Vehicle Window Gesture Control via Sensor Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle window control systems require dedicated switches with buttons, making it inconvenient to open and close windows, and there is a need for a more intuitive control method that does not rely on these switches.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle window control system that uses a sensor to detect the position and movement of an object, such as a finger, on the window, and a processing circuitry to determine the occupant's intention, allowing the window to be operated without a dedicated switch, by initiating movements based on predefined operations within active areas on the window.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a dedicated control switch with buttons is mounted on the door or control panel, then the window can be opened and closed reliably, but the operation becomes less intuitive and more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the control function from a dedicated switch and relocates it directly to the window surface. The window itself becomes the control interface through active areas that detect object position and movement, eliminating the need for separate control switches mounted on doors or panels.
Solution Approach 2:
The window serves multiple functions: it provides the primary enclosure function while also serving as the control interface for opening and closing operations. The active areas on the window enable direct manipulation, making the window both the object being controlled and the control device itself.
2Reliability
If control buttons are mounted on the door or control panel, then the window control system is reliable, but it requires additional components and mounting locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control function with the window structure itself. The active areas are integrated into the window, combining the window's protective enclosure function with its control function. This reduces the number of separate components while maintaining reliable control through the sensor-based detection system.
3Ease of operation
If traditional switches with buttons are used, then the control mechanism is simple and reliable, but it lacks intuitive gesture-based operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical button-pressing system with an optical or electromagnetic detection system. Sensors detect the position and movement of objects (such as fingers) on the window surface, translating physical gestures into control signals without requiring mechanical contact with buttons.
Solution Approach 2:
The active areas on the window serve as intermediaries between the user's gestures and the window control system. These areas detect object position and movement, translating tactile interactions into control commands that initiate window movement sequences.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a
Figure 2b
AI summary
A system, method and computer program product for detecting, by at least a first sensor (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d), a position and/or movement of an object (8) at or on the at least first window (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d), determining, if the position and/or movement of the object (8) detected by the at least first sensor (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) represents an intention by a vehicle occupant to move the at least first window (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d), and responsive to a determination that the position and/or movement of the of the object (8) represents an intention by the vehicle occupant to move the at least first window (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d), cause the at least first window controller (10a, 10b) to initiate a movement of the at least first window (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d) accordingly.