Safety Control System for Vehicles

• US 20130124038A1
• Filed: 10/29/2012
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ACT-IP LLC
• Original Assignee: Mouhamad Ahmad Naboulsi
• Inventors: Naboulsi, Mouhamad Ahmad
• Granted Patent: US 9,047,170 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/195 Blocking or enabling display functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/195 Blocking or enabling display functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0264 for control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0232 for measuring vehicle parameters and indicating critical, abnormal or dangerous conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/001 Vehicle control means, e.g. steering-wheel or column
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6083 by interfacing with the vehicle audio system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad

Abstract

According to one aspect of one embodiment of the present invention, a safety control system for vehicles, includes, a communication device having at least one of an input accessible from within the vehicle and an output communicated within the vehicle, at least one sensor operable to sense at least one condition related to vehicle operation, and a controller communicated with the sensor and the communication device to selectively suppress at least one of said input and said output in response to a sensed parameter of said at least one condition being outside of a threshold. When an input is suppressed, the driver is prevented from accessing or inputting information into the communication device. When an output is suppressed, communication between the device and the driver of a vehicle is suppressed to, among other things, avoid distracting the driver during certain driving situations or conditions relating to the driver, vehicle and/or environment.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

21. A communication control system for a vehicle having a steering member, comprising:

a controller controlling at least one program and one communication device made available by the controller that includes at least one option selectively made available for selection;

at least one manually operable sensor carried on the steering member, communicated with the controller and having at least two states wherein activation of the sensor to one state causes the controller to change the program or option made available by the controller, and activation of the sensor to a second state causes the controller to select the currently available program or function.

33. The system of claim 21 wherein the controller includes programmed options that are made available for selection by the driver to train the driver in using the system.

40. A thumb gesture based control system for a driver based vehicle having a steering member and vehicle accessories, the control system designed for controlling telematic devices, applications or vehicle accessories, the control system comprising:

a controller configured and arranged to control the telematic devices or applications;

at least one sensor on the steering wheel configured and arranged to be operable by the driver wherein such sensor communicates with the controller, the at least one sensor having at least one changing state, and the at least one sensor is responsive to thumb gesture pattern by the driver to generate sequence recognizable by the controller wherein the controller controls the operation of the telematic devices, applications, or vehicle accessories based on the input of the driver.

41. A thumb gesture based control system for a driver based vehicle having a steering member and vehicle accessories, the control system designed for controlling telematics devices, applications or vehicle accessories, the control system comprising:

a controller configured and arranged to control the telematic devices, applications or vehicle accessories;

at least one sensor with multipurpose-non dedicated functionality arranged and configured to be accessibly operated by the driver while controlling the steering wheel;

wherein the sensor is communicable with the controller, the sensor having at least one changing state, and the sensors configured and arranged to be responsive to a thumb gesture pattern by the driver; and

wherein the controller controls the operation of the telematics devices, applications or vehicle accessories based on the input of the driver.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein such sensor requires the driver to position his thumb in one place and execute a gesture from that place without having to select a specific location.

43. A telematics and application control system for a vehicle having a steering member, comprising:

a controller controlling at least one program and one telematics device or application made available by the controller that includes at least one option selectively made available for selection;

at least one operable sensor carried on the steering member, communicated with the controller and having at least two states wherein activation of the sensor to one state causes the controller to change the program or option made available by the controller, and activation of the sensor to a second state causes the controller to select the currently available program or function.

19. The system of claim 43 wherein the vehicle includes a steering member controlled by a driver of the vehicle, and said at least one sensor includes a sensor that is operable to determine the presence of at least one hand of a driver upon the steering member, and another sensor operable to determine at least one vehicle operational condition, wherein at least one of absence of said at least one hand of a driver from the steering member or existence of said one vehicle operational condition outside of a threshold causes the controller to suppress at least one of an input or an output of the communication device.

20. The system of claim 43 wherein the vehicle includes a steering member controlled by an occupant of the vehicle, and an input carried by the steering wheel and communicated with the controller so that an occupant of the vehicle can actuate the input to provide data to the controller.

22. The system of claim 43 wherein the controller is responsive to the selection of a program or option to make the program or option available in the order of the frequency with which they have been selected.

23. The system of claim 43 wherein the controller is programmable so that the order in which the programs and options are made available for selection can be programmed into the controller.

24. The system of claim 43 wherein said at least one manually operable sensor includes two sensors each disposed on the steering member to be engaged by a separate one of the hands of a driver of the vehicle and wherein selection of a program or option requires activation of both sensors so that both hands of the driver are on the steering member during use of said programs.

25. The system of claim 43 wherein the controller provides a visual output of the program or option available for selection.

26. The system of claim 43 wherein the controller provides an audible output of the program or option available for selection.

27. The system of claim 43 wherein the controller is responsive to at least one of driving purpose factors, driving application factors, communication factors, physiological factors, temporal factors, preferences, habits, skills or historical factors specific to a person controlling a vehicle to determine the order in which the programs and functions are made available.

28. The system of claim 43 wherein the controller is responsive to at least one of instantaneous operational factors, base factors, temporal factors, driver habits, drive preferences or historical factors relating to the vehicle to determine the order in which the programs and functions are made available.

29. The system of claim 43 wherein the controller is responsive to at least one of interior vehicle environment, the exterior environment, geographic location of the vehicle, temporal factors, or regulatory factors to determine the order in which the programs and functions are made available.

30. The system of claim 43 which also includes a communication device which is capable of providing communication to a source outside of the vehicle and is in communication with the controller so that the controller can activate the communication device and cause communication with said source and wherein activation of said at least one sensor for a predetermined period of time causes said controller to activate said communication device.

31. The system of claim 43 which also includes a communication device in communication with the controller and having an output detectable within the vehicle in at least two different formats and at least one of said options is to select the format of the output from the communication device.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein said at least two formats include audible and visual outputs.

34. The system of claim 22 wherein the controller is responsive to an incoming communication to dispose a program associated with that communication immediately available for selection.

35. The system of claim 43 wherein said at least one sensor may be activated for an extended period of time to make a default program option available for selection.

36. The system of claim 43 wherein said at least one sensor includes two sensors each disposed on the steering member to be engaged by a separate portion of one of the hands of a driver of the vehicle and wherein selection of a program or option requires activation of both sensors so that one hand of the driver is on the steering member during use of said programs.

37. The system of claim 43 wherein the sensor includes a touch sensitive surface or an optical sensor carried by the steering wheel.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the controller is responsive to interpret the path of actuation traced along sensor by an object.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein sensor and controller are constructed and arranged to be responsive to a path traced by a digit of a driver'"'"'s hand.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein the telematics device is a portable telematics device.

45. The system of claim 43 wherein sensor has an on position and the controller interrupts the signal from the telematics device if the sensor is not in the on position.

46. The system of claim 43 wherein the controller blocks or disables the telematics device based on the change state of the sensor.

47. The system of claim 43 wherein the controller allows the telematics device to function normally based on the change state of the sensor.

48. The system of claim 43 wherein the vehicle has a vehicle operation sensor to monitor a vehicle operational condition, the vehicle operation sensor operably connected to the controller and wherein the at least one sensor on the steering wheel is operable to determine the presence of at least one hand of the driver upon the steering wheel, wherein at least one of absence of said at least one hand of a driver from the steering wheel or existence of said one vehicle operational condition outside of a threshold causes the controller to suppress at least one of an input or an output of the telematics device.

49. The system of claim 43 wherein the change of state of the at least one sensor is caused by a sliding motion, rocking motion, push motion, turning motion, rolling motion, pull motion or twisting motion.

50. The system of claim 43 wherein the at least one sensor is one of an optical sensor, capacitive sensor, pressure sensor, resistive sensor. Galvanic sensor, gas sensor or mechanical sensor.

51. A method of controlling telematics devices, applications, or vehicle accessories for a driver based vehicle, he vehicle having a steering wheel and vehicle accessories, the method comprising:

providing a controller configured and arranged to control the telematic devices, applications or vehicle accessories;

providing a sensor with multipurpose-non dedicated functionality arranged and configured to be accessibly operated by the driver while controlling the steering wheel, the sensor communicable with the controller and the sensor having at least one changing state, and the sensors configured and arranged to be responsive to a gesture pattern by the driver;

wherein the controller controls the operation of the telematics devices, applications or vehicle accessories based on the input of the driver.