Universal Smart Device Control via Visual Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of multiple smart devices from different manufacturers face inconvenience due to the need for multiple apps and lengthy navigation through menus to control these devices.
Innovation Solution
A method using a mobile computing device's camera to generate an image of a smart device, identify it, establish a link, and control it, employing techniques like barcodes, NFC, or RFID for quick and intuitive control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users install multiple apps to control smart devices from different manufacturers, then control capability is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of multiple manufacturer-specific control apps into a single universal control application. This single app can discover, identify, and control smart devices from different manufacturers by scanning their visual identifiers (barcodes, QR codes, or device images), eliminating the need for users to install and manage multiple separate apps while maintaining comprehensive control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The control application is designed with universal functionality to work with smart devices from various manufacturers. It uses a standardized approach (visual identifier scanning) to identify and connect to different device types, making the app multi-functional and adaptable to diverse smart devices without requiring manufacturer-specific applications.
2Ease of operation
If users navigate through menus to locate smart devices in an app, then device selection capability is improved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical navigation process (clicking through menus and scrolling through device lists) with an automated optical recognition system. The camera captures an image of the smart device or its identifier, and image processing algorithms automatically identify the device and establish connection, substituting the time-consuming manual navigation with rapid automated recognition.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-generating and displaying visual identifiers (barcodes, QR codes, or distinctive images) on or near smart devices before user interaction. This allows users to directly point the camera at the device they wish to control without needing to search through menus, as the device identity is already visually presented and ready for immediate recognition.
3Measurement precision
If users manually search for smart devices in lists, then device identification accuracy is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual device searching and identification with automated image recognition technology. The camera captures an image of the smart device or its visual identifier, and computer vision algorithms automatically analyze the image to identify the specific device, replacing the slow manual searching process with rapid automated recognition that maintains high identification accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses visual identifiers (barcodes, QR codes, or device images) as visual copies or representations of the smart device identity. Instead of requiring users to match device names or descriptions in text lists, the system captures a visual copy (image) of the device identifier and compares it against a database of known identifiers, enabling rapid and accurate device identification through visual pattern matching.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of controlling operation of cataloged smart devices includes generating an image of an item using a camera (14) of a mobile computing device (10), the item corresponding to a smart device, identifying the item in the image, establishing a link to the smart device in response to identifying the item in the image, and controlling the smart device using the mobile computing device (10) after establishing the link to the smart device.