Cradle Attachment Detection for Reliable Industrial Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial communication systems using tablet computers face reliability issues due to architectural structures and the risk of careless manipulations leading to malfunctions, especially when operators have oily or gloved hands, and existing cradle solutions do not adequately address these concerns.
Innovation Solution
A cradle with a connector for secure attachment to a terminal device, featuring an attachment detection unit, release detection unit, operation control unit, and manipulation instruction unit to prohibit unintended manipulations and ensure reliable communication, while also providing a ergonomic grip for easy handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If wireless communication is used to improve operability with tablet computers, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability of communication deteriorates due to architectural structures and interference from various devices
Solution Approach 1:
A cradle serves as an intermediary device between the tablet computer and the automated system. The cradle includes a connector that establishes a wired connection to the automated system, while the tablet computer communicates with the cradle via wireless or wired connection. This intermediary structure allows the tablet to function as a user interface while the cradle handles reliable data transmission to the automated system, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and communication reliability.
2Ease of operation
If touch panel manipulation is used on tablet computer, then ease of operation is improved, but risk of careless manipulation and malfunction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cradle includes an attachment detection unit that detects when the tablet computer is properly attached. The operation control unit uses this detection to control whether manipulation input from the touch panel is accepted or transmitted to the automated system. By preliminarily checking attachment status before accepting manipulation input, the system prevents careless manipulation when the tablet is not properly mounted, thus improving manipulation accuracy while maintaining ease of operation.
3Reliability
If dedicated hardware manipulation system is used to prevent careless manipulation, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to requirement of clean hands
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the need for physical contact with dedicated hardware buttons by using touch panel manipulation on the tablet computer. The attachment detection unit and operation control unit work together to ensure that touch panel input is only processed when the tablet is properly attached to the cradle. This substitution allows operators to use the system with oily or gloved hands while maintaining manipulation reliability through the attachment detection mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A cradle includes a connector being connectable to a connector of a manipulation device, a terminal holding part holding the manipulation device, an attachment detection unit detecting that the manipulation device is attached to the terminal holding part, a release detection unit detecting a release instruction to release manipulation acceptance prohibition of the manipulation device. The cradle further includes an operation control unit making, when the attachment detection unit detects the attachment of the manipulation device, the manipulation device prohibit manipulation acceptance in response to establishment of connection between the connectors, and when the release detection unit detects the release instruction, making the manipulation device release the prohibition of the manipulation acceptance such that the operation control unit accepts manipulation information for controlling an automated system from the manipulation device, and a manipulation instruction unit notifying the automated system of the manipulation information accepted by the operation control unit.