# US 10,120,567 B2 · System, apparatus and method for vehicle command and control

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- Number: US 10,120,567 B2
- Document ID: US10120567B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/090,061
- Filed: 2016-04-04
- Published: 2016-10-06
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-04-02
- Assignees: Inpris Innovative Products From Israel Ltd
- Applicants: Inpris Innovative Products From Israel Ltd
- Inventors: Ben Etzion Yaron; Nissan Yaron
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120567B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
- B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
- B60K 35/21: using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays
- B60K 35/60: Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10)
- B60K 35/654: {the user being the driver}
- B60K 35/658: {the instruments being ergonomically adjustable to the user}
- G06F 3/04847: Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
- B60K 35/28: characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
- B60K 2360/143: Touch sensitive instrument input devices
- B60K 2360/146: Instrument input by gesture
- B60K 2360/1468: Touch gesture
- B60K 2360/1472: Multi-touch gesture
- B60K 2360/164: Infotainment
- B60K 2360/782: on the steering wheel
- G06F 2203/04804: Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
- G06F 2203/04808: Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES

## Abstract

The teachings herein generally relate to systems, methods and apparatuses useful in vehicle command and control. For example, a vehicle control system according to the teachings herein may include one or more touch panels connected to a steering wheel and being in communicative connection to a vehicle control processor. Preferably, the touch panel(s) are configured face down, and adapted to track touches (e.g., simultaneous touches) by multiple individually identified fingers. As another example, an apparatus for vehicle command and control, according to the teachings herein, may include one or more face down touch panels positioned to be touched by a driver's fingers while the driver's thumb holds or otherwise contacts a steering wheel. Preferably, the touch panels are in communication with a view screen enabled to display an indication of touch actions by multiple fingers touching the panels. The touch panels preferably include touch sensors adapted to identify touches of multiple fingers of a user. Preferably, the touch sensors are associated with software for identifying and tracking touches (e.g., movements) of every finger individually out of multiple fingers and determining whether each touch is a sliding movement or a non-sliding contact.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle control system, comprising:
a touch panel connected to a steering wheel, and being in communicative connection to a vehicle control processor, wherein the touch panel is configured face down relative to a driver, and the vehicle control system is adapted to track touches by multiple individually identified fingers on the touch panel, wherein each finger is identified solely by its location of contact on the touch panel and locations of contact of the other fingers; and
wherein the vehicle control system has a mode for positioning touch zones,
wherein one of the touch zones is positioned in the region of each location of contact of multiple fingers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a view screen for displaying a touch related user interface, the interface adapted to show indications of the multiple individually identified fingers on the touch panel, and function options available for each of the identified finger.

### Claim 3

An apparatus for vehicle command and control, comprising:
a touch panel positioned faced down relative to a driver and portioned to be touched by the driver's fingers of one hand while the driver's thumb of the hand holds a steering wheel; wherein the panel is in communication with a view screen, enabled to display an indication of touch actions by multiple fingers touching the touch panel; wherein the touch panel includes touch sensors adapted to identify touches of multiple fingers of the driver; and wherein the touch sensors are associated with software for identifying and tracking touches of every finger individually out of the multiple fingers including identifying whether each of the touches is a sliding movement or a non-sliding touch
wherein each finger is identified solely by its location of contact on the touch panel and locations of contact of the other fingers; and
wherein the apparatus has a mode for positioning touch zones, wherein one of the touch zones is positioned in the region of each location of contact of multiple fingers.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a keypad projector module to project a virtual interactive keypad/touch panel on a panel surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the software is an application that is in communication with a vehicle control application running on a computing system, the application adapted to monitor simultaneous touch of multiple fingers on the touch screen panel, to enable each of a driver's four fingers of one hand to enter vehicle control related instructions for the vehicle, while allowing the driver's hands to remain on the steering wheel and his or her eyes looking at the road.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the touch panel is positioned for contact by fingers of a first hand and the apparatus includes an additional touch panel positioned for contact by multiple fingers of a second hand, wherein the touch panels are positioned on the underside of the touch panels, so as to disallow user viewing of the touch panels, and wherein a user interface for vehicular command is provided on an associated view screen, the view screen to provide indications of the user touches on the apparatus.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the software is adapted to identify finger generated gestures for controlling vehicle functions without lifting a driver's hands off the steering wheel.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus includes an additional touch panel,
wherein the touch panels are connected to a vehicle steering wheel, adapted to be repositionable to as to enable ergonomic positioned relative to the driver for touching by up to four of the driver's fingers on each touch panel while holding the steering wheel with the driver's thumb.

### Claim 9 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus includes an additional touch panel, the touch panels are part of a kit for universal vehicle command and control, comprising one or more wireless communication enabled touch screen panels adapted to be connected to a vehicle steering wheel, such that the panels may be ergonomically positioned relative to the driver, to allow the driver's thumb to rest on the steering wheel, and have the four other fingers rest behind the steering wheel or on the underside of the panels.

### Claim 10 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the kit includes a link to associated vehicle command and control Application software to connect the driver's touches on the panel to the vehicle computing system, via a vehicle related Application Program Interface (i.e., API).

### Claim 11 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a device for virtual touch screen projection onto the touch panels.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control system of claim 1, wherein the system includes a second touch panel connected to the steering wheel, and being in communicative connection to the vehicle control processor, wherein the second touch panel is configured face down relative to the driver, and adapted to track touches by multiple individually identified fingers.

### Claim 13 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus includes a second face down panel positioned to be touched by the driver's fingers of a second hand while the thumb of the second hand holds the steering wheel, wherein the second panel is connected to the steering wheel, and is in communicative connection to the vehicle control processor, wherein the second touch panel is configured face down relative to the driver, and adapted to track touches by multiple individually identified fingers.

### Claim 14 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus controls a vehicle navigation device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus controls a vehicle radio control.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus enters text messages, enters emails, or enters search commands.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the number of touch zones is equal to the number of the contact of the multiple fingers.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein each touch zone is associated with at least one different vehicle control function.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the vehicle control system displays a vehicle control function associated with each contacted touch zone on a display.