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Vehicle accessory control interface having capactive touch switches

  • US 9,046,967 B2
  • Filed: 07/02/2009
  • Issued: 06/02/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for enabling an operator to control an accessory of a vehicle, the system comprising:

  • a control interface including a display panel and a processor associated with the display panel;

    the display panel includinga touch surface,an electrically non-conductive support adjacent the touch surface,a plurality of touch areas, each of the touch areas being defined by a single electrically conductive pad situated between the support and a portion of the touch surface, wherein the conductive pads individually capacitively couple to an electrically conductive object upon the conductive object moving into close proximity to the touch area while the conductive pad is driven with an electrical charge;

    the processor being operative in a first mode in which the processor detects the capacitive coupling of the conductive pad to the electrically conductive object,generates a signal indicative of the capacitive coupling, andprovides the signal to an accessory of a vehicle for controlling the accessory based on the capacitive coupling;

    the processor being operative in a second mode in which the processordetects capacitive coupling of a plurality of the conductive pads to an electrically conductive object,recognizes a pattern or sequence of the coupling of the plurality of the conductive pads, andgenerates a first control signal indicating a first adjustment to a feature of at least one of the vehicle accessories when the pattern or sequence has a first direction, or generates a second control signal indicating a second adjustment to the feature of the at least one vehicle accessory when the pattern or sequence has a second direction, wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction and the first adjustment is opposite the second adjustment;

    the processor being operative in a third mode in which the processorremotely communicates with a wireless electronic device, using a transceiver, associated with the processor, andcontrols at least one of the vehicle accessories in accordance with an output command received from the wireless electronic device.

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