Home appliance and system for remotely controlling same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional home appliances require manual reactivation after a predetermined time, causing inconvenience as users must physically interact with them to resume operations, lacking remote-control options in various modes.
Innovation Solution
A home appliance system enabling remote-control modes such as unavailable, one-time-available, and always-available modes, controlled via a portable terminal, with activation/deactivation based on door opening/closing, key inputs, cycle completion, and error detection, and displaying mode states through light-emitting elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the home appliance automatically turns off after a predetermined time duration, then energy consumption is reduced, but the user must physically move to the appliance to re-operate it, increasing inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
A portable terminal acts as an intermediary between the user and the home appliance, enabling remote operation through wireless communication. The terminal receives user inputs and transmits control signals to the appliance, eliminating the need for physical presence while maintaining energy-saving automatic shutdown functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical interaction system with an electronic communication system. Instead of requiring physical movement to the appliance, the control interface is substituted with a portable terminal that communicates wirelessly, transforming the operation mechanism from mechanical to electronic.
2Device complexity
If the home appliance provides fixed operation modes, then the system is simple to implement, but it cannot adapt to different user needs for remote control availability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic remote control modes that can switch between unavailable, one-time available, and always available states based on user selection. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to adjust its behavior to different user needs while maintaining a relatively simple underlying architecture through mode-based configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter of remote control availability by offering different modes (unavailable, one-time, always). This parameter change approach allows the same hardware to adapt to different user requirements without requiring complex customizations, maintaining simplicity while achieving versatility.
3Ease of operation
If the manipulation panel is always active, then the user can easily operate the appliance, but energy consumption increases and safety is reduced when the door is closed
Solution Approach 1:
The manipulation panel transitions from a static always-active state to a dynamic state that activates only when the door is open. This dynamic behavior reduces energy consumption during door-closed periods while ensuring full accessibility when the door is open, balancing energy efficiency with operational convenience.
4Reliability
If the home appliance requires manual reactivation after temporary stop, then the system ensures user presence and safety, but it increases user inconvenience and reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The portable terminal serves as an intermediary that enables remote reactivation of the appliance. This allows the user to restart operations without physically moving to the appliance, maintaining safety protocols while significantly improving operational efficiency and reducing the time lost during temporary stops.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for potential reactivation needs by maintaining the capability for remote operation. When a temporary stop occurs, the user can immediately initiate reactivation through the portable terminal without needing to physically approach the appliance, thus maintaining productivity while ensuring controlled operation.
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 convenient remote control of home appliances, maintaining active modes based on user needs and events, improving usability and safety by preventing unnecessary deactivation.
Implementation Method 1
displaying mode states through light-emitting elements
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a home appliance and a system for remotely controlling the home appliance. To this end, the home appliance according to the present invention can be set to one of non-use of remote control, a one-time remote control mode, or a constant remote control mode. Accordingly, the present invention can provide a user with the convenience of being able to remotely control a home appliance according to various control methods.