Steering wheel input/interactive surface
First Claim
1. A computer input device comprising an input face having a homogeneous surface and a plurality of touch-sensitive input face zones thereon for making selected through connections to provide signals to a control unit coupled thereto, characterized in that the touch-sensitive input face zones of the device further comprise fabric layers having fibers, wires, or lamellas integrated into a touch-sensitive layer or adjacent fabric layers, wherein the integrated fibers, wires or lamellas are configured to form non-linear springing elements with appropriate pretension to form repetitive small arches which protrude slightly out of the surface of the fabric layer or arches which are formed from groups of downward and upward curvature sections or combinations of cantilever elements wherein one cantilever element is acutely angled to another cantilever element, to provide a non-linear response to the application of force by a user'"'"'s fingers to the input face zones such that after a certain small depression thereof, further depression requires the application of force that stays the same or decreases to produce said through connection, thereby providing tactile feedback similar to a toggle-lever effect to the user of the activation of said through connection;
- and further wherein the touch-sensitive input face zones include fabric types or layers containing said integrated fibers, wires, or lamellas which are substantially homogeneously distributed throughout the input face area of the device.
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Accused Products
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 directions 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
20 Claims
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1. A computer input device comprising an input face having a homogeneous surface and a plurality of touch-sensitive input face zones thereon for making selected through connections to provide signals to a control unit coupled thereto, characterized in that the touch-sensitive input face zones of the device further comprise fabric layers having fibers, wires, or lamellas integrated into a touch-sensitive layer or adjacent fabric layers, wherein the integrated fibers, wires or lamellas are configured to form non-linear springing elements with appropriate pretension to form repetitive small arches which protrude slightly out of the surface of the fabric layer or arches which are formed from groups of downward and upward curvature sections or combinations of cantilever elements wherein one cantilever element is acutely angled to another cantilever element, to provide a non-linear response to the application of force by a user'"'"'s fingers to the input face zones such that after a certain small depression thereof, further depression requires the application of force that stays the same or decreases to produce said through connection, thereby providing tactile feedback similar to a toggle-lever effect to the user of the activation of said through connection;
- and further wherein the touch-sensitive input face zones include fabric types or layers containing said integrated fibers, wires, or lamellas which are substantially homogeneously distributed throughout the input face area of the device.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer input device comprising an input face having a homogeneous surface and a plurality of touch-sensitive input face zones thereon for making selected through connections to provide signals to a control unit coupled thereto, characterized in that the touch-sensitive input face zones of the device further comprise fabric layers having fibers, wires, or lamellas integrated into a touch-sensitive layer or adjacent fabric layers, wherein the integrated fibers, wires or lamellas are configured to provide a non-linear response to the application of force by a user'"'"'s fingers to the input face zones such that after a certain small depression thereof, further depression requires the application of force that stays the same or decreases to produce said through connection, thereby providing tactile feedback similar to a toggle-lever effect to the user of the activation of said through connection;
- wherein the touch-sensitive input face zones include fabric types or layers containing said integrated fibers, wires, or lamellas which are substantially homogeneously distributed throughout the input face area of the device, and further wherein the integrated fibers, wires, or lamellas comprise ribbon-like material having a flat cross-section that are woven into one of the fabric layers with appropriate pretension to form repetitive small arches which protrude slightly out of the surface of the fabric layer and when pressed in elastically by the pressure of a finger spring downwardly to provide a through connection.
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14. A computer input device comprising an input face having a homogeneous surface and a plurality of touch-sensitive input face zones thereon for making selected through connections to provide signals to a control unit coupled thereto, characterized in that the touch-sensitive input face zones of the device further comprise fabric layers having fibers, wires, or lamellas integrated into a touch-sensitive layer or adjacent fabric layers, wherein the integrated fibers, wires or lamellas are configured to provide a non-linear response to the application of force by a user'"'"'s fingers to the input face zones such that after a certain small depression thereof, further depression requires the application of force that stays the same or decreases to produce said through connection, thereby providing tactile feedback similar to a toggle-lever effect to the user of the activation of said through connection;
- wherein the touch-sensitive input face zones include fabric types or layers containing said integrated fibers, wires, or lamellas which are substantially homogeneously distributed throughout the input face area of the device, and further wherein the integrated fibers, wires, or lamellas are preformed in such a way that a series of downward and upward curvature sections occur along the surface repeatedly at specific intervals so that during the weaving process slight arches are formed from groups of said curvature sections which, when pressure is applied by fingers, spring downwardly and also compress in the longitudinal direction, without moving out appreciably in the lateral direction.
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15. A computer input device comprising an input face having a homogeneous surface and a plurality of touch-sensitive input face zones thereon for making selected through connections to provide signals to a control unit coupled thereto, characterized in that the touch-sensitive input face zones of the device further comprise fabric layers having fibers, wires, or lamellas integrated into a touch-sensitive layer or adjacent fabric layers, wherein the integrated fibers, wires or lamellas are configured to provide a non-linear response to the application of force by a user'"'"'s fingers to the input face zones such that after a certain small depression thereof, further depression requires the application of force that stays the same or decreases to produce said through connection, thereby providing tactile feedback similar to a toggle-lever effect to the user of the activation of said through connection;
- wherein the touch-sensitive input face zones include fabric types or layers containing said integrated fibers, wires, or lamellas which are substantially homogeneously distributed throughout the input face area of the device, and further wherein one of the fabric layers is composed of a lower fabric zone which gives this fabric layer a mechanical stability in tensile strength, and an upper fabric zone comprising the integrated fibers, wires, or lamellas, and further wherein the lower and upper fabric zones are woven to one another.
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16. A computer input device comprising an input face having a homogeneous surface and a plurality of touch-sensitive input face zones thereon for making selected through connections to provide signals to a control unit coupled thereto, characterized in that the touch-sensitive input face zones of the device further comprise fabric layers having fibers, wires, or lamellas integrated into a touch-sensitive layer or adjacent fabric layers, wherein the integrated fibers, wires or lamellas are configured to provide a non-linear response to the application of force by a user'"'"'s fingers to the input face zones such that after a certain small depression thereof, further depression requires the application of force that stays the same or decreases to produce said through connection, thereby providing tactile feedback similar to a toggle-lever effect to the user of the activation of said through connection;
- wherein the touch-sensitive input face zones include fabric types or layers containing said integrated fibers, wires, or lamellas which are substantially homogeneously distributed throughout the input face area of the device, and further wherein the integrated fibers, wires, or lamellas are configured to form repetitive cantilever elements that are constructed in such a way that one cantilever element is acutely angled to another cantilever element, wherein said one cantilever element is subjected to tensile loading and said another cantilever element is subjected to compressive loading to activate said through connection.
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17. A computer input device comprising an input face having a homogeneous surface and a plurality of touch-sensitive input face zones thereon for making selected through connections to provide signals to a control unit coupled thereto, characterized in that the touch-sensitive input face zones of the device further comprise fabric layers having fibers, wires, or lamellas integrated into a touch-sensitive layer or adjacent fabric layers, wherein the integrated fibers, wires or lamellas are configured to provide a non-linear response to the application of force by a user'"'"'s fingers to the input face zones such that after a certain small depression thereof, further depression requires the application of force that stays the same or decreases to produce said through connection, thereby providing tactile feedback similar to a toggle-lever effect to the user of the activation of said through connection;
- wherein the touch-sensitive input face zones include fabric types or layers containing said integrated fibers, wires, or lamellas which are substantially homogeneously distributed throughout the input face area of the device, and further wherein the device consists of a steering wheel or steering wheel element, and is further 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.
- View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
Specification