Illuminated vehicle control management pushbutton knob

• US 9,840,278 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2015
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lavoie, Erick Michael, Hochrein, Bradley G.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Application Number:
  US14/924,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20170113722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/001 the torque NOT being among the input parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/002 computing target steering angles for front or rear wheels B62D7/159 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

A control system for a vehicle includes a steering system, an input including a rotatable rotary element, and a controller. The controller receives a trailer backup assist mode initiation command from the input and activates a trailer backup mode including outputting a vehicle steering command based on a first instantaneous position of the rotary element to the steering system. The controller further receives a terrain management mode initiation command from the input and activating a terrain management mode.

Claims

1. A control system for a vehicle, comprising:

a steering system;

an input device including a rotatable rotary element; and

a controller;

receiving a trailer backup assist mode initiation command from the input and activating a trailer backup mode including outputting a vehicle steering command based on a first instantaneous position of the rotary element to the steering system;

receiving a terrain management mode initiation command from the input and activating a terrain management mode; and

causing the input to implement in the rotary element;

a first movement type to an input position of a plurality of menu command positions to receive at least one of the trailer backup assist mode initiation command and the terrain management mode initiation command; and

a second movement type into an instantaneous one of a plurality of trailer control commanding positions when in the trailer backup assist mode.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first movement type is free rotation of the rotary element.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the second movement type is biased rotation of the rotary element toward an at-rest position.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first movement type and the second movement type are implemented by an electromechanical element coupled with the rotary element.

5. The control system of claim 1, further including a display screen, wherein:

the controller causes the display screen to present a plurality of menu items;

the rotary element is moveable in the first movement type to scroll among the menu items, including a trailer backup assist mode item, for designation as a selectable item; and

the input further includes a first button, the trailer backup assist mode initiation command including determining that the first button is in a depressed state while the trailer backup assist mode item is the highlighted item.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein, when executing the trailer backup mode:

the controller interprets the instantaneous position of the rotary element as corresponding to one of a zero curvature position or at least two directional curvature positions opposed about the zero curvature position; and

the controller causes the input to bias the rotary element toward an at rest position corresponding to the zero curvature position.

7. The control system of claim 6, wherein the vehicle steering command is further based on a trailer curvature path corresponding to an instantaneous one of the zero curvature position or one of the at least two directional curvature positions.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the input further includes an illuminable mode indicator, the controller illuminating the illuminable mode indicator in a trailer backup assist indication mode when implementing the trailer backup assist mode.

14. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the controller further receives a hill descent control mode initiation command from the input and activates a hill descent control mode; and

the controller receives the hill descent control mode initiation command from a third one of the plurality of buttons.

9. A vehicle, comprising:

a steering system;

an input including a rotatable element;

a controller;

receiving a first mode selection from the input corresponding to a trailer backup assist mode initiation command;

executing a trailer backup assist mode including interpreting a first instantaneous position of the rotary element as a trailer control commanding position corresponding to one of a zero curvature position or at least two directional curvature positions opposed about the zero curvature position and outputting a vehicle steering command based on a trailer curvature path corresponding to an instantaneous one of the zero curvature position or one of the at least two directional curvature positions to the steering system; and

activating one of a terrain management mode or a hill descent control mode upon interpreting the first instantaneous position of the rotary element respectively as one of a terrain management mode initiation command and a hill descent control mode initiation command.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the input further includes:

a body with a face thereof encircled by the rotatable element; and

a plurality of buttons disposed on the body, a first of the plurality of buttons transmitting the first mode selection to the controller and at least a second one of the buttons transmitting a signal corresponding to the one of the terrain management mode initiation command and the hill descent control mode initiation command.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein a third one of the buttons transmits a parking assist mode initiation command.

12. The vehicle of claim 9, further comprising a central console including a console extending outwardly from the rotary element, wherein:

the input further includes an extension element operably coupling the rotatable element with the console and rotating about an axis from a central position to a plurality of selection positions;

the input is further in communication with the controller for transmitting the first mode selection to the controller when the extension element is rotated into a first selection position of the plurality of selection positions.

13. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein:

the input further includes a plurality of buttons, the controller receiving the trailer backup assist mode initiation command from a first one of the plurality of buttons; and

the controller receives a terrain management mode initiation command from a second one of the plurality of buttons and activates a terrain management mode.

15. The vehicle of claim 9, further including a console and an extension element extending from the console, wherein:

the console extends outwardly from the rotatable element;

the rotatable element is operably coupled with the console by the extension element with the extension element rotating about an axis within the console from a central position to a plurality of selection positions; and

the controller receives the trailer backup assist mode initiation command by determining that the extension element is rotated into a first selection position of the plurality of selection positions.

16. A method for controlling a vehicle, comprising:

receiving a first mode selection;

when the first mode selection is a trailer backup assist mode selection;

determining a first instantaneous position of a rotary element;

interpreting the first instantaneous position as a trailer control position corresponding to one of a zero curvature position or at least two directional curvature positions opposed about the zero curvature position; and

outputting a corresponding steering command based on a trailer curvature path corresponding to an instantaneous one of the zero curvature position or one of the at least two directional curvature positions to a steering system; and

when the first mode selection corresponds to an additional vehicle control mode selection, requesting a selection of a first mode parameter.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first mode input is received from one of a plurality of buttons adjacent the rotary element, a first one of the buttons corresponding to the backup assist mode selection and at least a second one of the buttons corresponding to the additional vehicle control mode selection.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein:

when receiving the first mode selection, controlling an electromechanical element coupled with the rotary element to permit free rotation of the rotary element; and

when determining the instantaneous position of the rotary element, controlling the electromechanical element to provide a biasing torque on the rotary element toward an at-rest position thereof.