Service Rule Modification for Universal Smart Home Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional smart home systems lack the ability to share service rules between different systems, making them environment-specific and inconvenient for universal application.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that allow service rules to be modified and applied to specific devices based on device type and location, enabling universal applicability and sharing between systems by receiving a service rule from a server, selecting the appropriate device, and modifying the rule for control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If service rules are associated with current environment-specific devices and locations, then the rules can be effectively applied in the current smart home system, but the rules cannot be shared with external smart home systems and lack universality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice rule universalityVSAvoidservice rule structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The service rule is segmented into distinct components: environment-independent rule logic and environment-specific device/location information. This separation allows the rule logic to be universally shared while the specific device and location data can be adapted to different environments, resolving the contradiction between universality and environment-specific applicability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The service rule is designed with universal structure and semantics that can be applied across different smart home systems. By defining rules with generic device types and location concepts rather than system-specific identifiers, the same rule can be shared and executed in multiple different smart home environments, achieving universality without excessive complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If service rules are designed to be universally applicable across different systems, then they can be shared between systems, but they may lack the specificity needed for effective control in particular environments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice rule shareabilityVSAvoidservice rule execution accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The service rule includes preliminary device selection and location matching mechanisms that are executed when the rule is received by an external smart home system. The controller pre-identifies suitable devices and locations based on the universal rule structure, ensuring that the rule can be accurately applied in the target environment without losing execution reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The controller acts as an intermediary between the universal service rule and the specific devices/location in the external smart home system. It translates the generic rule into environment-specific control actions by matching rule parameters with actual devices and locations, thereby maintaining both shareability and execution accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3235182B1Method and apparatus for controlling device using a service rule
Publication Date: 2020.03.25 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3235182B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3235182B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3235182B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A method of controlling devices connected to a controller includes receiving, from a server, a service rule including a trigger condition and a device executing action which is an action to be performed by one of the devices according to whether the trigger condition is satisfied, selecting one of the devices connected to the controller based on the received service rule, modifying the received service rule to control the selected device, and controlling the selected device according to the modified service rule.