In-vehicle-device control system varying manipulation item display

• US 20030216816A1
• Filed: 05/13/2003
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kamiya, Akira, Ito, Yuji, Kawai, Takayoshi, Koshobu, Nobuaki
• Granted Patent: US 6,998,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/17
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric

Abstract

A manipulation display area and an operation state display area are disposed in a display. The manipulation display area is divided into a constant area and a variable area. The constant area includes manipulation items to be most frequently selected by a user, while the variable area includes manipulation items to be altered according to use condition. Thereby the user can easily reach a necessary manipulation item among a lot of the manipulation items.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle-device control system controlling an in-vehicle device for serving a user in a vehicle, comprising:

displaying means for displaying a plurality of manipulation items, wherein the displaying means includes a variable area where a first part of the manipulation items that are variable are displayed, and a constant area where a second part of the manipulation items that are constant are displayed;

selecting means through which the user selects a necessary manipulation item displayed on the displaying means, the necessary manipulation item is included in the manipulation items;

controlling means for controlling the in-vehicle device to operate correspondingly to the necessary manipulation item selected through the selecting means; and

altering means for altering the first part of the manipulation items in the variable area based on use condition for the first part of the manipulation items.

2. An in-vehicle-device control system according to claim 1,

wherein the use condition for the first part of the manipulation items includes selection frequency at which each of the first part of the manipulation items is selected by the user, and

wherein the altering means re-arranges the first part of the manipulation items based on the selection frequency.

3. An in-vehicle-device control system according to claim 2,

wherein the first part of the manipulation items are displayed in the variable area in descending order of the selection frequency.

4. An in-vehicle-device control system according to claim 2,

wherein the first part of the manipulation items are displayed, from the variable area of a primary page to the variable area of a subsequent page, in descending order of the selection frequency.

5. An in-vehicle-device control system according to claim 2, further comprising:

prohibiting means for prohibiting the first part of the manipulation items from being re-altered when a predetermined condition is inadequate,

wherein prohibiting of the first part of the manipulation items from being re-altered is released when at least one of two predetermined conditions are adequate,

wherein one of the two predetermined conditions is that an elapsed period from preceding altering of the first part of the manipulation items exceeds a predetermined period, and

wherein the other of the two predetermined conditions is that difference in number of times of the selection frequency from the preceding altering of the first part of the manipulation items exceeds a predetermined number of times.

6. An in-vehicle-device control system according to claim 1,

wherein the altering means re-arranges the first part of the manipulation items based on at least one of a day of a week, a season, a time zone of a day, an interior or exterior temperature, and a state of the user.

7. An in-vehicle-device control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

prohibiting means for prohibiting the first part of the manipulation items from being re-altered when predetermined condition is inadequate.

8. An in-vehicle-device control system according to claim 7,

wherein prohibiting of the first part of the manipulation items from being re-altered is released when at least one of two predetermined conditions are adequate,

wherein one of the two predetermined conditions is that an elapsed period from preceding altering of the first part of the manipulation items exceeds a predetermined period, and

wherein the other of the two predetermined conditions is that difference in number of times of selection frequency, at which each of the first part of the manipulation items is selected by the user, from the preceding altering of the first part of the manipulation items exceeds a predetermined number of times.

9. An in-vehicle-device control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

fixing means for fixing the second part of the manipulation items in the constant area.

10. An displaying method for a plurality of manipulation items in an in-vehicle-device control system controlling an in-vehicle device for serving a user in a vehicle, the displaying method comprising steps of:

displaying a plurality of manipulation items, wherein a first part of the manipulation items are displayed in a variable area, and a second part of the manipulation items are displayed in a constant area;

storing a necessary manipulation item selected by the user from the manipulation items that are displayed;

controlling the in-vehicle device to operate correspondingly to the necessary manipulation item that is stored; and

altering the first part of the manipulation items in the variable area based on use condition for the first part of the manipulation items.

11. An displaying method according to claim 10,

wherein the use condition for the first part of the manipulation items includes selection frequency at which each of the first part of the manipulation items is selected by the user.

12. An displaying method according to claim 10,

wherein the use condition for the first part of the manipulation items includes a day of a week, a season, a time zone of a day, an interior or exterior temperature, and a state of the user.

13. An displaying method according to claim 10, further comprising a step of:

prohibiting the first part of the manipulation items from being re-altered when predetermined condition is inadequate.