Universal Remote Housing with Motorized Button Press
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current remote controls are proprietary in size, shape, and coding, making it difficult to create a universal remote that can operate various devices with ease and minimal expense, as they often require specialized hardware and encrypted signals.
Innovation Solution
A system using a mechanical push button on a device with a movable part that can be controlled via a smartphone or hand-held wireless device, sending encoded wireless transmissions to decode and physically press buttons on remote controls, allowing for a universal remote control interface that can operate multiple devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a universal remote control is designed to operate multiple devices, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases due to need for multiple transmission types and encoding schemes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary device (smartphone or hand-held wireless device) that communicates with the existing remote control through a housing containing a motorized movable device. This intermediary approach allows the remote control to maintain its original simple design while gaining universal functionality through the external device that can send coded inputs to trigger button presses
Solution Approach 2:
The existing remote control device is made universal by combining it with a housing that can receive various coded inputs from different sources (wireless transmissions, vibrations, taps). This allows a single remote control design to operate multiple different devices without requiring the remote itself to have multiple transmission types built in
2Reliability
If proprietary remote controls are used for each device, then transmission reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to need for multiple specialized remotes
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows a single housing with remote control to serve multiple devices by receiving different coded inputs for different target devices. The user operates all devices through one universal interface rather than switching between multiple proprietary remotes, maintaining reliability of each device's original protocol while simplifying user operation
3Adaptability or versatility
If third party remote control solutions are implemented, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing precision and reliability worsen due to encryption and distortion requirements
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating new encrypted transmission protocols, the system copies the existing button press function of proprietary remotes. The housing with motorized movable device physically replicates the button press action, allowing the original remote control to transmit its authenticated signals without modification, thus maintaining manufacturing precision and reliability while achieving adaptability
Data Source
AI summary
A mechanical or lockable device is operated based on the use of wireless transmission (electrical data connection or mechanical tapping) to a key housing. The key housing converts the transmission (a first transmission) into a code and checks if the code is correct. If so, a mechanical press of a button on a key fixedly held in place in the housing is made. The key is a further wireless transmitter which transmits, via a second transmission, a code to move a mechanical object, such as a latch in a car door lock or a garage door. In this manner, two wireless transmissions are made to two different receivers, causing two different mechanical movements, in sequence.