Photon Freedom *Ultra* Interface

ViReN

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(I had posted this on Photon Forum, but not a single response :p.. so let me try it here...)

Hi All,

After a lot of thinking and analysis, I have come up with following interface with use of Double Click as we are normally used to in computers. Of course, it's a bit complex (compared to Freedom MAX), but then it is not for everyone, it's for more demanding users. This UI features similar to Freedom MAX with additional feature as Power Save Mode and Lock Mode.
Have a look

Updated UI in #11
 
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phatalbert

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I like it alot!

I have never felt quite safe with my photon max after a couple of accidental drain incidents, still such a great, unique light. Some better programming would make it a must-have.
 

Sub_Umbra

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I would go for it for the Power Save Mode. Emergency use is a very big reason for our PFs and I like your PS Mode idea.

I've yet to have an accidental discharge with a PF, so that's not an issue with me. I carry mine around my neck on a short SS bead chain in the Cradle with the switch in the OUT position. If I found it turning on by itself I'd turn it around to protect the switch with the back of the cradle -- but I haven't had to.

I'd buy one just for the PS Mode option, though.
 

ViReN

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It's true so many clicks :)

I think we can reduce the number of modes itself to following
1) Normal (Power Save Mode) = single click
2) Permanant =+ 1 dbl click
3) SOS =+ 1 dbl click
4) Blink =+ 1 dbl click

other modes are not that important..so may simply be ignored / not implemented. to just 3 double clicks are required at MAX...

(just count the number of times we double click our computer mouses... do we complain about it?)

May I request PhotonLight or Chanik to comment?
Is it possible to reprogram photon Freedom chip with the above UI?
 

Brangdon

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I like the sound of using double-click to cycle between modes. With Photon Freedoms I find it hard to switch modes.

Power save mode sounds good. My Freedom is stiff enough that it doesn't turn on accidentally, but this is a real concern for other people.

I'm not sure I see the point of Lock mode. It seems really esoteric. And maybe a bit dangerous if an accidental double-click from off makes it hard to turn off. If this mode is provided I would put it after the blinking and SOS modes.

I like signal mode. I think it's more useful than the blinking modes. Is there a confusion between "keep clicking for signal mode" and the double-click to switch modes? From off, double-click should be perminant mode, then double-click again should cycle between modes, so how does it know you want signal mode?

I see the Photon blinking modes as basically gimmicks. I've never used them. It might help if they are documented to give long battery life (ie say how long). It might also help if the frequency could be continuously adjustable, eg if press-and-hold changed the blink speed instead of brightness in these modes. Ideally you should be able to use it as a strobe to eg, "freeze" rotating fans. That would be cool.

In any case, I see no point in press-and-hold doing nothing in blinking modes. It should at least change brightness. Ideally a dim slow blink will give awesome battery life - like years, enough to use it as a locator eg when attached to your keys.

If you ever do a light that's bright enough that the strobe can be used offensively, then that strobe should be easy to get to. No more than 2 double-clicks from off. It would be needed more urgently than SOS.

I'm not sure how important the SOS mode is in practice. Obviously it's going to be used rarely, if ever, but do you even have reports of it helping people in emergencies? Anyway I guess it doesn't cost much to include it somewhere and it probably helps marketting.

It's tempting to make SOS easy to find/get to because when you need it you really need it, but unless you compromise other features it's going to be at least 2 double-clicks away, and that's far enough that it's effectively hidden except from people who know it's there. So you might as well put it last or near-last in the sequence.

I don't understand what BR1/BR2 modes are.

The standard operations of double-click to change modes, and single-click for off, and press-and-hold to tune current mode for brightness or speed, I think make it simple enough to support a lot of modes. It sounds cool.
 

ViReN

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as mentioed in #6 I have already trimmed and simplified UI to the bare minimum, but having all essencial features. my image server is not working at this moment.. will update as soon as possible.
 

paulr

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Unless you've got a way to reprogram the microprocessor, this redesign is kind of pointless, the most important missing feature in the Freedom is a power-save timeout, and LRI has already said they won't add it.

Anyway, a reprogrammed Freedom should be simpler than the existing version, not more complex. Get rid of the blinking and SOS modes and add a timeout, and call it a day.
 

voodoogreg

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I thought I read on photon forum that there is a pwr save mode, or at least
a battery pwr saving feature, press and hold till the light comes on low then immediately release. then adjust up to desired brightness.
(too check it's in this pwr/batt save mode, move the freedom in an arc back and forth quickly, if it leaves a strobe like trail it's in save and most likely PWM, if it's a continous streak it's still full power)

Do you mean an auto off mode?
I really love the PF's UI as is, the gradual up and down brightness is real fine tune-able. I Wish there was a CR123/luxIII EDC with that same UI. VDG

P.S. i have had the SOS help summon cops twice during highway breakdown's
when no one else wanted to stop to help. i say keep it.
 
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ViReN

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OK, Here is the new Interface :) a lot simplified. SOS and Blink are really useful in case of emergency.

PhotonFreedomUltra_Trim.jpg
 

ViReN

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voodoogreg said:
I thought I read on photon forum that there is a pwr save mode, or at least
a battery pwr saving feature, press and hold till the light comes on low then immediately release. then adjust up to desired brightness.
(too check it's in this pwr/batt save mode, move the freedom in an arc back and forth quickly, if it leaves a strobe like trail it's in save and most likely PWM, if it's a continous streak it's still full power)

Do you mean an auto off mode?
I really love the PF's UI as is, the gradual up and down brightness is real fine tune-able. I Wish there was a CR123/luxIII EDC with that same UI. VDG

P.S. i have had the SOS help summon cops twice during highway breakdown's
when no one else wanted to stop to help. i say keep it.

Did you have a look at Photon Proton, its AA but it has similar interface... lets hope Photon Comes out with a CR123 Lux III Light with same interface.

I have kept the SOS and Blink modes in the UI. If not Photon, I am thinking of doing this UI myself... but I am ZeRo in PIC's but let me begin... donno how long it could take. may be perhaps djpark, goldserve, PEU who have experience in this could help...
 

vortechs

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Looks good ViReN.

I like the fact that it has some common rules, like double-click for the next mode.

Your suggested UI addresses my biggest issue with the Photon Freedom microlight, which is that you have to put it in momentary mode when you keep it in your pocket, otherwise there is a risk it will turn on and drain the batteries. Then when you try to use you have to hold the button down like a Photon I and it annoyingly shuts off after a short while and you have to re-click it to get it ON in normal mode. Then when you're done using it you have to remember to click it a bunch of times again to get it back into the pocket-safe momentary mode. I've found myself using my dimmer picolight rather than the Photon Freedom microlight just because of the hassle of taking the Freedom out of and back into momentary mode.
 

ViReN

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vortechs It's Nice to Know that you like the UI suggested by me.

I have set the default time for mouse click is usually 100 Milli Seconds, and a gap of 250 mili seconds i.e. if a user clicks 2 times during 250 milli seconds, then system detect it as a double click otherwise it's a single click. If this is implemented in the Ultra Interface, one can cycle through all the steps within a Second, i.e. this interface will be fast too.

detecting 3/4 clicks in 250 milliseconds should land in signal mode.
 

Brangdon

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ViReN said:
OK, Here is the new Interface :) a lot simplified. SOS and Blink are really useful in case of emergency.
That's the same one you posted in #1, and that I criticised in #7. Eg it still has the dangerous Lock mode. Your #6 implies you were getting rid of that.

I'd make the modes:
Normal (with timeout); hold changes brightness.
Perminant (no timeout); hold changes brightness.
Blink; hold changes strobe speed.
SOS; hold changes brightness.
Signal; hold on, release off.

Double-click always advances mode (except in signal).
Single-clock always switches off (except in signal).
Press-and-hold depends on mode, as listed above.
 

ViReN

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I could not understand why lockout mode could be dangerous?

my idea keeping the lock mode is to save on batteries. and a single triple click could make it ON in normal mode....

HDS and others have it too
 

Brangdon

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You described it as "lock" mode, not "lockout". From the description it seems to be locked on, and hard to turn off. For example, it says:
Press hold: if Off: N/A; if On: blink.

That makes it look like it is always on, never off, which is dangerous. If that's not what you meant, and it is actually locked off, then it's OK.

Do you actually have a formal position with the manufacturer?
 

ViReN

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Its Locked Off Mode and light can be switched on with simple tripple clicks for permenant ON mode or simple double click in normal ON mode. :)
 
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