Translucent Touchpad with TOLED for Remote Control Visual Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing remote controls with touchpads either lack on-remote visual cues, leading to user errors in navigating complex menus, or feature fragile and expensive LCD displays that are not fully utilized.
Innovation Solution
A remote control with a transparent organic light emitting diode (TOLED) and a translucent touchpad that projects characters onto the touchpad using a character projecting base, allowing for dynamic function assignment and clear visual cues without the need for elaborate and costly LCDs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If an LCD display is used behind the touchpad, then visual feedback is provided, but the device becomes fragile and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a translucent touchpad that copies the visual display from the screen onto the touchpad surface itself, eliminating the need for a separate LCD display behind the touchpad. This provides visual feedback directly on the interaction surface while avoiding the fragility and cost of additional display components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the display function and touchpad function into a single integrated component. The translucent touchpad serves both as the interaction surface and the visual display medium, combining what were previously separate functions (LCD display + touchpad) into one unified element.
2Loss of information
If an LCD display is used behind the touchpad, then visual feedback is provided, but the device becomes expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a translucent touchpad that copies the visual display from the screen onto the touchpad surface itself, eliminating the need for a separate LCD display behind the touchpad. This provides visual feedback directly on the interaction surface while avoiding the fragility and cost of additional display components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the display function and touchpad function into a single integrated component. The translucent touchpad serves both as the interaction surface and the visual display medium, combining what were previously separate functions (LCD display + touchpad) into one unified element.
3Device complexity
If a touchpad with no display is used, then the device is simple, but the user lacks on-remote visual cues leading to user errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a translucent touchpad that copies the visual display from the screen onto the touchpad surface itself, eliminating the need for a separate LCD display behind the touchpad. This provides visual feedback directly on the interaction surface while avoiding the fragility and cost of additional display components.
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
Enables economic and effective navigation of complex menus with reduced user errors, as the projected characters on the touchpad provide clear visual feedback, enhancing user interaction without the fragility and expense of LCDs.
Implementation Method 1
A transparent organic light emitting diode (TOLED) is formed on the transparent substrate lower surface
Implementation Method 2
A transparent organic light emitting diode (TOLED) is formed on the transparent substrate lower surface
Implementation Method 3
A translucent touchpad overlays the TOLED affixed to the upper surface
Data Source
AI summary
A remote control exploits a multiply tasked touchpad. The remote control includes a planar transparent substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface in opposed relation. A transparent organic light emitting diode (TOLED) is formed on the transparent substrate lower surface. A translucent touchpad overlays the TOLED affixed to the upper surface. A character projecting base-layer is affixed to the lower surface, such that when activated, the character projecting base projects a character through the transparent light emitting diode onto the translucent touchpad.