Touch Screen Dimmer with Visual and Auditory Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional touch dimmers lack adequate sensory feedback to users, particularly in terms of auditory and tactile feedback, which can make it difficult for users to confirm that the dimmer has received input commands.
Innovation Solution
A load control device that incorporates a semiconductor switch, a controller, a touch screen actuator, a visual display, and an audible sound generator, where the controller causes the visual display to illuminate and the audible sound generator to produce sounds in response to touch screen actuations, providing improved sensory feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a touch screen actuator is used instead of traditional buttons, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but sensory feedback to the user is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements both visual feedback through LED indicators that illuminate in response to touch inputs, and auditory feedback through a speaker that generates audible sounds. This dual feedback mechanism ensures users can confirm their inputs through multiple sensory channels, resolving the information loss problem inherent in touch-sensitive interfaces without mechanical or tactile feedback.
2Loss of information
If multiple feedback mechanisms (visual and auditory) are added to the touch dimmer, then sensory feedback is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions: it processes touch inputs from the capacitive sensor, controls the semiconductor switch for dimming, drives the LED visual indicators, and generates audio signals for the speaker. By consolidating these functions in a single controller, the patent adds comprehensive feedback capabilities while minimizing the increase in overall device 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 solution enhances user interaction by providing clear visual and auditory feedback, ensuring that users can confidently interact with the touch dimmer, improving usability and feedback perception.
Implementation Method 1
a touch screen actuator having a touch sensitive front surface responsive to a plurality of point actuations. Each point actuation is characterized by a position and a force.
Implementation Method 2
The controller is operable to cause the visual display to illuminate
Implementation Method 3
the audible sound generator to generate an audible sound in response to the control signal
Data Source
AI summary
A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source provides improved sensory feedback to a user of the load control device. The load control device comprises a touch screen actuator having a touch sensitive front surface responsive to a plurality of point actuations, each characterized by a position and a force. The touch screen actuator has an output operatively coupled to a controller for providing a control signal representative of the position of the point actuation. The load control device further comprises a visual display and an audible sound generator, both responsive to the controller. The controller is operable to cause the visual display to illuminate and the audible sound generator to generate an audible sound in response to the control signal of the touch screen actuator.