Multitouch chording language

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016054914-A1
Application number	US-201414464532-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 20, 2014
Priority date	Aug 20, 2014
Publication date	Feb 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A multitouch interface application provides a user with access to a multitouch chording language for controlling auxiliary components within a vehicle, where a particular command for a given auxiliary component is specified by a combination of a left-hand gesture and a right-hand gesture. The multitouch interface application receives left-hand gestures from a left-hand touch sensing surface, where a given left-hand gesture corresponds to a selection of mode associated within a given auxiliary component. The multitouch interface application also receives right-hand gestures from a right-hand touch sensing surface, where a given right-hand gesture, in conjunction with a left-hand gesture, corresponds to a command for the given auxiliary component. Upon receiving both a left-hand gesture and a right-hand gesture, the multitouch interface application issues the command to the auxiliary component associated with the selected mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions that, when executed by a processing unit, cause the processing unit to control the operation of a plurality of auxiliary components within a vehicle, by performing the steps of:
receiving, via a first touch sensing surface, a first input gesture; translating, based on a mode map, the first input gesture into a selection of a first mode corresponding to a first auxiliary component included in the plurality of auxiliary components; receiving, via a second touch sensing surface, a second input gesture; and translating, based on a command mapping, the second input gesture into a first command that relates to the operation of the first auxiliary component, wherein the first command is transmitted to the first auxiliary component.

2 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the mode map includes a mapping between different input gestures and different modes, and wherein each mode corresponds to a different auxiliary component included in the plurality of auxiliary components.

3 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 ,
wherein the command mapping comprises a command map that includes commands specific to the first auxiliary component included in the plurality of auxiliary components, or wherein the command mapping comprises a command sub-map that is identified within a command map that includes a plurality of command sub-maps, each different command sub-map in the plurality of command sub-maps including commands specific to a different auxiliary component included in the plurality of auxiliary components.

4 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the second input gesture is received at substantially the same time as the first input gesture.

5 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining that the time between when first input gesture is received and when the second input gesture input is received falls within a preset time interval.

6 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein both the first touch sensing surface and the second touch sensing surface are coupled to a steering wheel that resides within the vehicle.

7 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein each of the first input gesture and the second input gesture comprises a single or multi-finger tap gesture, tap-and-hold gesture, or swipe gesture.

8 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of auxiliary components within the vehicle includes at least two of a multimedia system, a navigation device, a climate control, a cruise control, a power window subsystem, a power locks subsystem, a headlight control, a windshield wiper control, a traction or anti-slip control, a four-wheel drive control, a seat adjustment system, a powered side and rear view mirror system, and an interior lighting control.

9 . A computer-implemented method for controlling the operation of a plurality of auxiliary components within a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, via a first touch sensing surface, a first input gesture; translating, based on a mode map, the first input gesture into a selection of a first mode corresponding to a first auxiliary component included in the plurality of auxiliary components; receiving, via a second touch sensing surface, a second input gesture; and translating, based on a command mapping, the second input gesture into a first command that relates to the operation of the first auxiliary component, wherein the first command is transmitted to the first auxiliary component.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the mode map indicates, for each different input gesture in a first set of input gestures, a different auxiliary component in the plurality of auxiliary components.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 ,
wherein the command mapping indicates, for each different input gesture in a second set of input gestures, a different command, or wherein the command mapping includes a plurality of subsets of commands, each different subset of commands corresponding to a different input gesture in the first set of input gestures and including commands specific to a different auxiliary component in the plurality of auxiliary components.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the second input gesture is received before the first input gesture, and further comprising buffering the second input for a preset time interval.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising determining that the time between when first input gesture is received and when the second input gesture input is received falls within a configurable time interval.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein both the first touch sensing surface and the second touch sensing surface are integrated into a steering wheel that resides within the vehicle.

15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving a third input gesture; interpreting a number of touch contacts associated with the third input gesture as a selection of a second mode corresponding to a second auxiliary component in the plurality of auxiliary components; and interpreting a duration associated with the third gesture or a directionality associated with the third gesture as a second command, wherein the second command is transmitted to the second auxiliary component.

16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of auxiliary components within the vehicle includes at least two of a multimedia system, a navigation device, a climate control, a cruise control, a power window subsystem, a power locks subsystem, a headlight control, a windshield wiper control, a traction or anti-slip control, a four-wheel drive control, a seat adjustment system, a powered side and rear view mirror system, and an interior lighting control.

17 . A system for controlling the operation of a plurality of auxiliary components within a vehicle, comprising:
a first touch screen; a second touch sensing surface; and a computing device, comprising:
a processing unit configured to:
identify, based on input received via the first touch screen and the second touch sensing surface at substantially the same time, a first command within a plurality of commands that is specific to a first auxiliary component within a plurality of auxiliary components, and
transmit the first command to the first auxiliary component.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the input received via the first touch sensing surface and the second touch sensing surface comprises a first gesture input that indicates the first auxiliary component and a second gesture input that indicates a subset of commands in the plurality of commands, respectively.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to identify the first command within the subset of commands based on the first gesture input.

20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the first touch sensing surface is coupled to a steering wheel within the vehicle and positioned proximate to a first hand of a driver of the vehicle, and the second touch sensing surface is also coupled to the steering wheel and positioned proximate to a second hand of the driver of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Harman Int Ind

Inventors

• Di Censo Davide
• Marti Stefan

Classifications

• B60K2360/782

  on the steering wheel · CPC title

• B60K2360/55

  Remote control arrangements · CPC title

• B60K2360/146

  Instrument input by gesture · CPC title

• B60K2360/143

  Touch sensitive instrument input devices · CPC title

• B60K2360/115

  Selection of menu items · CPC title