STEERING WHEEL HUMAN/MACHINE INTERFACE SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20110187518A1
• Filed: 02/02/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Strumolo, Gary Steven, Chen, Yifan, Greenberg, Jeffrey Allen
• Application Number:
  US12/698,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20110187518A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/283 Steering wheels; Gear levers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system

Abstract

A system and methods for communicating to a motor vehicle driver a desired direction to turn a steering wheel. The desired direction may be determined by, for example, a turn-by-turn navigation system, a lane-keeping aid system, and/or a forward collision warning system. A plurality of lights disposed on the steering wheel in a circumferentially extending array are illuminated in a pattern, the pattern comprises illuminating at least some of the plurality of lights in a repeating sequence beginning at a first position of the array away from the desired direction and progressing toward a second position of the array adjacent the desired direction. The pattern comprises a sequential illumination of the lights to communicate a direction of control action, a frequency of illumination to communicate a desired timing of the control action, and a color of illumination to communicate a positive or negative aspect.

Claims

1. A method of communicating to a driver of a motor vehicle a desired direction to turn a steering wheel comprising:

luminating a plurality of lights disposed on the steering wheel in a circumferentially extending array in a pattern, the pattern comprising;

luminating at least some of the plurality of lights in a repeating sequence beginning at a first position of the array away from the desired direction and progressing toward a second position of the array adjacent the desired direction.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

performing the repeating sequence in a first subset of the array located on a first side of the steering wheel and in a first color, and illuminating a second subset of the array located on a second side of the steering wheel opposite the first side in a second color.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a repetition frequency of the repeating sequence increases as the vehicle approaches a turn point.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the pattern further comprises:

illuminating in a second color at least some of the lights of the array when the vehicle has passed an action point.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising illumining at least some of the lights of the array to indicate a warning condition to the driver.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the desired direction is determined by a vehicle navigation system.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the desired direction is determined by a lane keeping aid system.

8. A human/machine interface system for a motor vehicle comprising:

a steering wheel;

a plurality of lights disposed on the steering wheel in an array extending circumferentially around a perimeter of the steering wheel; and

an illumination controller generating output signals selectively illuminating the plurality of lights in a pattern indicating a direction of desired steering wheel rotation, the pattern comprising illuminating at least some of the lights in a repeating sequence progressing toward the desired direction.

9. The human/machine interface system of claim 8 wherein the array of lights is organized into at least a first subset located on a first side/portion of the steering wheel and a second subset located on a second side/portion of the steering wheel, the repeating sequence taking place in the first subset of lights in a first color, and the pattern further comprising illuminating at least some of the lights in the second subset in a second color.

10. The human/machine interface system of claim 8 wherein the output signals further illuminate at least some of the lights of the array in a second color when the vehicle has passed an action point.

11. The human/machine interface system of claim 8 wherein the output signals further illuminate at least some of the lights of the array to indicate a warning condition to the driver.

12. The human/machine interface system of claim 8 wherein the illumination controller receives signals from a vehicle navigation system.

13. The human/machine interface system of claim 8 wherein the illumination controller receives signals from a lane keeping aid system.

14. A method of communicating to a driver of a motor vehicle a vehicle control action comprising:

illuminating a plurality of lights disposed on a steering wheel in a circumferentially extending array in a pattern to communicate the vehicle control action, the pattern comprising a sequential illumination of the lights to communicate a direction of the control action, a frequency of illumination to communicate a desired timing of the control action, and a color of illumination to communicate a positive or negative aspect.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein sequential illumination comprises illuminating at least some of the plurality of lights in a repeating sequence beginning at a first position of the array away from the direction of control action and progressing toward a second position of the array adjacent the direction of control action.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the pattern comprises performing the repeating sequence in a first subset of the array located on a first side of the steering wheel and in a first color, and illuminating a second subset of the array located on a second side of the steering wheel opposite the first side in a second color.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein a repetition frequency of the repeating sequence increases as the desired timing of the control action approaches.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the pattern comprises the pattern further comprises illuminating in a second color at least some of the lights of the array when the vehicle has passed an action point.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the vehicle control action is determined by a vehicle navigation system.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the vehicle control action is determined by a lane keeping aid system.