Vehicle Gesture Interface Using Spatial Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle user interfaces with large, freely programmable display areas face challenges in ensuring intuitive and distraction-free operation, particularly due to mobility restrictions and the need to reach graphic objects without contorting or stretching, as objects can be out of reach for drivers and passengers.
Innovation Solution
A method and arrangement that allows graphic objects to be interacted with using gestures detected in a spatially separate detection space, where the gesture is recorded in phases, first on a touch-sensitive surface and then without contact, enabling the selection and movement of objects without physical proximity to the display area, allowing for intuitive and simple operation without distracting the driver.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If graphic objects are placed on a large display area extending across the vehicle width, then the display area and versatility are improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates because objects become out of reach for users due to mobility restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a camera as an intermediary device to capture hand gestures in space and translate them into control signals for graphic objects on the display. This mediator enables users to interact with distant objects without physical contact or movement toward the display, resolving the reachability issue while maintaining large display area versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical interaction system (touching or reaching the display surface) with an optical recognition system (camera-based gesture detection). Users perform gestures in air space that are captured by the camera and converted into control commands, eliminating the need for physical proximity to the display while maintaining full operational capability
2Ease of operation
If graphic objects are moved closer to the user for interaction, then the ease of operation is improved, but the display area and object positioning flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The camera acts as a mediator that decouples the physical distance between the user and the graphic objects. Users can interact with objects anywhere on the display by performing gestures in space, as the camera captures and translates these gestures into control signals, maintaining both ease of operation and display area versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a spatial dimension to the interaction paradigm by detecting gestures in three-dimensional space rather than requiring two-dimensional contact on the display surface. This dimensional shift allows users to interact with distant objects through air gestures, preserving both operational ease and display flexibility
3Measurement precision
If the user reaches or touches the display area to interact with objects, then the interaction precision is improved, but the driver distraction and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical touch interaction with optical gesture recognition. The camera captures hand movements in space and translates them into precise control signals, maintaining interaction precision while eliminating the need for physical contact with the display, thereby reducing driver distraction and safety risks
Solution Approach 2:
The camera serves as an intermediary that captures gesture information from a distance and translates it into precise control commands for the graphic objects. This mediator enables accurate interaction without requiring the driver to reach toward or touch the display, maintaining precision while minimizing distraction
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 the user to operate distant graphic objects on a display area without moving them closer, providing a simple and intuitive input method that reduces driver distraction and accommodates mobility restrictions, allowing for seamless interaction with vehicle controls and entertainment systems.
Implementation Method 1
a first phase of the gesture is recorded on a touch-sensitive surface within the user's reach
Implementation Method 2
a second phase of the gesture is recorded without contact in space
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3D
AI summary
The invention relates to a method and to an array (2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10) for providing a user interface, in particular in a vehicle (1). In the method according to the invention, at least one graphical object (15A - 15F) designated for interaction is depicted in a display area (4, 5) out of reach for the user. In a detection area (13) that is spatially separated from the display area (4, 5), a gesture of a user is captured and the graphical object (15B) for interaction is selected. An interaction assigned to the gesture is carried out by the selected graphical object (15B), wherein the position(s) of the selected graphical object (15) during the interaction is/are out of reach for the user.