Morphable pad for tactile control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9529499-B2
Application number	US-201414564882-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2014
Priority date	Dec 18, 2009
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for a morphable pad and display configured for tactile control. The system comprises a display for displaying a user interface comprising a layout of vehicle control features. The display is configured to highlight a portion of the layout associated with a received highlight input, and to update the layout based on a received selection input. A morphable pad is connected to the display and comprises an array of switches. Each switch is configured to receive highlight input and selection input. The switches are also configured to adjust in tactile feel to match the layout, and to reconfigure in tactile feel responsive to a change in the layout.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a vehicle comprising a morphable pad having an array of switches, and a display displaying a user interface, the method comprising:
configuring a first subset of the array of switches based on a first layout the user interface;
receiving a selection input using the first subset of the array;
updating the first layout of the user interface to a second layout of the user interface based on the selection input; and
reconfiguring the first subset of the array of switches to a second subset of the array of switches responsive to the updating of the first layout of the user interface to the second layout, the second subset of the array of switches based on the second layout of the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring a tactile feel of at least some of said array of switches further comprises:
adjusting upward in height those switches in said array of switches associated with vehicle features controls in said user interface.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring a tactile feel of at least some of said array of switches further comprises:
adjusting in surface texture those switches in said array of switches associated with vehicle features controls in said user interface.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein updating the layout of said user interface based on the selection input further comprises:
correlating the selection input with a selected vehicle feature control displayed as part of the layout of vehicle feature controls on said user interface;
retrieving from a storage a new layout of vehicle control features for said user interface based on the selected vehicle feature control; and
displaying the new layout of said user interface on said display.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein reconfiguring the tactile feel of at least some of said array of switches further comprises:
determining whether a portion of the updated layout of said user interface corresponds to a vehicle feature control; and
responsive to determining that the portion corresponds to a vehicle feature control, modifying a tactile feel of a first switch in said array of switches that matches the vehicle feature control.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising modifying a vehicle feature setting based on the selection input.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein each switch in said array of switches is less than or equal to one millimeter in length or width.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein each switch is capable of sufficient adjustment in tactile feel such that the change in tactile feel may be detected by sense of human touch relative to an adjacent unadjusted switch.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said morphable pad is located on a steering wheel of a vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving a highlight input at a switch of said array of switches; and
adjusting said user interface to highlight the portion of the layout of vehicle feature controls associated with the switch that received the highlight input.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said morphable pad is located on the center console of a vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein each switch in said array of switches comprises a micro motor.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein each switch in said array of switches comprises a piezoelectric material.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein each switch in said array of switches comprises an electro-active polymer.

15. A system for controlling vehicle feature settings comprising:
a display displaying a user interface comprising a layout of vehicle control features, the display configured to update the layout based on a received selection input; and
a morphable pad connected to the display and comprising an array of switches, each switch configured to receive the selection input, the switches configured to adjust in tactile feel to match the layout, and to reconfigure in tactile feel responsive to a change in the layout.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein a switch is further configured to adjust upward in height responsive to being associated with a vehicle feature control displayed in the layout.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein a switch is further configured to adjust in surface texture responsive to being associated with a vehicle feature control displayed in the layout.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising:
an electronic control unit (ECU) connected to the display and the morphable pad, the ECU configured to correlate the received selection input with a selected vehicle feature control displayed in the layout;
a storage connected to the ECU, the storage configured to store a new layout of vehicle control features for the user interface related to the selected vehicle feature control; and
the display further configured to display the new layout of the user interface.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the ECU is further configured to reconfigure the tactile feel of at least some of the array of switches responsive to the display displaying the new layout.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the ECU is further configured to:
determine whether a portion of the new layout corresponds to a vehicle feature control; and
responsive to determining that the portion corresponds to a vehicle feature control, to modify a tactile feel of a first switch in the array of switches that matches the vehicle feature control.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Scheufler Nicholas A
• Feit Steven
• Choi Dave Jaeyeong
• Miller Ross C

Classifications

• B60K35/25

  using haptic output · CPC title

• B60K35/80

  Arrangements for controlling instruments · CPC title

• B60K35/21

  using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays · CPC title

• G06F3/0482 Primary

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F2203/04809

  Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard · CPC title