Portable Operating Controller for Domestic Appliance Mode Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems automatically switch domestic appliances between at-home and not-at-home modes without user input, leading to unwanted activations and increased energy consumption, especially when users are present for short periods.
Innovation Solution
A portable operating apparatus that allows users to manually control the switching between at-home and not-at-home modes via wireless communication with domestic appliances, using input devices such as touchscreens or speech recognition, enabling demand-driven mode changes and personalized settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If automatic mode switching is implemented based on presence detection, then convenience and automation are improved, but energy consumption increases and unwanted activations occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of user presence through mobile device signals (GPS location, Wi-Fi connectivity, cellular network registration) before triggering mode switching. This preliminary action allows the system to anticipate user arrival and prepare appropriate settings in advance, while still maintaining user control to prevent unwanted activations and reduce unnecessary energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors feedback from mobile devices including location data, network connection status, and device signals to dynamically adjust appliance settings. This feedback mechanism enables the system to respond to actual user presence rather than operating on fixed schedules, optimizing energy consumption while maintaining convenience.
2Ease of operation
If automatic mode switching is implemented, then user effort is reduced, but user control and preference customization are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the balance between automatic control and user customization based on detected user preferences and behavior patterns. Users can define multiple profiles with different preference levels, allowing the system to be highly automated for some users while maintaining more manual control for others, thus adapting to individual needs rather than imposing a fixed automation level.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows users to modify parameters such as detection sensitivity, trigger thresholds, and preference weights to customize the automation level. By changing these parameters, users can fine-tune the system to match their desired balance between convenience and control, enabling the same system to serve different user preferences effectively.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling a plurality of domestic appliances with the aid of a portable operating apparatus which wirelessly communicates with the domestic appliances includes transmitting a control signal from the portable operating apparatus to the domestic appliances and using the control signal to jointly change over the domestic appliances between an at-home mode, in which first settings are made in the domestic appliances, and a not-at-home mode, in which second settings are made in the domestic appliances. The portable operating apparatus receives an operator input which is carried out by a user using an input device of the portable operating apparatus, and the control signal for changing over the domestic appliances is emitted by the portable operating apparatus on the basis of the operator input.