Apparatus and method for horn control using touch pattern

• US 8,909,419 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2012
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Park, Ki Ru
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malhotra, Sanjeev
• Application Number:
  US13/468,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20130151069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 701/37, 847/13, 340/7.21, 345/156, 345/173, 381/77, 381/122, 178/18.03, 180/197
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/003 mounted on the steering wheel

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for outputting horn sounds using a touch pattern. The apparatus includes: a storage unit configured to store horn sounds matched to various touch patterns; a touch detection unit equipped in a steering wheel of a vehicle configured to detect a driver'"'"'s touch; a touch pattern recognition unit configured to recognize a driver'"'"'s touch pattern detected by the touch detection unit; a controller configured to identify a horn sound corresponding to the touch pattern recognized by the touch pattern recognition unit from the storage unit, and to send it to a horn output unit; which allows a user to control what sounds are output by the horn using nothing more than simple touch gestures. Additionally, the apparatus and method enable a user to produce different horn outputs to correspond to different situations.

Claims

1. An apparatus for horn control, comprising:

a touch detection unit in a steering wheel of a vehicle configured to detect a driver'"'"'s touch;

a touch pattern recognition unit configured to recognize a touch pattern in the driver'"'"'s touch detected by the touch detection unit;

a storage unit configured to store a plurality of horn sounds, wherein each horn sound corresponds to a touch pattern; and

a controller configured to identify a horn sound from the plurality of horn sounds corresponding to the touch pattern recognized by the touch pattern recognition unit in the storage unit and to communicate an output command to a horn output unit, the horn output unit configured to receive the output command and output the identified horn sound of the plurality of horn sounds according to the touch pattern.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch pattern recognition unit is configured to recognize at least one touch pattern selected from the group consisting of number of touch times, number of touches within a time period, left to right direction of touch, right to left direction of touch, top to bottom direction of touch, bottom to top direction of touch, counterclockwise touch, clockwise touch, number of touch points, and any combination thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch detection unit is configured to detect a driver'"'"'s touch as a capacitive type.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the touch detection unit comprises a capacitive touch panel.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the touch detection unit comprises first and second capacitive touch sensors.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first and second capacitive touch sensors are asymmetrically located on the steering wheel with respect to a center point of the steering wheel.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the touch panel is substantially centrally located on the steering wheel.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an input device configured to allow a user to store sounds on the storage unit.

9. A method for horn control, comprising:

storing horn sounds on a storage unit, wherein the horn sounds are matched to at least one touch pattern;

detecting a driver'"'"'s touch by a touch detection unit located on a steering wheel of a vehicle;

recognizing the detected touch pattern;

identifying, with a controller, a horn sound of the plurality horn sounds corresponding to the recognized touch pattern; and

outputting the identified horn sound of the plurality of horn sounds to a horn output unit.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the touch pattern is selected from the group consisting of number of touch times, number of touches within a time period, left to right direction of touch, right to left direction of touch, top to bottom direction of touch, bottom to top direction of touch, counterclockwise touch, clockwise touch, number of touch points, and any combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

inputting at least one user'"'"'s horn sound to the storage unit; and

configuring the control to assign each of the at least one user'"'"'s horn sound to a particular touch pattern.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

deleting the at least one user'"'"'s horn sound from the storage unit.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a processor or controller, the computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions that store horn sounds on a storage unit, wherein the horn sounds are matched to at least one touch pattern;

program instructions that detect a driver'"'"'s touch by a touch detection unit located on a steering wheel of a vehicle;

program instructions that recognize the detected touch pattern;

program instructions that identify a horn sound from the plurality of horn sounds corresponding to the recognized touch pattern; and

program instructions that output the identified horn sound of the plurality of horn sounds to a horn output unit.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

program instructions that input at least one user'"'"'s horn sound to the storage unit; and

program instructions that configure the control to assign each of the at least one user'"'"'s horn sound to a particular touch pattern.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

program instructions that delete the at least one user'"'"'s horn sound from the storage unit.