The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 01, 2005
Filed:
Dec. 12, 2002
Vincent Mercier, Clarkston, MI (US);
Ronald William Stencel, Clarkston, MI (US);
James Bruce Dulgerian, Troy, MI (US);
Wilhelm Leichtfried, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
Charles Mcdowell, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Stephen Mezzomo, Shelby, MI (US);
Eric Strebel, Southfield, MI (US);
Patrick Ludlow, Oxford, MI (US);
Vincent Mercier, Clarkston, MI (US);
Ronald William Stencel, Clarkston, MI (US);
James Bruce Dulgerian, Troy, MI (US);
Wilhelm Leichtfried, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
Charles McDowell, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Stephen Mezzomo, Shelby, MI (US);
Eric Strebel, Southfield, MI (US);
Patrick Ludlow, Oxford, MI (US);
Alps Automotive, Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US);
Abstract
A dual haptic system control system in a vehicle includes a first haptic controller disposed on a steering wheel of a vehicle and a second haptic controller disposed on a console separated from the steering wheel. The first haptic controller is a mini-haptic interface that controls a smaller set of functions than the second haptic controller. Redundancies are built in between the first and second haptic controllers so that at least some of the functions of the first haptic controller are also controlled by the second haptic controller. The steering wheel is devoid of stalk switches, with the first and second haptic controllers, in conjunction with switches and menu keys on the steering wheel controlling these functions. The display illustrates the functions that are operable from the present state of the system as buttons that contain both text (of the button function) and graphics (of the button function and any sub-functions available).