Deformable user input systems
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorJohn C. Rafferty
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
User input systems and vehicles having a user input system having a deformable material are disclosed. In one embodiment, a user input system includes a base, a deformable material, wherein at least the base and the deformable material define an enclosure, a sensor layer disposed on or within the deformable material, at least one actuator coupled to the base and disposed within the enclosure, and an input device coupled to the at least one actuator. The at least one actuator is configured to raise the input device to deform the deformable material at a location of a hand on the deformable material based at least in part on a signal provided by the sensor layer.
Claims20
A user input system comprising:
- a base;
- a deformable material, wherein at least the base and the deformable material define an enclosure;
- at least one actuator coupled to the base and disposed within the enclosure;
- and
- an input device comprising at least one button coupled to the at least one actuator, wherein the at least one actuator is configured to the button to raise the input device to deform the deformable material at a location of a hand on the deformable material based at least in part on a signal provided by the sensor layer.
A user input system comprising:
- a deformable material defining an enclosure;
- a sensor layer disposed on or within the deformable material;
- an input device disposed within the enclosure;
- at least one processor;
- and
- a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform the following:
- detect a user input situation;
- receive a signal from the sensor layer;
- detect a location of a user hand on the based on the signal;
- control the input device to move in two dimensions to a position within the enclosure proximate the location;
- and
- control the input device to raise to deform the deformable material at the location.
A vehicle comprising:
- an interior surface comprising a deformable material and defining an enclosure;
- and
- an input device comprising at least one button operable to raise and deform the deformable material at a location of a hand on the deformable material, wherein the location is based at least in part on a signal provided by the sensor layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.