Unified Input Light Source Linking Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face complexity in managing multiple methods to link light sources with various inputs, such as network inputs, leading to cumbersome management and a need for easy and uniform linking solutions.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize a computing device to render graphical elements representing inputs and light sources, allowing users to link selective illumination by dragging these elements into proximity on a display, enabling easy association of light sources with input states, including sensor data, social network statuses, and calendar events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple individual methods are used to link different inputs to light sources, then each method can be user-friendly on its own, but the overall system becomes cumbersome for users to manage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal drag-and-drop interface that works across all types of inputs (network inputs, sensor data, social network statuses, calendar events) and all light sources, replacing multiple specialized linking methods with a single unified interaction paradigm. This allows users to link any input to any light source using the same intuitive gesture, eliminating the need to learn and manage multiple different linking procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The graphical user interface serves as an intermediary layer between the diverse inputs and light sources, providing a standardized drag-and-drop mechanism that abstracts away the complexity of different input types and communication protocols. Users interact only with the visual representation of inputs and light sources on the display, while the system handles the underlying complexity of establishing connections between them.
2Ease of operation
If users want manual control of light sources, they must separately disconnect each light source from its corresponding input
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically allows users to change the state of connections between inputs and light sources through simple drag operations. Users can easily reassign light sources to different inputs or disconnect them by dragging graphical elements, providing flexible manual control without requiring complex disconnection procedures. The interface adapts to user actions in real-time, allowing rapid reconfiguration of lighting scenarios.
3Device complexity
If a uniform linking method is implemented across all inputs and light sources, then management becomes simpler, but the system must handle diverse input types through a single interface
Solution Approach 1:
The drag-and-drop interface is designed to be universally applicable to all input types (network inputs, sensor data, social network statuses, calendar events) and all light sources, regardless of their specific characteristics. The system presents a unified visual representation and interaction method that works consistently across diverse input sources, while internally adapting to handle the specific requirements of each input type through the intermediary GUI layer.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems, methods, apparatus and computer-readable media (transitory and non-transitory) are described herein for facilitating linking of selective illumination of one or more light sources (106, also referred to as "lighting elements")to states of one or more inputs(102). In various embodiments a linking computing device (104) may render, e.g., on a display (212) such as an ambient display, a source graphical element (214) that represents an input and a sink graphical element (216) that represents a light source. In various embodiments, the computing device may receive a user-input instruction to alter one of the source and sink graphical elements to be within a predetermined proximity of the other on the display. In various embodiments, the computing device may link selective illumination of the light source to a state of the input while the source and sink graphical elements are within the predetermined proximity of each other on the display.