Touch Panel Haptic Feedback Using Acoustic Pressure Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household appliance operating devices with touch-sensitive control panels provide limited haptic feedback options, restricting the ability to differentiate between various actuation pressures and settings, leading to restricted operating flexibility.
Innovation Solution
An operating device with a touch-sensitive control panel, a detection sensor, and a separate structure-borne sound transducer that emits acoustic feedback signals, combined with a pressure strength evaluation unit to determine and differentiate pressure strengths based on attenuation, enabling more diverse and precise haptic feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a touch-sensitive control panel with basic detection sensor is used, then the device structure remains simple, but the haptic feedback options are limited and operating flexibility is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the structure-borne sound transducer with the control panel structure, integrating acoustic feedback capability into the existing touch-sensitive panel. This merging approach enables diverse haptic feedback options without proportionally increasing overall device complexity, as the transducer shares the panel's structural space and components.
Solution Approach 2:
The structure-borne sound transducer serves multiple functions: it generates acoustic feedback signals for haptic feedback, transmits vibrations through the control panel, and works with the detection sensor to provide differentiated feedback based on touch pressure. This multi-functionality increases adaptability without requiring separate dedicated components for each function.
2Measurement precision
If pressure strength evaluation based on acoustic attenuation is implemented, then differentiation between various actuation pressures is enabled, but the device requires additional evaluation unit and signal processing
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by using the structure-borne sound transducer to emit acoustic signals that propagate through the control panel, and the detection sensor to detect the resulting vibrations. The evaluation unit analyzes the acoustic attenuation characteristics of these vibrations to determine touch pressure strength, creating a closed-loop feedback system that enables precise pressure differentiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control panel itself serves as both the transmission medium for acoustic signals and the sensor for detecting vibrations. The panel's structural properties are utilized to naturally transmit and dampen acoustic waves, eliminating the need for separate dedicated acoustic transmission components and reducing overall system complexity despite the advanced measurement capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If individual haptic feedback for different pressure levels is provided, then operating flexibility is enhanced, but the number of required feedback signals and control settings increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts haptic feedback characteristics based on the detected touch pressure strength. By continuously evaluating the acoustic attenuation in real-time and adapting the feedback signal parameters accordingly, the system provides individualized haptic feedback for different pressure levels without requiring pre-programmed discrete settings, thereby maintaining operational simplicity while achieving high adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The evaluation unit determines touch pressure strength by analyzing changes in acoustic signal parameters (attenuation characteristics) and uses these parameter changes to modulate the haptic feedback. This approach enables continuous differentiation of pressure levels and corresponding feedback adjustment without requiring a large number of discrete control settings, as the feedback is dynamically tuned based on measured parameter variations.
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 configuration allows for comprehensive and individualized haptic feedback, enhancing operating flexibility by differentiating touch pressures and associating them with specific settings, providing precise and efficient acoustic and tactile feedback.
Implementation Method 1
a structure-borne sound transducer, which is separate from the detection sensor and coupled to the operating panel and designed to emit an acoustic feedback signal to the operating panel
Implementation Method 2
The pressure strength can be determined based on the attenuation of an acoustic reference signal transmitted to the operating panel by the structure-borne sound transducer
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
One aspect of the invention relates to an operating device (5) for a household appliance (1), comprising a touch-sensitive control panel (6) which has a touchable control plate (7) and a detection sensor (8) for detecting a touch of the control plate (7), and a structure-borne sound transducer (9) which is coupled to the control plate (7) and is designed to emit an acoustic feedback signal to the control plate (7) depending on a touch of the control plate (7) detected by the detection sensor (8), wherein the operating device (5) has a pressure intensity evaluation unit (10) with which a pressure intensity generated when the control plate (7) is touched can be evaluated, wherein the pressure intensity can be determined depending on an attenuation of an acoustic reference signal emitted to the control plate (7) by the structure-borne sound transducer (9) as detected by the pressure intensity evaluation unit (10).One aspect concerns a household appliance (1) and another aspect concerns a method for operating an operating device (5).