Method for exchanging information between a household appliance and a mobile device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household appliances' graphical user interfaces (GUIs) are limited in their ability to provide comprehensive information to users or service technicians, as they can only display a limited amount of data.
Innovation Solution
A method for exchanging information between a household appliance and a mobile device using optical markers and cameras, where the mobile device captures and processes optical information from the appliance's GUI to derive and display a more comprehensive information message, enabling complex information transfer beyond the appliance's display limitations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a graphical user interface (GUI) is used at the household appliance to provide information to users, then information can be displayed, but the amount of information is limited due to the constraints of the appliance's display capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mobile device as an intermediary between the household appliance and the user. The mobile device's camera captures optical information from the appliance's simple GUI, processes it through markers and coordinate transformations, and displays comprehensive information on the mobile device's screen. This mediator approach allows the simple appliance GUI to effectively provide complex information through the more capable mobile device display.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions the information display from the two-dimensional constrained space of the appliance GUI to the larger two-dimensional space of the mobile device screen. By capturing optical information and transforming coordinates, the system effectively uses the mobile device's display area as an extended dimension, allowing much more comprehensive information presentation while the appliance itself maintains its simple display.
2Loss of information
If optical information is provided at the household appliance's GUI for capture by the mobile device camera, then comprehensive information can be transferred, but alignment and processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-defining markers at specific positions on the mobile device's display and pre-establishing coordinate transformation relationships. Before actual information capture, the system prepares the optical reference information and marker positions, so that when the camera captures the appliance GUI, the alignment and coordinate transformation can be performed efficiently using these pre-established references, reducing real-time processing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses optical copying by capturing the visual information displayed on the appliance's GUI through the mobile device's camera. Instead of direct electrical or digital connection, the system creates an optical copy of the display information, processes it through image recognition and coordinate transformation, and reconstructs the comprehensive information message on the mobile device, thereby transferring information without complex physical connections.
3Measurement precision
If markers are displayed on the mobile device GUI for alignment purposes, then accurate information capture is enabled, but the user interface becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by having the system automatically perform alignment and coordinate transformation using the displayed markers as references. The markers guide the camera to capture the correct portion of the appliance GUI, and the system automatically calculates the coordinate transformations without requiring manual intervention. This automation maintains ease of operation while achieving high alignment precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for the transfer of detailed information such as error codes, warnings, and usage statistics from the appliance to the mobile device, facilitating more accurate troubleshooting and user understanding, and simplifying maintenance processes.
Implementation Method 1
receiving optical information at the mobile device by capturing said optical information provided at the household appliance by a camera of the mobile device
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for exchanging information between a household appliance (1) and a mobile device (2), the method comprising the steps of: providing optical information at a graphical user interface (3) of the household appliance (1) (S10); preferably, aligning the mobile device (2) with respect to the household appliance (1) based on one or more markers (4) displayed at a graphical user interface (5) of the mobile device (2) or based on a time-invariant portion of provided optical information (S11); receiving optical information at the mobile device (2) by capturing said optical information provided at the household appliance (1) by a camera (6) of the mobile device (2) (S12); processing said received optical information at the mobile device (1) in order to derive an information message included in said received optical information (S13); providing said information message or information associated with said information message at a user interface of the mobile device (2) (S14).