VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL CONTROL SYSTEM HAVING INTEGRATED ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT

• US 20120283914A1
• Filed: 05/05/2011
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Karwaczynski, Krzysztof W.
• Application Number:
  US13/101,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20120283914A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1523 Matrix displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/782 on the steering wheel
• 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 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches

Abstract

A steering wheel control system and control method for a vehicle are provided. One control system includes a steering wheel and one or more controls actuatable by an operator. The vehicle control system also includes an integrated steering wheel controller having a processor and connected to the one or more controls and to a vehicle computer. The vehicle control system further includes an indicator corresponding to the one or more controls and providing a visual indication of a state of an operation or function associated with the one or more controls.

Claims

1. A vehicle control system comprising:

a steering wheel;

one or more controls actuatable by an operator;

an integrated steering wheel controller having a processor and connected to the one or more controls and to a vehicle computer; and

an indicator corresponding to the one or more controls and providing a visual indication of a state of an operation or function associated with the one or more controls.

2. The vehicle control system of claim 1, wherein the indicator is a back illumination component.

3. The vehicle control system of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a multi-color light emitting diode (LED).

4. The vehicle control system of claim 3, wherein the integrated steering wheel controller is configured to change a color of the multi-color LED based on the state of the operation or function associated with the control.

5. The vehicle control system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of controls and wherein the integrated steering wheel controller is connected to the plurality of controls with N communication lines and to the vehicle computer with M communication lines, wherein M is less than N.

6. The vehicle control system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of controls comprise buttons on a front face of the steering wheel.

7. The vehicle control system of claim 1, wherein the integrated steering wheel controller includes a wiring harness with a connector configured to connect to a complementary connector of a clock spring.

8. The vehicle control system of claim 1, wherein the integrated steering wheel controller is mounted to the steering wheel.

9. The vehicle control system of claim 1, wherein the integrated steering wheel controller is formed within a body of the steering wheel.

10. The vehicle control system of claim 1, wherein the integrated steering wheel controller is a light emitting diode (LED) microcontroller (MCU).

11. The vehicle control system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle computer comprises a main vehicle electronic control unit (ECU).

12. The vehicle control system of claim 1, wherein the operation or function is not readily apparent to the operator.

13. A steering wheel assembly comprising:

a steering wheel;

an airbag module configured to be coupled to the steering wheel;

a microprocessor mounted within the steering wheel and connected to a vehicle computer; and

a plurality of backlit control buttons on the steering wheel connected to the microprocessor and configured to be actuated by an operator, wherein a color of the backlighting corresponds to an activation state of an operation or function controlled by the backlit control button.

14. The steering wheel assembly of claim 13, wherein the plurality of backlit control buttons comprise multi-color light emitting diodes (LEDs).

15. The steering wheel assembly of claim 14, wherein the microprocessor is an LED controller.

16. The steering wheel assembly of claim 13, wherein the microprocessor is connected to the plurality of backlit control buttons with N communication lines and to the vehicle computer with M communication lines, wherein M is less than N.

17. The steering wheel assembly of claim 13, further comprising a wiring harness connecting the microprocessor to a clock spring.

18. A method for providing vehicle function and indication control, the method comprising:

receiving a control input at a steering wheel for a vehicle;

communicating a control signal corresponding to the received control input from a processor within the steering wheel to a main computer of the vehicle;

transmitting a confirmation signal from the main computer to the processor within the steering wheel indicating activation of an operation or function corresponding to the received control input; and

providing a visual confirmation at the steering wheel based on the confirmation signal.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving the control input at a backlit button of the steering wheel and changing a color of the backlighting based on the confirmation signal.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving the control input at a button of the steering wheel connected to the processor of the steering wheel with N communication line and performing the communicating and transmitting using M communication lines, wherein M is less than N.