Patent Application
20110054734
The present invention relates to handheld controllers of the type used to electronically indicate user inputs to a control module for further processing, such as but not limited to controllers of the type used within vehicles to facilitate control of one or more vehicle subsystems.
Many vehicles include a number of actuatable buttons within an instrumental panel to convey user intentions to control related vehicle subsystems. The buttons are typically placed below a static indicator of the related function such that the underlying function controlled by the button is fixed throughout all ranges of vehicle operation. Some multi-layer display have been used instead of theses types of static indicators so that other functional controls can be implemented with actuation of the same button. Instead of having a static image around a cluster of buttons on the instrument panel to exclusively designate climate control options, for example, the multi-layer displays can change the images to reflect entertainment or navigation control options. In the event the buttons are positioned around a display and/or if the display is a touch screen, the displayed options can be changed depending on user interaction.
While this approach supports the multi-layer display and control functionality contemplated by the present invention, it does not contemplate or suggest addressing the difficulties associated with the user reaching from a secure steering implement (e.g., steering, wheel, joystick, etc.) to actuate one of the buttons positioned farther forward on the instrument panel. This type of movement requires the user to shift their vision from a direction of travel to the instrument panel, to shift their balance from a normal seated position, and to disengage from support provided by the steering implement. This complex range of movements can be distracting and cumbersome, especially if the user is required to repeatedly reach away for the instrument panel to command one or more of the vehicle subsystems or if the user is operating the vehicle at a high rate of speed where support of both hands may be desirable.
Some vehicles have elected to mimic user operations of the instrument panel buttons with buttons included on the steering implement, which can be helpful in ameliorating the difficulties associated with reaching for the instrument panel buttons. The movement of the user actuated buttons on the steering implement can itself be problematic, however, since at least in the case of the steering wheel, the buttons are continuously orientated in different positional relations to the user. The buttons consequently change in positional relation to the user depending of the position of the steering implement, which can make it difficult for the user to easily identify the desired button and difficult for the user to actuate the desired button when the steering implement is in an awkward position.
The present invention is pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. However, other features of the present invention will become more apparent and the present invention will be best understood by referring to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompany drawings in which:
In addition to the HCD 12, a driver or front-seat passenger may manipulate one or more buttons 28, 30, 32 included on a steering wheel 34 and one or more buttons 36, included on an instrument panel 40 to similarly communicate user inputs to the vehicle system controller 16. A display 44 and any number of gauges 46, 48, 50, 52 may be included within or proximate to the instrument panel 40 to facilitate communications with the vehicle occupants and to provide multi-layer control of the vehicle subsystems. Depending on the type of vehicle 14, any number of vehicle subsystems may be included and controlled according to user inputs. One non-limiting aspect of the present invention contemplates facilitating controls within a police cruiser. This may include controlling typical vehicle subsystems, such as but not limited to an entertainment system, navigation system, heating and cooling system, etc., as well as police specific subsystems, such as but not limited to lights/sirens, radar, camera, and wireless radio subsystems.
The HCD 12 may be positioned on a riser 54 included on a floor 56 of the vehicle 14 between the driver seat 20 and the passenger seat 22. The HCD 12 may be affixed to the riser 54 as a structurally stable and rigid device in that it can be used to provide constant and immovable support to the driver. In particular, the HCD 12 may include a hand grip 60 shaped to match and support the contours of a common human hand. The shaped and design of the hand grip 60 may be such that the driver can place their right hand on the HCD 12 to receive some structural support and positional security while steering with their left hand. This can be helpful in allowing the driver to actuate one more buttons included on the hand grip 60 without unduly interrupting the driver's ability to manage the vehicle 14, without taking the driver's line of sight from the road/windshield, and/or without requiring the driver to track positional changes of the buttons.
The hand grip 60 is shown to be ergonomically shaped to match contours of the average human hand (see
Part of the ergonomic shaping may include the illustrated contours, including those corresponding with a top half 62 of the hand grip 60 being generally sloped upwardly from rear to front relative to a bottom half 64 that is sloped downwardly from rear to front (see
The base structure 70 of the hand grip 60 may include a top piece 84 and a bottom piece 86, which are shown in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention as stamped metal components. The use of stamped metal, as opposed to molded plastic, which itself may be used, may be advantageous in limiting assembly and design costs. A keypad 90 may be affixed to a forward end of the base structure 70 and at a distance from the hand grip 60 that allows the average human hand to rest their palm on the hand grip 60 and at the same time reach a forward most end of the keypad 90 without disengaging from a seated position on the hand grip 60. To facilitate the desired positional relation of the keypad 90 to the hand grip 60, and to accommodate the shape of each component, the top piece 84 of the base structure 70 may be sloped upwardly relative to a corresponding portion of the bottom piece 86. Each of the forward and rearward ends of the base structure 70 may be shaped as illustrated to facilitate maximizing the positional stability of the keypad 90 relative to the hand grip 60.
The bottom piece of the base structure 70 may include a plurality of apertures 94, 96, 98 to facilitate attachment to the vehicle 14, such as by screwing or welding. A number of removable fasteners (illustrated as screws) may also be used to facilitate attaching the two pieces 84, 86 of the base structure 70 together and to portions of the keypad 90 and hand grip 60. Offsets created by upward extending portions 100, 102 of each piece 84, 86 may be sufficient to permit a flexible cable 104 to run between the keypad 90 and hand grip 60 within a substantially protected covering. The cable 104 may include removable connectors 106, 108 configured to removable connect to printed circuit boards (PCBs) 110, 112 housed within each of the keypad 90 and hand grip 60. The cable 104 may be used to facilitate signal exchange between the two PCBs 110, 112. The ability of the PCBs 110, 112 to communicate with each other can be advantageous in facilitating communication of user inputs to the keypad 90 and hand grip 60.
Each of the keypad 90 and hand grip 60 may include a number of push buttons 116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, 142, 144 (referred to as “push buttons”) to facilitate receipt of the user inputs. The push buttons may be of the type that rely on a generally linear compression of the buttons in a direction parallel or along an axis defined by a centerline through each push button. In addition to the push buttons, the hand grip 60 is shown to include top and bottom toggle buttons 146, 148 and a wheel button 150. Where the push buttons return to an uncompressed, non-signal generating position when compression is removed, the toggle buttons 146, 148 and wheel button 150 remain in the current position until actuated to a new position. The toggle buttons 146, 148 may be moveable between first and second positions while the wheel button 150 is axially rotated between any number of positions, typically measured by a radial positioning measure.
User manipulation of the push buttons, toggle buttons 146, 148, and wheel button 150 may by communicated by the PCBs 110, 112 to the vehicle system controller 16. Optionally, the PCB 110 included in the hand grip 60 may be a passive PCB in that is simply relays button manipulation to the PCB 112 within the keypad 90 without any processing by a processor. A processor 152 on the keypad PCB 112 may then process the related impulses for transmission through a network interface and cable 154 connected to the vehicle system controller 16, allowing the system 10 to employ a minimum number of processors to exchange messages with the vehicle system controller 16. The processor 152 may format the user inputs into data messages prior to transmitting the corresponding information to the vehicle system controller 16. The data messages may be created according to any type of protocol and include any type of information, such as but not limited to an identification of the actuated button, a state of the button, and a time of actuation. This information may be used by the vehicle system controller 16 to coordinate related subsystem control.
The present invention fully contemplates the use of the hand grip and keypad buttons to facilitate any type of control, including multi-layer and variable display based controls where the subsystem controlled by the same button can at different times be used to instigate a different type of control depending on information shown within the display 44 or elsewhere within the instrument panel 40 at the time of manipulation. In some cases, user inputs to the HCD 12 may also be used to control remotely or wirelessly connected devices, such as but not limited to wireless devices like handheld radios, cellular phones, computers, etc. that may otherwise be in communication with the vehicle system controller 16. In this manner, the present invention is able to provide a structural secure, non-movable controller 12 to facilitate communication of user inputs to a vehicle system controller 16 that can be used to control virtually any system and facilitate the receipt of virtually any user input, especially when operated with information varying displays and other instrument panel features.
One non-limiting aspect of the present invention contemplates using the HCD 12 to facilitate user inputs within a police cruiser. Police cruisers may include a laptop computer 160 positioned forwardly of the HCD 12 that can be interfaced with the HCD 12 and controlled via inputs to the keypad 90 and hand grip 60. For example, a police office may input license plate numbers into the computer 160, or a computer located elsewhere in the vehicle 14, prior to instigating a traffic stops, such as to identify the individual and their police record. Shortly after inputting the license number, the officer may radio dispatch to notify the operator of any impending traffic stop and to active the lights and sirens to instruct the vehicle to move to the side of the road. These exchanges can be facilitated with the HCD 12 in that the HCD 12 can be used to input the license plate numbers, to radio dispatch, to active the lights and sirens, etc. While some of the related controls may be rely on the vehicle system controller 16 to change displays and other information in coordination with the user inputs to the HCD 12, the process can be advantageous in that the officer can complete all tasks that previously required greater movement between input devices without having to remove their hand from the HCD 12.
To facilitate some of the police cruiser operations contemplated by the present invention, the keypad is shown to include a L/S button 122, a memo button 124, a RPT button 126, a voice button 132, a number of numerical buttons for #1-#6 128, 130, 134, 136, 138, 140, and an emergency, 911 button 142. The L/S button 122 can be used to activate the lights and sirens. The voice button 132 can be used to radio dispatch or to conduct a mobile phone call through a vehicle speak and microphone arrangement. The number buttons 128, 130, 134, 136, 140 can be used to facilitate inputting numbers and selecting inputs from displayed information. The emergency, 911 button 142 can be used to generate an alert or other message to indicate an officer emergency.
The buttons 116, 118, 120 on the hand grip 60 may not necessarily be labeled like the buttons on the keypad, although they may be. The hand grip buttons, however, can operation in conjunction with the buttons on the keypad or as an alternative to the same, i.e., some operations may be instigated through keypad inputs as well as hand grip inputs. The table shown below illustrates a number of functions that may be instigated through hand grip 60.
Mode SO
Due to the ability of the present invention to provide single-handed control of any number of vehicle subsystems, it may be desirable to arrange and implement the corresponding controls in an intuitive and consistent manner so that the driver need not necessarily look at displays 44, gauges 46, 48, 50, 42 or other areas of the vehicle 14 when operating the HCD 12. Along those lines, the HCD buttons may be configured to provide tactile or audible feedback to the driver in order to let the driver know when an input has been received. Protuberances or other sensation inducing features may be included on the buttons or in proximity thereto, such as on the keypad 90 and hand grip 60, to indicate functions of the associated button and/or to simply identify its position relative to the other buttons.
As shown in
As shown in
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for the claims and/or as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. The features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments and combinations of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/238,887 filed Sep. 1, 2009, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61238887 | Sep 2009 | US |
