# US 2022/0035477 A1 · Motorist user interface sensor

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- Number: US 2022/0035477 A1
- Document ID: US20220035477A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/296,252
- Filed: 2019-11-25
- Published: 2022-02-03
- Earliest claimed: 2018-11-28
- Assignees: Neonode Inc.
- Applicants: Neonode Inc.
- Inventors: Stefan Johannes Holmgren; Lars Bertil Sparf; Tom Richard Berglind; Charles Bruce Banter; Per Carl Johan Nohlert
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220035477A1

## CPC

- G06F 3/0421: {by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen}
- 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 35/80: Arrangements for controlling instruments
- G06F 3/039: Accessories therefor, e.g. mouse pads
- G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
- B60K 2360/143: Touch sensitive instrument input devices
- B60K 2360/1438: Touch screens
- B60K 2360/1468: Touch gesture
- B60K 2360/23: using reflectors
- B60K 2360/334: Projection means
- B60K 2360/48: Sensors
- B60K 2360/782: on the steering wheel
- B62D 1/046: {Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches}
- G06F 3/042: by opto-electronic means
- G06F 3/0428: {by sensing at the edges of the touch surface the interruption of optical paths, e.g. an illumination plane, parallel to the touch surface which may be virtual (sensing beam interruptions in a planar beam grid of an optical touch-screen G06F3/0421)}
- 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
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)

## Abstract

A steering wheel that includes optoelectronic components, each specific optoelectronic component including a light projector projecting light out of the steering wheel at two different angles, denoted a1 and a2, a light sensor detecting reflections of the light projected by neighboring optoelectronic components by an object above the steering wheel, a lens oriented relative to the light sensor such that the light sensor receives maximum intensity when light enters the lens at either of two particular angles, specifically, when light enters the lens at a particular angle b1, and at a particular angle b2 different than b1, wherein angle b1 views reflections of light projected at angle a1 by the optoelectronic component neighboring the specific optoelectronic component on one side, and angle b2 views reflections of light projected at angle a2 by the optoelectronic component neighboring the specific optoelectronic component on the side opposite the one side.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A steering wheel comprising a series of optoelectronic components mounted in the steering wheel grip, each specific optoelectronic component comprising:
a PCB;
a light projector, comprising at least one light pulse emitter mounted on said PCB, the light projector projecting light out of said steering wheel grip at two different angles relative to the plane of the steering grip, denoted a1 and a2;
a light sensor, comprising at least one light detector mounted on said PCB, the light sensor detecting reflections of the light projected by the light projectors of the optoelectronic components that neighbor the specific optoelectronic component on two opposite sides thereof, the light being reflected by an object above the steering wheel grip;
a lens oriented relative to said light sensor in such a manner that said light sensor receives maximum intensity when light enters the lens at either of two particular angles, specifically, said light sensor receives maximum intensity when the light reflected by the object enters the lens at a particular angle b1 relative to the plane of the steering grip, and said light sensor also receives maximum intensity when light reflected by the object enters the lens at a particular angle b2 relative to the plane of the steering grip, b2 being different than b1,
wherein reflections of light projected at angle a1 by the light projector of the optoelectronic component neighboring the specific optoelectronic component on one side enter the lens at angle b1, and reflections of light projected at angle a2 by the light projector of the optoelectronic component neighboring the specific optoelectronic component on the side opposite the one side enter the lens at angle b2.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein reflections of light projected at angle a1 by two optoelectronic components positioned on one side of the specific optoelectronic component enter the lens at angle b1.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein said light projector comprises a beam splitter that splits light from the at least one light pulse emitter to light projected out of the steering wheel grip at angles a1 and a2.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein said light projector comprises a first light pulse emitter that projects light out of the steering wheel grip at angle a1, and a second light pulse emitter that projects light out of the steering wheel grip at angle a2.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one light pulse detector receives maximum intensity when the light reflected by the object enters said lens at angle b1, and also receives maximum intensity when light reflected by the object enters said lens at angle b2.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein said light sensor comprises a first light detector that receives maximum intensity when the light reflected by the object enters said lens at angle b1, and a second light detector that receives maximum intensity when light reflected by the object enters said lens at angle b2.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The steering wheel of claim 1, further comprising a processor, connected to said optoelectronic components, configured to identify a swipe gesture by the object in a first direction across the steering wheel grip in response to a specific optoelectronic component detecting maximum intensity of reflections of the object at one of angles b1 and b2, followed by the specific optoelectronic component detecting maximum intensity of reflections of the object at the other of angles b1 and b2.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The steering wheel of claim 1, further comprising a processor, connected to said optoelectronic components, configured to identify a swipe gesture by the object in a first direction across the steering wheel grip in response to a first specific optoelectronic component detecting maximum intensity of reflections of the object at one of angles b1 and b2, followed by a second optoelectronic component, neighboring the first optoelectronic component, detecting maximum intensity of reflections of the object at the other of angles b1 and b2.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The steering wheel of claim 8, wherein said processor is further configured to identify a swipe gesture by the object in a second direction across the steering wheel grip in response to the first specific optoelectronic component detecting maximum intensity of reflections of the object at one of angles b1 and b2, followed by the second optoelectronic component, detecting maximum intensity of reflections of the object at the same one of angles b1 and b2.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The steering wheel of claim 1, further comprising a processor, connected to said optoelectronic components, configured to identify an approach gesture by the object toward the steering wheel grip in response to a specific optoelectronic component detecting maximum intensity of reflections of light projected by the light projector of a first neighboring optoelectronic component at one of angles b1 and b2, followed by detecting maximum intensity of reflections of light projected by the light projector of a second neighboring optoelectronic component at the same one of angles b1 and b2, wherein the second neighboring optoelectronic component is nearer to the specific optoelectronic component than is the first neighboring optoelectronic component.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein said PCB is oriented substantially perpendicular to the surface of the steering wheel grip facing the driver.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The steering wheel of claim 1, wherein reflected light directed into said lens at angles b1 and b2 is respectively perpendicular to light directed out of said lens at angles a1 and a2.

### Claim 13

A method for detecting driver input, comprising:
providing a series of optoelectronic components in a steering wheel grip, each specific optoelectronic component including a light emitter and a light detector, wherein the light emitter projects light beams in two emission directions out of the steering wheel grip, at angles a1 and a2 relative to the plane of the steering wheel grip;
orienting a lens within each specific optoelectronic component such that the specific optoelectronic component light detector detects maximum intensity of reflections of the light projected by optoelectronic components that neighbor the specific optoelectronic component when the reflected light enters the lens at angles b1 and b2, the light being reflected by an object above the steering wheel grip; and
mapping driver input to locations along the steering wheel grip that correspond to detections of the reflections.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising identifying an approach gesture by the object in response to detecting reflections of light projected by a distant neighboring optoelectronic component followed by detecting reflections of light projected by a near neighboring optoelectronic component.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising identifying a radial swipe gesture by the object in a first direction across the steering wheel grip in response to detecting reflections of the object entering the lens at angle b1 followed by detecting reflections of the object entering the lens at angle b2.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising identifying a swipe gesture by the object in a second direction across the steering wheel grip in response to a first optoelectronic component detecting reflections of the object entering the lens at one of angles b1 and b2, followed by a second optoelectronic component, neighboring the first optoelectronic component, detecting reflections of the object entering the lens at the same one of angles b1 and b2.

### Claim at position 17

17-25. (canceled)