Method for selecting a function of a motor vehicle

Abstract

A method for selecting a function in a motor vehicle comprises the steps of: detecting (21), by a device for detecting the presence of at least one hand of a driver on the steering wheel of the motor vehicle, a request to select a function from the driver; selecting (27, 29) and implementing (33) the function. A function selection system and a motor vehicle comprising the system are also described. Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Fig 2

Description

Title of the invention: Method for selecting a function of a motor vehicle Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for selecting a function of a motor vehicle, a computer program product, a system for selecting a function and a motor vehicle comprising such a system. State of the art

[0002] Currently, driver assistance systems in production are primarily designed to assist the driver, not replace him. We can talk about semi-automatic systems to differentiate them from automatic systems that operate without driver intervention.

[0003] It will be noted that to ensure that the driver maintains control of the vehicle, devices are installed on the steering wheels to detect the presence of the driver's hands on the steering wheel.

[0004] However, the proliferation of semi-automatic driving aids and piloting or communication functions generates dashboards and control devices such as stalks with countless interfaces, which is expensive and lacks ergonomics.

[0005] There is therefore a real need for a method and a system for selecting functions in a motor vehicle which makes it possible to reduce costs and improve ergonomics. Description of the invention

[0006] To resolve one or more of the drawbacks cited above, according to a first embodiment, a method for selecting a function of a motor vehicle comprises the steps of: • detection, 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 and implementation of the function.

[0007] Thus, the user advantageously selects a function without taking their hands off the steering wheel.

[0008] Particular characteristics 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 from the driver's hands on the steering wheel; • detection includes pressure detection on particular areas of the steering wheel; • pressure detection triggers navigation in a menu displayed on a human-machine interface on the dashboard of the motor vehicle; • the detection of increased pressure from the right hand, respectively from the left hand, causes navigation in the menu to move to the right, respectively to the left; • pressure detection is only taken into account when the pressure has a duration included in a predetermined interval; and / or • the selected function corresponds to a predefined driving mode.

[0009] In a second embodiment, a computer program comprises instructions for implementing the steps of a method as defined above during an 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 detecting 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 comprises a system according to the third embodiment. Brief description of the figures

[0012] The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, given solely by way of example, and with reference to the appended figures in which: • [Fig.l] 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 these are also usable with other types of vehicle such as vans, vans, etc.

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

[0015] With reference to [Fig.l], a motor vehicle comprises 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 3 is formed for example from a matrix of capacitive detectors arranged around the steering wheel.

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

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

[0019] The steering wheel 1 also comprises on the rear of its turn one or more sensors (not shown) making it possible to detect the pressure exerted by the hands on the steering wheel. Typically, it comprises 2 sensors, one for the left part and the second for the right part, thus making it possible to detect the pressure exerted by each hand.

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

[0021] The steering wheel 1 also comprises a light strip 5 which can, on command from the device 3, indicate to the driver the sectors on which the 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 comprises a controller 7 connected to the device 3.

[0023] The controller 7 may, for example, be integrated into the control system of the vehicle 1, such as an advanced driver assistance system, commonly called AD AS (for "Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems" in English terminology) which makes all driving decisions based on the environment and the programmed destination. The motor vehicle is then referred to as an autonomous motor vehicle. But it can also be a centralized vehicle management system including, or not, driving aids.

[0024] The transfer of data between the different elements is carried out by a CAN (for “Controller Area Network” in English) or LIN (for “Local Interconnect Network” in English) type data bus.

[0025] The controller 7 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 makes it possible to configure the characteristics of the motor vehicle between a sporty driving mode, an economical mode, a comfort mode, etc.

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

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

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

[0029] The device 3 sends, step 23, this request to the controller 7 and illuminates the corresponding zones of the light strip 5 in confirmation of the taking into account of the request.

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

[0031] The device 3 is then used, step 27, to navigate in the selection menu. For example, a stronger pressure of the user's hand on the right side of the steering wheel with the hand positioned on S3 makes it possible to navigate to the right of the menu and a stronger pressure of the hand on the left side with the hand positioned on S8 makes it possible to navigate to the left of the menu. A positioning on S1 or S10 makes the cursor go up and a positioning on S5 or S6 makes it go down.

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

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

[0034] [Fig.l] illustrates a system according to certain embodiments. The breakdown presented has an educational purpose to highlight the different functions. However, it is understood that each block can be implemented using different means or their combinations, such as hardware components, software, one or more computers and / or electronic circuits. Each of the components can include at least one computer or a control-command unit. At least one memory can be included in each component. The memory can include computer program instructions or software code.

[0035] The computers can be implemented by any type of data processing device, such as a central computing unit, a signal processing processor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a programmable gate array, etc. The computers can be implemented as a single controller, or a plurality of controllers or computers.

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

[0037] For software, the implementation may include modules or units distributed in the form of procedures, functions, etc. The memories may be any type of storage circuit. They may be part of the processor circuit, or separate from it and connected via electrical data links. These may be non-volatile type memories, hard disks, random access memories, flash memories, etc.

[0038] Furthermore, the program instructions stored in the memory and processed by the 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 the memory are such that, when executed by the computer, the latter performs one or more of the steps of the methods described above.

[0040] The invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the preceding description. This should be considered as illustrative and given by way of example and not as limiting the invention to this description alone. Numerous alternative 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 movement of the hands on different sectors of the device 3.

[0042] In another variant, the information provided by the light strip may 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, functions for controlling the car radio, or for selecting an automatic system.

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 for selection of a function from the driver; • selection (27, 29) and implementation (33) of the function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting 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. A method according to claim 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein the pressure detection is only taken into account when the pressure has a duration within 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 communication 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 for detect a request to select a function from the driver; • a selector (7) for the function; and • means (11) for implementing the function.

10. A motor vehicle comprising a system according to claim 9.

Images