| 摘要 |
Internet connected electrical switches can benefit from an electronic rather than mechanical means to indicate their output power level. In one embodiment a touch-controlled dimmer switch is disclosed, including an interactive, uniformly illuminated bar of light, indicating the output power state of a dimmer switch. In response to a user moving their finger on a touch-sensitive front cover the dimmer switch illuminates corresponding regions with well-defined edges on a touch sensitive cover. The illuminated regions can be elongated, wider than a typical finger and encompass the most recently touched location, thereby providing improved feedback between the finger position on a touch sensitive surface and the operating point of an electrical switch. In several embodiments a segmented backlight is used to implement the interactive illuminated bar of light by uniformly illuminating the bounds of a touch region on the front surface of the switch corresponding to a particular output power state of the dimmer switch. Means are provided to produce closely spaced elongated illuminated regions with substantially uniform intensity and well-defined perimeters, well suited for internet connected smart light switches. In another aspect a translucent layer behind the touch sensitive surface can contain decorative and interchangeable artwork, illuminated by the segmented backlight. |
| 主权项 |
1. A touch sensitive display comprising:
a display cover comprising a touch sensitive surface, a plurality of direct input sensors disposed behind the touch sensitive surface, for sensing direct user interaction with the touch sensitive surface, a segmented backlight comprising:
a lightguide comprising a plurality of segments,
wherein each segment of the plurality of segments has a forward facing surface that is substantially parallel to the touch sensitive surface and at least one planar surface disposed on a plane that is common to the plurality of segments,one or more separators for attenuating light transmitted between segments in the plurality of segments,
wherein each segment in the plurality of segments is at least partially separated from another segment in the plurality of segments by at least one of the one or more separators, anda plurality of light generation components, wherein each light generation component in the plurality of light generation components is for transmitting light preferentially into one segment of the plurality of segments, wherein upon direct user interaction with a first location on the touch sensitive surface one or more first segments from the plurality of segments generate a first illuminated region on the touch sensitive surface, wherein the first illuminated region has substantially uniform illumination intensity, wherein the first illuminated region is more indirectly illuminated by light from the one or more first segments than directly illuminated by the plurality of light generation components, and wherein the first illuminated region encompasses the first location on the touch sensitive surface. |
