In-Vehicle Rotary Knob with Electromagnetic Latching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional touchscreens in vehicles lack haptic feedback, making it difficult for users to interact with virtual controls, leading to driver distraction and safety concerns due to the need for visual confirmation of operations.
Innovation Solution
An in-vehicle operating unit featuring a rotary knob with a non-rotatable shaft extending through the touchscreen and an electromagnetic latching arrangement, providing haptic feedback and allowing blind operation by latching different rotary positions, combined with the ability to actuate the rotary knob axially as a push button.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a touchscreen is used to replace physical knobs and buttons, then the visual display capability is improved, but the haptic feedback capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges a physical rotary knob with a touchscreen interface, creating a hybrid control element that provides both visual feedback through the touchscreen and haptic feedback through the physical knob's rotation and latching mechanisms, thereby combining the advantages of both display and tactile interaction
Solution Approach 2:
The physical rotary knob acts as an intermediary between the user and the touchscreen system, providing tactile feedback that mediates the interaction and compensates for the lack of haptic feedback in pure touchscreen interfaces
2Device complexity
If a touchscreen with virtual controls is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to lack of tactile feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a simple physical rotary knob mechanism with the touchscreen interface, maintaining overall device simplicity while adding tactile feedback capability through the knob's rotation and electromagnetic latching features
3Measurement precision
If visual confirmation is required for touchscreen operations, then the measurement precision of user input is improved, but the productivity deteriorates due to driver distraction
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic latching arrangement provides immediate haptic feedback when the rotary knob reaches specific positions, confirming user input through tactile sensation rather than visual confirmation, thereby maintaining input accuracy while allowing the driver to keep eyes on the road
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances user experience by providing haptic feedback, reducing driver distraction and improving safety by allowing tactile interaction with virtual controls without visual confirmation, thus preventing zero-visibility driving hazards.
Implementation Method 1
at least one electromagnetic latching arrangement that is connected to the shaft and can be used to latch different rotatory positions of the rotary knob in a non-contact manner
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to an operating unit for an in-vehicle system to control an operation of at least one in-vehicle electric device of a vehicle. The operating unit includes at least one touch screen, at least one rotary knob that is arranged on the touchscreen and at least one shaft that extends through the touchscreen and is connected in a non-rotatable manner to the rotary knob. In order to simplify operation of the operating unit via haptic feedback from the operating unit, the operating unit comprises at least one electromagnetic latching arrangement that is connected to the shaft and renders it possible to latch different rotary positions of the rotary knob in a non-contact manner.