CONTACT DETECTION

• US 20110266396A1
• Filed: 05/02/2011
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum Fuer Luft- Und Raumfahrt E.V.
• Original Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum Fuer Luft- Und Raumfahrt E.V.
• Inventors: Muellhaeuser, Mario, Lantzsch, Robin, Abildgaard, Max
• Granted Patent: US 8,887,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/223
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2026/029 Joystick type control devices for acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2026/046 with electrical transmission means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0057 Frequency analysis, spectral techniques or transforms
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/52 Helicopters

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for detecting a contact state between at least one driver/operator of a vehicle and a control input device designed to control the vehicle were a frequency spectrum is calculated from sensors detected movement signals based on which the contact state between the control input device and the driver/operator is determined.

Claims

1. The invention relates to a method for detecting a contact state between at least one driver/operator of a vehicle and a vehicle with a set up control-input-device to control the vehicle, characterized by

determining a frequency spectrum (21, 22) covered by means of sensors (4a, 4b) and their detected movement signals of the control input device (1) over time and

detecting of the contact state as a function of the determined frequency spectrum (21, 22).

2. The method of claim 1, characterized by position sensors (4a, 4b), in particular angle and/or position sensors, force sensors and/or acceleration sensors as provided sensors for detecting the movement signals of the control input device (1).

3. The method of claim 1, characterized by filtering of a frequency range of the detected frequency spectrum (21, 22) and detecting the contact state as a function of the filtered frequency range of the frequency spectrum (21, 22).

4. Method of claim 1, characterized by detecting the contact state as a function of a comparison between the calculated frequency spectrum and a stored reference frequency spectrum.

5. Method of claim 1, characterized by sensing of vehicle vibrations by means of sensors in the vicinity of the control input device (1) and detecting the contact state further as a function of the detected vibrations.

6. Method of claim 1, characterized by determining a contact force, especially a hand-control-contact strength, in dependency of the determined frequency spectrum (21, 22).

7. Method of claim 1, characterized by detecting a contact state between at least one hand of the driver/operator and the control input device (1).

8. Control input device (1) to control a vehicle with sensors (4a, 4b) for detecting movement signals from the control input device (1), and the control input device (1) is set up based on claim 1 to perform the method of claim 1.

9. Control input device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the control input device (1) is a side stick (2) for controlling an aircraft.

10. Control input device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the control input device (1) is connected with at least one sensor to detect vehicle vibrations in the vicinity of the control input device (1).