Smart Home P2P Onboarding for Immediate Device 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 a poor user experience due to the need for multiple phases of network joining and device registration.

Innovation Solution

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

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the traditional three-phase process (obtaining Wi-Fi credentials, joining Wi-Fi network, logging in to server) is used to add a smart home device, then the device can be properly integrated into the network infrastructure, but the time required for device addition is long and user experience is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice integration reliabilityVSAvoiddevice addition time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal obtains device information (including MAC address) of the to-be-added smart home device before the device joins the Wi-Fi network. This preliminary acquisition of identification information allows the terminal to prepare control capabilities in advance, eliminating the need to wait for the traditional three-phase process to complete.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces device information (MAC address) as an intermediary that enables direct identification and control establishment between the terminal and smart home device. This intermediary allows the terminal to bypass the traditional server-mediated registration process for initial control, reducing time while maintaining integration reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the terminal waits for the smart home device to join Wi-Fi network and register with server before enabling control, then proper network integration is ensured, but the control function cannot be implemented immediately

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork integration reliabilityVSAvoidcontrol function implementation speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal performs preliminary acquisition of device information before the smart home device completes network joining and server registration. This allows the terminal to establish control capabilities in parallel with the network integration process, rather than sequentially waiting for completion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a dynamic control mechanism where the terminal can establish control over the smart home device at different stages of the integration process. Control is not rigidly tied to completion of all three phases, but can be dynamically enabled as soon as device information is obtained, adapting to the actual integration progress.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4708778A2Device control method and terminal
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP4708778A2 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4708778A2 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4708778A2 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.