Touch gesture based interface for motor vehicle
First Claim
1. Apparatus for selectively controlling one or more systems included with a motor vehicle driven by a vehicle operator, said apparatus comprising:
- one or more touch pad devices respectively mounted to receive a specified touch gesture pattern from said operator while said vehicle is being driven, said touch pad devices responsive to said received touch gesture pattern to generate a corresponding pattern of touch pad signals;
an interpretation module adapted to recognize that said corresponding pattern of touch pad signals is associated with a pre-specified command for selectively operating a particular one of said systems;
an execution module disposed to receive said pre-specified command from said interpretation module, and to operate said particular system in accordance with said pre-specified command; and
means for detecting occurrences of an extreme situation and for causing said execution module to disregard any commands until said apparatus is positively informed that said extreme situation has ended.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved apparatus and method is provided for operating devices and systems in a motor vehicle, while at the same time reducing vehicle operator distractions. One or more touch sensitive pads are mounted on the steering wheel of the motor vehicle, and the vehicle operator touches the pads in a pre-specified synchronized pattern, to perform functions such as controlling operation of the radio or adjusting a window. At least some of the touch patterns used to generate different commands may be selected by the vehicle operator. Usefully, the system of touch pad sensors and the signals generated thereby are integrated with speech recognition and/or facial gesture recognition systems, so that commands may be generated by synchronized multi-mode inputs.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. Apparatus for selectively controlling one or more systems included with a motor vehicle driven by a vehicle operator, said apparatus comprising:
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one or more touch pad devices respectively mounted to receive a specified touch gesture pattern from said operator while said vehicle is being driven, said touch pad devices responsive to said received touch gesture pattern to generate a corresponding pattern of touch pad signals; an interpretation module adapted to recognize that said corresponding pattern of touch pad signals is associated with a pre-specified command for selectively operating a particular one of said systems; an execution module disposed to receive said pre-specified command from said interpretation module, and to operate said particular system in accordance with said pre-specified command; and means for detecting occurrences of an extreme situation and for causing said execution module to disregard any commands until said apparatus is positively informed that said extreme situation has ended. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for selectively controlling one or more systems included with a motor vehicle driven by a vehicle operator comprising the steps of:
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applying a touch gesture pattern to one or more touch pad devices, while said vehicle is being driven, to generate a corresponding pattern of touch pad signals; analyzing said corresponding pattern of touch pad signals to identify an associated pre-specified command for selectively operating a particular one of said systems; generating a signal to operate said particular system in accordance with said associated pre-specified command; and detecting occurrences of an extreme situation, and in response thereto causing said particular system to disregard any commands until said extreme situation has ended. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. Apparatus for selectively controlling one or more systems included with a motor vehicle having a steering wheel and driven by a vehicle operator, said apparatus comprising:
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at least two touch pad devices respectively mounted on the steering wheel of said vehicle, wherein each touch pad receives at least one touch gesture from said operator to generate a specified pattern comprising multiple touch pad signals; an interpretation module adapted to recognize that said specified pattern of touch pad signals is associated with a pre-specified command for selectively operating a particular one of said systems; and an execution module disposed to receive said pre-specified command from said interpretation module, and to operate said particular system in accordance with said pre-specified command. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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Specification