Steering wheel with ultrasonic vibration function

Abstract

The utility model provides a steering wheel with an ultrasonic vibration function, which relates to the field of automobile parts and comprises a steering wheel body, an ultrasonic sound production array and a power source. The depth camera system is arranged in the edge area of the ultrasonic sound production array; the signal processing unit is electrically connected with the ultrasonic sound production array and the depth camera system; and the power supply module supplies power to the ultrasonic sound production array, the depth camera system and the signal processing unit. The defects that voice warning is easily covered by environmental noise and visual warning is not clearly displayed or is easily neglected under different light conditions are overcome, non-contact ultrasonic vibration is accurately projected to a specific area of the face of a driver, and even in a noisy environment or when the attention of the driver is distracted, the visual warning can be accurately projected to the specific area of the face of the driver. And the driver can timely and accurately sense the warning information, so that the reaction delay is reduced, and the driving potential safety hazard is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of automotive parts, and in particular to a steering wheel with ultrasonic vibration. Background Technology

[0002] In modern car driving, driving safety is paramount, and a timely and effective warning system is a key element in ensuring safety. Currently, driving warning technology mainly relies on voice and visual signals. Voice warnings, such as forward braking warnings and reversing alerts, are widely used. However, in real-world driving scenarios, the driving environment is often very complex. In noisy traffic environments, such as city streets or near construction sites, a large amount of ambient noise can easily mask voice warning signals, making it difficult for the driver to clearly receive the warning information.

[0003] Visual warnings also have significant drawbacks. While the warning signs on the central control screen and the indicator lights on the instrument panel can clearly display the warning information, the displayed content becomes blurred due to glare under different lighting conditions. For example, under direct sunlight, the display content becomes unclear; in low-light environments, the driver's visual sensitivity decreases, and their attention is more easily distracted. Furthermore, when the driver needs to pay attention to road conditions, operate the vehicle, or perform other tasks while driving, the visual warning information is very likely to be ignored.

[0004] The shortcomings of existing warning technologies prevent drivers from perceiving warning information in a timely and accurate manner, leading to delayed reaction times. At high speeds or in complex road conditions, even a very short reaction delay can cause serious traffic accidents, significantly increasing driving safety hazards. Furthermore, the sound of voice warnings not only reaches the driver but also disturbs other passengers. Sudden voice warnings disrupt the quiet environment during nighttime driving, or frequent voice prompts during long journeys can interfere with passengers' rest, greatly reducing passenger comfort. Therefore, a steering wheel with ultrasonic vibration has been proposed. Utility Model Content

[0005] This invention addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies by overcoming the defects of voice warnings being easily masked by environmental noise and visual warnings being unclear or easily ignored under different lighting conditions. It uses non-contact ultrasonic vibration to accurately project the warning information onto a specific area of ​​the driver's face, so that even in noisy environments or when the driver's attention is distracted, the driver can perceive the warning information in a timely and accurate manner, reducing reaction delays and lowering driving safety hazards.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A steering wheel with ultrasonic vibration, comprising:

[0008] The steering wheel body has an integrated ultrasonic sound-emitting array in its central area;

[0009] A depth camera system is positioned at the edge region of the ultrasonic wave array;

[0010] The signal processing unit is electrically connected to the ultrasonic wave array and the depth camera system;

[0011] The power module supplies power to the ultrasonic wave array, the depth camera system, and the signal processing unit.

[0012] The depth camera system acquires real-time images of the driver's face and calculates their spatial coordinates, and the signal processing unit controls the ultrasonic wave array to generate directional vibration signals based on the spatial coordinates.

[0013] Preferably, the ultrasonic sound-generating array is composed of multiple ultrasonic sound-generating units arranged in a matrix.

[0014] Preferably, the ultrasonic sound-emitting array is connected to the steering wheel body via a mechanical fastener, which includes at least one of screws, clips, or adhesive structures.

[0015] Preferably, the depth camera system includes at least two infrared cameras and a supplemental lighting element.

[0016] Preferably, the signal processing unit includes:

[0017] The coordinate transformation module is used to convert the facial coordinates acquired by the depth camera system into the steering wheel coordinate system;

[0018] The beam control module generates corresponding ultrasonic phase control signals based on the converted coordinates.

[0019] Preferably, the power module includes a voltage regulator circuit and an overload protection circuit.

[0020] Preferably, the ultrasonic sound-emitting array is circular, square, or has a geometric shape that fits the central area of ​​the steering wheel.

[0021] Preferably, the surface of the ultrasonic wave array is covered with a wave-transparent protective layer, which is made of one of polycarbonate, ABS engineering plastic, or fabric.

[0022] Preferably, the depth camera system and the ultrasonic sound-emitting array are integrated and installed in a single housing.

[0023] Preferably, the signal processing unit is also connected to a self-test module for periodically detecting the working status of the ultrasonic sound-generating unit.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0025] The ultrasonic vibration steering wheel provided in this application overcomes the shortcomings of voice warnings being easily masked by environmental noise and visual warnings being unclear or easily ignored under different lighting conditions. It accurately projects non-contact ultrasonic vibrations onto a specific area of ​​the driver's face, allowing the driver to perceive warning information in a timely and accurate manner even in noisy environments or when the driver's attention is distracted, reducing reaction delays and lowering driving safety hazards.

[0026] Without disturbing passengers: Voice warnings can disturb passengers' rest and reduce comfort, while ultrasonic vibration steering wheels alert the driver's face with non-contact vibrations without noise, creating a quiet and comfortable environment, especially at night or during long-distance driving.

[0027] Precise positioning warning: The depth camera monitors the driver's facial position in real time, the signal processing unit converts the coordinates and calculates the warning target point, and the beam control module makes the sound unit work at a specific phase and frequency, so that the vibration is precisely projected onto a specific area of ​​the face, achieving precise feedback. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit connection structure of this utility model;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure in the working state of this utility model;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of the ultrasonic sound-generating array of this utility model.

[0033] Part Number Explanation: 1. Steering wheel body; 2. Ultrasonic sound array; 201. Ultrasonic sound unit; 202. Mechanical fastener; 203. Wave-transparent protective layer; 3. Depth camera system; 301. Infrared camera; 302. Lighting element; 4. Signal processing unit; 401. Coordinate transformation module; 402. Beam control module; 5. Power module; 501. Voltage regulator circuit; 502. Overload protection circuit; 6. Integrated housing; 7. Self-test module. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] The following description is intended to disclose the present invention so that those skilled in the art can implement it. The preferred embodiments described below are merely examples, and other obvious modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The basic principles of the present invention defined in the following description can be used in other embodiments, modifications, improvements, equivalents, and other technical solutions that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0036] Those skilled in the art should understand that in the disclosure of this utility model, the terms "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "left", "right", "front", "rear", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or position based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the purpose of simplifying the description of this utility model and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the above terms should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0037] It is understood that the term "a" should be understood as "at least one" or "one or more", that is, in one embodiment, the number of an element can be one, while in another embodiment, the number of the element can be multiple, and the term "a" should not be understood as a limitation on the number. Example

[0038] Please see Figure 1-4 A steering wheel with ultrasonic vibration, comprising:

[0039] The steering wheel body 1 has an ultrasonic sound-emitting array 2 integrated in its central area;

[0040] A depth camera system 3 is positioned at the edge of the ultrasonic sound-emitting array 2;

[0041] The signal processing unit 4 is electrically connected to the ultrasonic sound-emitting array 2 and the depth camera system 3;

[0042] Power module 5 provides power to ultrasonic sound-emitting array 2, depth camera system 3 and signal processing unit 4;

[0043] The depth camera system 3 collects real-time images of the driver's face and calculates their spatial coordinates, while the signal processing unit 4 controls the ultrasonic wave array 2 to generate directional vibration signals based on the spatial coordinates.

[0044] The ultrasonic vibration steering wheel of this application is mainly composed of steering wheel body 1, ultrasonic sound array 2, depth camera system 3, signal processing unit 4 and power module 5. The following is a detailed description of its structure and working principle. Example

[0045] Component installation and connection

[0046] Steering wheel body 1: As the basic load-bearing structure, its central area is used to integrate and install ultrasonic sound-generating array 2.

[0047] Ultrasonic sound-generating array 2: Multiple ultrasonic sound-generating units 201 are arranged in a matrix, and the appropriate geometric shape can be selected according to the design, which is circular. It is firmly connected to the steering wheel body 1 by mechanical fasteners 202, and the surface is covered with a wave-transparent protective layer 203, which is made of one of polycarbonate, ABS engineering plastic, or fabric, to protect the internal sound-generating units without affecting the propagation of ultrasonic waves.

[0048] The depth camera system 3 consists of at least two infrared cameras 301 and a supplementary lighting element 302, located at the edge of the ultrasonic sound-emitting array 2 and integrated through an integrated housing 6 to ensure accurate capture of the driver's facial position.

[0049] Signal processing unit 4: Electrically connected to ultrasonic sound-generating array 2 and depth camera system 3 respectively. The internal coordinate transformation module 401 converts the facial coordinates acquired by depth camera system 3 into steering wheel coordinate system, the beam control module 402 generates ultrasonic phase control signal based on the transformed coordinates, and the self-test module 7 periodically detects the working status of ultrasonic sound-generating unit 201.

[0050] Power module 5: Provides power to all components of the system. The voltage regulator circuit 501 and the overload protection circuit 502 ensure that the output voltage is stable at 12V±5%, ensuring the stable operation of all components.

[0051] During assembly, strict measures are taken to ensure that all components are securely installed and precisely positioned. After hardware installation is complete, the working status of the ultrasonic sound-generating unit 201 is checked using the self-test module 7, the parameters of the depth camera system 3 are adjusted to accurately acquire facial coordinate information, and the algorithm of the signal processing unit 4 is optimized to ensure the accuracy of coordinate transformation and beam control.

[0052] Working principle

[0053] Driver facial coordinate acquisition: The infrared camera 301 in the depth camera system 3 monitors the driver's facial position in real time, and uses 3D imaging technology to obtain the distance and orientation information of the face relative to the steering wheel. The acquired data is transmitted to the signal processing unit 4, and the coordinate transformation module 401 converts it into precise coordinates of specific parts of the driver's face in the steering wheel coordinate system.

[0054] Warning signal generation: The signal processing unit 4 calculates the target point of the warning signal based on facial coordinate information, such as the lips or cheeks. The beam control module 402 sends a command to the ultrasonic wave array 2 to activate the corresponding ultrasonic wave unit 201, causing it to operate at a specific phase and frequency to generate a directional vibration signal.

[0055] Non-contact feedback transmission: The sound-emitting units of the ultrasonic sound array 2 work independently according to coordinate commands. The vibration signals are superimposed in the air to form a focusing effect, which is accurately projected onto a specific area of ​​the driver's face, providing efficient warning feedback in a non-contact manner.

[0056] Warning effect verification: After the driver senses the facial vibration feedback and reacts, the depth camera system 3 continuously monitors the driver's subsequent actions to verify the warning effect and ensure that potential driving risks are avoided. Example

[0057] Warning of Braking by the Vehicle Ahead: The ultrasonic vibration feedback steering wheel is linked with the vehicle's environmental perception system, including sensors such as lidar and external cameras. When the environmental perception system detects that the vehicle ahead is braking, the signal processing unit 4 controls the ultrasonic sound array 2 to emit directional vibration signals, which are transmitted to the driver's hands through the central area of ​​the steering wheel body 1, reminding them to slow down or prepare to brake.

[0058] Air conditioning temperature adjustment reminder: In conjunction with the vehicle's air conditioning system, when the air conditioning system completes temperature adjustment or switching, the signal processing unit 4 controls the ultrasonic sound array 2 to transmit vibration feedback to the driver's facial areas such as lips, cheeks, or nose, so that the driver can know the air conditioning status adjustment without visual confirmation.

[0059] Assisted driving takeover request: Working in conjunction with the assisted driving system, when the assisted driving system detects that the driver needs to take over vehicle control, the signal processing unit 4 controls the ultrasonic sound array 2 to send a vibration feedback with a certain rhythm and intensity to the driver's hand, prompting the driver to take over the vehicle in time.

[0060] Those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments of the present invention described above and shown in the accompanying drawings are merely examples and do not limit the present invention. The purpose of the present invention has been fully and effectively achieved. The functions and structural principles of the present invention have been shown and explained in the embodiments. Without departing from the stated principles, the implementation of the present invention may have any variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A steering wheel with ultrasonic vibration, characterized by, The application relates to a driving wheel ultrasonic vibration system, which comprises the following parts: a driving wheel body (1) with an ultrasonic sound array (2) arranged in the center region; a depth camera system (3) arranged in the edge region of the ultrasonic sound array (2); a signal processing unit (4) electrically connected with the ultrasonic sound array (2) and the depth camera system (3); a power module (5) for supplying power to the ultrasonic sound array (2), the depth camera system (3) and the signal processing unit (4); wherein the depth camera system (3) collects the facial image of a driver in real time and calculates the spatial coordinates, and the signal processing unit (4) controls the ultrasonic sound array (2) to generate a directional vibration signal according to the spatial coordinates.

2. A steering wheel with ultrasonic vibrations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ultrasonic sound array (2) is composed of a plurality of ultrasonic sound units (201) arranged in a matrix form.

3. The steering wheel with ultrasonic vibrations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ultrasonic sound array (2) is connected with the driving wheel body (1) through a mechanical fixing part (202), and the mechanical fixing part (202) comprises at least one of a screw, a buckle or an adhesive structure.

4. The steering wheel with ultrasonic vibrations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The depth camera system (3) comprises at least two infrared cameras (301) and a light supplement element (302).

5. The steering wheel with ultrasonic vibrations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The signal processing unit (4) comprises: a coordinate conversion module (401) for converting the facial coordinates obtained by the depth camera system (3) into a driving wheel coordinate system; a beam control module (402) for generating corresponding ultrasonic phase control signals according to the converted coordinates.

6. The steering wheel with ultrasonic vibrations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power module (5) comprises a voltage stabilizing circuit (501) and an overload protection circuit (502).

7. The steering wheel with ultrasonic vibrations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ultrasonic sound array (2) has a circular, square or geometric shape suitable for the center region of the driving wheel.

8. The steering wheel with ultrasonic vibrations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The surface of the ultrasonic sound array (2) is covered with a wave-transparent protective layer (203) made of polycarbonate, ABS engineering plastic or fabric.

9. The steering wheel with ultrasonic vibrations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The depth camera system (3) and the ultrasonic sound array (2) are integrally installed through an integrated shell (6).

10. The steering wheel with ultrasonic vibrations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The signal processing unit (4) is further connected with a self-checking module (7) for periodically detecting the working state of the ultrasonic sound unit (201).

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