Vehicle human machine interface with auto-customization

• US 10,126,928 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gibson, Joel S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdulselam, Abbas
• Application Number:
  US14/672,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20150277735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/20 Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for stereophonic purpose H04R5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/002 Loudspeaker arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/00 Stereophonic arrangements stereophonic pick-ups H04R9/16, H04R11/12, H04R17/08, H04R19/10

Abstract

A human machine interface system for a vehicle includes a control and a user input actuatable by a user and associated with at least one accessory of a vehicle. The user input includes a touch screen having a deformable touch surface that is deformable to form a plurality of protruding user inputs. The user inputs of the touch surface are adjustable responsive to a proximity of the user'"'"'s hand. Optionally, a plurality of speakers may be operable to generate respective audible outputs, with the speakers being disposed at the vehicle remote from the user input. The control, responsive to actuation by the user of the user input, controls the speakers to generate respective sounds at the speakers so that a resulting sound is perceived by the user to be originating at or near the user input.

Claims

1. A human machine interface system for a vehicle, said human machine interface system comprising:

a user input actuatable by a user and associated with at least one accessory of a vehicle equipped with said human machine interface system, wherein said user input comprises a touch screen and wherein said touch screen comprises a deformable touch surface that is deformable to form a plurality of protruding user inputs;

a plurality of audible speakers disposed in the equipped vehicle, each of said plurality of audible speakers operable to generate a respective audible output, wherein said plurality of audible speakers is disposed in the equipped vehicle remote from said user input; and

a control, wherein said control, responsive to actuation by the user of said user input, controls said speakers to generate respective audible outputs at said audible speakers so that the user perceives that a resulting sound originates at or near said user input.

2. The human machine interface system of claim 1, wherein said control, responsive to a vehicle function, is operable to generate respective second audible outputs at said audible speakers so that the user perceives that a second resulting sound originates at a location associated with said vehicle function.

3. The human machine interface system of claim 2, wherein said vehicle function comprises a vision system of the equipped vehicle and wherein the user perceives that the second resulting sound originates at or near or towards a location where an object is detected external the equipped vehicle.

4. The human machine interface system of claim 1, wherein said touch screen comprises a proximity sensor and, responsive to detection by said proximity sensor that a user'"'"'s hand is at or near said touch screen, said user inputs are adjusted to protrude from a plane of said touch screen.

5. The human machine interface system of claim 1, wherein said deformable touch surface is adjustable responsive to a proximity of the user'"'"'s hand.

6. The human machine interface system of claim 5, wherein said deformable touch surface is adjustable to adjust an arrangement of said user inputs to follow the user'"'"'s hand or finger when the user'"'"'s hand or finger is not contacting said touch surface.

7. The human machine interface system of claim 6, wherein local backlighting of said touch screen is adjusted responsive to determination of a closer proximity of the user'"'"'s hand or finger.

8. The human machine interface system of claim 6, wherein said arrangement of said user inputs comprises a keypad arrangement.

9. The human machine interface system of claim 1, wherein said deformable touch surface is deformable to adjust said user inputs responsive to biometric information of the user.

10. The human machine interface system of claim 1, wherein said deformable touch surface is deformable to adjust said user inputs responsive to learned actions of the user.

11. The human machine interface system of claim 1, wherein said user inputs comprise a plurality of icons or letters and wherein said deformable touch surface is deformable to adjust the size of the icons or letters responsive to at least one of (i) biometric information of the user and (ii) learned actions of the user.

12. A human machine interface system for a vehicle, said human machine interface system comprising:

a user input actuatable by a user and associated with at least one accessory of a vehicle equipped with said human machine interface system, wherein said user input comprises a touch screen and wherein said touch screen comprises a deformable touch surface that is deformable to form a plurality of user inputs;

wherein said touch screen comprises a proximity sensor and, responsive to detection by said proximity sensor that a user'"'"'s hand is at or near said touch screen, said deformable touch surface is deformable to adjust said user inputs to protrude from a plane of said touch screen;

wherein said user inputs comprise a plurality of icons or letters and wherein said deformable touch surface is deformable to adjust the size of the icons or letters responsive to at least one of (i) biometric information of the user and (ii) learned actions of the user; and

wherein said human machine interface system comprises a plurality of audible speakers and a control, and wherein each of said plurality of audible speakers is operable to generate a respective audible output, and wherein said plurality of audible speakers is disposed in the vehicle remote from said user input, and wherein said control, responsive to actuation by the user of said user input, controls said audible speakers to generate respective audible outputs at said audible speakers so that the user perceives that a resulting sound originates at or near said user input.

13. The human machine interface system of claim 12, wherein said control, responsive to a vehicle function, is operable to generate respective second audible outputs at said audible speakers so that the user perceives that a second resulting sound originates at a location associated with said vehicle function.

14. The human machine interface system of claim 13, wherein said vehicle function comprises a vision system of the vehicle and wherein the user perceives that the second resulting sound originates at or near or towards a location where an object is detected external the vehicle.

15. The human machine interface system of claim 12, wherein said deformable touch surface is deformable to adjust said user inputs responsive to a proximity of the user'"'"'s hand, and wherein an arrangement of said user inputs is adjustable to follow the user'"'"'s hand or finger when the user'"'"'s hand or finger is not contacting said touch surface, and wherein local backlighting of said touch screen is adjusted responsive to determination of a closer proximity of the user'"'"'s hand or finger.

16. The human machine interface system of claim 12, wherein said deformable touch surface is deformable to adjust the size of the icons or letters responsive to biometric information of the user.

17. The human machine interface system of claim 12, wherein said deformable touch surface is deformable to adjust the size of the icons or letters responsive to learned actions of the user.

18. A human machine interface system for a vehicle, said human machine interface system comprising:

a user input actuatable by a user and associated with at least one accessory of a vehicle equipped with said human machine interface system, wherein said user input comprises a touch screen and wherein said touch screen comprises a deformable touch surface that is deformable to form a plurality of user inputs;

wherein said touch screen comprises a proximity sensor and, responsive to detection by said proximity sensor that a user'"'"'s hand is at or near said touch screen, said deformable touch surface is deformable to adjust said user inputs to protrude from a plane of said touch screen;

wherein said deformable touch surface is deformable to adjust said user inputs responsive to a proximity of the user'"'"'s hand, and wherein an arrangement of said user inputs is adjustable to follow the user'"'"'s hand or finger when the user'"'"'s hand or finger is not contacting said touch surface;

wherein local backlighting of said touch screen is adjusted responsive to determination of a closer proximity of the user'"'"'s hand or finger;

wherein said user inputs comprise a plurality of icons or letters and wherein said deformable touch surface is deformable to adjust the size of the icons or letters responsive to at least one of (i) biometric information of the user and (ii) learned actions of the user;

a plurality of audible speakers operable to generate respective audible outputs, wherein said audible speakers are disposed in the vehicle remote from said user input, and wherein a control, responsive to actuation by the user of said user input, controls said audible speakers to generate respective audible outputs at said audible speakers so that the user perceives that a resulting sound originates at or near said user input.

19. The human machine interface system of claim 18, wherein said plurality of audible speakers comprises at least three audible speakers operable to generate respective audible outputs, and wherein said at least three audible speakers are disposed in the vehicle remote from said user input.

20. The human machine interface system of claim 19, wherein said control, responsive to a vehicle function, is operable to generate respective second audible outputs at said audible speakers so that the user perceives that a second resulting sound originates at a location associated with said vehicle function, and wherein said vehicle function comprises a vision system of the vehicle and wherein the user perceives that the second resulting sound originates at or near or towards a location where an object is detected external the vehicle.