Voice Assistant Gateway for Cross-Platform Smart Home Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing voice service platforms face challenges in enabling seamless connectivity and communication between diverse devices and services within a 'connected home' environment, as they are often configured to operate with different cloud-based platforms, leading to difficulties in true interoperability.
Innovation Solution
A setup agent program on smart devices scans local networks for cloud-based voice service platforms, detects their presence, and initiates the download or enabling of appropriate apps, synchronizes them, and coordinates authentication and status updates across devices, using cloud services to ensure compatibility and functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If devices are configured to operate with different cloud-based voice service platforms, then each device can function with its dedicated platform, but true connectivity and interoperability within a connected home environment cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway device as an intermediary between voice service enabled devices and various cloud-based platforms. The gateway runs multiple voice service platforms locally and manages communication between devices and services, enabling interoperability without requiring each device to support multiple platforms directly. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by providing universal connectivity while keeping individual devices simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device is designed with multi-functionality to support multiple cloud-based voice service platforms (Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, etc.) simultaneously. By consolidating multiple platform capabilities in a single universal device, the system enables diverse devices to connect to different services through one interface, achieving true connected home interoperability without increasing complexity at the device level.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a universal solution is implemented to enable connectivity across different platforms, then true connected home interoperability can be achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system architecture is segmented into distinct functional layers: voice service enabled devices (simple), gateway (complex), and cloud services. By concentrating the complexity of supporting multiple platforms in the gateway segment rather than distributing it across all devices, the patent achieves cross-platform connectivity while keeping the overall system manageable through clear separation of concerns.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway acts as a mediator that handles the complexity of multi-platform communication protocols and translations. Individual devices only need to communicate with the gateway using simple protocols, while the gateway manages the complex interactions with various cloud services, thereby achieving universal connectivity without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Reliability
If apps are manually installed and configured on each device for every service, then service functionality can be ensured, but setup time and user effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements automatic service discovery and app installation capabilities. When a voice service enabled device detects a service in the environment, the gateway automatically retrieves and installs the appropriate app on the device, and configures the service associations without user intervention. This self-service approach ensures reliable service functionality while eliminating manual setup time.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway pre-loads and manages a library of service apps and configurations in advance. When services are detected or devices are added to the network, the gateway has the necessary apps readily available for immediate automatic installation and configuration, eliminating the need for users to manually search, download, and configure each service connection.
4Productivity
If automatic app download and installation is implemented, then setup time is reduced, but network bandwidth and device resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway consolidates the app distribution function, serving as a local app store for all voice service enabled devices in the network. Apps are downloaded once to the gateway's storage and then distributed locally to devices as needed, eliminating repeated downloads from external sources. This merging of distribution functions reduces network bandwidth consumption while maintaining automatic installation efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway pre-loads service apps into its local storage in advance, so when devices need these apps, they are already available on the gateway for immediate local distribution. This preliminary action eliminates the need for devices to consume network bandwidth downloading apps from external sources, reducing network load while maintaining fast automatic installation.
Data Source
AI summary
Described are systems and methods for enabling voice interaction with appliances, services (e.g., media streaming services, gaming services, news feed services, social platform services, etc.), and the like by way of appropriate supplied apps (also referred to as “skills,”“actions,” or the like) which may be presented or downloaded to a smart device having associated therewith one or more cloud-based voice service platforms.