Dynamic Keypad Positioning for Vehicle Touch Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle user input technologies require drivers to physically move and stretch to reach touch displays, potentially creating adverse driving situations due to the need to navigate their body to enter commands.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a camera and operation recognizer to determine a user's physical dimensions, such as shoulder height and arm length, to calculate an operable area on a display, allowing the keypad to be displayed in a convenient location for touch input, reducing the need for extensive driver movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the display is positioned in a fixed location for command input, then the display structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the driver must move their body to reach the display, creating adverse driving situations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the keypad display location dynamic rather than fixed. The controller adjusts the keypad position on the display based on real-time detection of the driver's body position and reachability, allowing the interface to adapt to the driver's movements and physical characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of physically moving the display or keypad with an optical/electronic system. A camera captures the driver's position, the controller processes this visual information to calculate reachability, and then dynamically positions the keypad accordingly, substituting mechanical movement with information-based control
2Ease of operation
If the keypad is displayed in a fixed area on the display, then the display system is simple, but it requires the driver to stretch or move their body to access it
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces direct physical measurement of the driver with an optical measurement system. Instead of using mechanical sensors to measure body dimensions, a camera captures images and the controller calculates physical characteristics (shoulder height, arm length) from visual data, making the measurement process non-contact and less intrusive
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary computational model that translates visual information into physical measurements. The controller acts as an intermediary that converts camera images into estimates of the driver's body dimensions and reachability zones, which then informs keypad positioning without requiring direct physical interaction with the driver
3Ease of operation
If the display is positioned within easy reach of the driver, then the driver can input commands without moving, but the display may be positioned in a location that is not optimal for visibility or overall vehicle design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by enabling the keypad to be repositioned dynamically on the display based on the driver's current position and reachability. This allows the system to adapt to different driving scenarios, driver sizes, and seating positions while maintaining the display's physical location in the vehicle
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating different operable zones on the display corresponding to different driver positions and reachability areas. Each region of the display can serve as a valid input area depending on where the driver can comfortably reach, allowing different parts of the display to have different functional qualities based on the driver's position
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a display for displaying a keypad to receive a command through a touch gesture of a user, and a controller for determining an operable area for the user on the display based on a user's shoulder height and arm length, and for controlling the display to display the keypad in the operable area.