External UWB Binding for Point-and-Control Smart Home Equipment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Smart home equipment without built-in ultra-wideband positioning devices cannot be efficiently controlled using mobile terminals, leading to cumbersome and unintelligent control experiences for users.

Innovation Solution

An equipment control method and apparatus that utilize an external ultra-wideband positioning device installed on smart home equipment, allowing mobile terminals with ultra-wideband positioning components to locate and bind with these devices, creating a control interface for seamless operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If smart home equipment does not have built-in ultra-wideband positioning devices, then the equipment structure remains simple and cost-effective, but the control experience becomes cumbersome and unintelligent

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol experienceVSAvoidequipment structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an external ultra-wideband positioning device as an intermediary component that bridges the mobile terminal and the smart home equipment. This external positioning device enables intelligent control through location-based identification without requiring modification of the equipment's core structure, thus improving control experience while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Extent of automation

If an external ultra-wideband positioning device is installed on the equipment, then automatic and intelligent control is enabled, but the equipment structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic control capabilityVSAvoidequipment structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the positioning functionality into a separate external device that can be independently installed on smart home equipment. This segmentation allows the equipment to gain automatic control capability through the external positioning device without integrating complex positioning systems into the equipment's core structure, thus maintaining relative structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The external ultra-wideband positioning device serves as a mediator that enables automatic control by providing location information to the mobile terminal, which then controls the equipment. This intermediary approach achieves automation without requiring complex internal modifications to the equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If multiple pieces of equipment are controlled using traditional methods, then users can control each device individually, but the operation process becomes time-consuming and inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation efficiencyVSAvoidcontrol time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables the system to automatically identify and locate equipment through the ultra-wideband positioning device without requiring manual selection by the user. The mobile terminal automatically retrieves and displays the control interface based on the positioned equipment, eliminating manual searching and selection processes, thus significantly improving operation efficiency and reducing control time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The ultra-wideband positioning device provides real-time location feedback to the mobile terminal, enabling automatic identification of the targeted equipment. This feedback mechanism allows the system to quickly determine which equipment is being controlled and display the appropriate interface, reducing the time required to switch between multiple devices and improving overall operation efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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

Enables automatic and intelligent control of smart home equipment by establishing a binding relationship between the external ultra-wideband positioning device and the equipment, improving operation efficiency and user experience.

Implementation Method 1

locating, in response to the mobile terminal pointing to an equipment to be controlled in which an external ultra-wideband positioning device is installed, the external ultra-wideband positioning device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectUltra-wideband positioning: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP4002319A1Equipment control method, equipment control apparatus and storage medium
Publication Date: 2022.05.25 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD
  • EP4002319A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4002319A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP4002319A1 patent drawingFigure 6A~6B

AI summary

An equipment control method, applied to a mobile terminal, includes: locating, in response to the mobile terminal pointing to equipment to be controlled in which an external ultra-wideband positioning device is installed, the external ultra-wideband positioning device, the external ultra-wideband positioning device having a binding relationship with the equipment to be controlled; determining the equipment to be controlled that is bound to the external ultra-wideband positioning device based on the binding relationship, in response to locating the external ultra-wideband positioning device; and retrieving and displaying a control interface of the equipment to be controlled that matches the equipment to be controlled. When the terminal points to the equipment to be controlled, it can automatically select and control the equipment to be controlled in which an external ultra-wideband positioning device is installed, such that the equipment that originally had no ultra-wideband positioning control can be controlled automatically and intelligently.