Steering Wheel Touchpad with Tactile Feedback for Safe Vehicle Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Drivers may unintentionally interact with touchpads on steering wheels, leading to unintended operations on vehicle controls, distracting them from safe driving practices.

Innovation Solution

Integration of touchpads on the steering wheel with tactile sensation providers and pressure detectors, allowing drivers to confirm operations through vibrations rather than visual confirmation, thereby reducing distractions and enhancing safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a touchpad is provided on the steering wheel for driver input, then ease of operation is improved, but unintentional contact operations occur causing safety deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidsafety

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the touchpad operable only during specific steering wheel rotation phases. The control unit determines whether the steering wheel is being rotated left or right and enables touchpad operations only during appropriate rotation phases, preventing unintentional operations when the driver is merely gripping or maneuvering the wheel without intentional steering input.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the operational parameter state of the touchpad based on steering wheel rotation detection. The control unit alters the touchpad's operational status (enable/disable) according to the detected rotation direction and phase, ensuring that touchpad functions are activated only when the driver's steering action indicates intentional input rather than unintentional contact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If the driver looks at the display monitor to confirm operations, then measurement precision of operation confirmation is improved, but safety deteriorates due to distraction from surroundings

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation confirmation accuracyVSAvoidsafety

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces visual confirmation (optical system) with tactile confirmation (mechanical sensation system). The tactile sensation provider generates vibrations that the driver can feel through the steering wheel, allowing operation confirmation through touch rather than sight, thereby eliminating the need to look away from the road while maintaining accurate operation awareness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements tactile feedback by generating vibrations in response to touchpad operations. This feedback loop provides immediate confirmation to the driver that their input was registered, eliminating the need for visual verification while maintaining operation confirmation accuracy through the tactile sensation channel.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If tactile sensation providers are added to enable vibration feedback, then safety is improved through non-visual confirmation, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by making the tactile sensation provider serve multiple functions: it provides operational feedback to the driver and simultaneously acts as a confirmation mechanism for intentional input. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate confirmation systems, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving safety improvements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the feedback function and confirmation function into a single tactile sensation provider system integrated with the steering wheel. By combining these functions into one component rather than adding separate systems, the patent minimizes the increase in device complexity while still providing non-visual operation confirmation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The system enables safe operation of vehicle controls by allowing drivers to confirm inputs through tactile feedback, minimizing the risk of unintended interactions and improving overall driving safety.

Implementation Method 1

a tactile sensation provider that provides a sense of touch in accordance with a gesture on the touchpad

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration: Vibration

Implementation Method 2

pressure detectors that detect pressure by the finger of the driver on the touchpad

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure detection: Pressure-sensitive Paint

Data Source

PatentEP3202623B1Vehicle and steering unit

Publication Date: 2023.06.28 KYOCERA CORP

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AI summary

A vehicle and a steering unit can improve safety. A vehicle (1) includes a steering wheel (10) and a touchpad (12) disposed on the steering wheel (10). The vehicle (1) enables control of a controlled apparatus (30) by a gesture on the touchpad (12) of the steering wheel (10) upon detecting a predetermined pressure on the touchpad (12) of the steering wheel (10) and provides a tactile sensation from the touchpad (12) in accordance with the gesture on the touchpad (12) of the steering wheel (10).