Patent ID: 9540016
Date: 2017-01-10
CPC Classifications: B60K,B60W,G06F

Claim:
1. A vehicle interface input receiving method comprising: operating a controller to enter a user input device controlling mode; operating the controller to determine a presence of a first contact condition representing contract at a first predetermined location on a vehicle steering wheel and a second contact condition at a second predetermined location while the controller is operating in the user input device controlling mode; operating the controller to control a user input device to change from a deactivated state to an activated state in response to the first and second contact conditions simultaneously existing at the first and second predetermined locations, respectively, while the controller is operating in the user input device controlling mode; operating an indicator to provide an indication of the activated state while the user input device is in the activated state; operating the controller to maintain the user input device in the activated state while the controller determines that the first contact condition continues to exist at the first predetermined location while the controller is operating in the user input device controlling mode; operating the user input device to provide input to the controller in the activated state and to refrain from providing input to the controller in the deactivated state while the controller is operating in the user input device controlling mode; and operating the controller to control the user input device to return to the deactivated state after receiving the input from the user input device while the controller is operating in the user input device controlling mode.