Secondary Device Configuration via Primary Intermediary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in configuring smart devices during the out-of-box experience or at other times, especially when introducing new devices to their environments, as existing solutions lack efficient methods for automatically setting up and synchronizing secondary devices with current time or user preferences.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using a primary device communicatively coupled to a remote system to configure or re-configure secondary devices by adjusting movable physical members, such as clock hands or animatronic toy accessories, through voice commands or graphical interfaces, leveraging short-range wireless connections and automated speech recognition, natural language understanding, and text-to-speech technologies to ensure accurate time synchronization and user preferences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual configuration methods are used for secondary devices, then users can set up devices step-by-step, but the configuration process becomes time-consuming and complex for users
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary device autonomously configures itself by detecting the primary device, establishing wireless communication, and receiving configuration data automatically without requiring manual user intervention for each step, thereby reducing both complexity and time
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary pairing and connection establishment between devices before the actual configuration process, so that when configuration data is transmitted, the communication channel is already established and ready, streamlining the overall setup process
2Loss of time
If automated configuration systems are implemented, then setup time is reduced, but the device complexity and synchronization requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The primary device serves as an intermediary that receives configuration data from the remote system and relays it to the secondary device, simplifying the architecture by avoiding direct complex interactions between multiple secondary devices and the remote system
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where devices confirm successful receipt and application of configuration data, allowing the remote system to verify synchronization status and retransmit data if necessary, thereby managing complexity through structured communication protocols
3Measurement precision
If physical members of secondary devices are adjusted manually, then precise positioning is achievable, but the process requires user intervention and is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical adjustment of physical members with automated control through wireless communication, where the primary device or remote system sends commands to adjust the position of physical members on secondary devices, maintaining precision while dramatically improving efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes systems and methods for using a primary device, communicatively coupled to a remote system, to configure or re-configure a secondary device in the same environment as the primary device. In some instances, the primary device may communicatively couple to the secondary device via a short-range wireless connection and to the remote system via a wireless area network (WAN), a wired connection, or the like. Thus, the primary device may act as an intermediary between the secondary device and the remote system for configuring the secondary device.