Smartphone Corner Sensors for Intuitive Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Handheld electronic devices lack efficient and intuitive control mechanisms that allow users to access functions quickly without navigating through graphical user interfaces, particularly for devices with physical user interfaces like touch screens and mechanical keyboards.
Innovation Solution
The integration of corner sensors on handheld devices that can detect touch, pressure, and motion inputs, allowing users to control device functions based on how the device is held and oriented, enabling quick access to various functions without accidental inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If switches are placed on the sides of the device for easy access, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional physical components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical switches with corner sensors that detect touch, pressure, and motion inputs. This substitution eliminates the need for physical switches while maintaining ease of access, as users can still quickly control functions by touching device corners without navigating through graphical interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner sensors serve multiple functions by detecting different types of inputs (touch, pressure, motion) and responding with various controls. A single sensor location can provide multiple control capabilities depending on the type of interaction, reducing the need for multiple separate physical components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If corner sensors detect multiple input types (touch, pressure, motion), then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases due to enhanced sensor functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sensor functions (touch detection, pressure sensing, motion detection) into a single integrated corner sensor system. This consolidation allows the device to detect various input types at one location without requiring separate sensors for each function, thereby maintaining adaptability while managing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless or handheld device or phone is equipped with corner sensors which control functioning of the device. The corner sensors are configured based how a user holds the handheld device while utilizing the corner sensors. The corner sensors may also be configured based on a spatial orientation of the handheld device. The corner sensors may be configured based on which hand or hands control the corner sensors, the dexterity of the fingers controlling the sensors and/or the spatial orientation of the device. The corner sensors may include a touch sensor, a trackpad and/or a pressure sensor and may detect various single sensor inputs or simultaneous gestures. The device may sense when it is held in a hand and may disable the corner sensors when it is not held.