Dual haptic vehicle control and display system

• US 20040117084A1
• Filed: 12/12/2002
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alps Automative, Inc. (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alps Automative, Inc. (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Strebel, Eric, McDowell, Charles, Leichtfried, Wilhelm, Mercier, Vincent, Ludlow, Patrick, Stencel, Ronald William, Dulgerian, James Bruce, Mezzomo, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 6,961,644 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/139 Clusters of instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/139 Clusters of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/158 Haptic output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/25 using haptic output
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0007 Mid-console
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/001 Vehicle control means, e.g. steering-wheel or column
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches

Abstract

A dual haptic system control system in a vehicle includes a first haptic controller disposed on a steering wheel of a vehicle and a second haptic controller disposed on a console separated from the steering wheel. The first haptic controller is a mini-haptic interface that controls a smaller set of functions than the second haptic controller. Redundancies are built in between the first and second haptic controllers so that at least some of the functions of the first haptic controller are also controlled by the second haptic controller. The steering wheel is devoid of stalk switches, with the first and second haptic controllers, in conjunction with switches and menu keys on the steering wheel controlling these functions. The display illustrates the functions that are operable from the present state of the system as buttons that contain both text (of the button function) and graphics (of the button function and any sub-functions available).

Claims

1. A dual haptic control system comprising:

a first haptic controller disposed on a steering wheel of a vehicle; and

a second haptic controller disposed on a console separated from the steering wheel.

2. The dual haptic control system of claim 1, wherein the first haptic controller and the second haptic controller control overlapping functions of the vehicle.

3. The dual haptic control system of claim 1, wherein the first haptic controller is a mini-haptic controller that controls fewer functions of the vehicle than the second haptic controller control.

4. The dual haptic control system of claim 1, wherein the first haptic controller comprises a haptic wheel interface having functions selected through rotation and activated through depressing the wheel interface.

5. The dual haptic control system of claim 1, further comprising a steering column devoid of stalk switches connected with the steering wheel.

6. The dual haptic control system of claim 1, further comprising menu keys on the steering wheel that direct control of the first haptic controller to a desired function to be controlled.

7. The dual haptic control system of claim 6, further comprising hotkeys adjacent to the second haptic controller that direct control of different functions to be controlled than the menu keys.

8. The dual haptic control system of claim 7, further comprising switches disposed on the steering wheel, the switches controlling functions of the vehicle not controlled by either of the first and second haptic controllers.

9. The dual haptic control system of claim 8, wherein the switches are arranged such that groups of switches controlling related functions are grouped together.

10. The dual haptic control system of claim 1, further comprising a voice redundancy mechanism that provides voice redundancy for limited functions controlled by the first and second haptic controllers.

11. The dual haptic control system of claim 1, wherein only a portion of the steering wheel related to the first haptic controller provides tactile feedback.

12. The dual haptic control system of claim 1, further comprising a display that displays results of interaction between an operator and either of the first and second haptic controllers, wherein the display displays interaction options between the operator and the second haptic controller as simulated mechanical controls of functions available to the operator in a present state of the haptic control system and operations of the second haptic controller to control the functions available to the operator in the present state.

13. The dual haptic control system of claim 12, wherein the simulated mechanical controls are buttons and an operation to control one of a particular function and a sub-function of a particular button available to the operator is disposed within the particular button.

14. The dual haptic control system of claim 13, wherein information of settings of functions of the haptic control system other than the functions available in the present state are displayed outside the buttons.

15. The dual haptic control system of claim 14, wherein the buttons contain both text and graphics, the text indicating the particular function of the particular button and the graphics illustrating one of an appropriate symbol indicating the particular function of the particular button, sub-functions of the particular function, and the operation to control the one of the particular function and sub-function.

16. The dual haptic control system of claim 15, wherein the tactile feedback is provided for operation of the second haptic controller consistent with the operation to control the one of the particular function and sub-function of the particular button when the particular button has been selected by the operator.

17. A method of controlling functions of a vehicle comprising:

controlling a first set of the functions of the vehicle through haptic control on a steering wheel of the vehicle;

controlling a second set of the functions of the vehicle through separate haptic control on a console of the vehicle; and

eliminating stalk switches on a steering column of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising establishing redundant control of some of the same functions between the haptic controls on the steering wheel and the console.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising limiting the first set of functions to fewer functions than the second set of functions, the haptic control on the steering wheel movable in a smaller number of directions than the haptic control on the console.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising duplicating all of the first set of functions in the second set of functions.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising directly accessing control of a desired function to be controlled of the first set of functions through menu keys on the steering wheel.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising directly accessing control of a desired function to be controlled of the second set of functions through hotkeys that are proximate to the console.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising displaying results of use of any of the haptic controls, the menu keys and the hotkeys.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising controlling functions of the vehicle uncontrolled by any of the haptic controllers through switches and menu keys arranged on the steering wheel in a logically consistent format such that groups of switches and groups of menu keys each having related functions are grouped together.

25. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving vocal redundancy when one of accessing and controlling limited functions controlled by the haptic controls.

26. The method of claim 17, further comprising, when controlling the first set of functions through the haptic control on the steering wheel, receiving tactile feedback on the steering wheel only from a portion of the steering wheel containing the haptic control on the steering wheel.

27. The method of claim 17, further comprising displaying interaction options between an operator and the separate haptic control as simulated mechanical controls of functions available to the operator in a present state and operations of the separate haptic control to control the functions available to the operator in the present state.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising displaying the simulated mechanical controls as buttons that each contain an operation to control one of a particular function and a sub-function of the button available to the operator.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising displaying information of settings of functions other than the functions available in the present state displayed outside the buttons.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising including both text and graphics in each button, the text indicating the particular function of the button and the graphics illustrating one of an appropriate symbol indicating the particular function of the button, sub-functions of the particular function, and the operation to control the one of the particular function and sub-function.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising receiving tactile feedback for operation of the separate haptic control consistent with operation to control the one of the particular function and sub-function of the button when the button has been selected by the operator.

32. A method of supplying vehicle information for a vehicle on different screens, the method comprising:

grouping the vehicle information into different systems of the vehicle;

providing different sets of adjustable functions for the different systems;

displaying each set of adjustable functions for a particular system on a representative screen for displaying the adjustable functions of a presently selected system, and pictorially representing the adjustable functions, pictorial representations of the adjustable functions containing one of interactive graphics and an interactive alphanumerical display that correspond to present states of the adjustable functions;

selecting an adjustable function of the vehicle through manipulation of a haptic controller in the vehicle;

controlling a present state of the selected adjustable function through manipulation of the haptic controller; and

indicating the present state of the controlled adjustable function on the representative screen displaying the presently selected system.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising incorporating textual information with the pictorial representations, the textual information supplied with each adjustable function indicating a name of the adjustable function.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising displaying the adjustable functions as buttons and incorporating the pictorial representations in the buttons.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising displaying available sub-functions of each adjustable function in the button corresponding to the adjustable function that include the available sub-functions.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising displaying, in the button corresponding to the adjustable function, a method of controlling one of the adjustable function and a presently selected available sub-function of the adjustable function using the haptic controller.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising displaying, in the button corresponding to the adjustable function, textual information indicating the present state of the adjustable function.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising highlighting a presently selected sub-function.

39. The method of claim 34, further comprising outlining a presently selected button.

40. The method of claim 34, further comprising displaying, outside the buttons, information other than that of the presently selected system.

41. The method of claim 32, further comprising allowing immediate control of a most often used function of a particular screen when the particular screen is accessed.

42. The method of claim 32, further comprising supplying one of tactile and voice feedback to an operator of the haptic controller that indicates one of when a screen is entered and when one of a function and sub-function displayed is selected, when the one of the screen is entered and the one of the function and sub-function displayed is selected.

43. A system that provides vehicle information to an occupant of a vehicle, the system comprising:

electronic components including a processor, memory, and video display circuitry, the processor grouping the vehicle information into different systems of the vehicle that have sets of adjustable functions;

a display having a screen, the processor controlling the display to display each set of the adjustable functions for a particular system on a representative screen that displays the adjustable functions of a presently selected system and to supply pictorial representations of the adjustable functions, the pictorial representations containing one of interactive graphics and an interactive alphanumerical display that correspond to present states of the adjustable functions, the representative screens and pictorial representations stored in the memory; and

inputs through which the adjustable functions are adjusted, the inputs including a haptic controller manipulated to select one of the adjustable functions and control a present state of the selected adjustable function,

wherein the electronic components receive signals from the inputs and transmit signals to the display indicating the present state of the controlled adjustable function on the representative screen displaying the presently selected system.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the processor controls the display to incorporate textual information with the pictorial representations, the textual information supplied with each adjustable function indicating a name of the adjustable function.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the processor controls the display to display the adjustable functions as buttons and incorporating the pictorial representations in the buttons.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the processor controls the display to display available sub-functions of each adjustable function in the button corresponding to the adjustable function that include the available sub-functions.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the processor controls the display to display, in the button corresponding to the adjustable function, a system of controlling one of the adjustable function and a presently selected available sub-function of the adjustable function using the haptic controller.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein the processor controls the display to display, in the button corresponding to the adjustable function, textual information indicating the present state of the adjustable function.

49. The system of claim 46, wherein the processor controls the display to highlight a presently selected sub-function.

50. The system of claim 45, wherein the processor controls the display to outline a presently selected button.

51. The system of claim 45, wherein the processor controls the display to display, outside the buttons, information other than that of the presently selected system.

52. The system of claim 43, wherein the processor allows immediate control of a most often used function of a particular screen when the particular screen is accessed.

53. The system of claim 43, further comprising an audio system controlled by the processor, wherein the processor controls signals to supply one of tactile and voice feedback to an operator of the haptic controller that indicates one of when a screen is entered and when one of a function and sub-function displayed is selected, when the one of the screen is entered and the one of the function and sub-function displayed is selected.