Smart Home Device P2P Connection for Immediate Terminal Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing process of adding a new smart home device to a Wi-Fi network and server registration is time-consuming, leading to poor user experience.

Innovation Solution

Establishing a peer-to-peer (P2P) connection between a terminal and a newly added smart home device to facilitate control instructions without waiting for network access and server registration, using device information such as a MAC address and proprietary Wi-Fi protocols.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If a new smart home device is added through the traditional Wi-Fi network access and server registration process, then the device can be controlled by the terminal, but the time required for device addition is long

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice addition timeVSAvoiduser experience
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the device addition process into two independent paths: (1) traditional Wi-Fi network access and server registration, and (2) direct P2P connection establishment. By separating these processes, the system allows control functionality to be established through the faster P2P path while the traditional registration process continues in parallel, thereby reducing the perceived device addition time for users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal establishes a P2P connection with the new smart home device before the device completes Wi-Fi network access and server registration. This preliminary action allows the terminal to begin controlling the device immediately through the P2P connection, rather than waiting for the traditional multi-phase registration process to complete, thus significantly reducing device addition time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the terminal waits for the smart home device to complete network access and server registration before establishing control, then the device registration is complete, but the control functionality is delayed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice registration completenessVSAvoidcontrol response speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a P2P connection as an intermediary communication channel between the terminal and the new smart home device. This P2P connection serves as a temporary mediator that enables control functionality before the device completes formal registration through the Wi-Fi network and server, thus providing immediate control response while maintaining eventual registration completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal performs preliminary control setup by establishing a P2P connection with the new smart home device before the device completes Wi-Fi network access and server registration. This preliminary action enables the terminal to send control instructions immediately, achieving fast control response speed while the device registration process continues in the background to ensure completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the terminal uses the traditional three-phase device addition process, then the device can be properly registered in the server, but the user experience is poor due to long time consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice registrationVSAvoiddevice addition time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the device addition process into parallel independent paths: one path handles formal server registration through Wi-Fi network access, while another path enables immediate control through direct P2P connection establishment. This segmentation allows both device registration completeness and reduced addition time to be achieved simultaneously, as both processes occur in parallel rather than sequentially.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The P2P connection acts as an intermediary mechanism that bridges the gap between immediate user control needs and the time-consuming formal registration process. By introducing this intermediary channel, the system maintains reliable device registration through the traditional server process while providing fast control response through the P2P connection, thus resolving the contradiction between registration reliability and time efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3979571B1Method for controlling device and terminal
Publication Date: 2025.10.22 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP3979571B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3979571B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3979571B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

This application provides a device control method and a terminal, and relates to the field of terminal technologies, so that a newly added smart home device can be quickly added to the terminal, to quickly implement a control function of the terminal on the smart home device, and improve user experience. The method includes: The terminal receives an input operation of adding a new device to a target account by a user. The terminal obtains device information of a to-be-added first device in response to the input operation, where the device information includes a MAC address of the first device. The terminal establishes a P2P connection to the first device based on the device information. After the terminal successfully establishes the P2P connection to the first device, the terminal displays the first device as an online device of the target account. The terminal receives a control operation entered by the user on the first device. The terminal sends a control instruction to the first device through the P2P connection in response to the control operation.