Steering Wheel Input Device Having Gesture Recognition and Angle Compensation Capabilities

摘要

A steering wheel input device is mounted on a vehicle steering wheel and includes a pointer detection device detecting a pointer event on a pointer detection surface, any movement or breaking of the pointer event, and the speed, velocity, and acceleration of the pointer event, and outputs a corresponding pointer detection signal. The steering wheel input device also includes a rotation angle sensor and a processor. The rotation angle sensor takes measurements related to an angle of rotation of the steering wheel and outputs a corresponding rotation detection signal. The processor determines the angle of rotation of the steering wheel using the rotation detection signal, determines which gesture that the pointer detection signal corresponds to using the pointer detection signal and the angle of rotation of the steering wheel, and outputs a command corresponding to the gesture. The command can serve as input to control vehicular systems.

主权项

1. A steering wheel input device mounted on a steering wheel of a vehicle, comprising:
a pointer detection device comprising a pointer detection surface and an input detection unit, wherein the input detection unit is configured to detect on the pointer detection surface one of a single pointer event or a multiple simultaneous pointer event, a movement or breaking of the pointer event, and a speed, velocity, and acceleration of the pointer event, wherein the input detection unit is configured to output in response a corresponding pointer detection signal; a rotation angle sensor configured to measure an angle of rotation of the steering wheel and to output at least one corresponding rotation detection signal; and a processor configured to
determine the angle of rotation of the steering wheel with reference to the at least one corresponding rotation detection signal output by the rotation angle sensor,determine a gesture provided as input from a user from among a plurality of gestures that the pointer detection signal corresponds to with reference to the pointer detection signal and the angle of rotation of the steering wheel, andoutput a command corresponding to the gesture to a device in the vehicle.