Coordinating Optical Output Brightness with Companion Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
In point-of-sale systems, it is undesirable for different devices to have varying display brightness settings, requiring individual adjustments, which can be inconvenient and inconsistent, especially in environments where uniformity is desired, such as a café at sunset.
Innovation Solution
The brightness setting of an optical output device in a payment object reader is automatically controlled to match the brightness of a coupled computing device, either through direct or wireless communication, eliminating the need for separate adjustments of each device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If each device in the point-of-sale system has independent brightness settings, then each device can be optimized for its specific function, but the display properties become inconsistent and require individual adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the brightness control functionality across multiple devices by establishing a master-slave relationship where one device acts as the master controller and others as slave devices. The master device's brightness setting is automatically replicated to all slave devices, combining what would otherwise be separate control mechanisms into a unified system that maintains device-specific optimization while eliminating individual adjustment requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If each device has independent brightness settings, then devices can adapt to different environmental conditions, but uniformity across devices is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the brightness control into a hierarchical structure with a master device and slave devices. The master device maintains independence in determining its own brightness based on environmental conditions, while slave devices are segmented as dependent components that automatically inherit the master's settings. This segmentation allows environmental adaptation at the master level while ensuring uniformity across all devices.
3Manufacturing precision
If brightness settings are adjusted individually for each device, then optimal display properties are achieved, but the process becomes inconvenient and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-establishing the master-slave brightness control architecture where the master device automatically propagates brightness settings to all slave devices. This preliminary structural arrangement eliminates the need for manual individual adjustments, saving time while maintaining optimized display properties that would otherwise require lengthy configuration processes.
4Ease of operation
If automatic brightness coordination is implemented across devices, then uniformity is achieved without user input, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the brightness control system to automatically coordinate across devices without requiring user intervention. The master device autonomously determines its brightness based on environmental conditions and automatically propagates this setting to slave devices through the established communication protocol. This self-service mechanism achieves uniformity and ease of operation while managing system complexity through automated protocols rather than manual configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A point-of-sale system includes a computing device, such as a mobile phone or tablet, and a payment object reader communicatively coupled to the computing device that is used to acquire data from a payment object reader. The payment object reader includes an optical output device. The brightness of the optical output device is controlled by the payment object reader depending on the brightness of the computing device coupled to the payment object reader. The brightness level of the optical output device of the payment object reader, which can be a near field communication (NFC) signal strength indicator having four light-emitting-diodes (LEDs), is coordinated to the brightness level of the computing device.