Watch Mobile Terminal Sensor Wear Detection and Pressure Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Watch-type mobile terminals face challenges in controlling various functions due to their narrow display region, making it difficult for users to input commands effectively, and adding sensors to enhance control increases thickness and weight.

Innovation Solution

A wearable watch-type mobile terminal that uses a single sensor to determine if it is worn and generates control commands based on pressure changes, allowing precise pressure measurement by adjusting light intensity based on skin color, eliminating the need for additional components and reducing thickness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If additional sensors are mounted to enable control commands, then control functionality is improved, but thickness and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol functionalityVSAvoidweight
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The existing sensor module is made multi-functional by programming it to detect both wear state and pressure changes. The sensor unit originally designed for wear detection is reconfigured through controller logic to also measure pressure magnitude, eliminating the need for separate pressure sensors and maintaining thin form factor while enabling comprehensive control functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines wear detection and pressure sensing functions into a single sensor unit. The sensor module that detects whether the terminal is worn on the body is also used to measure pressure changes when touched, merging two sensing functions into one hardware component to avoid increasing thickness and weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If additional sensors are mounted to enable control commands, then control functionality is improved, but device thickness increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol functionalityVSAvoidthickness
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The existing sensor module is made multi-functional by programming it to detect both wear state and pressure changes. The sensor unit originally designed for wear detection is reconfigured through controller logic to also measure pressure magnitude, eliminating the need for separate pressure sensors and maintaining thin form factor while enabling comprehensive control functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines wear detection and pressure sensing functions into a single sensor unit. The sensor module that detects whether the terminal is worn on the body is also used to measure pressure changes when touched, merging two sensing functions into one hardware component to avoid increasing thickness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Device complexity

If a single sensor is used for both wear detection and pressure sensing, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of componentsVSAvoidpressure measurement precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The controller dynamically adjusts the operating parameters of the sensor module based on the detected state. When wear state is detected, the sensor operates in one mode; when pressure changes are detected, the controller adjusts sensitivity and measurement parameters to optimize precision for pressure sensing, allowing a single sensor to maintain high precision across different measurement tasks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the operational parameters of the sensor module depending on the measurement task. The controller adjusts sensitivity thresholds, sampling rates, and detection algorithms based on whether the sensor is detecting wear state or pressure magnitude, enabling precise measurements with a single sensor component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 convenient control of mobile terminal functions without increasing thickness or weight, allowing precise pressure measurement regardless of user skin color, and allows function execution even when not worn.

Implementation Method 1

a light receiving portion (420) for receiving light reflected when the light emitted by the light emitting portion (410) is reflected from a user's body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

calculating a pressure value based on a change in an amount of light received by the light receiving portion (420)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure-induced optical change:

Data Source

PatentEP3144748B1Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same
Publication Date: 2018.09.19 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3144748B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3144748B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3144748B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A watch-type mobile terminal includes: a terminal body; a sensor unit disposed on one surface of the terminal body, configured to determine whether the watch-type mobile terminal has been worn or not, and including a light emitting portion for emitting light of a first intensity at first time intervals, and a light receiving portion for sensing reflected light; and a controller configured to control the light emitting portion to emit light of a second intensity at second time intervals between the first time intervals, wherein the controller calculates a pressure value applied to the terminal body based on an optical amount of light incident onto the light receiving portion, and generates a specific control command based on the pressure value.