Wearable Illumination Control for Coordinated User Customization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of electronic devices and products often have limited capabilities to affect product development, manipulation, and performance, as many products are designed with restricted functionalities, which limits their appeal to a narrow consumer base.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a central processing unit (CPU), memory, and an onboard power source into a wide range of products, along with input and output devices, allowing users to manually or remotely adjust and coordinate the operation of these products through input devices, receivers, and communication systems, enabling customizable operations and coordinated control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If products are designed with limited features, then device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is easier, but user customization capability and product versatility are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser customization capabilityVSAvoidproduct feature complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the product into modular components: a control unit with processor and memory, separate output devices (illumination, audio, vibration), and communication interfaces. This segmentation allows users to customize individual components without redesigning the entire product, enabling versatility while maintaining manageable complexity through standardized interfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The product incorporates dynamically reconfigurable features through software control. The processor can change the operational characteristics of output devices in real-time based on user input, allowing the same hardware to serve multiple functions and adapt to different user preferences without physical modification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If products incorporate multiple controllable features, then user customization capability is enhanced, but ease of operation becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct functionalityVSAvoidcontrol complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces communication devices (smartphones, tablets, computers) as intermediaries between the user and the product controls. These intermediary devices provide user-friendly interfaces that simplify complex control operations, allowing users to manage multiple product features through intuitive software applications rather than direct hardware controls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit is designed with universal communication interfaces that can interact with various types of devices (smartphones, tablets, computers). This multi-functionality allows a single control system to manage diverse output devices through standardized protocols, reducing the learning curve and operational complexity for users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If products include communication and processing components, then coordinated operation of multiple devices is enabled, but manufacturing cost and device complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoordinated operation capabilityVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit incorporates universal communication interfaces (wireless and wired) that can communicate with multiple types of devices using standardized protocols. This multi-functionality allows the same hardware component to coordinate different output devices without requiring separate specialized components for each device type, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges the communication and processing functions into a single integrated control unit that can manage multiple output devices. By combining these functions rather than using separate dedicated components for each function, the system reduces the total number of parts, simplifies assembly, and lowers manufacturing costs while maintaining coordinated operation capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20130271009A1Systems and apparatuses including alterable characteristics and methods of altering and coordinating such characteristics

Publication Date: 2013.10.17 CAPCAB LLC

AI summary

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided that include alterable characteristics and such alterable characteristics may be coordinated. Such systems, apparatuses, and methods may include wearable apparatuses and such alterable characteristics may relate to illumination conditions. In one example, a wearable apparatus includes an illumination device that may be manually manipulated between two different illumination conditions. In another example, two wearable apparatuses may each include an illumination device and operation of the two illumination devices may be coordinated. In a further example, operation of an apparatus may be controlled by a third party or venue. Still another exemplary system may include a capturing device for capturing a characteristic of an object and controlling an output device of an apparatus to operate with the same characteristic as the captured characteristic.