Haptic language through a steering mechanism

• US 9,623,907 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Marti, Stefan, Di Censo, Davide, Juneja, Ajay
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US14/153,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20150197283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 701 41, 714701, 714702
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0205 Mechanical indicators, e.g. in or near steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3652 Guidance using non-audiovisual output, e.g. tactile, haptic or electric stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

A system, and method for communicating navigation information to a vehicle operator through actuators in a steering mechanism for a vehicle. The steering mechanism can include multiple actuators along or in a surface a vehicle operator touches to steer the vehicle. Different numbers of actuators can be actuated under an operator'"'"'s hand to communicate the severity of an upcoming turn. Alternatively, an actuator can be actuated by different amounts to communicate the severity of an upcoming turn. Proximity of an upcoming turn can be communicated by cycling actuators at different rates for different turns. By actuating actuators under an operator'"'"'s left hand or the left portion of a hand, a left-hand turn can be communicated. Conversely, by actuating actuators under an operator'"'"'s right hand or the right portion of a hand, a right-hand turn can be communicated.

Claims

1. A system for communicating steering inputs, the system comprising:

a plurality of actuators arranged relative to a steering mechanism for a vehicle;

at least one sensor configured to detect a position of at least one hand of the vehicle operator on the steering mechanism;

a controller configured to send actuation signals to the plurality of actuators, wherein, in response to receiving an indication of a required steering input, the controller communicates a first aspect of the required steering input to the operator by actuating, by at least a first distance, at least one of the plurality of actuators that is at least partially positioned beneath the detected hand position, wherein the first distance indicates a severity associated with a first upcoming turn.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a global positioning system (GPS) in communication with the controller, wherein the GPS provides an indication of the first upcoming turn to the controller along a route, and wherein, in response to receiving the indication of the first upcoming turn, the controller communicates the first aspect of the required steering input to the operator.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a second aspect of the first upcoming turn comprises a proximity of the first upcoming turn, and wherein the controller communicates the proximity of the first upcoming turn by actuating the at least one of the plurality of actuators that is at least partially positioned beneath the detected position of the operator'"'"'s hand in a cycling manner at a first frequency to communicate that the first upcoming turn is a first distance away and at a second frequency to communicate that the first upcoming turn is a second distance away.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one aspect of a second upcoming turn comprises a proximity of the second upcoming turn, and wherein the controller communicates the proximity of the second upcoming turn by actuating, by at least a second distance distance, a first actuator of the at least one of the plurality of actuators to communicate that the second upcoming turn is a first distance away and by actuating, by a third distance that is greater than the second distance, at least one of the first actuator and a second actuator of the at least one of the plurality of actuators to communicate that the second upcoming turn is a second distance away.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein a second aspect of the first upcoming turn comprises a direction of the first upcoming turn, and wherein, upon detecting two hands on the steering mechanism, the controller communicates the direction of the first upcoming turn by actuating, by at least the first distance, at least one actuator at least partially positioned under the hand corresponding to the direction of the first upcoming turn.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein a second aspect of the first upcoming turn comprises a direction of the first upcoming turn, and wherein, upon detecting only one hand on the wheel, the controller communicates the direction of the first upcoming turn by actuating, by at least the first distance, at least one actuator at least partially positioned under the side of the hand that corresponds to the direction of the first upcoming turn.

7. The system of claim 2:

wherein a second aspect of the first upcoming turn comprises a direction of the first upcoming turn and a third aspect of the first upcoming turn comprises a proximity of the first upcoming turn,

wherein, upon detecting two hand positions on the steering mechanism, the controller communicates the direction of the first upcoming turn by actuating at least one actuator at least partially positioned under the detected hand position corresponding to the direction of the first upcoming turn, and

wherein the controller communicates the proximity of the first upcoming turn by actuating the at least one actuator in a cycling manner at a first frequency to communicate that the first upcoming turn is a first distance away and at a second frequency to communicate that the first upcoming turn is a second distance away.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein, in response to receiving a second indication of second required steering input, the controller actuates, by at least a second distance, at least one of the plurality of actuators that is at least partially positioned beneath a second detected hand position, wherein the second distance indicates a severity associated with a second upcoming turn that is greater than the severity associated with the first upcoming turn, and the second distance is greater than the first distance.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein, in response to receiving an indication of a required steering input, the controller communicates a second aspect of the required steering input to the operator by actuating, with at least a first pulse frequency, at least one of the plurality of actuators that is positioned beneath the detected hand position to indicate a proximity assocated with the upcoming turn.

10. A controller, comprising:

a first signal input for receiving one or more navigation signals associated with a vehicle;

a second signal input for receiving one or more hand position signals;

a signal output; and

a processor configured to;

based on the one or more hand position signals, detect a position of a hand of an operator of the vehicle on a steering mechanism of the vehicle;

based on the one or more navigation signals, determine a steering input to be applied to the steering mechanism to effect a navigational operation of the vehicle; and

output a control signal to the signal output, the control signal configured to deform, by a first amount, the steering mechanism at the detected hand position in a manner that communicates a first aspect of the required steering input to the vehicle operator, wherein the first amount indicates a severity associated with an approaching turn.

11. The controller of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to determine the steering input to be applied to the steering mechanism by monitoring the position of the vehicle along a predetermined travel route and determining that the vehicle is approaching a turn in the route, and, in response, the control signal is configured to deform the steering mechanism by the first amount.

12. The controller of claim 11, wherein a second aspect of the approaching turn comprises a proximity of the approaching turn, and wherein the control signal is configured to deform the steering mechanism at the detected hand position in a cycling manner at a first frequency to communicate that the approaching turn is a first distance away and at a second frequency to communicate that the approaching turn is a second distance away.

13. The controller of claim 11, wherein a second aspect of the approaching turn comprises a proximity of the approaching turn, and wherein the control signal is configured to deform a first length of the steering mechanism at the detected hand position to communicate that the approaching turn is a first distance away and deforming a second length of the steering mechanism at the detected hand position to communicate that the approaching turn is a second distance away.

14. The controller of claim 11, wherein a second aspect of the approaching turn comprises a direction of the approaching turn, wherein the processor is configured to detect two hand positions upon receiving two hand position signals, and wherein the control signal is configured to deform a portion of the steering mechanism at the one detected hand position corresponding to the direction of the approaching turn.

15. The controller of claim 11, wherein a second aspect of the approaching turn comprises a direction of the approaching turn, wherein the processor is configured to detect one hand position upon receiving one hand position signal, and wherein the control signal is configured to deform the steering mechanism at a portion of the detected hand position corresponding to the direction of the approaching turn.

16. The controller of claim 11:

wherein a second aspect of the approaching turn comprises a direction of the approaching turn and a third aspect of the approaching turn comprises a proximity of the approaching turn,

wherein the processor is configured to detect two hand positions upon receiving two hand position signals, and wherein the control signal is configured to deform the the steering mechanism at the detected hand position corresponding to the direction of the approaching turn, and

wherein the control signal is further configured to deform the the steering mechanism at the detected hand position corresponding to the direction of the approaching turn in a cycling manner at a first frequency to communicate that the approaching turn is a first distance away and at a second frequency to communicate that the approaching turn is a second distance away.

17. A navigation communication system for use in a vehicle, the navigation system comprising:

a processor;

a navigation module configured to output one or more navigation signals;

a plurality of actuators arranged relative to a steering mechanism of the vehicle;

at least one sensor configured to detect a hand position of at least one hand of a vehicle operator on the steering mechanism;

a controller configured to actuate, by at least a first distance, each of the plurality of actuators; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to;

determine, from the one or more navigation signals, a required steering input to the steering mechanism; and

cause the controller to actuate, by at least a first distance, actuators on the steering mechanism at the detected hand position in a manner that communicates a first aspect of the required steering input to the operator, wherein the first distance indicates a severity associated with a first upcoming turn.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the memory stores a travel route of the vehicle that comprises a turn, wherein the navigation module comprises a global positioning system (GPS) module in communication with the processor, wherein the GPS module determines a required steering input related to the first upcoming turn, and, in response, the controller communicates the first aspect of the first upcoming turn to the operator.