User configurable vehicle steering column stalks
First Claim
1. A user-configurable steering column for a vehicle comprising:
- first and second steering column-mounted switches, each switch being configured to output an electrical signal responsive to a user'"'"'s mechanical operation thereof;
a radio frequency transceiver, configured to wirelessly communicate with a smartphone and configured to receive steering column-mounted switch configuration information therefrom;
a computer coupled to the first and second steering column-mounted switches and to the radio frequency transceiver;
a user-operable input device coupled to the computer;
an output display device coupled to the computer;
a first power controller coupled to the computer and coupled to a corresponding first accessory device, the first power controller configured to selectively operate the first accessory device, responsive to a control signal received by the first power controller; and
a second power controller coupled to the computer and coupled to a corresponding second accessory device, the second power controller configured to selectively operate the second accessory device, responsive to a control signal received by the second power controller;
wherein the computer is configured to selectively associate an electrical switch to different ones of the first and second power controllers responsive to an input signal received by the computer from either the user-operable input device or from the radio frequency transceiver.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A user-configurable steering column is made from steering column-mounted switches, each of which is coupled to a computer, which is also coupled to various different driver circuits, each of which is configured to control the operation of a corresponding vehicle accessory device, such as head lamps, a wiper motor or the vehicle'"'"'s cruise control. A tactile-sensitive display device located in either a head unit, smartphone inside the vehicle, or in a dedicated, dash board-mounted device, provides a menu of assignable switches and user-controllable devices, or it displays icons representing the switches and accessories. A driver assigns a switch to a particular accessory by selecting icons. The computer thereafter reads the switches'"'"' states and sends corresponding control signals to the drivers for the various devices that were mapped to the switches. Multiple different programmed configurations can be stored in a memory device and selected by a user using the tactile-sensitive display device.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A user-configurable steering column for a vehicle comprising:
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first and second steering column-mounted switches, each switch being configured to output an electrical signal responsive to a user'"'"'s mechanical operation thereof; a radio frequency transceiver, configured to wirelessly communicate with a smartphone and configured to receive steering column-mounted switch configuration information therefrom; a computer coupled to the first and second steering column-mounted switches and to the radio frequency transceiver; a user-operable input device coupled to the computer; an output display device coupled to the computer; a first power controller coupled to the computer and coupled to a corresponding first accessory device, the first power controller configured to selectively operate the first accessory device, responsive to a control signal received by the first power controller; and a second power controller coupled to the computer and coupled to a corresponding second accessory device, the second power controller configured to selectively operate the second accessory device, responsive to a control signal received by the second power controller; wherein the computer is configured to selectively associate an electrical switch to different ones of the first and second power controllers responsive to an input signal received by the computer from either the user-operable input device or from the radio frequency transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A user-configurable steering column comprising:
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a switch matrix having a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, the switch matrix being configured to selectively connect each of the plurality of inputs to a different one of the plurality of outputs, responsive to a control signal input to the switch matrix; a plurality of steering column-mounted switches, each switch coupled to a corresponding input of the switch matrix, each switch configured to output a signal responsive to a user'"'"'s operation of the switch; a user-operable input device; a radio frequency transceiver, configured to wirelessly communicate with a smartphone and configured to receive steering column-mounted switch configuration information therefrom; a computer coupled to the user-operable input device, the switch matrix and to the radio frequency transceiver; and a plurality of controllers, each coupled to a corresponding accessory device and configured to selectively provide electric energy to the corresponding accessory device responsive to a control signal received by a power controller from the switch matrix; wherein the computer is configured to selectively associate a steering column-mounted switch to different power controllers responsive to an input signal received by the computer from either the user-operable input device or from the radio frequency transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method of selectively controlling electrically operable accessories by different switches, the method comprising the steps of:
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displaying on a display device, icons representing vehicle accessory devices; displaying on a display device, icons representing vehicle switches that can control vehicle accessory devices; wirelessly receiving from a smartphone, a selection of a first switch to associate with a first accessory; selecting an accessory to be associated with the first selected switch by wirelessly receiving a second input from the smartphone; and coupling the selected first switch to the selected accessory, whereby the selected accessory is controlled by the selected switch. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification