DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20130050124A1
• Filed: 03/19/2011
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Helot, Jacques
• Granted Patent: US 9,688,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/143 Touch sensitive input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1537 Displays on a manual operation element
• 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 35/212 displaying on manual operation elements, e.g. on a knob
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A device for controlling a plurality of different functions of a motor vehicle has an operator control element with which in each case one of the plurality of different functions can be actuated, and a touch-sensitive field which has a plurality of sections, each of which is at least temporarily assigned one of the different functions and which are provided with symbols corresponding to the respective function. A function can be selected by selecting one of the sections. In each case the function which was selected from the touch-sensitive field can be actuated the operator control element. A display device, in which the respectively selected function can be displayed a symbol, is provided on the operator control element or in the direct vicinity of the operator control element.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A device to control a plurality of different functions of a motor vehicle, comprising:

an operator control element with which one of the plurality of different functions can be actuated;

a display device provided on the operator control element or in a direct vicinity of the operator control element; and

a touch-sensitive field having a plurality of sections, each of which is at least temporarily assigned one of the different functions, each section being provided with a selector symbol corresponding to a respective assigned function,

wherein a selected function from the plurality of functions is chosen from the touch-sensitive field by selecting one of the sections,

wherein the selected function is actuated with the operator control element,

wherein the selected function is displayed on the display device using an actuator symbol,

wherein the selected function is chosen by a touch-sensitive sliding of the selector symbol corresponding to the selected function, in a direction toward the operator control element.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein

the operator control element is embodied to provide a user with haptic feedback.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein

for the selected function, a single symbol is used for both the selector symbol and the actuator symbol.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein

the operator control element is embodied as a control knob.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein

the operator control element is embodied as a control knob that is rotated to actuate the selected function, and

the display device is a display provided in a center of the control knob.

14. The device according to claim 9, wherein

the operator control element is embodied as a control knob that is rotated to actuate the selected function, and

the display device is a display provided in a center of the control knob.

15. The device according to claim 10, wherein

the operator control element is embodied as a rocker switch.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein

the display device is a display which is provided in a center of the rocker switch.

17. The device according to claim 9, wherein

the operator control element is embodied as a rocker switch, and

the display device is a display which is provided in a center of the rocker switch.

18. The device according to claim 9, wherein

the display device is a display which is provided on the operator control element.

19. The device according to claim 9, wherein

the functions which are assigned to the sections of the touch-sensitive field are functions of an air-conditioning system.

20. The device according to claim 9, wherein

the functions which are assigned to the sections of the touch-sensitive field are functions of a radio system.

21. The device according to claim 9, wherein

the functions which are assigned to the sections of the touch-sensitive field are functions of a navigation device.