Home Automation Hub Devices Sharing Processing Capacity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Home automation systems face challenges in integrating diverse devices due to different communication protocols and the need for multiple applications, leading to complexity and difficulty in aggregating and controlling various smart devices within a single platform.
Innovation Solution
A home automation system with a network of hub devices that share processing capacity and communicate occupancy information to optimize device integration, using a unified interface to control a variety of IoT devices such as motion detectors, thermostats, and lighting systems, allowing for seamless operation and integration of disparate devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate applications are used to control different smart devices, then each device can be controlled with dedicated functionality, but the system complexity increases and user operation becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate device control applications into a single unified home automation application that can control diverse smart devices (lights, thermostats, security systems, audio equipment) through a single interface, eliminating the need for users to switch between multiple applications while maintaining dedicated control functionality for each device type
Solution Approach 2:
The unified home automation application provides universal control capabilities across multiple device types and communication protocols (WiFi, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth), allowing a single application to perform functions previously requiring separate specialized applications, thereby reducing system complexity while preserving adaptability
2Reliability
If devices use different communication protocols, then each device can operate with optimized protocol performance, but integration difficulty increases and system aggregation becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway device as an intermediary that supports multiple communication protocols (WiFi, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth) and translates between them, allowing devices using different protocols to communicate through the gateway without requiring direct protocol compatibility, thus maintaining device operation reliability while reducing integration complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device provides universal protocol support, enabling a single device to handle multiple communication protocols and facilitate integration between devices using different protocols, thereby maintaining optimized protocol performance for each device while simplifying the overall system aggregation
3Ease of operation
If a service aggregator is used to consolidate devices, then device integration is simplified, but the consumer does not benefit from the most advanced hardware and software
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables consumers to independently set up and configure their own home automation systems using standardized hub devices and a unified application, eliminating the need for service provider aggregation while allowing users to choose and integrate the most advanced hardware and software devices from various manufacturers according to their specific needs
Data Source
AI summary
A home automation (HA) system to be used within a structure may include a communications network extending within the structure and HA operation devices within the structure. The HA system may also include HA user interface devices for respective users within the structure and HA hub devices within the structure to provide communications via the communications network for the HA user interface devices and the HA operation devices. Each HA hub device may have a processing capacity associated therewith and determine a shareable processing capacity for sharing with at least one other HA hub device based upon a current processing capacity and at least one of the HA operation devices. Each HA hub device may also communicate the amount of shareable processing capacity to another HA hub device and perform processing operations for the other HA hub device based upon the communicated shareable processing capacity.