Customizable haptic button interface
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsAmy M. Hein, James Scott Robinson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A customizable haptic interface for a vehicle having a plurality of systems. An outer surface of the customized haptic interface is configured to be raised to form at least one haptic button that is mapped for input by a user to at least one system of the plurality of systems of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the haptic interface includes a plurality of pins and a frame element configured to hold each pin within a respective opening. The haptic interface also includes an actuator to move the pins within their respective openings in the frame element between a retracted position and a raised position to form the at least one haptic button on the outer surface. The at least one haptic button configured to provide a user input to at least one system of the vehicle.
Claims20
A customizable haptic interface for a vehicle having a plurality of systems comprising:
- an outer surface;
- an actuator;
- wherein the actuator is operable to cause a portion of the outer surface of the customized haptic interface to be raised to form at least one haptic button that is mapped for input by a user to at least one system of the plurality of systems of the vehicle;
- wherein the outer surface is configured to transition between at least a first button arrangement including the at least one haptic button and a second button arrangement including two or more haptic buttons, wherein the first button arrangement is different from the second button arrangement;
- wherein the first button arrangement and the second button arrangement are associated with different driving modes of the vehicle;
- and
- wherein the first button arrangement includes a fewer number of haptic buttons than the second button arrangement.
A user interface disposed in a vehicle, comprising:
- a cover layer having an outer surface;
- a plurality of pins;
- a frame element configured to hold each pin of the plurality of pins within a respective opening in the frame element;
- and
- an actuator configured to move one or more pins of the plurality of pins within their respective openings in the frame element between a retracted position and a raised position to form at least one haptic button on the outer surface of the cover layer, the at least one haptic button being configured to provide a user input to at least one system of the vehicle;
- wherein the actuator is configured to transition the outer surface between at least a first button arrangement including the at least one haptic button and a second button arrangement including two or more haptic buttons, wherein the first button arrangement is different from the second button arrangement;
- wherein the first button arrangement and the second button arrangement are associated with different driving modes of the vehicle;
- and
- wherein the first button arrangement includes a fewer number of haptic buttons than the second button arrangement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.