Method and system for user adjustment of vehicle settings

• US 10,642,469 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Raats, Kaspar, Gothlin, Jonas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Ruay
• Application Number:
  US16/281,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20190278466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 715771, 701 1, 345169
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/111 for controlling multiple devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/122 Instrument input devices with reconfigurable control functions, e.g. reconfigurable menus
• 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 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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 50/12 Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

A method performed by a vehicle settings adjustment system for facilitating user adjustment of vehicle settings of a vehicle via a display of the vehicle. The vehicle settings adjustment system determines occurrence of user interaction with a physical control interface of the vehicle, user interaction with the physical control interface affecting a therewith associated predetermined vehicle function. The vehicle settings adjustment system further provides on the display a user selectable shortcut adapted to, upon user selection thereof, provide on the display a subset of user selectable setting options enabling adjustment of one or more user adjustable vehicle settings associated with the predetermined vehicle function.

Claims

1. A method performed by a vehicle settings adjustment system for facilitating user adjustment of vehicle settings of a vehicle via a display of said vehicle, said method comprising:

determining occurrence of user interaction with a physical control interface of said vehicle, user interaction with said physical control interface affecting a therewith associated predetermined vehicle function; and

responsive to said determined occurrence of said user interaction with said physical control interface, providing on said display a user selectable shortcut adapted to, upon user selection thereof, provide on said display a subset of user selectable setting options enabling adjustment of one or more user adjustable vehicle settings associated with said associated predetermined vehicle function;

wherein said providing a user selectable shortcut comprises providing said user selectable shortcut for a predeterminable period of time of less than 3 minutes.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said providing a user selectable shortcut comprises deactivating said user selectable shortcut upon determining occurrence of a subsequent user interaction with a physical control interface of said vehicle affecting a vehicle function other than said predetermined vehicle function.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining occurrence of user selection of said user selectable shortcut on said display; and

providing said subset of user selectable setting options on said display.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

determining occurrence of user adjustment via said display of one or more user selectable setting options of said subset; and

adapting one or more of said one or more user adjustable vehicle settings of said predetermined vehicle function according to said user adjustment.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

categorizing one or more user adjustable vehicle settings to be associated with a predetermined vehicle function, adjustment of the one or more user adjustable vehicle settings of said predetermined vehicle function being enabled by means of a subset of user selectable setting options adapted to be provided on a display of said vehicle.

12. A computer program product comprising a computer program containing computer program code means arranged to cause a computer or a processor to execute the steps of a method according to claim 1, stored on a computer-readable medium or a carrier wave.

6. A vehicle settings adjustment system adapted for facilitating user adjustment of vehicle settings of a vehicle via a display of said vehicle, said vehicle settings adjustment system comprising:

a user interaction determining unit adapted for determining occurrence of user interaction with a physical control interface of said vehicle, user interaction with said physical control interface affecting a therewith associated predetermined vehicle function; and

a shortcut providing unit adapted for, responsive to said determined occurrence of said user interaction with said physical control interface, providing on said display a user selectable shortcut adapted to, upon user selection thereof, provide on said display a subset of user selectable setting options enabling adjustment of one or more user adjustable vehicle settings associated with said associated predetermined vehicle function;

wherein said shortcut providing unit further is adapted for providing said user selectable shortcut for a predeterminable period of time of less than 3 minutes.

7. The vehicle settings adjustment system according to claim 6, wherein said shortcut providing unit further is adapted for deactivating said user selectable shortcut upon determining occurrence of a subsequent user interaction with a physical control interface of said vehicle affecting a vehicle function other than said predetermined vehicle function.

8. The vehicle settings adjustment system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a shortcut selection determining unit adapted for determining occurrence of user selection of said user selectable shortcut on said display; and

a setting options providing unit adapted for providing said subset of user selectable setting options on said display.

9. The vehicle settings adjustment system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a user adjustment determining unit adapted for determining occurrence of user adjustment via said display of one or more user selectable setting options of said subset; and

a function adapting unit adapted for adapting one or more of said one or more user adjustable vehicle settings of said predetermined vehicle function according to said user adjustment.

10. The vehicle settings adjustment system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a categorizing unit adapted for categorizing one or more user adjustable vehicle settings to be associated with a predetermined vehicle function, adjustment of the one or more user adjustable vehicle settings of said predetermined vehicle function being enabled by means of a subset of user selectable setting options adapted to be provided on a display of said vehicle.

11. A vehicle comprising a vehicle settings adjustment system according to claim 6.