Mobile Appliance Control With On-Demand Status Notifications

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing control systems for household electrical appliances controlled by mobile terminals unnecessarily inform users about the operational status of the appliances, even when the user is in a position to see the appliance directly.

Innovation Solution

A control system and program that allow users to request and receive information about the operational status of household electrical appliances only when necessary, using a mobile terminal to send control signals and request status updates, with a communication device connected to the appliance to relay this information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the system automatically sends operational status notifications to the mobile terminal, then the user is kept informed about the appliance status, but the user receives unnecessary notifications when they can see the appliance directly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational status informationVSAvoidunnecessary notifications
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The notification system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on the user's location. When the user is away from the appliance, the system sends operational status notifications. When the user is detected to be near the appliance (via mobile terminal location detection), the system automatically suspends notifications, avoiding unnecessary disturbances while maintaining information availability when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of information

If the system sends frequent status updates, then the user has complete information about appliance operation, but the user experience deteriorates due to excessive notifications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational status informationVSAvoiduser experience
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically controls notification frequency and timing based on real-time user location data. Notifications are sent only when the user is away from the appliance, and the system provides selective information about operational status rather than continuous updates, optimizing the balance between information provision and user experience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Loss of information

If the system provides detailed operational status information, then the user has complete awareness of appliance function, but the communication bandwidth and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational status informationVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements partial information transmission by sending only relevant operational status updates when the user is away, rather than continuously transmitting all possible status data. The mobile terminal selectively requests and receives information based on current user needs and location, reducing unnecessary communication energy consumption while maintaining adequate information availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2881677B1Operation system for home electric appliances and program for operating home electric appliances
Publication Date: 2018.09.05 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP2881677B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2881677B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2881677B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An control system for controlling a household electrical appliance 12 comprises a mobile terminal 16 sending a control signal for controlling the household electrical appliance 12; and a communication device 14 sending the control signal from the mobile terminal 16 to the household electrical appliance 12. The mobile terminal 16 sends a request signal to the communication device 14 by a user controls. The request signal is a signal for requesting the communication device 14 to send an information about an operational status of the household electrical appliance 12 after receiving the control signal to the mobile terminal 16. The communication device, after receiving the request signal from the mobile terminal 16, sends the information about the operational status of the household electrical appliance 12 after receiving the control signal. The mobile terminal 16 informs the user of the information about the operational status of the household electrical appliance 12 after receiving the control signal sent from the communication device 14. The mobile terminal 16 informs the user of a notice about a transmission completion of the control signal to the household electrical appliance 12 and simultaneously suggest the user perform a controls for sending the request signal.