Abstract:
A method and apparatus of sounding a horn of a vehicle is provided where the user operator need not release his or her hand from steering wheel handle to actuate a horn. In one example, a steering wheel with force-sensing device is provided for a driver of a car for quick access to sound the horn by simply squeezing or pressing the steer wheel in a particular way without releasing his or her hand from the steering wheel. The vehicle can have a control algorithm to monitor external force applied to the steering wheel through a sensor array which activates the horn when the pressure level reaches a threshold value. Drivers can optionally use a user interface to selectively set one or more threshold values so they can activate the horn or activate different volume or tones of horn by setting and achieving various threshold conditions. The horn may be activated by a squeezing/pressing/twisting action, by squeezing/pressing/twisting the handle with one hand, by squeezing/pressing/twisting the handle with two hands simultaneously, by squeezing/pressing/twisting the handle in a particular way, by squeezing/pressing/twisting the handle at a particular location(s) of the steering wheel handle, etc.

Description:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The field of the disclosure is automotive technology in general and a steering wheel in particular. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Machines, including land vehicles and water crafts are typically equipped with horns so that drivers/operators can alarm or signal others when necessary. 
     In a conventional car for example, horn actuators are located on the center hub of the steering wheel, such as that disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,482, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. Horn actuators are also known to be located on the spoke of the steering wheel, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,844, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     In urgent situations where the driver needs to sound the horn immediately, there is often very little reaction time to move one&#39;s hand to press the center hub or horn buttons on the spoke of the steering wheel. 
     There have been attempts to provide easier and quicker ways to sound a horn. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,844, an enlarged horn button overlay is provided to couple over existing horn buttons, so as to provide a larger horn button. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 2,946,869, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, a flexible tube embedded with fluid material is provided all around the steering wheel such that when squeezed, the terminal ends of the flexible tube expands, thereby making electrical contact to sound the horn. This mechanism, however, is prone to causing false alarms. 
     Thus, there is still a need for steering wheels or any controller handle for a machine to have quick access to sounding a horn. 
     All referenced patents, applications and literatures are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Although the present disclosure may obviate one or more of the above-mentioned desires, it should be understood that some aspects of the disclosure may not necessarily obviate them. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     According to various embodiments of this disclosure, the contemplated steering wheel may have a hub configured to couple the steering wheel to a steering column of a car; a handle configured for a driver to hold; a spoke connecting the hub and the handle; an external force-sensing device arranged on the handle and configured to electrically connect to a horn of the car, wherein the external force-sensing device has a plurality of pressure sensors. 
     In one specific embodiment, the pressure sensors can be made of piezoelectric material. In another specific embodiment, the external force-sensing device can be a pressure sensor array composed of the plurality of pressure sensors. In other embodiments, the external force-sensing device can include mechanical buttons. In yet other specific embodiments, the pressure sensors can detect an external force applied to the external force-sensing device by sensing a deformation of at least one of the pressure sensors. In still another specific embodiment, the external force-sensing device can be flexible and wrapped around the handle. 
     In some preferred embodiments, the external force-sensing device can have two or more sections electrically separate from each other. It can have a threshold circuit coupled with the two or more sections of the external force-sensing device, and the threshold circuit can be turned on only when at least two of the two or more sections of the external force-sensing device detect effective external force at the same time or at about the same time. In some embodiments, the effective external force has to be greater than a threshold value in order to actuate the horn. 
     In other embodiments, the vehicle can have a user interface allowing the driver/operator to set his or her own threshold value. For example, a driver can train the steering wheel to sound the horn when a certain physical action is applied to the steering wheel. 
     In some embodiments, the user interface can allow the user/operator to set multiple threshold values. And each threshold value can correspond to a different tone of horn sound, or a different volume of horn sound. 
     There can be many ways to arrange the external force-sensing device on the handle suitable for each type of machine. In a conventional car steering wheel, the handle is a complete circle surrounding the hub by 360 degrees. In other types of conventional vehicles and machines, the handle can surround the hub by less than 360 degrees. Contemplated embodiments of the disclosure can have a handle that extends around the hub at a predetermined angle, and the coverage rate of the external force-sensing device to the handle can be anywhere between 20-100% of the predetermined angle. In one embodiment, it is at least 50 percent of the predetermined angle. In another embodiment, it is at least 75 percent of the predetermined angle. In yet another embodiment, it is at least 80 percent of the predetermined angle. In still yet another embodiment, it is at least 90 percent of the predetermined angle. 
     Contemplated steering wheel handle can have the external force-sensing device disposed at various positions on the handle. In one contemplated embodiment, the handle has an inward side facing the hub, and the external force-sensing device can be arranged on the inward side of the handle. In other embodiments, the external force-sensing device can be arranged on the front side (facing the driver) and/or a rear side of the controller handle. 
     In some contemplated embodiments, the external force-sensing device can electrically couple to the horn by a wire or in a wireless manner. In one embodiment, a wire for an electrical connection between the external force-sensing device and the horn can extend from the external force-sensing device to the hub through the spoke. Alternatively, the external force-sensing device can have a wireless sender capable of sending a signal to a wireless receiver of the horn. 
     Another aspect of the disclosure includes methods of sounding a horn using a steering wheel handle, wherein the handle has an external force-sensing device disposed thereon, and a driver of the vehicle need not release his or her hand from the steering wheel in order to actuate the horn. As discussed earlier, these contemplated methods can also apply to any industrial machinery or vehicles, including land vehicles, watercrafts, and aircrafts. 
     The contemplated embodiments include sensing an effective external force applied to the handle by the user&#39;s hand, generating a signal when the effective external force is greater than a threshold value, and transmitting the signal to the horn to actuate the horn. 
     Some contemplated methods can include setting a threshold value by the user before the generating step; this can be accomplished by using a user-interface disposed in or on the vehicle. 
     Some embodiments can include the step of detecting a first force applied by the user to the handle, saving a first threshold value correlating to the first force, and assigning the first threshold value to a signal for actuating the horn at a first volume. Contemplated method can further include detecting a second force applied by the user to the handle, saving a second threshold value correlating to the second force, and assigning the second threshold value to a signal for actuating the horn at a second volume. Instead of different volume of horn sound, these different threshold values can also correlate to actuating horns of different tones. 
     With respect to the type of effective external force detectable by the force-sensing device, contemplated methods can sense a normal stress applied to the external force-sensing device. In another embodiment, the external force-sensing device can sense a shear stress applied to the force-sensing device. 
     Other ways to detect an effective external force can include providing a force-sensing device having a first section and a second section electrically separate from each other. In another embodiment, the force-sensing device can have more than two sections electrically separate from each other. 
     Contemplated methods can include determining whether the first section has detected the effective external force, and determining whether the second section has detected the effective external force. Contemplated methods can also generate a signal when both of the first section and the second section have detected an effective external force simultaneously. 
     Various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the disclosure, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       It should be noted that the drawing figures may be in simplified form and might not be to precise scale. In reference to the disclosure herein, for purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms, such as top, bottom, left, right, up, down, over, above, below, beneath, rear, front, distal, and proximal are used with respect to the accompanying drawings. Such directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure in any manner. 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of an embodiment of an exemplary steering wheel with horn-actuating handle according to an aspect of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the steering wheel with horn-actuating handle of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of another embodiment of a steering wheel with horn-actuating handle according to an aspect of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the steering wheel with horn-actuating handle of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of a yet another embodiment of a steering wheel with horn-actuating handle according to an aspect of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of a further embodiment of a steering wheel with horn-actuating handle according to an aspect of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  shows sectional views of handles of different embodiments of the steering wheel. 
         FIG. 8  shows schematic diagrams of coverage of external force-sensing devices over the handles of different embodiments of the steering wheel. 
         FIG. 9A  is a circuit showing a threshold circuit to filter out an external force not greater than a predetermined threshold value, and also showing a user interface connecting to the threshold circuit. 
         FIG. 9B  is a circuit showing two serially connected threshold circuits which actuate the horn only if both of two electrically separate sections of the external force-sensing device simultaneously detect an external force greater than the predetermined threshold value. 
         FIG. 9C  is a circuit showing two serially connected threshold circuits which actuate the horn only if a time gap exists between a first time period wherein one of the two sections detects the effective external force and a second time period wherein the other section detects that the effective external force is smaller than a delay period. 
         FIG. 10  is a flow chart of an operation method of the embodiments of a steering wheel with horn-actuating handle according to an aspect of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure and its various embodiments can now be better understood by turning to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which are presented as illustrated examples of the disclosure defined in the claims. It is expressly understood that the disclosure as defined by the claims may be broader than the illustrated embodiments described below. 
     Although many of the embodiments below are described with respect to a steering wheel of an automobile, it should be understood that the disclosed systems and methods can be incorporated into other types of controllers of various machineries. Such machinery equipped with the contemplated controller can be a vehicle such as a land vehicle, a watercraft, an aircraft, an excavator, a forklift, etc., or a heavy machinery or stationary machine such as a cutting machine, a printing press, and an assembly line robotic arm. The various types of controllers can include, but are not limited to non-circular steering wheel, ship&#39;s wheel, handles on a ship&#39;s wheel, joystick, motorcycle handlebars, and any other drive by wire controllers. 
     In one embodiment of the disclosure illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an exemplary steering wheel  100  is shown. The steering wheel  100  can include a hub  102  configured to couple the steering wheel  100  to the steering column of a car. The steering wheel can have a handle  104  configured for a driver to hold when driving the car, and can have a spoke  106  connecting the hub  102  to the handle  104  so as to transmit a rotation of the handle  104  to the steering column via the hub  102 . An external force-sensing device  108  can be arranged on the handle  104  and configured to electrically connect to a horn (not shown) of the car. The external force-sensing device  108  may have a plurality of pressure sensors to detect the force sourced from the driver. In some embodiments, the pressure sensors can include piezoelectric material. In other embodiments, instead of the plurality of pressure sensors, the external force-sensing device  108  can have plurality of mechanical buttons as a way to detect applied force. Indeed, the external force-sensing device  108  can sense external force applied to the steering wheel  100  using any suitable sensing methods and apparatuses including but not limited to mechanical means, electrical means, and pneumatic means. 
     In further embodiments, as shown in  FIGS. 1, and 2 , the external force-sensing device  108  on the handle  104  may include several electrically-separate sections disposed on the handle  104 . Each of these sections can include at least one pressure sensor. 
     In yet other embodiments, the electrically separate sections can be disposed where the driver usually does not hold when driving or operating the machinery, and each of these sections can include at least one pressure sensors. 
     Returning now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the handle  104  can have a front side  110  and a rear side  112  opposite to each other. The front side  110  can be configured to face the driver. In this embodiment, the external force-sensing device  108  can be arranged on selected regions on the front side  110  as shown in  FIG. 2 . The external force sensed by the external force-sensing device  108  can be a normal stress F 1  applied by the driver in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the handle  104 , that is, a compressive stress applied to the front side  110  in this embodiment. In another embodiment, the external forces can also be a shear stress F 2  substantially parallel to the surface of the handle  104 , or substantially circular surrounding a center axis of the handle  104 . In contemplated embodiments, the driver may press, hit, or squeeze the external force-sensing device  108  to apply normal stress F 1 , or the driver can twist the external force-sensing device  108  to apply shear stress F 2 . 
     In one embodiment, there can be a wire  114  connecting the external force-sensing device  108  to the horn. The wire  114  can be embedded inside the steering wheel  100  and extend through the handle  104 , spoke  106 , and hub  102  sequentially. 
     In yet another embodiment of the disclosure illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an exemplary steering wheel  200  is shown. The arrangements of a hub  202 , a handle  204 , and a spoke  206  of the steering wheel  200  can be similar to those of the previously illustrated steering wheel  100  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Here, an external force-sensing device  208  of the steering wheel  200  can be disposed on the rear side  212  instead of on the front side  210 .  FIGS. 3 and 4  also illustrate another embodiment in which a wireless connection between the external force-sensing device  208  and the horn can be provided, using a paired wireless sender and receiver. Specifically, the external force-sensing device  208  may have a wireless sender  214  embedded inside the steering wheel  200 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The wireless sender  214  can electrically couple with a wireless receiver of the horn. In this way, signals can be transmitted from the external force-sensing devices  208  to the horn wirelessly when the external force-sensing device  208  senses an effective external force. 
     In this particular embodiment, a driver may squeeze the handle  204  in order to actuate the horn. The driver may also pull on the handle  204  in order to actuate the horn. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a steering wheel  300  of yet another embodiment of the disclosure is shown. The steering wheel  300  can also include a hub  302 , a handle  304 , and a spoke  306 , all of which can be similar to those of the steering wheel  100  of  FIG. 1 . However, in this embodiment, an external force-sensing device  308  of the steering wheel  300  can include a front section and a rear section respectively disposed on the front side and rear side of the handle  304 , and each of the sections of the external force-sensing devices  308  can extend around the hub  302  by 360 degrees. In other words, the external force-sensing device  308  can substantially cover the entire frontal and/or rear circumference of the handle  304 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a steering wheel  400  of a further embodiment of the disclosure is shown. The steering wheel  400  can include a hub  402 , a handle  404 , and a spoke  406 , all of which can be similar to those of the steering wheel  100  of  FIG. 1 . However, in this embodiment, an external force-sensing device  408  of the steering wheel  400  can be arranged on an inward side of the handle  404 , with the inward side facing the hub  402  and located between the front and rear sides of the handle  404 . 
     In the above disclosed embodiments, the external force-sensing devices  108 ,  208 ,  308 ,  408  can include a plurality of external force-sensing devices. In  FIG. 7 , various arrangements of the external force-sensing device on the handle are shown by sectional views of the steering wheel handle thereof. As shown in  FIG. 7 , in (a), the external force-sensing device  108  of this particular embodiment can have a plurality of pressure sensors  116  on the front side  110  of the handle  104 ; in (b), the external force-sensing device  208  of this particular embodiment can include a plurality of pressure sensors  216  on the rear side  212  of the handle  204 ; in (c), each of the two sections of the external force-sensing device  308  can respectively be disposed on the front side  310  and rear side  312 , and can include a plurality of pressure sensors  314 . Furthermore, as shown in (d) of  FIG. 7 , an external force-sensing device  308  can include a plurality of pressure sensors  314 ′ that wraps around the handle  304 ′. In some embodiments, the external force-sensing device  308 ′ may extend around the handle  304 ′ to cover all of the front, inward, rear, and outward sides of the handle  304 ′. In other embodiments, when any one of the pressure sensors is deformed, the deformation of the pressure sensor can generate a signal corresponding to the degree of the deformation. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , these schematic diagrams illustrate coverage of the external force-sensing device over the handle  204 . In (a) of  FIG. 8 , a contemplated coverage of the external force-sensing device  108  over the handle  104  is shown, wherein the handle  104  can extend around the hub  102  by 360 degrees, and the external force-sensing device  108  can cover angular sections from a 0  to a 1  (46 degrees), from a 2  to a 3  (47.5 degrees), from a 4  to a 5  (75 degrees), from a 6  to a 7  (47.5 degrees), and from a 8  to a 0  (46 degrees). With the above arrangement, a coverage rate of the external force-sensing device  108  to the 360-degree-extending handle  104  can be about 72.8%. In (b) of  FIG. 8 , the contemplated coverage of the external force-sensing device  308  over the handle  304  is shown, wherein the handle  304  can extend around the hub  302  by 360 degrees, and the external force-sensing device  308  can cover the angular section from b 0  to b 0  (360 degrees). Thus, a coverage rate of the external force-sensing device  308  to the 360-degree-extending handle  304  can be 100%. In (c) of  FIG. 8 , the coverage of the external force-sensing device  408  over the handle  404  of another embodiment is shown, wherein the handle  404  can extend around the hub  402  by 360 degrees, and the external force-sensing device  408  can cover angular sections from c 0  to c 1  (30 degrees), from c 2  to c 3  (70 degrees), from c 4  to c 5  (70 degrees), and from c 6  to c 0  (30 degrees). With this contemplated arrangement, a coverage rate of the external force-sensing device  408  to the 360-degree-extending handle  404  can be about 55.6%. 
     In (d) of  FIG. 8 , the non-circular handle can extend around the hub by angles from d 1  to d 2  (85 degrees) and from d 3  to d 4  (85 degrees), and the external force-sensing device can cover the angular section from d 1  to d 2  and from d 3  to d 4 . Thus, the coverage rate of the external force-sensing device to the 170-degree-extending handle can be 100%. Finally, an embodiment with a coverage of the external force-sensing device not including sections close to the spokes is shown in (e) of  FIG. 8 . The coverage rate of the external force-sensing device to the 360-degree-extending handle can be about 86.1%. In sum, in embodiments where the handle extends around the hub by a predetermined angle, a coverage rate of the external force-sensing device to the handle can be at least 50 percent of the predetermined angle. In other embodiments, the rate of coverage can be at least 60 percent of the predetermined angle. In yet another embodiment, the rate of coverage can be at least 80 percent of the predetermined angle. And still yet in other embodiments, the rate of coverage can be at least 90 percent of the predetermined angle. It should be understood that the above-described angles and coverage rates are exemplary and any other angles/coverage rates can be adopted in various embodiments of the disclosure. 
     In some the above embodiments, a signal outputted by the external force-sensing device  108 ,  208 ,  308 , or  408  when it detects the external force can serve as an actuating signal to be directly sent to the horn to actuate the horn. In one particular embodiment, in order to avoid falsely sounding the horn, the contemplated steering wheel can further include an arrangement illustrated as follows. The pressure sensor can further have a controller to set a threshold value Vth, so that the pressure sensor will send an actuating signal to the horn when the sensed external force is larger than the threshold value Vth. In some embodiments, instead of using said pressure sensor with the controller, the horn may further have a comparator to block an actuating signal sourced from an external force not greater than the threshold value Vth. With either one of the above arrangements, the horn can only be actuated when the external force is greater than the threshold value Vth, which can be set as an effective external force. Turning now to  FIG. 9A , the disclosed steering wheel of the disclosure may further include a threshold circuit  502  for filtering out signal induced by external force not greater than the threshold value Vth. Specifically, the threshold circuit  502  can include a switch assembly  504 . This switch assembly  504  can have a comparator and an n-type transistor serving as a switch, wherein the n-type transistor can only be turned on when the base (gate) of this transistor receives a positive signal with a voltage level larger than the base-emitter (gate-source) voltage thereof. Structurally, in some embodiments, two input terminals of the comparator can electrically couple to the external force-sensing device and a threshold voltage generator  505 , so as to respectively receive a signal S generated by the external force-sensing device and a threshold voltage corresponding to the threshold value Vth. In yet another embodiment, the base (gate) of the n-type transistor can connect with an output terminal of the comparator, and the collector (drain) or the emitter (source) of the n-type transistor can serially connect to the horn. 
     Specifically in one embodiment, the threshold voltage generator  505  can be a voltage generator outputting a threshold voltage which corresponds to the threshold value Vth to the threshold circuit  502  automatically. Alternatively, the threshold voltage generator  505  can further include a user interface for the driver to adjust the threshold value Vth according to individual usage. Moreover, the user interface can be located conveniently for driver access, such as on the dash board or at the center console of the car. In other embodiment the user interface can be located on the hub, spoke or handle of the steering wheel. The user interface can have a monitor screen and data entry keys or use other conventional data entry means. Additionally or alternatively, the user interface can be adapted to receive voice and/or gesture commands. 
     In operation of the threshold circuit  502 , the comparator can generate the positive signal and transmit the positive signal to the switch when the voltage level of the signal S is greater than the threshold voltage generated by the threshold voltage generator  505  (for example, when the driver applies an effective external force to the external force-sensing device) so as to turn on the switch. When the switch is turned on, an actuating signal can be sent to and actuate the horn from the threshold circuit  502 . Thus, with the threshold circuit  502 , one embodiment of the steering wheel can actuate the horn when the external force-sensing device detects an effective external force. Furthermore, with the user interface of the threshold voltage generator  505 , the threshold voltage generator  505  can be adjustable and customizable to the driver to adjust the threshold value Vth when necessary. Please note that the above structure of the switch assembly  504  is exemplary and any other arrangement can be adopted in various embodiments of the disclosure. 
     With respect to  FIG. 9B , instead of the threshold circuit  502 , contemplated steering wheel of the disclosure may have a threshold circuit  502 ′ including two switch assemblies  504 ,  506  in serial connection, so as to further avoid horn actuation in error. In one specific embodiment, when the external force-sensing device of the present steering wheel has two electrically separate sections, the two sections may respectively generate two separate signals S 1 , S 2  due to the applied external force. For example, said electrically separate sections can be the sections of the external force-sensing device  108 ,  208  or  408 , which can be peripherally separated. In other embodiments, said electrically separate sections can be the front section and the rear section of the external force-sensing device  308 . As shown in  FIG. 9B , the two switch assemblies  504 ,  506  can respectively connect with the two sections of the external force-sensing device to receive the signals S 1 , S 2 . Since the switch assembles  504 ,  506  of the threshold circuit  502 ′ are in serial connection for this embodiment, the threshold circuit  502 ′ can be turned on to send the actuating signal to the horn when both of the two electrically separate sections sense the external force and the external force is greater than the threshold value Vth. Namely, in this embodiment, the horn can operate when the driver applies the effective external force to both of the sections simultaneously. 
     In a further contemplated embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 9C , another threshold circuit  502 ″ also can include two switch assemblies  504 ′,  506 ′. However, in addition to the comparator and the switch of the switch assembly  504 , each of the switch assemblies  504 ′,  506 ′ can have a combination of a time delay circuit and another comparator connecting with the base (gate) of the switch. With said time delay circuit, the positive signal can last for a delay period after the signal S 1  or S 2  resulting in said positive signal stops. In other words, with the threshold circuit  502 ″, although the driver does not apply the effective external force to both of the sections simultaneously, the horn may still be actuated. Particularly, both of the switch assemblies  504 ′,  506 ′ can still be turned on for transmitting the actuating signal to the horn if a time gap between a first time period wherein one of the two sections detects the effective external force and a second time period wherein the other section detects the effective external force is smaller than the delay period. In one example, in order to avoid falsely sounding the horn, the delay period can be set as one second. 
       FIG. 10  shows a flow chart of exemplary steps in some contemplated embodiments. In many embodiments, the contemplated methods of sounding a horn can involve using a controller handle to a machine wherein the handle has an external force-sensing device disposed on the thereon, and the same handle is being used to drive/operate the machine, and the contemplated methods allows the driver/operator of the machine to actuate a horn without having to release one or both of his or her hands from the steering wheel handle. In other words, the driver/operator can continue to drive the vehicle and actuating a horn while keeping his or her hands on the steering wheel handle. 
     The illustrated example includes first setting a threshold value by the user via a user interface disposed in or on the machine. As discussed above, the user interface can be conveniently located at the dash board, the center console, or directly on the controller handle. Optionally, the user interface can have a monitor screen and data entry keys or using other data entry means. In one embodiment, the user interface can be voice-controlled. The contemplated user interface allows a driver to customize his or her setting according to his or her preference. 
     Contemplated methods can include detecting a first force applied by the user to the handle. For example, the user interface can prompt the driver to squeeze the steering wheel with one hand or two hands to indicate an appropriate level of force (and/or number of hands) needed to actuate a low volume horn sound. And once the user squeezes the steering wheel lightly with both hands, the user interface can next ask the driver whether or not he or she would like to save that particular setting (i.e., a two-hand squeeze of a particular magnitude of force) for a “low-volume” horn. 
     The confirmation step can be optional in some embodiments before the setting can be saved. For example, a first threshold value can be saved in response to a first light squeeze, and assigned with a signal for actuating the horn at a low volume. From this point on, whenever the user squeezes with both hands at the steering wheel with a force above this first threshold value, a light-volume horn can be actuated. 
     In some embodiments, the user interface allows a user to set one volume, or one type of horn tone. In other embodiments, the user interface can allow a user to set more than one volume of horn sound and/or more than one tone of horn sound. Other embodiments of the user interface may allow customization based on different users who share the same car. The vehicle/machine can automatically detect (e.g., through fingerprint detection at the steering wheel, door handle, shifter, etc., weight detection by sensors embedded in driver&#39;s seat, or via other biometric measures such as voice detection/matching) which driver is behind the wheel and apply the specific customized setting for that particular driver. 
     Optionally, a driver can set a loud volume horn by applying a second force to the handle in response to a prompt by the vehicle/machine. The prompt can be displayed on a screen or communicated via a speaker. When the driver then applies a second, more forceful squeeze with both hands, the second force can be detected. As discussed above, the user interface may prompt the driver whether or not the second threshold value corresponding to the second force is to be saved for a “high-volume” horn sound. If confirmed, this second threshold value (e.g., a more forceful two-hand squeeze of a particular magnitude) correlating to the second force can be saved. Thereafter, the second threshold value can be used for triggering a signal for actuating the horn at a higher, loud volume. In this way, when the driver squeezes with both hands with a force at or higher than the second threshold value, the horn can sound louder than the horn actuated at the first threshold value. 
     While a “squeeze” is the exemplary type of effective external force discussed herein, it should be understood that many other types of effective external force can be detectable by the contemplated force-sensing device, such as a normal stress and a shear stress applied to the force-sensing device. 
     The contemplated embodiments may include sensing an effective external force applied to the handle by the user&#39;s hand, and generating a signal when the effective external force is greater than a threshold value. Also included can be transmitting the signal to the horn to actuate the horn. 
     In some embodiments, the contemplated methods can include using a force-sensing device having multiple electrically separate zones. For example, the force-sensing device can have a first section and a second section electrically separate from each other and located on different regions of the steering wheel. 
     Contemplated methods can include determining whether the first section has detected the effective external force, and determining whether the second section has detected the effective external force. Also contemplated is generating a signal when both of the first section and the second section have detected an effective external force simultaneously, or substantially at the same time. 
     Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiments have been set forth only for the purposes of example and that they should not be taken as limiting the disclosure as defined by the following claims. For example, notwithstanding the fact that the elements of a claim are set forth below in a certain combination, it must be expressly understood that the disclosure includes other combinations of fewer, more or different elements, which are disclosed herein even when not initially claimed in such combinations.