Electronic switch apparatus for vehicle

• US 8,542,218 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2010
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Yun, Jung Hwan, Kim, Hyun, Park, Hee Sang, Park, June Kyu, Ku, Jun Mo
• Primary Examiner(s): SHENG, TOM V
• Application Number:
  US12/955,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20120044208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/175, 178/18.09, 178/18.11
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0426 tracking fingers with respect to a virtual keyboard projected or printed on the surface virtual keyboards on touch screens G06F3/04886

Abstract

An electronic switch apparatus for a vehicle, may include a projector module implementing a plurality of switch images, a sensor module detecting locations of respective switch image by recognizing the switch images implemented by the projector module as two-dimensional images, an infrared module emitting infrared rays to areas of the switch images displayed by the projector module, and a control module for, when a specific area of the switch images may be touched, detecting coordinates of the specific area by measuring light reflected from emitted infrared rays of the infrared module, and executing an operation of a switch corresponding to the coordinates.

Claims

1. An electronic switch apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a projector module implementing a plurality of switch images;

a sensor module detecting locations of respective switch image by recognizing the switch images implemented by the projector module as two-dimensional images;

an infrared module emitting infrared rays to areas of the switch images displayed by the projector module; and

a control module for, when a specific area of the switch images is touched, detecting coordinates of the specific area by measuring light reflected from emitted infrared rays of the infrared module, and executing an operation of a switch corresponding to the coordinates.

2. The electronic switch apparatus as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the switch images implemented by the projector module further comprise at least a mode conversion switch image;

and

wherein, when one of the at least a mode conversion switch image is touched, the control module displays switch images having other shapes than the plurality of switch images.

3. The electronic switch apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein, when one of the mode conversion switch images is touched, the control module forms a group of switch images having other shapes, and then displays the group.

4. The electronic switch apparatus as set forth in claim 2,

wherein each of the mode conversion switch images is formed to correspond to a relevant switch image;

and

wherein, when the mode conversion switch image is touched, the control module replaces the corresponding switch image by a switch image having another shape.

5. The electronic switch apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plurality of switch images is implemented on upper portion of a console.