Display control device for remote control device

• US 20110109541A1
• Filed: 09/23/2010
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Haruyama, Takeshi, Hanai, Shouichirou, Kitagawa, Nozomi
• Granted Patent: US 9,102,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/774 on or in the centre console
• 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 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A display control device for a remote control device is disclosed. The display control device is configured to have connection with a display device and a remote control device spaced apart from each other. The display device is configured to display an operation screen having multiple icons for accepting an operation directed to a control target apparatus. When display is switched from a first operation screen to a second operation screen having a different icon arrangement, the display control means shifts an icon selection state from one icon selected on the first operation screen to an initial selection icon pre-set on the second operation screen and causes the display device to display a visual effect indicative of a direction from position of the selected one icon to position of the initial selection icon.

Claims

1. A display control device for a remote control device, the display control device comprising:

a connection means for having connection with a display device and a remote control device, wherein the display device is configured to display one operation screen selectively from among a plurality of operation screens for accepting an operation directed to a control target apparatus, wherein the plurality of operation screens includes a first operation screen and a second operation screen on each of which a set of icons are arranged, wherein the first operation screen and the second operation screen are different from each other in icon arrangement, wherein the remote control device is spaced apart from the display device and is manipulatable by a user; and

a display control means for performing display control, such that;

the display control means receives an input of an instruction about an operation direction from the remote control device, performs processing according to the input, and causes the display device to display a result of the processing on the displayed one operation screen according to the input;

the display control means causes the display device to display an identification display mark on the displayed one operation screen, so that;

the identification display mark indicates that one icon of the set of icons on the displayed one operation screen, the one icon being presently selected from among the set of icons, is in a selection state; and

the identification display mark is displayed in association with the one icon selected on the displayed one operation screen; and

when display is switched from the first operation screen to the second operation screen, the display control means (i) shifts the selection state from the one icon selected on the first operation screen to an initial selection icon pre-set on the second operation screen and (ii) causes the display device to display a visual effect indicative of a direction from position of the selected one icon to position of the initial selection icon.

2. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the display control means causes the display device to display a moving image which moves from the position of the selected one icon to the position of the initial selection icon, thereby causing the display device to display the visual effect indicative of the direction to the position of the initial selection icon.

3. The display control device according to claim 2, wherein:

the identification display mark is displayed to have a design image in association with the selected one icon; and

the display control means causes the display device to display the moving image such that the moving image is the design image of the identification display mark moving from the position of the selected one icon to the position of the initial selection icon, and thereby displaying the visual effect indicative of the direction to the initial selection icon.

4. The display control device according to claim 3, wherein:

the identification display mark in association with the selected one icon on the first operation screen is displayed to have a first design image;

the identification display mark in association with the initial selection icon on the second operation screen is displayed to have a second design image;

the first design image and the second design image are different from each other in design; and

the display control means causes the display device to display the moving image such that the moving image moves from the position of the selected one icon to the position of the initial selection icon while design of the moving image is changing over time from the design of the first design image to the design of the second design image.

5. The display control device according to claim 2, wherein:

the display control means causes the display device to display the moving image such that speed of the moving image becomes slower over time in moving from the position of the selected one icon to the position of the initial selection icon.

6. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the display control means causes the display device to display a motionless design image between the position of the selected one icon and the position of the initial selection icon, thereby displaying the visual effect indicative of the direction to the initial selection icon.

7. The display control device according to claim 6, wherein:

the display control means causes the display device to display a plurality of motionless design images between the position of the selected one icon and the position of the initial selection icon, thereby displaying the visual effect indicative of the direction to the initial selection icon.

8. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the display control means causes the display device to display a belt-shaped image connecting between the position of the selected one icon and the position of the initial selection icon, thereby displaying the visual effect indicative of the direction to the initial selection icon.

9. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein:

when the display is switched from the first operation screen to the second screen, the display control means tones down regions of the display other than a region of the selected one icon, a region of the initial selection icon and a region between the selection one icon and the initial selection icon, thereby causing the display device to display the visual effect indicative of the direction to the initial selection icon.

10. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein:

when a distance between the position of the selected one icon and the position of the initial selection icon is less than or equal to a reference value, the display control means prohibits the display device from displaying the visual effect indicative of the direction from the position of the selected one icon to the position of the initial selection icon.

11. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein:

when a distance between the position of the selected one icon and the position of the initial selection icon is less than or equal to a reference value, the display control means causes the display device to display the visual effect indicative of the direction from the position of the selected one icon to the position of the initial selection icon so that the visual effect is displayed along a path that bypasses a straight line interconnecting between the position of the selected one icon and the position of the initial selection icon.

12. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein:

when the display is switched from the first operation screen to the second screen, the display control means causes the display device to display a black screen for a predetermined period of time between the first operation screen and the second operation screen; and

the display control means causes the display device to display the visual effect, which indicates the direction from the position of the selected one icon to the position of the initial selection icon, on the black screen.

13. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein:

during the switch of the display from the first operation screen to the second operation screen, the display control means cause the display device to display a fade screen in which the first operation screen fades out and the second operation screen fades in;

the display control means causes the display device to display the visual effect, which indicates the direction from the position of the selected one icon to the position of the initial selection icon, on the fade screen.

14. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the display control means causes the display device to display the visual effect, which indicates the direction from the position of the selected one icon to the position of the initial selection icon, on the second operation screen for a predetermined period of time after completion of the switch of the display from the first operation screen into the second operation screen.

15. The display control device according to claim 14, wherein:

the display control means tones down the second operation screen and displays the visual effect, which indicates the direction form the direction from the position of the selected one icon to the position of the initial selection icon, on the toned down second operation screen.

16. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the display control means displays the visual effect, which indicates the direction form the position of the selected one icon to the position of the initial selection icon, on the first operation screen for a predetermined period of time before start of the switch of the display from the first operation screen to the second operation screen.

17. The display control device according to claim 16, wherein:

when the display is switched from the first operation screen to the second operation screen, the display control means tones down the first operation screen and displays the visual effect, which indicates the direction form the position of the selected one icon to the position of the initial selection icon, on the toned down first operation screen.