Gateway Device Centralizing Product Ordering Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital home systems face complexity in managing interconnected devices and providing new services, with users and service providers struggling to adopt emerging technologies due to the need for robust processing and storage capabilities, leading to increased capital and operating expenditures. Additionally, existing product ordering systems require customers to manually search and manage information across multiple websites for transactions.
Innovation Solution
A digital home system with a gateway device that integrates multimedia services, allowing users to interactively order products through a display device, with the gateway communicating with a management server to manage product data, payments, and vendor interactions, providing a centralized management capability and simplifying the ordering process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a server with robust processing and storage capability is located at the network operations center to support new services, then service capabilities are improved, but device complexity and capital/operating expenditures increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts application service logic from the centralized network operations center and places it in the gateway device at the customer premises. This allows the gateway to provide robust processing and storage capabilities locally while the network operations center maintains only basic transport services, reducing network center complexity and enabling flexible service deployment at individual premises.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the service architecture into two parts: basic transport services managed by the network operations center and application-specific services managed by the gateway device. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, with the gateway handling service-specific processing locally while the network center focuses on infrastructure management.
2Device complexity
If existing server-client paradigm is used to provide application services, then network transport is simplified, but service provider management complexity increases when launching new services
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device is designed to self-provision and self-manage application services by automatically configuring itself with service logic, parameters, and functionality. This eliminates the need for service providers to manually manage complex service deployments, as the gateway autonomously handles service configuration and management tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system includes a service management system that pre-configures and prepares service logic before deployment. The gateway device receives pre-packaged service configurations that are automatically installed and activated, eliminating the need for complex real-time configuration and reducing service provider management overhead.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate services are provided through different devices, then service functionality is improved, but ease of operation for users deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple application services (telephony, data, video, messaging) into a single integrated gateway device that provides unified access to all services. This consolidation eliminates the need for users to manage multiple separate devices and interfaces, while maintaining full service functionality through a single user-friendly interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device is designed as a universal platform capable of providing multiple service types simultaneously. It includes universal interfaces and protocols that allow a single device to handle diverse services, making it easier for users to access and manage all services through one consolidated system rather than multiple specialized devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A product ordering device provided at a digital home system at a user premises is disclosed. The digital home system comprises a user terminal and a gateway device within the premises. Occupants at the premises enjoy the product ordering service on an interactive user interface displayed via the user terminal. The gateway device is coupled for communication with the user terminal via a local area network, and for communication with a wide area network outside the premises; and the gateway device is configured for obtaining product data via the wide area network and providing the product data to the terminal for display on the display device. Upon placement of a product order by a user input through the terminal, the gateway device sends an order message outside of the integrated multimedia service system to request a corresponding vendor for the ordered product to deliver the ordered product at the premises. The product ordering service and the product data are provided and updated by a management server located outside of the premises.