Peripheral Control via Social Networking Platform

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face challenges in controlling and sharing information across various peripheral devices due to the lack of unified standards and complex proprietary interfaces, making it difficult to manage and communicate with different devices from different manufacturers.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that enable control of peripheral devices through a social networking platform, allowing users to communicate with devices via natural language messages, and using a unified interface, with manufacturers adhering to established protocols for device registration, communication, and information sharing, shifting the support load to the social networking platform and manufacturers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If proprietary software interfaces are used for each peripheral device, then device control functionality is achieved, but user complexity and learning burden increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interface simplicityVSAvoidinterface variety

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by enabling a single social networking platform interface to control multiple types of peripheral devices from different manufacturers. The platform provides unified communication protocols and standardized interaction methods that work across diverse device types (cameras, microphones, sensors, etc.), eliminating the need for users to learn multiple proprietary interfaces while maintaining full device control functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The social networking platform acts as an intermediary layer between users and peripheral devices. Instead of users directly interacting with complex device-specific software, the platform mediates communication through standardized protocols, translating user actions into device-specific commands and device responses into platform-compatible formats

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If unified communication protocols are implemented across the social networking platform, then ease of operation improves, but the platform must handle increased device compatibility requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveunified interfaceVSAvoiddevice compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the system into distinct layers: the social networking platform layer that handles unified communication protocols, and the device layer that implements specific protocols. This segmentation allows the platform to maintain simplicity while devices handle the complexity of specific protocol implementations, resolving the contradiction between unified interface and device compatibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If the social networking platform supports direct control of multiple peripheral device types, then device functionality access improves, but development complexity and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice supportVSAvoiddevelopment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The platform uses intermediary components including protocol translation services and abstraction layers that enable device support without requiring the platform to implement each device type natively. These intermediaries handle the complexity of device-specific protocols while presenting a unified interface to users, reducing development complexity and costs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Loss of information

If proprietary device interfaces are used, then device-specific functionality is optimized, but information sharing between different devices becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation sharingVSAvoidinterface standardization

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables information sharing across different device types by implementing universal communication protocols at the platform level. Devices from different manufacturers can exchange information through the standardized platform interface, which handles protocol translation and data format normalization, eliminating information silos created by proprietary interfaces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3117358B1Method and device for controlling peripheral devices via a social networking platform

Publication Date: 2019.03.06 TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) CO LTD

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Figure 1B
Figure 2A~2D

AI summary

A method and device for transmitting data between a peripheral device and a user device via a Bluetooth Low Energy connection, comprising: at the peripheral device: transmitting data to the user device in a simulated data stream, the transmitting comprising: identifying a first Bluetooth characteristic for writing data, the first Bluetooth characteristic having been exposed by the peripheral device to the user device; dividing a data packet into a sequence of data frames plus zero or one remainder, each data frame having a respective size equal to a predetermined data size of the identified first Bluetooth characteristic; and for each of the sequence of data frames: writing the data frame to a respective value for the identified first Bluetooth characteristic; and pushing the identified first Bluetooth characteristic for reading by the user device.