METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VARYING A POSITION OF AT LEAST ONE COMPONENT OF AN INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM IN THE INTERIOR OF A VEHICLE

• US 20150224877A1
• Filed: 02/10/2015
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: BENDEWALD, Lennart, HACKENBERG, Linn
• Granted Patent: US 9,434,255 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1868 according to driving situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/195 Blocking or enabling display functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1533 Flexible displays
• 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 35/223 Flexible displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/50 Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle B60K35/231 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/53 Movable instruments, e.g. slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02 the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable adjustable arm-rests B60N2/75; adjustable head-rests B60N2/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/181 with power actuated adjustment, e.g. with position memory
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/00 Steering not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A method for altering a position of at least one component of an infotainment system in the interior of a vehicle. The method involves ascertaining whether the vehicle is in a first travel mode or a second travel mode, wherein the first travel mode involves the vehicle being driven by a person and/or the second travel mode involves the vehicle not being driven by a person. If the vehicle is in a second travel mode, a first vehicle component is moved from a first position to a third position in the interior of the vehicle and the component of the infotainment system is moved from a second position to a fourth position in the interior of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for altering a position of at least one component of an infotainment system in the interior of a vehicle, the method comprising:

ascertaining whether the vehicle is in a first travel mode or a second travel mode, wherein the first travel mode involves the vehicle being driven by a person and/or the second travel mode involves the vehicle not being driven by a person, and

if it has been ascertained that the vehicle is in a second travel mode, moving a first vehicle component from a first position to a third position in the interior of the vehicle and moving the infotainment system component from a second position to a fourth position in the interior of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle component is a steering wheel that can be moved to a rear position and to a front position relative to the direction of travel, wherein the first position is the rear position and the third position is the front position, and

the component of the infotainment system is moved from the second position to the fourth position through an opening in the steering wheel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a second vehicle component is moved from a fifth position to a sixth position in the interior of the vehicle if the vehicle is in the second travel mode, the direction of movement of the second vehicle component is ascertained, and the direction of movement of the component of the infotainment system is dependent on the direction of movement of the second vehicle component.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second vehicle component is a driver'"'"'s seat that can be moved to a rear position and to a front position relative to the direction of travel, wherein the fifth position is the front position and the sixth position is the rear position, and the component of the infotainment system is tracked to the movement of the driver'"'"'s seat until the fourth position and the sixth position adopt a preset interval from one another.

5. An apparatus for altering a position of at least one component of an infotainment system in the interior of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a first vehicle component that can be moved from a first position to a third position in the interior of the vehicle,

an ascertainment unit that ascertains whether the vehicle is in a first travel mode or in a second travel mode, wherein the first travel mode involves the vehicle being driven by a person and/or the second travel mode involves the vehicle not being driven by a person,

a movement unit that moves the component of the infotainment system from a second position to a fourth position in the interior of the vehicle, and

a control unit that actuates the first vehicle component such that it is moved from the first position to the third position, and to actuate the movement unit such that it moves the component of the infotainment system from the second position to the fourth position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the component of the infotainment system is an operator control unit that, in the fourth position, is arranged behind the first vehicle component relative to the direction of travel.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first vehicle component is a steering wheel of the vehicle that can be moved to a rear position and to a front position relative to the direction of travel, wherein the first position is the rear position and the third position is the front position.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the component of the infotainment system, in the second position, is arranged in front of the steering wheel relative to the direction of travel, the steering wheel has an opening, and the component of the infotainment system can be moved by the movement unit from the second position through the opening in the steering wheel to the fourth position.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the component of the infotainment system is an operator control unit that is arranged as a touch-sensitive surface on a display unit of the infotainment system.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the display area of the display unit and/or the touch-sensitive surface, in the fourth position in the interior of the vehicle, can be expanded by additional modules on at least one side.