AUTOMOTIVE USER INTERFACE FOR A VENTILATION SYSTEM OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20100095245A1
• Filed: 09/18/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni
• Original Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni
• Inventors: Marzorati, Diego, Fino, Federica, Boreanaz, Giovanni
• Granted Patent: US 9,037,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/834
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0065 Control members, e.g. levers or knobs B60H1/00985 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

An automotive user interface for controlling the temperature, the distribution and of the air flow rate in a ventilation system of a motor vehicle. The automotive user interface comprises: a touch-sensitive control display unit, which comprises light-emitter diodes structured for providing a visual representation of temperatures that can be set by a user according to a generally circular arrangement; an optically semitransparent touch-sensitive control panel superimposed on the light-emitter diodes in a position corresponding to an area for setting the temperature; and an electronic control unit connected to the light-emitter diodes and to the control panel for controlling the temperature of the air in the ventilation system and the light-emitter-diode means in response to an action of touch contact by a user on the area for setting the temperature.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an automotive user interface to control temperature, distribution, and air flow rate in a ventilation system of a motor vehicle, the interface comprising a touch-sensitive control display unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive control display unit comprises:

a temperature setting device that includes light-emitting devices to provide a visual representation of temperatures that can be set by a user and an optically semitransparent touch-sensitive control panel superimposed on the light-emitting devices, the control panel including a slider wheel; and

an electronic control unit connected to the light-emitting devices and to the optically semitransparent touch-sensitive control panel, the electronic control unit, in response to a slider wheel touch associated with a user selected temperature, to control a temperature of the air in the ventilation system to the user selected temperature and to control activation of the light-emitting devices to provide a visual representation of the user selected temperature.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the optically semitransparent touch-sensitive control panel has a generally circular display element, which is provided with a series of temperature intervals and circumscribes the slider wheel;

with display marks arranged around the display element in radial positions set at equal angular distances apart.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the light-emitting devices comprise a plurality of LEDs, which are set facing the optically semitransparent touch-sensitive control panel according to a substantially circular configuration to backlight the optically semitransparent touch-sensitive control panel.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the electronic control unit is to control the light-emitting devices in response to a touch contact of the user on a single sector of the slider wheel of the optically semitransparent touch-sensitive control panel.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the electronic control unit is to control the light-emitting devices in response to at least one of a group including continuous and sequential touch contact of the user on a plurality of sectors of the slider wheel of the optically semitransparent touch-sensitive control panel.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the optically semitransparent touch-sensitive control panel is to present a graphic representation of a pushbutton at a center of the circular display element;

and

wherein the light-emitting devices are to backlight the optically semitransparent touch-sensitive control panel in an area corresponding to the pushbutton, with the electronic control unit to control the light-emitting devices in response to a pushbutton touch.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive control display unit comprises:

an air distribution selection input device including light emitting devices to provide a visual representation air distribution and an optically semitransparent touch-sensitive control panel superimposed on the light-emitting devices; and

an electronic control unit connected to the light-emitting devices and to the control panel, the electronic control unit, in response to an air distribution touch associated with a user set air distribution, to control the ventilation system to the user set air distribution and to control the light-emitting devices to provide a visual representation of the user set air distribution.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control panel comprises a series of portions of area to select air distribution, and includes representative graphics associated with a human body portion to which air is directed, wherein a combination of the respective representative graphics defines a whole person in a sitting position.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the light-emitting devices are to backlight portions of the control panel corresponding to the portions of area for selection of the air distribution, wherein the electronic control unit is to activate the light-emitting devices in response to the air distribution touch.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control panel presents a graphic representation of at least one pushbutton to control activation of an auxiliary air-distribution function, wherein the light-emitting devices are to backlight the control panel in an area corresponding to the pushbutton to control activation of the auxiliary air-distribution function;

and

wherein the electronic control unit is to control the light-emitting devices according to a touch of the pushbutton to control activation of an auxiliary air-distribution function.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive control display unit comprises:

an air flow rate setting device that includes light-emitting devices to provide a visual representation of a flow rate of air and a optically semitransparent touch-sensitive control panel superimposed on the light-emitting devices; and

an electronic control unit connected to the light-emitting devices and to the control panel, the electronic control unit, in response to an air flow rate selection touch on the control panel, to control a flow of air of the ventilation system to the air flow rate selection and to control the light-emitting devices to provide a visual indication of the flow rate selection touch.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the air flow rate setting device includes a graphical representation that includes a series of fan blades set radially and angularly spaced from one another and having at least some respective progressively increasing area dimensions.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the light-emitting devices are set facing the control panel to backlight the graphic representations of the blades, wherein the electronic control unit is to activate the light-emitting devices in response to a touch contact of a user on the blades of the control panel.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the electronic control unit is to control the light-emitting devices to light up the graphic representation in response to the flow rate selection touch.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the electronic control unit is to control the light-emitting devices to light up the graphic representation in response to a sequential touch contact by a user on a series of blades.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the control panel is a capacitive touch panel.

18. A system, comprising:

a ventilation system to couple to a motor vehicle; and

an automotive user interface to control a temperature, distribution, and air flow rate in the ventilation system of the motor vehicle, the interface comprising a touch-sensitive control display unit.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the ventilation system is coupled to a motor vehicle system.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the control panel is a capacitive touch panel.