Wireless Appliance Hub With Repeater for Remote Home Network Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current household appliances require physical connections to network gateways, limiting connectivity and convenience, especially when appliances are distant from the router, necessitating a wireless management solution for networked devices.
Innovation Solution
A hub that connects to a wireless access point, acts as a wireless repeater to extend the network, and provides a user interface for interacting with and managing multiple household appliances, enabling wireless communication and status monitoring, as well as error diagnosis and remote operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a physical connection to a network gateway device is used, then network connectivity is established, but the appliance must be located near the router which limits flexibility and convenience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical connection system (Ethernet cables and physical ports) with a wireless communication system. The hub uses wireless communication interfaces to connect appliances to the network gateway, eliminating the need for physical cable connections and allowing appliances to be placed anywhere within wireless range of the network.
2Reliability
If an Ethernet cable connection is used, then stable network connectivity is achieved, but the appliance must be distantly located to the router thereby constraining such a connection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hub as an intermediary device between the network gateway and the appliances. The hub wirelessly connects to the network gateway and provides wireless connectivity to multiple appliances, effectively extending the network reach while maintaining stable connections through the hub's routing and management capabilities.
3Ease of operation
If multiple appliances are connected to a network gateway, then network management becomes complex, but a hub simplifies the connection and management process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple appliance connections and network management functions into a single hub device. The hub consolidates the connectivity pathways between the network gateway and multiple appliances, providing a centralized management point that simplifies configuration and reduces the complexity of managing individual connections for each appliance.
Data Source
AI summary
A hub for managing networked household appliances is provided. The hub may include a network communication interface for wirelessly connecting to a wireless access point of a wireless local area network (WLAN), and a wireless repeater for receiving and rebroadcasting signals from the wireless access point. The hub may include an appliance communication interface for wirelessly connecting the hub to a plurality of household appliances and establish a wireless local appliance network over which the hub and the plurality of household appliances are configured to communicate with one another. The hub may also include a control module coupled to the appliance communication interface and configured to provide a user interface to enable a user to interact with the plurality of household appliances from the hub over the wireless local appliance network, and view status information associated with the household appliance.