Intuitive Output Control via Handset Image Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for controlling sound volume, such as those with touch panels, lack intuitive design, making it difficult for users to understand and control sound volume settings, especially when representing voice communication or fax data.
Innovation Solution
An output control device with a display unit showing a predetermined image, a position detecting unit, and an area specifying unit, allowing users to intuitively control sound volumes by associating specific areas on the image with sound volume control functions, such as ear and mouth areas on a face image for voice communication, and eye areas for fax image control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a geometric pattern is displayed as a sound volume control screen, then the device can control sound volume, but the user cannot intuitively understand what is controlled and user preference is not reflected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the copying principle by using an image of a handset (receiver) as the control screen interface. Specific regions of the handset image (such as the earpiece area and mouthpiece area) are copied and assigned control functions, allowing users to intuitively understand that touching these areas controls received and transmitted voice volumes respectively. This resolves the contradiction by making the control interface familiar and intuitive while maintaining functional capability.
2Ease of operation
If a predetermined image is displayed with area specifications, then users can intuitively control output conditions, but the system requires additional components for position detection and area specification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into the display unit by integrating position detection capability directly into the display. The display unit serves both as the visual interface showing the handset image and as the position detecting unit that identifies user touches on specific areas. This merging approach enables intuitive control through image-area association while minimizing additional system components, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An output control device includes an output unit configured to output information externally received or to be transmitted outside, a display unit configured to display a predetermined image, a position detecting unit configured to detect a position specified on the predetermined image displayed on the display unit, a display control unit configured to control the display unit to display the predetermined image when the output unit outputs the information, an area specifying unit configured to specify a predetermined area on the predetermined image as an output control area for controlling an output condition of the information to be outputted from the output unit, and an output control unit configured to control the output condition of the information when the specified position on the predetermined image detected by the position detecting unit is within the output control area specified by the area specifying unit.