Steering Wheel Gesture Input with Angle Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Steering wheel controls on vehicles become difficult or impossible to operate when the wheel is rotated, especially at large angles, leading to driver distraction or the need to wait for the wheel to return to the center position.
Innovation Solution
A steering wheel input device with gesture recognition capabilities and a rotation angle sensor that detects and compensates for changes in steering wheel angle, allowing for the recognition of user inputs even when the wheel is at varying angles, using a pointer detection surface and input detection unit to generate corresponding signals and determine gestures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the steering wheel is rotated to a large angle, then the driver can steer the vehicle, but it becomes difficult or impossible to operate the controls without looking at the steering wheel
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts to the steering wheel angle by using a rotation angle sensor to detect the current position and compensating for it in real-time. This allows the control system to remain operational and recognizable across all steering angles, eliminating the need for the wheel to return to center position for control operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotation angle sensor provides continuous feedback about the steering wheel position to the processor. This feedback enables the system to compensate for angle changes and maintain accurate gesture recognition regardless of the steering wheel's rotational position, allowing safe operation without visual attention.
2Reliability
If the steering wheel is returned to the center position before operating controls, then controls can be operated safely, but the driver experiences loss of time and reduced productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary compensation for steering wheel angle by detecting the rotation angle in advance and adjusting the control recognition accordingly. This preliminary action eliminates the need for drivers to wait for the wheel to return to center, allowing immediate control operation at any steering angle without compromising safety.
3Device complexity
If traditional steering wheel controls are used without angle compensation, then the device complexity is low, but the adaptability to different steering angles is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The control system achieves universality by incorporating a rotation angle sensor and compensation algorithm that enable the same control interface to function accurately across all steering wheel positions. This multi-functional capability allows the system to adapt to any steering angle without requiring separate control mechanisms for different positions.
Data Source
AI summary
A steering wheel input device is mounted on a vehicle steering wheel and includes a pointer detection device detecting a pointer event on a pointer detection surface, any movement or breaking of the pointer event, and the speed, velocity, and acceleration of the pointer event, and outputs a corresponding pointer detection signal. The steering wheel input device also includes a rotation angle sensor and a processor. The rotation angle sensor takes measurements related to an angle of rotation of the steering wheel and outputs a corresponding rotation detection signal. The processor determines the angle of rotation of the steering wheel using the rotation detection signal, determines which gesture that the pointer detection signal corresponds to using the pointer detection signal and the angle of rotation of the steering wheel, and outputs a command corresponding to the gesture. The command can serve as input to control vehicular systems.