Rotatable touchpad and angle of rotation sensor

• US 20070120830A1
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kämmerer, Bernhard
• Application Number:
  US10/583,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20070120830A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/143 Touch sensitive input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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 37/06 of controls, e.g. controls knobs
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21658 with integrated switches, e.g. horn switches
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A device comprises a rotatably supported touchpad, especially on the steering wheel of a motor vehicle, means for measuring an angle of rotation of the touchpad in relation to a reference system, and means for processing inputs into the touchpad taking into consideration the measured angle of rotation.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A device for electronically detecting and processing input instructions, comprising:

a touchpad,

means for measuring an angle of rotation of the touchpad in relation to a reference system,

means for detecting inputs into the touchpad, and

handwriting recognition means for recognizing handwritten inputs into the touchpad taking into account the measured angle of rotation.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the reference system is a motor vehicle.

16. The device of claim 15, further comprising a steering wheel on which the touchpad is arranged.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the touchpad is arranged on the horn button of the steering wheel.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the touchpad is arranged on the steering wheel in a direction of an imaginary extension of a steering column.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the touchpad is circular.

20. The device of claim 14, wherein the handwriting recognition means are adapted to recognize commands and names input via the touchpad.

21. The device of claim 14, wherein the touchpad comprises means for outputting haptic responses.

22. The device of claim 14, wherein the touchpad comprises display means for outputting optical indications.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the display means is adapted to output the optical indications taking into account the measured angle of rotation.

24. A motor vehicle having a device for electronically detecting and processing input instructions, the device comprising:

a touchpad,

means for measuring an angle of rotation of the touchpad in relation to a reference system,

means for detecting inputs into the touchpad, and

handwriting recognition means for recognizing inputs into the touchpad taking into account the measured angle of rotation.

25. The motor vehicle of claim 24, wherein the reference system is the motor vehicle.

26. The motor vehicle of claim 25, further comprising a steering wheel on which the touchpad is arranged.

27. The motor vehicle of claim 26, further comprising an electronic steering which includes the means for measuring the angle of rotation of the touchpad in relation to the motor vehicle.

28. A method of electronically detecting and processing input instructions, comprising the steps of:

providing a device comprising a touchpad, means for measuring an angle of rotation of the touchpad in relation to a reference system, means for detecting inputs into the touchpad, and handwriting recognition means for recognizing handwritten inputs into the touchpad,

rotating the touchpad,

measuring the angle of rotation of the touchpad in relation to the reference system, and

processing handwritten inputs in the touchpad taking into account the measured angle of rotation.