Touch Panel Screen Switching for pH Measurement Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Measurement devices with multiple functions face usability issues due to a large number of buttons, making it difficult for users to intuitively switch between displaying screens, especially for inexperienced users who are unsure about the correctness of their operations.

Innovation Solution

A measurement device with a touch panel display that allows screen switching through intuitive touch slide operations, where the display control part moves screens outside the display area and brings another screen inside, enabling verification during the switching process, and displays guides indicating the direction of the touch slide operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple buttons are added to provide various functions, then the functionality of the measurement device is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates because it becomes difficult for users to grasp where the operation button they want is located

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovefunctionalityVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple operation buttons into a single touch panel display. The touch panel integrates multiple functional areas (analog display area, graph display area, numerical value display area) that can be switched between, eliminating the need for separate physical buttons while maintaining all measurement and display functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The touch panel display serves multiple functions: it displays measurement results in various formats (analog, graph, numerical), receives user input for switching display modes, and provides operational feedback. This single component replaces multiple specialized buttons, achieving multi-functionality while simplifying the interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Device complexity

If traditional button operation is used to switch displaying screens, then the device structure is simple, but the ease of operation deteriorates because inexperienced users cannot verify whether their operation is correct until after the switch is completed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice structureVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The touch panel provides immediate visual feedback during the switching operation. When the user slides their finger across the screen, the display transitions in real-time, allowing the user to verify the operation is correct during the process rather than after completion. The current display mode is continuously updated to reflect the user's intent.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system prepares the next display screen to be shown during the switching operation. As the user initiates a slide gesture, the target display screen is pre-loaded and begins to appear, allowing the user to confirm the intended action before the switch is fully completed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If a touch slide operation is used to switch displaying screens, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for touch panel control mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical buttons with a touch panel display that detects finger gestures. The mechanical pressing action is substituted with capacitive or resistive touch detection, eliminating the need for physical button mechanisms while enabling intuitive slide operations for screen switching.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2495556B1Measurement device
Publication Date: 2021.12.15 HORIBA LTD
  • EP2495556B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2495556B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2495556B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A measurement device 100 that a user can switch the screen with security with an intuitive and easily recognizable operation comprises a display control part 33 that displays a measurement result obtained from a probe 10 that measures a pH or the like by making contact with an object to be measured, the display control part 33 displays in a switchable manner at least two displaying screens among a numerical value displaying screen W3 that displays the measurement result as a numeric value, an analog displaying screen W2 that displays the measurement result like an analog meter and a graph displaying screen W1 that displays the measurement result as a time series graph, and the display control part 33 switches each of the displaying screens W1, W2, W3 continuously in conjunction with a touch slide operation on the display 40 by moving the displaying screen W1 displayed prior to the touch slide operation to the outside of a displaying area on the display 40 and by moving the other displaying screen W3 to the inside of the displaying area in accordance with the above-mentioned movement.