral images) fails to distinguish equipment, the system transitions to temporal differentiation (operation history), adding another dimension to the identification process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the system stores multiple similar peripheral images for different equipment, then all equipment can be registered, but the setting unit cannot accurately detect which registered image matches the captured image, causing operational errors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment registration capabilityVSAvoidequipment selection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by comparing operation results with operation history. When image-based identification is ambiguous, the system uses feedback from historical operation data to confirm equipment identity, thereby improving selection accuracy through iterative verification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary comparison with registered peripheral images before proceeding to operation history comparison. This preliminary action filters out clearly distinguishable cases, reserving the more complex operation history comparison for cases where peripheral images are similar, thus optimizing overall processing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the system relies solely on peripheral image matching for equipment identification, then the process is simple and fast, but it fails when captured images and registered images are similar or identical

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveidentification processing speedVSAvoidimage difference detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic identification process that adapts its approach based on the similarity of peripheral images. When peripheral images are distinctly different, the system uses only peripheral image comparison for fast identification. When they are similar, the system dynamically switches to include operation history comparison, balancing speed and accuracy based on real-time conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20250095321A1Equipment operation device and equipment operation method

Publication Date: 2025.03.20 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP

AI summary

An equipment operation device includes processing circuitry is configured to; acquire, from a camera, image data indicating a captured image in which operation target equipment and a peripheral region of the operation target equipment appear; perform a process of detecting a difference between the captured image indicated by the acquired image data and a first registered image that has been recorded; record the captured image as a second registered image that is different from the first registered image when the difference is detected, and acquire a second captured image differentiated from the first registered image that has been recorded and to record the second captured image as the second registered image that is different from the first registered image when the difference is not detected; and download an operation application of the operation target equipment appearing in the second registered image having been recorded.