WO2020011537A1

WO2020011537A1 - Steering unit for a motor vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2020011537A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/067012
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martin Brunnenstein; Quentin HUBER; Henrik IHLEFELD; Jay-Jongwon Kim; Ralf Meyer; Fabien Ory; Michael Richter
Original assignee: Psa Automobiles Sa
Priority date: 2018-07-10
Filing date: 2019-06-26
Publication date: 2020-01-16
Also published as: EP3787919A1; MA52503A; DE102018005435A1

Abstract

A steering unit for a motor vehicle comprises a steering wheel (1), a screen (6) that is integrated into the steering wheel (1), and a control unit (8) for controlling the output of at least a first image (11) on the screen (6), said control unit (8) being configured to rotate the image (11) counter to a direction of rotation of the steering wheel (1).

Description

Steering unit for a motor vehicle

The present invention relates to a steering unit for a motor vehicle and a method for its operation.

A steering unit for a motor vehicle is known from DE 10 2009 021 280 A1, in which a touchpad control for various functions of the motor vehicle is installed in a steering wheel on its hub. The touchpad includes one

Screen on which symbols for the functions controlled via the touchpad can be displayed, and allows control of these functions by touching the touchpad.

If the steering wheel is deflected from its neutral position, this makes it difficult for a user to recognize the displayed symbols. In addition, with a rotation of the steering wheel, the direction of an actuation movement, such as a wiping over the surface of the touchscreen, with which a desired function is controlled, so that an intuitive connection between the direction of an actuation movement and a manipulated variable controlled thereby is lost. During e.g. intuitive in neutral

It is obvious to increase a manipulated variable by an upward wiping movement, a left-right movement is required for the steering wheel turned by 90 °, a downward movement is required on the steering wheel turned 180 °, and the likelihood of incorrect operation is high. For this reason, DE 10 2009 021 280 A1 provides for the touchscreen to be deactivated when a predetermined steering wheel angle is exceeded. The object of the present invention is to provide a steering unit for a motor vehicle, in which a safe and simple reading of a screen integrated into the steering wheel is guaranteed, regardless of its steering angle.

The object is achieved in that, in a steering unit for a motor vehicle with a steering wheel having an integrated screen and a control unit for controlling the output of at least one first image on the screen, the control unit is set up to rotate the image counter to a rotation of the steering wheel. So is related to the perspective of a driver who is on the

Screen looks, the rotation of the image always less than that of the steering wheel; ideally, if the angle of rotation of the image is opposite to

Is the steering angle of the steering wheel, the orientation of the image appears completely unchangeable from the driver's perspective.

If the steering wheel comprises an outer ring and at least one spoke connecting the outer ring to a hub, then the spoke most likely offers space for the screen.

Placing the screen close to the axis of rotation also has the advantage that the direction from which the image is presented to the driver changes only slightly when the steering wheel is turned. In order to minimize the distance from the axis of rotation, it is preferred that an axis of rotation of the steering wheel crosses the screen. In particular, the screen can extend symmetrically over two spokes that run in mirror image to one another between the hub and the outer ring.

The axis of rotation of the steering wheel can coincide with an image axis about which the control unit rotates the image; However, in some positions of the steering wheel, the visibility of the image may be impaired if the image axis does not run through a geometric center of the image. For this reason, the control unit is preferably set up to rotate the first image about a first point offset against an axis of rotation of the steering wheel.

This first point should be within the first image; it is preferably a center of the first image. In order to take advantage of the installation space available on the steering wheel, in particular on its spoke, the screen must be elongated; however, they are

Dimensions of an image that can always be fully displayed on such a screen regardless of the steering angle of the steering wheel are limited by the smaller of the two dimensions of such a screen. To the

To be able to use a large part of the screen area can

Control unit can be set up to rotate a second image around a second point offset from the first point. This second point should also be located within the second image and preferably represent a center of the image.

The second point should be stationary with respect to the steering wheel, i.e. rotate the steering wheel around the axis of rotation on a circular path concentric to the axis of rotation.

In order to detect an angle of rotation of the steering wheel relative to a neutral position, the control unit can be connected to an angle of rotation sensor which detects the steering angle of the steering wheel.

Alternatively, the control unit can be connected to an acceleration sensor in order to detect the direction of an acceleration acting on the steering wheel and to keep the orientation of the image constant relative to the vector of the acceleration. This can lead to the fact that the orientation of the image deviates from the orientation when driving straight ahead when cornering.

The control unit can also be set up to switch between different contents of at least the first image on the basis of a control input. For example, under normal conditions, a first image adjacent to the axis of rotation can show a manufacturer logo, as is conventionally applied as an embossing or as a separate component in the center of a steering wheel; if necessary, however, the logo, which is only displayed as an image on the screen, can be replaced by any other temporarily relevant information, in particular warnings. The invention further relates to a method for operating a steering wheel with an integrated screen, in particular a steering wheel as described above, with the steps:

Detecting a steering angle by which the steering wheel is deflected from a neutral position;

Displaying an image on the screen in a neutral position when the steering wheel is in its neutral position, and

Detecting a deflection angle by which the steering wheel is rotated from its neutral position and rotating the image displayed on the screen relative to the steering wheel opposite to the steering angle, in particular by an angle that is the same as the steering angle.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a steering wheel with a screen and an image displayed on the screen in the neutral position.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the steering wheel of FIG. 1 in an engaged position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the steering wheel with two on the

Images displayed on the screen in neutral position

FIG. 4 is a top view of the steering wheel of FIG. 3 in a turned position; and

Fig. 5 shows a schematic section through the steering wheel.

1 shows a steering wheel 1 of a steering unit according to the invention in a plan view along an axis of rotation 2, about which the steering wheel 1 is rotatably mounted in a motor vehicle (not shown). The steering wheel 1 usually comprises an outer ring 3, and at least one spoke 4, which extends radially inward from the ring 3 to a hub 5. In the case considered here there are three spokes 4 provided, two of which are diametrically opposite on different sides of the hub 5, so that a screen 6 can extend straight across the hub 5 from one spoke 4 to the other.

An LCD display with a large viewing angle or an OLED display can be considered as the screen 6.

The screen 6 is surrounded all around by a frame 7, the color of which is matched to the color of a black-indicating pixel of the LCD display or a switched-off pixel of the OLED display, so that the screen 6 is not immediately recognizable as such.

An electronic control unit 8, which determines the color and brightness value of each pixel of the screen 6, can be integrated into the steering wheel 1, e.g. 5, be provided on a printed circuit board 9 arranged in one of the spokes 4 behind the screen 6; but it can also be physically separated from the steering wheel 1, e.g. Part of an on-board computer of the vehicle can be connected to the screen via a data line running through the steering column.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the control unit 8 is connected to an angle encoder 10, which is fixedly mounted in the steering wheel 1, by the steering angle of the

Steering wheel 1 to detect a non-rotating reference point of the steering column. In a steer-by-wire steering system, an angle encoder, which

Provides steering angle data for the control of the steerable wheels of the vehicle, can also be used to supply the control unit 8 with steering angle data. Instead of the angle encoder 10 could be on the steering wheel 1, e.g. on the circuit board 9, an acceleration sensor to be mounted to detect the direction of gravity relative to the steering wheel and from it

Derive steering angle of the steering wheel 1.

In the view of Fig. 1, the steering wheel 1 is in a neutral position corresponding to straight travel, i.e. the turning angle is zero. An image 11 generated by the control unit 8 in the middle of the screen 6 shows a

Manufacturer symbol 12. The axis of rotation 2 crosses the displayed image 11. A center 13 of the image 11 is slightly offset from the axis of rotation 2. On the basis of the data supplied by the rotation angle transmitter 10 or by the acceleration sensor, the control unit 8 determines a current steering angle f of the steering wheel 1 and rotates the image 11 relative to the one shown in FIG

Neutral position orientation around the angle -f around the center point 13. Thus, when the steering wheel 1 is turned out of the neutral position as shown in FIG. 2, the image 11 moves in a coordinate system fixed relative to the steering wheel 1 on a circular path 14 about the axis of rotation 2, the radius of which corresponds to the distance of the center point 13 from the axis of rotation 2, but keeps its own

Orientation in space, so that the viewer has the impression that the image 11 is at rest while the steering wheel 1 is rotating below it.

The content of image 1 1 is variable. It can therefore be used to convey information to the driver. According to a development of the invention, the electronic control unit 8 is connected to a satellite navigation system or a

Driver assistance system coupled - by comparing the current

geographical position of the vehicle with the content of a

Road map database or by evaluating images from a camera monitoring the surroundings of the vehicle - for a vehicle currently in use

Determine traffic routes and prohibitions or warnings. If and as long as the control unit 8 from the satellite navigation or

Driver assistance system receives an indication of a route ban or a danger, it shows a representative traffic sign 15 instead of the

Manufacturer symbol 12 in Figure 1 1.

Since the outline of the image 11 can vary depending on the displayed content 12, 15, etc., the position of the center 13 can also vary; In the case shown here, the center 13 of the manufacturer symbol 12 is just above that of the warning triangle 15 just below the axis of rotation 2.

Fig. 3 shows a view of the steering wheel 1, in which the traffic sign 15 is a general hazard warning. If the satellite navigation or

Instead of the general hazard warning, the driver assistance system can provide correspondingly precise hazard warnings, but can also be a more specific warning, for example a warning of an intersection with a privileged crossing or a right-to-left priority regulation or a warning of a curve ahead; in general, any hazard warning signs that appear in the country of use of the Vehicle's current road traffic regulations can be set up on a street, also shown in Figure 11.

If a route ban, such as a speed limit or an overtaking ban, applies to the traffic route currently being used, this can be shown in Figure 11 until it no longer applies; alternatively, it can be provided that it is only displayed if it is exceeded or there is a risk of it, i.e. to indicate a speed limit if the vehicle exceeds or is just below the set maximum speed, or to indicate a no-overtaking condition if the driver indicates his intention to overtake by using a turn signal.

Particularly when a speed limit is displayed, it is particularly advantageous that the image 11 does not rotate with the steering wheel 1, since reading the displayed digits requires increased concentration if they are displayed rotated by arbitrary angles rather than in the usual orientation.

The image 11 can also be used to transmit information relating to the operation of the vehicle to the driver by showing corresponding image content, e.g. to clearly indicate a low level of a fuel tank, lack of oil, the need for maintenance or the like.

In the case of an autonomous vehicle, the driver can be asked to take control of the vehicle by displaying a corresponding symbol as image 11

Take over vehicle.

If calls are made from the vehicle, the picture 1 1 can be used to provide information about the call, such as the name and / or number of the

Interlocutor, conversation duration, conversation status such as

Establishing a connection, existing speech connection, holding the connection.

Areas 16 (see FIG. 1) of the screen 6 that are distant from the steering axis 2 can be used to display images there that are not rotated in opposite directions to the steering wheel rotation by the control unit 8. This is especially true for pictures with edge length ratio deviating strongly from 1, for example for the representation of a scale, makes sense. But it is also conceivable to use images such as 17 (see

Fig. 3, 4), preferably with an edge length ratio close to 1, which are rotated in the event of a rotation of the steering wheel 1 by the control unit 8 about its own center 18, so that when the steering wheel 1 rotates with it around the Rotate axis of rotation 2, but like the picture 1 1 their

Maintain orientation. Figure 17 shows an example of a coffee cup asking a driver to take a break to alert the attention monitoring assistant

It is to be understood that the above detailed description and the drawings represent certain exemplary embodiments of the invention, but that they are only intended for the purpose of illustration and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Various modifications of the described configurations are possible without leaving the scope of the following claims and their range of equivalents. In particular, this description and the figures also show features of the exemplary embodiments which are not mentioned in the claims. Such features can also occur in combinations other than those specifically disclosed here. The fact that several such characteristics are in the same sentence or in a different type of

Textual context are therefore not justified in the conclusion that they can only occur in the specifically disclosed combination;

instead, it can generally be assumed that several of such features can also be omitted or modified, provided that this does not call into question the functionality of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 steering wheel

2 axis of rotation

3 ring

4 spoke

5 hub

6 screen

7 frames

8 control unit

9 circuit board

10 rotary encoder

11 picture

12 manufacturer symbol

13 center point

14 circular path

15 traffic sign

16 distant area

17 picture

18 center point

Claims

Patent claims

1. Steering unit for a motor vehicle with a steering wheel (1) having an integrated screen (6) and a control unit (8) for controlling the output of at least one first image (11) on the screen (6), which is set up to display the image ( 1 1) to rotate counter to a rotation of the steering wheel (1).

2. Steering unit according to claim 1, wherein the steering wheel (1) comprises an outer ring (3) and at least one spoke (4) connecting the outer ring (3) with a hub (5) and the screen (6) on the spoke (4) is arranged.

3. Steering unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an axis of rotation (2) of the

Steering wheel (1) crosses the screen (6).

4. Steering unit according to one of the preceding claims, in which the

Control unit (8) is set up to rotate the first image (1 1) around a first point (13) offset against an axis of rotation (2) of the steering wheel (1).

5. Steering unit according to claim 4, wherein the first point is a center point (13) of the first image (11).

6. Steering unit according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the control unit (8)

is set up to rotate a second image (17) around a second point (18) offset from the first point (13).

7. Steering unit according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the second point (18) with respect to the steering wheel (1) is stationary.

8. Steering unit according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control unit (8) is connected to a rotation angle sensor (10) in order to detect a steering angle (a) of the steering wheel (1) relative to a neutral position thereof.

9. Steering unit according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control unit (8) is connected to an acceleration sensor in order to detect the direction of an acceleration acting on the steering wheel (1) and the orientation to keep the image (11) constant relative to the vector of the acceleration.

10. Steering unit according to one of the preceding claims, in which the

Control unit (8) is set up to switch between different contents (12, 15) of at least the first image (11) on the basis of a control input.

11. Steering unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that the control unit is set up as the content of the first

Display image (1 1):

- a manufacturer-specific character (12);

- a warning (15).

12. Method for operating a steering wheel with an integrated screen, comprising the steps:

Detecting a steering angle (a) by which the steering wheel (1) is deflected from a neutral position;

Displaying an image (1 1) on the screen (6) in a neutral position when the steering wheel (1) is in its neutral position, and

Detecting a deflection angle by which the steering wheel (1) is rotated from its neutral position and rotating the image (11) displayed on the screen (6) relative to the steering wheel (1) in the opposite direction to the detected steering angle.