# US 2018/0025264 A1 · Operator Control System for a Motor Vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0025264 A1 - Document ID: US20180025264A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/712,547 - Filed: 2017-09-22 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-28 - Assignees: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co. KG - Applicants: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co. KG - Inventors: Oliver Maier; Stefan Schroeder; Christian Schirp - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180025264A1 ## CPC - G06K 19/077: Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier - B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor - G05G 1/00: Controlling members, e.g. knobs or handles; Assemblies or arrangements thereof; Indicating position of controlling members (joysticks G05G9/04; steering wheels for motor vehicles B62D) - H01H 13/705: characterised by construction, mounting or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. push-buttons or keys - H03K 17/972: having a plurality of control members, e.g. keyboard - B60K 2360/139: Clusters of instrument input devices - G05G 1/06: Details of their grip parts {(G05G1/10 takes precedence)} - H01H 2221/066: replaceable - H01H 2233/074: Snap coupling - H01H 2300/032: using RFID technology in switching devices - H03K 2217/958: involving transponders - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - 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 - G05G: CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY ("Bowden" or like mechanisms F16C1/10; gearings or mechanisms not peculiar to this purpose F16H; speed changing or reversing mechanisms for gearings conveying rotary motion F16H59/00 - F16H63/00) - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract An operator control system includes switches, RFID transponders, and a RFID reader. Each switch has a cap support and a switch cap. The switch caps are respectively interchangeably attachable to the cap supports. The RFID transponders are respectively attached to the switch caps. Each RFID transponder stores a respective piece of information identifying a respective control function so that the switch cap to which the RFID transponder is attached is associated with the respective control function. The RFID reader is arranged on at least one of the switches for reading the piece of information of at least one of the RFID transponders. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An operator control system for a vehicle, comprising: a plurality of switches, each switch having a cap support and a switch cap, wherein the switch caps are respectively interchangeably attachable to the cap supports; a plurality of RFID transponders respectively attached to the switch caps, wherein each RFID transponder stores a respective piece of information identifying a respective control function so that the switch cap to which the RFID transponder is attached is associated with the respective control function; and at least one RFID reader arranged on at least one of the switches for reading the piece of information of at least one of the RFID transponders. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The operator control system of claim 1 wherein: the at least one RFID reader includes a plurality of RFID readers, each RFID reader arranged on a respective one of the switches for reading the piece of information of the RFID transponder attached to the switch cap of the one of the switches. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The operator control system of claim 1 wherein: the at least one RFID reader includes a RFID reader operable to detect locations of the RFID transponders with spatial resolution. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The operator control system of claim 1 further comprising: a controller operable to assign at least one of the switch caps with a respective location via guided user intervention. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The operator control system of claim 1 further comprising: a controller electrically connected to the at least one RFID reader and electrically connected to the switches via at least one signal line; and wherein the controller is operable to detect switching states of the switches via the at least one signal line and enables execution of the control functions associated with the switches. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The operator control system of claim 1 wherein: at least one of the switches is a push switch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The operator control system of claim 1 wherein: at least one of the switches is a touch switch. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The operator control system of claim 1 wherein: each switch cap has a symbol or a label indicative of the control function identified by the piece of information stored in the RFID transponder attached to the switch cap. ### Claim 9 An operator control system for a vehicle, comprising: a plurality of switches, each switch having a cap support and a switch cap, wherein the switch caps are respectively interchangeably attachable to the cap supports; a plurality of RFID transponders respectively attached to the switch caps, wherein each RFID transponder stores a respective piece of information identifying a respective control function so that the switch cap to which the RFID transponder is attached is associated with the respective control function; and a plurality of RFID readers respectively arranged on the switches separate from the switch caps for respectively reading the pieces of information of the RFID transponders. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The operator control system of claim 9 further comprising: a controller electrically connected to the RFID readers to assign to the switches the respective control functions associated with the RFID transponders attached to the switch caps attached to the cap supports of the switches. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The operator control system of claim 10 wherein: the controller is electrically connected to the switches via at least one signal line, and the controller is operable to detect switching states of the switches via the at least one signal line and enables execution of the respective control functions assigned to the switches. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The operator control system of claim 9 wherein: each switch cap has a symbol or a label indicative of the control function identified by the piece of information stored in the RFID transponder attached to the switch cap. ### Claim 13 A method for an operator control system of a vehicle, the operator control system including a plurality of switches each switch having a cap support and a switch cap, wherein the switch caps are respectively interchangeably attachable to the cap supports, a plurality of RFID transponders respectively attached to the switch caps in which each RFID transponder stores a respective piece of information identifying a respective control function so that the switch cap to which the RFID transponder is attached is associated with the respective control function, and a plurality of RFID readers respectively arranged on the switches separate from the switch caps for respectively reading the pieces of information of the RFID transponders, the method comprising: using a controller to detect the pieces of information of the RFID transponders via the RFID readers each time the vehicle is started; and assigning, by the controller, to the switches the respective control functions associated with the RFID transponders attached to the switch caps attached to the cap supports of the switches. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising: detecting, by the controller, actuation of one of the switches; and executing, by the controller, the control function assigned to the actuated switch. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising: detecting a new piece of information indicative of a control function; and embedding the control function indicated by the new piece of information as a feature variant in operating software of the vehicle for use by the controller. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising: obtaining, by the controller via a remote data link, software for executing a control function associated with a RFID transponder.