Touch-pad integrated steering wheel for a motor vehicle

A method of generating output signals by an evaluation module having a memory based on a touchpad including a touch-sensitive surface adapted to input commands integrated into a steering wheel of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

• receiving an output signal of the touchpad;
• registering a coordinate of a first touch on the touchpad;
• in response to detecting the first touch on the touchpad, determining a type of the first touch, wherein the type of the first touch is at least one of:
• (i) a withdrawal away from the touchpad;
• (ii) a pressing motion on the touchpad;
• and/or (iii) a touching motion on the touchpad;
• in response to detecting a withdrawal away from the touchpad, generating a first command associated with the withdrawal and deleting coordinates of a previously performed touch from the memory;
• in response to detecting a pressing motion on the touchpad, generating a second command associated with the pressing action;
• in response to detecting a touching motion on the touchpad, calculating a distance between a previously detected touch point and the first touch;
• comparing the calculated distance to a threshold value such that the evaluation module performs at least one of:
• (i) storing coordinates of the first touch in response to the calculated distance being less than the threshold value;
• and/or (ii) outputting a trajectory of the calculated distance as a trajectory of a touching motion in response to the calculated distance exceeding the threshold value;
• and
• transmitting, to a coordination module, output signals of the evaluation module connected to the evaluation module for generating a command for operating a function of the motor vehicle as a function of the output signals of the evaluation module.

A method of controlling a display device in a vehicle, the vehicle including a display, a first and second touchpad integrated into a steering wheel, and a control system for evaluating output signals of the first and second touchpads and for generating commands for operating a function of the vehicle, the method comprising:

• in response to a touch of one of the first or second touch pads, determining the output;
• querying whether a simultaneous touching motion over the first and second touchpad has occurred;
• if a simultaneous touching over the first and second touchpads has been determined, generating a command for operating a function of the vehicle as a function of the direction of the touching motion over the first touchpad, and the direction of touching over the second touchpad;
• and
• if a simultaneous touching over the first and second touchpads has not been determined, generating a command for operating a function of the vehicle as a function of the direction of the touching motion over the first touchpad, or the direction of touching over the second touchpad.

A motor vehicle, comprising:

• a steering wheel extending substantially within a plane;
• a first touchpad including a first touch-sensitive surface adapted to input commands integrated into the steering wheel and situated in a first channel;
• a second touchpad including a second touch-sensitive surface adapted to input commands integrated into the steering wheel, spatially separated from the first touchpad, and situated in a second channel;
• a control system having a first interface operably connected to the touchpad, a second interface operably connected to the second touchpad, a first evaluation module operably connected to the first interface, and a second evaluation module operably connected to the second interface to register a coordinate of a first touch on the touchpad and to determine a type of the first touch;
• and
• a display, spatially separated from the touchpad, operably connected to the first and second evaluation modules, configured to display a list of selectable entries;
• wherein the display is configured to scroll the list of selectable entries at a first scrolling speed as a function of a touching motion over the first touchpad;
• wherein the control system is configured to perform the steps of:
• in response to a touch of one of the first or second touch pads, determining the output;
• querying whether a simultaneous touching motion over the first and second touchpad has occurred;
• if a simultaneous touching over the first and second touchpad has been determined, generating a command for operating a function of the vehicle as a function of the direction of the touching motion over the first touchpad, and the direction of touching over the second touchpad;
• and
• if a simultaneous touching over the first and second touchpad has not been determined, generating a command for operating a function of the vehicle as a function of one of the direction of the touching motion over the first touchpad, and the direction of touching over the second touchpad.