Wooden Capacitive Touch Loudspeaker for Integrated Streaming Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional capacitive touchscreens lack integration with wireless communication and user control interfaces in a single device, limiting their functionality and user experience, especially in audio playback and streaming.
Innovation Solution
A wireless-enabled loudspeaker with a wooden or dielectric capacitive touch user interface that includes electroacoustic transducers, a processor, and a wireless transceiver circuit, allowing users to control audio playback and streaming through capacitive touch controls etched into the wooden surface, with features like volume control, streaming selection, and social media feedback capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional capacitive touchscreen is used, then touch control functionality is provided, but integration with wireless communication and audio playback in a single device is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a capacitive touchscreen interface, wireless transceiver circuit, audio processing circuit, and electroacoustic transducer into a single integrated loudspeaker device. The touchscreen is formed on the exterior surface of the loudspeaker housing, allowing direct interaction with the device while maintaining compact integration of multiple functional components.
Solution Approach 2:
The loudspeaker device performs multiple functions including wireless audio reception, audio playback, touch-based volume control, power control, and streaming selection. The single device serves as both an audio output device and a touch-controlled interface, eliminating the need for separate remote controls or mobile device dependency.
2Ease of operation
If capacitive touch controls are added to a loudspeaker, then user interaction capability is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitive touchscreen interface is implemented on specific regions of the loudspeaker exterior surface, with different zones corresponding to different control functions (volume control, power control, streaming selection). This localized approach allows intuitive touch control without requiring a complex full-screen interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The capacitive touchscreen acts as an intermediary interface between the user and the internal audio control circuits. Touch inputs on the exterior surface are detected by the capacitive sensor and translated into control signals for volume, power, and streaming selection, providing indirect but precise control of audio parameters.
3Adaptability or versatility
If wireless transceiver and audio processing circuits are integrated, then functionality is enhanced, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The internal circuitry is segmented into distinct functional modules: wireless transceiver circuit, audio processing circuit, and electroacoustic transducer. This modular segmentation allows for standardized component integration and simplifies the manufacturing process by enabling assembly of pre-tested functional units.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a nested arrangement where the capacitive touchscreen interface is formed on the exterior surface, which encloses the audio processing circuit, which in turn integrates the wireless transceiver circuit. This nested structure optimizes space utilization and simplifies assembly by nesting smaller components within larger structural elements.
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 seamless wireless audio streaming and user control via a capacitive touch interface on a loudspeaker, enhancing user interaction and experience by integrating audio playback, streaming, and social media feedback within a single device.
Implementation Method 1
a capacitive touch user interface that includes at least one capacitive sense electrode in communication with the processor, and wherein the wooden exterior surface acts a dielectric for the capacitive touch user interface
Implementation Method 2
the wooden exterior surface acts a dielectric for the capacitive touch user interface
Implementation Method 3
at least one electroacoustic transducer for producing audible sound
Data Source
AI summary
Wireless-enabled loudspeaker includes a wooden capacitive touch user interface. The loudspeaker may comprise at least one electroacoustic transducer, a processor in communication with the at least one electroacoustic transducer, and a wooden exterior surface comprising a capacitive touch user interface that allows a user to control operation of the loudspeaker. The wooden exterior surface acts a dielectric for the capacitive touch user interface. The loudspeaker may comprise a wireless transceiver circuit for receiving and transmitting wireless communication signals via a wireless network. The wireless transceiver circuit may receive wirelessly audio content from streaming audio content servers that are connected to the Internet. The capacitive touch user interface comprises a plurality of user control icons etched in the wooden exterior surface, and a plurality of capacitive sense electrodes located under the wooden exterior surface.