OPERATING INTERFACE, METHOD FOR DISPLAYING INFORMATION FACILITATING OPERATION OF AN OPERATING INTERFACE AND PROGRAM

• US 20150212641A1
• Filed: 07/22/2013
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Tanneberger, Volkmar, Wengelnik, Heino, Medler, Andreas, Althoff, Frank
• Application Number:
  US14/417,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20150212641A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/141 Activation of instrument input devices by approaching fingers or pens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/141 Activation by approaching fingers or pens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1531 Three-dimensional displays
• 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 35/211 producing three-dimensional [3D] effects, e.g. stereoscopic images
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An operating interface comprising a touch-sensitive display element and at least one sensor formed to display information to a user on the display element to register touching of the display element with a touch element by the user and to register the presence of the touch element in a recognition region, the recognition region adjoining a side of the display element which faces the user. The interface also includes a control circuit formed to control the display element so the display element reproduces information facilitating operation of the operating interface on the display element when the touch element is located in the recognition region for a predetermined period of time without touching of the display element being registered during that time.

Claims

1. An operating interface comprising:

a touch-sensitive display element and at least one sensor designed to display information on the display element to a user to register a touch of the display element with a touch element by the user and to register a presence of the touch element in a detection area, wherein the detection area is adjacent to a side of the display element facing toward the user; and

a control circuit designed to control the display element so that the display element presents information on the display element facilitating operation of the operating interface if the touch element is located in the detection area during a predefined time period without a touch of the display element having been registered during the time period.

2. The operating interface of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive display element and the at least one sensor are designed so that the detection area surrounds the touch-sensitive display element completely so that the touch element must pass through the detection area when the user moves the touch element toward the touch-sensitive display element.

3. The operating interface of claim 1, wherein the predefined time period is at least 3 s.

4. The operating interface of claim 1, wherein the predefined time period of is independent from a movement of the touch element in or through the detection area.

5. The operating interface of claim 1, wherein the control circuit controls the display element so that the display of the information facilitating the operation comprises a visual highlighting of at least one virtual operating element and/or presented on the display element a presentation of a help menu and/or a help display.

6. The operating interface of claim 1, wherein the control circuit makes the presentation of the information facilitating the operation of the operating interface deactivatable.

7. The operating interface of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive display element and the at least one sensor register a presence of the touch element in a further detection area, wherein the further detection area is adjacent to the detection area on a side facing toward the user, and wherein the control circuit controls the display element so that the latter presents further information facilitating the operation of the operating interface if the touch element is located in the further detection area and in the detection area during a further predefined time period without a touch of the display element having been registered during this time period.

8. The operating interface of claim 7, wherein the touch-sensitive display element and the at least one sensor are designed so that the further detection area essentially completely surrounds the detection area so that the touch element passes through the further detection area when the user moves the touch element into the detection area.

9. The operating interface of claim 7, wherein the further predefined time period is at least 3 s.

10. The operating interface of claim 7, wherein the further predefined time period is independent from a movement of the touch element in or through the further detection area.

11. The operating interface of claim 7, wherein the control circuit controls the display element so that the display of the further information facilitating the operation of the operating interface comprises a subtle highlighting of at least one virtual operating element presented on the display element, and/or a presentation of a help menu and/or a help display.

12. The operating interface of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive display element and the at least one sensor are designed so that the touch element comprises at least a part of a finger and/or at least a part of a hand.

16. The operating interface of claim 5, wherein the visual highlighting includes at least one of a display of an edge of the at least one virtual operating element with thicker and/or color-highlighted lines, a color-highlighted display of the at least one virtual operating element, an enlarged display of the at least one virtual operating element, a display of the at least one virtual operating element in a three-dimensional or enhanced three-dimensional presentation, a pulsating display of the at least one virtual operating element, a display of the at least one virtual operating element with a luminous effect surrounding the edge of the at least one virtual operating element.

17. The operating interface of claim 7, wherein the visual highlighting includes at least one of a display of an edge of the at least one virtual operating element with thicker and/or color-highlighted lines, a color-highlighted display of the at least one virtual operating element, an enlarged display of the at least one virtual operating element, a display of the at least one virtual operating element in a three-dimensional or enhanced three-dimensional presentation, a pulsating display of the at least one virtual operating element, a display of the at least one virtual operating element with a luminous effect surrounding the edge of the at least one virtual operating element.

13. A method for displaying information facilitating operation of an operating interface, the method comprising:

displaying information on a touch-sensitive display element of the operating interface;

registering a presence of a touch element in a detection area, wherein the detection area is adjacent to a side of the display element facing toward the user; and

presenting the information facilitating the operation of the operating interface if the touch element is located in the detection area during a predefined time period without a touch of the display element having been registered during said time period.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising registering a touch of the touch-sensitive display element with the touch element by the user.

15. A program with a program code to carry out the method of 13 when the program code is executed on a computer, a processor or a programmable hardware component.