VEHICLE DEVICE CONTROLLER FOR OPERATING DEVICES INSTALLED IN VEHICLE

• US 20140277951A1
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: KIM, Sung Un
• Application Number:
  US14/098,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277951A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/48
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/98 having a plurality of control members, e.g. keyboard

Abstract

A vehicle device controller and a method for operating devices installed in a vehicle can operate devices by disposing electrodes with an elastic material therebetween on a steering wheel and utilizing the amount of change in capacitance due to gripping pressure by a driver. The vehicle device controller for operating devices installed in a vehicle may include electrodes disposed on a steering wheel and changing in capacitance in accordance with grip pressure by a driver. A capacitance detector detects the capacitance of the electrodes in connection with the electrodes, and a signal processor analyzes the pattern of the grip pressure by the driver based on the change in capacitance detected by the capacitance detector and generating an operation signal corresponding to the pattern of the grip pressure. A device operator operates the corresponding function of the operation target device in response to the operation signal from the signal processor.

Claims

1. A vehicle device controller for operating devices installed in a vehicle including an audio system, a navigator, and an air-conditioner, the vehicle device controller comprising:

electrodes disposed on a steering wheel and changing in capacitance in accordance with grip pressure by a driver;

a capacitance detector detecting capacitance of the electrodes in connection with the electrodes;

a signal processor analyzing a pattern of the grip pressure by the driver based on the change in the capacitance detected by the capacitance detector, and generating an operation signal corresponding to the pattern of the grip pressure; and

a device operator operating a corresponding function of an operation target device in response to the operation signal from the signal processor.

2. The vehicle device controller of claim 1, wherein the electrodes are made of conductive materials, which are arranged opposite each other with an elastic member therebetween which is a component of the steering wheel, and

a plurality of electrodes made of the conductive material is disposed on the steering wheel.

3. The vehicle device controller of claim 2, wherein an insulating gap is formed between the electrodes.

4. The vehicle device controller of claim 3, wherein the electrodes increase in capacitance, as the distance between the opposite electrodes is decreased by the grip pressure.

5. The vehicle device controller of claim 3, wherein the operation target device is an AVN (Audio Video Navigation) system, and

when a clockwise or counterclockwise increase in grip pressure by a drivers left hand is detected by the capacitance detector, the signal processor generates a signal for turning up or down a channel of the AVN system.

6. The vehicle device controller of claim 3, wherein the operation target device is an AVN system, and

when a clockwise or counterclockwise increase in grip pressure by a drivers right hand is detected by the capacitance detector, the signal processor generates a signal for turning up or down a volume on the AVN system.

7. The vehicle device controller of claim 3, wherein the operation target device is an AVN system, and

when the capacitance detector detects that the grip pressures by a driver'"'"'s hands are simultaneously increased inward or outward with respect to the steering wheel, the signal processor generates a signal for zooming in or out an image on the AVN system.

8. The vehicle device controller of claim 3, wherein the operation target device is an AVN system, and

when the capacitance detector detects that the grip pressures by driver'"'"'s hands are simultaneously increased clockwise or counterclockwise with respect to the steering wheel, the signal processor generates a signal for changing a mode of the AVN system.

9. A vehicle device controller for operating devices installed in a vehicle, comprising:

electrodes disposed on a steering wheel and changing in capacitance in accordance with grip pressure by a driver;

a capacitance detector detecting the capacitance of the electrodes in connection with the electrodes; and

a signal processor analyzing a pattern of the grip pressure by the driver on a basis of a change in the capacitance detected by the capacitance detector and generating an operation signal corresponding to the pattern of the grip pressure.