System for detecting and validating multiuser interaction with interface elements via signaling through users bodies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12373070-B2
Application number	US-202318192067-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2023
Priority date	Jun 28, 2021
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

A sensor system operates by: communicating a first ID signal at a first frequency between a first passenger restraint and a first sensor circuit of a touch screen through a body of a first user in a first occupancy area; receiving first sensed signal data from the first sensor circuit indicating a possible interaction with a first interactable element at a first touch screen location based on changes in electrical properties of an electrode of the first sensor circuit; determining the first sensed signal data indicates detection of the first frequency; when permissions data for the first occupancy area indicates occupants of the first occupancy area can interact with the first interactable element, facilitate performance of a functionality associated with the first interactable element; when permissions data for the first occupancy area indicates occupants of the first occupancy area cannot interact with the first interactable element, foregoing performance of the functionality associated with the interaction with the first interactable element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
communicating a first ID signal at a first frequency between a first passenger restraint of a vehicle and a first sensor circuit of a touch screen through a body of a first user in a first occupancy area of the vehicle;
receiving first sensed signal data from the first sensor circuit indicating a possible interaction with a first interactable element at a first touch screen location based on changes in electrical properties of an electrode of the first sensor circuit;
determining the first sensed signal data indicates detection of the first frequency;
providing permissions data corresponding to the first occupancy area indicating one or more interactable elements that any occupants of the first occupancy area have permission to interact with, wherein the permissions data corresponding to the first occupancy area is based on motion of the vehicle;
when the permissions data for the first occupancy area indicates occupants of the first occupancy area can interact with the first interactable element, facilitate performance of a functionality associated with the first interactable element;
when the permissions data for the first occupancy area indicates occupants of the first occupancy area cannot interact with the first interactable element, foregoing performance of the functionality associated with the interaction with the first interactable element;
communicating a second ID signal at a second frequency between a second passenger restraint of the vehicle and a second sensor circuit of the touch screen through a body of a second user in a second occupancy area of the vehicle;
receiving second sensed signal data from the second sensor circuit indicating a possible interaction with a second interactable element at a second touch screen location based on changes in electrical properties of an electrode of the second sensor circuit;
determining the second sensed signal data indicates detection of the second frequency;
providing permissions data corresponding to the second occupancy area indicating one or more interactable elements that any occupants of the second occupancy area have permission to interact with, wherein the permissions data corresponding to the second occupancy area is based on the motion of the vehicle;
when the permissions data for the second occupancy area indicates occupants of the second occupancy area can interact with the second interactable element, facilitating performance of a functionality associated with the second interactable element;
when the permissions data for the second occupancy area indicates occupants of the second occupancy area cannot interact with the second interactable element, foregoing performance of the functionality associated with the interaction with the second interactable element.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensed signal data indicates detection of the first frequency based on:
a first portion of the body of the first user being in proximity to the passenger restraint; and
a second portion of the body of the first user being in proximity to the electrode of the first sensor circuit;
wherein the ID signal is propagated through the body of the first user from the first portion of the body of the first user to the second portion of the body of the first user to cause the changes in electrical characteristics of the electrode of the first sensor circuit.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the changes in electrical properties of the electrode of the first sensed circuit include changes in impedance of the electrode.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first signal indicating the possible interaction is received in a first temporal period, and wherein the performance of the functionality associated with the first interactable element is facilitated when the first sensed signal data indicates detection of the first frequency within the first temporal period.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first sensed signal data is received contemporaneously with the second sensed signal data.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first occupancy area and second occupancy area correspond to different occupancy areas within a vehicle including at least two of:
a driver door occupancy area;
a steering wheel occupancy area;
a dashboard occupancy area;
a front center console occupancy area;
a front passenger door occupancy area;
a rear center console occupancy area;
a rear left passenger door occupancy area; or
a rear right passenger door occupancy area.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein functionality associated with the first interactable element includes generating control data to update a state of at least one corresponding vehicle element.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one corresponding vehicle element includes at least one of:
an air conditioning element;
a seat heating element;
a seat position control element;
a mirror position control element;
a radio element;
a speaker;
an audio control element;
a turning signal element;
a windshield wiper element;
a window element;
a sunroof element; or
a door locking element.

9. The method of claim 1 , the functionality associated with the second interactable element includes generating control data to update a state of at least one corresponding vehicle element.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one corresponding vehicle element includes at least one of:
an air conditioning element;
a seat heating element;
a seat position control element;
a mirror position control element;
a radio element;
a speaker;
an audio control element;
a turning signal element;
a windshield wiper element;
a window element;
a sunroof element; or
a door locking element.

11. A sensor system, comprising:
a touch screen having a plurality of sensor circuits including a first sensor circuit corresponding to a first touch screen location and a second sensor circuit corresponding to a second touch screen location; and
a computing entity operable to:
communicate a first ID signal at a first frequency between a first passenger restraint of a vehicle and the first sensor circuit through a body of a first user in a first occupancy area of the vehicle;
receive first sensed signal data from the first sensor circuit indicating a possible interaction with a first interactable element at the first touch screen location based on changes in electrical properties of an electrode of the first sensor circuit;
determine the first sensed signal data indicates detection of the first frequency;
providing permissions data corresponding to the first occupancy area indicating one or more interactable elements that any occupants of the first occupancy area have permission to interact with, wherein the permissions data corresponding to the first occupancy area is based on motion of the vehicle;
when the permissions data for the first occupancy area indicates occupants of the first occupancy area can interact with the first interactable element, facilitate performance of a functionality associated with the first interactable element;
when the permissions data for the first occupancy area indicates occupants of the first occupancy area cannot interact with the first interactable element, foregoing performance of the functionality associated with the interaction with the first interactable element;
communicate a second ID signal at a second frequency between a second passenger restraint of the vehicle and the second sensor circuit through a body of a second user in a second occupancy area of the vehicle;
receive second sensed signal data from the second sensor circuit indicating a possible interaction with a second inte

Assignees

• Sigmasense Llc

Inventors

• Derichs Kevin Joseph
• Seger Jr Richard Stuart
• Gray Michael Shawn
• Gray Patrick Troy
• Van Ostrand Daniel Keith

Classifications

• B60K35/65

  Instruments specially adapted for specific vehicle types or users, e.g. for left- or right-hand drive · CPC title

• B60K2360/1438

  Touch screens · CPC title

• B60K2360/11

  Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects · CPC title

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title