Pairing Management Device for Automatic Terminal Pairing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current pairing techniques for communication and data terminals are cumbersome, prone to errors, and require special hardware, making them difficult for users to pair correctly and retry successfully without imposing a significant load.

Innovation Solution

A pairing system that uses a pairing management device to facilitate one-on-one pairing between communication and data terminals through input-output modules and pairing request modules, allowing for tentative pairs to be confirmed and updated to final pairs without the need for special hardware, enabling easy retry and reducing crosswise pairing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual pairing methods (inputting terminal discriminating information or PIN codes) are used, then pairing can be established between communication terminals and data terminals, but the pairing process becomes cumbersome and imposes significant load on users

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepairing accuracyVSAvoidpairing operation simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal devices automatically perform pairing operations by autonomously exchanging terminal discriminating information and generating pairing relationships without requiring manual input of PIN codes or terminal numbers by users. The system self-manages the pairing process through automatic information exchange and authentication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The pairing management device serves as an intermediary that receives pairing requests from multiple terminals, manages the pairing relationships centrally, and coordinates the automatic pairing process. It acts as a mediator that simplifies the interaction between communication terminals and data terminals.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If special hardware (short-distance communication functions like Bluetooth or infrared) is used for pairing, then pairing can be established between devices, but the system complexity increases and requires additional hardware components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepairing stabilityVSAvoidhardware requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pairing system utilizes existing network communication capabilities that are already present in standard terminal devices, making the pairing function universal and applicable to any terminal with network connectivity. This eliminates the need for specialized pairing hardware while maintaining broad compatibility across different device types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical/physical pairing mechanisms (such as Bluetooth or infrared hardware) with software-based network communication. The pairing process is achieved through data exchange over existing network infrastructure rather than through dedicated short-distance communication hardware.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If one-on-one pairing is enforced without tentative confirmation, then pairing relationships are established quickly, but crosswise pairing errors occur and users cannot verify correct pairing before completion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepairing speedVSAvoidpairing accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by first establishing tentative pairing relationships that allow users to verify correctness before finalizing the pairing. The pairing management device generates tentative pairings based on exchanged terminal discriminating information, allowing users to confirm whether the intended terminal is correctly identified before completing the pairing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where terminal discriminating information is exchanged and displayed, allowing users to verify pairing correctness. The pairing management device provides feedback about the pairing status and allows users to confirm or correct pairing selections before finalizing the relationship, ensuring accuracy while maintaining efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8850031B2Pairing system, pairing management device, pairing method, and program

Publication Date: 2014.09.30 NEC CORP

AI summary

To provide a pairing system which requires no special hardware and is capable of easily pairing terminals intended by a user. A pairing management device includes a pairing control module which receives pairing requests from communication terminals and data terminals, and generates tentative pairs from the communication terminals and the data terminals which transmitted the pairing request, and a confirmation data control module which allots and transmits pair confirmation data which corresponds on one-on-one basis to the communication terminals and the data terminals forming the tentative pairs, and allows the pairing control module to update the tentative pairs to final pairs when the pairing control module receives pair alteration data corresponding to the pair confirmation data from the communication terminals or the data terminals.