# US 2025/0147653 A1 · Steering wheel capacitive control

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- Number: US 2025/0147653 A1
- Document ID: US20250147653A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/902,288
- Filed: 2024-09-30
- Published: 2025-05-08
- Earliest claimed: 2023-11-07
- Assignees: Atieva, Inc.
- Applicants: Atieva, Inc.
- Inventors: Dave Wayne Flynt; Yunwei Yang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250147653A1

## CPC

- G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
- B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
- B60K 35/22: Display screens
- B62D 1/046: {Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches}
- G06F 3/03547: {Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface}
- G06F 3/044: by capacitive means
- G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
- G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence)
- G06F 3/04847: Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
- G06F 3/0485: Scrolling or panning
- G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
- B60K 2360/113: Scrolling through menu items
- B60K 2360/115: Selection of menu items
- B60K 2360/1438: Touch screens
- B60K 2360/1468: Touch gesture
- B60K 2360/55: Remote control arrangements
- B60K 2360/782: on the steering wheel
- 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

This disclosure provides systems, devices, apparatus, and methods, including computer programs encoded on storage media, for activating a function by selecting a graphical user interface (GUI) element on a screen of a vehicle using a capacitive controller. In some implementations, the method can include detecting an active selection of a first GUI element on the screen of the vehicle selectable using the capacitive controller positioned on a steering wheel of the vehicle. In addition, the method can include detecting a movement of a finger of a driver in the vehicle across the capacitive controller on the steering wheel of the vehicle. The method can further include determining a direction of the movement of the finger. The method can additionally include automatically moving the active selection to a second selectable GUI element on the screen based on the direction of the movement of the finger.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of activating a function by selecting a graphical user interface (GUI) element on a screen of a vehicle using a capacitive controller, comprising:
detecting an active selection of a first GUI element on the screen of the vehicle selectable using the capacitive controller positioned on a steering wheel of the vehicle;
detecting a movement of a finger of a driver in the vehicle across the capacitive controller on the steering wheel of the vehicle;
determining a direction of the movement of the finger; and
automatically moving the active selection to a second selectable GUI element on the screen based on the direction of the movement of the finger, the second selectable GUI element being closest to the first GUI element in the direction of the movement of the finger.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first GUI element and the second selectable GUI element are parts of a graphical representation of an application on the screen of the vehicle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first GUI element and the second selectable GUI element are parts of different graphical representations of an application on the screen of the vehicle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the direction of the movement of the finger comprises:
a swipe gesture in at least one of:
a right direction;
a left direction;
an up direction;
a down direction; or
a diagonal direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
automatically moving the active selection to a third selectable GUI element on the screen, wherein the third selectable GUI element is not in the direction of the movement of the finger.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the automatically moving the active selection to the third selectable GUI element on the screen comprises:
calculating a plurality of distances between a trajectory of the movement of the finger and a plurality of selectable GUI element; and
comparing the plurality of distances between the trajectory of the movement of the finger and the plurality of selectable GUI element.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
in response to detecting the active selection of the second selectable GUI element, triggering at least one of:
an audible feedback,
a visual feedback, or
a haptic feedback.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
in response to detecting a movement of the finger of the driver in the vehicle, illuminating a surface of the capacitive controller based on the movement of the finger of the driver to feedback the driver of the vehicle that an action has been detected.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
matching the movement of the finger to a predefined gesture configured based on a preference of the driver;
selecting a predefined configuration associated with the predefined gesture; and
executing a function according to the predefined configuration.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
detecting a voice command associated with the driver; and
in response to detecting the voice command, deactivating the capacitive controller to lock a function of the capacitive controller.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
in response to automatically moving the active selection the second selectable GUI element, providing a feedback to the driver of the vehicle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the providing the feedback to the driver of the vehicle comprises at least one of:
highlighting an edge of the second selectable GUI element as a visual acknowledgement to the driver of the vehicle; or generating a tone as an audio acknowledgement to the driver of the vehicle.

### Claim 13

A system for activating a function by selecting a graphical user interface (GUI) element on a screen of a vehicle using a capacitive controller comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
detect an active selection of a first GUI element on the screen of the vehicle selectable using the capacitive controller positioned on a steering wheel of the vehicle;
detect a movement of a finger of a driver in the vehicle across the capacitive controller on the steering wheel of the vehicle;
determine a direction of the movement of the finger; and
automatically move the active selection to a second selectable GUI element on the screen based on the direction of the movement of the finger, the second selectable GUI element being closest to the first GUI element in the direction of the movement of the finger.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the first GUI element and the second selectable GUI element are parts of a graphical representation of an application on the screen of the vehicle.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the first GUI element and the second selectable GUI element are parts of different graphical representations of an application on the screen of the vehicle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the direction of the movement of the finger comprises:
a swipe gesture in at least one of:
a right direction;
a left direction;
an up direction;
a down direction; or
a diagonal direction.

### Claim 17

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions for activating a function by selecting a graphical user interface (GUI) element on a screen of a vehicle using a capacitive controller comprising:
one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the device to:
detect an active selection of a first GUI element on the screen of the vehicle selectable using the capacitive controller positioned on a steering wheel of the vehicle;
detect a movement of a finger of a driver in the vehicle across the capacitive controller on the steering wheel of the vehicle;
determine a direction of the movement of the finger; and
automatically move the active selection to a second selectable GUI element on the screen based on the direction of the movement of the finger, the second selectable GUI element being closest to the first GUI element in the direction of the movement of the finger.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first GUI element and the second selectable GUI element are parts of a graphical representation of an application on the screen of the vehicle.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first GUI element and the second selectable GUI element are parts of different graphical representations of an application on the screen of the vehicle.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the direction of the movement of the finger comprises:
a swipe gesture in at least one of:
a right direction;
a left direction;
an up direction;
a down direction; or
a diagonal direction.