Input device for a vehicle control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016265654-A1
Application number	US-201415029332-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 14, 2014
Priority date	Oct 14, 2013
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An input device for use in a vehicle steering assembly, the input device having at least one user-operable control member which is moveable between a deployed state and a retracted state. When the control member is in its deployed state, the control member is operable to provide an input to a vehicle control system. In a particular example, the or each control member is a paddle shaped lever which is used to send gear change requests to an automatic transmission, and the lever is retracted when gear change requests do not need to be sent.

First claim

1 - 38 . (canceled)

39 . An input device for use in a vehicle steering assembly, the input device comprising a first user-operable control member and a second user-operable control member, each control member being moveable between a deployed state and a retracted state;
wherein each control member, when in its deployed state, is operable to provide an input to a vehicle control system; and wherein movement of the first and second control members from their deployed states into their retracted states can be triggered by operating the first and second control members simultaneously.

40 . An input device according to claim 39 , wherein the control members are operable, in use, to output a gearshift request signal for a vehicle transmission system.

41 . An input device according to claim 39 , comprising positioning means for moving each control member between its deployed state and its retracted state, optionally wherein the positioning means comprises an electric motor, further optionally the input device comprising a respective screw for each control member, wherein the electric motor is operable to effect rotation of the screws, and wherein rotation of the screws causes each control member to move between its retracted state and its deployed state.

42 . An input device according to claim 39 , comprising a respective switch for each control member, each switch being operable by its respective control member when the control member is in its deployed state.

43 . An input device according to claim 42 , wherein each switch is operable by its respective control member when in the retracted state.

44 . An input device according to claim 39 , wherein each control member comprises a lever.

45 . A vehicle steering assembly, comprising a steering wheel and an input device according to claim 39 .

46 . A vehicle steering assembly according to claim 45 , wherein the control member is mounted to the steering wheel.

47 . A vehicle steering assembly according to claim 46 , wherein the control member is pivotally mounted to the steering wheel at a pivot, and wherein a free end of the control member is disposed towards a rim of the steering wheel and remote from the pivot, optionally wherein, when in its retracted state, the free end of the control member is closer to the steering wheel than when the control member is in its deployed state, and optionally wherein, when in its retracted state, the control member is stowed in a recess provided in the steering wheel.

48 . A vehicle steering assembly according to claim 47 , wherein, when in its deployed state, the free end of the control member is positioned with respect to the rim of the steering wheel such that the control member can be operated by a user with one hand whilst simultaneously gripping the steering wheel with the same hand.

49 . A transmission for a vehicle, comprising a transmission controller and an input device according to claim 39 , wherein each control member of the input device is operable to provide a gearshift request input to the transmission controller.

50 . A transmission according to claim 49 , wherein, when each control member is in its retracted state, the transmission controller is arranged to ignore gearshift request inputs sent by the control members, optionally wherein movement of the control members between the deployed and retracted states is controlled by the transmission controller.

51 . A transmission according to claim 49 , wherein the first control member is operable to send an upshift request to the transmission controller, and the second controller is operable to send a downshift request to the transmission controller.

52 . A vehicle comprising an input device according to claim 39 .

53 . An input device for use in a vehicle steering assembly, the input device comprising a first user-operable control member and a second user-operable control member, each control member being moveable between a deployed state and a retracted state;
wherein each control member, when in its deployed state, is operable to provide an input to a vehicle control system; and wherein movement of the first and second control members from their retracted states to their deployed states can be triggered by operating either of the first or second control members.

54 . A vehicle comprising an input device according to claim 53 .

55 . A method for operating an input device for a vehicle transmission, the input device comprising a first control member and a second control member, the first and second control members being associated with a vehicle steering assembly, the method comprising detecting a user request for deployment or retraction of the control members, and moving each control member in response to the user request into a respective deployed state, in which the control member is accessible by the user, or into a respective retracted state;
wherein the user request for deployment comprises a user input to at least one of the control members; and wherein the user request for retraction comprises a user input to both of the control members.

56 . A method according to claim 55 , comprising monitoring an operating parameter of the vehicle, and moving the control members into their retracted states or their deployed states in dependence on the operating parameter.

57 . A method according to claim 56 , wherein the operating parameter is at least one of:
a vehicle speed, wherein the method comprises moving each control member into its retracted state if the vehicle speed is below a speed threshold; a steering wheel angle, wherein the method comprises moving each control member into its retracted state if the steering wheel angle is above an angle threshold; a rate of change of steering wheel angle, wherein the method comprises moving each control member into its retracted state if the rate of change is above a rate threshold; a terrain mode, wherein the method comprises moving each control member into its deployed state if the vehicle is in an off-road driving mode; a vehicle gear, wherein the method comprises moving each control member into its retracted state if the vehicle is operating in a pre-determined low range gear; and a vehicle drive mode, and wherein the method comprises moving each control member into its retracted state if the vehicle is operating in a pre-determined drive mode.

58 . A method according to claim 56 , comprising moving each control member into its retracted state if the control members are not operated for a pre-determined time period.

Assignees

• Juguar Land Rover Ltd
• Jaguar Land Rover Ltd

Inventors

• Jerger Rob
• Gennard James

Classifications

• F16H2059/0243

  with push buttons, e.g. shift buttons arranged on steering wheel · CPC title

• B62D1/046

  Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches · CPC title

• F16H59/0204 Primary

  for automatic transmissions with means for range selection and manual shifting, e.g. range selector with tiptronic · CPC title

• B60K20/06 Primary

  mounted on steering column or the like · CPC title

• F16H2059/0247

  with lever or paddle behind steering wheel · CPC title