Touchscreen Inspection Interface Using Cursor Mediator for Sub-Millimeter Object Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing inspection systems face difficulties in accurately selecting and manipulating small objects within a photographic image displayed on a touch-sensitive screen, as fingers can cover and obscure the object, making precise operations challenging for objects with areas less than 1 mm^2.

Innovation Solution

A variable-position control element with a marking device, such as crossed hairlines, is introduced on the touch-sensitive screen, allowing for precise positioning and manipulation of objects by activating a manipulation tool, and the control element can be operated by fingers or virtually, enabling pixel-precise adjustments, with a time-measuring device to prevent unintentional displacement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a touch-sensitive screen is used for operating the inspection system, then the ease of operation is improved, but the ability to accurately select and manipulate small objects (area < 1 mm²) deteriorates because fingers cover and obscure the objects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidselection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

A cursor is introduced as an intermediary between the finger and the small object on the screen. The cursor acts as a mediator that can be precisely positioned and manipulated without physically covering the object, allowing accurate selection and manipulation while maintaining touch-screen operation convenience

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The cursor serves as a virtual copy or representation of the finger's interaction point. Instead of directly touching the small object with a finger, the user controls the cursor to represent the intended touch location, enabling precise selection of objects smaller than 1 mm² without physical obstruction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Manufacturing precision

If the object area is reduced to less than 1 mm² for detailed inspection, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates as fingers cannot accurately target such small areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobject detail precisionVSAvoidselection difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cursor serves as a mediator that decouples the physical finger movement from the actual selection point on the screen. This allows users to operate with normal finger size while achieving pixel-precise selection of extremely small objects with area less than 1 mm²

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The solution moves the interaction from direct two-dimensional screen contact to a three-dimensional control space where the cursor can be precisely positioned using finger movements on the touch screen, effectively adding a control dimension that enables accurate targeting of small objects

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3430504B1Method for manipulating a photographic image captured by a camera of an inspection system
Publication Date: 2020.03.18 KOENIG & BAUER AG
  • EP3430504B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3430504B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for manipulating a photographic image captured by a camera (06) of an inspection system, wherein the photographic image captured by the camera (06) is optically displayed on a screen (07) which has a controller (08) and a touch-sensitive screen surface (09). The controller (08) displays a position-variable operating element (16) with a marking device (17) on the screen (07), and an object (14) with an object surface area of less than 1 mm² is selected on any position in the photographic image displayed on the screen (08) such that the marking device (17) of the operating element (16) is positioned at the position of the selected object (14) by changing the position of the operating element (16). The controller (08), which is triggered by the positioning process of the marking device (17) of the operating element (16), activates a manipulation tool, and the selected object (14) is manipulated independently of the rest of the photographic image displayed on the screen (08) by means of the manipulation tool.