Touchless button system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a touchless button system. The present invention comprises: a plurality of buttons; an end-portion ToF sensor installed at the top end or bottom end of a line along which the plurality of buttons are arranged, so as to face the plurality of buttons; and a control unit that selects one button among the plurality of buttons by using distance information of an object sensed by the ToF sensor. The touchless button system according to the present invention is highly accurate in recognizing objects while having low manufacturing cost.

Description

Non-touch button system

[0001] The present invention relates to a non-touch button system, and more particularly, to a non-touch button system having a distance sensor.

[0002] High-rise buildings, such as apartment buildings and condominiums, are equipped with elevators to facilitate movement. Passengers riding the elevator typically reach their destination floor or open and close the elevator doors by pressing the touch buttons on the elevator displaying the floor number.

[0003] Conventional elevator touch buttons utilize a push-button or capacitive sensing mechanism that detects changes in capacitance. In both cases, finger contact is required. Recently, hygiene in public facilities has become a critical issue, and research is being conducted on methods to minimize hand contact, which often contains contaminants. Therefore, to reduce the spread of infectious diseases through elevator touch buttons installed in subway stations, airports, hospitals, and other locations, a contactless destination registration system that can be easily applied to existing elevators is being proposed.

[0004] One way to implement a contactless (or touchless) button system with high sensing accuracy is to use distance sensors. However, applying distance sensors to each elevator button increases the manufacturing cost of the button system, as each button must be replaced. This increase in manufacturing costs is particularly significant in high-rise buildings with a large number of elevator buttons.

[0005] Accordingly, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a non-touch button system equipped with a ToF sensor that has high sensing accuracy and low manufacturing cost.

[0006] The present invention for solving this purpose is characterized by including a non-touch button system, a plurality of buttons, an end distance sensor installed at an end of a line along which the plurality of buttons are arranged so as to face the plurality of buttons, and a control unit for selecting one button from among the plurality of buttons using distance information of an object sensed by the distance sensor.

[0007] Preferably, the distance sensor has a sensing direction parallel to the surface on which the plurality of buttons are installed. In addition, the distance sensor is installed in an externally protruding form on the button installation surface.

[0008] Preferably, the button arrangement line further includes a central distance sensor installed so as to face the opposite side of the end distance sensor.

[0009] Preferably, the control unit ignores the object's approach when the object approaches the button from the side. Additionally, the control unit validates the object's approach when the object approaches the button from the front.

[0010] Preferably, the short-range distance sensor is a multi-zone sensor having a plurality of sensing regions adjacent to each other in a laterally adjacent direction. The control unit validates the approach of the object only when the object sequentially passes through at least two of the plurality of sensing regions of the short-range ToF sensor.

[0011] Preferably, the distance sensor is a ToF sensor.

[0012] The non-touch button system having a distance sensor according to the present invention having the above-described configuration has the advantage of high object recognition accuracy and low manufacturing cost.

[0013] Figure 1 illustrates the configuration and operation of a non-touch button system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Fig. 2 is a detailed configuration diagram of the distance measuring unit illustrated in Fig. 1.

[0015] Figure 3 is a configuration diagram of the ToF (Time of Flight) sensor illustrated in Figure 2.

[0016] Figure 4 illustrates the configuration and operation of a non-touch button system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 5 explains the operation according to the direction of movement of an object in the non-touch button system shown in Figure 4.

[0018] Figure 6 illustrates the configuration and operation of a non-touch button system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 7 illustrates the configuration and operation of a non-touch button system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] To fully understand the present invention, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described in detail below. These embodiments are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those with average knowledge in the art. Therefore, the shapes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated to emphasize a clearer description. It should be noted that in each drawing, the same parts are sometimes depicted with the same reference numerals. Detailed descriptions of well-known functions and configurations that may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention are omitted.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a drawing explaining the configuration and operation of a non-touch button system (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1(a) is a front view and FIG. 1(b) is a side view. As illustrated, the non-touch button system (100) includes a plurality of buttons (102a, 102b) (two as an example) and a distance measuring unit (104). The distance measuring unit (104) includes a ToF sensor as a distance sensor and a control unit for button selection, as will be described in detail below.

[0022] The ToF sensor is installed at an end of a line in which a plurality of buttons (102a, 102b) are arranged so as to face all of the buttons (102a, 102b). Since the buttons (102a, 102b) are arranged vertically, the ToF sensor can be installed at an upper end or a lower end along the vertical arrangement line. In addition, the ToF sensor is installed so as to have a sensing area (106) in front of a surface (107) in which the plurality of buttons (102) are installed. In order to facilitate the implementation of this sensing area (106), the ToF sensor is installed in a form that protrudes outward from the button installation surface (107).

[0023] When an object (108) approaches to select a specific button of a non-touch button system (100), the ToF sensor of the distance measuring unit (104) senses the distance to the object (108) and transmits information about the sensed distance to the control unit. The control unit operates to select one button (102a) among a plurality of buttons (102a, 102b) based on the distance information to the object (108) transmitted from the ToF sensor.

[0024] Fig. 2 is a detailed configuration diagram of the distance measuring unit (104) illustrated in Fig. 1. As illustrated, the distance measuring unit (104) includes a power supply unit (202), a control unit (204), a ToF sensor (206), relays (208a, 208b), and a circuit board (210).

[0025] The power supply unit (202) receives power from the outside and converts it into power for driving the distance measuring unit (104). The ToF sensor (204) is a distance sensor that senses the distance to an object within a sensing area. The control unit (206) determines the selected button from the distance sensed by the ToF sensor (204), generates a control signal based on the determination result, and provides it to the selected relay. When a control signal is provided from the control unit (206), the relay (208a) causes the button (102a) to be selected, and the relay (208b) causes the button (102b) to be selected. The circuit board (210) provides an electrical connection between the components (202, 204, 206, 208a, 208b).

[0026] The non-touch button system (100) according to this embodiment is easy to install and has a low installation cost because only a distance measuring unit (104) needs to be installed in the existing button system.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of the ToF (Time of Flight) sensor illustrated in FIG. 2. As illustrated, the ToF sensor (204) includes a transmitter (302) and a receiver (304). For example, the transmitter may be configured with a VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser), and the receiver may be configured with a SPAD (Single Photon Avalanche Diode). The distance measuring unit (104) may be provided with a glass plate (306) or the like on the front surface of the ToF sensor (204) to prevent contamination or damage to the ToF sensor (204).

[0028] The transmitter (302) transmits infrared rays, and the receiver (304) receives reflected infrared rays. For example, the FOI (Field of illumination) of the transmitter (302) is approximately 40 degrees, and the FOV (Field of View) of the receiver (304) is 30 to 60 degrees in the Y-axis direction and 30 to 42 degrees in the X-axis direction. The ToF sensor (204) measures the time from the time infrared rays are transmitted from the transmitter (302) to the time when the signal is reflected from the object (108) and received by the receiver (304), thereby measuring the distance to the object (108).

[0029] FIG. 4 is a drawing explaining the configuration and operation of a non-touch button system (400) according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 4(a) is a front view and FIG. 4(b) is a left side view. As illustrated, the non-touch button system (400) comprises a plurality of buttons (402) and distance measuring units (404a, 404b). The distance measuring units (404a, 404b) comprise a ToF sensor as a distance sensor and a control unit for button selection.

[0030] A plurality of buttons are arranged along ten array lines (403) in the horizontal direction and along two array lines (405a, 405b) in the vertical direction. The ToF sensor can be installed at the right end or the left end along the horizontal array line (403) and at the upper end or the lower end along the vertical array line (405a, 405b) so as to face the buttons of the same array line. In the non-touch button system (400) illustrated in FIG. 4, since the number of vertical array lines (405a, 405b) is small, it is advantageous to install the distance measuring unit (404a, 404b) at the upper or lower end of the vertical array line because this can reduce the number of ToF sensors to be installed. The distance measuring unit (404a) is installed to face the buttons arranged along the same array line (405a), and the distance measuring unit (404b) is installed to face the buttons arranged along the same array line (405b).

[0031] A multi-zone ToF sensor having a plurality of sensing areas (406a, 406b, 406c, 406d) that are adjacent to each other laterally may be used as a distance sensor provided by the distance measuring unit (404a, 404b). The multi-zone ToF sensor can recognize not only the distance to an object but also the sensing area in which the object exists. The distance measuring unit (404a, 404b) is installed so that the ToF sensor has a plurality of sensing areas (406a, 406b, 406c, 406d) sequentially according to the distance in front of the surface (407) on which the plurality of buttons (402) are installed. In order to facilitate the implementation of such sensing areas (406a, 406b, 406c, 406d), the distance measuring unit (404a, 404b) is installed in a form that protrudes outward from the button installation surface (407).

[0032] When an object (408) approaches to select a specific button of a non-touch button system (400), the ToF sensor of the distance measuring unit (404a, 404b) senses the distance to the object (408) and transmits information about the sensed distance to the control unit. The control unit operates to select one button among a plurality of buttons (402) based on the distance information to the object (408) transmitted from the ToF sensor.

[0033] FIG. 5 describes the operation according to the movement direction of the object (502a, 502b) in the non-touch button system (400) illustrated in FIG. 4. Since the object (502a) normally approaches the button (402) from the front in order to select a specific button, the control unit of the distance measuring unit (404a, 404b) effectively processes the approach of the object (502a). For example, when a visually impaired person gropes with his / her hand to check Braille, if the object (502b) approaches the button (402) from the side of the button, the control unit ignores the approach of the object (502b). Therefore, the non-touch button system (400) allows a specific button to be selected only when the object (502b) touches the button, thereby preventing malfunction due to the groping motion of the visually impaired person. As illustrated in FIG. 5, when the distance measuring unit (404a) is equipped with a multi-zone ToF sensor, the control unit validly processes the approach of the object to select a specific button only when the object sequentially passes through at least two of the multiple sensing areas (406a, 406b, 406c, 406d) of the ToF sensor.

[0034] FIG. 6 is a drawing explaining the configuration and operation of a non-touch button system (600) according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 6(a) is a front view and FIG. 6(b) is a left side view. As illustrated, the non-touch button system (600) includes a plurality of buttons (602) and distance measuring units (604a, 604b, 604c, 604d). The distance measuring units (604a, 604b, 604c, 604d) include a ToF sensor as a distance sensor and a control unit for button selection.

[0035] As illustrated in FIG. 6(b), when the number of buttons (602) arranged in the array lines (605a, 605b) is greater than the sensing area of ​​the ToF sensor provided by the distance measuring unit, the distance measuring unit may be installed not only at the top but also at the bottom of the array lines (605a, 605b). The distance measuring unit (604a) installed at the top of the array line (605a) to face the lower button senses whether the button arranged in the upper half of the array line (605a) is selected. The distance measuring unit (604b) installed at the bottom of the array line (605a) to face the upper button senses whether the button arranged in the lower half of the array line (605a) is selected. The distance measuring unit (604c) installed at the top of the array line (605b) to face the lower button senses whether the button arranged in the upper half of the array line (605b) is selected. A distance measuring unit (604d) installed at the bottom of the array line (605b) to look at the upper button senses whether the button arranged in the lower half of the array line (605b) is selected.

[0036] In FIG. 6(b), the object (608a) is located only in the sensing area (606a), and thus is sensed by the distance measuring unit (604a), and the object (608b) is located only in the sensing area (606b), and thus is sensed by the distance measuring unit (604b). However, in the case where the object (608c) is located in multiple sensing areas (606a, 606b), multiple distance measuring units (604a, 604b) sense the approach of the object, and thus multiple buttons can be selected. In this case, only the distance measuring unit that sensed a closer distance is controlled to select a button, so that malfunction can be prevented. To implement this, the distance measuring units (604a, 604b, 604c, 604d) can be configured to share the sensed distance information with each other.

[0037] FIG. 7 is a drawing explaining the configuration and operation of a non-touch button system (700) according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 7(a) is a front view and FIG. 7(b) is a left side view. As illustrated, the non-touch button system (700) includes a plurality of buttons (702) and distance measuring units (704a, 704b, 704c, 704d). The distance measuring units (704a, 704b, 704c, 704d) include a ToF sensor as a distance sensor and a control unit for button selection.

[0038] As illustrated in FIG. 7(b), when the number of buttons (702) arranged in the array lines (705a, 705b) is greater than the sensing area of ​​the ToF sensor provided by the distance measuring unit, the distance measuring unit may be installed not only at the top (or bottom) of the array lines (705a, 705b) but also at the center. The distance measuring unit (704a) installed at the top of the array line (705a) to face the lower button senses whether the button arranged in the upper half of the array line (705a) is selected. The distance measuring unit (704b) installed at the center of the array line (705a) to face the lower button (i.e., to face the opposite direction of the distance measuring unit (704a)) senses whether the button arranged in the lower half of the array line (705a) is selected. A distance measuring unit (704c) installed at the top of the array line (705b) to face the lower button senses whether a button arranged in the upper half of the array line (705b) is selected. A distance measuring unit (704d) installed at the center of the array line (705b) to face the lower button (i.e., to face the opposite direction of the distance measuring unit (704c)) senses whether a button arranged in the lower half of the array line (705b) is selected.

[0039] In FIG. 7(b), the object (708a) is located only in the sensing area (706a), and thus is sensed by the distance measuring unit (704a), and the object (708b) is located only in the sensing area (706b), and thus is sensed by the distance measuring unit (704b). However, in the case where the object (708c) is located in multiple sensing areas (706a, 706b), multiple distance measuring units (704a, 704b) sense the approach of the object (708c), and thus multiple buttons can be selected. In this case, since only the distance measuring unit that sensed a closer distance is controlled to select a button, malfunction can be prevented. To implement this, the distance measuring units (704a, 704b, 704c, 704d) can be configured to share the sensed distance information with each other.

[0040] Although not shown in the figure, a separate sensor with a long recognition distance can be installed to detect the presence of an object, and the overall power consumption can be reduced by controlling the ToF sensor for location recognition installed on the button to be in a low-power state when the presence of an object is not detected.

[0041] The embodiments of the present invention described above are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible. Therefore, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the forms mentioned in the detailed description above. Accordingly, the true technical protection scope of the present invention should be defined by the technical spirit of the appended claims. Furthermore, the present invention should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. In the non-touch button system, Multiple buttons, An end distance sensor installed at the end of a line in which the plurality of buttons are arranged so as to look at the plurality of buttons, A control unit that selects one button from among the plurality of buttons using the distance information of the object sensed by the distance sensor. A non-touch button system characterized by including:

2. In paragraph 1, A non-touch button system, characterized in that the sensing direction of the distance sensor is parallel to the surface on which the plurality of buttons are installed.

3. In paragraph 2, A non-touch button system characterized in that the distance sensor is installed in an external protrusion form on the button installation surface.

4. In paragraph 1, A non-touch button system further comprising a central distance sensor installed in the middle of the button array line so as to face the opposite side of the end distance sensor.

5. In paragraph 1, A non-touch button system characterized in that the above-mentioned short-distance sensor is a multi-zone sensor having a plurality of sensing areas adjacent in a laterally direction.

6. In paragraph 5, A non-touch button system, characterized in that the control unit validly processes the approach of the object only when the object sequentially passes through at least two of the plurality of sensing areas of the short-range sensor.

7. In paragraph 1, A non-touch button system characterized in that the above distance sensor is a ToF sensor.

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