Position-based reconfigurable control knob

• US 10,234,968 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2015
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Brown, Arthur S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Simpson, Lixi C
• Application Number:
  US14/955,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20170153718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/126 Rotatable input devices for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/145 Instrument input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
• 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: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display

Abstract

An apparatus includes a knob that is repositionable into a first position and a second position. The knob may be configured to control a first set of parameters in the first position and a second set of parameters in the second position. The apparatus may include a reconfigurable display configured to selectively display at least a first display configuration and a second display configuration. The system may be configured to display the first display configuration on the reconfigurable display when the knob is in the first position, and the system may be configured to display the second display configuration on the reconfigurable display when the knob is in the second position. The apparatus may also include a slider device having a set of rails defining a track between the rails. The knob may be slidable along the slider device into the first and second positions.

Claims

1. A vehicle human-machine-interface system comprising:

a reconfigurable convex display configured to selectively display at least a first display configuration and a second display configuration, the first and second display configurations being at least partially different from each other; and

a knob which is attached to an extension, the extension being repositionable between a pair of substantially parallel convex rails which have a length and which are located alongside the reconfigurable convex display, the reconfigurable convex display displaying the first display configuration when the knob is at a first discrete position along the length of, and between, the pair of convex rails and displaying the second display configuration when the knob is at a second discrete position, along the length of, and between, the pair of convex rails,

wherein the knob is additionally configured to rotate when the knob is in both the first and second discrete positions, wherein, when the knob is in the first discrete position, the knob selectively controls a first set of parameters and when the knob is in the second discrete position, the knob selectively controls a second set of parameters, the first and second sets of parameters being different from each other.

2. The vehicle human-machine-interface system according to claim 1, the knob being further repositionable along the reconfigurable convex display in a third position, wherein the system is configured to display a third display configuration on the reconfigurable convex display when the knob is in the third position.

3. The vehicle human-machine-interface system according to claim 2, wherein the knob is further slidable into the third position, the knob being configured to control a third set of parameters in the third position, the third set of parameters being different from the first and second sets of parameters, the knob being rotatable to selectively change parameters of the third sets of parameters.

4. The vehicle human-machine-interface system of claim 3, wherein the reconfigurable convex display is a display screen configured to display infotainment information of a vehicle.

5. The vehicle human-machine-interface system of claim 4, wherein the knob is configured to control audio volume in the first position, fan speed in the second position, and temperature in the third position.