TOUCH-SENSITIVE ALPHANUMERIC USER INTERFACE

1 . A touch-sensitive alphanumeric user interface for a vehicle, comprising:

a first touchpad, integrated in a steering wheel of the vehicle, and configured to obtain first coordinates of a first trajectory performed by a finger of a user of the vehicle;

a touchpad interface unit configured to:

make a first determination that a first finger movement, identified from the first coordinates, is an arcuate movement, and based on the first determination, issue arcuate movement instructions to a display interface unit;

the display interface unit configured to:

render a visualization of a plurality of alphanumeric choices, arranged in a circular pattern;

determine a selected alphanumeric choice from the plurality of alphanumeric choices, based on the arcuate movement instructions;

render the selected alphanumeric choice to be highlighted; and

a display, spatially separate from the first touchpad, configured to:

display the rendered visualization of the plurality of alphanumeric choices and of the selected alphanumeric choice.

2 . The touch-sensitive alphanumeric user interface of claim 1 ,

wherein the first touchpad is further configured to, after the obtaining of the first coordinates:

obtain second coordinates of a second trajectory performed by the finger of the user;

wherein the touchpad interface unit is further configured to:

make a second determination that a second finger movement, identified from the second coordinates, is a radially inward-directed movement, relative to the arcuate movement, and based on the second determination, issue confirmation instructions to the display interface unit;

wherein the display interface unit is further configured to:

render a visual confirmation of the selected alphanumeric choice, based on the confirmation instructions; and

wherein the display is further configured to:

display the visual confirmation.

3 . The touch-sensitive alphanumeric user interface of claim 2 ,

wherein the display interface unit is further configured to communicate the selected alphanumeric choice to an infotainment system of the vehicle.

4 . The touch-sensitive alphanumeric user interface of claim 2 ,

wherein the first touchpad is further configured to, after the obtaining of the second coordinates:

obtain third coordinates of a third trajectory performed by the finger of the user;

wherein the touchpad interface unit is further configured to:

make a third determination that a third finger movement, identified from the third coordinates, is an outward-directed movement towards a peripheral region of the first touchpad, and based on the third determination, issue instructions to delete the confirmed selected alphanumeric choice to the display interface unit;

wherein the display interface unit is further configured to:

render the confirmed selected alphanumeric choice being deleted; and

wherein the display is further configured to:

display the deletion of the confirmed selected alphanumeric choice.

5 . The touch-sensitive alphanumeric user interface of claim 1 , further comprising a haptic feedback unit configured to provide a vibratory feedback to the user, via the touchpad, after the selected alphanumeric choice is determined.

6 . The touch-sensitive alphanumeric user interface of claim 1 ,

wherein the highlighting of the selected alphanumeric choice in the display comprises increasing a font size of the selected alphanumeric choice.

7 . The touch-sensitive alphanumeric user interface of claim 1 , wherein a surface of the first touchpad is sized not to exceed a range of motion of a thumb of the user.

8 . The touch-sensitive alphanumeric user interface of claim 1 , wherein the first touchpad is located near a steering wheel rim, configured to be operated by a first thumb of the user, and wherein the user is a vehicle driver holding the steering wheel.

9 . The touch-sensitive alphanumeric user interface of claim 8 , further comprising a second touchpad, configured to be operated by a second thumb of the driver.

10 . The touch-sensitive alphanumeric user interface of claim 9 , wherein the second touchpad is configured to enable the driver to perform a mode selection of an infotainment system of the vehicle.

11 . The touch-sensitive alphanumeric user interface of claim 10 , wherein roles of the first and the second touchpads in controlling an infotainment system are configurable.

12 . The touch-sensitive alphanumeric user interface of claim 1 , wherein the display comprises a head-up display.

13 . The touch-sensitive alphanumeric user interface of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of alphanumeric choices, rendered in the display in the circular pattern, are in sequential order.

14 . The touch-sensitive alphanumeric user interface of claim 1 , wherein a one-to-one spatial mapping exists between the touch by the finger on the touchpad and the selected alphanumeric choice on the circular pattern formed by the plurality of alphanumeric choices.

15 . A method for operating an infotainment system of a vehicle, the method comprising:

obtaining, using a first touchpad that is integrated in a steering wheel of the vehicle, first coordinates of a first trajectory performed by a finger of a user of the vehicle;

making a first determination that a first finger movement, identified from the first coordinates, is an arcuate movement, and based on the first determination, issue arcuate movement instructions;

rendering a visualization of a plurality of alphanumeric choices, arranged in a circular pattern;

determining a selected alphanumeric choice from the plurality of alphanumeric choices, based on the arcuate movement instructions;

rendering the selected alphanumeric choice to be highlighted; and

displaying the rendered visualization of the plurality of alphanumeric choices and of the selected alphanumeric choice in a display.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising, after the obtaining of the first coordinates:

obtaining, using the first touchpad, second coordinates of a second trajectory performed by the finger of the user;

making a second determination that a second finger movement, identified from the second coordinates, is a radially inward-directed movement relative to the arcuate movement, and based on the second determination, issue confirmation instructions;

rendering a visual confirmation of the selected alphanumeric choice, based on the confirmation instructions; and

displaying the visual confirmation in the display.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising communicating the selected alphanumeric choice to the infotainment system of the vehicle.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising, after the obtaining of the second coordinates:

obtaining third coordinates of a third trajectory performed by the finger of the user;

making a third determination that a third finger movement, identified from the third coordinates, is an outward-directed movement towards a peripheral region of the first touchpad, and based on the third determination, issue instructions to delete the confirmed selected alphanumeric choice;

rendering the confirmed selected alphanumeric choice being deleted; and

displaying the deletion of the confirmed selected alphanumeric choice in the display.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising providing a vibratory feedback to the user, via the first touchpad, after the selected alphanumeric choice is determined.

20 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising, obtaining, using a second touchpad, a mode selection of the infotainment system of the vehicle.