Home Automation Control Interface with Dynamic Location-Based Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing home automation control devices face difficulties in providing a simple, intuitive, and progressive method for users to control and manage various home automation equipment, often requiring complex navigation and grouping of equipment by type or location, which can be ergonomically challenging and difficult to understand.

Innovation Solution

A control device with a display screen that uses graphic representations of equipment icons, allowing users to adjust and validate the orientation and deployment of mobile products, and transmit control commands, while also enabling intuitive grouping and assignment of equipment through location and type icons, facilitating easier management and control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If equipment is grouped by type or location using traditional control interfaces, then equipment management becomes possible, but the interface complexity and difficulty of operation increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveequipment management capabilityVSAvoidinterface usability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The interface dynamically adapts its representation based on the user's physical location within the building. As the user moves, the display automatically updates to show relevant equipment and controls for that area, eliminating the need for manual navigation through complex menus or groupings. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the interface both versatile (managing all equipment) and easy to operate (showing only relevant controls at any moment).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the mobile device's location capabilities to automatically determine which equipment is relevant to the user without requiring manual selection or configuration. The interface self-adjusts based on GPS or indoor positioning data, automatically presenting the appropriate controls and information for the user's current location, thereby simplifying operation while maintaining comprehensive equipment management capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If detailed equipment representations are displayed on screen, then control precision improves, but interface complexity and navigation difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveequipment state visualization accuracyVSAvoidinterface structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The interface applies local quality by displaying detailed equipment representations only in the context of the user's current location. Instead of presenting a comprehensive but complex overview of all equipment, the system shows detailed visualizations locally relevant to where the user is standing, keeping the interface simple while maintaining high visualization accuracy for relevant equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If comprehensive equipment control features are provided, then system functionality improves, but ease of operation deteriorates due to complex navigation requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol functionalityVSAvoidnavigation simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The interface dynamically filters and presents only the control features relevant to the user's current location and context. As the user moves through the building, the available controls dynamically update to reflect the new location, providing comprehensive functionality without requiring navigation through static complex menus. This resolves the contradiction by making the system both highly functional and easy to operate through location-based dynamic adaptation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3059648B1Method for operating a device for controlling a home automation system
Publication Date: 2018.03.14 SOMFY ACTIVITES SA
  • EP3059648B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3059648B1 patent drawingFigure 2~9
  • EP3059648B1 patent drawingFigure 3~6

AI summary

A method for operating a control device for home automation equipment for orienting and/or moving a mobile product in a building, comprising a display screen, on which a first part of the screen is allocated to displaying a first graphic representation, such as an equipment icon, symbolizing this equipment, characterized in that the method includes a step of graphically adjusting the first graphic representation so that it represents, at least approximately, the actual degree of orientation and/or deployment of the mobile product, in that selecting the first graphic representation causes a second graphic representation of the mobile product to be displayed on the screen, and in that the method includes a step of acting on an area of ​​the second graphic representation, causing a modification of the appearance of the second graphic representation.The second, modified graphic representation is representative of a desired degree of orientation and/or deployment of the mobile product.