Public Display Language Adaptation via Mobile Intermediary

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing public display systems require manual interaction or site-specific key cards for language selection, which limits user convenience and accessibility, especially when users are not near the associated elevator system.

Innovation Solution

A method that uses mobile devices to automatically detect and communicate user preferences, such as language selection, to public displays via wireless communication, allowing for automatic adaptation of display settings like font size and color without user intervention, even when the user is not near the conventional selector.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual language selection is implemented through touch screen icons or key cards, then language selection functionality is provided, but user convenience deteriorates and accessibility is limited when users are not near the display

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelanguage selection convenienceVSAvoidaccessibility when user is not near display
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces mobile devices as intermediary carriers that store and transmit user preference data (including language selections) wirelessly to the public display system. This mediator enables users to set preferences remotely without being physically present at the display, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and accessibility when users are not near the display.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/physical interaction system (touch screen icons, key card insertion) with wireless communication technology. Mobile devices communicate with the public display system through wireless protocols, eliminating the need for physical proximity or manual insertion of key cards, thereby improving both ease of operation and remote accessibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If site-specific key cards are used for language selection, then language preference can be stored and retrieved, but the system becomes less versatile when users need to change language outside the specific location

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelanguage preference storageVSAvoidlanguage selection availability across locations
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the language preference system universal by implementing it through mobile devices that users carry with them. The same mobile device can retrieve and transmit the user's language preference at any location where the public display system is present, not just at the specific elevator or location where the preference was originally set. This multi-functional approach allows the system to work across different locations and devices.

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

Solution Approach 2:

Mobile devices serve as portable intermediaries that store user preference data and communicate it wirelessly to various public display systems. This intermediary approach replaces the location-bound key card system with a portable solution that maintains reliability of preference storage while enabling versatility across different locations and devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If all information is displayed in multiple languages simultaneously, then all users can potentially understand the display, but the display complexity and information density increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelanguage compatibilityVSAvoiddisplay content complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by obtaining user preference data (including language selection) from mobile devices before the user interacts with the public display. The system retrieves the user's preferred language in advance and configures the display accordingly, so that when the user views the display, only the appropriate language is shown. This eliminates the need to display multiple languages simultaneously, reducing display complexity while maintaining language compatibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by customizing the display content according to the specific user's language preference rather than providing a uniform multi-language display for all users. Each user receives localized content in their preferred language, which reduces the complexity of individual display instances while maintaining overall system adaptability to different languages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3195298B1Display language arrangement
Publication Date: 2020.06.10 KONE OYJ
  • EP3195298B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3195298B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

Public displays are used for various purposes. They are used for displaying any kind of information and even for controlling devices such as elevators. In order to provide best possible benefit the public display should be displaying information in a language that the viewer understands and in a manner that the user can read the text on the display. The user preferences may be selected and applied by requesting a user preference indication from a mobile device. If the room includes more than one person the user preference indication is received from a plurality of persons and the decision of user preferences to be used is done then based on the received indications.