Remote Electrical Device Control via Movable Software Proxies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in maintaining optimal configuration and interaction between wireless devices and user terminals due to the complexity explosion in dynamic wireless systems, where devices and services frequently join or leave, leading to lost connections and unsupported user interfaces.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a controller device with software-configurable user interface equipment, electrical devices with movable software proxies, and server devices that store and relay data, allowing for the creation of virtual user interfaces and control messages across a hierarchical network, enabling seamless remote control and monitoring of electrical devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual configuration is used for wireless devices and services, then initial system setup is possible, but the system cannot maintain up-to-date configuration when devices join or leave dynamically
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic configuration where devices self-register with the server, self-describe their capabilities through service description files, and self-update when joining or leaving the network. The server automatically discovers new devices, retrieves their service descriptions, and pushes relevant configuration information to controller devices without human intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
A central server acts as an intermediary between wireless devices and controller devices. The server maintains a database of service descriptions, manages device registration and deregistration, and handles the complexity of configuration distribution, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture and enabling dynamic adaptation.
2Loss of information
If comprehensive service discovery protocols are implemented, then device identification is improved, but reliability fails when network infrastructure breaks or devices are temporarily absent
Solution Approach 1:
Service descriptions are pre-configured and stored in the server's database before devices actually join the network. When a device joins, the server simply retrieves the pre-stored service description rather than discovering services in real-time, ensuring reliable operation even when network infrastructure is temporarily unavailable or devices are absent.
Solution Approach 2:
The server maintains copies of service descriptions in its database, creating a redundant information repository that persists independently of device presence or network connectivity status. This copying mechanism ensures that service information remains available and reliable even when original devices are temporarily unavailable.
3Ease of operation
If user terminals must know all available services, then complete control capability is achieved, but the user terminal becomes overwhelmed by complexity in dynamic environments
Solution Approach 1:
The complexity of maintaining complete service knowledge is extracted from the user terminal and relocated to the server. The terminal device only needs to query the server for relevant service descriptions when needed, rather than maintaining comprehensive service information locally. This extraction significantly reduces the operational complexity burden on user terminals.
Data Source
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Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
A controller device (209) is enabled to provide a virtual user interface of an electrical device (201) to be remotely used and to generate control messages (241) for controlling the electrical device by providing the controller device with a proxy (211) of the electrical device. The proxy is a movable software package which can be used for representing the electrical device in the controller device. The proxy can be configured to have a limited time-to-live in the controller device and/or a surrounding system may have been arranged to send to the controller device a proxy removal message when the corresponding electrical device is leaving the system or a data transfer connection to it has otherwise been lost. Therefore, a sufficiently up-to-date awareness of the electrical devices and a capability of remotely using them can be maintained in the controller device.