Solid-State Touch Switch for Weatherproof Outdoor User Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mechanical switches used in outdoor electronic systems, such as solar-power systems, face challenges in being weatherproof due to their mechanical moving parts, which are prone to degradation and costly to seal against moisture and dust.
Innovation Solution
A solid-state switch utilizing micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) and CMOS technologies, integrating a cover member, a solid-state transducer, a microcontroller, and a user feedback device, which generates signals in response to perturbations without moving parts, reducing material fatigue and enabling integration of analog front-end processors and microcontrollers into a single IC device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical switches are used in outdoor electronic systems, then user input functionality is provided, but the switches are prone to degradation and costly to seal against moisture and dust
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical switches with a solid-state transducer that has no moving parts. The transducer detects user input through mechanical deformation of the cover member, converting it directly into electrical signals. This eliminates the need for mechanical moving parts that require sealing, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and sealing complexity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If mechanical switches are sealed against moisture and dust, then weatherproofing is achieved, but the sealing process is cumbersome and costly
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing the mechanical switch with a solid-state transducer, the invention eliminates the need for complex sealing mechanisms. The solid-state device can be integrated into the cover member itself, requiring only basic encapsulation rather than cumbersome sealing processes, thus improving ease of manufacture while maintaining protection against moisture and dust.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the transducer with the cover member structure, where the cover member itself serves as both the protective element and the mechanical coupling interface for the transducer. This integration reduces the need for separate sealing components and simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining weatherproofing.
3Reliability
If solid-state transducers are used, then material fatigue and failure probability are reduced, but integration of analog front-end processors and microcontrollers is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the solid-state transducer, analog front-end processor, and microcontroller into a single unified device. The transducer is mechanically coupled to the cover member while being electrically connected to the processing circuits, creating a compact integrated system that reduces material fatigue without requiring separate components, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and integration complexity.
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
The solid-state switch provides a weatherproof and reliable user-input system with reduced material fatigue, enabling efficient operation in outdoor environments by eliminating the need for costly sealing and minimizing mechanical degradation.
Implementation Method 1
a first solid-state transducer mechanically coupled to the cover member and configured to generate first signals in response to a perturbation at the cover member
Data Source
AI summary
A solid-state switch for an external system includes a cover member, a first solid-state transducer, a microcontroller, a user feedback device, and a switching circuit. The first transducer is mechanically coupled to the cover member and configured to generate first signals in response to a perturbation at the cover member. The microcontroller is configured to obtain first data from the first signals and determine user inputs in accordance with at least the first data and an operational state of the solid-state switch. The user feedback device is configured to provide feedback to a user of the solid-state switch in accordance with a switching behavior of the switching circuit. The microcontroller is couplable to a master controller of the external system. The switching behavior of the switching circuit is determined in accordance with: (a) the commands from the master controller to the microcontroller, and/or (b) user inputs as determined by the microcontroller.