Mobile Device Remote Control via Wireless Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional universal remote controls are cluttered with numerous user controls, leading to a poor user experience due to the need to reduce or hide options, limiting their functionality and accessibility for a wide range of electronic devices across different manufacturers.
Innovation Solution
A mobile device acts as a remote control for wirelessly networked devices by receiving user inputs, identifying accessible devices, determining their capabilities, and enabling interaction through a user-friendly interface, allowing users to select and control device functions without the need for complex menus or extensive button configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional universal remote controls include a large number of user controls to support functionality across multiple manufacturers and devices, then the adaptability or versatility is improved, but the device complexity increases and the ease of operation deteriorates due to cluttered interfaces and hidden options
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary between the remote control device and target electronic devices. The server stores capability information for multiple devices and manufacturers, allowing the remote control to query and present only relevant options rather than including all possible controls locally. This mediator approach enables broad device compatibility while maintaining a clean, simple interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves the storage and processing of device capability information from the two-dimensional physical interface of the remote control to a third dimension - a remote server accessible via wireless network. This dimensional shift allows virtually unlimited device support without constraining the physical interface design, enabling both high versatility and ease of operation.
2Ease of operation
If the quantity of control options is reduced to fit on the screen or hide options within menu hierarchy, then the ease of operation is improved, but the adaptability or versatility deteriorates as functionality is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-storing comprehensive capability information for multiple devices and manufacturers on the server. When the user activates the remote control, the system proactively queries the server for relevant device capabilities and presents them in a simplified interface, rather than requiring the user to navigate through hidden menus or limited on-device options.
Solution Approach 2:
The remote control device achieves universality by leveraging the server's comprehensive database of device capabilities from multiple manufacturers. A single simplified interface can control diverse devices by dynamically retrieving appropriate capability information from the server, eliminating the need for device-specific remote controls while maintaining interface simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If a mobile device acts as a remote control with streamlined interface, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to network connectivity and capability identification requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex capability identification and storage functions from the mobile device itself and places them on a separate server. The mobile device's role is simplified to providing the user interface and communicating with the server, while the server handles the computationally intensive tasks of storing and retrieving device capability information, effectively removing complexity from the end-user device.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one general aspect, a method according to the present application includes remotely controlling wirelessly networked devices via a mobile unit. The method includes receiving, at a mobile unit and from a user, an input, analyzing the input to identify a networked device associated with the input, determining whether the networked device is presently accessible via a wireless network; determining whether to establish a connection with the networked device based on whether the networked device is determined to be presently accessible via the wireless network. The method also includes establishing a connection with the networked device if it is determined that the networked device is accessible via the wireless network and enabling the user to interact with the networked device through the mobile unit to remotely control the networked device.