Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft

Eric Brown

Martin Francisco

Paul Ferraiolo

Franziska Lang

Matthew Potter

Ross Leslie Carmichael

A dynamic ergonomic surface system for use in a motor vehicle includes an ergonomic surface that is inlayed in a surrounding surface and transitions between states, including: a neutral state in which the ergonomic surface is consistent with the surrounding surface, and at least one ergonomic support state in which the ergonomic surface provides ergonomic support for a user operating an input device. The dynamic ergonomic surface system also includes a sensor system that detects events triggering the transition between states, and a controller that controls the ergonomic surface to transition between the states in response to the detected events.

Dynamic ergonomic surface

A dynamic touch user interface system includes a touch-input interface, one or more visual indicators, and a plurality of sensors. The touch-input interface has a reference surface that covers one or more touch elements. The touch elements define an active area that allows user communication with a computer through touch. The active area is relocatable along the reference surface in response to detected circumstances. The visual indicators visually identify a location of the active area. The sensors detect the circumstances affecting a relocation of the active area.

Dynamic touch user interface systems and methods

A temperature control system for a motor vehicle includes a thermotactile user interface having a plurality of adjacent thermoelectric units arranged in an array, each thermoelectric unit having a thermoelectric surface whose temperature varies with an amount of current supplied to the thermoelectric unit. A controller controls the amount of current supplied to each thermoelectric unit such that the temperature of each thermoelectric surface in the array progressively increases or decreases along the array. The system also includes a sensor system that detects a user selection of one of the thermoelectric surfaces as corresponding to a desired temperature. In response to the detected user selection, the controller controls a temperature of a temperature controlled medium of the motor vehicle, e.g., controls the vehicle's cabin climate, to match the temperature of the selected thermoelectric surface.

Tactile temperature control

A velocity indication system of a vehicle includes one or more velocity sensors configured to sense a vehicle velocity and to generate velocity data therefrom. The system also includes a control unit configured to receive the velocity data and to generate a control signal based on the velocity data. The system also includes a tactile velocity indicator. The tactile velocity indicator includes a frame that defines an opening therein. The tactile velocity indicator also includes a haptic element, at least partially protruding from the opening so as to be touchable by a passenger of the vehicle via the opening. The tactile velocity indicator also includes an electric motor configured to drive the haptic element in response to the control signal to move relative to the frame according to a haptic element velocity that corresponds to the sensed vehicle velocity.

Vehicle velocity indicator

A system for holding a personal object for a motor vehicle is described. The system includes a segmented surface having a plurality of adjacent surface elements. The system also includes a plurality of actuators, each actuator associated with a surface element and configured to extend and/or retract the associated surface element. The system also includes a sensor system configured to detect circumstances affecting the holding of the personal object by the segmented surface. The system also includes a controller operably coupled to the actuators and the sensor system, the controller configured to selectively control the actuators to extend and/or retract associated surface elements based on the detected circumstances so as to form a holding area appropriate for holding the personal object.

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North Hollywood, CA, United States of America

Eric Brown