# US 12,008,166 B1 · Automatic in-vehicle haptic feedback and force touch adjustment systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,008,166 B1 - Document ID: US12008166B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/331,307 - Filed: 2023-06-08 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2023-06-08 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Pietro Buttolo; Neha Singhal; Biaohe Guo; Mark Larry; Kenneth Michael Mayer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12008166B1 ## CPC - G06F 3/016: {Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user} - B60K 35/00: Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles - B60K 35/85: Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data - G06F 3/0414: {using force sensing means to determine a position} - B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor - B60K 35/25: using haptic output - B60K 2360/1438: Touch screens - B60K 2360/589: Wireless data transfers - G06F 2203/014: Force feedback applied to GUI - G06F 2203/04105: Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position - 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 ## Abstract A vehicle having a touch device configured to receive user inputs is disclosed. The touch device may include a haptic component configured to provide haptic feedback to a user and a force touch component configured to detect force applied by the user on the touch device and actuate the touch device. The vehicle may further include a transceiver and a processor. The transceiver may be configured to receive road information on which the vehicle may be traversing. The processor may be configured to obtain the road information from the transceiver, determine road condition based on the road information, and adjust parameters associated with the haptic component or the force touch component based on the road condition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle comprising: a touch device configured to receive user inputs, wherein the touch device comprises a haptic component configured to provide haptic feedback to a user and a force touch component configured to detect force applied by the user on the touch device and actuate the touch device; a transceiver configured to receive road information associated with a road on which the vehicle is traversing; and a processor communicatively coupled to the touch device and the transceiver, wherein the processor is configured to: obtain the road information from the transceiver; determine road condition based on the road information; and adjust a parameter associated with the haptic component or the force touch component based on the road condition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor adjusts the parameter by automatically adjusting the parameter linearly or non-linearly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor adjusts the parameter by decreasing an intensity of haptic feedback of the touch device when the road condition indicates that the road is smooth and increasing the intensity of haptic feedback of the touch device when the road condition indicates that the road is bumpy. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor adjusts the parameter by decreasing a minimum force requirement for actuation of the touch device when the road condition indicates that the road is smooth and increasing the minimum force requirement for actuation of the touch device when the road condition indicates that the road is bumpy. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor adjusts the parameter by decreasing a time duration of touch acceptance of the touch device when the road condition indicates that the road is smooth and increasing the time duration of touch acceptance of the touch device when the road condition indicates that the road is bumpy. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising an accelerometer configured to detect a vibration in the vehicle, wherein the transceiver is communicatively coupled with the accelerometer, and wherein the road information comprises information associated with the vibration. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a camera configured to capture road images, wherein the transceiver is communicatively coupled with the camera, and wherein the road information comprises the road images. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprises a navigation receiver configured to receive the road information from a server, wherein the transceiver is communicatively coupled with the navigation receiver. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is communicatively coupled with the touch device, and wherein the road information comprises signal information associated with a touch operation performed by the user on the touch device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: obtain the signal information from the transceiver; analyze noise received on a touch surface associated with the touch device based on the signal information; and determine the road condition based on analyzing the noise. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a memory, wherein the processor is further configured to: obtain a pre-stored mapping of the road condition and the parameter associated with the haptic component and the force touch component from the memory responsive to determining the road condition; and adjust the parameter based on the pre-stored mapping. ### Claim 12 A method to manage a touch device in a vehicle, the method comprising: obtaining road information associated with a road on which the vehicle is traversing; determining road condition based on the road information; and adjusting a parameter associated with a haptic component or a force touch component based on the road condition, wherein the haptic component and the force touch component are associated with the touch device, wherein the touch device is configured to receive user inputs, and wherein the haptic component is configured to provide haptic feedback to a user and the force touch component is configured to detect force applied by the user on the touch device and actuate the touch device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein adjusting the parameter comprises automatically adjusting the parameter linearly or non-linearly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein adjusting the parameter comprises decreasing an intensity of haptic feedback of the touch device when the road condition indicates that the road is smooth and increasing the intensity of haptic feedback of the touch device when the road condition indicates that the road is bumpy. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein adjusting the parameter comprises decreasing a minimum force requirement for actuation of the touch device when the road condition indicates that the road is smooth and increasing the minimum force requirement for actuation of the touch device when the road condition indicates that the road is bumpy. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein adjusting the parameter comprises decreasing a time duration of touch acceptance of the touch device when the road condition indicates that the road is smooth and increasing the time duration of touch acceptance of the touch device when the road condition indicates that the road is bumpy. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the road information comprises information associated with vibration detected by an accelerometer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the road information comprises road images captured by a camera. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the road information comprises signal information associated with a touch operation performed by the user on the touch device. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: obtain road information associated with a road on which a vehicle is traversing; determine road condition based on the road information; and adjust a parameter associated with a haptic component or a force touch component based on the road condition, wherein the haptic component and the force touch component are associated with a touch device, wherein the touch device is configured to receive user inputs, and wherein the haptic component is configured to provide haptic feedback to a user and the force touch component is configured to detect force applied by the user on the touch device and actuate the touch device.