Gestural Dimmer Switch Trigger Position Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gestural control dimmer switches face issues such as 'introduction jumping' and 'over compression' or 'over expansion' due to improper handling of hand gestures and illumination level adjustments, where the system either reacts immediately to hand position or compresses the dimming range, leading to undesirable brightness changes.
Innovation Solution
A touchless dimmer switch design that maintains static illumination until the hand reaches a dimming trigger position, dynamically adjusting based on hand movement between this position and a dimming exit position, with visual feedback to indicate active control and prevent unwanted adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the system immediately responds to the initial hand position, then the user can quickly adjust the light to the desired level, but the light brightness changes abruptly causing 'introduction jumping'
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of hand position without immediately adjusting the light. The hand detection field identifies the user's hand position in advance, and only when the hand reaches the dimming trigger position does the system begin adjusting the illumination level. This preliminary detection phase allows the system to prepare for the dimming action without executing it prematurely, thus avoiding abrupt brightness changes.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the system takes the initial hand position as a new baseline to avoid 'introduction jumping,' then the brightness changes become smoother, but the dimming range becomes compressed causing 'over compression' or 'over expansion'
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different operational characteristics to different regions of the hand detection field. The region from the bottom of the panel to the dimming trigger position is designated as a non-adjustment zone where hand position is detected but does not control illumination. The region above the dimming trigger position is the active dimming zone where hand position directly controls illumination level. This local differentiation allows the system to avoid introduction jumping in the non-adjustment zone while maintaining proper dimming range control in the active zone.
3Measurement precision
If the hand detection field is arranged vertically to detect hand position, then the system can detect upward and downward hand motions, but it cannot distinguish between desired dimming gestures and unintentional hand movements
Solution Approach 1:
The system preemptively prevents unwanted dimming actions by establishing a minimum hand position threshold (the dimming trigger position). Even if the system detects hand position in the vertical detection field, it only initiates dimming control when the hand reaches or exceeds the trigger position. This preliminary condition check blocks unintentional dimming from hand movements that occur below the trigger position, such as when the hand is at rest or moving naturally without intent to dim.
Data Source
AI summary
A gestural control dimmer switch for controlling the illumination level of a light using hand movements includes a dimmer panel having a continuum of positions associated with a spectrum of illumination levels of the light. Hand position sensors produce a hand position detection field in front of the continuum of positions of the dimmer panel through which a hand can be passed. No dimming input is produced by a hand passing through the hand position detection field until the hand passing through the detection field reaches a set trigger position at one of the continuum of positions along the dimmer panel. A dimming input is only produced in response to changes in hand position in the hand position detection field after the hand reaches the trigger position. A new trigger position is set after the illumination level of the light controlled by the dimmer switch is adjusted.