System, apparatus and method for vehicle command and control

Abstract

The teachings herein generally relate to systems, methods and apparatuses useful in vehicle command and control. For example, a vehicle control system according to the teachings herein may include one or more touch panels connected to a steering wheel and being in communicative connection to a vehicle control processor. Preferably, the touch panel(s) are configured face down, and adapted to track touches (e.g., simultaneous touches) by multiple individually identified fingers. As another example, an apparatus for vehicle command and control, according to the teachings herein, may include one or more face down touch panels positioned to be touched by a driver's fingers while the driver's thumb holds or otherwise contacts a steering wheel. Preferably, the touch panels are in communication with a view screen enabled to display an indication of touch actions by multiple fingers touching the panels. The touch panels preferably include touch sensors adapted to identify touches of multiple fingers of a user. Preferably, the touch sensors are associated with software for identifying and tracking touches (e.g., movements) of every finger individually out of multiple fingers and determining whether each touch is a sliding movement or a non-sliding contact.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A vehicle management method, comprising the steps of:
 a driver placing one or more fingers on one or more touch devices connected to a steering wheel;   positioning a repositionable touch zone for each finger on the touch device; projecting onto a screen a vehicle control function for each identified finger on the touch device; and   selecting a primary vehicle control function with a finger,   wherein the driver maintains contact of two hands on a steering wheel during the steps of placing, positioning, projecting, and selecting.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising entering the function and providing an advanced command entry functionality for each identified finger, within the selected primary function. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising a function for enabling safe texting while driving, including the steps of: placing fingers on the touch device positioned face down on a steering wheel, positioning a repositionable touch zone for each identified finger, displaying a representation of the identified fingers on a transparent view panel, the view panel situated so as to allow the driver to view the panel while looking at the road ahead of the vehicle, and a user interface on the vehicle viewing panel adapted to provide easy to navigate characters for each of the identified fingers, while the driver can keep his/her hands on the steering wheel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising placing one or more fingers on one or more touch devices placed near the driver in a comfortable distance; positioning a repositionable touch zone for each finger on the touch device; projecting a vehicle control function for each identified finger on the touch device, on a screen; and
 selecting a primary vehicle control function with a finger, without having to look at the touch device.   
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A vehicle management method, comprising the steps of:
 a controller recognizing a contact of multiple fingers at different locations on one or more touch devices connected to a steering wheel, wherein each touch device has a touch surface facing away from a driver;   the controller positioning a repositionable touch zone for each finger on the touch device based only on its contact location and the other contact locations;   the controller identifying a primary vehicle control function for each of the touch zones;   the controller tracking the movement of the multiple fingers; and   the controller controlling the primary vehicle control function based on the movement of the multiple fingers;   wherein the one or more touch devices are portioned so that a driver is capable of maintaining contact of two hands on the steering wheel during the steps of placing, positioning, and selecting.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the method includes projecting onto a screen or otherwise displaying a vehicle control function for each identified finger on the touch device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein, the one or more touch devices includes a first touch device and a second touch device and the method includes recognizing a contact of multiple fingers on the first touch device and a contact of multiple fingers on the second touch device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the method includes a step of displaying function options available for each of the fingers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each of the touch devices is a transparent touch panel. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the method includes a step of he controller sensing the contact of the steering wheel with one or more hands. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the step of sensing includes sensing the contact of a hand in a location above a touch device being contacted. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the method includes identifying and tracking touches of every finger individually as the multiple fingers contact and move on the touch surface of the one or more touch devices, including identifying whether each of the touches is a sliding movement or a non-sliding touch. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the method includes repositioning each of the touch zones. 
     
     
         25 . A method comprising the steps of:
 a. recognizing contact of multiple fingers at different locations of contact on a touch surface of a touch device, wherein the touch device is connected to a steering wheel and the touch surface is facing away from a driver;   b. identifying each finger solely on its location of contact and the location of contacts of the other fingers;   c. after recognizing the contact of the multiple fingers, positioning a touch zone in the region of each of the locations of contact;   d. tracking the motion of each of the of the fingers contacting the touch surface;   e. controlling a vehicle system based on the contacts and motion of the fingers using a vehicle control processor.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein in the step of tracking includes recognizing a sliding motion of at least one the fingers. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the number of the multiple fingers is four. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the touch device is a first touch device located on the right side of a steering column, and the method includes recognizing contact of multiple fingers on a second touch device located on the left side of the steering column. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the touch device is transparent. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the driver maintains a contact on the steering wheel with both hands during the controlling of the vehicle system. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the vehicle control system includes an air conditioning, a vehicle radio, a cruise control, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein
 i) the controlling of the vehicle system is allowed only when the multiple fingers are fingers of a hand having a thumb contacting the steering wheel; and/or   ii) the controlling of the vehicle system is allowed only when the vehicle is not making a sharp turn (preferably only when the vehicle is going straight, with a deviation of less than 5 degrees).