POSITION-BASED RECONFIGURABLE CONTROL KNOB

• US 20170153718A1
• Filed: 12/01/2015
• Published: 06/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Brown, Arthur S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,234,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/126 Rotatable input devices for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/145 Instrument input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/12 Input devices or input features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/126 Rotatable input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/145 Input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
• 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: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display

Abstract

An apparatus includes a knob that is repositionable into a first position and a second position. The knob may be configured to control a first set of parameters in the first position and a second set of parameters in the second position. The apparatus may include a reconfigurable display configured to selectively display at least a first display configuration and a second display configuration. The system may be configured to display the first display configuration on the reconfigurable display when the knob is in the first position, and the system may be configured to display the second display configuration on the reconfigurable display when the knob is in the second position. The apparatus may also include a slider device having a set of rails defining a track between the rails. The knob may be slidable along the slider device into the first and second positions.

Claims

1. A vehicle human-machine-interface system comprising:

a reconfigurable display configured to selectively display at least a first display configuration and a second display configuration, the first and second display configurations being at least partially different from each other; and

a knob being repositionable along the reconfigurable display in at least a first position and a second position, wherein the system is configured to display the first display configuration on the reconfigurable display when the knob is in the first position, the system being configured to display the second display configuration on the reconfigurable display when the knob is in the second position.

2. The vehicle human-machine-interface system according to claim 1, wherein the knob is slidable between the first position and the second position.

3. The vehicle human-machine-interface system according to claim 2, further comprising a slider track disposed adjacent to the reconfigurable display, the knob having an extension disposed within rails of the slider track, the extension being slidable within the slider track.

4. The vehicle human-machine-interface system according to claim 3, wherein the knob is configured to control a first set of parameters in the first position and a second set of parameters in the second position, the first and second sets of parameters being different from each other.

5. The vehicle human-machine-interface system according to claim 4, wherein the knob is rotatable to selectively change parameters of the first and second sets of parameters.

6. The vehicle human-machine-interface system according to claim 5, the knob being further repositionable along the reconfigurable display in a third position, wherein the system is configured to display a third display configuration on the reconfigurable display when the knob is in the third position.

7. The vehicle human-machine-interface system according to claim 6, wherein the knob is further slidable into the third position, the knob being configured to control a third set of parameters in the third position, the third set of parameters being different from the first and second sets of parameters, the knob being rotatable to selectively change parameters of the third sets of parameters.

8. The vehicle human-machine-interface system of claim 7, wherein the slider track and the rails form a curve and the knob is configured to slide along a curve corresponding to the curve of the slider track and the rails.

9. The vehicle human-machine-interface system of claim 8, wherein the reconfigurable display is a display screen configured to display infotainment information of a vehicle.

10. The vehicle human-machine-interface system of claim 9, wherein the knob is configured to control audio volume in the first position, fan speed in the second position, and temperature in the third position.

11. A parameter selection device comprising:

a slider device having a set of rails defining a track between the rails;

a knob being slidable along the slider device into at least a first position and a second position, wherein the knob is configured to control a first set of parameters in the first position and a second set of parameters in the second position, the first and second sets of parameters being different from each other.

12. The parameter selection device of claim 11, the knob having an extension disposed within the track of the slider device, the extension being slidable within the track.

13. The parameter selection device of claim 12, the knob being rotatable to selectively change parameters of the first and second sets of parameters.

14. The parameter selection device of claim 13, the knob being further repositionable along the slider device into a third position, the knob being configured to control a third set of parameters in the third position, the third set of parameters being different from the first and second sets of parameters, the knob being rotatable to selectively change parameters of the third sets of parameters.

15. The parameter selection device of claim 14, wherein the slider device and the rails form a curve and the knob is configured to slide along a curve corresponding to the curve of the slider device and the rails.

16. The parameter selection device of claim 15, further comprising a reconfigurable display screen disposed adjacent to the slider device, the reconfigurable display screen being configured to display a first display configuration when the knob is in the first position, the reconfigurable display screen being configured to display a second display configuration when the knob is in the second position, the reconfigurable display screen being configured to display a third display configuration when the knob is in the third position, the first, second, and third display configurations being at least partially different from each other.

17. The parameter selection device of claim 16, wherein the knob is configured to control audio volume in the first position, fan speed in the second position, and temperature in the third position.