Vehicle control apparatus

• US 8,855,855 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2013
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Lee, Hui Sung, Oh, Kwang Myung
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US13/846,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20140136050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/36, 345/174, 345/177, 327/517
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• 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 35/26 using acoustic output
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

S vehicle control apparatus that includes a touch panel configured to be touched by a user and a sound wave generator. The sound wave generator including a plurality of patterns formed in different shapes and heights on the touch panel, and is configured to generate sound waves having unique shapes when the user touches the patterns. A sound wave detection sensor is configured to detect the sound waves generated by the sound wave generator. A controller is configured to receive the sound waves detected by the sound wave detection sensor and output vehicle control signals corresponding to the respective sound waves.

Claims

1. A vehicle control apparatus comprising:

a touch panel;

a sound wave generator including a plurality of patterns formed in different shapes and different heights on the touch panel, and configured to generate sound waves having unique shapes when a user touches the patterns on the touch panel;

a sound wave detection sensor configured to detect the sound waves generated by the sound wave generator; and

a controller configured to receive the sound waves detected by the sound wave detection sensor and output vehicle control signals corresponding to the respective sound waves.

2. The vehicle control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

sound wave data stored on a memory of the controller, wherein the vehicle control signals match the sound waves, and the controller is configured to, output a vehicle control signal matching the corresponding sound wave based on the sound wave data when a sound wave is received from the sound wave detection sensor.

3. The vehicle control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sound wave data includes:

a single sound wave set including a plurality of sound waves matches a single vehicle control signal, wherein the controller is configured to, output a vehicle control signal matching a corresponding sound wave set based on sound wave sets of the sound wave data when a plurality of sound waves are consecutively received from the sound wave detection sensor.

4. The vehicle control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the sound wave sets are classified as different types of sound wave sets and match different types of vehicle control signals, and the controller is configured to, detect a corresponding sound wave set based on an order of the sound waves when a plurality of sound waves are consecutively received from the sound wave detection sensor, and output a vehicle control signal matching the sound wave set.

5. The vehicle control apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the patterns includes a plurality of projections protruding from the touch panel.

6. The vehicle control apparatus of claim 5, wherein the projections are formed in a shape of a bar and arranged in parallel on the touch panel at different heights.

7. The vehicle control apparatus of claim 5, wherein the projections are formed in a shape of a circle and arranged on the touch panel in a matrix at different heights.

8. The vehicle control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sound wave detection sensor is a microphone.

9. The vehicle control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control signals output from the controller are signals required to operate an Audio, Visual, Navigation (AVN) system.

10. A vehicle control apparatus comprising:

a touch panel configured to be touched by a user;

a sound wave generator including a plurality of patterns formed on the touch panel, wherein the patterns is made of different materials and the sound wave generator is configured to generate sound waves having unique shapes when the user touches the patterns;

a sound wave detection sensor configured to detect the sound waves generated by the sound wave generator; and

a controller configured to receive the sound waves detected by the sound wave detection sensor and output vehicle control signals corresponding to the respective sound waves.