Vehicle-mounted apparatus, information providing method for use with vehicle-mounted apparatus, and recording medium recorded information providing method program for use with vehicle-mounted apparatus therein

• US 20050267676A1
• Filed: 05/20/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Tomoaki, Nezu, Yoshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,151,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• 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 2370/11 Graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/143 Touch sensitive 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: B60K 37/06 of controls, e.g. controls knobs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted apparatus is disclosed which includes a displaying unit for providing information to a user, an inputting unit for inputting operations carried out by the user, and a controlling unit for controlling a display of the displaying unit based on the operations input through the inputting unit. The inputting unit has at least a touch-sensitive panel attached to a display screen of the displaying unit. The controlling unit causes the displaying unit to display a menu screen based on the operations input through the inputting unit. The controlling unit also causes the displaying unit to switch the displays based on menus selected on the menu screen. Furthermore, the controlling unit causes the displaying unit to switch, as when a specific menu is selected on the menu screen, the displays in response to a fingertip gesture made by the user for detection on the touch-sensitive panel.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted apparatus comprising:

a displaying unit for providing information to a user;

a inputting unit for inputting operations carried out by said user; and

a controlling unit for controlling a display of said displaying unit based on said operations input through said inputting unit;

wherein said inputting unit has at least a touch-sensitive panel attached to a display screen of said displaying unit; and

wherein said controlling unit causes said displaying unit to display a menu screen based on said operations input through said inputting unit, said controlling unit further causing said displaying unit to switch said displays based on menus selected on said menu screen, said controlling unit further causing said displaying unit to switch, as when a specific menu is selected on said menu screen, said displays in response to a fingertip gesture made by said user for detection on said touch-sensitive panel.

2. The vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fingertip gesture constitutes a display switchover envisaged by said user.

3. The vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said display switchover envisaged by said user is an outcome of said displays having been switched on said display screen.

4. The vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said display switchover envisaged by said user constitutes a display transition on said display screen.

5. The vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display switchover on said display screen constitutes a map switchover.

6. The vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display switchover on said display screen constitutes a content display switchover.

7. An information providing method for use with a vehicle-mounted apparatus which provides desired information to a user through displaying unit, said information providing method comprising the steps of:

displaying a menu screen on said displaying unit based on input through inputting unit of the apparatus;

switching displays on said displaying unit based on menus selected on said menu screen; and

switching, as when a specific menu is selected on said menu screen, said displays on said displaying unit in response to a fingertip gesture made by said user for detection on a touch-sensitive panel attached to a display screen of said displaying unit.

8. The information providing method for use with a vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said fingertip gesture constitutes a display switchover envisaged by said user.

9. The information providing method for use with a vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said display switchover envisaged by said user is an outcome of said displays having been switched on said display screen.

10. The information providing method for use with a vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said display switchover envisaged by said user constitutes a display transition on said display screen.

11. The information providing method for use with a vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said display switchover on said display screen constitutes a map switchover.

12. The information providing method for use with a vehicle-mounted apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said display switchover on said display screen constitutes a content display switchover.

13. A recording medium recorded an information providing method program for use with a vehicle-mounted apparatus therein which provides desired information to a user through displaying unit, said information providing method program comprising the steps of:

displaying a menu screen on said displaying unit based on input through inputting unit of the apparatus;

switching displays on said displaying unit based on menus selected on said menu screen; and

switching, as when a specific menu is selected on said menu screen, said displays on said displaying unit in response to a fingertip gesture made by said user for detection on a touch-sensitive panel attached to a display screen of said displaying unit.

14. The recording medium recorded an information providing method program for use with a vehicle-mounted apparatus therein according to claim 13, wherein said fingertip gesture constitutes a display switchover envisaged by said user.

15. The recording medium recorded an information providing method program for use with a vehicle-mounted apparatus therein according to claim 14, wherein said display switchover envisaged by said user is an outcome of said displays having been switched on said display screen.

16. The recording medium recorded an information providing method program for use with a vehicle-mounted apparatus therein according to claim 15, wherein said display switchover envisaged by said user constitutes a display transition on said display screen.

17. The recording medium recorded an information providing method program for use with a vehicle-mounted apparatus therein according to claim 13, wherein said display switchover on said display screen constitutes a map switchover.

18. The recording medium recorded an information providing method program for use with a vehicle-mounted apparatus therein according to claim 13, wherein said display switchover on said display screen constitutes a content display switchover.