Flexible Conduit Bend Sensing for Automatic End Position Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for reconfiguring display setups with flexible conduits, such as HDMI cables, are manual and tedious, lacking automation for seamless display configuration when devices are moved.

Innovation Solution

A flexible conduit equipped with bend sensors that output bend data, allowing a processing component to determine the relative position of its ends, enabling automated display configuration based on the conduit's bends.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual reconfiguration of display setups is used, then device portability is maintained, but reconfiguration efficiency and user experience deteriorate due to tedious manual processes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereconfiguration efficiencyVSAvoidmanual operation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automatic self-service reconfiguration by having the computing device autonomously determine display configurations based on bend sensor data from the conduit, eliminating the need for manual user intervention in the reconfiguration process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical reconfiguration operations with an automated sensing and processing system that uses bend sensors and algorithms to automatically determine display settings based on conduit positioning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Extent of automation

If bend sensors are added to the conduit, then automated position determination is enabled, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomated position determinationVSAvoidconduit structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The conduit is divided into multiple sections with bend sensors positioned at specific intervals along its length, allowing the system to determine relative positioning through segmented measurements rather than requiring a single complex sensing system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bend sensors serve multiple functions: detecting conduit bends, determining relative end positions, and enabling automated display configuration, allowing a single added component to provide multiple system capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20250385025A1Flexible conduit with end-to-end position determination

Publication Date: 2025.12.18 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

Method and apparatus for conduit position determination are provided. A flexible conduit comprising a first end and a second end, a set of bend sensors affixed to the flexible conduit and configured to output bend data indicating bends in the flexible conduit, and a processing component configured to determine a relative position of the first end of the flexible conduit relative to the second end of the flexible conduit based on the bend data is provided.