Angular Coordinate Input for Spatial Audio-Visual Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for controlling lighting and sound distributions in physical spaces require complex and expensive setups, making them unsuitable for non-professional use.
Innovation Solution
A control system with a touch screen input device that allows users to specify output device locations using angular coordinates and a sensor arrangement, enabling intuitive and simple setup of spatial distributions of perceptible outputs without the need for complex systems or automatic device location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a camera or graphical user interface is used to capture light system positions, then the system can automatically locate output devices, but the system becomes relatively expensive and complicated, suitable only for professional lighting shows
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the automatic location functionality from complex systems (camera/GUI) and implements it through a simple sensor arrangement that detects angular coordinates of a manipulated component. This allows the control system to automatically determine output device positions without requiring expensive cameras or complex graphical interfaces, thus reducing system complexity while maintaining automation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a simplified copy of the location detection function - instead of using a full camera system to capture and analyze images, it employs a sensor arrangement that detects angular coordinates, creating a simplified copy that achieves the same automatic location purpose with much lower complexity and cost.
2Extent of automation
If a camera or graphical user interface is used to capture light system positions, then the system can automatically locate output devices, but the system becomes relatively expensive and complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the automatic location functionality from complex systems (camera/GUI) and implements it through a simple sensor arrangement that detects angular coordinates of a manipulated component. This allows the control system to automatically determine output device positions without requiring expensive cameras or complex graphical interfaces, thus reducing system complexity while maintaining automation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, complex camera systems with a much cheaper sensor arrangement that uses basic components to detect angular coordinates. This cost-effective approach makes the automatic location capability accessible to non-professional users while maintaining the essential functionality of automatically determining output device positions.
3Ease of operation
If a simple input device is used for user input, then the system becomes easier to operate, but it may not provide sufficient precision for accurate spatial distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a circular manipulated component whose angular coordinates are detected by the sensor arrangement. The circular geometry naturally provides a complete 360-degree field of view for location specification, while the angular coordinate system offers intuitive and precise control. Users can easily indicate locations by rotating or positioning the circular component, achieving both simplicity and precision through this geometric choice.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the input mechanism from traditional Cartesian coordinate systems to angular coordinate systems. By detecting angular coordinates (θ, φ) of the manipulated component, the system achieves precise spatial specification through a different dimensional approach that is both intuitive for users and accurate for positioning output devices in three-dimensional space.
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
Enables users to create personalized environments with complex lighting and sound effects in a user-centric manner, suitable for both personal and professional use, by allowing intuitive specification of output device positions and settings independent of the physical environment.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor arrangement arranged to provide output for detecting an angular co-ordinate of the first point about at least one axis through a second point of the input device
Data Source
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
An apparatus for providing settings of a control system (9) for implementing a spatial distribution of perceptible output in a physical space (1-4; 17), which control system (9) is configured to control at least one output device (6-8,45-48) positioned in that physical space (1-4;17) and to maintain in memory (15) data (56-60) representative of locations associated with the respective output devices (6-8,45-48) in the physical space (1-4; 17) relative to a reference point (26), includes an input device (27,28) for obtaining user input pertaining to at least one location associated with one of the output devices (6-8,45-48). The settings are based on data representative of the user input. The input device (27,28) includes at least one component (27) for manipulation by a user to position at least a first point (31) on the component (27) and a sensor arrangement (28) arranged to provide output for detecting an angular co-ordinate of the first point (31) about at least one axis through a second point (30) of the input device (27,28).