Back to results
US 9,163,718 B2Granted
Haptic feedback shift knob
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsZachary D. Nelson, David A. Evans, Thomas J. Giuli, David P. Melcher, Christopher J. Peplin, Jayanthi Rao
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Automotive vehicles having a manual shift transmission, with driver feedback to indicate when a shift change is recommended or to provide other event notifications.
Claims14
A manual-transmission vehicle comprising:
- a shift knob responsive to a driver for shifting a manual transmission;
- a haptic feedback device incorporated in the shift knob;
- and
- a controller determining a time for shifting the shift knob according to a powertrain optimization and activating the haptic feedback device at the determined time to provide a shift change notification to the driver as a tactile pulse.
1 more element
A method for providing a shift change notification in a vehicle with a manual transmission, comprising the steps of:
- gathering vehicle data including a vehicle speed and engine speed to determine a time for shifting the manual transmission according to a powertrain optimization;
- and
- activating a haptic feedback device incorporated in a shift knob at the determined time to provide a shift change notification to a driver as a tactile pulse.
A method for providing a shift change notification in a vehicle with a manual transmission, comprising the steps of:
- gathering vehicle data including a vehicle speed and engine speed to determine a time for shifting the manual transmission according to a powertrain optimization;
- checking for the presence of a driver's hand on a shift knob;
- and
- activating a haptic feedback device incorporated in the shift knob if the driver's hand is on the shift knob at the determined time to provide a shift change notification to the driver as a tactile pulse.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.