Steering wheel with keyboard

• US 9,821,726 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2016
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nash, Richard P., Faist, Bryan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers, Adam D
• Application Number:
  US15/059,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20170253191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/131 Pivotable input devices for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/782 on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/131 Pivotable input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/143 Touch sensitive input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/782 on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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 35/213 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0264 for control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/027 between relatively movable parts of the vehicle, e.g. between steering wheel and column devices for measuring, signalling or controlling tyre pressure or temperature specially adapted for mounting on vehicles B60C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/001 Vehicle control means, e.g. steering-wheel or column
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0094 characterised by means for covering after user, e.g. boxes, shutters or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0426 : tracking fingers with respect to a virtual keyboard projected or printed on the surface virtual keyboards on touch screens G06F3/04886
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 : by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A steering wheel assembly includes a panel and a projector assembly. The panel is connected to a steering wheel body and has a first surface disposed opposite a second surface. The projector is connected to the steering wheel body and displays a virtual input device on at least one of the first surface and the second surface, while the steering wheel is in a non-rotational condition.

Claims

1. A steering wheel assembly comprising:

a panel connected to a steering wheel body, the panel having a first surface disposed opposite a second surface;

a projector assembly connected to the steering wheel body, the projector assembly displays a virtual input device on at least one of the first surface and the second surface, while the steering wheel is in a non-rotational condition,

wherein the steering wheel body defines a compartment configured to receive the projector assembly.

2. The steering wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the compartment has a first wall, a second wall spaced apart from the first wall, and a third wall extending between the first wall and the second wall.

3. The steering wheel assembly of claim 2, wherein the projector assembly is pivotally connected to the first wall and the second wall.

4. The steering wheel assembly of claim 3, wherein the projector assembly is movable between a stored position in which the projector assembly is received within the compartment and a deployed position in which the projector assembly is disposed above the panel.

5. The steering wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the panel is movable between a closed position and an open position.

6. The steering wheel assembly of claim 5, wherein the projector assembly displays the virtual input device on the first surface when the panel is in the closed position.

7. The steering wheel assembly of claim 6, wherein the projector assembly displays the virtual input device on the second surface when the panel is in the open position.

8. The steering wheel assembly of claim 7, further comprising an input detection device connected to the projector assembly, the input detection device detects motions of an operator proximate the virtual input device.

9. A steering wheel assembly comprising:

a steering wheel having a projection surface; and

a projector connected to the steering wheel, the projector being movable between a stored position in which the projector is received within the steering wheel body and a deployed position in which the projector extends above the projection surface, the projector configured to project a virtual input device onto the projection surface, while the steering wheel is in a non-rotational condition.

10. The steering wheel assembly of claim 9, further comprising a display unit disposed on the steering wheel body above the projection surface.

11. The steering wheel assembly of claim 10, further comprising an input detection device connected to the projector, the input detection device configured to detect motions of an operator within the virtual input device and configured to output for display a user input via the display unit.

12. The steering wheel assembly of claim 11, wherein the display unit and the projector are in communication with a controller.

13. The steering wheel assembly of claim 12, wherein in response to a first user request to activate the projector, the controller is programmed to enable the projector to project the virtual input device onto the projection surface, while the steering wheel is operatively decoupled from a steering shaft.

14. The steering wheel assembly of claim 13, wherein in response to a second user request to operatively couple the steering wheel to the steering shaft, the controller is programmed to disable the projector.

15. A method of providing a virtual input device to a vehicle operator comprising:

enabling a projector connected to a steering wheel to be moved from a stored position to a deployed position, in response to activation of an autonomous driving assisted system that operatively decouples the steering wheel from a steering shaft.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

activating the projector to project a virtual input device onto a projection surface of the steering wheel.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

detecting a user input, outputting for display the user input via a display unit disposed on the steering wheel.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

detecting a user input received via the virtual input device, outputting for display the user input via a vehicle interface.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising

disabling the projector and moving the projector from the deployed position to the stored position, in response to deactivation of the autonomous driving assisted system that operatively couples the steering wheel from the steering shaft.