US 12,280,817 B2
TDR-based system for hand or body part positioning detection on an object, particularly on a steering wheel
Baptiste Anti, Hettange-Grande (FR); Laurent Lamesch, Reichlange (LU); Thomas Faber, Schweich (DE); Thomas Stifter, Trier (DE); Michael Puetz, Trier (DE); and Andreas Fox, Freudenburg (DE)
Assigned to IEE INTERNATIONAL ELECTRONICS & ENGINEERING S.A., Echternach (LU)
Appl. No. 17/915,013
Filed by IEE INTERNATIONAL ELECTRONICS & ENGINEERING S.A., Echternach (LU)
PCT Filed Mar. 25, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/057855
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 27, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/191400, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 30, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 101717 (LU), filed on Mar. 27, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0150564 A1, May 18, 2023
Int. Cl. B62D 1/04 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 1/046 (2013.01) 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sensing system for hand or body part positioning detection on a rim of a steering wheel, the sensing system comprising:
at least one electrically conducting signal line, which is arrangeable to extend along a part of a surface of the rim with a priori knowledge about a relation between a distance of any portion of the at least one signal line from a reference point and information on a position on the rim,
a signal voltage source that is operatively connectable to each signal line and that is configured for providing a time-dependent measurement signal to be traveling along the respective connected signal line, and
a control and evaluation unit that is operatively connectable to each signal line and that is configured for:
receiving the measurement signal after being at least partially reflected by at least one portion of the signal line to which the measurement signal has been provided,
determining a position or positions on the object of the portion or portions of the signal line at least partially reflecting the measurement signal, and
determining a hand or body part positioning on the object based on the determined position or positions of the portion or portions of the signal line;
wherein the at least one signal line comprises a first section, which is arrangeable to extend along a part of a surface of the rim of the steering wheel that is facing an operator of the steering wheel, and a second section, which is arrangeable to extend along a part of a surface of the rim of the steering wheel that is facing away from the operator of the steering wheel, wherein the first section and the second section are electrically connected in series; and
wherein the control and evaluation unit is further configured for detecting, when at least two positions of the signal line that have at least partially reflected the measurement signal on the rim have been determined, at least one hand grasping the object based on the at least two positions of the signal line that have at least partially reflected the measurement signal on the rim.