System-initiated help function for operating an apparatus associated with a vehicle-input of spaces

• US 10,152,223 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2014
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Bouaziz, Tahar, Betz, Michael, Paula, Simone
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Kevin L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverman, Seth A
• Application Number:
  US14/764,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20160139796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,778 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

System-initiated help is provided for operating an apparatus associated with a vehicle, in which alphanumeric characters and/or symbols can be selected using an operating device and can be assembled to form a character or function group and can be displayed in an input field on a first display device. A detection operation is carried out, on the basis of which it is detected whether the user inputs or must input a space in a next operating step with a predefinable degree of probability. If the detection operation has a positive result, assistance is displayed to the user on the first or second display device and/or is output to the user using the loudspeaker device. The assistance has an item of help information relating to how a space can be input in the apparatus using an operating action.

Claims

1. A method for providing a system-initiated help for operating a device allocated to a vehicle, comprising:

receiving at an operating facility, characters input by a user, that can be assembled to form a group of characters;

displaying by a display the characters and group of characters in at least one input field;

while receiving characters input by the user at the operating facility, using a processor to recognize with a predeterminable degree of probability based on the characters, whether a space will or must be input by a user as a next input action before a next character;

when it is recognized that a space will or must be input by a user, providing, by a processor, help information to the user, the help information providing assistance to the user on how to operate the operating facility to input a space at the operating facility by an operating action, immediately before the next character, wherein

the help information is acoustically output by a loudspeaker and/or visually output by displaying an assistance to the user on a display device separate from any display device functioning as the operating facility.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the help information is visually output by displaying moving or static images, characters, text and/or symbols.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the help information is acoustically output as a spoken text.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the help information is output in dependence on at least one of:

how many times the help information has already been output during a trip,

when a current user is a recognized user, how many times the help information has already been output to the recognized user within a predeterminable period of time, and

the manner in which the current user inputs a space at the operating facility.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

selectively activating and deactivating providing of the help information based on input from the user.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

a first display device provides the at least one input field in which the characters and group of characters are displayed, and

the help information is visually output by displaying the assistance to the user on the first display device, directly next to the character after which it is assumed the user will or must input a space.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

a first display device provides the at least one input field in which the characters and group of characters are displayed, and

the help information is visually output by displaying the assistance to the user on a second display device.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the characters are selected from the group consisting of alphanumeric characters and symbols.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

at least first and second operating facilities are used to input characters,

the first operating facility comprises a speller and a rotary/push controller with which characters are selected, and

the second operating facility comprises a touch pad and a handwriting recognition unit to recognize characters written on the touch pad.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the help information is output in dependence on the operating facility used by the user to input a space, and

more help information is provided if the user has previously used the touchpad for inputting characters and used the rotary/push controller for inputting spaces.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein

if the user switches from the touchpad to the rotary/push controller, it is recognized with a predeterminable degree of probability that a space will or must be input by the user.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the help information provides assistance on how a space can be input using the touchpad.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the help information is selected from more detailed help information and less detailed help information, and

the selection between the more detailed help information and the less detailed help information is made in dependence on at least one of:

how many times the help information has already been output during a trip,

when a current user is a recognized user, how many times the help information has already been output to the recognized user within a predeterminable period of time, and

the manner in which the current user inputs a space at the operating facility.

14. A device allocated to a vehicle, comprising:

an operating facility by which characters are input that can be assembled to form a group of characters;

a display device to display the characters and group of characters in at least one input field of the display device;

one or more processors to;

recognize with a predeterminable degree of probability based on the characters, while a user is inputting characters, whether a space will or must be input by the user as a next operating action before a next character; and

provide help information to the user when it is recognized that a space will or must be input by the user, the help information providing assistance to the user on how to operate the operating facility to input a space at the operating facility by an operating action, immediately before the next character, wherein

the operating facility is a device different from the display device, and

the help information is acoustically output by a loudspeaker and/or visually output by displaying an assistance to the user on the display device.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein

the help information is visually output as moving or static images, characters, text and/or symbols.

16. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein

the help information is acoustically output as a spoken text from the loudspeaker.

17. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the help information is output in dependence on at least one of:

how many times the help information has already been output during a trip,

when a current user is a recognized user, how many times the help information has already been output to the recognized user within a predeterminable period of time, and

the manner in which the current user inputs a space at the operating facility.

18. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein

user activation and user deactivation of the help information take place with a user input device.

19. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein

the at least one display device comprises at least one of a screen and a head-up display, and

the operating facility comprises at least one of a key, a keyboard, a rotary/push controller, a joystick, a touchpad, a touch-sensitive screen, and a voice recognition device.

20. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein

a space is input by a substantially horizontal stroking of a finger over a predeterminable distance or width proportion of a touch-sensitive screen or touchpad.

21. A method for providing a system-initiated help for operating a device allocated to a vehicle, comprising:

providing first and second separate operating facilities to input characters, the first operating facility being a rotary/push controller;

receiving via at least one of the first and second operating facilities characters input by a user, that can be assembled to form a group of characters;

displaying by a display the characters and group of characters in at least one input field;

while receiving characters input by the user via at least one of the first and second operating facilities, using a processor to recognize with a predeterminable degree of probability based on the characters, whether a space will or must be input by a user as a next input action before a next character;

when it is recognized that a space will or must be input by a user, providing, by a processor, help information to the user, the help information being visually output by displaying an assistance to the user and/or being acoustically output by a loudspeaker, the help information providing assistance to the user on how to operate at least one of the first and second operating facilities to input a space by an operating action immediately before the next character, using at least one of the first and second operating facilities, wherein

the help information is output only if the user previously used the first operating facility to input a space.