Remote Control Automatic Configuration via Device Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing remote control systems require tedious manual configuration for multiple devices, often necessitating lists of device models or additional receivers, making them impractical for multifunctional use and difficult to configure new devices without pre-existing settings.

Innovation Solution

A remote control system that automatically transmits a sequence of device control signals from stored sets, with a feedback mechanism allowing operators to confirm the correct signal set for a device, eliminating the need for manual model selection and enabling semi-automatic configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a list of device models is supplied with the remote control for configuration, then device operating signals can be matched to specific devices, but the configuration process becomes tedious and impractical when the list is misplaced or new devices need to be configured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice control signal matchingVSAvoidconfiguration process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The device itself performs the configuration by automatically receiving and processing control signals from the remote control. The device identifies its own type and stores the corresponding control signals, eliminating the need for manual configuration by the user and removing dependency on external device model lists.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from the device to determine which control signal set to use. When the remote control sends test signals, the device responds in a way that indicates its type, allowing the remote control to automatically identify the correct signal set and complete configuration without user intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If a receiver is attached to the remote control to receive device operating signals for adaptive configuration, then individual device control signals can be learned and stored, but additional hardware and time-consuming configuration are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice control signal learningVSAvoidremote control structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The device itself performs the configuration by automatically receiving and processing control signals from the remote control. The device identifies its own type and stores the corresponding control signals, eliminating the need for manual configuration by the user and removing dependency on external device model lists.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of the remote control actively learning signals from the device through a receiver, the approach is inverted: the remote control sends test signals and the device passively responds by indicating its type through its normal operation, thereby allowing the remote control to automatically identify the correct signal set.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple device operating signal sets are stored in the remote control for multifunction operation, then various devices can be operated with one remote control, but the remote control requires tedious configuration to adapt to each device

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemultidevice operation capabilityVSAvoidconfiguration time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The device itself performs the configuration by automatically receiving and processing control signals from the remote control. The device identifies its own type and stores the corresponding control signals, eliminating the need for manual configuration by the user and removing dependency on external device model lists.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The remote control pre-stores multiple device control signal sets for different device types. During configuration, it automatically transmits these pre-prepared signal sets to the device, which identifies its type and selects the appropriate signals, eliminating the need for users to manually search through device model lists.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2629273B1Configurable remote control system and method for configuring a remote control system
Publication Date: 2019.10.09 TRUMA GERATETECHNIK GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2629273B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2629273B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The configurable remote control system (1) has a transmitting device (4) for automatic successive transmission of multiple appliance operating signals (5), where different appliance operating signal sets are stored and assigned to an appliance (2). A receiving device (6) is coupled with the appliance for receiving the appliance operating signals, where a feedback device (8) is coupled with the appliance for transmitting a feedback-signal (9). An actuation device (11) is coupled with the transmitting device for input of confirmation by an operator. An independent claim is included for a method for configuring a remote control system for operating an appliance.