Wall-Mounted Control System for Portable Touch Screen Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercially available portable hand-held electronic touch screen devices, such as smartphones and tablets, are not wall-mountable and cannot effectively interface with or control home theater, lighting, environmental, and security systems, making them unsuitable for custom control and automation applications.
Innovation Solution
A wall-mounted control system that includes a housing with a touch screen mounting member, a processor for interfacing with the touch screen device, and communication means such as wired or wireless connections, along with hard buttons and indicators, allowing the device to be mounted and control various systems independently of its on/off state or application execution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If custom wall-mounted touch panels are used for control and automation systems, then the ability to interface with and control home theater, lighting, environmental, and security systems is achieved, but the cost becomes very expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes portable touch screen devices serve multiple functions: they act as both portable handheld devices and wall-mounted control panels. The device can be mounted on walls to control home theater, lighting, environmental, and security systems while retaining its original portability and other functions, thus eliminating the need for separate custom control panels
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses mass-produced portable touch screen devices as a substitute for custom-designed wall-mounted touch panels. By adapting existing consumer devices through mounting mechanisms and interface adapters, the system replicates the control functionality of expensive custom panels using inexpensive off-the-shelf devices
2Ease of manufacture
If portable touch screen devices are used for control applications, then the cost is reduced to inexpensive mass-produced devices, but the devices are not wall-mountable and cannot interface with control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces mounting mechanisms and interface adapters as intermediary components between the portable touch screen device and the wall/control systems. These intermediaries enable the device to be securely mounted on walls and establish electrical and data connections with control systems without modifying the original device
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting mechanism is designed to be universally applicable to various portable device sizes and shapes, allowing different models of smartphones, tablets, and media players to be mounted using the same basic mounting system with minimal customization
3Ease of operation
If portable touch screen devices are used without wall-mounting capability, then device portability and flexibility are maintained, but the device cannot be permanently positioned for dedicated control applications
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is designed to be dynamic and reversible, allowing the device to be easily mounted and unmounted. The mounting mechanism can be quickly installed and removed without permanent modifications to either the device or the wall surface, providing flexibility when permanent installation is not desired
Data Source
AI summary
Presented is a wall-mounted control system for a portable touch screen device. The control system includes a housing, a touch screen mounting member moveably coupled to the housing and configured to releasably hold the portable touch screen device, a processor configured for providing an interface between the portable touch screen device and one or more remote systems, a docking connector configured for electrically mating with the portable touch screen device and establishing electrical communication between the processor and the portable touch screen device, and a communication circuitry configured for establishing communication between the processor the one or more remote systems.