Touchscreen Knob Cover Glass for Tactile Vehicle Display Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing touch-based vehicle displays suffer from touch misrecognition and reduced manipulation feeling due to the use of virtual buttons or dials, lacking the convenience and aesthetics of physical systems.

Innovation Solution

A display operation device featuring a cover glass with an integrated knob that provides tactile feedback, demarcated by a boundary portion, and a flat touch portion, allowing seamless operation and recognition through tactile sense, and optionally formed from the same material as the cover glass.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If virtual buttons or dials are used on touchscreen displays, then the number of physical operating systems can be reduced, but touch misrecognition occurs and manipulation feeling deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of physical operating systemsVSAvoidmanipulation feeling
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the advantages of both physical and virtual operating systems by integrating a physical knob structure with touchscreen functionality. The knob is attached to the cover glass at a position corresponding to the touch area, combining tactile physical manipulation with digital touch recognition. This allows the system to reduce the number of separate physical buttons while maintaining excellent manipulation feeling through the physical knob's tactile feedback and geometric shape.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If physical operating systems are used, then manipulation feeling is improved, but the number of physical buttons or dials increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanipulation feelingVSAvoidnumber of physical operating systems
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The knob structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides tactile manipulation feedback as a physical operating system, acts as a visual indicator through its geometric shape and material properties, and interfaces with the touchscreen display through positional correspondence. This multi-functionality allows a single component to replace what would traditionally require multiple separate physical buttons or dials, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining excellent manipulation feeling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If a knob is attached to the cover glass, then tactile feedback is provided, but additional structure is introduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetactile feedbackVSAvoidadditional structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The knob is attached to the cover glass which serves as a thin film protective layer over the display panel. By utilizing the cover glass as the mounting surface, the design avoids adding substantial structural complexity to the device housing. The knob's geometric shape and material properties provide tactile feedback while the attachment to the existing cover glass minimizes additional structural requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Ease of manufacture

If different materials are used for the knob and cover glass, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but design seamlessness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial selection flexibilityVSAvoiddesign seamlessness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent specifies that the knob includes the same material as the cover glass, creating visual and tactile homogeneity across the display surface. This material consistency ensures that the knob blends seamlessly with the cover glass, maintaining design seamlessness and aesthetic continuity. The geometric shape of the knob, formed from the same material, allows it to integrate smoothly with the overall display assembly without creating visual discontinuities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #33Homogeneity

Data Source

PatentEP4667267A1Display operation device and vehicle including the same
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 HYUNDAI MOBIS CO LTD
  • EP4667267A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4667267A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4667267A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A display operation device includes a cover glass configured to cover a front surface of a display panel including a touch area, and a knob attached to a position corresponding to the touch area on a front surface of the cover glass. The knob includes a boundary portion along a circumference of the knob to demarcate a boundary with the display panel, and a flat touch portion inside the boundary portion. The display operation device can provide a user with appropriate operating feeling while facilitating the operation (or manipulation) of a display through the shape of the knob attached to the cover glass formed to cover the front surface of the display panel.