Device for controlling vehicle electronics

• US 20060042915A1
• Filed: 07/22/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Behrens, Ralph
• Granted Patent: US 7,528,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/5.R
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/015 Arrangements for indicating the position of a controlling member means for continuously detecting pedal position G05G1/38; means for detecting position through tactile feedback G05G5/03
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04777 with additional push or pull action on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04781 with additional rotation of the controlling member
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/12 for holding members in an indefinite number of positions, e.g. by a toothed quadrant G05G5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/008 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being perpendicular to the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/06 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being along the axis of angular movement

Abstract

A controller device having a rotary-push-button switch is arranged on a frame and the rotary-push-button switch is movable with respect to the frame between at least a first operating position and a second operating position. A position detecting element is used to determine whether the rotary-push-button switch is in the first or second positions. When the position detecting element indicates that the switch is in the first position, the rotary-push-button switch is operated in a first mode. Similarly, the rotary-push-button switch is operated in a second mode when the position detecting element indicates that the switch is in the second position.

Claims

1. A controller for interfacing a user with an electronic system, the controller comprising:

a frame;

a rotary-push-button switch supported by the frame, where the rotary-push-button switch is movable with respect to the frame between a first operating position and a second operating position; and

a position detecting element disposed to detect the operating position of the rotary-push-button switch, where manipulation of the rotary-push-button switch is associated with a first mode when the position detecting element detects that the rotary-push-button switch is in the first operating position, and where manipulation of the rotary-push-button switch is associated with a second mode when the position detecting element detects that the rotary-push-button switch is in the second operating position.

2. The controller of claim 1, and further comprising a locking element for releasably holding the rotary-push-button switch in either the first operating position or the second operating position.

3. The controller of claim 1, and further comprising a plurality of push switches symmetrically disposed about the rotary-push-button switch.

4. The controller of claim 1, and further comprising a transmitter connected to transmit control signals generated by the rotary-push-button switch and/or the position detecting element.

5. The controller of claim 4, where the transmitter comprises a wireless transmitter element for wirelessly transmitting the control signals.

6. The controller of claim 5, where the transmitter element comprises a bluetooth element.

7. The controller of claim 4, where the transmitter comprises a wire-bound transmitter element for transmitting the control signals via wire.

8. The controller of claim 1, where the frame comprises at least one elongated hole for guiding and limiting the movement of the rotary-push-button switch between the first operating position and the second operating position.

9. The controller of claim 1, and further comprising a light element assigned to cooperate with the position detecting element and where the characteristics of the lighting element vary with the position detected by the position detecting element.

10. The controller of claim 1, and further comprising a supporting plate engaged for sliding movement with respect to the frame, and where the supporting plate supports the rotary-push-button switch with respect to the frame.

11. A system for controlling a multimedia device disposed in a vehicle, the system comprising:

a front panel unit adapted for mounting proximate the dashboard of the vehicle, where the front panel unit comprises a display that provides visual indicia corresponding to user selectable functions of the multimedia device;

a controller in electronic communication with the front panel unit, the controller comprising

a frame,

a rotary-push-button switch supported by the frame, where the rotary-push-button switch is movable with respect to the frame between a first operating position and a second operating position,

a position detecting element disposed to detect the operating position of the rotary-push-button switch,

where manipulation of the rotary-push-button switch is associated with a first mode by the front panel unit when the position detecting element detects that the rotary-push-button switch is in the first operating position, and

where manipulation of the rotary-push-button switch is associated with a second mode by the front panel unit when the position detecting element detects that the rotary-push-button switch is in the second operating position.

12. The system of claim 11, where the controller is placed remote of the front panel unit within the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 11, and further comprising a locking element for releasably holding the rotary-push-button switch in either the first operating position or the second operating position.

14. The system of claim 11, and further comprising a plurality of push switches symmetrically disposed about the rotary-push-button switch.

15. The system of claim 11, and further comprising a transmitter connected to transmit control signals generated by the rotary-push-button switch and/or the position detecting element.

16. The system of claim 15, where the transmitter comprises a wireless transmitter element for wirelessly transmitting the control signals.

17. The system of claim 16, where the transmitter element comprises a bluetooth element.

18. The system of claim 15, where the transmitter comprises a wire-bound transmitter element for transmitting the control signals via wire.

19. The system of claim 11, where the frame comprises at least one elongated hole for guiding and limiting the movement of the rotary-push-button switch between the first operating position and the second operating position.

20. The system of claim 11, and further comprising a light element assigned to cooperate with the position detecting element and where the characteristics of the lighting element vary with the position detected by the position detecting element.

21. The system of claim 11, and further comprising a supporting plate engaged for sliding movement with respect to the frame, and where the supporting plate supports the rotary-push-button switch with respect to the frame.

22. A controller for providing a user interface to an electronic system, the controller comprising:

a frame;

a rotary-push-button switch that is actuated by a user for rotation about an axis and for pushing along the axis, where the rotary-push-button switch is supported by the frame and is movable with respect to the frame in a plane that is generally perpendicular to the axis between a first operating position and a second operating position; and

a position detecting element disposed to detect the operating position of the rotary-push button switch, where the rotation and pushing of the rotary-push-button switch is associated with a first mode when the position detecting element detects that the rotary-push-button switch is at the first operating position, and where the rotation and pushing of the rotary-push-button switch is associated with a second mode when the position detecting element detects that the rotary-push-button switch is at the second operating position.

23. The controller of claim 22, and further comprising a locking element for releasably holding the rotary-push-button switch in either the first operating position or the second operating position.

24. The controller of claim 22, and further comprising a plurality of push switches symmetrically disposed about the rotary-push-button switch.

25. The controller of claim 22, and further comprising a transmitter connected to transmit control signals generated by the rotary-push-button switch and/or the position detecting element.

26. The controller of claim 25, where the transmitter comprises a wireless transmitter element for wirelessly transmitting the control signals.

27. The controller of claim 26, where the transmitter element comprises a bluetooth element.

28. The controller of claim 25, where the transmitter comprises a wire-bound transmitter element for transmitting the control signals via wire.

29. The controller of claim 22, where the frame comprises at least one elongated hole for guiding and limiting the movement of the rotary-push-button switch between the first operating position and the second operating position.

30. The controller of claim 22, and further comprising a light element assigned to cooperate with the position detecting element and where the characteristics of the lighting element vary with the position detected by the position detecting element.

31. The controller of claim 22, and further comprising a supporting plate engaged for sliding movement with respect to the frame, and where the supporting plate supports the rotary-push-button switch with respect to the frame.