Vehicle Touch Display Deflection Sensing for Intentional Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle touch displays that trigger safety-relevant functions with minimal touch can be accidentally activated, requiring complex mechanisms and additional sensors like force-sensitive resistors, strain gauges, or capacitive sensors, which increase cost and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A deflectable display mounted on a holding device with a cover plate that deflects upon manual actuation, allowing force measurement through displacement sensors, eliminating the need for complex spring mechanisms and reducing mass by fixing the backlight unit, and providing haptic feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If force-sensitive sensors (force-sensitive resistors, strain gauges, optical sensors, or capacitive sensors) are added to detect pressing force, then safety-relevant functions are protected from accidental activation, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the display cover plate with the force sensing function by making the cover plate itself deflectable and integrating it with the touch sensor structure. This merging eliminates the need for separate force-sensitive sensors while maintaining the ability to detect intentional pressing actions through the deflection of the cover plate.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover plate serves multiple functions: it protects the display unit, provides the touch interface surface, and acts as the force-sensing element through its deflection characteristics. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated force sensors while maintaining safety against accidental activation.
2Measurement precision
If spring elements and movable mounting mechanisms are added to enable force measurement, then pressing force detection is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cover plate serves itself as the force-sensing element through its inherent deflection properties when subjected to pressing forces. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external spring elements or complex movable mounting mechanisms, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining measurement precision through the cover plate's structural characteristics.
3Ease of operation
If the display is mounted in a movable manner with spring elements, then force-sensitive measurement is enabled, but the overall system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the force-sensing function from separate expensive spring elements and specialized sensors, and instead integrates it directly into the cover plate structure. This extraction and integration approach reduces the quantity and cost of additional components while maintaining ease of operation through the cover plate's inherent deflection characteristics.
4Measurement precision
If optoelectric sensors are used to detect local deformation, then pressing force can be measured, but device complexity increases compared to simple distance measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex optoelectric sensors with simpler distance measurement capabilities, utilizing the deflection of the cover plate itself as the sensing mechanism. This substitution reduces device complexity while maintaining measurement precision through the direct mechanical deflection of the cover plate that can be detected by less complex sensors.
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
Simplifies the construction and reduces costs by measuring force through distance detection, ensuring intentional actuation detection without noticeable deformation, and enhancing user experience with haptic feedback.
Implementation Method 1
the display (12) is elastically connected to the holding device (24) in a deflectable manner... exerting a pressing force on the display operating surface results in a 'deflection'
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to an operating device (10) for a vehicle, comprising a display (12) with a touch-sensor system (36) for inputting a command and additionally a retaining device (24) which retains the display (12). The retaining device (24) has a base face (25) and a free area (28) which is defined by support elements (22) protruding from the base face. The operating device (10) is additionally provided with at least one actuation sensor (32) for detecting a bend of the display (12) upon being manually actuated and an analysis unit (38) which is connected to the touch sensor system (36) and the at least one actuation sensor (32) for analyzing the signals of the touch sensor system (36) and the at least one actuation sensor (32).