Information Device, Preferably in a Motor Vehicle, and Method for Supplying Information About Vehicle Data, in Particular Vehicle Functions and Their Operation

• US 20080278298A1
• Filed: 11/08/2006
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Wu, Yongmei, Waeller, Christoph, Bohnenberger, Thorsten
• Granted Patent: US 7,969,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/161 Explanation of functions, e.g. instructions
• 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 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers

Abstract

An information device, e.g., inside a motor vehicle, includes at least one output device and a processing device, to which a memory device is assigned in which all types of vehicle data, in particular data of vehicle functions and/or vehicle elements, their operation, display or manipulation, and/or data of vehicle states, are stored, and a method is for supplying information about the mentioned vehicle data.

The corresponding vehicle data, in particular vehicle functions and their operation or manipulation, and/or vehicle elements and/or their function and/or manipulation, and/or vehicle states and/or their change are displayed in animated fashion on the at least one output device.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. An information device in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a processor device;

at least one memory device assigned to the processor device, the memory adapted to store vehicle data; and

at least one output device configured output the vehicle data in at least partially animated manner.

24. The information device according to claim 23, wherein the vehicle data includes at least one of (a) data of vehicle functions, (b) data of vehicle components, (c) data of at least one of (i) function, (ii) operation, and (iii) manipulation of vehicle components, (d) data of at least one of (i) function, (ii) operation, and (iii) manipulation of vehicle functions, and (e) data of vehicle states, the at least one output device configured to output at least one of (a) at least one of (i) the operation and (ii) the manipulation of at least one of (i) vehicle functions and (ii) vehicle components and (b) a change of vehicle states in at least partially animated manner.

25. The information device according to claim 23, wherein at least one of (a) an operating device of at least one vehicle function currently to be explained and (b) at least one associated display is optically displayable in its arrangement in the motor vehicle on at least one output device arranged as a display device, the at least one output device configured to explain at least one of (a) optically and (b) acoustically the function of the at least one of (a) the operating device and (b) the associated display.

26. The information device according to claim 25, wherein the at least one of (a) the optical and (b) the acoustic explanation of the at least one of (a) the vehicle function and (b) the operating device is implemented via an animated display of an artificial person on the display device and an acoustic output device.

27. The information device according to claim 25, wherein the operating device assigned to an operating function currently to be explained is at least one of (a) optically highlighted and (b) optically variable on the display device.

28. The information device according to claim 25, wherein an operating movement of the operating device assigned to an operating function currently to be explained is displayable.

29. The information device according to claim 25, wherein the optical display of the operating device assigned to an operating function currently to be explained on the at least one display device is at least one of (a) displayable in variable size and (b) zoomable.

30. The information device according to claim 23, wherein at least one of (a) at least one vehicle component, (b) a function of the at least one vehicle component, and (c) a manipulation of the at least one vehicle component is optically displayable, in its arrangement in the motor vehicle, on at least one output device arranged as a display device, and at least one of (a) the function of the at least one vehicle component and (b) the manipulation of the at least one vehicle component is explainable at least one of (a) optically and (b) acoustically by animation.

31. The information device according to claim 30, wherein the at least one of (a) the optical and (b) the acoustic explanation of the at least one of (a) the at least one vehicle component, (b) the function of the at least one vehicle component, and (c) the manipulation of the at least one vehicle component is implemented via an animated display of an artificial person on at least one of (a) the display device and (b) an acoustic output device.

32. The information device according to claim 30, wherein the vehicle component currently to be explained is at least one of (a) optically highlightable and (b) optically variable on the display device.

33. The information device according to claim 30, wherein at least one of (a) the manipulation and (b) the function of the vehicle component is displayable on the display device.

34. The information device according to claim 23, wherein the at least one output device is part of a multi-function operating device, and an explanation of the vehicle data callable up via a help menu.

35. A method, comprising:

outputting, in at least partially animated fashion by at least one output device, information about vehicle data, including at least one of (a) vehicle functions, (b) vehicle components, (c) at least one of (i) operation, (ii) function, and (iii) manipulation of vehicle functions, (d) at least one of (i) operation, (ii) function, and (iii) manipulation of vehicle components, (e) movement of vehicle components, (f) vehicle states, and (g) change of vehicle states.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the outputting includes:

displaying on at least one output device arranged as a display device at least one of (a) operating devices of at least one of (i) vehicle functions and (ii) operating functions currently to be explained and (b) at least one associated display; and

explaining at least one of (a) optically and (b) acoustically via an animated display a function of the at least one of (a) the operating devices and (b) the at least one associated display.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the at least one of (a) the optical and (b) the acoustic explanation at least one of (a) takes place and (b) is implemented via an animated display of an artificial person on the display device and an acoustic output device.

38. The method according to claim 36, wherein the operating device corresponding to the vehicle function to be explained is at least one of (a) optically emphasized and (b) varied on the display device.

39. The method according to claim 36, wherein an operating movement of the operating device to be explained is displayed on the display device.

40. The method according to claim 36, wherein the optical display of the operating device currently to be explained is at least one of (a) enlargeable and (b) reducible in size on the display device.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein at least one of (a) an enlargement and (b) a reduction in size of the display is implemented as a function of an explanatory sequence of at least one of (a) the vehicle function and (b) the operating device assigned to the vehicle function.

42. The method according to claim 35, wherein the outputting includes:

optically displaying at least one vehicle component in an arrangement in a motor vehicle; and

at least one of (a) optically and (b) acoustically explaining at least one of (a) a function and (b) a manipulation of the vehicle component by animation.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the at least one of (a) the optical and (b) the acoustic explanation of at least one of (a) the vehicle component, (b) the function of the vehicle component, and (c) the manipulation of the vehicle component at least one of (a) takes place and (b) is implemented via an animated display of an artificial person on at least one of (a) a display device and (b) an acoustic output device.

44. The method according to claim 42, wherein the vehicle component currently to be explained is at least one of (a) optically emphasized and (b) optically varied on a display device.

45. The method according to claim 42, wherein at least one of (a) the manipulation and (b) the function of the vehicle component is displayed on a display device.