Steering wheel input/interactive surface
First Claim
1. An input device, in particular in the form of a steering wheel or steering wheel element, composed of an input face having a plurality of touch-sensitive input face zones and a control unit which is coupled thereto, characterized in that the touching of the input face zones by areas of the hand, in particular by the balls of the hand and by fingers is recognized as being by areas of the hand and fingers and used to calculate the identity of the individual fingers and thus to calculate a temporarily valid basic topography for the areas of the hand and for the fingers with respect to the input face zones, by means of which topography the assignment topography is to be calculated and by means of which assignment topography a respective alphanumeric character or a control function is to be assigned to the input face zones in an instantaneously valid fashion and by means of which in particular also assignment locations of bent finger positions can be differentiated from assignment locations of extended finger positions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The steering wheel input is a flexible, interactive input based on a touch-sensitive surface. Groups of functions are available from many positions of hand surfaces and fingers on said surface. A computer keyboard can be simulated. The keypad of a mobile telephone can also be simulated. PDA inputs can be carried out by means of longitudinally aligned pressure places. Travel directions, headlight flashing/dipping and windscreen wipers can be controlled without having to raise the hand from the steering wheel. Continuous encompassment of the hands is corrected by computer. The interactive surface produces ergonomically appropriate and dynamically updated touch areas, particularly around the middle finger, index finger and thumb. More particularly, differentiation occurs with regard to the activities of curbed and extended finger positions. The applications on the steering wheel are highlighted and descriegd with variants. The touch areas are continuously and dynamically adapted in the relationship thereof with respect to the hands or balls of the thumb and fingers. They can also be continuously and dynamically adapted by measuring the real actuated touch places within an experienced time period. Adaptation and training of the input surface areas i.e. the instantaneous touch areas valid for respective signals also occurs by actuation itself. Said interactive surface can: a) react upon touch, b) exhibit fine motor, perceivable, tactile feedback in terms of switch behavior and c) offer fabric layers or coatings with visual feedback.
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Citations
21 Claims
- 1. An input device, in particular in the form of a steering wheel or steering wheel element, composed of an input face having a plurality of touch-sensitive input face zones and a control unit which is coupled thereto, characterized in that the touching of the input face zones by areas of the hand, in particular by the balls of the hand and by fingers is recognized as being by areas of the hand and fingers and used to calculate the identity of the individual fingers and thus to calculate a temporarily valid basic topography for the areas of the hand and for the fingers with respect to the input face zones, by means of which topography the assignment topography is to be calculated and by means of which assignment topography a respective alphanumeric character or a control function is to be assigned to the input face zones in an instantaneously valid fashion and by means of which in particular also assignment locations of bent finger positions can be differentiated from assignment locations of extended finger positions.
- 7. A computer input device composed of an input face having a plurality of touch-sensitive input face zones and a control unit coupled thereto, characterized in that it is composed of layers or fabric layers which combine a plurality of interactively effective properties by in particular providing tactile feedback about the through connection of the surface and/or in particular provide visual feedback about the instantaneous, continuously variable assignments between input face zones and triggered characters or control functions, these assignments being in particular continuously dynamically adapted to the locations which are actually touched by typing fingertips and correspond to a variable assignment topography.
- 10. A computer input device composed of an input face having a plurality of touch-sensitive input face zones and a control unit coupled thereto, characterized in that fibers, wires or in particular lamellas which are shaped in such a way are integrated into the touch-sensitive fabric or adjacent fabric layers, in that the ratio of the application of force to the spring travel which can be perceived by the fingers behaves nonlinearly and after a certain small spring travel the further application force does not increase but rather stays the same or decreases again and provides a through connection which can be clearly felt in a sensitive fashion similar to a toggle-lever effect.
Specification