Home Automation Device Commissioning via Cloud-Linked Visual Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
The commissioning of home automation systems is complicated and time-consuming due to the need for manual identification of electric or electronic devices, which often requires visible QR tags or product information that may become inaccessible after installation.
Innovation Solution
A method using extended reality technology to identify and commission devices by sending a feature list of the device to the cloud, where device characteristics are retrieved and validated, allowing sensors and actors to be linked for communication within the home automation system, without relying on specific product identification numbers or visible QR codes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual identification methods using QR tags or product information are used, then device identification can be achieved, but the process becomes time-consuming and the tags may become inaccessible after installation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical identification methods (reading QR tags, manually entering product information) with an automated optical recognition system. The mobile device's camera captures images of the device, and image recognition algorithms automatically extract identification information, eliminating the need for manual tag reading and significantly reducing commissioning time while maintaining accurate device identification
Solution Approach 2:
The device itself provides identification information through its visual appearance and embedded markers that are automatically detected by the mobile device. The system uses the device's own physical characteristics (color, shape, embedded markers) as identification sources, eliminating the need for separate manual identification processes and making the commissioning process self-service oriented
2Ease of operation
If QR tags are placed on products to be visible after installation, then device identification is possible, but the commissioning process remains manual and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual operations of reading QR tags with automated image recognition technology. The mobile device automatically captures images, processes them through recognition algorithms, and extracts device identification information without requiring manual scanning or data entry, thereby maintaining ease of operation while dramatically reducing commissioning time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary image recognition system that mediates between the device's visual markers and the commissioning system. This intermediary automatically processes the visual information from markers, colors, and shapes, converting them into structured device identification data without requiring direct manual intervention
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention provides a method for commissioning electric or electronic devices in a home automation system. The method comprises providing a location of at least one electric or electronic device, identifying the a least one electric or electronic device, and commissioning the at least one identified electric or electronic device. Identifying the at least one electric or electronic device is done by sending a feature list of the electric or electronic device to be commissioned to the cloud via a mobile device such as e.g. a smart phone, a tablet or the like, receiving, on the mobile device, device characteristics relating to the at least one electric or electronic device from the cloud, validating the received device characteristics, and adding the identified electric or electronic device to a list of identified electric or electronic devices. Commissioning the at least one identified electric or electronic device is done by selecting a sensor and an actor in the at least one electric or electronic device and link the selected sensor and the selected actor to each other.