Touchscreen Zone Thermal Isolation for Remote Control Signal Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing remote control touchscreens often inadvertently transmit undesired control signals due to accidental contact with temperature sensors, leading to incorrect function activation.
Innovation Solution
A touchscreen with an input surface divided into zones, where each zone contains a temperature sensor within a high thermal conductivity region surrounded by a low thermal conductivity region, preventing accidental activation and requiring a temperature threshold to be met before transmitting a control signal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If temperature sensors are provided within each zone to detect user contact, then the responsiveness and detection capability of the touchscreen is improved, but the likelihood of accidental activation and undesired control signal transmission increases
Solution Approach 1:
The touchscreen surface is segmented into multiple zones, each with its own temperature sensor. This segmentation allows independent detection in each zone while limiting the thermal influence between adjacent zones, reducing false activations.
Solution Approach 2:
Different thermal conductivity materials are used in different regions of each zone. The high thermal conductivity material is positioned directly over the temperature sensor to enhance detection, while low thermal conductivity materials surround it to isolate thermal influence and prevent accidental activation from adjacent areas.
2Measurement precision
If high thermal conductivity material is used to enhance temperature sensing, then the temperature detection sensitivity is improved, but the risk of heat spreading to adjacent zones and causing false activation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The touchscreen employs a heterogeneous material structure where high thermal conductivity material is localized directly over the temperature sensor to maximize detection sensitivity, while low thermal conductivity materials are positioned in surrounding regions to contain heat and prevent thermal crosstalk to adjacent zones.
Solution Approach 2:
Low thermal conductivity materials act as thermal barriers or intermediaries between adjacent high thermal conductivity regions. These intermediary materials block heat propagation from one zone to another, preventing false activations while allowing the high conductivity regions to maintain their sensing sensitivity.
3Area of stationary object
If the entire zone surface is made of high thermal conductivity material, then the temperature detection coverage is improved, but the accuracy of distinguishing intentional from accidental contact deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than making the entire zone high thermal conductivity, the patent uses high conductivity material only in specific regions directly over the temperature sensors, surrounded by low conductivity materials. This localized approach maintains detection coverage over the sensor areas while using the low conductivity surrounding regions to prevent heat spread that would cause false positives from accidental contact.
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 design effectively reduces the likelihood of unintended control signal transmission by isolating high thermal conductivity regions and ensuring that only intentional contact results in function activation, enhancing user control accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
each zone comprises a region formed from a material of relatively high thermal conductivity for contact by a user and the temperature of which is sensed by a temperature sensor
Implementation Method 2
the regions formed from a material of relatively high thermal conductivity are physically separated from one another by the region(s) formed from a material of relatively low thermal conductivity
Data Source
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AI summary
A touchscreen (2) for a remote control device (1) of an electronic device. The touchscreen comprises: an input surface (3) divided into a plurality of zones (4); a plurality of temperature sensors (6), each temperature sensor (6) being provided within a respective zone (4) and constructed and arranged to obtain a measure of a temperature of a surface of the zone (4) contacted by a user; and a controller. The surface of each zone (4) comprises a region (8) formed from a material of relatively high thermal conductivity for contact by a user and the temperature of which is sensed by a temperature sensor to obtain a measure of a temperature of the surface of the zone. The surface of each zone also comprises a region (9) formed from a material of relatively low thermal conductivity.