Smart Building Hub Architecture for Unified Device Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional smart home devices often require separate smartphone apps for control and suffer from network connectivity issues, leading to problems like false security alerts and the need for multiple app changes for single device adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A smart device monitoring and control architecture that uses a hub connected to a cloud WAMP router to manage multiple smart devices through speech input, automated flows, and microservices, allowing for seamless integration and operation of third-party devices without cloud connectivity, using WAMP routers and pub/sub messaging for secure and efficient communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional smart home devices use separate smartphone apps for control, then device functionality is maintained, but user operation complexity increases and system integration deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple device-specific control functions into a single unified smart home control system. The control server consolidates communication with multiple smart devices (lights, cameras, sensors, etc.) through a single interface, eliminating the need for users to manage multiple separate smartphone apps while maintaining full device functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The control server implements universal control capabilities that can manage various types of smart devices through a single platform. The system provides multi-functional control including monitoring, automation, and adjustment of different device types, allowing one app to perform the roles of multiple device-specific applications.
2Ease of operation
If smart devices connect to cloud for control, then remote access is enabled, but network connectivity reliability decreases and security vulnerabilities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a local control server as an intermediary between smart devices and external access points. This local server enables remote access functionality while maintaining device control through local networking, reducing dependency on cloud connectivity and improving system reliability during network outages.
3Adaptability or versatility
If cloud-based control is used for smart devices, then centralized management is achieved, but security risks increase due to external access vulnerabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The local control server acts as a security intermediary that provides centralized management capabilities while isolating smart devices from direct external cloud access. This architecture maintains the benefits of centralized control while reducing security vulnerabilities by limiting external attack surfaces.
4Measurement precision
If multiple smartphone apps are used for different smart devices, then device-specific control is optimized, but time required for device adjustments increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control server combines multiple device-specific control interfaces into a single unified application. Users can access and adjust settings for multiple smart devices through one interface, significantly reducing the time required to make device adjustments while maintaining precise control over each individual device.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for implementing an architecture for a smart building includes receiving, by a hub of the smart building, speech input from a smart speaker. The speech input describes asynchronous events associated with smart devices in the smart building. The hub is connected to a cloud Web Application Messaging Protocol (WAMP) router located in a cloud. The asynchronous events are converted to a trigger, a condition, or an action to be performed by at least one smart device. An automated flow is generated for controlling at least one adapter in the smart building from at least one of the trigger, the condition, or the action. The at least one adapter operates the at least one smart device. The at least one smart device corresponds to at least one node in the automated flow.