Standardized Network Card for Cross-Brand Appliance Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household appliances from different manufacturers cannot communicate with each other due to the lack of a common protocol, and customizing network cards for each product is inefficient in terms of inventory management, cost, and labor.
Innovation Solution
A standardized network card with a memory unit containing ID information and communication protocols is provided, which can be installed by the user, allowing communication with a control card that enables serial communication and software module configuration, enabling communication between appliances of different brands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If network cards are customized for each household appliance product, then communication compatibility between different appliances is improved, but inventory management complexity increases and production efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The network card is divided into two independent parts: a standardized hardware platform that remains unchanged across products, and a separate memory unit that contains product-specific configuration data, protocols, and software modules. This segmentation allows the main network card to be mass-produced efficiently while individualization is achieved through the removable memory unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The memory unit is prepared in advance with all necessary configuration data, protocols, and software modules specific to each appliance type. This preliminary preparation allows the standardized network card to be produced once and reused across multiple products, eliminating the need for customizing the entire network card for each appliance.
2Adaptability or versatility
If network cards are customized for each household appliance product, then communication compatibility between different appliances is improved, but inventory management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into a standardized network card (identical across all products) and a product-specific memory unit. This reduces inventory complexity by allowing the main network card to be stocked in large quantities as a universal component, while only the smaller memory units need to be managed per product variant.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized network card is designed to be universally compatible with multiple household appliance products through a common interface and architecture. This universality allows the same network card hardware to serve multiple product lines, significantly reducing inventory management complexity while maintaining communication compatibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If network cards are customized for each household appliance product, then communication protocols are optimized for each product, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network card functionality is segmented into a standardized hardware platform that can be mass-produced at low cost, and a separate memory unit containing product-specific protocols. This allows the expensive customization to be limited only to the small memory unit rather than the entire network card, reducing overall production costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized network card serves as a master template that can be copied and deployed across multiple appliance products without modification. Only the memory unit needs to be customized for each product, allowing the majority of the network card to be produced through efficient copying and mass-production techniques.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a household appliance (1) comprising a network card (2) providing the connection to a wireless local area network (WLAN), a memory unit (3) that is disposed on the network card (2) and that contains ID information, protocols and software modules, and a control card (4) that provides the serial communication with the network card (2).