# US 11,027,749 B2 · Information presentation apparatus, steering apparatus, and information presentation method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,749 B2 - Document ID: US11027749B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/328,066 - Filed: 2017-08-18 - Published: 2019-06-20 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-12 - Assignees: Sony Corporation; Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation; Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation - Inventors: Akira Ono; Hirokazu Hashimoto; Hiroshi Uji - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027749B2 ## CPC - B60W 50/16: Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal - B62D 15/029: {Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system} - G06K 9/00845 - G08G 1/16: Anti-collision systems (road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08) - G08G 1/162: {event-triggered} - B60W 2540/18: Steering angle - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract An information presentation apparatus includes an acquisition unit, an asymmetric acceleration generating unit, and a signal generating unit. The acquisition unit acquires at least one of information inside a vehicle or information outside the vehicle. The asymmetric acceleration generating unit presents haptic feedback information to a user via a steering unit provided in the vehicle by generating asymmetric acceleration. The signal generating unit generates a driving signal on the basis of information acquired by the acquisition unit and send the driving signal to the asymmetric acceleration generating unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information presentation apparatus, comprising: a processor configured to: acquire at least one of first information about an inside of a vehicle or second information about an outside of the vehicle; and generate a first driving signal based on the acquired at least one of the first information or the second information; and a first asymmetric acceleration generating unit that comprises: a weight inside a frame member of a steering unit of the vehicle, and an actuator between the frame member and the weight, wherein the actuator is configured to: receive the first driving signal; and move, based on the received first driving signal, the weight to generate an asymmetric acceleration in a specific direction of at least one axis, and the first asymmetric acceleration generating unit is configured to present, based on the generated asymmetric acceleration, haptic feedback information to a user via the steering unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information presentation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a second driving signal based on a motion of a movable object within a specific range from the vehicle, and the generated asymmetric acceleration changes based on the second driving signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The information presentation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a third driving signal based on a relative position between the vehicle and the movable object, and the specific direction of the generated asymmetric acceleration changes based on the third driving signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The information presentation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a third driving signal based on a distance between the vehicle and the movable object, and a magnitude of the generated asymmetric acceleration changes based on the third driving signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The information presentation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to detect a steering angle of the steering unit, wherein the processor is further configured to generate the first driving signal based on the detected steering angle of the steering unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The information presentation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to acquire, as the first information, at least one of a motion of the user or physiological information of the user. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The information presentation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to acquire road traffic information as the second information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The information presentation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a shaft mechanism configured to connect the steering unit to a vehicle body of the vehicle; and a second asymmetric acceleration generating unit in the shaft mechanism. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The information presentation apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the second asymmetric acceleration generating unit includes at least one of: a telescopic apparatus configured to generate the asymmetric acceleration in an axis direction of the shaft mechanism in the steering unit; an upper and lower motion tilt apparatus configured to generate the asymmetric acceleration in a first direction in the steering unit, wherein the first direction is orthogonal to the axis direction; and a left and right motion tilt apparatus configured to generate the asymmetric acceleration in a second direction in the steering unit, wherein the second direction is orthogonal to each of the axis direction and the first direction. ### Claim 10 A steering apparatus, comprising: a steering unit that includes a frame member; and a first asymmetric acceleration generating unit that includes: at least one weight inside the frame member; and an actuator between the frame member and the weight, wherein the actuator is configured to move the at least one weight to generate an asymmetric acceleration in the steering unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The steering apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one weight has one of an annular shape, a circular arc shape, or a rectangular parallelepiped shape. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The steering apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first asymmetric acceleration generating unit further includes a supporting mechanism configured to support the at least one weight. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The steering apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the supporting mechanism is a sliding mechanism, and the at least one weight is configured to move in a direction different from a direction of the asymmetric acceleration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The steering apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising: a shaft mechanism configured to connect the steering unit to a vehicle body; and a second asymmetric acceleration generating unit in the shaft mechanism. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The steering apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the second asymmetric acceleration generating unit includes at least one of: a telescopic apparatus configured to generate the asymmetric acceleration in an axis direction of the shaft mechanism in the steering unit; an upper and lower motion tilt apparatus configured to generate the asymmetric acceleration in a first direction in the steering unit, wherein the first direction is orthogonal to the axis direction; and a left and right motion tilt apparatus configured to generate the asymmetric acceleration in a second direction in the steering unit, wherein the second direction is orthogonal to each of the axis direction and the first direction. ### Claim 16 An information presentation method, comprising: acquiring, by a processor, at least one of first information about an inside of a vehicle or second information about an outside of the vehicle; generating, by the processor, a driving signal based on the acquired at least one of the first information or the second information; sending, by the processor, the driving signal to an asymmetric acceleration generating unit, the asymmetric acceleration generating unit includes: a weight inside a frame member of a steering unit of the vehicle, and an actuator between the frame member and the weight; moving, by the actuator based on the driving signal, the weight to generate an asymmetric acceleration in a specific direction of at least one axis; and presenting, by the asymmetric acceleration generating unit based on the generated asymmetric acceleration, haptic feedback information to a user via the steering unit. ### Claim 17 A steering apparatus, comprising: a steering unit; a shaft mechanism configured to connect the steering unit to a vehicle body; and an asymmetric acceleration generating unit in the shaft mechanism, wherein the asymmetric acceleration generating unit includes at least one of: a telescopic apparatus configured to generate an asymmetric acceleration in an axis direction of the shaft mechanism in the steering unit, an upper and lower motion tilt apparatus configured to generate the asymmetric acceleration in a first direction in the steering unit, wherein the first direction is orthogonal to the axis direction, and a left and right motion tilt apparatus configured to generate the asymmetric acceleration in a second direction in the steering unit, wherein the second direction is orthogonal to each of the axis direction and the first direction.