Device and method to facilitate the control of units forming part of a vehicle equipment

• US 20030216842A1
• Filed: 04/03/2003
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• 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
• Application Number:
  US10/406,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20030216842A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates to a device that facilitates the control of units forming part of the equipment of a vehicle. The device comprises an input device for the purpose of inputting actions (such as communication, entertainment, . . . ) that are part of a set of pre-determined actions that can be realised by at least one of the units, and to transform the inputs into a signal representing the action, a memory in which is filed a relational database in which each action from the set is allocated to at least one unit that can realise that action, and a control unit that is connected to the input device, the memory and the units. The control unit is embodied in such a way that, on reception of a signal representing a required action from the input device, it makes use of the relational database filed in the memory to assign the action to a unit that can realise that action, and to send a control signal to the allocated unit by means of which the realisation of the required action by the allocated unit is initiated. In contrast to previous unit-orientated menu structures in centralised unit control systems, a convenient and simplified control procedure of units located within a vehicle is now made possible, since there is no longer any need for the user to be informed about the individual units and their functions. The invention also relates to a procedure to facilitate the control of units forming part of the equipment of a vehicle.

Claims

1. A device to facilitate the control of units forming part of an equipment in a vehicle, comprising

an input device for the purpose of entering action calls for actions that are part of a set of pre-determined actions that can be performed by at least one of the units, and to transform action calls into a signal representing a corresponding action,

a memory in which a relational database is stored, said relational database containing records for allocating each action of said set to at least one unit that can perform that action, and

a control unit that is connected to the input device, the memory and the units,

the control unit on reception of a signal representing a required action from the input device, accessing the relational database stored in the memory to assign the required action to an allocated unit that can perform that action, and sending a control signal to the allocated unit by means of which the performance of the required action by the allocated unit is initiated.

2. The device according to claim 1, including a display unit connected to the control unit and on which the control unit can represent an action-related menu structure wherein main menu items are associated with actions.

3. The device according to claim 2, where the menu structure includes at least one sub-menu with menu items that are the same for all actions.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the action-related menu structure contains action items selected from the group that comprises navigation, communication, entertainment, information, vehicle control and personalisation.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein both the input device and the display unit are embodied in a touch screen.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit drives the touch screen so that a menu structure is displayed on the touch screen whose menu items are action-related, so that an action can be called from a set of actions stored in the relational database.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein for each action a field is displayed on the touch screen, by means of which the corresponding action can be called.

8. The device according to claim 5, wherein a field is displayed on the touch screen for initiating the display of a pre-determined number of sub-menus recently selected by the user and/or parameters of an action.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein a list of sub-menus and/or parameters of an action recently selected by the user is continuously stored in the memory.

10. The device according to claim 5, wherein a field is displayed on the touch screen for initiating the display of preferred sub-menus and/or parameters of an action on the touch screen.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein a user can select on the touch screen preferred sub-menus and/or parameters of an action for storage in the memory.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the units are selected from a group that comprises a mobile telephone, a radio reception unit, a CD player, a DVD player, a navigation system, an air conditioning unit, a lighting unit, a fuel status indicator and a heating system.

13. A method to facilitate control of units forming part of a vehicle equipment, wherein

an action call is generated and received that identifies an action required by a user, the action being part of a pre-determined set of actions that can be performed by at least one of the units,

a relational database is accessed that contains records for storing allocations between units and actions that can be performed by the units, and a unit is selected that can perform the action required by the user, and

a control signal is sent to the selected unit, by means of which execution of the required action by the selected unit is initiated.