STEERING DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE, METHOD FOR OPERATING A STEERING DEVICE, CONTROL UNIT, AND MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A steering handle for a steering apparatus of a motor vehicle includes an end face which faces a user when the steering handle is in a position of use and a display element arranged on a side of the steering handle which faces away from the end face. A control device carries out a method by which a position of the steering handle is changed based on a driving mode set by a driver assistance device. The control device generates an adjustment signal to change between a position of use of the steering handle and a position of rest of the steering handle. When the steering handle is in a position of rest, a surface of the steering handle which faces away from the user when the steering handle is in the position of use instead faces the user.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A steering apparatus for a motor vehicle, the steering apparatus comprising: a steering handle having an end face to face a user when the steering handle is in a position of use; and a display element arranged on a side of the steering handle so as to face away from the end face.

12. The steering apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: an operating element, arranged on the steering handle, configured to receive an operating action of the user to change a driving mode by using a driver assistance device.

13. The steering apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: an adjustment device to change the steering handle between the position of use and a position of rest, by pivoting the steering handle, the display element being provided to face toward the user when the steering handle is in the position of rest.

14. The steering apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: at least one memory to store at least one instruction; and at least one processor to execute the at least one instruction stored in the at least one memory to: transmit a control signal to a driver assistance device to set a driving mode of the motor vehicle according to an input received via the user, and transmit, according to the set driving mode, an adjustment signal to an adjustment device to position the steering handle to one of the position of use and a position of rest, the steering handle in the position of rest being arranged such that the display element faces the user and the end face of the steering handle faces away from the user.

15. A method for operating a steering apparatus of a motor vehicle, the method comprising: receiving, by a controller, an operating signal from an operating device; generating, by the controller, a control signal to set a driving mode based on the operating signal received by the controller; transmitting, by the controller, the control signal generated by the controller to a driver assistance device to set the driving mode; generating, by the controller according to the set driving mode, an adjustment signal to position the steering handle to one of a position of use and a position of rest, by pivoting the steering handle, the steering handle in the position of use being arranged in a manner ready for operation by a user of the motor vehicle to steer the motor vehicle using the steering handle, and the steering handle in the position of rest being arranged such that a surface of the steering handle facing away from the user when the steering handle is in the position of use, faces the user when the steering handle is in the position of rest; and transmitting, by the controller, the adjustment signal generated by the controller to the adjustment device to position the steering handle to one of the position of use and the position of rest.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein positioning the steering handle to one of the position of use and the position of rest according to the adjustment signal generated by the controller includes pivoting the steering handle along a pivot axis which intersects a motor vehicle longitudinal axis and a motor vehicle vertical axis.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: generating, by the controller, a display signal to activate a display element of the steering handle based on the set driving mode; and transmitting, by the controller, the display signal generated by the controller to a display device of the motor vehicle or to the display element.

18. A controller for a motor vehicle, the controller comprising: at least one memory to store at least one instruction; and at least one processor to execute the at least one instruction stored in the at least one memory to: generate and transmit a control signal to a driver assistance device to set a driving mode of the motor vehicle according to an input received via a user of the motor vehicle, and generate and transmit, according to the set driving mode, an adjustment signal to an adjustment device to position a steering handle of the motor vehicle to one of a position of use and a position of rest, the steering handle in the position of use being arranged in a manner ready for operation by the user to steer the motor vehicle using the steering handle, and the steering handle in the position of rest being arranged such that a surface of the steering handle facing away from the user when the steering handle is in the position of use, faces the user when the steering handle is in the position of rest.

19. The controller according to claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to generate and transmit a display signal to activate a display element based on the set driving mode, the display element being provided on a side of the steering handle which faces toward the user when the steering handle is in the position of rest.

20. A motor vehicle, comprising: the steering apparatus of claim 11.

21. The motor vehicle according to claim 20, wherein when the steering handle is in the position of use, the display element is arranged so as to face away from the user.

22. The motor vehicle according to claim 21, wherein the steering handle is pivotable to change the steering handle between the position of use and a position of rest, and when the steering handle is in the position of rest, the display element is provided so as to face toward the user.

23. The motor vehicle according to claim 21, wherein the steering handle is automatically pivotable to change the steering handle between the position of use and a position of rest, according to an input received via the user which selects a driving mode of the motor vehicle, and when the steering handle is in the position of rest, the display element is provided so as to face toward the user.

24. The motor vehicle according to claim 23, wherein when the input received via the user selects a manual or partially autonomous driving mode of the motor vehicle, the steering handle is positioned in the position of use, and when the input received via the user selects an autonomous driving mode of the motor vehicle, the steering handle is positioned in the position of rest.

25. The motor vehicle according to claim 20, further comprising: a display device including at least one further display element which is at least partially concealed by the steering handle when the steering handle is in the position of use and which is accessible to the user when the steering handle is in the position of rest.

26. The motor vehicle according to claim 20, further comprising: an adjustment device to change the steering handle between the position of use and a position of rest, by pivoting the steering handle, the display element being provided to face toward the user when the steering handle is in the position of rest.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] These and other aspects and advantages will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the example embodiments described below, in which:

[0033] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the method described herein and an embodiment of the steering apparatus described herein; and

[0034] FIG. 2 is a further schematic illustration of the embodiment of the method described herein and the embodiment of the steering apparatus described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Reference will now be made in detail to examples which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0036] The exemplary embodiments explained below are examples of the disclosure. In the exemplary embodiments, the described components of the embodiments are each individual features which can be considered independently of one another and each also develop the disclosure independently of one another and can therefore also be considered to be part of the disclosure individually or in a combination other than the combination shown. Furthermore, the embodiments described can also be supplemented with further features of the already described features.

[0037] In the drawings, functionally identical elements are each provided with the same reference signs.

[0038] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an exemplary embodiment of the method described herein, on the basis of which the principle of the method described herein is explained. In this respect, the drawings show a motor vehicle 10 which can be in the form of a passenger vehicle, for example.

[0039] The motor vehicle 10 has a steering apparatus 12, wherein the steering apparatus 12 can have a steering handle 14 and, in the examples in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, optionally an adjustment device 16 and optionally a control device 18. The steering apparatus 12 can optionally additionally have, for example, a steering gear, a steering column and a tie rod which, however, are not shown in the drawings for reasons of clarity. The steering apparatus 12 can, for example, be in the form of a steer-by-wire steering system in this case.

[0040] The steering handle 14 can, for example, be in the form of a steering wheel. The steering handle 14 in the drawings can include two grips 20, for example. FIG. 1 shows an exemplary optional display element 5 which can be visible in the position of use of the steering handle 14 and can be arranged, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, on an end face of the steering handle 14. The user can read parameters indicated by a combination instrument, for example a speed or a rotational speed, on this display element 5 during the journey, for example.

[0041] The adjustment device 16 may have, for example, a motor for adjusting the steering handle 14, for which purpose the steering handle 14 can be shifted along a rail, for example, or can be folded up or rotated, for example via a hinge or a cable pull.

[0042] Alternatively or additionally, the steering handle 14 can be pivoted or rotated on a double axis in each case along a guide, wherein each of the guides can be arranged, for example, on one side of the hinge of the steering handle 14.

[0043] In the example in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a data communication connection 19 of the adjustment device 16 to a hinge, for example, is shown in this case, by use of which the adjustment signal or an electrical pulse can be transmitted.

[0044] The control device 18 may be in the form of a control chip or a control board with a circuit, for example, and may be connected to the adjustment device 16 using a data communication connection 19. Such a data communication connection 19 may be, for example, a wireless data communication connection 19, for example a WLAN or Bluetooth connection, or a wired data communication connection 19, for example a data bus of a data bus system of the motor vehicle 10.

[0045] The control device 18 can optionally be a control unit of the motor vehicle 10. The control device 18 from the example in the drawings has an optional processor device 23 and an optional data memory 21. A program code for carrying out the method described herein, for example, can be stored in the data memory 21, for example a memory chip or a memory card.

[0046] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 additionally show an optional driver assistance device 22 which may be in the form of an on-board system or a driver assistance system of the motor vehicle 10, for example. In the example in FIG. 1, the steering handle 14 can optionally have an operating element 24 which can be connected to the operating device 26 of the motor vehicle, for example.

[0047] Such an operating device 26 of the motor vehicle 10 may be, for example, a user interface of the motor vehicle 10, and the exemplary operating element 24 in FIG. 1 may include, for example, a keyboard for triggering a piloted driving mode. For example, the driver assistance device 22 can set the piloted driving mode by virtue of the operating element 24 being pressed or touched.

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a further, optional operating element 29 which may be arranged, for example, on an interior trim element 28 of the motor vehicle 10, for example, at a position or location of the interior trim element 28 where the further, optional operating element 29 can be seen or can be operated well only in a folded-up state of the steering handle 14. The further, optional operating element 29 can be programmed, for example, to change from the piloted driving mode into a manual or partially autonomous driving mode.

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a first display element 30 which can be arranged, for example, on an underside 32 of the steering handle 14 and, for this purpose, can be sewn, for example, into a sheath or cover of the steering handle 14 or can be adhesively bonded to the steering handle 14. The display element 30 may be, for example, in the form of a touch-sensitive screen or, for example, in the form of an LCD screen or OLED screen or a non-reflective OLED screen. Optionally, a region of the interior trim element 28 which is concealed by the steering handle 14 can optionally have yet further display elements 34, 36 in an analog driving mode, that is to say in a manual or partially autonomous driving mode. In this case, they may each be a screen known to a person skilled in the art, for example.

[0050] In this case, the display element 30, which can also be referred to as a display area for example, may be, for example, a very high-quality screen and can optionally be coupled to the further, optional display elements 34, 36.

[0051] The display elements 30, 34, 36 may be, for example, components of a display device 38 of the motor vehicle 10, wherein the display device 38 may have, for example, a control board for coordinating the display elements 30, 34, 36, which control board can be arranged in a center console of the motor vehicle 10, for example.

[0052] The corresponding data communication connections 19 for controlling the display elements 30, 34, 36 may be mounted, for example, in the interior trim element 28, and the data communication connection 19 for the display element 30 of the steering handle 14 may be guided, for example, through a channel or another type of recess through the exemplary hinge of the steering apparatus 12.

[0053] The display element 30 and/or the further, optional display elements 34, 36 may be optionally used for a video chat with occupants of another motor vehicle or to look at a panoramic image. The further, optional display elements 34, 36 may provide a further plane for displaying display contents.

[0054] FIG. 1 showed the steering handle 14 in a position of use or usage position, for example if the motor vehicle 10 is driving in an analog driving mode, that is to say in a manual driving mode, or in a partially autonomous driving mode. The user controls the motor vehicle 10 by use of the steering handle 14 which can also be referred to as a steering unit.

[0055] In a first method operation S1 (FIG. 1), the control device 18 receives an operating signal from the operating device 26, which operating signal can describe, for example, an operating action received by the operating element 24, exemplary pressing on the operating element 24. Provision may be made for activation of a piloted driving mode to be assigned to this operating action. In method operation S2, the control device 18 then generates a control signal which describes the driving mode to be set, the exemplary piloted driving mode, and transmits the generated control signal to the driver assistance system 22 via the exemplary data bus (S3).

[0056] Optionally, provision may be made, for example, for the triggering of this change of the driving mode to cause the user to press on the operating element 24, for example for 5 seconds.

[0057] For example, as soon as the piloted driving mode has been set by the driver assistance device 22, the control device 18 generates an adjustment signal (S4) which describes the change to the position of rest of the steering handle 14 illustrated in FIG. 2. In method operation S5, the generated adjustment signal is transmitted to the adjustment device 16. The pivoting (S6) to be carried out by the adjustment device 16 may be, for example, folding up or folding down or rotating the steering handle 14, for example along a pivot axis which can run, for example, parallel or approximately parallel to a motor vehicle transverse axis. In this case, the steering handle 14 can, for example, be folded up through 90, for example.

[0058] FIG. 2 shows the steering handle 14 which has been folded up and the underside 32 of which now faces the user who can now look at the display element 30.

[0059] The user can now use both the display element 30 and the other display elements 34, 36 in the piloted driving mode.

[0060] Provision may be optionally made for the control device 18 to generate a display signal (S7), for example after the piloted driving mode has been set, which display signal describes activation of the display element 30, and for the control device to then transmit this display signal to the display device 38 in method operation S8 (S8). This display signal can provide for electronic and/or electrical activation of the display elements 30, 34, 36, for example.

[0061] As a result of the fact that the steering handle 14 is now in the position of rest and occupies less sitting space, the user of the motor vehicle 10 can sit down differently, for example, without being restricted in his freedom of movement by the steering handle 14. In addition, the user has received clearly visible feedback with respect to the process of setting the piloted driving mode which has been carried out, that is to say it is visible to him, from the position of rest of the steering handle 14, that the motor vehicle 10 is driving in a piloted manner.

[0062] If the user would like to change to the manual driving mode again, for example after a while, the user can operate the operating element 29 released by the position of rest of the steering handle 14, and this operating signal can be received, as already described above, from the operating device by the control device 18 (S1). The control device 18 generates a further control signal for setting the desired manual driving mode (S2), transmits the generated control signal to the driver assistance device 22 (S3) and generates an adjustment signal (S4) for pivoting the steering handle 14 from the position of rest back into the position of use. The steering handle 14 is then available to the user again, and the display elements 30, 34, 36 are again facing away and are also deactivated again, for example.

[0063] Overall, the exemplary embodiment illustrates how, for example, a rotating active and/or autonomous steering unit, that is to say an active and/or autonomous steering handle 14, having a display element 30 arranged on the surface facing away from the end face, for example a display on the underside or a main screen, is provided by the disclosure, for example, in a piloted driving mode.

[0064] According to a further exemplary embodiment, the steering handle 14, which can alternatively be referred to as a control unit, can include or have, for example on the underside, a spacious high-resolution display medium as the display element 30 which can, for example, be rotated upward, for example, as a result of the activation of the autonomous or piloted driving mode. The display element 30 can be, for example, electrically and/or mechanically pivoted, that is to say rotated for example. In other words, the steering handle 14 pivots and/or rotates upward, for example, in the exemplary autonomous driving mode.

[0065] A driver, that is to say a person who is now being driven, thus has not only the required steering handle 14, that is to say the required steering wheel for example, from his field of view and can now enjoy, for example, an entertainment program on the display element 30 which may be in the form of a high-resolution display, for example.

[0066] As a result of the exemplary rotation of the steering unit, an additional display medium, that is to say an additional display element 34, or a plurality of display elements 34, 46 can be optionally provided. In addition to the advantages which have already been mentioned above, this results in a novel staging for the driver/person being driven.

[0067] According to a further exemplary embodiment, the user can carry out control via the steering unit, that is to say by use of the steering handle 14, for example in an analog or manual mode (see FIG. 1), and the operating element 24 which can be arranged, for example, as a button in the center of the exemplary steering unit can trigger the autonomous driving mode, for example, and can fold up the steering handle 14.

[0068] In a piloted driving mode (see FIG. 2), the exemplary steering unit of the display element 30, which may be in the form, for example, of a large media field on an underside of the exemplary steering unit, can be released. As a result of the exemplary rotation, additional, optional operating and/or display fields can also be released, that is to say additional, optional display elements 34, 36. The operating element 29 which may be in the form of a button, for example, can be arranged in the center, for example in the center of the interior trim element 28 and can trigger the active, analog driving mode, that is to say the manual driving mode, and the exemplary steering wheel can be moved down again.

[0069] A description has been provided with reference to embodiments thereof and examples, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the claims which may include the phrase at least one of A, B and C as an alternative expression that means one or more of A, B and C may be used, contrary to the holding in Superguide v. DIRECTV, 358 F3d 870, 69 USPQ2d 1865 (Fed. Cir. 2004).