URL-Based Browser Control for Interactive Hardware Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Students and individuals face challenges in linking digital media with physical projects due to the requirement for dedicated software or coding skills, making it difficult to create interactive presentations that enhance viewer interest.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a microcontroller and a computing device with a browser to associate digital media with physical devices through URL-based navigation, allowing control of hardware devices like LEDs and motors based on URL data, and navigation to specific URLs based on hardware device data using a lookup table.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If dedicated software or coding is used to link digital media with physical devices, then the interactivity and viewer interest are improved, but the complexity and difficulty of operation increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a microcontroller as an intermediary device that bridges physical devices and digital media through a simplified URL-based interface. Instead of requiring complex coding, the microcontroller monitors URL changes in a web browser and automatically triggers corresponding physical device actions based on pre-configured URL patterns, thereby reducing operational complexity while maintaining interactivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/coding-based control system with a web-based URL navigation system. By substituting traditional software programming with simple URL monitoring and pattern matching, the system achieves the same functional outcomes (controlling physical devices) with significantly reduced complexity and improved ease of use
2Ease of operation
If dedicated software is used to control hardware devices, then the control functionality is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to coding requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The microcontroller serves as an intermediary that translates simple URL navigation actions into hardware control commands. Users only need to navigate to predefined URLs in their browser, and the microcontroller handles the complex task of interpreting these URLs and activating the appropriate physical devices, thereby eliminating coding requirements while maintaining control functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service operation where the microcontroller automatically monitors URL changes and triggers device actions without requiring user programming. The pre-configured URL patterns and device mappings allow the system to serve itself, executing control logic autonomously based on browser navigation alone
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for associating digital media with physical device. A method for controlling a hardware state input based on uniform resource locator (URL) data can include identifying URL data associated with a web browser, comparing the identified URL data to stored URL data, identifying stored hardware device data based on the comparison, generating a control signal based on the determined hardware device data, and/or transmitting the control signal to a microcontroller communicatively coupled to a hardware device. The microcontroller can adjust a hardware state of the hardware device based on the received control signal. A method for navigating to a URL location based on hardware device data can include receiving hardware device data from a microcontroller communicatively coupled to a hardware device, comparing the received hardware device data with stored hardware device data, identifying URL data based on the comparison, and causing a browser to navigate to a URL location based on the URL data.