Smart Home Control Interface With Deeplinks for Third-Party Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smart device control systems are inefficient when managing multiple third-party devices, as they often require users to launch separate applications and navigate through multiple interfaces to access and control all features, leading to increased computational resources usage and user input requirements.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an interactive graphical interface within a home control application that includes a selectable element to execute a deeplink, allowing direct access to third-party applications for enhanced control of smart devices, with the deeplink generated dynamically by the third-party provider to ensure compatibility and relevance, thereby reducing the need for multiple app launches and user inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users control multiple third-party smart devices through separate applications, then each device can be controlled with full functionality, but computational resources (memory and processor) are significantly consumed and user input requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple third-party smart device control applications into a single unified application interface. This unified application provides control over smart devices from multiple different third-party manufacturers through integrated graphical user interfaces, eliminating the need to launch and switch between multiple separate applications. The consolidation reduces computational overhead while maintaining comprehensive device control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified application serves multiple functions by controlling smart devices from various third-party manufacturers through a single interface. It provides universal control capabilities including viewing device status, adjusting settings, receiving notifications, and launching specific device controls, all within one application that adapts to different device types and manufacturers.
2Adaptability or versatility
If users control multiple smart devices from separate applications, then full control features are available for each device, but the quantity of user interface inputs required increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple device control interfaces into a single unified graphical user interface that displays and controls multiple smart devices simultaneously. Users can access and control features of different smart devices through integrated controls within one application, reducing the number of times users must launch applications and navigate through separate interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified application pre-organizes device controls and status information in a consolidated view, allowing users to access frequently used controls and device information without navigating through multiple application screens. The interface is designed to present relevant controls and status updates proactively, reducing user input requirements.
3Productivity
If a home control application provides comprehensive control of multiple smart devices, then control efficiency improves, but control capability is restricted compared to dedicated third-party applications
Solution Approach 1:
The unified application implements a segmented control architecture where different types of controls are organized into distinct functional sections or tabs within the interface. This allows comprehensive control capabilities to be distributed across organized segments, maintaining full functionality while presenting information in an efficient, manageable layout that improves control efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a hierarchical dimension to the control interface, organizing device controls across multiple levels including device status overview, detailed device settings, and specific control functions. This multi-dimensional organization allows comprehensive control capability to be accessed efficiently through structured navigation rather than flat, unorganized interfaces.
4Ease of operation
If unlinked smart devices are controlled through separate means, then device control is possible, but computational efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The unified application implements automatic device discovery and linking functionality that proactively identifies unlinked smart devices and facilitates their integration into the unified control system. This preliminary action eliminates the need for users to manually configure each device connection, reducing computational overhead while maintaining ease of device control.
Data Source
AI summary
Efficient control and/or linking of smart network connected devices. Some implementations are directed to rendering, within an active application that enables control of multiple smart devices from multiple parties, both: (1) an interactive graphical interface element that, when interacted with, causes corresponding control of smart device(s) of a third-party (3P); and (2) a selectable element that, when selected, causes execution of a deeplink to cause a 3P application to open in a state that presents additional information for the smart device(s). Some implementations are additionally or alternatively directed to, in response to determining that a application is installed at a client device, but a smart device topology lacks any entries for 3P smart devices of the 3P, efficiently adding one or more particular smart devices of the 3P to the smart device topology.