Control device and method for controlling functions in a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle

• US 9,939,915 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2015
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Entenmann, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M
• Application Number:
  US15/508,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20170277271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• 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: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042

Abstract

An operation device and a method for operating functions of a vehicle involve a gesture detection device allowing detection of gestures carried out by a person in an interior of the vehicle for operating the functions. The gesture detection device has a multitude of operation zones in the interior, each zone being allocated to one of the functions and being selectable for operating the respective function by a gesture allocated to the respective operation zone.

Claims

1. An operation device for operating functions of a vehicle, the operating device comprising:

a gesture detection device, which detects gestures carried out by a person in an interior of the vehicle, wherein the gestures operate the functions,

wherein the gesture detection device has a plurality of operation zones in the interior, each of the operation zones being allocated to one of the functions and each of the operation zones are activatable to operate the respective function,

wherein one of the respective operation zones is activated out of different locations of the interior of the vehicle while the person performs an activation gesture,

wherein the respective function is operated after the respective operation zone is activated, and

wherein the activation gesture is a universal gesture for activating each of the plurality of operation zones by pointing at the respective operation zone to be activated with a finger of a hand of the person.

2. The operation device of claim 1, wherein the finger is an index finger.

3. The operation device of claim 1, wherein the respectively activated operation zone remains activated as long as a wrist of the hand remains in a predetermined region after carrying out the gesture.

4. The operation device of claim 3, wherein the selected operation zone is deactivated by moving the wrist out of the predetermined region.

5. The operation device of claim 3, wherein the function allocated to the selected operation zone is operated by moving the hand and/or at least one finger of the hand while the wrist remains in the predetermined region.

10. The operation device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of operation zones are arranged in different locations on a windshield of the vehicle.

11. The operation device of claim 10, wherein optical or acoustic feedback is provided responsive to activation of the respective operation zones.

6. A method, comprising:

providing a plurality of operation zones in an interior of a vehicle, wherein each of the plurality of operation zones is assigned to a function of the vehicle, each of the plurality of operation zones is in a different location in the interior;

activating one of the plurality of operation zones responsive to detection of an activation gesture, wherein the activation gesture is a universal gesture for activating each of the plurality of operation zones depending upon which one of the plurality of operation zones is pointed to by a finger of a hand of a person in the interior; and

operating a function corresponding to the activated one of the plurality of operation zones after the activated one of the plurality of operation zones is activated.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the finger is an index finger.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

maintaining the activation of the one of the plurality of operation zones so long as a wrist of the hand remains in a predetermined region after performing the gesture.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

deactivating the selected one of the plurality of operation zones when the wrist out of the predetermined region.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of operation zones are arranged in different locations on a windshield of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

providing optical or acoustic feedback responsive to activation of one of the plurality of operation zones.