Touch Switch Knob Path Control to Prevent Accidental ON/OFF
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch switch methods using touch panels in teaching pendants for industrial robots are prone to unintentional ON/OFF switching due to accidental user interactions.
Innovation Solution
A software switch program that displays a touch switch with a knob and a guide showing a specific moving path, requiring a first touch input along one direction and a second touch input along a different direction to switch the state from the first choice to the second choice.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple touch switch is used on the touch panel, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to unintentional switching
Solution Approach 1:
The touch switch operation is segmented into multiple distinct steps: first touching the touch switch, then sliding in a specific direction, and finally sliding back. This segmentation transforms a single accidental touch into a multi-step sequence that is unlikely to occur unintentionally, thereby improving reliability while maintaining ease of operation through intuitive gestures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system requires a preliminary touch action before the actual switching action can occur. The user must first touch the touch switch to activate it, then perform the sliding gesture. This preliminary action prevents accidental switching by ensuring deliberate user intent before state change.
2Ease of operation
If a touch panel with touch switches is used in the teaching pendant, then the ease of operation is improved, but erroneous operations occur due to accidental touches
Solution Approach 1:
The switching operation is divided into segmented steps: initial touch, directional slide, and return slide. This segmentation ensures that accidental touches do not trigger state changes, as the complete sequence cannot be completed by chance, thereby eliminating erroneous operations while preserving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding gesture acts as an intermediary action between touching the switch and actually switching the state. This intermediary step serves as a confirmation mechanism that filters out accidental touches, preventing harmful erroneous operations while maintaining user-friendly operation.
3Device complexity
If a conventional touch switch is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but safety deteriorates due to unintentional state changes
Solution Approach 1:
The touch switch mechanism uses segmentation of the interaction sequence (touch → slide → return) rather than complex hardware mechanisms. This software-based segmented approach maintains low device complexity while significantly improving safety by preventing unintentional state changes through the multi-step verification process.
Data Source
AI summary
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a software switch program for causing a display section to display a touch switch including a knob that is in a state in which the knob selects, of a first choice and a second choice that are in an exclusive relation, the first choice and a guide showing a moving path of the knob from the first choice to the second choice and including a first moving path extending along a first direction and a second moving path extending along a second direction different from the first direction and, when receiving first touch input operation for sliding one of the knob and the guide with respect to the other along the first moving path and second touch input operation for sliding the one of the knob and the guide along the second moving path, switching the state to a state in which the knob selects the second choice.