US 12,227,190 B2
Grip-force sensing and shape-changing steering wheel
Brent Gillespie, Ann Arbor, MI (US); and Akshay Bhardwaj, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Assigned to The Regents of The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Filed by THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Filed on May 24, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/328,497.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/029,840, filed on May 26, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0370953 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. B60W 40/08 (2012.01); G01L 5/22 (2006.01)
CPC B60W 40/08 (2013.01) [G01L 5/221 (2013.01); B60W 2040/0872 (2013.01); B60W 2540/223 (2020.02); B60Y 2400/306 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A steering wheel system to establish two-way non-visual, non-verbal communication between a human driver and a vehicle automation system of a vehicle, the steering wheel system comprising:
a steering wheel of the vehicle;
a grip sensing system operably coupled with the steering wheel, the grip sensing system configured to sense an increase and a decrease in a grip force of the human driver upon the steering wheel to detect a signal, change of state, or intention from the human driver and communicate the signal, change of state, or intention to the vehicle automation system, the vehicle automation system configured to determine a transfer state of control authority of the vehicle; and
an active shape-changing system operably coupled with the steering wheel, the active shape-changing system configured to physically change the steering wheel between an enlarged inflated position and a contracted deflated position, the active shape-changing system configured to indicate the transfer state of control authority to the hands of the human driver via the physical change in response to the detected signal, change of state, or intention from the human driver.