Magnetometer-Based HMI for Utensil Control Law Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of configurable human-machine interfaces is complex due to the need for additional components like transmitters to select control laws, complicating the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
A configurable human-machine interface that selects control laws based on the characteristics of a permanent magnet equipped with the utensil, eliminating the need for external transmitters and simplifying production by using the same network of magnetometers for both state determination and control law selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a transmitter is equipped with each utensil to send control law identifiers, then the control law selection is achieved, but the device complexity and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the identification function from an active transmitter component and embeds it into a passive permanent magnet. The magnetometer array extracts the control law identifier information from the magnetic field characteristics of the permanent magnet, eliminating the need for complex powered transmitters while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electronic/electromagnetic transmitter system with a magnetic field-based identification system. Instead of using powered transmitters that send electronic signals, the system uses permanent magnets that create magnetic fields detectable by magnetometers, substituting complex electronic components with simpler magnetic field interactions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a transmitter is equipped with each utensil to send control law identifiers, then the control law selection is achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses permanent magnets that can be easily manufactured and replaced compared to complex transmitters. The permanent magnets serve as disposable or easily replaceable identification elements that simplify the manufacturing process while maintaining the ability to select different control laws for different utensils.
3Ease of manufacture
If the same network of magnetometers is used for both control law selection and state determination, then the manufacturing is simplified, but the measurement precision for each function may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the magnetometer network universal by using it for both control law selection (identifying which control law to apply) and state determination (determining the current state of the utensil). The same hardware performs multiple functions, simplifying manufacturing while the patent ensures sufficient precision for each function through appropriate magnetometer selection and signal processing.
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 simplifies the production of the interface, allows for versatile utensil configurations, and enables easy reconfiguration by modifying the utensil's position or replacing it with one having different magnetic properties, while maintaining operational flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
the processing unit can select the control law to apply to a utensil based on the characteristics of the permanent magnet with which the utensil is equipped
Data Source
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AI summary
This configurable human-machine interface for controlling an electrical apparatus comprises: - at least one permanent magnet (16) rigidly connected to each utensil and a magnetometer array comprising N triaxial magnetometers (Mij), mechanically linked to each other without any degree of freedom in order to retain a known distance between each of said magnetometers, where N is a whole number greater than or equal to five, and - a processing unit (30) capable of: - defining, for each permanent magnet of a utensil, the value of at least one variable encoding the position or orientation of same in a three-dimensional reference system fixed without any degree of freedom to the array or the amplitude of the magnetic moment of same, from the measurements of the magnetometers of the array, and - automatically selecting the control law based on the value defined for this variable.