Method for selecting a function of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for selecting a function of a motor vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:  detecting (21) a request to select a function from the driver, said step being performed by means of a device for detecting the presence of at least one hand of a driver on the steering wheel of the motor vehicle;  selecting (27, 29) and implementing (33) the function. A system for selecting a function and a motor vehicle comprising the system are also described. Drawing_references_to_be_translated

Description

Description Title of the invention: Method for selecting a function of a motor vehicle technical field [1] The present invention claims priority from French application 2305931 filed on June 12, 2023, the content of which (text, drawings, and claims) is incorporated herein by reference. The present invention relates to a method for selecting a function of a motor vehicle, a computer program product, a function selection system, and a motor vehicle comprising such a system. State of the art [2]Currently, driver assistance systems in production are primarily designed to assist the driver, not replace them. They can be referred to as semi-automatic systems to differentiate them from fully automatic systems that operate without driver intervention. [3] It should be noted that to ensure that the driver retains control of the vehicle, devices are installed on steering wheels to detect the presence of the driver's hands on the steering wheel. [4]However, the proliferation of semi-automatic driving aids and steering or communication functions generates dashboards and control devices such as stalks with countless interfaces, which is costly and lacks ergonomics. [5] There is therefore a real need for a process and a system for selecting functions in a motor vehicle that will reduce costs and improve ergonomics. Description of the invention [6] To resolve one or more of the aforementioned drawbacks, according to a first embodiment, a method for selecting a function of a motor vehicle comprises the steps of: • detection, by a device detecting the presence of at least one hand of a driver on the steering wheel of the motor vehicle, of a request to select a function from the driver; • selection and implementation of the function. [7]Thus, the user can advantageously select a function without taking their hands off the steering wheel. [8]Special features or embodiments, usable alone or in combination, are: • detection includes detecting the presence of both of the driver's hands on the steering wheel and a specific pressure of the driver's hands on the steering wheel; • the detection includes pressure detection on specific areas of the steering wheel; • Pressure detection triggers navigation through a menu displayed on a human-machine interface of the vehicle's dashboard; • the detection of increased pressure from the right hand, respectively from the left hand, results in a movement to the right, respectively to the left, of the navigation in the menu; • Pressure detection is only taken into account when the pressure has a duration within a predetermined interval; and / or • The selected function corresponds to a predefined driving mode. [9] In a second embodiment, a computer program includes instructions for carrying out the steps of a process as defined above during execution of the program by a computing unit of said apparatus

[0010] In a third embodiment, a system for selecting a function of a motor vehicle comprises: • a detector for the presence of at least one hand of a driver on the steering wheel of the motor vehicle adapted to detect a request to select a function from the driver; • a function selector; and • means of implementing the function.

[0011] In a fourth embodiment, a motor vehicle includes a system according to the third embodiment. Brief description of the figures

[0012] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description, given solely by way of example, and with reference to the figures in the appendix in which: • [Fig 1] represents a view of a function selection system comprising a front view of a steering wheel according to one embodiment; and • [Fig 2] represents a flowchart of a function selection process according to one embodiment. Methods of implementation

[0013] The embodiments presented below refer to a motor vehicle, a car. However, those skilled in the art understand that they are also applicable to other types of vehicles such as vans, trucks, etc.

[0014] The terms "front", "rear", "top", "bottom", "transverse" are understood in relation to the vehicle.

[0015] With reference to Fig. 1, a motor vehicle includes a steering wheel 1. The steering wheel 1 includes a device 3 for detecting the presence of the driver's hands on the steering wheel 1.

[0016] The device is formed, for example, of a matrix of capacitive detectors arranged around the edge of the steering wheel.

[0017] The presence of a hand near a capacitive detector will change its capacitance, thus enabling its detection.

[0018] The detector matrix is ​​divided into 10 sectors S1, S2..., S10 around the steering wheel.

[0019] The steering wheel 1 also includes one or more sensors (not shown) on the rear of its casing to detect the pressure exerted by the hands on the wheel. Typically, it includes two sensors, one for the left side and the other for the right side, thus allowing the pressure exerted by each hand to be detected.

[0020] Thus, device 3 is capable of detecting the presence of one or two hands, their position (i.e. in which sectors the hands are placed) as well as the pressure exerted by them.

[0021] The steering wheel 1 also includes a light strip 5 which can, on command from device s, indicate to the driver the sectors on which device 3 has detected the presence of hands or indicate to the driver the sector, or sectors, on which the driver must place his hand, or hands.

[0022] The motor vehicle also includes a controller connected to device 3.

[0023] Controller 7 can, for example, be integrated into the vehicle's control system 1 as an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS), which makes all driving decisions based on the environment and the programmed destination. The vehicle is then described as an autonomous vehicle. However, it can also be a centralized vehicle management system that may or may not include driver assistance features.

[0024] Data transfer between the different elements is carried out by a CAN type data bus (for "Controller Area Network" in English, or "controller area network") or LIN (for "Local Interconnect Network" in English, or "Local interconnected network" in French).

[0025] The controller α is connected to a human-machine interface 9 in the form of a screen and to a controller 11 for controlling the functions of the motor vehicle. In this description, the controller 11 controls the driving mode of the vehicle; thus, the controller 11 allows the characteristics of the motor vehicle to be configured between a sport driving mode, an economy mode, a comfort mode, etc.

[0026] The human-machine interface 9 is adapted to display a menu 13. For example, the menu includes 3 columns and the user can navigate through this menu to select a field, for example field B2.

[0027] The general operation of the function selection system is as follows, Fig. 2.

[0028] At step 21, the device detects a request to select a function. For example, device 3 detects that the user has placed their hands on sectors S3 and S8 and that they have pressed their hands more intensely than the pressure usually exerted on the steering wheel for a duration within a predetermined time interval, for example between 0.5 s and 1 s.

[0029] Device 3 sends this request to controller 7 at step 23 and illuminates the corresponding areas of the light strip 5 in confirmation that the request has been taken into account.

[0030] The controller 7 displays, step 25, on screen 9, a function selection menu, namely the driving mode.

[0031] Device 3 is then used, in step 27, to navigate the selection menu. For example, applying more pressure to the right side of the steering wheel with the hand positioned on S3 allows navigation to the right of the menu, and applying more pressure to the left side with the hand positioned on S8 allows navigation to the left of the menu. Positioning the cursor on S1 or S10 moves it up, and positioning it on S5 or S6 moves it down.

[0032] Once the cursor is positioned on the desired driving mode, a validation, step 29, is carried out, for example by pressing simultaneously with both hands.

[0033] Controller 7 then sends, step 31, the chosen driving mode to controller 11 so that the latter can implement it, step 33.

[0034] Figure 1 illustrates a system in several embodiments. The breakdown presented is for pedagogical purposes, highlighting the different functions. However, it is understood that each block can be implemented using various means or combinations thereof, such as hardware components, software, one or more computers, and / or electronic circuits. Each component can include at least one computer or control unit. Each component can include at least one memory. The memory can contain computer program instructions or software code.

[0035] Calculators can be implemented using any type of data processing device, such as a central processing unit, a signal processing processor, application-specific integrated circuit, programmable gate network, etc. Computers can be implemented as a single controller, or as a plurality of controllers or computers.

[0036] The different modules are connected to each other by data links adapted to the environment. These can be wired or wireless.

[0037] For software, the implementation can include modules or units distributed as procedures, functions, etc. Memory can be any type of storage circuit. It can be part of the processor circuitry, or separate and connected via electrical data links. This can include non-volatile memory, hard drives, RAM, flash memory, etc.

[0038] Furthermore, the program instructions stored in memory and processed by computers can be any type of program code, for example, a compiled or interpreted program written in a suitable programming language.

[0039] The computer program instructions stored in memory are such that, when executed by the computer, the latter carries out one or more of the steps of the processes described above.

[0040] The invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the preceding description. This description should be considered illustrative and given by way of example, and not as limiting the invention to this single description. Numerous embodiments are possible.

[0041] Thus, it is possible not to use the pressure of the driver's hands and to replace it with a pattern of moving the hands over different sectors of the device 3.

[0042] In another variant, the information provided by the light strip can be provided by an image of the steering wheel on the human-machine interface.

[0043] These two variants have the advantage of simplifying the construction of the steering wheel and therefore reducing its cost.

[0044] The function described corresponds to the selection of the driving mode, which has the advantage of eliminating a specific hardware control. However, other functions can be selected using the steering wheel as described above. For example, radio control functions, or selecting an automatic function.

Claims

Claims 1. Method for selecting a function of a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of: • detection (21), by a device for detecting the presence of at least one hand of a driver on the steering wheel of the motor vehicle, of a request to select a function from the driver; • selection (27, 29) and implementation (33) of the function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection comprises detecting the presence of both hands of the driver on the steering wheel and a specific pressure of the driver's hands on the steering wheel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensing comprises sensing pressure on particular areas of the steering wheel.

4. Method according to claim 2 or 3, in which the pressure detection triggers navigation in a menu displayed on a human-machine interface of the dashboard of the motor vehicle.

5. Method according to claim 4, in which the detection of an accentuated pressure of the right hand, respectively of the left hand, causes a movement to the right, respectively to the left, of the navigation in the menu.

6. Method according to claim 2, 3, 4 or 5, in which the pressure detection is only taken into account when the pressure has a duration included in a predetermined interval.

7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the selected function corresponds to a predefined driving mode.

8. Computer program product downloadable from a communications network and / or recorded on a computer-readable medium and / or executable by a processor, characterized in that it comprises program code instructions for implementing the method according to at least one of claims 1 to 7.

9. System for selecting a function of a motor vehicle, comprising: • a detector (3) of the presence of at least one hand of a driver on the steering wheel of the motor vehicle adapted to detect a request to select a function from the driver; • a selector (7) of the function; and • means (11) for implementing the function.

10. Motor vehicle comprising a system according to claim 9.

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