Contactless Button Optical Layout for Uniform Sensing Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contactless buttons often suffer from inconsistent light projection intensity leading to sensing errors due to varying light-blocking patterns, which affects their sensing accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A contactless button design featuring a substrate, frame body, first and second light-emitting units, optical imaging assembly, and optical switch assembly, with a pattern plate and retaining wall to ensure consistent light transmission and prevent finger obstruction, enhancing sensing accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If different patterns of suspended optical images are displayed to indicate different button states, then the user can confirm button operation visually, but the actual intensity of light projected by different buttons becomes inconsistent leading to sensing errors
Solution Approach 1:
The optical imaging assembly is segmented into multiple independent light-emitting units, each responsible for specific parts of the suspended optical image pattern. This allows different regions to emit different patterns while maintaining consistent total light intensity through independent control of each segment's emission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adjusts the emission parameters (intensity, duration, wavelength) of individual light-emitting units to compensate for the light blocking caused by pattern display. By dynamically changing these parameters, the system maintains consistent projected light intensity regardless of the displayed pattern, thereby preventing sensing errors.
2Ease of operation
If a pattern plate is used to generate suspended optical images, then visual feedback is provided to users, but the light transmission intensity varies across different buttons causing sensing inconsistencies
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a feedback mechanism where the control unit monitors the light transmission intensity through the pattern plate and adjusts the emission parameters of light-emitting units accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures that despite the presence of pattern blocking, the overall light intensity reaching the sensor remains consistent across all buttons.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the pattern plate are designed with locally optimized light transmission properties. The pattern plate incorporates transparent regions for light transmission and opaque regions for pattern formation, with the transparent regions specifically engineered to compensate for the light blocking effect of the pattern areas, ensuring uniform overall light transmission.
3Volume of moving object
If the optical path is positioned close to the button opening for compact design, then the device size is reduced, but the optical path becomes susceptible to finger blockage during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the optical path in a dimensionally optimized configuration where the light-emitting units and sensors are arranged at specific angles and depths relative to the button opening. This three-dimensional arrangement allows the optical path to remain compact while extending the light path length, reducing the probability of complete finger blockage during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The pattern plate serves as an intermediary element between the light-emitting units and the external environment. It not only creates the visual feedback pattern but also strategically positions transparent regions to maintain light transmission pathways that are less susceptible to finger blockage, thereby protecting the compact optical path from harmful interference.
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
The design achieves consistent light transmission and improved sensing success rate by preventing finger blockage and ensuring uniform light projection, thereby maintaining high sensing accuracy across different buttons.
Implementation Method 1
a first light-emitting unit (21), wherein the optical imaging assembly (4) covers the first light-emitting unit (21) and is adapted to convert a first light beam (L1) provided by the first light-emitting unit (21) into a suspended optical image (P) projected from the opening (31)
Implementation Method 2
the optical imaging assembly (4) covers the first light-emitting unit (21) and is adapted to convert a first light beam (L1) provided by the first light-emitting unit (21) into a suspended optical image (P) projected from the opening (31)
Implementation Method 3
a second light-emitting unit (52) and an optical triggering switch (51), wherein the optical triggering switch (51) is adapted to generate a control signal when sensing a second light beam (L2) generated by the second light-emitting unit (52)
Implementation Method 4
the optical triggering switch (51) is adapted to generate a control signal when sensing a second light beam (L2) generated by the second light-emitting unit (52)
Data Source
AI summary
A contactless button includes a substrate, a frame body, a first light-emitting unit, an optical imaging assembly, and an optical switch assembly. The frame body is mounted on the substrate. The optical imaging assembly is arranged in the frame body and covers the first light-emitting unit in the frame body. The optical imaging assembly converts a first light beam provided by the first light-emitting unit into a suspended optical image projected from the opening. The optical switch assembly includes a second light-emitting unit and an optical triggering switch. The second light-emitting unit is located in the frame body and faces the opening, and the optical triggering switch is located next to the opening and faces the opening. The optical imaging assembly includes a pattern plate including a pattern part and a light-transmitting part, and the second light-emitting unit emits the second light beam towards the light-transmitting part.