Remote Device Pairing via Link Quality Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radio frequency communication between remote devices and audiovisual equipment is prone to interference and unpredictability in signal quality, making it challenging to maintain efficient control, especially when devices are positioned in obstructed locations or connected through networks.
Innovation Solution
A system that optimizes pairing between remote devices and set-top-boxes by measuring and comparing link qualities, selecting the device with the highest link quality for communication, and facilitating indirect control through a network, allowing for efficient communication even when direct paths are obstructed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If radio frequency communication is used between remote devices and audiovisual equipment, then wireless control capability is achieved, but signal quality becomes unpredictable and prone to interference
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary link quality measurements during a pairing phase before actual control operations begin. By pre-assessing the communication quality between the remote device and multiple candidate devices, the system can proactively select the optimal target device, preventing communication failures during actual use and thereby maintaining both ease of operation and signal reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where link quality metrics are measured and used to inform the pairing decision. The remote device receives feedback about signal quality from multiple devices and uses this information to select the best target, creating a closed-loop system that adapts to actual communication conditions rather than relying on predetermined associations.
2Loss of time
If the remote device pairs with the nearest device, then pairing speed is improved, but communication reliability deteriorates when the nearest device is obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of immediately pairing with the nearest device, the system performs preliminary link quality measurements on multiple candidate devices before making the final pairing decision. This advance assessment allows the system to identify devices with better communication paths, even if they are not physically nearest, thereby maintaining fast pairing while improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the selection criterion from purely distance-based to quality-based by measuring link quality metrics such as signal strength, bit error rate, or other communication parameters. This parameter change allows the system to select devices based on actual communication quality rather than physical proximity, resolving the contradiction between speed and reliability.
3Measurement precision
If the system measures link quality for all devices, then pairing accuracy is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality assessment by measuring link quality specifically for devices that are candidates for pairing, rather than all devices in the network. By focusing measurements on relevant local candidates (devices in proximity or previously identified as potential targets), the system achieves accurate pairing decisions without the computational burden of assessing every device in the network.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs link quality measurements on a subset of devices rather than all devices. By measuring only the necessary portion (candidate devices) rather than the complete set (all devices), the system achieves sufficient pairing accuracy while reducing processing complexity to a manageable level.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for optimizing pairing between a remote device and a plurality of devices including establishing a list of pairing-capable devices, the list comprising a portion of the plurality of devices, measuring a plurality of link qualities between the remote device and the pairing-capable devices, comparing, with a processor, the plurality of link qualities with one another and determining a highest link quality, selecting, by a computing device, an available pairing-capable device having the highest link quality, pairing with the selected device, and controlling a presentation device, the controlling including checking if the selected device is the associated device and where the selected device is not the associated device, relaying commands via the network to the associated device.