Node Terminal Apparatus for Legacy IoT Device Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Older electronic devices lacking communication modules and platforms cannot participate in Internet of Things (IoT) services due to incompatibility with modern devices, limiting their ability to share information and provide IoT services.

Innovation Solution

A peripheral device management system that includes a node terminal apparatus and a display apparatus, allowing pairing and registration of peripheral devices, displaying their operating states, and enabling control through a user interface, even for devices not originally capable of IoT services, by using sensing data and signal intensity to determine UI element positions and distances.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If older electronic devices without communication modules are used, then device compatibility and simplicity are maintained, but IoT service capability and information sharing ability are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveIoT service capabilityVSAvoidcommunication module requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a display apparatus as an intermediary device that bridges older peripheral devices without communication modules and the IoT network. The display apparatus receives sensing data from these legacy devices and processes it, enabling IoT services without requiring the peripheral devices themselves to have communication capabilities. This mediator approach allows older devices to participate in IoT services while maintaining their simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The display apparatus serves multiple functions: it acts as a display device, a communication hub, a data processing center, and a control interface for peripheral devices. By consolidating these functions in a single device, the system enables IoT services for diverse peripheral devices without requiring each device to have its own communication module, thus achieving universality across different device types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If communication modules are added to older devices, then IoT service capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveIoT service capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of adding communication modules to each peripheral device, the display apparatus serves as a centralized intermediary that handles all communication protocols and data processing. This approach maintains the simplicity of peripheral devices while achieving IoT connectivity through the display apparatus's communication capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the communication functionality and data processing capabilities into the display apparatus, combining multiple functions that would otherwise require separate components in each peripheral device. This consolidation reduces manufacturing complexity for peripheral devices while maintaining IoT service capability through the unified display apparatus.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If multiple peripheral devices are managed separately, then device-specific control is precise, but system complexity and user interface complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice control capabilityVSAvoidinterface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display apparatus merges the control interfaces for multiple peripheral devices into a single unified user interface. Users can control temperature controls, audio outputs, and other functions across different devices through one integrated interface, reducing the complexity of managing multiple separate control systems while maintaining precise device-specific control capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The unified user interface in the display apparatus provides universal control capabilities for various types of peripheral devices. A single interface handles diverse functions including temperature adjustment, audio control, and device status monitoring, eliminating the need for multiple device-specific interfaces and simplifying user interaction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Measurement precision

If sensing data is collected from all peripheral devices, then monitoring accuracy is improved, but data processing complexity and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperating state detection accuracyVSAvoiddata processing energy
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and processes sensing data centrally at the display apparatus rather than processing it at each peripheral device. This extraction approach allows for accurate monitoring of multiple devices while consolidating computational resources, reducing the overall energy consumption compared to distributed processing across all devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The display apparatus acts as an intermediary that collects, processes, and manages sensing data from multiple peripheral devices. By serving as a centralized data processing hub, it achieves accurate monitoring of all devices while optimizing energy consumption through efficient data management and processing, avoiding redundant processing at each individual device.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3110178B1Node terminal apparatus, display apparatus, peripheral device management system including node terminal apparatus and display apparatus, and method thereof
Publication Date: 2019.12.11 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3110178B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3110178B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3110178B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A peripheral device management system includes a node terminal apparatus (100) attached, in use, to a peripheral device (10) and configured to detect an operating state of the attached peripheral device through a sensor configured to generate sensing data, and a display apparatus (200) configured to receive the sensing data from the node terminal apparatus, to determine the operating state of the peripheral device based on the sensing data, and to display a user interface (UI) containing the operating state of the peripheral device. Accordingly, the peripheral device management system provides an Internet of things (IOT) service to a peripheral device that may not be capable of supporting an IOT service.