Interface system for controlling input mechanisms of a vehicle

Abstract

Provided is a system and method for interfacing with physical input mechanisms of a vehicle and electrically controlling signals from the physical input mechanisms to a computer of the vehicle. Examples of such physical input mechanisms include a gas pedal, a brake pedal, a turn signal stalk, a button, and the like. In one example, the method may include receiving, via a first interface, a request to actuate a component of a vehicle that is controlled by a physical input mechanism, generating, via a processor, a control signal that corresponds to an actuation signal from the physical input mechanism, and transmitting, via a second interface, the generated control signal to a control unit of the vehicle for actuating the component of the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   one or more interfaces configured to electrically connect the processor to a physical input mechanism of a vehicle that controls a component of the vehicle and a control unit,   wherein the processor is configured to
 receive a request to actuate the component of the vehicle that is controlled by the physical input mechanism, 
 generate a control signal that corresponds to an actuation signal from the physical input mechanism, and 
 transmit the generated control signal to the control unit of the vehicle for actuating the component of the vehicle. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more interfaces are configured to receive the request from an autonomous vehicle (AV) system of the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the component of the vehicle that is controlled by the physical input mechanism comprises a gas pedal, and the processor is configured to generate a control signal which identifies a position of the gas pedal. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the request comprises a torque value, and the processor is configured to look-up a corresponding pedal position value for the gas pedal that corresponds to the torque value and transmit the corresponding pedal position value to the control unit via the one or more interfaces. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the request comprises a revolutions per minute (RPM) value, and the processor is configured to look-up a corresponding pedal position value for the gas pedal that corresponds to the RPM value and transmit the corresponding pedal position value to the control unit via the one or more interfaces. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the component of the vehicle that is controlled by the physical input mechanism comprises a turn signal stalk, and the processor is configured to generate a control signal which corresponds to one or more of a dial on the stalk being rotated, the stalk being moved up, and the stalk being moved down. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the component of the vehicle that is controlled by the physical input mechanism comprises a brake pedal, and the processor is configured to generate a control signal which corresponds to a position of the brake pedal. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more interfaces are configured to transmit the generated control signal to a controller area network (CAN) bus of the vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more interfaces are further configured to receive a stop signal from the vehicle, and in response, the processor is configured to disable the generated control signal and restore a connection between the component and the physical input mechanism. 
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 receiving, via a first interface, a request to actuate a component of a vehicle that is controlled by a physical input mechanism;   generating, via a processor, a control signal that corresponds to an actuation signal from the physical input mechanism; and   transmitting, via a second interface, the generated control signal to a control unit of the vehicle for actuating the component of the vehicle.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the receiving comprises receiving the request from an autonomous vehicle (AV) system of the vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the component of the vehicle that is controlled by the physical input mechanism comprises a gas pedal, and the generating comprises generating a control signal which identifies a position of the gas pedal. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the request comprises a torque value, and the generating comprises looking-up a corresponding pedal position value for the gas pedal that corresponds to the torque value and transmitting the corresponding pedal position value to the control unit. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the request comprises a revolutions per minute (RPM) value, and the generating comprises looking-up a corresponding pedal position value for the gas pedal that corresponds to the RPM value and transmitting the corresponding pedal position value to the control unit. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the component of the vehicle that is controlled by the physical input mechanism comprises a turn signal stalk, and the generating comprises generating a control signal which corresponds to one or more of a dial on the stalk being rotated, the stalk being moved up, and the stalk being moved down. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the component of the vehicle that is controlled by the physical input mechanism comprises a brake pedal, and the generating comprises generating a control signal which corresponds to a position of the brake pedal. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the generated control signal to a controller area network (CAN) bus of the vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises receiving a stop signal from the vehicle, and in response, disabling the generated control signal and restoring a connection between the component and the physical input mechanism via a third interface. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by a processor cause a computer to perform a method comprising:
 receiving, via a first interface, a request to actuate a component of a vehicle that is controlled by a physical input mechanism;   generating, via a processor, a control signal that corresponds to an actuation signal from the physical input mechanism; and   transmitting, via a second interface, the generated control signal to a control unit of the vehicle for actuating the component of the vehicle.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the component of the vehicle that is controlled by the physical input mechanism comprises a gas pedal, and the generating comprises generating a control signal which identifies a pedal position that corresponds to the gas pedal being pushed.