Setting system for an air-conditioner in a vehicle

• US 20030070437A1
• Filed: 09/10/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Gotz, Matthias, Bubb, Peter, Hafner, Ernst
• Granted Patent: US 6,848,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/127
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00985 Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence

Abstract

A setting system for a vehicle air-conditioner is provided. The setting system allows for individual settings coupled with ergonomic functionality. The setting system comprises a control panel with a touch-sensitive display screen connected to a microcomputer-based controller having control outputs at least to a fan unit, to air distribution valves and to temperature adjusters of the air-conditioner. The display screen is adapted to display current settings and available setting options of at least (i) air flow rate, (ii) air distribution and (iii) air temperature, in the form of analog symbol representations that respond to tactile contact to vary current settings.

Claims

1. A setting system for an air-conditioner in a vehicle, comprising a control panel with a touch-sensitive display screen connected to a microcomputer-based controller having control outputs at least to a fan unit, to air distribution valves and to temperature adjusters of the air-conditioner, wherein said display screen is adapted to display current settings and available setting options of at least

air flow rate,

air distribution and

air temperature

in the form of analog symbol representations that respond to tactile contact to vary current settings.

2. The setting system according to claim 1, wherein the analog symbol representations each comprise a geometric figure defining a continuous surface that represents a continuous range of available setting values, and a current setting value is depicted by a visually accentuated marking within said continuous surface.

3. The setting system according to claim 2, wherein a current setting of air distribution is represented by a dot within the surface area of a triangle.

4. The setting system according to claim 2, wherein the analog symbol representation comprises a slider-bar.

5. The setting system according to claim 4, wherein the slider-bar is generally arrow-shaped.

6. The setting system of claim 4, wherein the slider-bar is associated with a digital display field that displays a numerical value of a current setting.

7. The setting system according to claim 4, wherein a temperature setting is represented by the slider-bar.

8. The setting system according to claim 4, wherein an air flow rate setting is represented by the slider-bar.