Method and apparatus for human vehicle interface

• US 20040102881A1
• Filed: 11/25/2002
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Wampler, Charles W. II, Warn, David R., Glander, Donn W., McMillan, Donald J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,937,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0065 Control members, e.g. levers or knobs B60H1/00985 takes precedence

Abstract

A human vehicle interface for vehicle secondary controls includes a housing, an actuator grounded to the housing and having at least one degree of freedom, a follower coupled to the actuator and having a degree of freedom in the z direction, and a reaction plate having a first spatial relationship with the follower and defining a position path for the follower, wherein the actuator is responsive to the reaction plate at the first spatial relationship. The actuator includes a body and a control knob.

Claims

1. A human vehicle interface for vehicle secondary controls, comprising:

a housing;

an actuator grounded to said housing and having at least one degree of freedom, said actuator having a body and a control knob;

a follower coupled to said actuator and having a degree of freedom in the z direction; and

a reaction plate having a first spatial relationship with said follower and defining at least one of a position path or a motion path for said follower;

wherein

said actuator is responsive to said reaction plate at said first spatial relationship.

2. The human vehicle interface of claim 1, wherein:

said reaction plate and said follower have a second spatial relationship; and

said actuator is not responsive to said reaction plate at said second spatial relationship.

3. The human vehicle interface of claim 1, wherein:

said reaction plate is detachably disposed within said housing.

4. The human vehicle interface of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one degree of freedom comprises at least one of;

translation in the x direction, translation in the y direction, translation in the z direction, or rotation about the z axis.

5. The human vehicle interface of claim 4, wherein:

said control knob of said actuator comprises a haptic push-pull rotary knob.

6. The human vehicle interface of claim 1, wherein:

said follower comprises a spring-biased plunger being biased against said reaction plate.

7. The human vehicle interface of claim 1, wherein:

said reaction plate further comprises at least one topographical detent for defining at least one control zone.

8. The human vehicle interface of claim 7, wherein:

said at least one control zone controls at least one of;

an audio system, a HVAC system, a telephone, a driver information system, or a navigational system.

9. The human vehicle interface of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one of a position path or a motion path comprises at least one of a straight line groove or a curved line groove in at least one of an x, y or z direction.

10. The human vehicle interface of claim 7, wherein:

said position path has at least one of;

an “

H”

shape, an “

E”

shape, a “

U”

shape, or a “

Star”

shape; and

said at least one topographical detent is at an endpoint of said position path.

11. The human vehicle interface of claim 1, wherein:

said position path defines a home position for said actuator and said motion path biases said actuator to said home position.

12. The human vehicle interface of claim 7, wherein:

said motion path biases said actuator to said at least one topographical detent.

13. The human vehicle interface of claim 1, wherein:

said actuator is grounded to said housing by linear bearings.

14. The human vehicle interface of claim 5, further comprising:

x and y position encoders for defining the x and y positions of said actuator.

15. The human vehicle interface of claim 14, further comprising:

a topographical detent on said reaction plate for defining a control zone for controlling a vehicle secondary control system; and

a motor responsive to a vehicle computer and to the x and y positions of said actuator for modifying the tactile feedback of said haptic push-pull rotary knob in response to the vehicle secondary control system under control.

16. The human vehicle interface of claim 2, wherein:

said actuator is a computer mouse for communicating with a vehicle computer in response to said reaction plate and said follower being at said second spatial relationship.

17. A method for interfacing with vehicle secondary controls, comprising:

actuating an actuator having x, y, z, and z-rotational degrees of freedom and capable of moving a follower along a path on a reaction plate;

determining the x and y positions of the follower on the reaction plate;

identifying a control zone for controlling a vehicle secondary control system in response to the x and y positions of the follower on the reaction plate;

registering a vehicle secondary control system with the identified control zone; and

controlling the registered vehicle secondary control system.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said actuating an actuator further comprises:

actuating an actuator having tactile feedback responsive to the position of the follower on the reaction plate.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said determining the x and y positions of the follower further comprises:

determining the x and y positions of the follower in response to linear encoder strips and encoder signals determined therefrom.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing tactile feedback to the actuator in response to the registered vehicle secondary control system.

21. A method for interfacing with vehicle secondary controls, comprising:

selecting one of at least two operating modes for operating a human vehicle interface;

actuating an actuator having x, y, z, and z-rotational degrees of freedom;

determining the x and y positions of the actuator; and

providing a control output in response to the x and y positions of the actuator and in response to the operating mode selected.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said selecting one of at least two operating modes further comprises:

selecting at least one of a secondary vehicle control operating mode or a computer mouse operating mode.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprises:

positioning a follower and a reaction plate in one of at least two spatial relationships.