A system for facilitating a driver's use of vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system (1) which enables the driver to operate the vehicle in a safer and more enjoyable way by enafbling the driver to control the electronic components of the vehicle via at least one touchpad area located on the steering wheel (SW) of the vehicle.

Description

[0001] A SYSTEM FOR FACILITATING A DRIVER'S USE OF VEHICLE

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a system which enables a driver to operate a vehicle in a safer and more enjoyable way by enabling the driver to control the electronic components of the vehicle via at least one touchpad area located on the steering wheel of the vehicle.

[0004] Background of the Invention

[0005] Today, with the development of vehicles, drivers can go to the desired destinations comfortably and safely. There is a plurality of electronic components which enable a driver to travel safely in a vehicle such as high beam, low beam, rear-view mirror, side-view mirror, navigation screen, radio. There are various buttons on the steering wheel located on the vehicle that enable the control of some of the said electronic components. The driver can control the electronic components in the vehicle as he / she wishes by pressing and / or touching the buttons on the steering wheel. In the state of art, various solutions that enable the control of electronic components specified by the vehicle manufacturer via the buttons placed on the steering wheel can be found.

[0006] However, in the current technique, no solution that enables the use of the entire surface of the touchpad area located on the steering wheel in the vehicle; enables the driver to control the electronic components in the vehicle by identifying the hand and / or finger movements of the driver via the touchpad area; enables the electronic components in the vehicle to be controlled by the driver through actions such as the driver pressing and holding the touchpad area on the steering wheel for a certain period of time, multiple pressing and / or touching of the respective driver to a certain area on the touchpad area has been found.

[0007] The Chinese patent document no. CN113849114, an application included in the state of the art, discloses a control method and system based on a touchpad and a linear motor on a steering wheel. The method included in the invention comprises the steps of the user performing an operation with the touchpad, the touchpad / touchpad surface recognising the operation contents and hand movements of the user, the automobile being controlled based on the recognition results, and tactile feedback being provided to the user via a linear motor. With this invention, operations are performed by using limited space on the steering wheel; different touchpad feedback is provided for different touchpad operations; and real touchpad feedback is provided to the user. In this invention, the capacitance changes of the pressure sensor for the detection of movements such as single touch, double touch, long press is disclosed. However, in this invention, the use of a tactile switch instead of a pressure sensor and the use of the on-off principle instead of observing the capacitance change of the pressure sensor are not disclosed.

[0008] Summary of the Invention

[0009] An object of the present invention is to realize a system for facilitating a driver's use of vehicle and which enables the use of the entire surface of the touchpad area located on the steering wheel in the vehicle; enables the driver to control the electronic components in the vehicle by identifying the hand and / or finger movements of the driver via the touchpad area; enables the electronic components in the vehicle to be controlled by the driver through actions such as the driver pressing and holding the touchpad area on the steering wheel for a certain period of time, multiple pressing and / or touching of the respective driver to a certain area on the touchpad area. Another object of the invention is to realize a system for facilitating a driver's use of vehicle and which enables the driver to control the electronic components in the vehicle more accurately by providing more sensitive detection of finger movements of the driver in the touchpad area and quicker response to the detected finger movements with the use of tactile buttons in eliminating the disadvantages of reduced touch sensitivity in capacitive pressure sensors and losses due to delays in touch responses.

[0010] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0011] “A System for Facilitating a Driver's Use of Vehicle” realized to fulfil the objectives of the present invention is shown in the figures attached, in which:

[0012] Figure 1 is a view of the steering wheel in the inventive system for facilitating a driver's use of vehicle, wherein the symbol mode is active.

[0013] Figure 2 is a view of the steering wheel in the inventive system for facilitating a driver's use of vehicle, wherein “touchpad” mode is active.

[0014] The components illustrated in the figures are individually numbered, where the numbers refer to the following:

[0015] 1. System

[0016] 2. Trip Computer

[0017] 3. Touchpad surface

[0018] SW. Steering Wheel

[0019] An inventive system (1) for facilitating a driver's use of vehicle and which enables a driver to operate a vehicle in a safer and more enjoyable way by allowing the driver to control the electronic components of the respective vehicle via at least one touchpad area located on the steering wheel (SW) of the vehicle, comprises at least one trip computer (2) which establishes connection with all sensors and electronic components in the vehicle where the steering wheel (SW) is located, and which is configured to identify the driving behaviour of the driver by analysing the steering wheel (SW) movements and pedal movements of the driver in the state of driving; at least one touchpad which establishes connection with the trip computer (2); is positioned on the steering wheel (SW) in the vehicle; is configured to detect the finger movements of the driver with the capacitive touchpad foil located thereon; to provide the driver with haptic feedback against the touch and / or pressing movements on the touchpad foil with a plurality of tactile switches located underside of itself; to enable the driver to control the electronic components in the vehicle with finger movements while using the steering wheel (SW) by transmitting the touch, pressing movements performed by the driver on the touchpad foil located thereon to the road computer (2).

[0020] The road computer (2) included in the inventive system (1) is configured to enable the actions related to the vehicle to be performed, such as switching from low beam to high beam, switching from high beam to low beam, controlling the screens in the vehicle, moving the side-view mirrors, moving the rear-view mirror by analysing the touch movements of the driver transmitted from the touchpad surface (3) on the steering wheel (SW). The trip computer (2) is configured to enable the driver to activate the symbol mode or “touchpad” mode on the touchpad surface (3) after the driver has pressed the tactile switch which is located on the steering wheel (SW) and is in a predetermined position.

[0021] The touchpad surface (3) included in the inventive system (1) is configured to detect the finger movements of the driver quickly and more precisely by preventing the negative situations such as reduced detection sensitivity of the finger movements of the driver and delayed response to the finger movement due to the vibrations occurring during the swaying of the vehicle through establishing connection with the tactile switches which are used instead of the capacitive pressure sensors located on the steering wheel (SW). The touchpad surface (3) is configured to prevent unintentional finger touching and / or pressing movements of the driver with the capacitive touchpad foil located thereon when the symbol mode is active, and to identify that the driver has intentionally pressed and / or touched the capacitive touchpad foil via the tactile switches to which it establishes connection. The touchpad surface (3) is configured to enable a plurality of predetermined symbols indicating actions such as switching the radio on and off, switching the air conditioning on and off, switching the headlights on and off to be displayed to the driver on the capacitive touchpad foil located thereon when the symbol mode is activated. The touchpad surface (3) is configured to activate the “touchpad” mode after the driver has touched and / or pressed the capacitive touchpad foil located thereon for a certain period of time or has touched and / or pressed a certain area on the capacitive touchpad foil for a certain period of time. The touchpad surface (3) is configured to enable the driver to perform actions such as minimising / enlarging the navigation map on the screens in the vehicle; moving the side-view mirrors; switching the air conditioning, camera, radio on / off; switching between the menus displayed on the trip computer (2); playing video games on the screens in the vehicle through moving his / her fingers across the entire capacitive touchpad foil area by determining defined movements such as swiping / pulling left and right, moving more than one finger at the same time which are determined by user him / herself after activating the “touchpad” mode.

[0022] Industrial Application of the Invention

[0023] In the inventive system (1), the driver can control various electronic components in the vehicle by performing finger movements on the touchpad surface (3) on the steering wheel (SW) while driving. The finger movements of the driver detected on the touchpad surface (3) are transmitted to the road computer (2) by being detected via various sensors. The touchpad surface (3) has a symbol mode and a ‘ ‘touchpad’ ’ mode. The driver can activate the symbol mode or the “touchpad” mode by touching and / or pressing the tactile switches on the steering wheel (SW). There are also tactile switches to connect with the touchpad surface (3) instead of capacitive pressure sensors in the steering wheel (SW). Negative situations such as such as reduced detection sensitivity of the finger movements of the driver and delayed response to the finger movement due to the vibrations occurring during the swaying of the vehicle are prevented by the use of tactile switches. When the symbol mode is activated, various symbols are displayed to the driver on the touchpad surface (3) and the driver can perform actions matched to the respective symbol such as switching the radio on and off, switching the air conditioner on and off, switching the headlights on and off by touching the symbols on the touchpad surface (3). The driver is enabled to perform predetermined actions such as minimising / enlarging the navigation map on the screens in the vehicle; moving the side-view mirrors; switching the air conditioning, camera, radio on / off; playing video games on the screens in the vehicle by moving his / her fingers on the touchpad surface (3) when the driver activates the “touchpad” mode on the touchpad surface (3).

[0024] Within these basic concepts; it is possible to develop various embodiments of the inventive “A System (1) for Facilitating a Driver's Use of Vehicle”; the invention cannot be limited to examples disclosed herein and it is essentially according to claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A system (1) for facilitating a driver's use of vehicle and which enables the driver to operate the vehicle in a safer and more enjoyable way by allowing the driver to control the electronic components of the respective vehicle via at least one touch-operated area located on the steering wheel (SW) of the vehicle; comprising at least one trip computer (2) which establishes connection with all sensors and electronic components in the vehicle where the steering wheel (SW) is located, and which is configured to identify the driving behaviour of the driver by analysing the steering wheel (SW) movements and pedal movements of the driver in the state of driving; characterized by at least one touchpad surface (3) which establishes connection with the trip computer (2); is positioned on the steering wheel (SW) in the vehicle; is configured to detect the finger movements of the driver with the capacitive touchpad foil located thereon; to provide the driver with haptic feedback against the touch and / or pressing movements on the touchpad foil with a plurality of tactile switches located underside of itself; to enable the driver to control the electronic components in the vehicle with finger movements while using the steering wheel (SW) by transmitting the touch, pressing movements performed by the driver on the touchpad foil located thereon to the road computer (2).

2. A system (1) for facilitating a driver's use of vehicle according to Claim 1; characterized by the road computer (2) which is configured to enable the actions related to the vehicle to be performed, such as switching from low beam to high beam, switching from high beam to low beam, controlling the screens in the vehicle, moving the side-view mirrors, moving the rear-view mirror by analysing the touch movements of the driver transmitted from the touchpad surface (3) on the steering wheel (SW).

3. A system (1) for facilitating a driver's use of vehicle according to Claim 1 or 2; characterized by the road computer (2) which is configured to enable thedriver to activate the symbol mode or “touchpad” mode on the touchpad surface (3) after the driver has pressed the tactile switch which is located on the steering wheel (SW) and is in a predetermined position.

4. A system (1) for facilitating a driver's use of vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the touchpad surface (3) which is configured to detect the finger movements of the driver quickly and more precisely by preventing the negative situations such as reduced detection sensitivity of the finger movements of the driver and delayed response to the finger movement due to the vibrations occurring during the swaying of the vehicle through establishing connection with the tactile switches which are used instead of the capacitive pressure sensors located on the steering wheel (SW).

5. A system (1) for facilitating a driver's use of vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the touchpad surface (3) which is configured to prevent unintentional finger touching and / or pressing movements of the driver with the capacitive surface foil located thereon when the symbol mode is active, and to identify that the driver has intentionally pressed and / or touched the capacitive surface foil via the tactile switches to which it establishes connection.

6. A system (1) for facilitating a driver's use of vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the touchpad surface (3) which is configured to enable a plurality of predetermined symbols indicating actions such as switching the radio on and off, switching the air conditioning on and off, switching the headlights on and off to be displayed to the driver on the capacitive touchpad foil located thereon when the symbol mode is activated.

7. A system (1) for facilitating a driver's use of vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the touchpad surface (3) which is configured to activate the “touchpad” mode after the driver has touched and / or pressed the capacitive touchpad foil located thereon for a certain period of time orhas touched and / or pressed a certain area on the capacitive touchpad foil for a certain period of time.

8. A system (1) for facilitating a driver's use of vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims; characterized by the touchpad surface (3) which is configured to enable the driver to perform actions such as minimising / enlarging the navigation map on the screens in the vehicle; moving the side-view mirrors; switching the air conditioning, camera, radio on / off; switching between the menus displayed on the trip computer (2); playing video games on the screens in the vehicle through moving his / her fingers across the entire capacitive touchpad foil area by determining defined movements such as swiping / pulling left and right, moving more than one finger at the same time which are determined by user him / herself after activating the “touchpad” mode.

Images