Mark-Based Object Inquiry via Server Mediation for Low-Cost IoT
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Solution Overview
Problem
Not all subjects have a controller and communication unit to connect to the Internet, and doing so for all subjects can be costly.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus with a controller that reads a predetermined mark on a subject, connects to a server based on connection information, and processes user inquiries to provide responses and facilitate transactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If all subjects are equipped with a controller and communication unit to enable Internet connectivity, then IoT functionality is achieved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that mediates between the user terminal and the subject. The server receives images captured by the user terminal, performs mark recognition to identify subjects, and returns information about the subjects. This intermediary approach allows subjects without built-in communication units to still participate in the IoT system through the server's recognition capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a virtual representation of the subject through image capture and mark recognition. Instead of requiring the physical subject to have communication hardware, the system captures an image of the subject, recognizes the mark in the image, and uses this copied visual information to identify and retrieve subject information from the server, thereby eliminating the need for expensive communication units in each subject.
2Ease of operation
If a controller is integrated into every subject for direct communication, then real-time interaction is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the mark recognition and information processing functions from the subject itself and relocates them to the server. The subject only needs to have a simple mark attached to it, while the complex image processing, mark recognition, and information retrieval operations are performed externally by the server, thereby simplifying the subject's device complexity while maintaining interaction capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The server provides universal mark recognition capabilities that can identify multiple different types of subjects through a single system. Instead of each subject type requiring its own specialized controller, the server's multi-functional mark recognition system can handle various subjects by recognizing their respective marks, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining ease of operation across different subject types.
3Ease of manufacture
If subjects without communication units are used, then cost is reduced, but the ability to connect to the Internet and provide information is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The server performs preliminary mark recognition and subject identification by processing images captured by the user terminal. Before the user needs information about a subject, the server has already recognized the mark in the captured image, identified the subject, and can immediately retrieve and provide the corresponding subject information from its database, ensuring information accessibility without requiring communication units in the subjects.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing device includes a controller. The controller reads information from a captured image including a prescribed mark on an object. The information includes object information pertaining to the object and connection information of a server device. Connection with the server device is made on the basis of the connection information. When a user inputs inquiry information regarding the object, the object information and the inquiry information regarding the object are sent to the server device. Response information generated by the server device on the basis of the inquiry information and the object information are received from the server device. The response information is output as a response from the object.