Integrated vehicle control system and apparatus
First Claim
1. An integrated motor vehicle equipment component control system comprising:
- a motor vehicle steering wheel having an annular ring;
a left actuator, the left actuator attached to the steering wheel annular ring between a 9 o'"'"'clock position and a 12 o'"'"'clock position on the annular ring;
a right actuator, the right actuator attached to the steering wheel between a 3 o'"'"'clock position and the 12 o'"'"'clock position on the annular ring;
a controller, the controller connected to the left and right actuators;
a motor vehicle equipment component, the motor vehicle equipment component connected to the controller;
wherein the left actuator and the right actuator do not overlap;
wherein the controller activates the left actuator and the right actuator when the left and the right actuators are depressed simultaneously and held for a pre-set threshold time, thus providing an activated left actuator and an activated right actuator;
wherein an operation of the motor vehicle equipment component is altered when an activated actuator is depressed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention provides a system which integrates motor vehicle component operation into actuators located in the rim of a vehicle steering wheel. The two system actuators are located in the steering wheel at the three o'"'"'clock and 12 o'"'"'clock positions for the right-hand actuator and the nine o'"'"'clock and 12 o'"'"'clock positions for the left-hand actuator. The actuators may operate in parallel with a conventional stalk switch or controls associated with an onboard computer and only operate a vehicle component when activated and subsequently depressed. The invention further provides for vehicle component operation which does not require a driver to remove his or her hands from the steering wheel. Furthermore, the system and apparatus of the invention when integrated with steering wheel and vehicle position detection systems provides a means to disengage an activated turn signal depending on the position of the steering wheel and/or the vehicle.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. An integrated motor vehicle equipment component control system comprising:
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a motor vehicle steering wheel having an annular ring; a left actuator, the left actuator attached to the steering wheel annular ring between a 9 o'"'"'clock position and a 12 o'"'"'clock position on the annular ring; a right actuator, the right actuator attached to the steering wheel between a 3 o'"'"'clock position and the 12 o'"'"'clock position on the annular ring; a controller, the controller connected to the left and right actuators; a motor vehicle equipment component, the motor vehicle equipment component connected to the controller; wherein the left actuator and the right actuator do not overlap; wherein the controller activates the left actuator and the right actuator when the left and the right actuators are depressed simultaneously and held for a pre-set threshold time, thus providing an activated left actuator and an activated right actuator; wherein an operation of the motor vehicle equipment component is altered when an activated actuator is depressed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An integrated motor vehicle equipment component control system comprising:
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a motor vehicle steering wheel having an annular ring; a left actuator, the left actuator being attached to the steering wheel annular ring with one end of the left actuator oriented towards a 9 o'"'"'clock position and an opposite end of the left actuator oriented towards a 12 o'"'"'clock position on the annular ring; a right actuator, the right actuator being attached to the steering wheel annular ring with one end of the right actuator oriented towards a 3 o'"'"'clock position and an opposite end of the left actuator oriented towards the 12 o'"'"'clock position on the annular ring; a controller, the controller connected to the left and right actuators; a motor vehicle equipment component, the motor vehicle equipment component connected to the controller; wherein the left actuator and the right actuator do not overlap; wherein the controller activates the left actuator and the right actuator when the left and the right actuators are depressed simultaneously and held for a pre-set threshold time, thus providing an activated left actuator and an activated right actuator; wherein an operation of the motor vehicle equipment component is altered when an activated actuator is depressed; and wherein the operation is capable of alternating between an autonomous mode and a manual mode. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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Specification