Illuminated vehicle control management pushbutton knob

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9840278-B2
Application number	US-201514924103-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2015
Priority date	Oct 27, 2015
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A control system for a vehicle includes a steering system, an input including a rotatable rotary element, and a controller. The controller receives a trailer backup assist mode initiation command from the input and activates a trailer backup mode including outputting a vehicle steering command based on a first instantaneous position of the rotary element to the steering system. The controller further receives a terrain management mode initiation command from the input and activating a terrain management mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control system for a vehicle, comprising:
a steering system;
an input device including a rotatable rotary element; and
a controller:
receiving a trailer backup assist mode initiation command from the input and activating a trailer backup mode including outputting a vehicle steering command based on a first instantaneous position of the rotary element to the steering system;
receiving a terrain management mode initiation command from the input and activating a terrain management mode; and
causing the input to implement in the rotary element:
a first movement type to an input position of a plurality of menu command positions to receive at least one of the trailer backup assist mode initiation command and the terrain management mode initiation command; and
a second movement type into an instantaneous one of a plurality of trailer control commanding positions when in the trailer backup assist mode.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the first movement type is free rotation of the rotary element.

3. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the second movement type is biased rotation of the rotary element toward an at-rest position.

4. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the first movement type and the second movement type are implemented by an electromechanical element coupled with the rotary element.

5. The control system of claim 1 , further including a display screen, wherein:
the controller causes the display screen to present a plurality of menu items;
the rotary element is moveable in the first movement type to scroll among the menu items, including a trailer backup assist mode item, for designation as a selectable item; and
the input further includes a first button, the trailer backup assist mode initiation command including determining that the first button is in a depressed state while the trailer backup assist mode item is the highlighted item.

6. The control system of claim 1 , wherein, when executing the trailer backup mode:
the controller interprets the instantaneous position of the rotary element as corresponding to one of a zero curvature position or at least two directional curvature positions opposed about the zero curvature position; and
the controller causes the input to bias the rotary element toward an at rest position corresponding to the zero curvature position.

7. The control system of claim 6 , wherein the vehicle steering command is further based on a trailer curvature path corresponding to an instantaneous one of the zero curvature position or one of the at least two directional curvature positions.

8. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the input further includes an illuminable mode indicator, the controller illuminating the illuminable mode indicator in a trailer backup assist indication mode when implementing the trailer backup assist mode.

9. A vehicle, comprising:
a steering system;
an input including a rotatable element;
a controller:
receiving a first mode selection from the input corresponding to a trailer backup assist mode initiation command;
executing a trailer backup assist mode including interpreting a first instantaneous position of the rotary element as a trailer control commanding position corresponding to one of a zero curvature position or at least two directional curvature positions opposed about the zero curvature position and outputting a vehicle steering command based on a trailer curvature path corresponding to an instantaneous one of the zero curvature position or one of the at least two directional curvature positions to the steering system; and activating one of a terrain management mode or a hill descent control mode upon interpreting the first instantaneous position of the rotary element respectively as one of a terrain management mode initiation command and a hill descent control mode initiation command.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the input further includes:
a body with a face thereof encircled by the rotatable element; and
a plurality of buttons disposed on the body, a first of the plurality of buttons transmitting the first mode selection to the controller and at least a second one of the buttons transmitting a signal corresponding to the one of the terrain management mode initiation command and the hill descent control mode initiation command.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein a third one of the buttons transmits a parking assist mode initiation command.

12. The vehicle of claim 9 , further comprising a central console including a console extending outwardly from the rotary element, wherein:
the input further includes an extension element operably coupling the rotatable element with the console and rotating about an axis from a central position to a plurality of selection positions;
the input is further in communication with the controller for transmitting the first mode selection to the controller when the extension element is rotated into a first selection position of the plurality of selection positions.

13. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein:
the input further includes a plurality of buttons, the controller receiving the trailer backup assist mode initiation command from a first one of the plurality of buttons; and
the controller receives a terrain management mode initiation command from a second one of the plurality of buttons and activates a terrain management mode.

14. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the controller further receives a hill descent control mode initiation command from the input and activates a hill descent control mode; and
the controller receives the hill descent control mode initiation command from a third one of the plurality of buttons.

15. The vehicle of claim 9 , further including a console and an extension element extending from the console, wherein:
the console extends outwardly from the rotatable element;
the rotatable element is operably coupled with the console by the extension element with the extension element rotating about an axis within the console from a central position to a plurality of selection positions; and
the controller receives the trailer backup assist mode initiation command by determining that the extension element is rotated into a first selection position of the plurality of selection positions.

16. A method for controlling a vehicle, comprising:
receiving a first mode selection;
when the first mode selection is a trailer backup assist mode selection:
determining a first instantaneous position of a rotary element;
interpreting the first instantaneous position as a trailer control position corresponding to one of a zero curvature position or at least two directional curvature positions opposed about the zero curvature position; and
outputting a corresponding steering command based on a trailer curvature path corresponding to an instantaneous one of the zero curvature position or one of the at least two directional curvature positions to a steering system; and

when the first mode selection corresponds to an additional vehicle control mode selection, requesting a selection of a first mode parameter.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first mode input is received from one of a plurality of buttons adjacent the rotary element, a first one of the buttons corresponding to the backup assist mode selection and at least a second one of the buttons corresponding to the additional vehicle control mode selection.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein:
when receiving the first mode selection, controlling an electromechanical element coupled with the rota

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Lavoie Erick Michael
• Hochrein Bradley G

Classifications

• B62D6/002

  computing target steering angles for front or rear wheels (B62D7/159 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D6/001

  the torque NOT being among the input parameters · CPC title

• B62D13/06 Primary

  for backing a normally drawn trailer · CPC title

• B62D15/025

  Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation (B62D1/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G08G1/168

  Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space · CPC title