Virtual IoT Home Controls Through Digital Twins in VR
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a system that allows users to control real-world IoT devices from a virtual environment without interrupting their immersion, as current methods require users to leave the virtual world to perform mundane tasks, which can be cumbersome and disrupt the experience.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that enables users to interact with virtual representations of IoT devices within a virtual environment, allowing them to send control signals to corresponding real-world devices, and receive confirmation of operations performed, thereby allowing seamless control of IoT devices without leaving the virtual world.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users control real-world IoT devices from a virtual environment, then user immersion in the virtual world is maintained, but system complexity increases due to the need for bidirectional communication between virtual and physical systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an intermediary system comprising a server and communication modules that bridge the virtual environment and physical IoT devices. The server receives control inputs from the virtual environment, translates them into appropriate control signals, and transmits them to the corresponding physical devices. This intermediary layer maintains user immersion by handling all communication transparently while managing the complexity away from the user interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates virtual representations (digital twins) of physical IoT devices within the virtual environment. These virtual copies mirror the functionality and state of their physical counterparts, allowing users to interact with familiar interfaces while actually controlling real devices. The copying principle enables seamless control without requiring users to leave the virtual world or learn new interaction paradigms.
2Speed
If real-time control signals are transmitted from virtual to physical devices, then operational responsiveness is improved, but loss of time occurs during signal transmission and confirmation processing
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes communication channels and device mappings between the virtual environment and physical IoT devices before control operations begin. Virtual representations of devices are pre-configured with their corresponding physical device identifiers and communication protocols. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for real-time device discovery and configuration, significantly reducing latency during actual control operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where confirmation signals from physical devices are automatically transmitted back to the virtual environment and presented to users through the virtual interface. This closed-loop feedback system provides users with immediate confirmation that their control actions have been executed, reducing perceived latency and improving the responsiveness of the overall system without requiring users to manually verify device states.
3Adaptability or versatility
If comprehensive device control is enabled from the virtual environment, then user versatility in device management is improved, but difficulty of detecting and measuring device states increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates comprehensive virtual representations of physical IoT devices that include not only control interfaces but also state display elements. These virtual copies receive real-time state information from their physical counterparts and present it within the immersive virtual environment. Users can monitor device states through the familiar virtual interface without the complexity of directly interfacing with multiple physical device displays or diagnostic tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual environment serves as a universal control and monitoring interface for multiple different types of IoT devices. Rather than requiring separate interfaces for each device type, the system provides a unified virtual space where users can access and control various devices (lights, thermostats, audio systems, etc.) through consistent interaction patterns. This multi-functional approach simplifies device state monitoring by consolidating information from diverse sources into a single coherent virtual display.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for creation of a virtual home center is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of IoT or smart devices connected to a network and arranged throughout a physical space, such as a house, apartment building, or other physical structure or edifice. In some embodiments, the devices can serve as beacons and receive sensed information via internal sensors and/or from other nearby devices such as a smoke detector. The sensors can be used to generate and render a virtual home within a virtual environment (e.g., VR/AR). In one example, the system is configured to communicate information between the virtual environment and IoT devices in the user's real home. If the user would like to read and/or modify controls of any IoT devices, they can enter the virtual environment as a virtual avatar and locate the room with the desired smart device.