CN105939153B - Proximity switch with false touch adaptive learning and method - Google Patents
Proximity switch with false touch adaptive learning and method Download PDFInfo
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- CN105939153B CN105939153B CN201610087752.5A CN201610087752A CN105939153B CN 105939153 B CN105939153 B CN 105939153B CN 201610087752 A CN201610087752 A CN 201610087752A CN 105939153 B CN105939153 B CN 105939153B
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R16/00—Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for
- B60R16/005—Electro-mechanical devices, e.g. switched
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
- H03K—PULSE TECHNIQUE
- H03K17/00—Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking
- H03K17/94—Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking characterised by the way in which the control signals are generated
- H03K17/945—Proximity switches
- H03K17/955—Proximity switches using a capacitive detector
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
- H03K—PULSE TECHNIQUE
- H03K2217/00—Indexing scheme related to electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making or -breaking covered by H03K17/00
- H03K2217/94—Indexing scheme related to electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making or -breaking covered by H03K17/00 characterised by the way in which the control signal is generated
- H03K2217/9401—Calibration techniques
- H03K2217/94026—Automatic threshold calibration; e.g. threshold automatically adapts to ambient conditions or follows variation of input
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
- H03K—PULSE TECHNIQUE
- H03K2217/00—Indexing scheme related to electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making or -breaking covered by H03K17/00
- H03K2217/94—Indexing scheme related to electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making or -breaking covered by H03K17/00 characterised by the way in which the control signal is generated
- H03K2217/945—Proximity switches
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
- H03K—PULSE TECHNIQUE
- H03K2217/00—Indexing scheme related to electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making or -breaking covered by H03K17/00
- H03K2217/94—Indexing scheme related to electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making or -breaking covered by H03K17/00 characterised by the way in which the control signal is generated
- H03K2217/96—Touch switches
- H03K2217/96062—Touch switches with tactile or haptic feedback
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
- H03K—PULSE TECHNIQUE
- H03K2217/00—Indexing scheme related to electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making or -breaking covered by H03K17/00
- H03K2217/94—Indexing scheme related to electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making or -breaking covered by H03K17/00 characterised by the way in which the control signal is generated
- H03K2217/96—Touch switches
- H03K2217/9607—Capacitive touch switches
- H03K2217/960705—Safety of capacitive touch and proximity switches, e.g. increasing reliability, fail-safe
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- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Switches That Are Operated By Magnetic Or Electric Fields (AREA)
- User Interface Of Digital Computer (AREA)
- Electronic Switches (AREA)
Abstract
A proximity switch assembly and method with false touch feedback and adaptive learning is provided. The method includes the steps of detecting an impermissible multiple attempted activation of the proximity switch, and adjusting one or more settings based on the detected multiple attempted activation to provide adaptive learning. The method also includes the steps of detecting an allowed activation of the access switch based on the adjusted one or more settings, and performing an action in response to the detected allowed activation. The proximity switch assembly includes one or more user-perceived feedback devices for generating user-perceived feedback when an impermissible attempted activation is detected.
Description
Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to switches and more particularly to proximity switches with enhanced user feedback and user interaction.
Background
Motor vehicles are often equipped with various user-actuatable switches, such as switches for operating equipment including power windows, headlamps, windshield wipers, sunroofs, interior lighting, broadcast and infotainment equipment, and various other equipment. Generally, these types of switches need to be actuated by a user in order to activate or deactivate the device or to perform some type of control function. Proximity switches, such as capacitive switches, utilize one or more proximity sensors to generate a sensing activation field (sense activation field), and sense changes in the activation field indicative of user actuation of the switch, typically caused by a user's finger being in close proximity to the sensor or touching the sensor. Capacitive switches are typically configured to detect user actuation of the switch based on a comparison of a sensed activation field to a threshold.
Switch assemblies often employ multiple capacitive switches in close proximity to each other and require a user to select a single desired capacitive switch to perform the desired operation. Often, the user activates the wrong switch, e.g., multiple switches simultaneously, especially when the user interface device is small and the switches are close together. In some applications, for example in motor vehicles, the driver of the vehicle is limited in its ability to view the switch due to driver distraction and may therefore inadvertently operate the switch in a wrong manner. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a proximity switch device that enhances the use of a proximity switch by an operator, such as a driver in a vehicle.
Disclosure of Invention
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of activating a proximity switch assembly is provided. The method includes the step of detecting an impermissible multiple attempted activation of the access switch. The method also includes the steps of adjusting one or more settings based on the detected multiple attempted activations to provide adaptive learning and detecting an allowed activation of the proximity switch based on the adjusted one or more settings. The method further comprises the step of performing an action in response to the detected allowed activation.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a proximity switch assembly is provided. The proximity switch assembly includes one or more proximity switches and a control circuit that processes an activation field associated with each proximity switch to detect an allowable activation of the proximity switch. The control circuit further detects multiple attempted activations of the disallowed switch and adjusts one or more settings based on the attempted activations to provide adaptive learning.
These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.
Drawings
In the drawings:
fig. 1 is a perspective view of a passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle having an overhead console that employs a proximity switch assembly with user-perceived feedback and adaptive learning, according to one embodiment;
fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the overhead console and proximity switch assembly shown in fig. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken through line III-III of FIG. 2 showing the proximity switch relative to a user's finger;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a proximity switch assembly with user-perceived feedback and adaptive learning, according to one embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for providing user-perceived feedback based on activation of a proximity switch, according to one embodiment;
FIG. 6A is a front view of a switch assembly showing a user's finger repeatedly attempting to activate a proximity switch by an erroneous touch;
FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating adaptive learning by adjusting signal ratios to allow activation during the false touch of FIG. 6A, according to one embodiment;
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating adaptive learning by adjusting activation threshold settings, according to another embodiment;
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating adaptive learning by adjusting a signal stability range to allow activation after an erroneous touch, according to another embodiment;
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating adaptive learning by adjusting a minimum rate according to further embodiments;
FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a method of proximity switch activation control that adjusts one or more settings based on multiple attempted activations of a switch that are not allowed; and
fig. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the relax activation setting subroutine of fig. 10.
Detailed Description
As stated, specific embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily of a particular design; some diagrams may be enlarged or reduced to show a functional overview. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
Referring to fig. 1 and 2, an interior of an automotive vehicle 10 having a passenger compartment and a switch assembly 20 is generally shown, the switch assembly 20 employing a plurality of proximity switches 22 with user-perceived feedback and adaptive learning, according to one embodiment. The vehicle 10 generally includes an overhead console 12, the overhead console 12 being mounted to a headliner on the underside of the roof or ceiling atop the passenger compartment of the vehicle, generally above the front passenger seating area. According to one embodiment, the switch assembly 20 has a plurality of proximity switches 22 disposed adjacent to each other on the overhead console 12. Each proximity switch 22 may control any of a number of vehicle devices and functions, such as controlling movement of the sunroof 16, controlling movement of the sunroof 18, controlling activation of one or more lighting devices (e.g., interior map/reading lights and overhead lights 32), and various other devices and functions. However, it should be appreciated that the proximity switch 22 may be located anywhere on the vehicle 10, such as on the dashboard, on other consoles, such as a center console, integrated into a touch screen display (e.g., a navigation and/or audio display) for a broadcast or infotainment system, or elsewhere on the vehicle 10 depending on the various vehicle applications.
The proximity switch 22 is shown and described herein as a capacitive switch, according to one embodiment. Each proximity switch 22 includes at least one proximity sensor that provides a sensing activation field to sense contact or close proximity of a user relative to the one or more proximity sensors, such as a swiping motion of a user's finger. Thus, in an exemplary embodiment, the sensed activation field of each proximity switch 22 is a capacitive field, and the user's finger has conductive and dielectric properties that cause a change or disturbance in the sensed activation field, as should be apparent to those skilled in the art. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that additional or alternative types of proximity sensors may be used, such as, but not limited to, inductive sensors, optical sensors, temperature sensors, resistive sensors, the like, or combinations thereof. 9 Ri-Aite Meier, 4.2009 (R) ((R))
) Exemplary proximity sensors are described in touch sensor design guide 10620D-AT42-04/09, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The proximity switches 22 shown in fig. 1 and 2 each provide control of a vehicle component or device or provide a designated control function. One or more proximity switches 22 may be dedicated to controlling movement of the skylight 16 to move, tilt, or stop movement of the skylight 16 in an opening or closing direction based on a control algorithm. One or more other proximity switches 22 may be dedicated to controlling movement of the sun roof 18 between the open and closed positions. Each louver 16 and shutter 18 may be actuated by an electric motor in response to actuation of a corresponding proximity switch 22. Other proximity switches 22 may be dedicated to controlling other devices, such as an interior map/reading light on, an interior map/reading light off, a ceiling light on or off, a trunk unlocked, a rear hatch open, or a door light off switch. Additional control via the proximity switch 22 may include actuating the door power window up and down. Various other vehicle controls may be controlled by the proximity switch 22 described herein.
The proximity switch assembly 20 includes one or more user-perceived feedback devices for generating user-perceived feedback when attempted activation of the proximity switch is not permitted. The user sensory feedback device may include an audible tone generator, such as one or more vehicle speakers 36 mounted on the doors of the vehicle as shown. Upon false touch activation of the switch assembly 20, audible audio may be provided to the user using any of the vehicle-equipped speakers or other audible tone generators. Other feedback devices may include a visual display, such as a navigation or broadcast display 38 mounted on the vehicle as shown. The visual display 38 may display text or symbols as feedback indicating an erroneous touch of the proximity switch assembly 20. Further feedback devices may include a vibration or tactile generator 40 for providing vibration as feedback. According to one embodiment, the vibration generator may be implemented as an electric motor. According to one embodiment, the vibration generator 40 may be integrated into the proximity switch assembly 20 or the single proximity switch 22 to generate vibrations to the user's finger. According to other embodiments, the vibration generator 40 may be located within the steering wheel 14 of the vehicle, the vehicle seat, or other point of contact with the user to provide a vibration that is perceived by the user upon a false touch of the proximity switch assembly 20. Additional feedback devices may include one or more indicator lights 42 for providing a visible light indication as feedback indicative of false touch activation of the proximity switch assembly. The indicator lights 42 may include dedicated lights mounted on a cluster panel as shown, or other dedicated or shared lighting devices, including scene or ambient lighting, overhead lights, map reading lights, electronic display lighting, and other lighting available to and viewable by a user of the proximity switch assembly 20.
Referring to fig. 3, a portion of the proximity switch assembly 20 is illustrated, the proximity switch assembly 20 having three serially disposed proximity switches 22, the three serially disposed proximity switches 22 being proximate to each other and to a user's finger 58 during false touch activation of the switch assembly 20. Each proximity switch 22 includes one or more proximity sensors mounted on a substrate 54 for generating a sensing activation field 50. A contact surface 52, such as a membrane, covers the proximity switch 22. In the illustrated embodiment, adjacent sensing activation fields 50 generated by adjacent proximity switches 22 slightly overlap. When a user, such as a user's finger 58, enters the activation field, the proximity switch assembly 20 detects the disturbance to the activation field and determines the activation of the corresponding proximity switch 22. However, a false touch condition may exist when the user contacts both switches simultaneously so that the finger 58 enters the activation field 50 of an adjacent proximity sensor at the same time. When a false touch condition is initially detected, activation of the proximity switch is not allowed and user sensory feedback may be provided to the user to make the user aware of the false touch condition. A false touch condition may occur when a user attempts to interact with the proximity switch 22 but does not detect an explicit activation. Examples of erroneous touch conditions include one or more of the following: the user simultaneously contacts the two switches; inadequate signal response was detected due to poor conductivity of the fingers, e.g. fingers with skin cream or fingers wearing gloves; and slow finger access switches, particularly gloved fingers. It should be appreciated that other examples of false touch conditions may exist.
Referring to fig. 4, a proximity switch assembly 20 is illustrated in accordance with one embodiment. A plurality of proximity switches 22 are shown providing inputs to a controller 24. The controller 24 may include control circuitry, such as a microprocessor (μ P)26 and a memory 28. The control circuit may include a sensing control circuit that processes the activation field to sense user activation of the switch by comparing the activation field to a threshold. It should be appreciated that other analog and/or digital control circuits may be used to process the activation field, determine user activation, initiate actions, generate user-perceived feedback, and perform and implement adaptive learning. The controller 24 provides the output signal to one or more devices configured to perform a dedicated action in response to proper activation of the proximity switch. For example, one or more devices may include a skylight 16 having a motor to move a skylight panel between open and closed and tilted positions, a skylight shutter 18 that moves between open and closed positions, and a lighting device 34 that may be opened and closed. Other devices may be controlled, such as broadcasts for performing on and off functions, volume control, scanning, and other types of devices for performing other dedicated functions. One of the proximity switches 22 may be dedicated to actuating the sunroof closing, another proximity switch 22 may be dedicated to actuating the sunroof opening, and the other switch 22 may be dedicated to actuating the sunroof to the tilted position, all of which causes the motor to move the sunroof to the desired position. The sunroof shutter 18 may be opened in response to one proximity switch 22 and may be closed in response to another proximity switch 22.
The controller 20 provides output signals to one or more user sensory feedback devices 30 to generate sensory feedback to the user. According to one embodiment, the user perception feedback device 30 may include an audible tone generator 36, such as a speaker, for generating audible signals (e.g., audio and/or voice commands). According to another embodiment, one or more of the user feedback devices 30 may include a tactile vibration generator 40 for generating a vibration of a proximity switch pad or some other device or surface, such as a steering wheel or armrest or a seat in which the user is seated. According to further embodiments, the feedback device 30 may comprise one or more indicator lights 42 for providing a light output. Additionally, feedback device 30 may utilize visual display 38 to display feedback information in the form of text or symbols. The user sensory feedback device 30 provides audible audio, vibration, light, and/or visual display to the user in response to activation of one or more proximity switches.
When a user attempts to activate a switch under a false touch condition, a first or false touch feedback may be generated to indicate that the user switch was erroneously activated. According to one embodiment, false touch activation may include simultaneous activation of two switches. When false touches are repeatedly detected, the switch assembly can adaptively learn expected switch activations and adjust one or more settings to allow activation of the switch. When the actuated action has been completed, the user sensory feedback device 30 may generate a second or action completion feedback to the user. Third or correct touch feedback may be generated when activation of an allowed proximity switch is detected.
Referring to FIG. 5, a control routine 100 is illustrated, according to one embodiment. The process 100 begins at step 102 and proceeds to step 104 to monitor the proximity sensor output for each switch. Thereafter, at decision step 106, the process 100 detects activation of one or more proximity switches and, if activation is not detected, returns to step 104. If activation of one or more proximity switches is detected, the process 100 proceeds to decision step 108 to look for ambiguous input. Ambiguous inputs may include attempted simultaneous activation of two or more proximity switches. If ambiguous input is detected, the program 100 generates false touch feedback at step 110 and then returns at step 122. If no ambiguous input is detected, the process 100 proceeds to decision step 112 to determine if an action specific to the activated proximity switch is allowed, and if not, error touch feedback is generated at step 110 and then returns at step 122. Thus, ambiguous inputs or activations or switches for actions that are not allowed are considered false touch activations of actions that cannot be performed. In response, false touch feedback is generated by one or more feedback devices including an audible tone generator 36, a visual display 38, a vibration generator 40, and an indicator light 42. The false touch feedback may be a user-perceived warning type of feedback that the user would consider as an improper activation of the proximity switch assembly 20.
If there are no false touch activations, the process 100 proceeds to step 114 to generate correct touch feedback. The correct touch feedback may be generated by any one or more of the feedback devices to provide a more pleasing second feedback that may be recognized by the user as a correct activation of the proximity switch of the action that may be performed. At step 116, an action is performed in response to the switch activation. Thereafter, the program 100 proceeds to step 118 to determine if the action is complete and, if not, returns to step 122. If the action is complete, the program 100 generates action complete feedback via one or more feedback devices 30. The action completion feedback is a third more pleasing audio feedback that may be recognized by the user as completion of the action in response to activation of the proximity switch.
According to another embodiment, correct touch feedback may be generated to provide multiple levels of feedback, e.g., progressive feedback. For example, a first level of false touch feedback may be provided when two signal channels for adjacent capacitive switches are at substantially similar signal levels, whereas the false touch feedback may be at a second, lower level relative to the first feedback when one channel is significantly larger than the other. When one signal channel is substantially larger than the other to indicate that the correct signal is substantially activated, this may indicate that the operator's false touch is less severe or significant. This may help to provide feedback to the user so that the user may understand why the input was considered erroneous and how to change the gesture to get the correctly recognized action. According to another example, for an action that is not allowed, multiple levels of progressive feedback may be provided, for example, a first higher feedback when the user attempts to open a sunroof at a car wash, and a second lower feedback when the user attempts to close an already closed sunroof.
According to another embodiment, a proximity switch assembly and a method of activating a proximity switch assembly are further provided that detect multiple attempted activations of one or more proximity switches that are not allowed and adjust one or more settings based on the detected multiple attempted activations to provide adaptive learning. The proximity switch assembly and method advantageously detects multiple or repeated failed attempts to activate the proximity switch and adaptively learns the multiple failed attempts and adjusts one or more settings to enable activation of the switch. Whenever a false touch condition is detected, one or more feedbacks may be generated as described above. If a user repeatedly attempts to interact with the proximity switch assembly in a false touch mode, the proximity switch assembly and method may adjust one or more settings to accommodate the user's interaction signal. The proximity switch assembly and method may autonomously adjust one or more settings to allow less explicit interaction (e.g., touching), or may further prompt the user to guide and request which type of activation the user is intended. The impermissible attempted activation is referred to as a false touch and may occur if two or more switches are simultaneously activated, which may be caused by a user's finger covering the activation fields associated with two or more proximity sensors associated with two adjacent proximity switches. Other false touch conditions include attempted activation by a user of a finger with poor electrical conductivity properties, such as a finger with skin cream or a finger with an electrically insulating glove that may result in an insufficient signal response. Additional attempted activations for false touches may include slow proximity of the user's finger to the proximity switch, particularly when the finger is wearing a glove.
In response to detecting multiple attempted activations of a false touch condition, the systems and methods may advantageously adjust one or more settings to adjust the proximity switch assembly to provide adaptive learning. Adjustment of one or more settings may include adjustment of one or more activation thresholds used to determine activation of the switch, adjustment of explicit signal frequency bands, adjustment of signal ratios that define how the signal is distributed among the sensors, adjustment of minimum rates or generation times of the signal, and other potential adjustments of settings associated with determining activation of the proximity switch. Examples of various settings for determining switch activation that can be adjusted are disclosed in U.S. patent application publication No. 2013/0270896 a1, entitled "proximity switch assembly and activation method," which is incorporated herein by reference.
The setting of the new adjustment may be activated for a predetermined time, for example until a certain number of consecutive explicit activations are detected or the adjustment may be made permanently. The adjusted setting(s) may be used on one or all of a plurality of proximity switches associated with the proximity switch assembly. Or may be used on only a selected set of proximity switches. The newly adjusted settings may be applied to all users (e.g., occupants of the vehicle), or different settings may be implemented for a particular user. The detection of a particular occupant may be based on internal vehicle sensors, key fobs, or personal electronics.
Referring to fig. 6A and 6B, a false touch having a defective channel signal ratioOne example of a condition is shown where the user's finger 58 presses an intermediate proximity switch 22B located between the proximity switches 22A and 22C. In FIG. 6A, the user's finger 58 is shown pressing the proximity switch 22B in an attempt to activate the proximity switch 22B, but every time an activation is attempted a false touch condition is experienced because the cumulative channel ratio of the maximum signal relative to the second maximum signal or all channels is insufficient to allow activation. In this example, three signals 60A-60C are generated by three proximity sensors associated with respective three proximity switches 22A-22C. The signals associated with each sensor are shown as a function of sensor count over time. As the user's finger 58 approaches the switch assembly, the finger 58 enters the activation field associated with each sensor, which causes interference with the capacitance, resulting in an increase in the sensor count shown by signals 60A-60C. In this example, the user's finger 58 is primarily on the intermediate proximity switch 22B; however, the finger 58 extends partially over the adjacent proximity switch 22A. As a result, the activation field causes the signal 60B associated with the second proximity switch 22B to be a maximum signal and generates a second maximum signal 60A associated with the proximity switch 22A that is substantially large but relatively small. When the second maximum signal 60A has a maximum level ML greater than the second channel2Is detected, the activation of the proximity switch 22B generating the maximum signal 60B is prevented. As the user repeatedly attempts to press harder to activate the same switch each time, the signal associated with each sensor may become larger, but the signal channel signal ratio that may occur due in part to the user's finger contacting the adjacent capacitive switch 22A is unchanged so that sufficient signal is detected therewith. The system and method advantageously detects multiple repeated attempts at false touch conditions and adjusts the second channel maximum level ML2To increase the level to an adjusted second channel maximum level ML2AThis relaxes the signal ratio to allow activation of the proximity switch. As a result, the second channel maximum level ML2AThe adjustment to the increased threshold value allows activation of the proximity switch 22B due to adaptive learning achieved by the adjustment of the setting.
Referring to FIG. 7, a false touch condition period is illustratedAn example of a signal response and adaptive learning thereof, which is where a user's attempted activation generates a signal that is not strong enough to exceed the activation threshold T. When the user repeatedly attempts to activate a proximity switch, such as proximity switch 22B, the signal 60B associated with switch 22B is weak and is shown below the threshold T. When this occurs, the proximity switch assembly and method advantageously adjusts the threshold T to a reduced or adjusted threshold TAThreshold value TAShown at a lower value below the maximum signal peak. This allows the proximity switch 22B to adjust the threshold T to an adjusted lower threshold TATo relax activation of the activation threshold.
Referring to FIG. 8, one example of a signal response and its adaptive learning during a false touch condition is illustrated. The three signals 60A-60C shown are generated by three proximity sensors associated with the three proximity switches discussed with respect to fig. 6A. As the user's finger approaches the switch assembly, the finger enters the activation field associated with each sensor, which causes a disruption to the capacitance, resulting in an increase in the sensor count as shown by signals 60A-60C. In this example, the user attempts to activate one of the switches shown by signal 60B, signal 60B being of a greater amplitude than signals 60A and 60C associated with the two other proximity switches. The larger signal response 60B generates a larger signal count than the other signals 60A and 60C due to interaction with the associated switch. In this example, the stable range SR of the maximum signal 60B is required to activate the corresponding proximity switch. The maximum signal 60B is shown as having an oscillation at its peak amplitude that produces an unstable signal relative to the stable range SR. Each time the operator attempts to activate the corresponding proximity switch, the signal 60B rises, but is unstable such that the oscillating range of the signal at its signal peak exceeds the stable range SR required to detect activation of the proximity switch. The proximity switch assembly and method may advantageously identify the recurrence of such false touch conditions and make a determination that the operator intends to activate the corresponding proximity switch but that the finger is not sufficiently stable on the switch pad (e.g., finger shaking) or that there is excessive noise in the signal during multiple repeated attempts. The jointThe near switch assembly and method may advantageously adjust the stability range setting to increase the magnitude of the stability range to the adjusted stability range SRATo allow activation of the proximity switch. Increased stability range setting SRAIt may be a temporary relaxation of the setting requirements for detecting activation, a return to normal setting by default after a period of time or upon vehicle deactivation or some number of attempts, or an increased stability range setting SRAPossibly a more permanent adjustment.
Referring to fig. 9, an example of a signal response and its adaptive learning during a false touch condition is illustrated, where the minimum rate MR is adjusted after a failed repeated attempt to activate the proximity switch. The activation of the switch may occur when the rate of increase of the maximum signal exceeds the minimum rate MR. In this example, the failed attempted activation of the proximity switch 22B is repeated three times, during which all three attempts achieve the same maximum signal. When this occurs, the proximity switch assembly and method may advantageously relax rate monitoring to allow activation. This is done by adjusting the minimum rate MR to a reduced adjusted minimum rate MRAThis may allow the proximity switch 22B to increase in rate and adjusted minimum rate MR based on the signal 60BAActivation of the comparison of (1).
According to one embodiment, the proximity switch assembly 20 employs an adaptive learning process 200, and the adaptive learning process 200 may be stored in the memory 28 of the controller 24 and executed by the microprocessor 26. The adaptive learning process 200 detects false touch conditions based on multiple attempted activations of the proximity switch that are not allowed and adjusts one or more settings to provide adaptive learning that allows the proximity switch to be activated if insufficient activations of the switch that the user is attempting to activate are repeatedly attempted. An adaptive learning process 200 is illustrated in fig. 10, according to one embodiment. The process 200 begins at step 202 and proceeds to step 204 to set the LAST maximum signal channel (LAST MAX CH) equal to none to reset the value. Thereafter, at decision step 206, the process 200 determines whether a user touch has been detected proximate to the assembly and, if not, awaits detection of the user touch. Once a user touch has been detected, the process 200 proceeds to decision step 208 to determine if an erroneous touch condition has occurred while using the relaxed settings or parameters. If such a false touch condition has not occurred, the process 200 proceeds to decision step 210 to determine if a false touch condition using the original (e.g., default) settings has occurred, and if so, to step 212 to activate the proximity switch associated with the maximum signal channel (MAXCH) before ending at step 240.
If an erroneous touch condition using the original settings is not detected at step 210, then the process 200 proceeds to step 214 to reset the counter flag erroneous touch. The false touch counter indicates the number of repeated false touch conditions detected for a switch. Thereafter, at step 218, the activation settings are reset, which may include one or more thresholds, stability ranges, signal ratios, and minimum rates according to various embodiments. The process 200 then proceeds to step 212 to activate the proximity switch associated with the largest signal channel before ending at step 240.
Returning to decision block 208, if a false touch condition using a relaxed setting is detected, then the process 200 proceeds to decision step 220 to determine whether the maximum signal channel is equal to the last maximum signal channel and the deltaT time is less than dTIME. The deltaT time is the time since the first attempt to activate, and the dTIME time is a time period, for example, of five (5) seconds or more preferably in the range of two to four (2-4) seconds. If the condition in step 220 is not met, the process 200 proceeds to step 222 to reset the counter false touch before proceeding to step 228. If the condition in step 220 is satisfied, the process 200 proceeds directly to step 228 to increment the counter false touch value. Thereafter, at decision step 230, the process 200 determines whether the counter false touch value is greater than the maximum false touch value. The maximum false touch value may be a value of one or more and more preferably a value of two or more and is used to determine the repeated attempted activation of the switch that is not allowed. If the counter false touch value is not greater than the maximum false touch, then the process 200 returns to step 206, and if the counter false touch value is greater than the maximum false touch value, then the process 200 proceeds to step 234 to relax the activation setting to adjust one or more settings associated with the determination of activation of the proximity switch. In one example, the setting(s) is adjusted when three attempted activations occur in a time period of two to four (2-4) seconds. After the relaxation activation settings subroutine executes, the routine 200 proceeds to decision step 236 to determine if the maximum signal associated with the proximity switch is active and, if so, proceeds to step 212 to activate the proximity switch associated with the maximum signal channel before ending at step 240. If the signal is not active, the process 200 returns to step 206.
FIG. 11 illustrates a relax activation settings subroutine 250, according to one embodiment. The subroutine 250 begins at step 252 and proceeds to decision step 254 to determine whether an error touch condition W1 exists. The false touch W1 condition may be a maximum signal below a threshold, for example, a signal due to poor conductivity of the finger due to skin cream on the finger or the finger wearing gloves. If an erroneous touch W1 condition is detected, the routine 250 proceeds to step 256 to lower the activation threshold by the amount required to activate the switch before the end of step 270. If an error touch W1 condition is not detected, the routine 250 proceeds to decision step 258 to determine if an error touch W2 condition is detected. The false touch W2 condition may be the following condition: for example, the signal ratio of the maximum signal to other signal channels is too low, which may occur when two or more switches are attempted to be activated simultaneously. If an erroneous touch W2 condition is detected, the subroutine 250 proceeds to step 260 to lower the signal by the amount required to activate the switch from the threshold value, and thereafter ends at step 270. If an error touch W2 condition is not detected, then the routine 250 proceeds to decision step 262 to determine whether an error touch W3 condition is detected. The false touch W3 condition may occur when the rate of signal increases too slowly, which may occur when the finger is in slow proximity to the sensor assembly, particularly when the glove is worn on the user's finger. If an erroneous touch W3 condition is detected, the subroutine 250 proceeds to step 264 to lower the signal rate threshold by the amount required to activate the proximity switches before the end of step 270. If an error touch W3 condition is not detected, then the routine 250 proceeds to decision step 266 to determine if an error touch W4 condition is detected. The false touch W4 condition may occur when the signal is unstable, which may occur when the operator's finger is shaken or there is excessive noise in the signal. If an erroneous touch W4 condition is detected, then the subroutine 250 proceeds to step 268 to increase the stability range by the amount required to activate the switch before the end of step 270. Accordingly, the routine 250 determines one or more false touch conditions, such as the conditions W1, W2, W3, and W4, and adjusts one or more settings based on the attempted activation to provide adaptive learning that allows the proximity switch to activate after repeated attempts by the user.
Thus, the proximity switch device 20 advantageously provides enhanced user interaction and user-perceived feedback to the user to indicate whether the proximity switch has been properly activated to perform a useful action. The switch assembly 20 allows training of the user's use of the switch device through feedback. In addition, the switch device may be less distracting to the user by providing sensory feedback to the user, which is particularly advantageous in motor vehicle applications. The switch assembly 20 further provides for adaptive learning by adjusting one or more settings to allow activation of the proximity switch when repetitive multiple false touch conditions are detected and thus to adapt to the user's interaction signals.
It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
Claims (20)
1. A method of activating a proximity switch, comprising:
detecting repeated attempts at the proximity switch that fail to complete activation;
adjusting one or more settings based on the detected repetitive attempts to provide adaptive learning;
detecting an allowable activation of the proximity switch based on the adjusted one or more settings; and
performing an action in response to the detected allowed activation.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting one or more settings comprises adjusting an activation threshold.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting one or more settings comprises adjusting a signal comparison associated with the proximity switch to determine a stable range value for activation of the proximity switch.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting one or more settings comprises adjusting a signal ratio of a signal associated with the proximity switch compared to another signal associated with one or more other proximity switches.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating a first user-perceived feedback indicating failure to complete detection of repeated attempts to activate the proximity switch.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of generating a second, different user-perceived feedback indicative of completion of the action.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of generating a different third user sensory feedback representative of the allowed detection of activation of the switch.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity switch assembly is installed in a vehicle for use by a passenger in the vehicle.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity switch comprises a capacitive switch comprising one or more capacitive sensors.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting repeated attempts at the proximity switch to fail to complete activation comprises detecting simultaneous activation of two or more proximity sensors.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting a failure to complete repeated attempts to activate a proximity switch includes detecting an insufficient signal response during user interaction with the proximity switch.
12. A proximity switch, comprising:
one or more proximity switches; and
a control circuit that processes an activation field associated with each of the proximity switches to detect an activation of the proximity switch that is permitted, the control circuit further detecting a repetitive attempt of the proximity switch that fails to complete the activation;
and adjusting one or more settings based on the repeated attempts to provide adaptive learning.
13. The switch assembly of claim 12, wherein the one or more settings include an activation threshold.
14. The switch assembly of claim 12, wherein the one or more settings include a comparison of signals associated with the proximity switch to determine a stable range value for activation of the proximity switch.
15. The switch assembly of claim 12, wherein the one or more settings include a signal ratio of a signal associated with the proximity switch compared to another signal associated with one or more other proximity switches.
16. The switch assembly of claim 12, further comprising a feedback device for generating a first user-perceived feedback when detecting failure to complete repeated attempts to activate the proximity switch.
17. The switch assembly of claim 16, wherein the feedback device generates a second, different user-perceived feedback indicative of completion of the action.
18. The switch assembly of claim 17, wherein the feedback device generates a different third user-perceived feedback indicative of the allowable detection of activation of the switch.
19. The switch assembly of claim 12, wherein the plurality of proximity switches are mounted in a vehicle for use by a passenger in the vehicle.
20. The switch assembly of claim 12, wherein each of the proximity switches includes a capacitive switch including a capacitive sensor.
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| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US14/635,140 | 2015-03-02 | ||
| US14/635,140 US10112556B2 (en) | 2011-11-03 | 2015-03-02 | Proximity switch having wrong touch adaptive learning and method |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CN105939153A CN105939153A (en) | 2016-09-14 |
| CN105939153B true CN105939153B (en) | 2022-04-22 |
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| CN201610087752.5A Active CN105939153B (en) | 2015-03-02 | 2016-02-16 | Proximity switch with false touch adaptive learning and method |
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| CN (1) | CN105939153B (en) |
| BR (1) | BR102016004604A2 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE102016103594A1 (en) |
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| JP6815906B2 (en) * | 2017-03-10 | 2021-01-20 | 株式会社ミツバ | Overhead module |
| CN111030666B (en) * | 2019-12-20 | 2023-07-18 | 延锋汽车饰件系统有限公司 | Touch switch capable of achieving multidirectional vibration and automobile comprising same |
| CN116339607B (en) * | 2023-05-29 | 2023-08-08 | 上海泰矽微电子有限公司 | Touch detection method, device and system, touch equipment and medium |
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| AU2014201384A1 (en) * | 2013-03-13 | 2014-10-02 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Method and apparatus for operating touch screen |
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2016
- 2016-02-16 CN CN201610087752.5A patent/CN105939153B/en active Active
- 2016-02-29 DE DE102016103594.7A patent/DE102016103594A1/en active Pending
- 2016-03-01 RU RU2016107368A patent/RU2016107368A/en unknown
- 2016-03-01 MX MX2016002698A patent/MX363374B/en unknown
- 2016-03-01 TR TR2016/02645A patent/TR201602645A2/en unknown
- 2016-03-01 BR BR102016004604A patent/BR102016004604A2/en not_active IP Right Cessation
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Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CN105939153A (en) | 2016-09-14 |
| MX363374B (en) | 2019-03-20 |
| RU2016107368A (en) | 2017-09-06 |
| DE102016103594A1 (en) | 2016-09-08 |
| MX2016002698A (en) | 2016-09-01 |
| RU2016107368A3 (en) | 2019-06-14 |
| TR201602645A2 (en) | 2017-07-21 |
| BR102016004604A2 (en) | 2016-09-06 |
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