Wooden Capacitive Touch Loudspeaker for Seamless Wireless Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional capacitive touchscreens lack a seamless integration of wireless functionality and user control interfaces in a single device, such as a loudspeaker, which limits user interaction and content management.

Innovation Solution

A wireless-enabled loudspeaker with a wooden or dielectric capacitive touch user interface that incorporates 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, enabling features like volume control, streaming selection, and social media feedback.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a capacitive touchscreen uses conventional glass and transparent conductor coatings, then the touch interface can be manufactured with standard processes, but the integration with wireless functionality and user control in a single device is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintegration of wireless functionality and user controlVSAvoiddevice structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the capacitive touch interface electrodes directly with the wireless antenna structure, merging two separate functional components (touch sensing and wireless communication) into a single integrated structure. This allows the loudspeaker to have both wireless capability and touch control functionality without requiring separate components, thereby improving adaptability while managing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If capacitive sense electrodes are placed under a wooden exterior surface, then the user interface becomes more aesthetically pleasing and seamless, but the manufacturing precision and electrode positioning become more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interface seamless integrationVSAvoidelectrode positioning under surface

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The capacitive sense electrodes are nested within the wooden exterior structure, with the electrodes positioned underneath the wooden surface rather than on top. This nesting approach allows the touch interface to be seamlessly integrated into the aesthetic design while the electrodes remain protected and properly positioned within the device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the wooden exterior surface acts as a dielectric for capacitive touch controls, then the design achieves aesthetic appeal and material versatility, but the dielectric properties must be precisely controlled to ensure touch sensitivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial usage flexibilityVSAvoiddielectric property control

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes the natural dielectric properties of wood as the exterior material, accepting and working with the inherent electrical characteristics of the wooden material rather than requiring precise artificial control. The design embraces the material's natural properties, including its dielectric characteristics, to achieve both aesthetic appeal and functional touch control capability.

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 intuitive user control of wireless audio content playback and streaming, enhancing user experience by integrating capacitive touch controls directly into the loudspeaker's wooden surface, allowing seamless interaction with streaming services and social media feedback.

Implementation Method 1

a wooden (or other dielectric) exterior surface 102 comprising a capacitive touch user interface 420 that allows a user to control operation of the loudspeaker 100. The capacitive touch user interface 420 comprises at least one capacitive sense electrode 502 in communication with the processor 402

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Implementation Method 2

the wooden exterior surface 102 acts a dielectric for the capacitive touch user interface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDielectric: Dielectric

Data Source

PatentUS20200382853A1Wooden or other dielectric capacitive touch interface and loudspeaker having same

Publication Date: 2020.12.03 KOSS CORP

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.