Arrangement for a switch-equipped steering wheel
First Claim
1. An arrangement for a switch-equipped steering wheel in a vehicle, as for instance a car, where at least one switch is provided to control associated functions related to vehicle operation or vehicle accessories, characterised in that the switch is a multifunction switch which is designed to carry out at least three separate switch functions, the multifunction switch elected from the group of:
- a sliding switch equipped with a stepwise movable, tiltable and depressible control element, a tilting and/or depression of the control element and/or depression being adapted to actuate a respective switch function of at least three available separate switch functions at each step position of the control element, said step position of the control element being detectable;
a rotary switch equipped with stepwise rotational, tiltable and/or depressible control element, a tilting and/or depression of the control element at each rotary step position of the control element being adapted to actuate a respective switch function of at least three available separate switch functions at each step position of the control element, said step position of the control element being detectable;
a touch pad or touch screen having a plurality of touch sensitive fields which upon touch or depression are adapted to actuate a respective switch function, the touch pad or screen along one dimension providing at each of discrete steps at least three selectable fields being adapted to actuate a respective switch function, said step position of the control element being detectable;
that at least one display means associated with said multifunction switch, said display means elected from the group of;
a dashboard mounted display and a drivers-field-of-visiob display on a vehicle windshield, that the switch is connected to equipment for encoding or scanning the different switch positions or switch position combinations of the switch to emit related signals from the equipment;
that equipment is provided in the vehicle for decoding or analysing said signals and converting them into predetermined functions in the vehicle; and
that there is provided a common transmission path for transmitting the signals between the steering wheel and the vehicle'"'"'s steering column or the vehicle'"'"'s dashboard.
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Accused Products
Abstract
At least two multifunction switches (82, 83) are mounted on opposite sides of a vehicle steering wheels (5) relative to it center to effect control of vehicle functions and/or optional functions. A display device (106) on the vehicle dashboard indicates available main functions (107b) and optional subsidiary functions thereof. A first (82) of the multifunction switches can be manipulated to effect selection of a main function and/or subsidiary function. A second (83) of the multifunction switches can be manipulated to effect initiation of selected control operation or function control (108f), and/or subsidiary control operation thereof. A person operating the switches can interactively control them by observing displays (107b; 108f) on the display device (106).
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. An arrangement for a switch-equipped steering wheel in a vehicle, as for instance a car, where at least one switch is provided to control associated functions related to vehicle operation or vehicle accessories, characterised in
that the switch is a multifunction switch which is designed to carry out at least three separate switch functions, the multifunction switch elected from the group of: -
a sliding switch equipped with a stepwise movable, tiltable and depressible control element, a tilting and/or depression of the control element and/or depression being adapted to actuate a respective switch function of at least three available separate switch functions at each step position of the control element, said step position of the control element being detectable;
a rotary switch equipped with stepwise rotational, tiltable and/or depressible control element, a tilting and/or depression of the control element at each rotary step position of the control element being adapted to actuate a respective switch function of at least three available separate switch functions at each step position of the control element, said step position of the control element being detectable;
a touch pad or touch screen having a plurality of touch sensitive fields which upon touch or depression are adapted to actuate a respective switch function, the touch pad or screen along one dimension providing at each of discrete steps at least three selectable fields being adapted to actuate a respective switch function, said step position of the control element being detectable;
that at least one display means associated with said multifunction switch, said display means elected from the group of;
a dashboard mounted display and a drivers-field-of-visiob display on a vehicle windshield,that the switch is connected to equipment for encoding or scanning the different switch positions or switch position combinations of the switch to emit related signals from the equipment;
that equipment is provided in the vehicle for decoding or analysing said signals and converting them into predetermined functions in the vehicle; and
that there is provided a common transmission path for transmitting the signals between the steering wheel and the vehicle'"'"'s steering column or the vehicle'"'"'s dashboard. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An arrangement for a switch-equipped steering wheel in a vehicle, as for instance a car, where at least one function switch on either side of the steering wheel is provided to control associated functions related to vehicle operation or vehicle accessories, and where a first switch on one side of the steering wheel is assigned a first set of functions, whilst a second switch on the other side of the steering wheel is assigned a second set of functions, characterised in a change-over means which reconnects the first switch to be assigned to the second set of functions and the second switch to be assigned to the first set of functions when the steering wheel is turned in one direction or the other beyond the normal range of the steering wheel, so that the wheel enters an adjusted position range that is displaced by about 90°
- -270°
relative to the normal position of the wheel. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- -270°
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20. An arrangement for a switch-equipped steering wheel in a vehicle, as for instance a car, where at least one function switch is arranged to control associated functions related to vehicle operation or vehicle accessories, characterised in
that the switch is a multifunction switch which is designed to carry out at least three separate switch functions, the multifunction switch elected from the group of: -
a sliding switch equipped with a stepwise movable, tiltable and depressible control element, a tilting and/or depression of the control element and/or depression being adapted to actuate a respective switch function of at least three available separate switch functions at each step position of the control element, said step position of the control element being detectable;
a rotary switch equipped with stepwise rotational, tiltable and/or depressible control element, a tilting and/or depression of the control element at each rotary step position of the control element being adapted to actuate a respective switch function of at least three available separate switch functions at each step position of the control element, said step position of the control element being detectable;
a touch pad or touch screen having a plurality of touch sensitive fields which upon touch or depression are adapted to actuate a respective switch function, the touch pad or screen along one dimension providing at each of discrete steps at least three selectable fields being adapted to actuate a respective switch function, said step position of the control element being detectable;
that at least one display means associated with said multifunction switch, said display means elected from the group of;
a dashboard mounted display and a drivers-field-of-visiob display on a vehicle windshield, andthat the switch has at least one switch housing that is attachable to a ring body of the steering wheel or to a connection between the ring body and the central area of the wheel. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An interactive system for use of a switch device, mounted on the steering wheel of a vehicle, for example a car, where the switch device directly or indirectly is arranged to operate or control functions related to vehicle operation or vehicle accessories, characterised in
that the switch device consists of at least two multifunction switches mounted on opposite sides of the steering wheel relative to its centre; - at least one of said multifunction switches elected from the group of;
a sliding switch equipped with a stepwise movable, tiltable and depressible control element, a tilting and/or depression of the control element and/or depression being adapted to actuate a respective switch function of at least three available separate switch functions at each step position of the control element, said step position of the control element being detectable;
a rotary switch equipped with stepwise rotational, tiltable and/or depressible control element, a tilting and/or depression of the control element at each rotary step position of the control element being adapted to actuate a respective switch function of at least three available separate switch functions at each step position of the control element, said step position of the control element being detectable;
a touch pad or touch screen having a plurality of touch sensitive fields which upon touch or depression are adapted to actuate a respective switch function, the touch pad or screen along one dimension providing at each of discrete steps at least three selectable fields being adapted to actuate a respective switch function, said step position of the control element being detectable;
that the vehicle has a display device, preferably on the dashboard of the vehicle, which a) on a first area thereof is designed to display available main functions and any sub-functions thereof, and where a first of the multifunction switches is arranged to effect on the manipulation thereof selection of a main function and/or sub-function; and
b) on a second area thereof is designed to display available control operation options or function control options, and any sub-functions thereof, and where a second of the multifunction switches is arranged to cause on manipulation thereof the initiation of a selected control operation or function control, and/or subsidiary control operation thereof; and
that manipulation of the switches is represented by corresponding indications or markings on said first and second area respectively, so that a person can operate the switches by interactively observing said areas on the display device. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
- at least one of said multifunction switches elected from the group of;
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30. An interactive system for use of a switch device, mounted in a vehicle, e.g. a car, at a location elected from the group of:
- vehicle steering wheel, vehicle arm rest, vehicle centre console, a passenger section of the vehicle, where the switch device directly or indirectly is arranged to operate or control associated functions related to vehicle operation or vehicle accessories, characterised in
that the switch device consists of a multifunction switch mounted elected from the group of;
a sliding switch equipped with a stepwise movable, tiltable and depressible control element, a tilting and/or depression of the control element and/or depression being adapted to actuate a respective switch function of at least three available separate switch functions at each step position of the control element, said step position of the control element being detectable;
a rotary switch equipped with stepwise rotational, tiltable and/or depressible control element, a tilting and/or depression of the control element at each rotary step position of the control element being adapted to actuate a respective switch function of at least three available separate switch functions at each step position of the control element, said step position of the control element being detectable;
a touch pad or touch screen having a plurality of touch sensitive fields which upon touch or depression are adapted to actuate a respective switch function, the touch pad or screen along one dimension providing at each of discrete steps at least three selectable fields being adapted to actuate a respective switch function, said step position of the control element being detectable;
that the switch device communicates with a processor that converts switch manipulations into function selection and function control of related functions;
that the processor communicates with interface equipment in order to carry out said control of said related functions;
that the vehicle has a display device, a location of which elected from;
vehicle dashboard and rear side of back rest of a vehicle seat, said display device on an area thereof being designed to display available functions, the multifunction switch being arranged on the manipulation thereof to effect selection of a function; and
that manipulation of the switches is represented by corresponding indications or markings on said area, to enable a system user to operate the switch by interactively observing said area on the display device.
- vehicle steering wheel, vehicle arm rest, vehicle centre console, a passenger section of the vehicle, where the switch device directly or indirectly is arranged to operate or control associated functions related to vehicle operation or vehicle accessories, characterised in
Specification