IoT Device Control Group Provisioning via Dynamic Context
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IoT systems are limited by static device pairings and lack of dynamic control-group configurations based on time and location, which restricts the flexibility and adaptability of device interactions in smart home environments.
Innovation Solution
IoT devices are programmed to dynamically change their control group pairings and control logic based on time and location, allowing for more flexible and adaptive interactions by sharing operational data and using cloud-based applications to provision and configure device interrelations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If devices are configured with static control group pairings, then device interactions are simple and stable, but flexibility and adaptability to different conditions are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control group configurations where devices can change their group pairings based on time and location context. Instead of fixed static assignments, control groups are dynamically formed and dissolved as devices move through different locations or at different times, enabling the system to adapt to changing environmental conditions while maintaining manageable complexity through automated context-based rules
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of device interactions by introducing time and location as variable parameters that determine control group membership. Devices transition between different control groups based on contextual parameter changes, allowing the same physical device to have different functional relationships at different times or locations without requiring complex manual reconfiguration
2Adaptability or versatility
If devices dynamically change control group pairings based on time and location, then flexibility and adaptability are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Devices automatically determine their own control group membership based on their current location and time context without requiring manual intervention. The system self-configures by having devices publish their contextual information and automatically joining or leaving control groups based on predefined rules, reducing the perceived complexity for users while maintaining high flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback loops where devices continuously report their location and time context, and control group assignments are adjusted based on this feedback. This automated feedback mechanism allows the system to maintain optimal configurations dynamically without requiring complex manual management, as the system self-corrects based on real-time contextual feedback
3Reliability
If operational data is shared among devices in control groups, then data restoration after failures is faster, but data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the data storage resources of multiple devices within control groups to create a distributed data redundancy system. When devices are provisioned with the same operational data and form control groups, they effectively combine their storage capacity, allowing any device to restore data from any other device in the group, thereby improving reliability through data replication without requiring centralized storage infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
Devices in control groups are configured with universal operational data that enables them to serve multiple functions: their primary device function plus serving as data backup for other group members. This multi-functionality allows any device in the group to act as a data restoration source for any other member, improving system reliability while using the same hardware resources for multiple purposes
Data Source
AI summary
A method for provisioning a group of devices with control-group data defining one or more functional interrelationships between the devices. The method includes providing a GUI defining an online application marketplace, the GUI specifying multiple applications available for download, each application including a different respective set of control-group data defining a different respective set of one or more functional interrelationships. Further, the method includes receiving user input selecting a given one of the applications, the selected application defining given control-group data defining a given set of one or more functional interrelationships. And the method includes responsively (i) downloading the selected application and (ii) provisioning the devices of the group with the given set of control-group data, the provisioning establishing the given set of one or more functional interrelationships between the devices of the group.