# US 2013/0154922 A1 · Customizable and reconfigurable virtual instrument panel

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2013/0154922 A1
- Document ID: US20130154922A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/761,064
- Filed: 2013-02-06
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2009-04-13
- Assignees: Applied Minds, LLC
- Inventors: Bran FERREN; W. Daniel HILLIS; Randall Adam YATES; Ira M. LICHTMAN; Clinton Blake HOPE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130154922A1

## CPC

- G06F 3/0227: {Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer (G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence)}
- B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
- B60K 35/22: Display screens
- B60K 35/60: Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10)
- B60K 37/00: Dashboards (as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14)
- G06F 3/01: Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer (G06F3/16 takes precedence)
- G06F 3/0412: {Digitisers structurally integrated in a display}
- G06F 3/04847: Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
- G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
- G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback}
- G09G 5/00: Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators (image data processing or generation, in general G06T)
- B60K 2360/11: Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
- B60K 2360/1442: Emulation of input devices
- B60K 2360/145: Instrument input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
- B60K 2360/148: Instrument input by voice
- 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
- G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00)

## Abstract

The invention provides an instrument control panel that is easily customized and reconfigured, and yet provides the familiar tactile sensation of physical knobs, sliders, and buttons. The instrument control panel comprises one or more interface components that are removably coupled to an interface display wherein the interface components communicate with one or more control components disposed behind the interface display. The present invention lends itself particularly well to an instrument panel.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of controlling a device with reconfigurable interface components comprising:
providing an interface surface with a first side and a second side;
coupling an interface component to the first side of the interface surface, wherein the interface component contains a magnet disposed therein;
coupling with the second side of the interface surface a control component for controlling the device, wherein the control component contains a Hall effect sensor disposed therein;
moving the interface component, thereby varying a magnetic field created by the magnet disposed therein;
determining, using the Hall effect sensor, magnetic field measurements representing variations of the magnetic field;
determining, using the magnetic field measurements, positional data representing the position of the interface component; and
controlling the device using the positional data.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the interface component comprises a knob, and determining the position of the interface component comprises determining the rotational position of the knob.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the positional data to a processor using a wireless signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the wireless signal comprises an RF signal, an IEEE 802.11 protocol signal, or a Bluetooth® signal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the interface surface is disposed within the dashboard of an automobile;
wherein the second side of the interface surface faces away from a driver and towards the inside of the dashboard; and
further comprising:
in response to the driver placing an interface component onto the interface surface, determining an association between the interface component and an electronic application of the automobile; and
moving the interface component to manipulate the electronic application of the automobile associated with the interface component.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein determining an association between the interface component and an electronic application of the automobile further comprises:
determining the location where the interface component was placed on the interface surface;
determining the electronic application of the automobile using the determined location of the interface component.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein determining an association between the interface component and an electronic application of the automobile further comprises:
receiving voice input associated with the placement of the interface component; and
interpreting the voice input to indicate the electronic application of the automobile to be associated with the interface component.

### Claim 8

A method of controlling a device with reconfigurable interface components comprising:
providing an interface surface having optical scanning elements disposed therein;
coupling an interface component to a first side of the interface surface, wherein the interface component includes markings on a surface of the interface component;
moving the interface component;
analyzing the movement of the interface component using the markings and the optical scanning elements, thereby forming position data; and
controlling the device using the positional data.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the interface component comprises a knob, and the markings are on the surface of the knob closest to the interface surface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising transmitting the positional data to a processor using a wireless signal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless signal comprises an RF signal, an IEEE 802.11 protocol signal, or a Bluetooth® signal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the interface surface is disposed within the dashboard of an automobile;
wherein the second side of the interface surface faces away from a driver towards the inside of the dashboard; and
further comprising:
in response to the driver placing an interface component onto the interface surface, determining an association between the interface component and an electronic application of the automobile; and
moving the interface component to manipulate the electronic application of the automobile associated with the interface component.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein determining an association between the interface component and an electronic application of the automobile further comprises:
determining the location where the interface component was placed on the interface surface;
determining the electronic application of the automobile based on the determined location of the interface component.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein determining an association between the interface component and an electronic application of the automobile further comprises:
receiving voice input associated with the placement of the interface component; and
interpreting the voice input to indicate the electronic application of the automobile to be associated with the interface component.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the interface surface comprises an optical display.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the optical display comprises a compact multi-touch panel.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the multi-touch panel is no thicker than 1-mm.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein an optical sensor is integrated into each pixel of the display.

### Claim 19

A method of controlling a device with reconfigurable interface components comprising:
providing an interface surface with a first side and a second side;
coupling at least one control component for controlling a device with the second side of the interface surface;
coupling at least one interface component to the first side of the interface surface, wherein the at least one control component contains at least one Hall effect sensor disposed therein, wherein the at least one interface component contains at least one magnet disposed therein, the method further comprising:
moving the at least one interface component, thereby varying a magnetic field created by the at least one magnet;
measuring the variations of the magnetic field by the Hall effect sensor, thereby determining the position of the magnet, thus creating positional data;
controlling the device using the positional data.