Proximity-Based Assistant Controls for Multi-Device Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing multiple controls for connected devices from a single user device becomes disorganized and cumbersome due to overlapping capabilities and similar device names, requiring users to navigate through various applications to control specific devices.
Innovation Solution
A user device automatically detects which assistant-enabled device a user intends to control based on proximity and directionality information, ranking devices by proximity scores and displaying controls accordingly in a graphical user interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users manually navigate through multiple applications to control connected devices, then comprehensive device control is achieved, but operation time and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically detecting nearby devices and pre-configuring control interfaces before user input. When a user approaches a device, the system proactively establishes communication, retrieves device capabilities, and prepares the control UI, eliminating the need for manual navigation through applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system serves itself by automatically identifying devices, selecting appropriate control applications, and configuring interfaces without user intervention. The system monitors its own state, detects when control is needed, and autonomously sets up the control environment, freeing the user from manual navigation tasks.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system provides controls for all assistant-enabled devices, then complete device coverage is achieved, but interface complexity and disorganization increase
Solution Approach 1:
The interface applies local quality by displaying controls selectively based on spatial context. Only devices within proximity thresholds show controls, and the level of detail varies by distance - nearby devices show full controls while distant devices show minimal or no controls. This creates a graduated interface complexity that adapts to the user's physical location.
Solution Approach 2:
The control interface is dynamic, automatically adjusting which devices are visible and how many controls are displayed based on real-time proximity detection. As users move through the environment, the interface dynamically reconfigures to show controls for newly entered zones while hiding controls for devices leaving the proximity threshold, maintaining optimal complexity at all times.
3Ease of operation
If the system requires users to identify specific applications and navigate through them, then precise device control is achieved, but operational steps and difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple control applications and device management functions into a single unified interface. Instead of requiring users to navigate separate applications for different device types, the system consolidates all control capabilities into one proximity-based interface that adapts to show only relevant controls, reducing the number of navigation steps while maintaining comprehensive control functionality.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method (500) includes obtaining proximity information (250) for each of a plurality of assistant-enabled devices (210) within an environment (32) of a user device (200). Each assistant-enabled device is controllable by an assistant application (106) to perform a respective set of available actions (120) associated with the assistant-enabled device. For each assistant-enabled device, the method also includes determining a proximity score (260) based on the proximity information indicating a proximity estimation of the corresponding assistant-enabled device relative to the user device. The method further includes generating, using the proximity scores determined for the assistant-enabled devices, a ranked list (310) of candidate assistant-enabled devices, and for each corresponding assistant-enabled device in the ranked list, displaying, in a graphical user interface (GUI) (400), a respective set of controls (220) for performing the respective set of actions associated with the corresponding assistant-enabled device.