Non-Contact Input Device with Multi-Layer Sensing for Accurate Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional non-contact input devices for operation screens, such as those used in hygiene-critical fields, face challenges in accurately selecting specific buttons due to the risk of erroneous operations, which affects operability.
Innovation Solution
The input device employs multiple sensing layers and a display control unit to enlarge and display specific parts of the operation screen as the object passes through these layers, allowing users to perform non-contact operations with enhanced visibility and accuracy, improving operability by stepwise enlargement and recognition of cursor positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional non-contact input device displays the entire operation screen at normal size, then the device structure remains simple, but the accuracy of selecting specific buttons decreases leading to erroneous operations
Solution Approach 1:
The operation screen is divided into multiple regions (first region, second region, third region) corresponding to different sensing layers. Each region can be independently enlarged and displayed in the display area, allowing precise selection of specific buttons while maintaining a manageable display control structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a multi-layer sensing structure with sensing layers at different heights (first sensing layer, second sensing layer, third sensing layer). By detecting which sensing layer the object passes through, the system determines which screen region to enlarge, adding a vertical dimension to the input detection and enabling more accurate button selection.
2Measurement precision
If the operation screen is enlarged to improve selection accuracy, then button selection accuracy improves, but the device complexity increases due to multiple sensing layers and region determination
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing space is segmented into multiple sensing layers (first, second, third sensing layers) at different heights. Each sensing layer corresponds to a specific region of the operation screen, allowing the system to determine which region to enlarge based on which sensing layer detects the object, thereby improving selection accuracy with a structured approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested sensing layer structure where the first sensing layer, second sensing layer, and third sensing layer are arranged hieretically at different heights. This nested configuration allows progressive determination of the target region, improving selection accuracy while organizing the complexity in a systematic manner.
3Reliability
If multiple sensing layers are used to determine cursor position, then the reliability of non-contact operations improves, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing function is segmented across multiple sensing layers, with each layer contributing to the determination of the object's position and the corresponding screen region. This segmentation improves reliability by providing multiple detection points while maintaining a modular structure that manages complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from multiple sensing layers to dynamically determine which region of the operation screen to enlarge. The detection results from each sensing layer feed into the region determination logic, improving the reliability of non-contact operations through multi-layer verification and progressive refinement of the target position.
Data Source
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AI summary
An input device capable of enhancing operability is provided, including: a display control unit (40) that displays an operation screen (12) on a display surface (14), and a first detection unit (6) and a second detection unit (8) that detect respective positions of an object (10) in a first sensing layer (20) and a second sensing layer (26) in air formed side by side in a direction substantially perpendicular to the display surface. When the object passes through the first sensing layer (20) in a direction approaching the display surface, the display control unit determines a first partial operation screen (44c) including a position on the operation screen (12) corresponding to a position of the object in the first sensing layer based on respective detection results of the first detection unit and the second detection units, and enlarges and displays the determined first partial operation screen on the display surface.