OPERATING DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20100121645A1
• Filed: 11/10/2008
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: SEITZ, Gordon, Oel, Peter, Neugebauer, Moritz, Rodriguez, Enrique, Lathrop, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 9,108,513 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/148 Instrument input by voice
• 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 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/23 Head-up displays [HUD] optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/285 for improving awareness by directing driver's gaze direction or eye points
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/226 using non-speech characteristics

Abstract

In a method for the operator control of a motor vehicle having a display for displaying variable information and having a microphone, the viewing direction of an operator of the motor vehicle is ascertained, it is checked whether the viewing direction of the operator is aimed toward the display, and information assigned to an acoustic command is shown on the display when a corresponding acoustic command is given while the viewing direction of the operator is aimed toward the display.

Claims

1. A method for operator control of a motor vehicle having a display for displaying variable information and having a microphone, comprising:

ascertaining a viewing direction of an operator of the motor vehicle;

checking whether the viewing direction of the operator is aimed toward the display;

evaluating an output signal of the microphone to recognize acoustic commands; and

displaying information assigned to an acoustic command on the display when the acoustic command is given while the viewing direction of the operator is aimed toward the display.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the displaying includes displaying the information assigned to the acoustic command on a display of an instrument cluster.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the displaying includes displaying information assigned to the acoustic command on a display arranged next to a steering wheel of the motor vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the displaying includes displaying information assigned to the acoustic command on a heads-up display.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the displaying includes displaying information assigned to the acoustic command on the display only if an eye of the operator of the motor vehicle is directed toward a symbol longer than a predefined limiting value.

6. An operating device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a display configured to display variable information;

an eye tracker configured to ascertain a viewing direction of an operator of the motor vehicle;

a microphone configured to receive an acoustic input of commands; and

a control configured to display information assigned to an acoustic command on the display when the acoustic command is given while the viewing direction of the operator is aimed toward the display.

7. The operating device according to claim 6, wherein the display is integrated into an instrument cluster.

8. The operating device according to claim 6, wherein the display is positioned next to a steering wheel of the motor vehicle.

9. The operating device according to claim 6, wherein the display includes a heads-up display.

10. An operating device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a display system including at least two of the following displays;

(a) a display integrated into an instrument cluster configured to display variable information;

(b) a display positioned next to a steering wheel of the motor vehicle configured to display variable information; and

(c) a heads-up display configured to display variable information;

an eye tracker configured to ascertain a viewing direction of an operator of the motor vehicle;

a microphone configured to receive an acoustic input of commands; and

a control configured to display information assigned to an acoustic command on that display toward which the viewing direction of the operator is aimed while the acoustic command is given.

11. An operating device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a display system including a display integrated into an instrument cluster configured to display variable information, a display positioned next to a steering wheel of the motor vehicle configured to display variable information, and a heads-up display configured to display variable information;

an eye tracker configured to ascertain a viewing direction of an operator of the motor vehicle;

a microphone configured to receive an acoustic input of commands; and

a control configured to display information assigned to an acoustic command on the display toward which the viewing direction of the operator is aimed while the acoustic command is given.