Touch screen with sensory feedback

A user interface for a lighting control, the user interface comprising:

• a touch screen actuator having a touch sensitive front surface responsive to a plurality of point actuations, each characterized by a position and a force, the touch screen actuator having an output for providing a control signal representative of the position of the point actuation;
• a visual display operable to illuminate in response to the control signal of the touch screen actuator;
• and
• an audible sound generator operable to generate an audible sound in response to the control signal of the touch screen actuator.

A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the load control device comprising:

• a semiconductor switch operable to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load, the semiconductor switch having a control input for controlling the semiconductor switch between a non-conductive state and a conductive state;
• a controller operatively coupled to the control input of the semiconductor switch for controlling the semiconductor switch between the non-conductive state and the conductive state;
• a touch screen actuator having a touch sensitive front surface responsive to a plurality of point actuations, each characterized by a position and a force, the touch screen actuator having an output operatively coupled to the controller for providing a first control signal in response to a first point actuation and a second control signal in response to a second point actuation;
• and
• an audible sound generator responsive to the controller;
• wherein the controller is operable to cause the audible sound generator to generate a first audible sound in response to the first control signal and a second audible sound in response to the second control signal.

A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the load control device comprising:

• a semiconductor switch operable to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load, the semiconductor switch having a control input for controlling the semiconductor switch between a non-conductive state and a conductive state;
• a controller operatively coupled to the control input of the semiconductor switch for controlling the semiconductor switch between the non-conductive state and the conductive state;
• a touch screen actuator having a touch sensitive front surface responsive to a plurality of point actuations, each characterized by a position and a force, the touch screen actuator operable to begin providing a control signal to the controller when the magnitude of the force of each of the point actuations exceeds substantially a minimum magnitude and to cease providing the control signal when the magnitude of the force subsequently decreases below substantially the minimum magnitude of the point actuation;
• and
• an audible sound generator responsive to the controller;
• wherein the controller is operable to cause the audible sound generator to generate a first audible sound in response to the control signal when the magnitude of the force of each of the point actuations exceeds substantially the minimum magnitude, and to generate a second audible sound in response to the control signal when the magnitude of the force subsequently decreases below substantially the minimum magnitude of the point actuation.

A control structure for an electrical control system for producing a variable output electrical signal to an electrical load for controllably varying the output of said load, said control structure comprising:

• (a) an enclosed volume which contains control electronics;
• (b) a cover plate on one surface of said enclosed volume having a planar front surface and having a rectangular opening therein;
• (c) a transparent touch pad disposed in said rectangular opening and coupled to said control electronics and adapted to produce an output signal which is related to the position within the area of said touch pad at which said touch pad is touched by an operator;
• (d) a plurality of vertically arranged markers printed on said touch pad to serve as scale indicator;
• (e) a plurality of status indicators coupled to said control electronics for illuminating respective discrete locations on said touch pad which lie on a line along the length of said touch pad and in a predetermined alignment with respective ones of said printed markers and being respectively illuminated adjacent the position on said touch pad at which said touch pad is touched by an operator;
• (f) a small marker at the bottom of said touch pad and in the center of the width of said touch pad, wherein said control electronics are operable to toggle said load when said touch pad is touched at the location of said small marker;
• and
• (g) at least a first status indicator connected to said control electronics and positioned to illuminate said marker and when said touch pad is touched at said small diameter marker dot to turn off said load.

A control structure for an electrical control system for producing a variable output electrical signal to an electrical load for controllably varying the output of said load, said control structure comprising:

• (a) an enclosed volume which contains control electronics;
• (b) cover plate on one surface of said enclosed volume having a planar front surface and having a rectangular opening therein;
• (c) a transparent touch pad disposed in said rectangular opening and coupled to said control electronics and adapted to produce an output signal which is related to the position within the area of said touch pad at which said touch pad is touched by an operator;
• (d) a thin escutcheon frame surrounding said rectangular opening;
• (e) a plurality of status indicators coupled to said control electronics and disposed along the length of one side of said escutcheon frame and adjacent said touch pad;
• (f) a small marker at the bottom of said touch pad and in the center of the width of said touch pad, wherein the control electronics are operable to turn off said load when said touch pad is touched at the location of said small marker;
• and
• (g) at least a first LED positioned to illuminate said small marker and connected to said control electronics when said touch pad is touched at said small marker to turn off said load.

A control structure for an electrical control system for producing a variable output electrical signal to an electrical load for controllably varying an output of said load, said control structure comprising:

• (a) an enclosed volume which contains control electronics;
• (b) a cover plate on one surface of said enclosed volume having a planar front surface and having a rectangular opening therein;
• (c) a touch pad disposed in said rectangular opening and coupled to said control electronics and adapted to produce an output signal which is related to the position within the area of said touch pad at which said touch pad is touched by an operator;
• and
• (d) a manually sensible area at the bottom of said touch pad, wherein depression of said area operates an on/off operation of said control electronics.

A system for controlling power from a source to a load, comprising, in combination:

• (a) a cover plate that has a front surface with a rectangular opening;
• (b) a touch pad behind said rectangular opening having an accessible continuous surface area for providing a signal in response to pressure applied anywhere along said accessible continuous surface, the signal having at least one characteristic which is a function of the actual location on the area of said accessible continuous surface to which said pressure is applied;
• (c) circuit means to adjust the power provided from said source to said load in accordance with said signal, wherein said circuit means includes an electronically adjustable voltage dividing means;
• (d) a plurality of vertically arranged markers printed on said touch pad to serve as scale indicator;
• (e) a plurality of status indicators coupled to said circuit means for illuminating respective discrete locations on said touch pad which lie on a line along the length of said touch pad and in a predetermined alignment with respective ones of said printed markers and being respectively illuminated adjacent the position on said touch pad at which said touch pad is touched by an operator;
• (f) a small marker at the bottom of said touch pad and in the center of the width of said touch pad, the control electronics operable to toggle said load when said touch pad is touched at the location of said small marker;
• and
• (g) at least a first status indicator connected to said control electronics and positioned to illuminate said small marker and when said touch pad is touched at said small marker to turn off said load.

A system for controlling power from a source to a load, comprising, in combination:

• (a) a cover plate that has a front surface with a rectangular opening;
• (b) a touch pad behind said rectangular opening having an accessible continuous surface area for providing a signal in response to pressure applied anywhere along said area, the signal having at least one characteristic which is a function of the actual location on the area to which said pressure is applied;
• (c) circuit means to adjust the power provided from said source to said load in accordance with said signal;
• (d) said rectangular opening having a height about 4 to about 6 times its width;
• and
• (e) a shallow raised area at the bottom of said touch pad, wherein depression of said raised area operates an on/off operation of said circuit means.

A control structure for an electrical control system for producing a variable output electrical signal to an electrical load for controllably varying the output of said load, said control structure comprising:

• (a) an enclosed volume which contains control electronics;
• (b) a cover plate on one surface of said enclosed volume having a planar front surface and having a rectangular opening therein;
• (c) a transparent touch pad disposed in said rectangular opening and coupled to said control electronics and adapted to produce an output signal which is related to the position within the area of said touch pad at which said touch pad is touched by an operator;
• (d) a plurality of vertically arranged markers printed on said touch pad to serve as scale indicator;
• and
• (e) a plurality of status indicators coupled to said control electronics for illuminating respective discrete locations on said touch pad which lie on a line along the length of said touch pad and in a predetermined alignment with respective ones of said printed markers and being respectively illuminated adjacent the position on said touch pad at which said touch pad is touched by an operator.

A control structure for an electrical control system for producing a variable output electrical signal to an electrical load for controllably varying the output of said load, said control structure comprising:

• (a) an enclosed volume which contains control electronics;
• (b) a cover plate on one surface of said enclosed volume having a planar front surface and having a rectangular opening therein;
• (c) a touch pad disposed in said rectangular opening and coupled to said control electronics and adapted to produce an output signal which is related to the position within the area of said touch pad at which said touch pad is touched by an operator;
• (d) a plurality of status indicators coupled to said control electronics for illuminating respective discrete locations on said touch pad which lie on a line along the length of said touch pad;
• and
• (e) and an audio circuit coupled to said touch pad for producing an audible sound in response to the touching of said touch pad and the illumination of any of said plurality of status indicators.