Steering wheel arrangement for a vehicle and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a steering wheel arrangement (1) for a vehicle (2), comprising a steering wheel (3) and a camera arrangement (4) arranged in the steering wheel (3) with a camera (5) directed towards the vehicle driver in the sitting position. According to the invention, it is provided that - the camera (5) is mounted in the steering wheel (3) so as to be movable relative to the steering wheel (3), the movable mounting having a movement damping, and - a plumb weight (6) is attached to the camera (5) to ensure vertical alignment of the camera (5). Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle (2) with such a steering wheel arrangement (1).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a steering wheel arrangement for a vehicle according to the features of the preamble of claim 1 and to a vehicle.

[0002] Occupant monitoring systems and methods are known from the prior art, as described in DE 11 2015 005 432 T5. An occupant monitoring system is connected to a rotatable portion of a steering wheel assembly of a vehicle and includes a camera connected to a central hub portion of the steering wheel assembly. The camera has a field of view directed toward one or more occupants in the vehicle and is configured to capture an image signal corresponding to an image capture region within the field of view. The image capture region is configured to encompass an expected position of one or more vehicle occupants.The occupant monitoring system further includes processing units in electrical communication with the camera and receiving and processing the image signal from the camera to determine an occupant condition and provide feedback based on the determined occupant condition.

[0003] The invention is based on the object of providing a steering wheel arrangement for a vehicle which is improved compared to the prior art and a vehicle which is improved compared to the prior art.

[0004] The object is achieved according to the invention by a steering wheel arrangement for a vehicle having the features of claim 1 and a vehicle having the features of claim 8.

[0005] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

[0006] A steering wheel assembly for a vehicle includes a steering wheel and a camera assembly including a camera arranged in the steering wheel.

[0007] The camera is directed towards the driver and is capable of capturing at least the face of a driver in a sitting position.

[0008] According to the invention, the camera is mounted in the steering wheel so that it can move relative to the steering wheel, with the movable mounting having a damping effect. Furthermore, according to the invention, a plumb weight is attached to the camera to ensure vertical alignment of the camera.

[0009] The camera and the plumb weight thus form a camera unit that is mounted for movement relative to the steering wheel with damped movement. The plumb weight forms, in particular, a counterweight for the camera in order to keep the camera in a predetermined orientation, in particular vertical, in particular during steering wheel rotations. The plumb weight is, in particular, designed and arranged on the camera in such a way that a predetermined position of a center of gravity of the camera unit is achieved, in particular a position of the center of gravity of the camera unit outside the camera, in particular below an underside of the camera, or at least outside a center of the camera, in particular below the center of the camera.

[0010] The plumb weight in conjunction with the mounting of the camera unit which is movable relative to the steering wheel thus ensures the predetermined orientation of the camera, in particular a field of view of the camera, in particular the maintenance of this predetermined orientation, or at least it is ensured that the camera always returns to this predetermined orientation after movements of the vehicle and / or the steering wheel.

[0011] The motion damping particularly achieves vibration damping of the camera, i.e. movements of the camera due to vibrations of the vehicle and / or the steering wheel are prevented or at least significantly reduced.

[0012] The movable mounting is in particular a rotary and / or pivoting mounting, ie the camera, in particular the camera unit, is mounted in the steering wheel relative to the steering wheel in particular rotatable and / or pivotable, in particular rotatable and / or pivotable in any direction, wherein this rotatable and / or pivotable mounting has the movement damping.

[0013] In one embodiment, the camera assembly comprises a capsule mounted in the steering wheel and filled with oil, particularly silicone oil, in which the camera unit, comprising the camera and the plumb weight, is movably mounted. In this embodiment, the camera unit is thus advantageously mounted in a floating manner. The oil provides the movement damping.

[0014] The camera unit is thus mounted in the oil in the capsule relative to the capsule and thus relative to the steering wheel, in particular rotatable and / or pivotable in any direction, and is dampened in movement by the oil.

[0015] In one embodiment, the camera unit, comprising the camera and the plumb weight, is mounted in the steering wheel via a gimbal, also referred to as a gimbal gyroscopic suspension, so that it can move relative to the steering wheel. The axes of rotation, in particular the bearings of the axes of rotation, of the gimbal are damped. The gimbal suspension has, for example, two or three axes of rotation.

[0016] The camera unit is thus mounted relative to the steering wheel via this gimbal suspension, in particular rotatable and / or pivotable in any direction, and is motion-damped by means of the rotation axes.

[0017] In one embodiment, the camera unit is mounted in a camera housing via a rotation axis, in particular is mounted so as to be movable relative to the camera housing in a damped manner via this rotation axis, in particular is mounted so as to be rotatable about this rotation axis in a damped manner, and the camera housing is mounted in the steering wheel via a further rotation axis, in particular is mounted so as to be movable relative to the steering wheel in a damped manner via this further rotation axis, in particular is mounted so as to be rotatable about this rotation axis in a damped manner.

[0018] In particular, it is intended that the camera assembly be located outside of an airbag assembly in the steering wheel. This prevents injury to a driver caused by the camera assembly in the event of a collision and the resulting deployment of an airbag in the airbag assembly.

[0019] A vehicle according to the invention has this steering wheel arrangement. The steering wheel is arranged, in particular, on a steering column of the vehicle.

[0020] In particular, it is provided that the camera is connected, at least temporarily or continuously, via a wireless communication link, also referred to as a cable-free communication link, to at least one further unit of the vehicle, in particular for data transmission, in particular for image data transmission captured by the camera. The at least one further unit is designed, for example, as a display unit, in particular as a display, and / or as a processing unit. The wireless communication link eliminates the disruptive influences of a cable connection on the described movable mounting of the camera.

[0021] The camera is intended, in particular, to capture a face, in particular at least one eye or both eyes, of the vehicle driver. The camera arrangement, in particular the camera, is therefore arranged in the steering wheel in such a way that the field of view of the camera is aligned accordingly, in particular toward the face, in particular toward at least one eye or both eyes, of the vehicle driver. For example, the camera arrangement, in particular the camera, can also be arranged in the steering wheel in such a way, and the camera can be designed in such a way that the camera also enables the detection of vehicle occupants in the rear seats of the vehicle.

[0022] The camera is used, for example, to monitor the driver's fatigue, i.e., in particular as a component of a corresponding vehicle monitoring system and / or in a corresponding monitoring method. The additional vehicle unit to which the camera is at least temporarily or permanently connected via the wireless communication link is, for example, a processing unit of this vehicle monitoring system. Due to its position in the steering wheel, the camera can advantageously permanently monitor the driver's eye, in particular an iris.

[0023] In particular, a combination of monitoring the driver via a camera and artificial intelligence is provided, which, in particular based on the driver's facial expressions captured by the camera, detects whether the driver is, for example, tired, stressed, or overworked. If this is the case, vehicle settings, for example concerning ventilation, air conditioning, and / or ambient lighting and / or tinting of vehicle windows, are adjusted accordingly. Tinted vehicle windows can, for example, help the driver fall asleep during a break if signs of tiredness are detected and such a break is advantageously recommended.

[0024] Using additional sensors in the vehicle for monitoring vital data, the health status of the driver and / or other vehicle occupants can be detected and analyzed. This can also be used to identify long-term health risks and recommend and / or implement appropriate countermeasures.

[0025] Overall, the camera is used in particular to capture the face of the vehicle driver and transmit the captured image data. Additionally, for example, further sensors, such as further surveillance cameras, can monitor the rear seats and the vehicle occupants sitting there, such as children. So that the vehicle driver is not distracted, these images and information are advantageously output on the display unit, for example on the display or projected onto a windshield of the vehicle. This avoids distracting the vehicle driver by directly observing the vehicle occupants on the rear seats with their own eyes.

[0026] Furthermore, by means of the camera, for example, it is possible to display the vehicle driver's eye enlarged on the display unit and thereby enable, for example, a makeup mirror function.

[0027] The described solution enables, for example, the registration of the mood of the vehicle driver and / or other vehicle occupants. In combination with the camera with artificial intelligence, it is possible to recognize, for example, based on the facial expression of the vehicle driver, whether the vehicle driver is tired, stressed or overloaded. The solution according to the invention enables, for example, the activation of countermeasures to prevent tiredness and performance decline of the vehicle driver, the determination of health data, in particular of the vehicle driver, a person-related analysis of health data, pattern recognition, interior monitoring and / or, for example, further functions, for example a makeup function. For example, makeup utensils can also be arranged on the steering wheel, which can then be used for makeup.

[0028] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0029] Showing: Fig. 1 schematically shows a vehicle with a steering wheel arrangement comprising a steering wheel of the vehicle and a camera arrangement arranged in the steering wheel, Fig. 2 schematically shows an embodiment of the camera arrangement, Fig. 3 schematically shows a sectional view of the embodiment of the camera arrangement according to Fig. 2, Fig. 4 schematically shows another embodiment of the camera arrangement, Fig. 5 schematically shows another view of the further embodiment of the camera arrangement, Fig. 6 schematically shows another view of the further embodiment of the camera arrangement, and Fig. 7 schematically shows another view of the further embodiment of the camera arrangement.

[0030] Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures.

[0031] Based on the Fig. 1 to 7, a steering wheel assembly 1 for a vehicle 2 and a vehicle 2 with such a steering wheel assembly 1 are described below. The steering wheel assembly 1 has a steering wheel 3 and a camera assembly 4 with a camera 5 arranged in the steering wheel 3.

[0032] It is particularly provided that the camera arrangement 4 is arranged outside an airbag arrangement 13 in the steering wheel 3, for example in a spoke of the steering wheel 3, as in Fig. 1 as an example. In the event of a collision and the resulting deployment of an airbag of the airbag arrangement 13, this prevents injury to a vehicle driver caused by the camera arrangement 4.

[0033] Fig. 1 shows, by way of example, the vehicle 2 with the steering wheel assembly 1, wherein the vehicle 2 is shown schematically in a highly simplified manner. The steering wheel 3 is arranged in particular on a steering column (not shown) of the vehicle 2.

[0034] The Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 show an example of a first embodiment of the camera arrangement 4. The Fig. 4 to 7 show, by way of example, a second embodiment of the camera arrangement 4.

[0035] In all embodiments, the camera 5 is mounted in the steering wheel 3 so that it can move relative to the steering wheel 3, with the movable mounting having a motion damping feature. Furthermore, in all embodiments, a plumb weight 6 is attached to the camera 5 for vertical alignment of the camera 5.

[0036] The camera 5 and the plumb weight 6 thus form a camera unit 7, which is mounted for movement relative to the steering wheel 3 in a damped manner. The plumb weight 6 forms, in particular, a counterweight for the camera 5 in order to keep the camera 5 in a predetermined orientation, in particular vertical, particularly during steering wheel rotations. The plumb weight 6 is, in particular, designed and arranged on the camera 5 in such a way that a predetermined position of a center of gravity of the camera unit 7 is achieved, in particular a position of the center of gravity of the camera unit 7 outside the camera 5, in particular below an underside of the camera 5, or at least outside a center of the camera 5, in particular below the center of the camera 5.

[0037] The plumb weight 6 in conjunction with the mounting of the camera unit 7, which is movable relative to the steering wheel 3, thus ensures the predetermined orientation of the camera 5, in particular a field of view of a camera lens 10 of the camera 5, in particular the maintenance of this predetermined orientation, or at least it is ensured that the camera 5 always returns to this predetermined orientation after movements of the vehicle 2 and / or the steering wheel 3.

[0038] The movement damping particularly achieves vibration damping of the camera 5, i.e. movements of the camera 5 due to vibrations of the vehicle 2 and / or the steering wheel 3 are prevented or at least significantly reduced.

[0039] The movable mounting is in particular a rotary and / or pivoting mounting, ie the camera 5, in particular the camera unit 7, is mounted in the steering wheel 3 relative to the steering wheel 3 in particular rotatable and / or pivotable manner, in particular rotatable and / or pivotable in any direction, wherein this rotatable and / or pivotable mounting has the movement damping.

[0040] In the Fig. 2 and Fig. In the first embodiment shown in Figure 3, the camera assembly 4 comprises a capsule 8, which is fastened in the steering wheel 3 and filled with oil, in particular silicone oil, and in which the camera unit 7, comprising the camera 5 and the plumb weight 6, is movably arranged. As shown in Figures Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the capsule 8 is particularly fluid-tight and has an interior 9 in which the camera unit 7 is arranged, wherein a remaining cavity of the interior 9 of the capsule 8 is filled, in particular completely filled, with the oil, in particular silicone oil. The oil is advantageously transparent in order to ensure the most unobstructed view of the camera 5 through the oil and is therefore not visible in the illustrations. The capsule 8 is also transparent, at least a region of the capsule 8, which forms a view-through window for the camera 5.

[0041] In this first embodiment, the camera unit 7 is thus advantageously mounted in a floating manner. The oil provides the movement damping.

[0042] Thus, in this first embodiment, the camera unit 7 is mounted in the oil in the capsule 8 relative to the capsule 8 and thus relative to the steering wheel 3, in particular rotatable and / or pivotable in any direction, and is damped in movement by the oil.

[0043] In the example shown, an underside of the plumb weight 6 has a shape corresponding to an inner side of the capsule 8 in order to enable a stable position of the camera unit 7 in the capsule 8, in particular regardless of the respective orientation of the steering wheel 3 and thus of the capsule 8, which is expediently firmly connected to the steering wheel 3. The capsule 8 is designed in particular as a sphere. At least the interior 9 of the capsule 8 is designed in particular as a hollow sphere, in particular as a hollow sphere interior. The underside of the plumb weight 6 is accordingly designed in particular as a spherical surface section.

[0044] Due to the plumb weight 6 on the camera 5, the camera unit 7 always strives to keep the plumb weight 6 in the position specified in the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 and will therefore slide through the oil in the capsule 8 upon movement of the capsule 8 and remain in this position, or return to this position if it cannot initially remain in this position, for example during a rapid movement of the steering wheel 3. When vibrations occur due to the vehicle 2 or the steering wheel 3, the oil in the capsule 8 and its movement-damping effect on the camera unit 7 dampens vibrating movements of the camera unit 7 corresponding to the vibrations and thus prevents them or at least significantly reduces them.

[0045] The viscosity of the oil is advantageously high enough to achieve sufficient vibration damping, and advantageously low enough to prevent excessive movement of the camera unit 7 when the steering wheel is turned. The viscosity of the oil is thus advantageously predetermined accordingly, i.e., the capsule 8, in particular the remaining cavity of the interior 9 of the capsule 8 next to the camera unit 7, is filled with an oil with a corresponding viscosity.

[0046] In the Fig. In the second embodiment shown in Figures 4 to 7, the camera unit 7, comprising the camera 5 and the plumb weight 6, is mounted in the steering wheel 3 via a cardanic suspension 11, also referred to as a cardanic gyroscopic suspension, so as to be movable relative to the steering wheel 3, wherein axes of rotation A1, A2, in particular axis of rotation bearings, of the cardanic suspension 11 are motion-damped.

[0047] In this second embodiment, the camera unit 7 is thus mounted in particular rotatably and / or pivotably relative to the steering wheel 3 via this cardanic suspension 11, in particular rotatably and / or pivotably in any direction, and is motion-damped by means of the rotation axes A1, A2.

[0048] In the example shown, the gimbal suspension 11 has a first axis of rotation A1 and a second axis of rotation A2. The camera unit 7 is mounted in a camera housing 12 via the first axis of rotation A1, in particular, it is mounted for movement-damped movement relative to the camera housing 12 via this first axis of rotation A1, in particular, it is mounted for movement-damped rotation about this first axis of rotation A1. The camera housing 12 is mounted in the steering wheel 3 via the second axis of rotation A2, in particular, it is mounted for movement-damped movement relative to the steering wheel 3 via this second axis of rotation A2, in particular, it is mounted for movement-damped rotation about this second axis of rotation A2. The steering wheel 3, to which the second axis of rotation A2 is connected and to which the camera arrangement 4 is thus connected via this second axis of rotation A2, is in the Fig. 4 to 7 not shown.

[0049] In all embodiments, it is particularly provided that the camera 5 is at least temporarily connected via a wireless communication connection to at least one further unit of the vehicle 2, in particular for data transmission, in particular for image data transmission of image data captured by the camera 5. The at least one further unit, not shown in the figures, is designed, for example, as a display unit, in particular as a display, and / or as a processing unit. The wireless communication connection eliminates the disruptive influences of a cable connection on the described movable mounting of the camera 5.

[0050] The camera 5 is provided, in particular, for capturing a face, in particular at least one eye or both eyes, of the vehicle driver. The camera arrangement 4, in particular the camera 5, is therefore arranged in the steering wheel 3 in such a way that the field of view of the camera 5 is aligned accordingly, in particular toward the face, in particular toward at least one eye or both eyes, of the vehicle driver.

[0051] The camera 5 is used, for example, to monitor the driver's fatigue, i.e., in particular, as a component of a corresponding monitoring system of the vehicle 2 and / or in a corresponding monitoring method. The further unit of the vehicle 2, to which the camera 5 is at least temporarily or permanently connected via the wireless communication link, is, for example, a processing unit of this monitoring system of the vehicle 2. Due to its position in the steering wheel 3, the camera 5 can advantageously permanently monitor the driver's eye, in particular an iris.

[0052] In particular, a combination of monitoring the driver by means of camera 5 and artificial intelligence is provided, which, in particular based on the driver's facial expressions captured by camera 5, detects whether the driver is, for example, tired, stressed, or overworked. If this is the case, vehicle settings, for example relating to ventilation, air conditioning, and / or ambient lighting and / or darkening of vehicle windows, are adjusted accordingly. Darkening the vehicle windows can, for example, help the driver fall asleep during a break in the journey if signs of tiredness have been detected and such a break has been advantageously recommended.

Claims

[1] Steering wheel arrangement (1) for a vehicle (2), comprising a steering wheel (3) and a camera arrangement (4) arranged in the steering wheel (3) with a camera (5) directed towards the vehicle driver in the sitting position, characterized by , that - the camera (5) is mounted in the steering wheel (3) so as to be movable relative to the steering wheel (3), the movable mounting having a movement damping, and - a plumb weight (6) is attached to the camera (5) to ensure vertical alignment of the camera (5). [2] Steering wheel arrangement (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the camera arrangement (4) has an oil-filled capsule (8) fastened in the steering wheel (3), in which a camera unit (7) having the camera (5) and the plumb weight (6) is movably arranged, the oil forming the movement damping. [3] Steering wheel arrangement (1) according to claim 2, characterized by that the oil is a silicone oil. [4] Steering wheel arrangement (1) according to claim 1, characterized bythat a camera unit (7) having the camera (5) and the plumb weight (6) is movably mounted relative to the steering wheel (3) via a cardanic suspension (11), wherein axes of rotation (A1, A2) of the cardanic suspension (11) are motion-damped. [5] Steering wheel arrangement (1) according to claim 4, characterized by that the cardanic suspension (11) has two or three axes of rotation (A1, A2). [6] Steering wheel arrangement (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized by that the camera unit (7) is mounted in a camera housing (12) via a rotation axis (A1) and the camera housing (12) is mounted in the steering wheel (3) via a further rotation axis (A2). [7] Steering wheel arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the camera arrangement (4) is arranged outside an airbag arrangement (13) in the steering wheel (3). [8] Vehicle (2) comprising a steering wheel arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims. [9] Vehicle (2) according to claim 8, characterized by that the camera (5) is at least temporarily connected to at least one other unit of the vehicle (2) via a wireless communication connection. [10] Vehicle (2) according to claim 9, characterized by that the at least one further unit is designed as a display unit and / or processing unit.

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