Household appliance with restricted functionalities
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current household appliances restrict access to certain functionalities, such as switching on or setting options, to only physical user interfaces, limiting remote control capabilities and failing to prevent unauthorized use by individuals unfamiliar with technology or restricted by safety standards.
Innovation Solution
A household appliance system that allows selection of restricted functionalities through both physical and virtual interfaces if a user device is in proximity and the user is authorized, using a short-range radio signal module to determine proximity and a biometric recognition procedure to verify user identity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If remote control is allowed for restricted functionalities, then user experience is improved, but safety risks increase due to unauthorized use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a proximity detection mechanism as an intermediary between the user and the restricted functionalities. The system detects whether a user device is in proximity to the appliance before enabling remote control access to restricted functions. This intermediary security check allows authorized users to remotely control the appliance when physically present, while preventing unauthorized remote access by those not in proximity, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and safety risks.
2Reliability
If access to restricted functionalities is limited to physical interfaces, then safety is improved, but user experience deteriorates due to incomplete remote control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the accessibility of restricted functionalities dynamic rather than static. The system continuously monitors proximity conditions and automatically adjusts access permissions: when a user device is detected in proximity, remote control of restricted functionalities is enabled; when no device is in proximity, access is restricted. This dynamic approach maintains safety by requiring physical presence while enabling complete remote control capability when appropriate conditions are met, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
3Reliability
If proximity detection and identity verification are implemented, then unauthorized access is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages the universality of smartphones and wearable devices that users already carry. These common devices possess built-in proximity sensors, GPS, and identity verification capabilities (such as biometric authentication). By utilizing these existing multi-functional features of ubiquitous devices, the system achieves reliable proximity detection and identity verification without adding significant complexity to the appliance itself. The appliance simply interfaces with the already-capable user device, thus preventing unauthorized access while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A household appliance is disclosed. The household appliance includes a control unit configured to control an operation of the household appliance based on at least one restricted functionality settable between a non-selectable mode in which selection of the at least one restricted functionality is prevented and a selectable mode in which selection of the at least one restricted functionality is restricted to one or more authorized users, and a short-range radio signal module configured to receive short-range radio signals from a user device associated with the household appliance, where either the control unit or the short-range radio signal module is configured to estimate a position of the user device based on the short-range radio signals received at the short-range radio signal module and based on the position of the user device, determine a presence or absence of the user device in proximity of the household appliance.