IP Library Granted Patent US 12700862
Granted Patent B2
US 12700862 · App. 19/111,204 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Grip detection device, failure determination method, and program

Inventor: Jae Woo Yu (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
H03K17/962B62D1/046H03K2217/960705H03K2217/960765
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12700862
App. No.
19/111,204
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hands-on detection device of a steering wheel according to one embodiment of the present invention is a hands-on detection device of a steering wheel comprising: a core metal; a shield electrode provided outside the core metal and separated by an insulator (In); a sensor electrode further provided outside the shield electrode and separated by an insulator (In); and a control unit configured to acquire the capacitance value of the sensor electrode in a state in which the shield electrode and the core metal are short-circuited, and determine whether or not there is a failure based on the capacitance value.

Claims (14)

1 . A hands-on detection device of a steering wheel, comprising: a core metal; a shield electrode provided outside the core metal and separated by an insulator (In); a sensor electrode further provided outside the shield electrode and separated by an insulator; and

a control unit configured to acquire the capacitance value of the sensor electrode in a state in which the shield electrode and the core metal are short-circuited, and determine whether or not there is a failure based on the capacitance value.

2 . The hands-on detection device according to claim 1 , further comprising a first switch provided between the shield electrode and the core metal, the first switch being turned on to short-circuit the shield electrode and the core metal,

wherein the control unit determines whether or not there is a failure while the first switch is turned on.

3 . The hands-on detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines that there is a failure state when the acquired capacitance value is less than a predetermined value.

4 . The hands-on detection device according to claim 1 , comprising an additional circuit which is connected to the shield electrode, applies a voltage to the shield electrode, and measures the voltage value of the applied voltage,

wherein, when the voltage value of the voltage applied by the additional circuit is lower than a specified value, the control unit determines that the shield electrode and the core metal are in a short-circuited failure state.

5 . The hands-on detection device according to claim 4 , comprising a second switch provided between the shield electrode and the additional circuit which, when turned on, enables electrical conduction between the shield electrode and the additional circuit,

wherein the control unit determines whether or not the shield electrode and the core metal are short-circuited when the second switch is turned on.

6 . The hands-on detection device according to claim 5 , wherein the control unit determines whether or not the steering wheel is gripped when the second switch is turned on.

7 . A failure determination method for a hands-on detection device of a steering wheel, the device comprising: a core metal; a shield electrode provided outside the core metal and separated by an insulator (In); and a sensor electrode further provided outside the shield electrode and separated by an insulator,

the method comprising: acquiring the capacitance value of the sensor electrode in a state in which the shield electrode and the core metal are short-circuited; and determining whether or not there is a failure based on the capacitance value.

8 . A program for determining a failure of a hands-on detection device of a steering wheel, the device comprising: a core metal; a shield electrode provided outside the core metal and separated by an insulator; and a sensor electrode further provided outside the shield electrode and separated by an insulator,

the program causing a computer to execute processing comprising: acquiring the capacitance value of the sensor electrode in a state in which the shield electrode and the core metal are short-circuited; and determining whether or not there is a failure based on the capacitance value.