Steering wheel input/interactive surface
First Claim
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.
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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.
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Citations
15 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.
- 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.
Specification