Steering wheel input/interactive surface

• US 7,898,530 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ralf Trachte
• Original Assignee: Ralf Trachte
• Inventors: Trachte, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang; Regina
• Application Number:
  US11/541,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20070100523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 345/156, 345/168, 345/169, 345/172, 178/18.01, 178/18.03
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/782 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 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1484 mounted on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/08 electrically driven conjoint control of windscreen wiper motor and liquid supply of windscreen washer B60S1/482; conjoint control of windscreen wiper motor and means for cleaning parts o parts other than windscreens or front windows B60S1/56, B60S1/58, B60S1/606
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/06 Rims, e.g. with heating means; Rim covers B62D1/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/0088 Fabrics having an electronic function
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 7/00 Woven fabrics designed to be resilient, i.e. to recover from compressive stress
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/046 Shape recovering or form memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

The steering wheel input is a flexible, interactive input, based on a touch-sensitive surface. Groups of functions are available from many positions of hands and fingers, gripping and controlling the steering wheel. For example travel direction indicators, headlight flashing/dipping and windscreen wipers can be controlled without having to raise the hand from the steering wheel. The keypad of a mobile telephone can also be simulated. PDA inputs can be carried out. A computer keyboard can be simulated. Continuous encompassment of the hands is corrected by computer. The touch areas are continuously and dynamically adapted in the relationship thereof with respect to the balls of the hands or the thumb and fingers. This concept produces ergonomically appropriate and dynamically updated touch areas.

Claims

1. A steering wheel or steering wheel element, composed of an input face having a plurality of touch-sensitive input face zones positioned on the front facing surface of the steering wheel confronting the driver and on the rear facing surface of the steering wheel opposite the front facing surface, and a control unit which is coupled thereto, characterized in that the gripping of the steering wheel by the driver during use results in the touching of the input face on the front facing and rear facing surfaces of the steering wheel by areas of the hand, in particular by the balls of the hand, and by fingers is recognized as being by areas of the hand and fingers and used to calculate the identity of the individual fingers and thus to calculate a temporarily valid basic topography for the areas of the hand and for the fingers with respect to the input face zones, by means of which topography an assignment topography is calculated to thereby assign a respective alphanumeric character or a control function to the input face zones enabling the driver to control various vehicle functions by selectively pressing on said input face zones.

2. The steering wheel or steering wheel element of claim 1, characterized in that the determination of a basic topography for the hands of the user with respect to the input face zones takes place in an initialization phase on the basis of the positioned hands of the user and is then continuously adapted to current conditions in an operating phase, and in that as a result an assignment topography which assigns a respective alphanumeric character or a control function to the input face zones in an instantaneously valid fashion is continuously adapted to individual and dynamic conditions.

3. The steering wheel or steering wheel element of claim 1, characterized in that the determination of the assignment topography which assigns alphanumeric characters or control functions to the input face zones is carried out in an initialization process according to a defined system which corresponds to a customary computer keyboard or a customary key assignment system for a mobile phone or corresponds to touch zones for up to ten fingers which are arranged in a longitudinal row or corresponds to touch zones around the index finger and thumb, said zones carrying out simple switching and control functions.

4. The steering wheel or steering wheel element as claimed in claim 1, composed of an input face with a large number of touch-sensitive input face zones and a control unit which is coupled thereto, characterized in that a grouping of alphanumeric functions or control functions is available from a large number of basic positions of the areas of the hand and fingers with respect to the input face zones, the assignment of which functions to the specific input face zones is continuously and dynamically adapted to individual, instantaneous conditions.

5. The steering wheel or steering wheel element as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that two, three, four, five or six agreed control functions can continuously be activated from a large number of positions of the areas of the hand and fingers with respect to the input face zones by means of the index finger, middle finger or thumb of the left hand or the right hand.

6. The steering wheel or steering wheel element as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the instantaneously valid assignment of characters or control functions to the input face zones is displayed visually to the user.

7. The steering wheel or steering wheel element of claim 1, wherein the steering wheel or steering wheel element comprises a plurality of layers which combine a plurality of interactively effective properties, and further wherein at least one of said layers provides tactile feedback regarding the through connection with said input face zones.

8. The steering wheel or steering wheel element of claim 7, wherein another of said layers provides visual feedback regarding the instantaneous, continuously variable assignments in said input face zones.

9. The steering wheel or steering wheel element of claim 7, wherein a first of said plurality of layers comprises a fabric layer having electrically effective touch-sensitive fibers or lamellas.

10. The steering wheel or steering wheel element of claim 9, wherein a second of said plurality of layers comprises a fabric layer having light-emitting fibers laid one on top of the other in order to display visually the instantaneous assignment between said input face zones and respective alpha-numeric characters.

11. The steering wheel or steering wheel element of claim 1, further wherein assignment locations of bent finger positions are differentiated from assignment locations of extended finger positions.

12. A steering wheel or steering wheel element, composed of an input face having a plurality of touch-sensitive input face zones and a control unit which is coupled thereto, characterized in that the touching of the input face zones by areas of the hand, in particular by the balls of the hand, and by fingers is recognized as being by areas of the hand and fingers and used to calculate the identity of the individual fingers and thus to calculate a temporarily valid basic topography for the areas of the hand and for the fingers with respect to the input face zones, by means of which topography an assignment topography is calculated to thereby assign a respective alphanumeric character or a control function to the input face zones for controlling various vehicle functions by selective pressing on said input face zones, wherein said steering wheel or steering wheel element comprises a plurality of fabric layers including a tactile-feedback layer having fibers, wires, or lamellas having associated therewith a spring travel and being configured so that the ratio of the application of force to the spring travel which can be perceived through the fingers when pressing on said input face zones varies nonlinearly.

13. The steering wheel or steering wheel element of claim 12, wherein after an initial small amount of travel the further application of force provides a through connection to said tactile feedback layer that can be readily perceived via the fingers similar to a toggle-lever effect.

14. The steering wheel or steering wheel element of claim 13, wherein said tactile-feedback layer comprises relatively rigid, elastic fiber woven into the fabric layer with appropriate tension so as to form small arches that protrude slightly from the surface of the fabric layer.

15. The steering wheel or steering wheel element of claim 12, further wherein assignment locations of bent finger positions are differentiated from assignment locations of extended finger positions.