US 10,372,270 B2 · Ultrasonic haptic control system

Abstract

An ultrasonic haptic control system for a motor vehicle is provided. The system includes a steering wheel assembly comprising a ring-shaped member configured to be held by an occupant of the vehicle, and rotated about a central axis in order to steer the vehicle; and a plurality of ultrasound emitters associated with the steering wheel. The ultrasound emitters are configured to focus ultrasound waves within a central region about which the ring-shaped member circumferentially extends and/or radially outside of and adjacent to the ring-shaped member. The focused ultrasound waves are configured to form one or more haptic control surfaces. A method of operating a haptic control system is also provided.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An ultrasonic haptic control system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a steering wheel assembly comprising a ring-shaped member rotatable about a central axis to steer the vehicle;
and
a plurality of ultrasound emitters associated with the steering wheel and configured to focus ultrasound waves within a central region about which the ring-shaped member circumferentially extends and/or radially outside of and adjacent to the ring-shaped member to form one or more haptic control surfaces, wherein the plurality of ultrasound emitters emit ultrasound waves having a tangential component.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

15/661,287Filed 27 Jul 2017

Priority

GB 1614099.817 Aug 2016

Published

US 2018/0052541 A122 Feb 2018

Granted

6 Aug 2019

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification25 codes

G06F 3/043
Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means: using propagating acoustic waves
B60K 35/10
Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles: input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle,…
B60K 35/211
Using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays: producing three-dimensional [3D] effects, e.g. stereoscopic images
B60K 35/60
Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles: instruments characterised by their location or relative…

Ultrasonic haptic control system

Life of this patent

Ultrasonic haptic control system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20