# US 10,310,627 B2 · Customizable and reconfigurable virtual instrument panel

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- Number: US 10,310,627 B2
- Document ID: US10310627B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/785,006
- Filed: 2017-10-16
- Published: 2018-02-22
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2009-04-13
- Assignees: Applied Minds, LLC
- Applicants: Applied Minds, LLC
- Inventors: Bran Ferren; W. Daniel Hillis; Randall Adam Yates; Ira M. Lichtman; Clinton Blake Hope
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310627B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/0227: {Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer (G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence)}
- B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
- B60K 35/22: Display screens
- B60K 35/60: Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10)
- B60K 37/00: Dashboards (as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14)
- G06F 3/01: Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer (G06F3/16 takes precedence)
- G06F 3/0412: {Digitisers structurally integrated in a display}
- G06F 3/04847: Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
- G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
- G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback}
- G09G 5/00: Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators (image data processing or generation, in general G06T)
- B60K 2360/11: Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
- B60K 2360/1442: Emulation of input devices
- B60K 2360/145: Instrument input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
- B60K 2360/148: Instrument input by voice
- 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
- G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00)

## Abstract

The invention provides an instrument control panel that is easily customized and reconfigured, and yet provides the familiar tactile sensation of physical knobs, sliders, and buttons. The instrument control panel comprises one or more interface components that are removably coupled to an interface display wherein the interface components communicate with one or more control components disposed behind the interface display. The present invention lends itself particularly well to an instrument panel.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for controlling a device, comprising:
removably coupling an interface component to a first portion of an interface surface, wherein one or more encoders are coupled to at least a second portion of the interface surface;
detecting, via the one or more encoders, motion of at least one portion of the interface component;
tracking, via the one or more encoders, the motion of the at least one portion of the interface component and forming control input data based on the motion tracking; and
controlling the device using the control input data.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein tracking the motion of the at least one portion of the interface component comprises determining a rotational position of the interface component.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the interface component includes markings associated with the interface component.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the markings are reflective.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the interface component is a knob, and wherein the markings are located on a perimeter surface of the knob.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the markings are reflective at infrared (IR) wavelengths, and the method for controlling the device further comprises:
illuminating the markings with IR emitters, and
detecting, via one or more encoders, a position of the markings.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the markings are patterned to uniquely identify the interface component.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
transmitting the control input data to a processor using a wireless signal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the interface surface is disposed within a vehicle.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the interface surface is disposed within any of a dashboard, an instrument panel, a headrest, or a console of the vehicle.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the vehicle is any of an automobile, a boat, a train, or an airplane.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining an association between the interface component and an electronic application of the device; and
manipulating the electronic application upon a processor receiving the control input data.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein determining an association between the interface component and the electronic application comprises:
determining a location where the interface component is coupled to the first portion of the interface surface; and
determining an electronic application, to be manipulated, of the device based on the determined location of the interface component.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein determining an association between the interface component and the electronic application further comprises:
receiving voice input associated with a coupling of the interface component; and
interpreting the voice input to indicate the electronic application of the device to be associated with the interface component.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the interface surface includes a display.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the display is a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the display includes a compact multi-touch panel.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more encoders comprise an optical sensor, and the optical sensor is integrated into each pixel of the display.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the interface surface includes a grid having a pattern, and wherein the interface component is coupled to the first portion of the interface surface according to the pattern of the grid.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a multimedia receiver.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein a function of the multimedia receiver is controlled based on detected motion of at least a portion of the interface component.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the function is any of volume, terrestrial radio tuning, satellite radio tuning, balance, or frequency response.

### Claim 23

An apparatus for controlling a device, comprising:
an interface surface having coupled thereto, one or more encoders;
an interface component having a surface associated therewith, wherein the interface component is removably coupled to a first portion of the interface surface upon placement by a user; and
a processor, wherein the processor is operably coupled to the one or more encoders and configured to:
analyze motion of at least a portion of the interface component using the one or more encoders,
form control input data based on the analyzed motion; and
control the device using the control input data.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the one or more encoders include a plurality of optical scanning elements that define a plurality of positions at which the interface component can be placed.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the interface surface is further configured to display a status of an attribute.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine an association between the interface component and an electronic application, in response to a placement of the interface component onto the first portion of the interface surface, and
manipulate the electronic application upon analyzing motion of at least a portion of the interface component.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the interface surface is disposed within a vehicle.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the interface surface is disposed within any of a dashboard, an instrument panel, a headrest, or a console of the vehicle.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the vehicle is any of an automobile, a boat, a train, or an airplane.

### Claim 30 (depends on 26)

The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the electronic application comprises any of an audiovisual application or a global positioning system application.

### Claim 31 (depends on 26)

The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the determining an association between the interface component and the electronic application comprises:
determining a location where the interface component was placed on the first portion of the interface surface; and
determining the electronic application, to be controlled, of the device based on the determined location of the interface component.

### Claim 32 (depends on 26)

The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the determining the association between the interface component and the electronic application comprises:
receiving voice input associated with a placement of the interface component on the first portion of the interface surface; and
interpreting the voice input to indicate the electronic application, of the device, to be associated with the interface component.

### Claim 33 (depends on 23)

The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the interface surface includes a liquid crystal display (LCD).

### Claim 34 (depends on 23)

The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the interface component includes a reflective marking.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the interface component is a knob, and wherein the reflective marking is located on a perimeter surface of the knob.

### Claim 36 (depends on 34)

The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the apparatus for controlling the device further comprises:
one or more IR emitters, wherein the reflective marking is illuminated by the one or more IR emitters, and
analyzing motion of at least a portion of the interface component further comprises analyzing a change in reflective marking position.

### Claim 37 (depends on 34)

The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the interface component is a knob, and wherein the marking is patterned to uniquely identify the knob from other knobs on the interface surface.