The present description relates to display devices which can also be used if necessary for input and/or command functions. The description has been written with particular attention to the possible use of these devices in the field of man-machine interfaces (MMI), for example those of the type advertised as “user friendly” interfaces.
The rotary knob controls which are conventionally used in numerous pieces of electrical and electronic equipment form an elementary form of interface device which can provide display functions in addition to control functions. This is because the position reached in the rotary movement (indicated, for example, by a pointer or index on the knob) also provides at least an approximate indication of the control position.
Slider controls, used for example in a wide range of electrical and electronic equipment, operate on similar principles; examples of these controls are the sliders normally provided on the control panels of audio/video mixers for either professional or amateur use.
These slider controls are also known in versions which may be described as “virtual”, in which the slider is represented on a display screen, of the liquid crystal type for example. If the screen is of the touch screen type, such as a capacitive touch screen, the user can control the slider displayed on the screen according to principles substantially similar to those of the operation of conventional mechanical sliders, or under conditions such that the control position of the slider also has the function of displaying the level of the controlled signal.
Additionally, in relation to the display function, backlit liquid crystal displays have been shown to have a considerable degree of flexibility as regards their possible fields of application. However, the inventors have found that there are numerous applications in which these devices are excessively complex or costly, in view of the simplicity of the information to be displayed. These devices require the use of advanced production technology and are also subject to limitations concerning the environmental conditions (in relation to the operating temperature, for example).
The same considerations are broadly applicable to display units formed by arrays of light sources (such as LEDs) which can be activated selectively in such a way that the number of LEDs activated indicates the level of the signal displayed. These components can also be rather complicated, for example because of the number of connections required, and are not particularly flexible in terms of applications.
As far as the control function is concerned, however, touch sensors of the capacitive, resistive or other types, such as those based on surface acoustic wave (SAW) technology, have been used increasingly over the years. These sensors usually have low production costs and a considerable simplicity in terms of control. However, the inventors have found that these sensors are not easily integrated with a conventional display function (for the purpose of displaying the control intensity of a signal, for example).
Within this general context there is now an acknowledged need for interfaces, for use in fields including, but not limited to, those of automatic control electronics, amusement or entertainment applications, home automation systems, and the like, which can provide a display function (suitable for integration with a control function if necessary) and which can meet requirements such as the following:
The object of the present invention is to provide solutions to meet the above requirements.
According to the present invention, this object is achieved by means of a device having the characteristics claimed in the claims below. The invention also relates to a corresponding method.
The claims form an integral part of the technical teachings provided herein in relation to the invention.
Some embodiments are based on the use of components which can act as optical guides for defining at least one propagation path for an optical radiation from an injection point of the radiation, in which the optical radiation propagating along this path is subject to attenuation due to being diffused and made visible outside the component.
Examples of components which can provide this behavior are the components known as “scattering bars”, particularly those of the volume type, and devices formed by the stacking of optical slides in the solid state (“stacked solid slides”). High-attenuation optical fibers are another example of this type of component.
In some embodiments, components of this type can meet the specified requirements in a highly satisfactory way, even in critical environmental conditions (such as environments characterized by the presence of a considerable amount of dust), without the need for costly protection systems.
In some embodiments, the display can be provided by means of color coding mechanisms which facilitate the understanding of the information presented by the display device.
Some embodiments of the invention benefit from the high color resolution capacity of the human eye, by combining different color components from light sources such as LEDs. It may also be possible to use faceplates to enhance the perception of the color coding.
In some embodiments, the benefits of the provision of the display function can be integrated with benefits related to the provision of the control function, particularly as regards the possibility of detecting a control action by the user, for example by using touch sensors to avoid the need for using separate devices such as dimmers, push buttons, mechanical sliders, and the like.
In some embodiments, these display systems can be integrated with touch sensors (such as capacitive, resistive or SAW sensors), enabling these sensors to be integrated with the display unit, using printing techniques if appropriate.
Some embodiments enable implementation to take place at a lower cost than has been achieved previously, by producing a display, using color coding if necessary, based on economical components combined with simple production processes and standard technologies.
Some embodiments are characterized by a high degree of compactness, an attractive appearance for the user, and high reliability, making them capable of operation even in rather adverse conditions, partly because no moving parts are necessary.
Some embodiments include processors capable of controlling communication systems, even rather advanced ones, such as those using DALI, DMX, TCP/IP, and similar protocols.
Some embodiments are suitable for use in combination with other complementary forms of signaling such as acoustic systems (for example, buzzers) or tactile systems (for example, electromechanical vibration systems).
The invention will now be described, purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:
The following description illustrates various specific details intended to provide a deeper understanding of the embodiments. The embodiments may be produced without one or more of the specific details, or may use other methods, components, materials, etc. In other cases, known structures, materials or operations are not shown or described in detail, in order to avoid obscuring various aspects of the embodiments.
The reference to “an embodiment” in this description is intended to indicate that a particular configuration, structure or characteristic described in relation to the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, phrases such as “in an embodiment”, which may be present in various parts of this description, do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, specific formations, structures or characteristics may be combined in a suitable way in one or more embodiments.
The references used herein are purely for convenience and therefore do not define the scope of protection or the extent of the embodiments.
In the figures below, the reference 10 indicates the whole of a source intended to produce, as the signal to be displayed, an electrical signal having a characteristic, such as the intensity, which is to be displayed.
The source in question can be a sensor or an electrical and/or electronic apparatus of any kind. It may, for example, be a potentiometric signal source corresponding to a control position, for example a position relating to the dimming level of a light source.
The reference numeral 14 indicates a processor, such as a microcontroller, which receives the signal from the source 10 and generates from this signal one or more drive signals for the display device 12.
Persons skilled in the art will understand, however, that some embodiments can dispense with the processor 14, since the device 12 can be driven directly by the output signal from the source 10.
For the purpose of illustrating the exemplary embodiments considered here, it will be assumed that the display device 12 is intended to operate on a signal x. Furthermore, for simplicity of illustration, it will be assumed that the signal x is a signal standardized to unity, that is to say a signal which can take values in the range from 0 (minimum level) to 1 (maximum level) with continuous or stepped variation.
In the embodiment to which
It should be remembered that the representation of the signal x is a standardized representation, meaning that the actual value of the drive signal concerned can be disregarded.
In the embodiment of
In the embodiments of
The term “coupled”, used in respect of the link between the optical source or sources 16 and 20 and the corresponding ends 18a and 18b of the optical guide 18, refers to any connecting configuration such that the optical radiation generated by the source 16 or by the sources 16, 20 can be injected or sent into the guide 18 in such a way that this radiation can propagate from the corresponding injection point (the end 18a or 18b) along the propagation path defined by the guide 18.
It will be appreciated that, although this description refers to the use of light sources formed by LEDs, the light sources can be formed, in any of the embodiments, by any light source (such as laser diode, a plasma light source, or the like) which can generate optical radiation whose intensity is a function of, and is therefore representative of, the level (for example, the mean level) of the signal supplied to it.
In the embodiments considered with reference to
This takes place in conditions such that the radiation propagating along the guide 18 from the end 18a is subject to attenuation due to being diffused and made visible from outside the guide 18.
For example, it may be supposed that the radiation produced by the LED 16 and injected at the end 18a is a light blue radiation and that the material of the scattering bar 18 is colored green.
However, the choice of particular color characteristics is not essential for the purposes of the production of the embodiments. Consequently (and also for the sake of clarity and simplicity of illustration),
With reference to the embodiment of
The following zones can therefore be identified along the extension of the guide 18:
For simplicity of illustration,
The same effect can also be manifested in terms of color characteristics.
For example, referring (in a non-exclusive way) to the color components mentioned above, we may suppose that the illuminating effect in the zone 180 of the radiation generated by the LED 16 (which is assumed to emit a blue radiation) can be perceived as a light blue colored zone. On the other hand, the zone 182, where the illuminating effect of the radiation produced by the LED is minimal or even non-existent, the background color of the guide 18, green for example, is predominant.
The zone 184 therefore has an intermediate color identified approximately as an “emerald green” color; in other words it is a zone in which the blue and green color components are mixed.
As
For example, the three portions a, b, c of
In the first case, the transition zone 184 is located about a quarter of the way along the guide 18 from the end 18a.
In the second case, the transition zone 184 is located about halfway along the guide 18.
In the third case, the transition zone 184 is located about three quarters of the way along the guide 18 from the end 18a.
Similarly, we may suppose that, when x is zero, and therefore the LED 16 is switched off, the zone 180 (and also the zone 184) practically disappear, and therefore the zone 182 finally occupies the whole extension of the guide 18. Equally, we may suppose that, when the signal x is at its maximum level (with a standardized value of 1), both the zone 182 and the zone 184 disappear almost completely, and therefore the zone 180 occupies the whole longitudinal extension of the guide 18.
The schematic representation in
However, it will be appreciated that, even if one of these colors is identical to the background color of the material forming the guide 18, this choice is not in any way essential.
The longitudinal extension of the guide 18 of
In this case, the light sources 16 and 20 are driven by two signals, x and (1-x), which represent in a complementary way the level of the signal to be displayed. For example, referring again for the sake of simplicity to values standardized to unity, in the example of
Thus, for example, with reference to what is illustrated in the three parts a), b) and c) of
In this case also, when the signal x has a value of 0, the zone 182, in which the illuminating effect of the source 20 is present, occupies practically the whole of the longitudinal extension of the guide 18, since in this case the signal 1-x has a value of one. In a complementary way, when the signal x is equal to 1 and the signal 1-x is at the level of 0, it is the zone 180 that occupies practically all of the guide 18.
Again, it will be appreciated that the embodiments are not in any way limited to a linear correlation between the signal intensity and the illuminating effect. However, it will be appreciated that the “push-pull” configuration shown in
The preceding description, provided with reference to
It will also be appreciated that the present description, which refers to the presence of three zones, is purely exemplary in nature. The number of zones which can be perceived as optically distinct (with a greater or lesser degree of distinguishability) can be greater.
However, there are other ways of producing optical guides which can define at least one propagation path for an optical radiation from a point of injection of the radiation in which the optical radiation propagating along this propagation path is subject to attenuation due to being diffused and made visible from outside the guide.
As shown schematically in
As regards the general criteria for operation, for the embodiment shown in
When the solid slide stack solution shown in
Although the zones 180, 182 and 184 substantially correspond to continuous variations (or “shades”) of luminosity and/or color in the case of a scattering bar as shown in
In the embodiment shown in
Additionally,
Once again, it will be appreciated that the reference to guides based on volumetric scattering phenomena and/or on solid slide stacks is provided purely by way of example, since embodiments of the solution described here can use a normal high-attenuation optical guide, for example, as the wave guide 18.
In the embodiment of
The illustrated device can be adjusted (by using the processor 14 for example) by coordinating the operation of the touch sensor 100 and the display device 12 in such a way that the display of the device 12 (shown schematically in
In
Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the details of construction and the forms of embodiment may be varied widely with respect to those illustrated, which have been given purely by way of non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the invention as defined in the attached claims. This is true, for example, of the possible integration in equipment for which interaction with the user is required, such as lamps with controllable intensity, color or color temperature (such as “tunable white” lamps).
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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TO2009A000856 | Nov 2009 | IT | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP10/66669 | 11/3/2010 | WO | 00 | 6/25/2012 |