Optoelectronic Sensor Hand Input via Screen Contamination Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optoelectronic sensors require additional space, incur higher manufacturing and maintenance costs due to the need for switches or keyboards for control, which complicates their compact design and operation.
Innovation Solution
The optoelectronic sensor employs contamination recognition to identify the approach of a hand or finger towards the protective screen, allowing for manual operation without physical switches or keyboards, using the existing contamination recognition system to output action signals for controlling sensor functions such as changing sensing rate or range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If switches or keyboards are added to enable manual operation of the sensor, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The contamination recognition system, originally designed for monitoring screen cleanliness, is made multi-functional by enabling it to also detect hand or finger approach for manual operation control. This allows the same optical system to serve dual purposes: contamination monitoring and user interaction detection, eliminating the need for separate control interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system uses its own existing contamination recognition capability to provide manual operation control, rather than requiring external control components. The system essentially serves itself by leveraging its built-in optical detection infrastructure for both contamination monitoring and user input recognition.
2Ease of operation
If switches or keyboards are added to enable manual operation, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contamination recognition system is designed to perform multiple functions: it detects both contamination on the protective screen and the approach of a hand or finger for control operations. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate control interfaces, reducing component count and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the contamination detection function and the manual operation control function into a single integrated system. The same light transmitter and light receiver used for contamination monitoring are also used to detect hand or finger approach, merging two functions into one unified detection system.
3Ease of operation
If switches or keyboards are added for control, then ease of operation is improved, but the sensor size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The existing contamination recognition optical system is made multi-functional to also detect hand or finger approach for control operations. This eliminates the need for separate physical control interfaces, maintaining compact sensor dimensions while providing manual operation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the manual operation control function from the physical control interface domain and integrates it into the optical detection domain. By removing the need for separate switches or keyboards and using only the optical detection system for both contamination monitoring and control input, the sensor maintains a compact form factor.
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 results in a more compact and cost-effective sensor design, enabling reliable manual operation and reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining functionality through the recognition of hand or finger inputs.
Implementation Method 1
a main light transmitter for transmitting sensing light signals that propagate through a protective screen into the monitored zone
Implementation Method 2
a main light receiver for receiving light that emanates from the monitored zone
Implementation Method 3
the sensor preferably being configured to measure a transmission through the protective screen
Implementation Method 4
or a reflection at the protective screen
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an optoelectronic sensor for monitoring a monitored zone. The sensor comprises a main light transmitter for transmitting sensing light signals that propagate through a protective screen into the monitored zone; a main light receiver for receiving light that emanates from the monitored zone; and a control unit for controlling the sensor. The sensor is configured in this respect to carry out a contamination recognition in which the degree of contamination of the protective screen is determined by means of a measured contamination value. The sensor in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the control unit is adapted to recognize the approach of a hand and/or of a finger toward the protective screen with reference to the contamination recognition and to output an action signal on the recognition of the hand and/or of the finger.