HAPTIC CONTROL MODULE FOR A VEHICLE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a haptic control module for a vehicle comprising a rotary encoder, an interface for communication with an external unit to be controlled and an actor for exciting the rotary encoder according to a haptic profile. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a steering wheel comprising such haptic control module. Additionally, the present invention relates to a method of haptic controlling a component of a vehicle including the steps of receiving the signal from an external unit to be controlled via an interface for communication and exciting a rotary encoder by an actor according to a haptic profile.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0002] Document CN 102756752 B discloses a tactile steering wheel switch equipment. It comprises a haptic wheel outer cover unit being arranged on a steering wheel for a vehicle. A haptic wheel device unit comprises a haptic wheel device actor, a haptic knob and a sensing cell. The sensing cell detects a slew mode of a touch axel. The haptic knob realizes a rotary manipulation in the plain formed by the steering wheel of the vehicle. The haptic wheel device actor moves vertically along the touch axel. The haptic knob operates vertically.
[0003] Furthermore, document JP 2010 540 320 A discloses a housing attached to a steering wheel. A printed circuit board is disposed in the housing and a haptic rotary switch drive disposed in the housing generates a rotational force based on an electrical signal. A haptic rotary switch power transmission unit transmits the rotational force generated in the haptic rotary switch drive unit. The haptic rotary switch unit includes a haptic rotary switch knob.
[0004] Document EP 2 518 591 A2 discloses a haptic steering wheel switch apparatus including a haptic wheel housing unit configured to be disposed on a vehicle steering wheel. A circuit board unit is configured to be disposed inside the haptic wheel housing unit. A haptic knob is connected with a haptic shaft and disposed in the haptic wheel housing unit. A sensing unit is configured to detect the rotating state of the haptic shaft.
[0005] Even if there is a haptic feedback when operating the rotary encoder, a good intuitive interaction on the steering wheel is not achieved in the prior art. The haptic is generated in a simple fashion from the force generated from an electric motor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is the object of the present invention to provide a better and more intuitive interaction of a rotary encoder.
[0007] This object is solved by a haptic controller module according to claim 1 and a method according to claim 5. Further preferable developments of the haptic control module and the method are defined in the sub-claims.
[0008] Accordingly, a haptic control module for a vehicle is provided, comprising a rotary encoder, an interface for communication with an external unit to be controlled and an actor for exciting the rotary encoder according to a haptic profile, characterized by storing means for storing multiple haptic profiles and controlling means for selecting one of the haptic profiles and applying it to the actor in response to a signal received by the interface.
[0009] Such module allows for changing haptic feedback characteristics of the rotary encoder for a better and more intuitive interaction on a steering wheel, for example. The haptics may change due to context changing of a display unit, an audio output unit or a target operating unit.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the haptic control module the signal from the interface includes information about a number of items of a list, a type of a list element or a position in the list. In other words, the haptic controller can get information from a GUI (graphic user interface) about list elements (number of items in the list, type of the list elements or position in the list). Then, the haptic controller is able to load and set the haptic profiles dependent on the list and user interface elements. The user then can interact with the rotary knob and given the rotary knob position the controller will drive the haptic motor accordingly. This improves the usability of steering wheel control interactions.
[0011] According to a further embodiment, the actor is an electric motor acting on a haptic knob by locking it or by varying its rotary resistance when the knob is twisted.
[0012] Preferably, the steering wheel comprises a haptic control module as mentioned above. In this case the steering wheel shows the above-mentioned advantages.
[0013] The above-mentioned object is also solved by a method of haptic control of a component of a vehicle including the steps of receiving a signal from an external unit to be controlled via an interface for communication and exciting a rotary encoder by an actor according to a haptic profile, characterized by storing multiple haptic profiles and selecting one of the haptic profiles and applying it to the actor in response to the signal received by the interface.
[0014] The variations and advantages described above in connection with the haptic control module also apply to the inventive method.
[0015] In a specific embodiment of the method the external unit is a user interface, a display unit, an audio output unit or a target operating unit.
[0016] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of preferred embodiments as well as from the drawings. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The novel features and characteristic of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of system and/or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures.
[0018] The drawings show in: [0019] Fig. 1 a haptic module flow diagram; [0020] Fig. 2 a user interface flow diagram; and [0021] Fig. 3 a system block diagram for a haptic control module.
[0022] In the figures the same elements or elements having the same function are indicated by the same reference signs.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] In the present document, the word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration". Any embodiment or implementation of the present subject matter described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.
[0024] While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawing and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.
[0025] The terms "comprises", "comprising", or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion so that a setup, device or method that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by "comprises" or "comprise" does not or do not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method.
[0026] In the following detailed description of the embodiment of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawing that forms part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific embodiment in which the disclosure may be practiced. This embodiment is described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
[0027] In order to achieve a preferably real-time haptic feedback, the haptic control module should be an independent module communicating to a user interface over CAN, for instance. The module should be able to get the number of items of the list and to be able to keep track of where it is in the list. It also has to update the user interface when the user wants to change the current item the user is viewing. Haptic profiles can be made and saved to the module. The user interface can tell the module what motor profile it should use and change the profile, given a new list, an element in the list, etc. [0028] The haptic control module can start out in a wait state. It waits for instructions from the user interface. When a list has been picked and is shown on the user interface, the user interface sends a "list is shown"-signal. The user interface then waits for a fetch signal to send the number of items in the list, the starting position of the list and the kind of motor profile to be used.
[0029] Once the module has the information, it waits for the user interaction. As soon as the user interacts with the haptic knob by either twisting it clockwise or counter-clockwise, the encoder in the motor will track the position of the knob. If the knob travels past a set threshold for a haptic tick, it will vibrate the motor to give the user a sensation as if they press through a mechanical action. The haptic motor can also detect the end of the list, so it can automatically lock the knob in place or it could increase the resistance of the knob to make it very hard for the user to twist it. In more details, different profiles can be used if the user interface requests it. Also, the haptics changing due to context changing from the display unit, the audio output unit or the target operating unit.
[0030] A concrete embodiment of the present invention will now be described in connection with Fig. 1. This Fig. shows a haptic module flow diagram. The steps of the flow diagram can be performed or initiated by a respective controlling device. The controlling device may be equipped with a processor connected with a memory unit and respective drivers.
[0031] The haptic module may start in a wait state 1. Upon receiving the signal "list is shown" on the user interface, the haptic module fetches information about the list in step 2. It gets a number of items in the list and a motor profile for example. In step 3 it waits for an input from the user. The user turns the knob and it has to be decided in which direction the knob is turned in step 4. If the knob is turned counter-clockwise (COW) the direction is set to CCB in step 5. Otherwise, if the knob is turned clockwise (CW) the direction is set to OW in step 6.
[0032] After steps 5 and 6 it is decided in step 7 whether the encoder has reached a threshold for haptic vibration. If yes, the direction is sent and the list position is updated to the user interface in step 8. In the following step 9 the motor is vibrated. After that it is asked in step 10 whether the list is still present. If yes, the routine jumps to step 11, where it is decided whether the knob has been at the same encoder count for 300 ms. If no in step 11, the routine jumps to step 7. If yes in step 11, it jumps to step 3.
[0033] If the encoder did not reach the threshold for haptic vibration in step 7, the routine jumps to step 11. Furthermore, if the list is still present in step 10, the routine jumps to the wait state 1.
[0034] Fig. 2 shows a user interface flow diagram. The steps of the flow diagram can be performed or initiated by a respective controlling device. The controlling device may be equipped with a processor connected with a memory unit and respective drivers.
[0035] In a step 21 the user selects a list. A corresponding signal "list is shown" is sent. After that it is waited for a fetch signal from the control module in step 22. Upon the fetch signal list information is gathered in step 23. The list information is sent and it is decided in step 24 whether there is an updated list signal. If yes, in step 25 the list item view is updated. Afterwards it is returned to step 24.
[0036] If there is no updated list signal in step 24, the routine jumps to step 26, where it is checked whether a "close list" signal is present. If yes, the routine jumps to step 27 for doing other user interface things. If no, the routine jumps from step 26 to step 24.
[0037] Fig. 3 shows a system block diagram for an exemplary haptic control module 30. The haptic control module 30 includes a micro controller 31. The micro controller 31 comprises a CAN interface 32 for connection to a car's CAN 33. The micro controller 31 further has an I2C or a SRI interface 34, which is connected to a motor driver 35. The motor driver 35 drives a stepper motor 36, for example. The stepper motor 36 may be equipped with an encoder 37 which delivers its encoding information to an encoder interface 38 of the micro controller 31.
[0038] Preferably, the system should be composed of a processor 31 that has a floating point unit, for interrupting a CAN port and a SRI or I2C port.
Reference signs 1 step 2 step 3 step 4 step step 6 step 7 step 8 step 9 step step 11 step 21 step 22 step 23 step 24 step step 26 step 27 step hapfic control module 31 micro controller 32 CAN interface 33 car's CAN 34 I2C or SPI interface motor driver 36 stepper motor 37 encoder 38 encoder interface