Ergonomic Lighting Controller with Asymmetric Tactile Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lighting controllers are not ergonomically designed, favoring right-hand dominant users and require complex absolute or fixture-dependent value inputs, making them difficult for users to control lighting fixtures intuitively.
Innovation Solution
An ergonomically designed lighting console with a centered touchscreen and tactile input controls, a user interface module that allows descriptive, absolute, or relative value inputs, and a lighting controller engine that translates these values into fixture-dependent commands, providing context-based displays and controls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If knobs are placed along the right-hand side of the touchscreen, then right-hand dominant users can operate the controller more easily, but left-hand dominant users experience ergonomic difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by providing mirror-image button layouts for left-hand and right-hand dominant users. The controller can switch between a first button layout optimized for right-hand users and a second button layout (mirror image) optimized for left-hand users, allowing each user type to operate the controller ergonomically with their dominant hand.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the button layout switchable and adaptable based on user preference. The controller dynamically changes its physical configuration through magnetic actuators that can reposition buttons between two mirror-image arrangements, allowing the system to adapt to different user needs in real-time.
2Measurement precision
If absolute or fixture-dependent values are required for controlling lighting fixtures, then precise control is achieved, but the complexity of operation increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer between the user and the lighting fixtures. The controller accepts simple relative value inputs from the user (e.g., 'increase brightness by 20%') and automatically converts these into the precise absolute values or fixture-dependent parameters required by different types of lighting fixtures. This intermediary translation process shields the user from complexity while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified abstract interface that copies or mirrors the physical world in an intuitive way. Instead of requiring users to work with abstract numerical values or fixture-specific parameters, the controller presents familiar descriptive concepts (color names, relative adjustments) that are then mapped to the appropriate technical parameters for each fixture type.
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting controller provides a user interface module and a lighting controller engine. The user interface module allows a user to specify settings for one or more lighting fixtures using descriptive, absolute or relative values, which the lighting controller engine translates into fixture-dependent values before sending them to the lighting fixtures. The user interface module also provides context-based displays and context-based controls.