Touch-Sensitive Interior Trim Lighting for Seamless Vehicle Controls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern motor vehicles face challenges in creating an ergonomic and intuitive control system with a minimal number of controls that integrate seamlessly into the vehicle's interior design, as new functions are continuously added with each generation, making it difficult to maintain a clutter-free and user-friendly interface.
Innovation Solution
An interior trim part featuring a light source strip integrated with a touch-sensitive button unit, where the light source is controlled to provide visual feedback upon touch, allowing for intuitive operation and ambient lighting, using a capacitive or piezoelectric sensor element and a control unit that communicates touch information to adjust the light source's state, ensuring easy integration and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple operating elements are added to control new vehicle functions, then the vehicle's functionality and adaptability are improved, but the device complexity and number of controls increase
Solution Approach 1:
The linear lighting element is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides ambient lighting, indicates button press status, and serves as the control interface itself through touch-sensitive areas. This multi-functional design allows the same component to handle both illumination and control tasks, reducing the need for separate operating elements while maintaining vehicle functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the lighting function and control function into a single integrated element. The linear lighting serves as both the ambient light source and the control interface, with touch-sensitive areas integrated directly into the lighting structure. This merging eliminates the need for separate buttons or controls, reducing overall device complexity
2Ease of operation
If traditional buttons and switches are used for vehicle controls, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the integration into interior design and visual appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control function is merged with the lighting element, creating a seamless integration where the control interface is indistinguishable from the ambient lighting. The touch-sensitive areas are integrated into the linear lighting structure, allowing controls to blend into the interior design while maintaining operational functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The linear lighting can change its light emission pattern and intensity to indicate different operational states. When a touch is detected, the lighting changes from ambient mode to indication mode, providing visual feedback to the user. This dynamic visual feedback maintains ease of operation while preserving aesthetic integration
3Shape
If the button unit is made transparent to blend with the interior design, then the visual integration is improved, but the detectability of the control element deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The linear lighting changes its light emission characteristics when a touch is detected, transitioning from ambient lighting to a distinct indication pattern. This dynamic visual feedback makes the control element detectable only when activated, preserving aesthetic integration during normal operation while providing clear feedback during interaction
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides immediate visual feedback through the linear lighting when a touch is detected. The control unit receives the touch signal and triggers a change in light emission, confirming to the user that the control input has been registered. This feedback mechanism enhances detectability without requiring the button to be permanently visible
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
This solution provides a control element that is both visually integrated into the vehicle's design and offers clear feedback to the user, enhancing user experience by distinguishing signal lighting from ambient lighting, while maintaining a minimalistic and intuitive control layout.
Implementation Method 1
at least one light source strip (2) with at least one light source (3)... light emitted by the light source at least partially penetrates the trim strip (4) and the button unit (6)
Implementation Method 2
The touch unit can comprise a piezoelectric or capacitive sensor element... a capacitive sensor element in particular offers the advantage that direct contact with the display surface is not necessarily required to detect a touch
Implementation Method 3
The touch unit can comprise a piezoelectric or capacitive sensor element
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to an interior trim part (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a light source strip (2) which comprises at least one light source (3); an at least partly transparent decorative strip (4) which forms at least one part of a visible side (5) of the interior trim part (1); and a flat, at least partly transparent touch-sensitive button unit (6) for operating at least one vehicle function, said button unit being arranged on the decorative strip (4) in a flat manner at least in some sections. The light source strip (2) is arranged relative to the decorative strip (4) such that light (14) emitted by the light source (3) at least partly radiates through the decorative strip (4) and the button unit (6). The light source (3) can be actuated by a control unit, wherein the button unit (6) is connected to the control unit, and the control unit is designed to actuate the light source (3) such that depending on whether the button unit (6) detects a contact (15), the light source (3) is changed in at least one switching state such that the light (14) of the light source (3) indicates that the button unit (6) has detected a contact (15).