SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR VEHICLE COMMAND AND CONTROL

• US 20160291862A1
• Filed: 04/04/2016
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inpris Innovative Products Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Inpris Innovative Products Ltd.
• Inventors: Yaron, Ben Etzion, Yaron, Nissan
• Granted Patent: US 10,120,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1468 Touch gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1472 Multi-touch gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/164 Infotainment
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/782 on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/143 Touch sensitive input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/146 Input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1468 Touch gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1472 Multi-touch gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/164 Infotainment
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/782 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 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• 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: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

The teachings herein generally relate to systems, methods and apparatuses useful in vehicle command and control. For example, a vehicle control system according to the teachings herein may include one or more touch panels connected to a steering wheel and being in communicative connection to a vehicle control processor. Preferably, the touch panel(s) are configured face down, and adapted to track touches (e.g., simultaneous touches) by multiple individually identified fingers. As another example, an apparatus for vehicle command and control, according to the teachings herein, may include one or more face down touch panels positioned to be touched by a driver'"'"'s fingers while the driver'"'"'s thumb holds or otherwise contacts a steering wheel. Preferably, the touch panels are in communication with a view screen enabled to display an indication of touch actions by multiple fingers touching the panels. The touch panels preferably include touch sensors adapted to identify touches of multiple fingers of a user. Preferably, the touch sensors are associated with software for identifying and tracking touches (e.g., movements) of every finger individually out of multiple fingers and determining whether each touch is a sliding movement or a non-sliding contact.

Claims

1. A vehicle control system, comprising one or more touch panels connected to a steering wheel, and being in communicative connection to a vehicle control processor, wherein the touch panels are configured face down, and adapted to track touches by multiple individually identified fingers.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more view screens for displaying a touch related user interface, the interface adapted to show indications of identified fingers on the touch panels, and function options available for each identified finger.

3. A vehicle management method, comprising the steps of:

placing one or more fingers on one or more touch panels connected to a steering wheel;

positioning a repositionable touch zone for each finger on the touch panel;

projecting onto a screen a vehicle control function for each identified finger on the touch panel; and

selecting a primary vehicle control function with a finger, without having to lift a hand off the steering wheel, or having to look at the touch panel.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising entering the function and providing an advanced command entry functionality for each identified finger, within the selected primary function.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising a function for enabling safe texting while driving, including the steps of:

placing fingers on a panel positioned face down on a steering wheel, positioning a repositionable touch zone for each identified finger, displaying a representation of the identified fingers on a transparent view panel, the view panel situated so as to allow the driver to view the panel while looking at the road ahead of the vehicle, and a user interface on the vehicle viewing panel adapted to provide easy to navigate characters for each of the identified fingers, while the driver can keep his/her hands on the steering wheel.

6. The method of claim 3, comprising placing one or more fingers on one or more touch panels placed near the driver in a comfortable distance;

positioning a repositionable touch zone for each finger on the panel;

projecting a vehicle control function for each identified finger on the panel, on a screen; and

selecting a primary vehicle control function with a finger, without having to look at the touch panel.

7. An apparatus for vehicle command and control, comprising one or more face down touch panels positioned to be touched by a driver'"'"'s fingers while the driver'"'"'s thumb holds a steering wheel;

wherein the panels are in communication to a view screen, enabled to display an indication of touch actions by multiple fingers touching the touch panel(s);

wherein the touch panel(s) include touch sensors adapted to identify touches of multiple fingers of a user; and

wherein the touch sensors are associated with software for identifying and tracking touches of every finger individually out of multiple fingers including identifying whether each of the touches is a sliding or non-sliding movement.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a keypad projector module to project a virtual interactive keypad/touch panel on a panel surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the software is an Application that is in communication with a vehicle control application running on a computing system, the application adapted to monitor simultaneous touch of multiple fingers on the touch screen panel(s), to enable each of a driver'"'"'s fingers to enter vehicle control related instructions for the vehicle, while keeping the driver'"'"'s hands on the steering wheel and his or her eyes looking substantially at the road at substantially all times.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the touch panels are positioned on the underside of the touch panels, so as to disallow user viewing of the touch panels, and wherein a User interface for vehicular command is provided on an associated view screen, the view screen to provide indications of the user touches on the apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the software is adapted to identify finger generated gestures for controlling vehicle functions without lifting a driver'"'"'s hands off the steering wheel.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the touch panels are connected to a vehicle steering wheel, adapted to be repositionable to as to enable ergonomic touching by up to four of a driver'"'"'s fingers on each touch panel while holding the steering wheel with the driver'"'"'s thumb.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the touch panels are part of a Kit for universal vehicle command and control, comprising one or more wireless communication enabled touch screen panels adapted to be connected to a vehicle steering wheel, such that the panels may be ergonomically positioned to allow the vehicle driver'"'"'s thumb to rest on the steering wheel, and have the four other fingers rest behind the steering wheel or on the underside of the panels.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the kit includes a link to associated vehicle command and control Application software to connect the driver'"'"'s touches on the panel to the vehicle computing system, via a vehicle related API.

15. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a device for virtual touch screen projection onto the touch panels.