Steering Wheel Input Device with Dynamic Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steering wheel paddle shifter arrangements either have paddles rotate with the wheel, risking incorrect gear selection, or are fixed on the column, becoming inaccessible at certain steering angles, failing to accommodate driver preference and driving conditions effectively.
Innovation Solution
A steering wheel input device with a controller that moves input regions based on tracking data, including steering wheel rotation and hand position, allowing for dynamic or static positioning to mimic both wheel-mounted and column-mounted paddle shifter functionalities, ensuring inputs remain accessible regardless of steering angle or hand position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If paddles are mounted to the steering wheel, then the paddles rotate with the wheel keeping inputs accessible to driver's hands, but the driver may use the wrong gear shifter as the wheel moves further around
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses tracking inputs (cameras, sensors) to continuously monitor steering wheel rotation and hand position, providing feedback to the controller. The controller adjusts the active input region accordingly, ensuring the correct gear selection is always associated with the appropriate paddle position relative to the driver's hands.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts which input region is active based on real-time tracking data. As the steering wheel rotates and hand positions change, the controller dynamically reassigns input regions to different paddle positions, making the system adaptive rather than static.
2Stability of the object's composition
If paddles are mounted to the steering column in a fixed position, then the paddles remain stationary for stable positioning, but they aren't always underneath the driver's hands and hence may not be as accessible when the steering wheel is at some turn angles
Solution Approach 1:
While the physical paddles remain fixed on the steering column, the system dynamically changes which paddle corresponds to which gear shift function based on tracking data. The controller activates different input regions on different paddles depending on steering wheel angle and hand position, making the fixed physical structure function dynamically.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixed paddles serve multiple functions depending on the situation. Each paddle can be assigned to different gear shift operations (upshift, downshift, reverse) based on real-time conditions, allowing a small number of fixed paddles to provide multiple gear control functions.
3Device complexity
If a single mounting option is chosen for paddle shifters, then the device complexity is reduced, but driver preference and different driving conditions cannot be accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic configuration of input regions based on tracking data to provide different operational modes. The controller can switch between wheel mode (where inputs follow wheel rotation), column mode (static inputs), and hybrid mode, allowing adaptation to different driver preferences without physical reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (which input region is active on which paddle) based on detected conditions such as steering wheel angle, hand position, and selected mode. This parameter adjustment allows the same physical device to adapt to different driving conditions and preferences.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4(a)~6
Figure 7(a)~8(b)
AI summary
A steering wheel input device (1) includes an input actuator (3) for location adjacent to a steering wheel (2) and includes a one or two input regions (31), each being moveable around an axis of the steering wheel (2) and being pressable by one of the driver's hands (7) on the steering wheel (1) for registering inputs. A tracking input (5) receives tracking data, and a controller (9) moves the input regions (31) based on this. The tracking data may include hand tracking data for determining the location of the driver's hands (7,8) on the steering wheel (2), where the controller (9) is operable to move the input regions (31) in line with movement of the driver's hands (7) around the steering wheel (2) .