# US 11,027,822 B2 · Control system for touchless operation of mechanical input devices

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- Number: US 11,027,822 B2
- Document ID: US11027822B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/014,570
- Filed: 2018-06-21
- Published: 2019-12-26
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-21
- Assignees: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
- Applicants: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
- Inventors: Sangram Keshari Swain
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027822B2

## CPC

- G01S 7/412: {based on a comparison between measured values and known or stored values}
- B64C 13/042: {operated by hand}
- B64C 13/20: using radiated signals
- B64D 31/04: actuated personally
- B64D 43/00: Arrangements or adaptations of instruments
- G01S 7/04: Display arrangements
- G01S 7/415: {Identification of targets based on measurements of movement associated with the target}
- G01S 13/88: Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications (electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00)
- G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)}
- G06V 10/751: {Comparing pixel values or logical combinations thereof, or feature values having positional relevance, e.g. template matching}
- G06V 20/59: inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
- G06V 40/113: {Recognition of static hand signs}
- B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
- B60K 2360/146: Instrument input by gesture
- B60K 2360/1464: 3D-gesture
- G06F 3/013: {Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence)}
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- 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

Systems and methods for touchless operation of mechanical input devices are disclosed. In embodiments, a control system includes a mechanical input device, a RADAR sensor, and a controller in communication with the mechanical input device and the RADAR sensor. The RADAR sensor is in proximity to the mechanical input device and configured to track user hand and finger movements. The controller is configured to detect a gesture indicating a user action corresponding to a manipulation of the mechanical input device based on the user hand and finger movements tracked by the RADAR sensor. The controller is further configured to generate a control signal based upon the user action.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A control system for touchless operation of mechanical input devices, comprising:
a plurality of mechanical input devices, wherein the plurality of mechanical input devices includes at least one of a knob, a dial, a slider, a joystick, a toggle switch, a pushbutton switch, or a selector switch;
a plurality of RADAR sensors in proximity to the plurality of mechanical input devices, the plurality of RADAR sensors configured to track user hand and finger movements; and
a controller in communication with the plurality of mechanical input devices and the plurality of RADAR sensors, the controller configured to:
detect a first gesture indicating a user selection of a mechanical input device of the plurality of mechanical input devices based on the user hand and finger movements tracked by the plurality of RADAR sensors;
detect a second gesture indicating a user action corresponding to a manipulation of the selected mechanical input device based on the user hand and finger movements tracked by the plurality of RADAR sensors; and
generate a control signal based upon the user action, wherein respective ones of the plurality of RADAR sensors are disposed adjacent to respective ones of the plurality of mechanical input devices, wherein respective ones of the plurality of RADAR sensors form portions of respective ones of the plurality of mechanical input devices, the controller is configured to compare signal components, the signal components include x, y, and z components, of RADAR signals from the plurality of RADAR sensors, the controller is configured to compare the RADAR signals of a first RADAR sensor associated with a first mechanical input device with the RADAR signals of a second RADAR sensor associated with a second mechanical input device in order to detect the first gesture or second gesture corresponding with the second mechanical input device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The control system of claim 1, further comprising a display in communication with the controller, wherein the controller is further configured to provide visual feedback based upon the selected mechanical input device and the user action corresponding to the manipulation of the selected mechanical input device via the display.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The control system of claim 2, wherein the visual feedback includes at least one of symbolic or textual information corresponding to the selected mechanical input device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The control system of claim 3, wherein the visual feedback further includes at least one of symbolic or textual information corresponding to the user action.

### Claim 5

A method for touchless operation of a mechanical input device, comprising:
tracking user hand and finger movements with one or more RADAR sensors;
detecting a first gesture indicating a user selection of a mechanical input device based on the user hand and finger movements tracked by the one or more RADAR sensors, the one or more RADAR sensors are at least partially integrated within a structure of the mechanical input device, wherein the mechanical input device includes at least one of a knob, a dial, a slider, a joystick, a toggle switch, a pushbutton switch, or a selector switch;
detecting a second gesture indicating a user action corresponding to a manipulation of the mechanical input device based on the user hand and finger movements tracked by the one or more RADAR sensors; and
generating a control signal based upon the user action, wherein detecting the second gesture includes comparing signal components, the signal components include x, y, and z components, of RADAR signals from the one or more RADAR sensors, the detecting the second gesture includes comparing the RADAR signals of a first RADAR sensor associated with a first mechanical input device with the RADAR signals of a second RADAR sensor associated with a second mechanical input device in order to determine the user action corresponding with the second mechanical input device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising:
providing visual feedback based upon the user action corresponding to the manipulation of the mechanical input device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein providing the visual feedback based upon the user action corresponding to the manipulation of the mechanical input device includes:
displaying at least one of symbolic or textual information corresponding to the mechanical input device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein providing the visual feedback based upon the user action corresponding to the manipulation of the mechanical input device further includes:
displaying at least one of symbolic or textual information corresponding to the user action.