# US 2023/0054581 A1 · Vehicle input control device, vehicle input control system, vehicle input control method, and non-transitory storage medium in which program is stored

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- Number: US 2023/0054581 A1
- Document ID: US20230054581A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/859,177
- Filed: 2022-07-07
- Published: 2023-02-23
- Earliest claimed: 2021-08-19
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Yuki KOZONO; Shu NAKAJIMA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230054581A1

## CPC

- B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
- 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 35/23: Head-up displays [HUD] (optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01)
- B60W 50/08: Interaction between the driver and the control system
- B60K 35/29: Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
- B60K 2360/122: Instrument input devices with reconfigurable control functions, e.g. reconfigurable menus
- B60K 2360/1446: Touch switches
- B60K 2360/197: Blocking or enabling of input functions
- B60K 2360/199: for avoiding maloperation
- B60K 2360/782: on the steering wheel
- B60K 2360/785: on or in relation to the windshield or windows
- B60W 2050/146: {Display means}
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- 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

## Abstract

A vehicle input control device includes: an operation reception unit that receives input from operation switches provided in a vicinity of a driver's seat of a vehicle; a function switching reception unit that receives input from function switching switches that switch functions allocated to the operation switches; and a function switching restriction unit that restricts switching of the functions by the function switching reception unit in a case in which a driving mode of the vehicle is a predetermined driving mode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle input control device comprising a processor, the processor being configured to:
receive input from operation switches provided in a vicinity of a driver's seat of a vehicle;
receive input from function switching switches that switch functions allocated to the operation switches; and
restrict switching of the functions in a case in which a driving mode of the vehicle is a predetermined driving mode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle input control device of claim 1, wherein the processor:
causes display of the functions allocated to the operation switches at a display region in a cabin of the vehicle,
changes the display in a case in which it has received input from the function switching switches, and
maintains, without changing, the display in a case in which switching is restricted.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The vehicle input control device of claim 1, wherein the processor notifies an occupant in a case in which switching of the functions is restricted.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The vehicle input control device of claim 1, wherein:
in a case in which the driving mode is a driving assistance mode that performs driving assistance, functions relating to driving assistance settings are allocated to at least some of the operation switches, and
the processor restricts switching of the functions in a case in which the driving mode is the driving assistance mode.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The vehicle input control device of claim 4, wherein:
the driving assistance mode includes a cruise control mode, and
functions for changing vehicle speed and changing headway during cruise control are allocated to at least some of the operation switches.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A vehicle input control system comprising:
the vehicle input control device of claim 1; and
the operation switches and the function switching switches provided in the vicinity of the driver's seat.

### Claim 7

A vehicle input control method comprising, by a processor:
receiving input from operation switches provided in a vicinity of a driver's seat of a vehicle;
receiving input from function switching switches that switch functions of the operation switches; and
restricting switching of the functions in a case in which a driving mode of the vehicle is a predetermined driving mode.

### Claim 8

A non-transitory storage medium storing a program executable by a computer to perform a process, the process comprising:
receiving input from operation switches provided in a vicinity of a driver's seat of a vehicle;
receiving input from function switching switches that switch functions of the operation switches; and
restricting switching of the functions in a case in which a driving mode of the vehicle is a predetermined driving mode.