Lighting Control Console Touch Interface Area Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lighting control consoles with touch-sensitive display surfaces face limitations in intuitive input of operating commands, particularly in changing input parameters within specific ranges.
Innovation Solution
The method involves detecting the touch and measuring the dimension of a contact surface on a touch-sensitive sensor, using the elasticity of body parts to derive contact pressure, which is used to generate adjusting commands for controlling lighting systems, eliminating the need for pressure-sensitive sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a touch-sensitive sensor surface is used for input, then the interface integrates input and output functionality, but the intuitive input of operating commands is strongly limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional pressure-sensitive sensors with a capacitive touch sensor system that detects contact surface area. The control console uses the area of contact between the user's finger and the touch-sensitive surface to determine input intensity, substituting mechanical pressure detection with electrical field-based area measurement. This enables intuitive parameter adjustment within specific ranges while maintaining the integrated touch interface.
2Ease of operation
If mechanical operating elements are used, then operating commands can be input intuitively, but the system requires separate input and output interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the input interface and output display into a single integrated touch-sensitive sensor surface. The display device serves dual purposes: presenting visual information and detecting user input through touch. By using the contact surface area on the display itself to determine input intensity, the system combines what were previously separate mechanical input elements and visual display into one unified interface, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining intuitive operation.
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
This approach enables intuitive input of operating commands by correlating contact surface dimensions with pressure, allowing users to change parameters and control lighting systems more intuitively, enhancing user interaction without requiring additional sensors.
Implementation Method 1
body parts of the user, in particular the fingertips, are elastically deformable so that the shape of the body part changes as a function of the respectively applied pressure. Thus, the area of the touch-sensitive sensor surface which is covered by the body part, in particular the fingertip, is smaller when the user taps on the sensor surface only slightly in contrast to the application of a high pressure on the sensor surface by the user.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for operating a lighting control console (01) for controlling a lighting system, wherein digital adjusting commands are generated in the lighting control console (01), which can be transferred to the lighting devices of the lighting system via data connections, and wherein the lighting control console (01) comprises at least one digital processor and at least one digital memory for generating, managing and storing the adjusting commands, and wherein the lighting control console (01) comprises at least one display unit (07), and wherein graphical elements can be graphically depicted to the user on the display device (07), and wherein the display device (07) exhibits a touch-sensitive sensor surface (10), and wherein touching of the touch-sensitive sensor surface (10) at the display device (07) in the region of a contact surface (14) permits the selection of an operator input assigned to said contact surface (14),comprising the following method steps of:a) detecting the touching of the touch-sensitive sensor surface (10) in the region of a contact surface (14a, 14b) in which the sensor surface (10) is covered by a body part of the operator;b) measuring the dimension of the contact surface (14a, 14b);c) generating an adjusting command for controlling the lighting system as a function of the measured dimension of the contact surface (14a, 14b).