In-Vehicle Equipment Control Device and In-Vehicle Equipment Setting Method Using the Device

• US 20090093926A1
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Inoue, Satoshi, Marunaka, Kenji, Nakashima, Kazuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,265,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00985 Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A disclosed in-vehicle equipment control device “S” includes input units 2 and 3 for increasing and decreasing a set value of in-vehicle equipment, and a set value increase/decrease halting unit 13 for stopping the increase/decrease of the set value when the set value reaches a prescribed value after being increased and decreased by the input units 2 and 3. Further, the in-vehicle equipment control device “S” may further include a set value increase/decrease resuming unit 14 for resuming increasing or decreasing the set value when an input of the input unit 2 or 3 is continued after the increase or decrease of the set value is stopped by the set value increase/decrease halting unit 13.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle equipment control device comprising:

an input unit increasing/decreasing a set value of in-vehicle equipment;

a set value increase/decrease halting unit stopping the increase/decrease of the set value when the set value reaches a prescribed value after the set value is continually increased/decreased by the input unit; and

a set value increase/decrease resuming unit resuming the increasing/decreasing of the set value when an input by the input unit continues for a prescribed time period since the increase/decrease of the set value is stopped by the set value increase/decrease halting unit.

3. The in-vehicle equipment control device according to claim 1, wherein

the input unit includes a first input unit for increasing the set value and a second input unit for decreasing the set value.

4. The in-vehicle equipment control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an attention-attracting unit attracting an operator'"'"'s attention when the set value reaches the prescribed value after the set value is continually increased/decreased by the input unit.

5. The in-vehicle equipment control device according to claim 1, wherein

the in-vehicle equipment is an in-vehicle air conditioner;

and

the set value is a set temperature or a set humidity of the in-vehicle air conditioner.

6. The in-vehicle equipment control device according to claim 1, wherein

a setting condition of the in-vehicle equipment control device is registered for each operator.

7. The in-vehicle equipment control device according to claim 6, wherein

the setting condition is a recommended set temperature, a time interval of an increasing/decreasing step, or an increasing/decreasing width of the increasing/decreasing step.

9. The in-vehicle equipment control device according to claim 5, wherein

the set value increase/decrease halting unit determines whether the increase/decrease of the set value is to be stopped by estimating an operator'"'"'s intention based on a set value before being increased/decreased, an increasing or decreasing direction, and a room temperature of the vehicle.

2. (canceled)

8. An in-vehicle equipment setting method for setting operations of in-vehicle equipment by using an in-vehicle equipment control device including an input unit for increasing/decreasing a set value of the in-vehicle equipment, the method comprising:

a set value increase/decrease halting step of stopping the increase/decrease of the set value when the set value reaches a prescribed value after the set value is continually increased/decreased by the input unit; and

a set value increase/decrease resuming step of resuming the increasing/decreasing of the set value when an input by the input unit continues for a prescribed time period since the increase/decrease of the set value is stopped in the set value increase/decrease halting step.