Controller with dynamically indicated input devices
First Claim
1. A controller interface, comprising:
- a plurality of input elements, each comprising a touch sensor, coupled to a controller circuit device of a controlled device and adapted to operate or configure the controller circuit device to set or adjust an operating mode of the controlled device;
a plurality of indicators respectively associated with the plurality of input elements and being capable of being set in at least an illuminated and non-illuminated states, each of the plurality of indicators comprising a light source positioned to illuminate a design formed on the associated touch sensor, the design defining a shaped void formed in an opaque layer and adapted to pass light from the associated light source, wherein each of the light sources is adapted to be ON so as to identify to a user the associated input element when the associated input element is active;
the controller circuit device being operative to actively monitor or to ignore each of said input elements according to an interface program, and to set each of the plurality of indicators in one of the indication states based on whether the associated input element is set to be actively monitored or ignored in accordance with said interface program.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A user interface of a controller has multiple touch-sensitive input transducers, e.g., capacitive pads. The pads are dynamically indicated: When any given touch sensitive input device is needed for input at a given step of the programming operation, an associated light source illuminates that input device so it is visible to the user. Those touch-panel input devices not needed for that are left unilluminated, and the microprocessor ignores any input from those input devices. At each step of the operation or programming of the controller, only those input transducers for the inputs that are permitted or relevant to that state are indicated. Correspondingly, only the inputs that are generated by actuating the input transducers for the valid (i.e., permitted or relevant) inputs results in a change in the state of the program in the microprocessor.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A controller interface, comprising:
- a plurality of input elements, each comprising a touch sensor, coupled to a controller circuit device of a controlled device and adapted to operate or configure the controller circuit device to set or adjust an operating mode of the controlled device;
a plurality of indicators respectively associated with the plurality of input elements and being capable of being set in at least an illuminated and non-illuminated states, each of the plurality of indicators comprising a light source positioned to illuminate a design formed on the associated touch sensor, the design defining a shaped void formed in an opaque layer and adapted to pass light from the associated light source, wherein each of the light sources is adapted to be ON so as to identify to a user the associated input element when the associated input element is active; the controller circuit device being operative to actively monitor or to ignore each of said input elements according to an interface program, and to set each of the plurality of indicators in one of the indication states based on whether the associated input element is set to be actively monitored or ignored in accordance with said interface program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
- a plurality of input elements, each comprising a touch sensor, coupled to a controller circuit device of a controlled device and adapted to operate or configure the controller circuit device to set or adjust an operating mode of the controlled device;
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5. A method of guiding a user through a multi-step operation or configuration of a controller interface associated with a controlled device, comprising, for establishing a desired operation or configuration of the controlled device by employing a plurality of input elements of said interface, each of which has an associated indicator to signal whether the input element is active or ignored, each of the plurality of indicators comprising a light source positioned to illuminate an icon design formed on the associated touch sensor, the icon design defining a shaped void formed on an electrode layer and adapted to pass light from the associated light source;
- establishing an active or ignored state for each of said input elements depending on which step of the multi-step operation or configuration is being carried out; and
turning on only the indicator or indicators associated with the active input elements, wherein turning on an indicator comprises turn the associated light source to ON so as to identify the location of the associate input elements for the user.
- establishing an active or ignored state for each of said input elements depending on which step of the multi-step operation or configuration is being carried out; and
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6. A touch-panel control interface for a controlled device, the control interface comprising a face plate formed of a transparent dielectric plate, a printed circuit board, a microprocessor mounted on the printed circuit board and programmed to respond to touch commands, and a plurality of illumination sources positioned behind said face plate;
- wherein said face plate includes a layer of a non-conductive translucent material disposed on a back side of said transparent dielectric plate, a conductive opaque layer laid down in a predetermined pattern on said non-conductive translucent layer, said pattern including a plurality of capacitive touch pads at predetermined locations on the back side of the face plate adapted to generate the touch commands, a plurality of connector pads situated within a predetermined location on the back of said face plate, and conductive paths connecting respective ones of said capacitive touch pads to associated ones of said connector pads; and
wherein shaped void areas are formed in each of said capacitive touch pads to permit light to pass therethrough and through said non-conductive translucent material and said face plate to form visible icons at said predetermined locations;
a conductive connector connecting said connector pads on said face plate to corresponding electrodes of the printed circuit board, and a plurality of illumination devices each respectively coupled to a predetermined output of said microprocessor and being positioned behind a respective one of said capacitive touch pads, the microprocessor being suitably programmed so that for any given phase of a control operation for entry of settings into said control interface, the microprocessor is operative to receive a signal from only predetermined ones of said capacitive touch pads, fewer than all of said capacitive touch pads, and to ignore signals from the remaining ones of said capacitive touch pads, and is also operative to illuminate only the illumination devices associated with said predetermined ones of the touch pads and leave off those illumination devices associated with said remaining ones of said capacitive touch pads. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- wherein said face plate includes a layer of a non-conductive translucent material disposed on a back side of said transparent dielectric plate, a conductive opaque layer laid down in a predetermined pattern on said non-conductive translucent layer, said pattern including a plurality of capacitive touch pads at predetermined locations on the back side of the face plate adapted to generate the touch commands, a plurality of connector pads situated within a predetermined location on the back of said face plate, and conductive paths connecting respective ones of said capacitive touch pads to associated ones of said connector pads; and
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14. A controller, comprising:
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a plurality of input devices adapted to operate or configure the controller to operate a controlled device, the plurality of the input devices each comprising a capacitive touch sensor; a plurality of indicators respectively associated with the plurality of input devices, each of which being capable of being set in at least two indication states, the plurality of indicators each comprising a light source positioned to illuminate at least a portion of the input device; microprocessor adapted to, for a state of operation or configuration of the controller, set each of the plurality of indicators in one of the indication states based on whether activation of the input device with which the indicator is associated is permitted or required for the state, the capacitive touch sensors each comprising a transparent or translucent dielectric substrate, an insulating coating on the dielectric substrate and defining an opening adapted to pass light, and an electrode layer adapted to pass light therethrough, and through the insulating coating, to the dielectric substrate, wherein the light source are each positioned to shine light through the electrode layer and insulating coating layer to illuminate an portion of the capacitive touch sensor. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification