Remote Control Pairing via Sound Feedback and RSSI Priority

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for pairing remote control devices with electronic apparatuses using Bluetooth communication face issues such as communication errors due to interference and collision when multiple devices output sound, and require costly CPU resources, especially with the use of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM).

Innovation Solution

A remote control apparatus and method that uses a microphone to receive sound output from electronic apparatuses, determines priority based on received signal strength, and transmits advertising packets to perform pairing with the device having the highest priority, reducing the need for additional communication methods like OFDM.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple electronic apparatuses simultaneously output sound for pairing, then pairing capability is enhanced, but communication errors occur due to interference and collision

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepairing capabilityVSAvoidcommunication reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The remote control determines priority of electronic apparatuses before initiating sound output, using reception characteristics (RSSI) of advertising packets to pre-establish a pairing sequence. This preliminary priority determination prevents simultaneous sound output by multiple apparatuses, eliminating interference and collision while maintaining pairing capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If OFDM is used for communication, then communication performance is improved, but cost increases due to requiring high-performance CPU

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication performanceVSAvoidcost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the communication parameter from OFDM to advertising packet-based communication with priority determination. By using reception characteristics (RSSI) of advertising packets to establish priority, the system achieves reliable communication without requiring high-performance CPU, thereby reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining communication effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If priority determination based on reception characteristic is implemented, then device specification accuracy is improved, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice specification accuracyVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from reception characteristics (RSSI) of advertising packets to automatically determine priority. The remote control receives advertising packets from multiple electronic apparatuses, measures their reception characteristics, and uses this feedback to establish priority order. This automated feedback mechanism improves device specification accuracy without significantly increasing processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach reduces communication errors, ensures reliable pairing by specifying a device based on priority, and lowers costs by eliminating the need for additional communication methods, while allowing pairing with a specified device using a unicast communication scheme.

Implementation Method 1

a microphone 110, a communicator 120 comprising communication circuitry

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcoustic wave detection: Sound

Data Source

PatentEP3489923B1Remote control, electronic apparatus and pairing method thereof
Publication Date: 2020.05.13 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3489923B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3489923B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3489923B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A remote control apparatus is provided. The remote control apparatus according to an embodiment includes a microphone, a communicator comprising communication circuitry configured to transmit a first advertising packet, and to receive a second advertising packet including respective addresses of a plurality of electronic apparatuses from the plurality of electronic apparatuses in response to transmission of the first advertising packet, and a processor configured to, based on the second advertising packet being received, determine a priority based on reception characteristic of the second advertising packet, and transmit a third advertising packet including a sound output request and an address of an electronic apparatus determined based on the priority from among the received addresses of the plurality of electronic apparatuses through the communicator, and based on sound output from an electronic apparatus being received through the microphone in response to transmission of the third advertising packet, to control the communicator to perform a pairing with the electronic apparatus which outputs the sound.