Methods and systems for a complete vehicle ecosystem are provided. Specifically, systems that when taken alone, or together, provide an individual or group of individuals with an intuitive and comfortable vehicular environment. The present disclosure includes a universal chassis that may be mounted in the head unit of a vehicle. The chassis may accept one or more modules that each have common dimensions. With a common form factor, the universal chassis is configurable as different modules with different functionality may be inserted into the chassis with ease.

A system for directing content among a plurality of displays. The content may be selected by a user or may be determined by an event, such as a user-interactive input or an input initiated by an event associated with a vehicle system. The input command causes selected content to be moved from a first display to a second display. The input command causes articulation of the second display in order to display the selected content The input command may come from a portable device, or a user interactive command such as a voice command, a visual command such as a gesture, or a touch command. The input command may also come from a vehicle system, such as a navigation system, an infotainment system, a climate control system to name a few.

A first set of signals corresponding to a first signal modality (such as the direction of a gaze) during a time interval is collected from an individual. A second set of signals corresponding to a different signal modality (such as hand-pointing gestures made by the individual) is also collected. In response to a command, where the command does not identify a particular object to which the command is directed, the first and second set of signals is used to identify candidate objects of interest, and an operation associated with a selected object from the candidates is performed.

A system for detecting command gestures made by a finger of a motor vehicle driver, including at least one interface pad, a light source that emits an infrared optical beam toward the interface pad, an imaging sensor, in order to capture images steered by the interface pad away from the driver, the interface pad including a base frame and a movable plate that is movable between a rest position and at least one activation position, the base frame including a first inclined edge and the movable plate including a second inclined edge, the first and second inclined edges forming a zone of contrasts of interest as seen by the imaging sensor, and being separated by a space or brought closer together depending on the position of the movable plate, and generating a contrast effect in the images of the interface pad that are captured by the imaging sensor.

A display device includes: a sensor, a display, and a processor. The processor is configured to set a primary user of the display, detect a hand of a user using the sensor, determine whether the detected hand is a hand of the primary user, based on the determination that the detected hand is the hand of the primary user, execute a first function according to a first movement of the detected hand, and control the display to display information corresponding to the first function.

A multi-dimensional track pad is described that acts as human-machine interface (HMI). Inputs to the HMI can be made not only using the tradition two-dimensional (X-Y) inputs of a track pad, but also a third dimension, force, and even a fourth dimension, time. Tactile or audible feedback to the inputs can be provided. Methods of using the HMI to control a system are described as well as a track pad system that utilizes the HMI in communication with a processor.

Vehicle systems and methods for determining a final target position based on either a first target position and a second target position are disclosed. A vehicle includes a user detection system configured to output a gesture signal in response to a hand of a user performing at least one gesture to indicate a final target position. The vehicle also includes a user gaze monitoring system configured to output an eye location signal that indicates an actual eye position of the user. The vehicle also includes one or more processors and one or more non-transitory memory modules communicatively coupled to the processors. The processors store machine-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to select either the first target position or the second target position as the final target position based on a first accuracy and a second accuracy.

Disclosed are novel method and apparatus for monitoring and aiding persons in vehicles and at home, especially senior citizens and others whose capabilities may be diminished. Electro-optical sensing of both person's body portions and physical controls is utilized, following from both disclosure on my RTD (Reconfigurable Tactile Display) invention as well as other gesture and motion based inventions in regard to sensing of control inputs from physical control (e.g. knobs, switches) positions and persons gestures. Applications to vehicles and the home are disclosed as well as applications to areas such as operating rooms and other locations in the hospital where sterility is paramount. A unique self-sterilizing control panel is also disclosed.

A vehicle includes one or more sensors arranged on at least one of a dashboard, a roof, and a center console of the vehicle, or one or more image capturing devices for capturing one or more images from a left side and a right side of the vehicle, an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to communicate with the one or more sensors or the one or more image capturing devices, and at least one of a morphing surface, a windshield display, and one or more displays configured to be controlled by the ECU, where the one or more sensors are arranged under a black panel surface.

A method and system for enacting a change of operating modalities of a transportation vehicle. The method includes at least one display device, which at least partially includes a screen, operated in the transportation vehicle. The at least one display device has at least two operating modes for operator control by a user. A triggering signal to the at least one display device is automatically provided. The triggering signal is triggered by at least one trigger event, is provided directly or indirectly by the transportation vehicle, and triggers a change from a first operating mode to a second operating mode. The change is at least partially indicated to the user by at least one operator alerting signal.