Steering Wheel Touch Screen Shortcut Reconfiguration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle steering wheel interfaces are inflexible, limiting user customization of shortcuts, locations, and sizes, and are not compatible with aftermarket devices, restricting user convenience and interoperability.
Innovation Solution
A reconfigurable vehicle user interface system featuring a touch screen on the steering wheel that allows users to customize the number, location, and size of shortcuts, with a controller determining function commands based on user input, enabling compatibility with various devices through a touch screen reconfiguration module.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If hard-wired shortcuts are used in the steering wheel, then the manufacturer can pre-configure specific functions, but the user cannot customize the location, size, or selection of shortcuts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a reconfigurable touch screen interface that allows users to dynamically change the number, location, and size of shortcuts on the steering wheel display. The interface transitions from a fixed configuration to a flexible, user-adjustable layout where shortcuts can be moved, resized, and repositioned according to user preferences, directly resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables users to modify multiple parameters of the shortcut interface including the number of shortcuts displayed, their positions on the screen, and their sizes. These parameter changes are stored and applied without requiring hardware modifications, allowing the interface to adapt to different user needs while maintaining a consistent physical device structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If shortcuts are programmed only for OEM devices, then the original audio system controls work, but aftermarket devices cannot be controlled through the steering wheel shortcuts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal control interface where the touch screen shortcuts can be configured to control any audio device, whether OEM or aftermarket. The system uses a configuration file format (XML) that can map shortcut commands to different device types and protocols, enabling a single interface to serve multiple device compatibility requirements without requiring device-specific hardware modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary configuration layer that sits between the steering wheel interface and the audio devices. This configuration file acts as a mediator that translates generic touch screen commands into device-specific control signals, allowing aftermarket devices to be controlled through the OEM steering wheel interface without direct hardware integration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the audio system is updated to an aftermarket device, then the audio system can be upgraded, but the steering wheel shortcuts for the OEM audio system are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary configuration setup where users can pre-define their shortcut preferences and device mappings before actually installing an aftermarket audio device. The configuration files are prepared in advance and can be quickly applied when device installation is complete, reducing the reconfiguration time and complexity associated with audio system updates.
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
Enables user-defined shortcut configurations, improving driver convenience and compatibility with both OEM and aftermarket devices, enhancing the flexibility and usability of vehicle control systems.
Implementation Method 1
a touch screen disposed along an outer surface of the steering wheel that generates a signal upon sensing user contact with a touch-sensitive surface of the touch screen, wherein the signal is dependent on location of the user contact
Data Source
AI summary
A reconfigurable vehicle user interface system is presented. A vehicle user interface has a touch sensitive input devices such as touchpads and a touch screen that have specific function commands mapped to them. A user can select which function commands are mapped to which portions of the touch screen. This allows a user to customize the steering wheel function commands.