GEARSHIFT KNOB AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A VEHICLE

• US 20130120129A1
• Filed: 11/11/2011
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: TIPPELHOFER, Mario, CAMHI, Jaime
• Granted Patent: US 9,383,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/456
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/283 Steering wheels; Gear levers
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/0221 for selecting modes, i.e. input device
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/241 Actuators providing feel or simulating a shift gate, i.e. with active force generation for providing counter forces for feed back
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/0217 with electric switches or sensors not for gear or range selection, e.g. for controlling auxiliary devices for gear selection F16H59/044; for range selection F16H59/105
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/0278 Constructional features of the selector lever, e.g. grip parts, mounting or manufacturing

Abstract

A gearshift knob for a gearshift lever of a vehicle and a method for operating a vehicle are described.

Claims

1. A gearshift knob for a gearshift lever of a vehicle, the gearshift knob comprising:

a display configured to display a variable visual information, and

a touch sensitive surface configured to detect a touch of a user touching the touch sensitive surface.

2. The gearshift knob according to claim 1, further comprising

a haptic feedback device configured to output a haptic feedback to the user via the gearshift knob.

3. The gearshift knob according to claim 1, wherein the display is arranged at an upper side of the gearshift knob.

4. The gearshift knob according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensitive surface is comprised in a display surface of the display.

5. The gearshift knob according to claim 1, wherein touch sensitive surface is configured to detect a swipe gesture of the user touching the touch sensitive surface.

6. A vehicle comprising a gearshift lever with a gearshift knob, the gearshift knob comprising:

a display configured to display a variable visual information, and

a touch sensitive surface configured to detect a touch of a user touching the touch sensitive surface.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the gearshift knob comprises:

a haptic feedback device configured to output a haptic feedback to the user via the gearshift knob.

8. A method for operating a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a gearshift lever with a gearshift knob, wherein the gearshift knob comprises a display configured to display a variable visual information and a touch sensitive surface configured to detect a touch of a user touching the touch sensitive surface,

wherein the method comprises:

displaying information of the vehicle on the display.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the information comprises at least one information of a group consisting of:

a currently selected gear or mode of transmission,

a gear map,

a currently selected radio station of a radio receiver of the vehicle,

a currently played song of media playback device of the vehicle,

a current volume of an audio amplifier of the vehicle,

a contact of an electronic phonebook of a mobile telephone,

a driving mode of the vehicle,

a logo of the vehicle, and

a current time.

10. The method according to claim 8, furthermore comprising:

detecting a gesture of a user touching the touch sensitive surface and controlling a function of the vehicle in response to the gesture and the information displayed on the display.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein detecting the gesture comprises detecting a moving of a finger over the touch sensitive surface in a direction back, forth, left or right with respect to vehicle.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the function comprises at least one of a group consisting of:

selecting another information to be displayed on the display,

tuning up or down a radio receiver of the vehicle,

selecting a next or previous song of a media playback device of the vehicle,

controlling up or down a volume of an audio amplifier of the vehicle,

displaying another contact of an electronic phonebook of a mobile telephone on the display, and

changing a driving mode of the vehicle.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the gearshift knob comprises a haptic feedback device configured to output a haptic feedback to the user via the gearshift knob, wherein the method comprises furthermore:

determining a currently selected gear,

determining an appropriate gear in response to a current driving condition of the vehicle, and

outputting a haptic feedback in response to the currently selected gear and the appropriate gear.