Segmented Light Bar Control for Visible Load Power Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional load control devices lack the ability to provide advanced user interaction and feedback, limiting their functionality and usability with modern electrical loads that require complex control and visual indication.
Innovation Solution
A control device equipped with a visual indicator, such as a light bar, that illuminates to provide feedback on power delivery to electrical loads, allowing for advanced control through gestures and tactile interactions, and transitions smoothly between active and idle states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional load control devices are used, then device simplicity is maintained, but user interaction capability and feedback provision are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is segmented into distinct functional modules: a control circuit for processing user inputs and determining power levels, and a separate visual indicator system with multiple light sources for providing feedback. This segmentation allows each module to be optimized independently, enhancing user interaction capability while managing overall device complexity through modular design.
2Loss of information
If multiple light sources are used to form a light bar, then visual feedback granularity is improved, but circuit complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit illuminates only a portion of the available light sources in the light bar, rather than all of them. By selectively activating a subset of light sources corresponding to the current power delivery level, the system achieves fine-grained visual feedback while avoiding the complexity of controlling every possible light source, thus applying partial action to optimize the feedback-to-complexity ratio.
3Loss of information
If different intensity levels are provided for different sections of the light bar, then feedback information richness is improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different sections of the light bar are assigned different intensity levels to convey different aspects of power delivery information. Specifically, a first portion of light sources indicates the absolute power level while a second portion indicates the rate of change. This local differentiation of quality allows rich feedback information to be provided through simple intensity modulation of existing light sources, avoiding the need for additional complex control mechanisms.
4Loss of information
If visible feedback is provided about power delivery, then user awareness and control precision are improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The visual feedback system operates periodically rather than continuously, updating the light bar illumination state in response to changes in power delivery level or user interactions. This periodic operation provides necessary visual feedback to maintain user awareness while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous illumination, as the light sources are activated only when information updates are needed.
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
Enhances user interaction and control capabilities, providing finer granularity in feedback and reducing costs while maintaining aesthetic appeal and simplifying circuit design.
Implementation Method 1
The visual indicator may be illuminated by a plurality of light sources comprised in the control device
Data Source
AI summary
A control device configured to control an amount of power delivered to an electrical load may provide feedback regarding the amount of power being delivered to the electrical load. The control device may include a visual indicator that is illuminated by a plurality of light sources. The control device may comprise a control circuit configured to determine the amount of power being delivered to the electrical load and control the light sources to illuminate a portion of the visual indicator to indicate the amount of power being delivered. Different sections of the illuminated portion of the visual indicator may be illuminated to different intensity levels and the intensity levels may be adjusted between different operational states.