Dynamic Pressure Threshold for Vehicle Touch Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing touch-sensitive operating units in motor vehicles face challenges due to acceleration forces during driving, leading to discrepancies between intended and actual inputs, which can result in operating errors and an unpleasant user experience.

Innovation Solution

A method that detects the position and pressure on a touch-sensitive operating unit, adjusts a pressure threshold value based on the vehicle's speed and acceleration, and only triggers functions if the applied pressure exceeds this threshold, providing a more reliable and user-friendly operation by simulating a mechanical button experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a touch-sensitive operating unit is used without pressure threshold adjustment, then the operation is simple and responsive, but acceleration forces during driving cause discrepancies between intended and actual inputs leading to operating errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinput accuracyVSAvoidoperating mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure threshold is made dynamic rather than static, automatically adjusting based on detected acceleration forces during driving. The system monitors acceleration data and adapts the pressure threshold in real-time to compensate for acceleration-induced input deviations, resolving the contradiction between maintaining simple operation and ensuring reliable input accuracy under varying driving conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the pressure threshold parameter based on acceleration conditions. When acceleration forces are detected, the pressure threshold is adjusted to account for the discrepancy between intended and actual finger positions on the touch-sensitive surface, thereby improving input accuracy without requiring a completely different operating mechanism

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the pressure threshold is set high to prevent accidental inputs, then operating errors are reduced, but legitimate inputs during normal driving may also be missed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinput accuracyVSAvoidoperation responsiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure threshold dynamically adapts to current driving conditions through acceleration detection. During normal driving with low acceleration, the threshold remains lower to maintain ease of operation. When significant acceleration forces are detected that would cause input discrepancies, the threshold is temporarily adjusted to prevent accidental inputs, thus balancing reliability and ease of operation in real-time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses acceleration data as feedback to continuously adjust the pressure threshold. By monitoring acceleration forces and their effect on input accuracy, the system provides feedback-driven adaptation of the pressure threshold, ensuring that the threshold remains appropriate for current driving conditions without requiring manual intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the pressure threshold is adjusted based on acceleration forces, then input accuracy is improved, but the operation becomes less intuitive and more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinput accuracyVSAvoidoperation intuitiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The operating system automatically adjusts the pressure threshold based on detected acceleration forces without requiring user awareness or manual intervention. The system serves itself by monitoring its own operating conditions and adapting the pressure threshold accordingly, improving input accuracy while maintaining operation intuitiveness from the user perspective

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces mechanical button pressing with a software-based pressure threshold adjustment mechanism that responds to acceleration forces. Instead of requiring physical mechanical buttons that are inherently resistant to acceleration effects, the system uses a touch-sensitive surface with dynamically adjusted pressure thresholds, achieving similar reliability through a more flexible electronic mechanism

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 approach enhances the reliability and ease of use of the operating device by ensuring that functions are only triggered with sufficient pressure, adapting to driving conditions and preventing accidental inputs, thus improving the overall user experience and reducing errors.

Implementation Method 1

detecting a pressure by means of a detecting device, with which the touch-sensitive operating unit is acted upon at the position with the object

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure sensing:

Data Source

PatentEP3224077B1Method for operating an operator control device of a motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2018.10.17 AUDI AG
  • EP3224077B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3224077B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for operating an operator control device (10) of a motor vehicle, comprising the steps: – detecting a position at which a touch-sensitive operator control unit (12) is touched by an object (18), – detecting a pressure (pm) which is applied to the touch-sensitive operator control unit (12) by the object (18) at the position, by means of a detection device (14); characterized by the steps: – detecting a speed (vm) and/or an acceleration (am) of the motor vehicle; – predefining a pressure threshold value (ps) as a function of the detected speed (vm) and/or the detected acceleration(am) of the motor vehicle; – determining whether the detected pressure (pm) is higher than the predefined pressure threshold value (ps); – triggering a function (F), assigned to the detected position, of the motor vehicle exclusively if the detected pressure (pm) is higher than the predefined pressure threshold value (ps).