TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001 ] This description relates generally to automotive, boat, RV and machinery fields where steering wheel is used for operating a motor vehicle and more specifically to an embedded remote control touch pads disposed on a steering wheel directly.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] The popularity of smart phones in the day to day life may cause safety issues when they are improperly used behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Very often the attention of the driver has been drawn from a phone call or from the display of the smart phone rather than on the road and this implicates local laws and the driver safety.

[0003] Even today's most popular hands free interfaces require access to a control keys that are strictly designated by function and very often buried or located out of the reach of the driver so those would require extra attention to be manipulated. Examples of such keys are the controls integrated with the head unit, around the dash board or the arm rest.

[0004] The conventional devices available typically do not resolve the convenience and safety concerns in today's car. Therefore, there is a need for a safe operation of a smart phone in a vehicle in a manner of controls that are embedded in the steering wheel in a way that the buttons do not require drivers attention instead the hands position on the steering wheel have been analyzed and interpreted to control a smart phone and displayed on a single or set of displays located in a direct line of sight of the driver.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

[0005] The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding to the reader. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure and it does not identify key/critical elements of the invention or delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts disclosed herein in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[0006] The present example provides an easy to install remote control system as part of the steering wheel of vehicle and overcomes the problems of the previous known art. The remote control has embedded hand position sensors on the rear side of the wheel and sensors on the front necessary to navigate a smart phone. The sensors are made as touch sense pads instead as push buttons utilizing as example using capacitive sense or similar gesture recognition technology.

[0007] The sense pads are configured in a way to follow the finger natural positions and movement. The pads can be placed along the entire steering wheel grip with the consideration that the fingers may slide along or across in different places of the steering wheel. The slide pads are placed in the front side of the wheel. Sensitive pads may be placed at the rear of the wheel to detect the driver hands position at the steering wheel.

[0008] The invention may provide a set of display configurations always falling in the line of sight of the driver. As example a top display facing directly the driver. As well a set of two or three displays can be placed along the steering wheel. The steering wheel may utilize a G-sensor or similar to detect which display is currently on the top position and light it with proper instructions and/or placement of the characters.

[0009] The invention can be installed inside an OEM steering wheel, in a steering wheel cover or in a decorative cover pieces. The sensitive pads and displays are wired to an electronic assembly containing control circuit and power supply circuit. The power supply can be either from the vehicle or from a battery.

[001 0] The control circuit also called interpreter in the light of this invention analyses the feedback from all the sensors placed at front and rear side of the steering wheel and may drive a single or multiple displays.

[001 1 ] The invention is equipped with wireless interface placed by the control circuit in order to communicate with the cell phone. The invention may communicate to another external control unit called media center in the light of this invention.

[001 2] The invention herein tends to provide: aesthetic touch sense controls embedded in the steering wheel, cover or decoration; smart finger gesture control of a cell phone without districting the driver; tracking driver's hands position at the steering wheel for safety; providing ergonomic native touch and slide finger sense; a line of sight display to the driver; non distractive controls of smart media or phone device; connecting to smart phone applications for navigation and traffic news; and monitoring both hands position at the steering wheel. [001 3] Many of the attendant features will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] The present description will be better understood from the following detailed description read in light of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[001 5] FIG. 1 is a front view of the steering wheel with a configuration of touch sense pads and an LCD display;

[001 6] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the steering wheel showing a touch sense pads for locating the driver's hands position;

[001 7] FIG. 3 is a section view of the steering wheel with the installation of the PCB;

[001 8] FIG. 4 is a view of the media center unit for cigarette lighter implementation;

[001 9] FIG. 5 is a view of an LCD display and touch sense sensors embedded in steering wheel top cover piece;

[0020] FIG. 6 is a view of a steering wheel with a complete cover with 3 LCD displays and touch sense sensors;

[0021 ] FIG. 7 is a view of touch slide action by the driver across the touch sense pads;

[0022] FIG. 8 is one configuration for connecting the remote control to the smart phone;

[0023] FIG. 9 is a second configuration for connecting the remote control to the smart phone and a radio using wireless manners;

[0024] FIG. 1 0 shows a various touch pad configurations

[0025] FIG. 1 1 is an ornamental remote control;

[0026] FIG. 1 2 is a rear side remote control view;

[0027] FIG. 1 3 shows an alternative example of the invention;

[0028] FIG. 1 4 shows a rear and bottom view of the example shown in FIG. 1 3;

[0029] FIG. 1 5 is a block diagram of a first configuration for connecting the remote control to the smart phone;

[0030] FIG. 1 6 is a block diagram of a second configuration for connecting the remote control to the smart phone and a radio using wireless coupling; [0031 ] FIG. 1 7 is a block diagram of a third configuration for connecting the remote control to the smart phone and a radio using wired coupling.

[0032] Like reference numerals are used to designate like parts in the accompanying drawings.

BEST MODE FOR CARYING OUT THE INVENTION(S)

[0033] The detailed description provided below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of the present examples and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present example may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions of the example and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the example. However, the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different examples.

[0034] The examples below describe a remote control system. Although the present examples are described and illustrated herein as being implemented in a steering wheel system, the system described is provided as an example and not a limitation. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the present examples are suitable for application in a variety of different types of remote control systems.

[0035] This invention relates to automotive, boat, RV and machinery fields where the steering wheel may be used for operating a vehicle. The examples provided describe an embedded remote control touch sensitive pads which may be disposed on a steering wheel, via cover or as ornamental additions and/or LCD displays allowing to capture driver's hands position, hands movements and finger touches. Alternatively the examples may be incorporated in a steering wheel as a unitized assembly. Those touches or movements may be analyzed, otherwise processed and used to remotely control devices as cell phones, media players, smart accessories, etc. An LCD display provides visual feedback to the operator in regards to navigation, multimedia, safety and other operator and vehicle related data obtained from a world wide area network, phone or vehicle.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a front view of the steering wheel with a configuration of touch sense pads and an LCD display. The drawing shows a view of the front side of a steering wheel 1 0 with a location of an LCD display 1 1 and touch sense pads for finger sense 1 2. The placement of the pads is designed in zones 1 3 where the thumb or other fingers can slide easy with natural swing. The design of the touch pads is ergonomic and along the slide of the fingers while relaxed on the steering wheel. As an example the pads on the top of the wheel 1 2 can be radial or positioned on an angle. The pads at the bottom of the wheel 1 4 may be positioned axially along the steering wheel grip. The pads may or may not be exposed to the surface of the steering wheel. Even the pads are not exposed on the cover they may be marked or designed ornamentally for convenience.

[0037] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the steering wheel showing a touch sense pads for locating the driver's hands position. The rear side of the steering wheel 20 has touch sense pads 21 distributed evenly for the purpose of detecting the hands position on the steering wheel. The main purpose of the rear touch sense pads is to coordinate the process for recognition of finger gestures and activate the touch pad sliders above the hands position.

[0038] A touchpad, track pad or touch sense sensor is a pointing device having a tactile sensor, that can translate the motion and position of a user's fingers to a relative position on screen or other device. Touchpads may constructed in several ways including, capacitive sensing and conductance sensing or the like.

[0039] There are several exemplary ways by which touchpads work that are known to those skilled in the art. In a matrix approach, a series of conductors are arranged in an array of parallel lines in two layers, separated by an insulator and crossing each other at right angles to form a grid. A high frequency signal may be applied sequentially between pairs in this two-dimensional grid array. The current that passes between the nodes tends to be proportional to the capacitance. When a virtual ground, such as a finger, is placed over one of the intersections between the conductive layer some of the electrical field is shunted to this ground point, resulting in a change in the apparent capacitance at that location. In a capacitive shunt method sensing of a change in capacitance between a transmitter and receiver that are on opposite sides of the sensor is performed to sense motion.

[0040] The touch pads shown at FIG. 1 and 2 can be deposited as a multilayer capacitive touch film technology in an inner layer of an OEM steering wheel by example screen printing or built as cap sense technology in a flex circuit assembly when a cover or ornamental pieces are used.

[0041 ] FIG. 3 is a section view of the steering wheel with the installation of the printed circuit board ("PCB") or equivalently printed wiring board ("PWB") shown. The pads may be embedded in the steering wheel 30. The steering wheel cover may be designed as a multilayer structure that covers the steering wheel body 31 completely, or substantially completely. An example an embedded structure 30 may employ three or less layers to provide robustness, comfort and durability. The top layer 34 of a steering wheel cover may employ PVC, leather, rubber, cloth, etc. A second layer where a flex circuit or film is used 33 may incorporate the touch sense pads wired to a rigid or flex PCB 35 , or its equivilent. A layer of isolation material 32 prevents the cover isolation from contacting the steering wheel core 31 . The film or flex circuit layer 33 goes around the wheel or splits on front and rear layer to accommodate the touch sense pads required the invention to function. In this configuration the power circuitry 36 and the wireless circuitry 37 are present but may not be necessary in all implementations as the remote can be directly wired as a part of the steering wheel wiring.

[0042] In another configuration the pads may be embedded in a steering wheel cover 30 installed on a steering wheel 31 . The steering wheel cover may be designed as a multilayer structure that covers the steering wheel body 31 completely. An example a cover 30 may employ 3 layers to provide robustness, comfort and durability. The top layer 34 of a steering wheel cover may employ microfiber, memory foam, leather, rubber, cloth, etc. A second layer where the flex circuit is installed incorporating the touch sense pads 33 wired to a rigid or flex PCB 35. An isolation layer of PVC backing or self-adhesive material 32 to prevents the cover from slipping and shifting around the steering wheel. The flex PCB circuit layer 33 goes around the wheel or splits on front and rear layer to accommodate the touch sense pads required the invention to function. The PCB 35 is powered with battery or a solar cell 36 circuitry embedded in the rear or top of the steering wheel cover. The remote control is interfacing to another device via the wireless interface 37. RF link interface 37 is installed at the PCB 35 to connect directly with the smart phone or a base station called media center 40.

[0043] FIG. 4 is a view of the media center unit 40 for cigarette lighter or power port disposition through a power connection 44. The media center 40 may plug in the cigarette lighter socket to draw power, or can be installed in direct connect to the vehicle radio or wiring harness to couple to audio and power. The media center 40 may have a typically bright LED (or its equivalent) display 41 , a button 42 and a USB plug, or socket 43. The port 43 is described as a USB port, however in alternative examples the port may be the equivalent to a USB port, including various serial and parallel interfaces. The USB 43 can be used for phone charging and/or media playback. [0044] The media center 40 may have an internal FM radio link (not shown) from its internal circuitry to the vehicle radio (not shown) that provides audio via the FM radio tuner audio circuit. The media center may route the audio to the car speakers via FM/AM modulation and/or wires connected directly to the radio harness. The media center may be paired to a smart phone and automatically finds the FM station where the radio is tuned.

[0045] The media center also couples to the steering wheel remote control described herein wirelessly. For example by utilizing paired receivers and transmitters (not shown) utilizing low power short range Industrial Scientific Medical ("ISM") band interface or its equivalent.

[0046] The media center may also couple to a smart phone. This may be accomplished either via USB serial interconnect and/or Bluetooth wireless link circuitry which may be provided for.

[0047] The button 42 provides the functions of push, and push and hold. For example a push changes a function, and push and hold accepts a command. Equivalently other sequences of command may be utilized, or multiple buttons, switches, dial or the like may be provided.

[0048] FIG. 5 is a view of an LCD display 51 (or its equivalent) and touch sense sensors 52 disposed in a steering wheel top cover piece 50. A removable remote control can be implemented as partial or decorative steering wheel cover 50 that snaps, or otherwise flexes to allow installation over an existing steering wheel, on the top portion of the steering wheel. The cover 50 may be made for example from a decorative plastic with an embedded LED display 51 and a plurality, such as an exemplary four or more touch sensors strips 52 disposed in the cover.

[0049] The ornamental cover 50 may internally incorporate a battery and the PCB circuit in the rear side of the cover behind the LCD display as shown at FIG. 3. The cover, if not used with a media center (40 of FIG. 4) can also include in alternative examples, a microphone and speakers and function as standalone hands free interface to a smartphone, or other mobile device.

[0050] FIG. 6 is a view of the control device implemented as a steering wheel with a complete cover 60. Such a cover 60 may include an exemplary three LCD displays 61 , and touch sense sensors 62 disposed about the periphery of the steering wheel.

[0051 ] The steering wheel remote may implement multiple displays 61 for example, three are shown. In the example 60 three displays 61 are positioned substantially 1 20 degrees from each other, positioned to provide a display substantially on top, and in the drivers line of sight when the wheel is rotating during turns and the like. [0052] The touch sense strips 62 may be disposed at an exemplary seven areas with three pads in a group to allow finger touch sense for forward and backward slide. Alternatively more pads may be provided.

[0053] FIG. 7 is a view of touch slide action 71 by the driver across the touch sense pads

72. The positions and the geometry of the slides are selected for the most ergonomic finger position 70. The touch sense stripe may have different angles and various positions on the steering wheel, and this may be accounted in the design.

[0054] The configuration of the touch pads can vary depends on the control level and variety of finger gestures to be captured. As example if there is a zoom in/out action necessary the pads configuration may incorporate increased number of horizontal or vertical pads and may include two or more layers of touchpad pattern instead simple slider stripes.

[0055] FIG. 8 shows an alternative configuration of the remote control for coupling to a smart phone 80. As shown, a multilayer touchpad pattern 82 may be provided analyze two finger touch or the like that may provide a larger number of finger gestures that can be analyzed from an interpreter (not shown) and/or programmed from a cell phone application program. The remote control 80, as shown, may be implemented as a substantially hard cover that snaps to an existing conventional steering wheel in order to provide flexibility of removing the control device when changing vehicles.

[0056] FIG. 9 shows a cross section of the configuration for connecting the remote control to the smart phone and a radio using wireless signals. The drawing 90 shows a multilayer decorative cover 94, that incorporates a front display 98, flex multilayer circuit 93, adhesive or high retention pad 92 that snaps around the steering wheel 91 . The circuit controller/interpreter is disposed on a rigid or flex PCB 95 incorporating wireless interface 97 and a power supply source or battery 96.

[0057] FIG. 1 0 shows a various touch pad configurations that may be utilized in the examples described herein. The flex circuit (33 of FIG. 3 and 93 of FIG. 9) is a multilayer film or printed circuit board (PCB) structure and may have various configurations related to the touch pads as shown incorporated into it. The most basic structure is a two layer button 1 05 type

configuration that will activate upon point action. There can be a various button type of configurations including center line or round buttons or button 1 05 with slider 1 06 configuration. The circuit may have only a slider configuration 1 01 that will record finger slide action. The slider configurations may have various geometries of the pads and contours 1 01 , 1 02, 1 03. The touch sense layer may utilize a touch pad 1 04, 1 07 configuration implemented in cross layers of cap sense pads to detect 2 finger actions and perform zoom in and out, drag in and out, etc.

[0058] FIG. l 1 shows another example where the remote control 1 1 0 is designed as clip on to the steering wheel. The front of the remote has embedded display 1 1 1 and microphone 1 1 2. The touch pads 1 1 3 are embedded on both side of the screen. Battery door 1 1 4 allows the battery to be changed.

[0059] FIG. 1 2 is a rear side view of the remote control of FIG. 1 1 . The rear view 1 20 of the remote control (1 1 0 of FIG. 1 1 ) is shown. The central clips 1 21 and the side clips 1 22 allow the remote to be installed securely on the steering wheel. The battery door 1 23 allows access to the battery.

[0060] FIG. 1 3 shows another alternative example of the invention 1 30. In the remote control 1 30 a solar cell 1 31 is installed. On the top right 1 32 and top left 1 33, sense pads (not shown) are disposed under the plastic (or its equivalent) cover that makes up a housing for the remote control 1 30. An LCD screen (or its equivalent) 1 34, microphone 1 35 and a button, switch or equivalent 1 36 are provided on the front. The solar cell 1 31 may provide power directly, or keep an internal battery (not shown) charged. The display 1 34 communicates information to the driver, and the button, and sense pads may allow input from the driver.

[0061 ] FIG. 1 4 shows a rear and a bottom view 1 40 of the example shown in FIG. 1 3. A rear pad 1 41 and 1 46 are installed under the plastic, a second solar cell 1 42 on the rear compliments the one on the top to augment charging. Also included are right 1 43 and left 1 45 speakers installed on the rear. A USB plug 1 44 disposed in the housing allows charging and communication with the circuitry therein. Bottom opening 1 48 is shaped for easy installation and soft rubber 1 47 is installed inside to provide a firm grip between the housing and steering wheel (not shown).

[0062] FIG. 1 5 is a block diagram of a first configuration for connecting the remote control to the smart phone 1 500. The front and rear sensor groups 1 501 , 1 502 provide outputs that are coupled to the micro controller or processor 1 503 provided with programming to facilitate interpretation. The interpreter may couple to one or multiple a displays 1 504 and be coupled to power 1 505 from the vehicle or a local battery. The wireless interface 1 506 is preferably Bluetooth (or its equivalent) that provides direct phone pairing and control to a smart phone or equivalent wireless device 1 507. In this manner the remote control uses built in speakers 1 508 or the cell phone speakers for audio output.

[0063] FIG. 1 6 is a block diagram of a second configuration 1 600 for connecting the remote control to the smart phone and a radio using wireless coupling through the previously described media center 40. The block diagram describes a remote control configuration where an audio signal is coupled to the vehicle speakers 1 602 via an FM channel 1 603. In this application the media center 40 provides the FM modulation capability and Bluetooth (and/or Wi-Fi, or equivalent) pairing 1 604 with the phone 1 605. The sensors 1 606, 1 607 are connected to the processor 1 608 providing interpretation functionality, and display 1 609 function may be engage while the wireless interface 1 61 2 between the remote control and the media center 40 is a low power and low range link to conserve battery life. A power source 1 61 0 is coupled to the processor 1 608.

[0064] FIG. 1 7 is a block diagram of a third configuration 1 700 for connecting the remote control 1 702 to a smart phone 1 703 and a radio 1 704 using wired coupling 1 705. 1 706. A full featured system configuration is shown. The processor or interpreter 1 707 reads the touch sensors 1 708, 1 709 and controls display 1 71 0 as in the previous examples. The remote control 1 702 is powered 1 71 2 from the vehicle or a battery and connected to a media center via low power low bandwidth wireless link (IR or RF) 1 71 3. The media center 40 is a designed as automotive accessory that may be installed behind the dash board with access to the radio harness, or in any convenient location. From that harness the connection utilizes the power and audio lines, and the USB plug installed in the vehicle dash panel (not shown) allows accessory charging and wired play.

[0065] A process for interpreting the finger activity is implemented in the interpreter circuitry to provide a robust touch sense of the finger slides by monitoring the rear sensors and taking decisions only from the front pads in the proximity of the rear hand touch. The display when used may provide ability for calibration of the touch sense and visual response to a finger slide.

[0066] Further the interpreter can develop a gesture language to improve the touch slide actions. Increasing the number of radial front pads may add new gestures as zoom in and out controls for map or traffic solutions. [0067] Those skilled in the art will realize that the process sequences described above may be equivalently performed in any order to achieve a desired result. Also, sub-processes may typically be omitted as desired without taking away from the overall functionality of the processes described above.