Wearable Device Corona Discharge Touch Sensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wearable devices lack the ability to conveniently recognize and differentiate between touched objects and people without requiring complex additional structures, such as sensors, limiting their interaction capabilities.

Innovation Solution

A wearable device utilizing corona discharge to sense touch events by applying power between a first electrode contacting the user's body and a second electrode with a pointed shape, measuring leakage current to detect changes in body potential, and identifying touched objects or people through pre-learning processes or stored data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If additional sensors are added to recognize touched objects, then recognition capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverecognition capabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wearable device utilizes the existing touchscreen display to perform multiple functions: serving as both the user interface for interaction and the sensing element for detecting touched objects. The controller processes both touch input and object recognition based on electrical property changes, eliminating the need for separate dedicated sensors and achieving multi-functionality with existing components.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The device uses its own touchscreen structure to generate and detect electrical property changes when objects are touched. The touchscreen's capacitance or resistance naturally changes upon contact with different materials, and the controller detects these changes directly without requiring external sensing mechanisms, allowing the device to sense through its own operational characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If simple touch interface is used, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision of touched object deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidobject recognition accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The controller continuously monitors electrical property changes of the touchscreen and uses this feedback to identify and differentiate touched objects. By analyzing the magnitude and pattern of capacitance or resistance changes, the system can precisely determine which object is being touched while maintaining the simplicity of direct touch interaction for the user.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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 and accurate recognition of touched objects and people, facilitating enhanced human-computer interaction and interpersonal communication without the need for additional sensors, thereby improving user experience and interaction capabilities.

Implementation Method 1

a second electrode having a pointed shape, in which corona discharge occurs

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCorona discharge: Corona Discharge

Data Source

PatentEP3488327B1Wearable device and method of operating the same
Publication Date: 2020.04.29 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3488327B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3488327B1 patent drawingFigure 1B~2
  • EP3488327B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4B

AI summary

A wearable device includes a first electrode configured to contact a user's body; a second electrode having a pointed shape, in which corona discharge occurs; a power supplier connected between the first electrode and the second electrode to apply power to the first electrode and the second electrode; a current measurer configured to measure a leakage current that leaks to the second electrode; and a controller configured to control the power supplier to apply power to the first electrode and the second electrode to induce the corona discharge, measure a leakage current generated due to the corona discharge via the current measurer, and sense the touch event, based on the measured leakage current.