Foldable Wireless Keyboard for Autonomous Vehicle Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing input devices such as touchpads and touchscreen monitors in vehicles, especially autonomous vehicles, do not provide a comfortable solution for drivers to write messages or edit documents while driving, as they are often inaccessible during autonomous driving modes.
Innovation Solution
A portable keyboard device with a foldable base plate arrangement that can transform from a flat plate to a pointing stick, equipped with sensors and energy storage, allowing wireless input and functionality selection signals to be sent to an electronic user interface, enabling hands-free operation of vehicle systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a steering wheel with keyboard is used, then user input capability is provided, but the keyboard becomes unavailable when the steering wheel is moved out of the way during autonomous driving
Solution Approach 1:
The keyboard device is extracted from the steering wheel and made detachable, allowing it to be removed when the steering wheel is moved out of the way during autonomous driving. The base plate arrangement can be detached from the portable core element, enabling the keyboard to be portable and accessible independently of the steering wheel position.
Solution Approach 2:
The base plate arrangement is designed to be foldable and transformable between different states (first state and second state), allowing it to adapt to different usage scenarios. The base plate can be folded around the portable core element to create a compact form factor for portability, or unfolded to provide a stable surface for typing.
2Ease of operation
If a portable keyboard device with foldable base plate is used, then accessibility and portability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The keyboard device is segmented into a portable core element and a base plate arrangement that can be folded around it. This segmentation allows the base plate to be stored compactly when not in use, reducing the overall footprint and complexity of the device while maintaining full keyboard functionality when deployed.
3Volume of moving object
If the base plate arrangement is made foldable to enable compact storage, then portability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base plate arrangement is designed to fold around and nest with the portable core element, creating a compact stored configuration. The base plate can be folded around the core element like a nested structure, minimizing the volume occupied when the device is not in use while maintaining structural integrity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention is concerned with an input unit (10) for remotely providing user input to an electronic user interface (12), the input unit (10) comprising a keyboard device (13). The keyboard device (13) comprises a) a portable core element (14), b) a base plate arrangement (18) that is attached to and foldable relative to the portable core element (14) between a first state (M1) and a second state (M2) and c) a plurality of key structures (K), which are designed to detect a first user input that is provided by the application of pressure and wirelessly send a first user input signal (T1) to the electronic user interface (12). The keyboard device (13) with the base plate arrangement (18) in the second state (M2) is designed to function as a wireless pointer tool to remotely send a second user input signal (T2) to at least one predefined selectable element.