Virtual Assistant Device Identification for Home Automation Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Managing and controlling a large number of remotely connected home electronic devices becomes complex due to the need to remember unique identifiers and navigate through multiple software applications from different manufacturers, leading to increased difficulty and time consumption.
Innovation Solution
A virtual assistant system that allows users to control electronic devices using natural language processing, where speech inputs are converted into textual representations, identifying the devices and commands, and transmitting them for execution, enabling seamless control and state management across various devices without requiring specific identifiers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users control each device through separate software applications with unique identifiers, then each device can be precisely controlled, but the complexity of managing multiple devices increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a camera as an intermediary tool between the user and the electronic devices. The camera captures images of devices, and image recognition technology automatically identifies the target device, replacing the traditional method of manually selecting from identifier lists. This intermediary system bridges the gap between simple user interaction and complex device identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical interaction of manually navigating through software menus and typing identifiers with an optical system. Users simply point the camera at the device, and the system automatically processes the visual information to identify and control the target device, substituting manual mechanical operations with automated optical recognition.
2Measurement precision
If users manually select devices from identifier lists in graphical interfaces, then precise device selection is achieved, but the time required to locate and control devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary device identification through image capture and recognition before the user needs to control the device. By pre-processing the identification task through automated image analysis, the system eliminates the time-consuming manual search process while ensuring accurate device selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses visual copying of the device's physical appearance through camera imaging to identify and select the device. Instead of requiring users to match abstract identifiers with physical devices, the system creates a visual copy (image) of the device and uses this copy for automatic identification, making the selection process both faster and more intuitive.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple manufacturer-specific applications are used to control different device types, then device-specific functionality is maintained, but user convenience deteriorates due to needing to locate and switch between applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal camera-based control interface that can identify and initiate control for multiple types of electronic devices from different manufacturers. The single camera interface serves multiple functions: capturing device images, recognizing device types, and routing to appropriate control applications, eliminating the need for users to manually locate different applications for different devices.
Data Source
AI summary
This relates to systems and processes for using a virtual assistant to control electronic devices. In one example process, a user can speak an input in natural language form to a user device to control one or more electronic devices. The user device can transmit the user speech to a server to be converted into a textual representation. The server can identify the one or more electronic devices and appropriate commands to be performed by the one or more electronic devices based on the textual representation. The identified one or more devices and commands to be performed can be transmitted back to the user device, which can forward the commands to the appropriate one or more electronic devices for execution. In response to receiving the commands, the one or more electronic devices can perform the commands and transmit their current states to the user device.