Adaptive Touch Frame with Actuator Calibration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Large digital signage screens with non-flat surfaces due to production or mounting issues, and thermal stress, cause inaccuracies in IR-based touch-sensitive devices by altering the direction of IR rays, leading to missed or false touch events.
Innovation Solution
A touch-sensitive input device with a frame-mounted light emitters and receivers, equipped with electric actuators for mechanical calibration, adjusts its position to compensate for surface distortions, ensuring accurate detection of touch events by aligning light paths parallel to the screen surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If IR-based touch sensors are used on large screens, then touch detection capability is provided, but non-flat surfaces caused by thermal stress and mounting issues alter the direction of IR rays, leading to missed or false touch events
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the frame dynamic by introducing electric actuators that can actively adjust the position of frame sections in response to detected surface distortions. The calibration processor continuously monitors light receiver signals and commands actuators to correct misalignments, transforming a static frame into an adaptive system that maintains measurement precision despite thermal and mounting variations
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a closed-loop feedback mechanism where the calibration processor monitors the output signals of light receivers to detect which sections are misaligned, then uses this information to control electric actuators that adjust the frame sections. This feedback loop continuously corrects ray direction accuracy, ensuring reliable touch event detection even when surface conditions change due to thermal stress or mounting issues
2Stability of the object's composition
If the frame structure is rigid to maintain stability, then structural integrity is ensured, but surface distortions from heat and mounting cannot be compensated, causing touch detection errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the rigid frame into a dynamic structure by integrating electric actuators at corners and along edges. These actuators enable the frame to adapt its shape and position in response to thermal expansion, mounting variations, or other environmental factors, maintaining both structural integrity and adaptability to surface distortions
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameters of the frame by using actuators to adjust the position of frame sections. This allows the frame to compensate for thermal expansion, mounting inaccuracies, and other environmental variations, maintaining proper alignment between light emitters and receivers despite changes in temperature or physical conditions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances the accuracy of touch event detection on large screens with mechanical distortions, preventing false inputs and ensuring reliable operation.
Implementation Method 1
The transmitters emit IR rays or light and the receivers receive the emitted rays or light, as long as no object obstructs the path of the rays
Implementation Method 2
a number, i.e. one or more, of electric actuators arranged at least at one corner of the frame and configured to controllably elevate or lower the respective corner of the frame
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention provides a touch-sensitive input device (100, 200, 300, 400) for a screen, the touch-sensitive input device (100, 200, 300, 400) comprising a frame (101, 201, 301, 401), a number, i.e. one or more, of light emitters (102, 103, 202, 203, 302, 303, 402, 404) arranged on one or two first edges of the frame (101, 201, 301, 401), a number, i.e. one or more, of light receivers (104, 105, 204, 205, 304, 305, 404, 405) arranged on one or two second edges of the frame (101, 201, 301, 401), wherein the one or two second edges are edges opposite to the respective one or two first edges, a number, i.e. one or more, of electric actuators (108, 109, 110, 111) arranged at least at one corner of the frame (101, 201, 301, 401) and configured to controllably elevate or lower the respective corner of the frame (101, 201, 301, 401), and a calibration processor (112) configured to control in a calibration mode the light emitters (102, 103, 202, 203, 302, 303, 402, 404) to emit light and to determine which of the light receivers (104, 105, 204, 205, 304, 305, 404, 405) receive the emitted light, and to control the electric actuators (108, 109, 110, 111) to elevate or lower the respective ones of the corners of the frame (101, 201, 301, 401) based on which of the light receivers (104, 105, 204, 205, 304, 305, 404, 405) receives the emitted light. Further, the present invention provides a screen and a respective method.