18371 results about "Steering wheel" patented technology

A robotic catheter device cartridge may include a finger or a slider block generally disposed in a channel and engaged with a steering wire. The steering wire may control movement of a component having the steering wire engaged thereto when the finger or the slider block is linearly driven in a predetermined direction. The cartridge may be a transseptal cartridge having a transseptal needle connected thereto, a catheter cartridge having a catheter connected thereto, or a sheath cartridge having a sheath connected thereto.

An apparatus and method for illuminating a vehicle including a light source connected to an illuminatable component such as an interior or exterior vehicle door handle or steering wheel, and a control system including a plurality of sensors that monitor the vehicle and surroundings for predetermined conditions and selectively illuminate the component as a means of conveying information or warnings about the vehicle or its surroundings. Illumination may be enhanced by other auditory signals such as audio alarms or vibration. Predetermined conditions may include the proximity of a vehicle user, key fob activation or proximity, input from an entertainment system, activation of a pressure sensor, the presence of a person or object in proximity to the vehicle, or the vehicle's ignition or gear state.

An improved apparatus and method is provided for operating devices and systems in a motor vehicle, while at the same time reducing vehicle operator distractions. One or more touch sensitive pads are mounted on the steering wheel of the motor vehicle, and the vehicle operator touches the pads in a pre-specified synchronized pattern, to perform functions such as controlling operation of the radio or adjusting a window. At least some of the touch patterns used to generate different commands may be selected by the vehicle operator. Usefully, the system of touch pad sensors and the signals generated thereby are integrated with speech recognition and / or facial gesture recognition systems, so that commands may be generated by synchronized multi-mode inputs.

A passenger in an automated vehicle may relinquish control of the vehicle to a control computer when the control computer has determined that it may maneuver the vehicle safely to a destination. The passenger may relinquish or regain control of the vehicle by applying different degrees of pressure, for example, on a steering wheel of the vehicle. The control computer may convey status information to a passenger in a variety of ways including by illuminating elements of the vehicle. The color and location of the illumination may indicate the status of the control computer, for example, whether the control computer has been armed, is ready to take control of the vehicle, or is currently controlling the vehicle.

A system for and method of illuminating a contact (or touch) device such as a fingerprint sensor are disclosed. In an exemplary system, a touch sensor system has a surface or contact area and comprises a substantially transparent molding positioned over the contact area and a dynamic illuminator positioned to show through the molding. The dynamic illuminator is for indicating a status of the touch sensor system, such as power on, standby, error, low power, an input mode for receiving user input, or a selected operating mode. The touch sensor system includes any one of a fingerprint sensor, a miniature joystick, a touch-sensitive navigation disc, a touch-sensing navigation pad, an N-way pressure-sensitive directional control, to name a few touch sensor devices. In one embodiment, when the touch sensor comprises a fingerprint sensor, the operating mode is for emulating an input device such as a scroll wheel, a push button, a steering wheel, a joy stick, a pressure button, and a mouse. The operating mode also includes an authentication mode for authenticating an identity of a user. Preferably, the dynamic illuminator includes light sources and multiple light channels, colored or not, that are configured to be illuminated in multiple configurations, where each configuration corresponds to a status of the touch sensor system.

Apparatus and method for the early detection of increased performance impairment, incapacitation or drowsiness of a person, particularly of a person gripping an object such as a steering wheel. A wrist band is worn by the person and an electrical sensor is pressed against the person's skin by the band to sense physiological conditions by detecting various parameters at the wrist and analyzing them to provide an indication of the onset of drowsiness in the person. Some of the parameters analyzed include EMG, temperature, response to stimulation and muscular activity at the wrist. A description of a shock-absorbing wrist monitor is disclosed.

A hand pattern switch device recognizes a hand pattern from an image of a hand in an image pickup zone and detects a hand motion. One of controlled objects is selected based on the recognized hand pattern and / or hand motion. In accordance with the selected object, a mode of detection of operation information based on hand motion is changed. In a moved distance detecting mode, a moved distance of the hand in the zone is detected as operation information, and in a stop time detecting mode, a stop time of the hand at a stop position to which the hand has been moved in the zone is detected as operation information. The image pickup zone is at a location which is located laterally to a steering wheel and to which a driver can extend his / her arm without changing a driving posture.

A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus inputs signals indicative of images from a stereoscopic camera, a vehicle speed, a steering wheel angle and a yaw rate and estimates a traveling path of an own vehicle according to vehicle forward information and traveling conditions of the own vehicle. The apparatus establishes a traveling region A according to this traveling path and further establishes a traveling region B based on at least either of the traveling region A and road information. It is judged whether a detected solid object is a preceding vehicle or a tentative preceding vehicle according to the state of existence of the object in the traveling regions A, B and the preceding vehicle is outputted to a traveling control unit.

A heads-up display (HUD) adaptor for use in combination with an existing heads-up display (HUD) unit, wherein the HUD adaptor receives an electronic peripheral device in order to display electronic data and information from the peripheral on the screen of the existing HUD unit on a vehicle's windshield. The HUD adaptor includes a proximal end, a distal end and a cable therebetween; wherein the proximal end has a first adaptor plug; and the distal end has a second adaptor plug. The existing HUD unit includes a heads-up display screen on a front windshield of the vehicle and a heads-up display control unit is positioned within a control panel on a steering wheel of the vehicle for controlling each of the electronic peripherals. The HUD unit includes a USB panel member having a plurality of USB receiving ports for receiving one or more of the HUD adaptors therein. The first adaptor plug of the HUD adaptor is received within a receiving port of an electronic communication device; and the second adaptor plug of the HUD adaptor is received within one of the plurality of the USB receiving ports of the USB panel member for electronically connecting the HUD adaptor to the HUD control unit.

A system and method of the present invention emulates electronic input devices such as a steering wheel, a mouse, a joystick, a navigation bar, a scroll wheel, and a pressure-sensitive button. The method comprises swiping a finger on a swipe sensor, calculating a difference between a first position of the finger on the swipe sensor and a second position on the swipe sensor, and translating the difference into a plurality of sets of signals. Each set of signals is used to emulate the signals generated by one of the electronic input devices. The method thus uses a single swipe sensor to emulate multiple electronic input devices. In a preferred embodiment, the system is used to control a display on a portable electronic device is coupled to or forms part of the portable electronic device.

Reverse proximity sensors are used to determine an angle between a towed trailer and the towing vehicle. The trailer sway control determines a trailer angle of sway based upon proximity sensor readings from the reverse proximity sensors and from a sensor reading of an angle of turn of a steering wheel of the towing vehicle. Provided the determined trailer angle of sway exceeds a range that can be tolerated, a controller sends instructions to apply necessary braking to the vehicle or trailer to mitigate the trailer sway.