Auxiliary User Interface for Model Vehicle Transmit Controller
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Solution Overview
Problem
Model vehicle transmit controllers have limited user interface capabilities, making it difficult for users to set complex parameters and receive feedback, as they rely solely on mechanical hardware components, which are unwieldy and lack graphical displays, leading to increased costs and reduced battery life when adding graphical interfaces.
Innovation Solution
A transmit controller compatible with an auxiliary user interface device, utilizing a portable electronic device such as a smartphone or digital music player to provide a graphical interface, allowing users to modify parameters and receive feedback through a wireless or wired connection, without the need for additional hardware components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a graphical user interface is added to the transmit controller, then user interface capabilities are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a portable electronic device as an intermediary to provide graphical user interface capabilities. The portable device connects to the transmit controller via an auxiliary user interface connector, allowing the transmit controller to leverage the portable device's display, processor, and input capabilities without incorporating these components directly into the transmit controller itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmit controller transmits operational parameters to the auxiliary user interface device, creating a digital copy of the control interface. The portable electronic device then renders this copied interface using its own hardware resources, allowing the transmit controller to provide enhanced UI capabilities without duplicating the physical components.
2Ease of operation
If a graphical display and versatile user controls are added to the transmit controller, then user interface capabilities are improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary user interface connector is designed to work with various portable electronic devices (smartphones, tablets, digital music players). By making the connector universal and compatible with multiple device types, the patent avoids the need to manufacture different transmit controller variants for different UI requirements. The portable devices themselves provide the graphical display and versatile controls, eliminating the need to manufacture these expensive components into each transmit controller.
3Ease of operation
If additional components for graphical interface are added to the transmit controller, then user interface capabilities are improved, but battery life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power-intensive graphical interface components (display, processor, input controls) from the transmit controller and places them in the portable electronic device. The transmit controller only transmits minimal data (operational parameters) to the auxiliary interface, keeping its own power consumption low and preserving battery life, while the portable device handles the energy-intensive UI rendering.
Data Source
AI summary
In an embodiment, a transmit controller compatible with an auxiliary user interface device is provided. The transmit controller has a memory with operational parameters, a control user interface, an auxiliary user interface connector, and a transmit controller processor. The transmit controller processor is configured to transmit the operational parameters to the auxiliary user interface device and modify the operational parameters in accordance with a parameter instruction from the auxiliary user interface device. The transmit controller processor is further configured to receive a control instruction from the control user interface, determine an output signal based on the control instruction and the one or more operational parameters, and transmit the output signal to the model vehicle.