Remote Control Confirmation Dialog for Home Appliances

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional remote control systems for home appliances lack the ability to confirm the state of an apparatus before performing control, leading to inappropriate control operations.

Innovation Solution

A control method that displays candidate information for apparatuses, places, and operators on a user interface, obtains operation histories, and prompts users to confirm control actions based on predetermined conditions, generating and transmitting control signals to target apparatuses via a network.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If conventional remote control systems directly perform control operations without confirmation, then operational speed is improved, but control accuracy deteriorates leading to inappropriate control actions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational speedVSAvoidcontrol accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by displaying candidate apparatuses, places, and operators before the actual control operation. The dialog prompt is shown in advance to confirm the user's intent, ensuring that the control action is appropriate before execution. This preliminary confirmation step resolves the contradiction by maintaining speed while improving accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by displaying a dialog that prompts the user to confirm the control operation. This feedback loop allows the user to verify the target apparatus and intended action before execution, ensuring control accuracy while maintaining operational efficiency through quick confirmation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of information

If the system displays detailed apparatus information and operation histories, then information completeness is improved, but user interface complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation completenessVSAvoiduser interface complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The information is segmented into distinct categories: apparatus information, place information, operator information, and operation history. Each category is displayed separately in the dialog, allowing the user to process information in manageable chunks while maintaining completeness. This segmentation reduces perceived complexity while preserving all necessary information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The dialog interface serves multiple functions simultaneously: displaying candidate apparatuses, showing operation histories, presenting place and operator information, and obtaining user confirmation. This multi-functional design consolidates what could be multiple separate interfaces into a single universal dialog, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining information completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9778634B2Method of controlling a target apparatus, selected from a plurality of apparatuses based on a selection from displayed apparatus information, place information, or operator information

Publication Date: 2017.10.03 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORP OF AMERICA

AI summary

A control method for controlling at least one of a plurality of apparatuses. The control method includes: displaying candidate information and obtaining, via a network, an operation history of each of the apparatuses. The method includes generating a control signal for performing a predetermined control on a target apparatus, when the user confirms that the predetermined control is to be performed.