Home Gateway Voice Control for Interoperable Endpoint Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing home network systems face challenges in enabling seamless communication and control between digital devices without relying on proprietary protocols, limiting user visibility and management of endpoint devices, and facilitating peer-to-peer communications between gateway devices.
Innovation Solution
A gateway device with client programming for client-server communications using a presence and networking messaging protocol, enabling endpoint devices to communicate through a driver program that abstracts their functionalities and allows configuration of exposure to servers, while supporting peer-to-peer communications between gateway devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If proprietary communication protocols and driver programs are used for each digital device, then device-specific functionalities can be accessed, but device complexity and difficulty of interoperability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device serves as an intermediary between endpoint devices using proprietary protocols and the standardized presence and networking messaging system. The gateway translates device-specific protocols into universal messaging protocols, enabling interoperability without requiring each device to support multiple proprietary protocols, thus reducing overall system complexity while maintaining adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The system architecture segments functionality by separating protocol translation responsibilities from endpoint devices and concentrating them in the gateway device. This segmentation allows endpoint devices to remain simple while the gateway handles the complexity of multiple protocol translations, resolving the contradiction between versatility and complexity
2Ease of operation
If all endpoint devices and their functions are exposed to remote servers, then comprehensive service management is enabled, but user privacy and security control are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway acts as a privacy-protecting intermediary between endpoint devices and remote servers. It selectively exposes only authorized devices and functions to the server through controlled presence information and registration processes, enabling service management while protecting user privacy by filtering what information reaches external servers
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements local quality control by allowing different levels of exposure for different endpoint devices. The gateway can selectively register certain devices with the server while keeping others private, enabling differentiated privacy management where each device can have its own exposure policy based on user preferences
3Productivity
If gateway devices communicate through central servers, then service management is simplified, but communication efficiency and user autonomy are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Gateway devices are equipped with presence and networking messaging clients that enable them to autonomously discover and communicate with each other directly. This self-service capability allows gateways to establish peer-to-peer connections without constant server mediation, improving communication efficiency while maintaining the ability to use servers for initial discovery and management when needed
Data Source
AI summary
A gateway device providing and managing interactive user voice-controlled home automation services over at least endpoint devices associated with the gateway device is described. Interfaces enable communications of the gateway device with at least one endpoint device located within a user premises and data networks. A processor coupled to the interfaces and programming in storage in the server operate a communications program for configuring the gateway to communicate with endpoint devices, associate endpoint devices with the gateway, and communicate with a remote serve to access service management center applications. A home automation control program provides operation via a home automation controller configured in the gateway with voice automation messaging protocols based on the voice commands to enable interactive voice-controlled control of endpoint devices using voice commands and automate functions associated with the endpoint devices.