Remote Control Command Automation via Image Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumer-electronic devices often lack identification information, making it difficult to determine the appropriate set of remote-control commands, which complicates their use and frustrates users.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device performs image analysis on an image associated with a second electronic device to determine its brand and model, then accesses and stores a set of remote-control commands associated with the device, enabling automatic provision of these commands when the device is selected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual identification of device brand and model is required, then accurate remote-control command selection is achieved, but user operation complexity increases and user experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic device automatically performs image analysis on captured images to identify its own brand and model, then autonomously retrieves and configures the appropriate remote-control commands without requiring user intervention. This self-service approach eliminates manual identification steps while ensuring accurate command selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-configures remote-control commands by performing image analysis and retrieving device-specific command sets during the initial setup phase or in advance of actual use. This preliminary action ensures that the correct commands are already available when the user needs to control the device, eliminating the need for manual identification at the moment of operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If device identification information is not provided, then device compatibility and control capability are maintained, but remote-control command determination becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical or electronic identification methods (such as HDMI ARC identification protocols) with an optical image analysis system. The electronic device captures images of itself or its branding elements and uses image processing algorithms to identify the device type, thereby substituting a visual recognition system for conventional identification mechanisms that may not be available on all devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an image analysis intermediary between the electronic device and the remote-control command selection process. Instead of direct communication between the device and control system, an image-based identification layer mediates the connection, analyzing visual features to determine device identity and bridge the gap when standard identification protocols are absent.
3Ease of operation
If automated image analysis is implemented, then remote-control command provisioning is simplified, but system complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex image analysis and device identification functionality into a separate, dedicated processing module or external service. By isolating this complex function from the main control system, the patent reduces the complexity burden on the primary device while still enabling automated command provisioning. The extraction allows the image analysis to be performed by specialized components or remote systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs an intermediary image analysis service or module that handles the complex processing tasks separately. This intermediary layer performs the computationally intensive image recognition and device identification, then communicates the results back to the control system. This mediation approach allows the main device to benefit from automated identification without bearing the full complexity burden of implementing the complete image analysis system.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device that obtains a set of remote-control commands is described. During operation, the electronic device may receive an image associated with a second electronic device, where a brand and a model of the second electronic device are initially unknown to the electronic device. Then, the electronic device may perform image analysis on the image to determine at least the brand of the second electronic device. Moreover, the electronic device may access, based at least in part on the determined brand, the set of remote-control commands that are associated with the second electronic device. Next, the electronic device may store the set of remote-control commands in memory. Subsequently, when the electronic device receives user-interface activity information associated with a portable electronic device that specifies selection of the second electronic device, the electronic device may provide the set of remote-control commands to the second electronic device.