IN-VEHICLE COMPONENT CONTROL USER INTERFACE

• US 20170166056A1
• Filed: 12/11/2015
• Published: 06/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Buttolo, Pietro, Tokish, Stephen Ronald, Rankin, II, James Stewart, Strumolo, Gary Steven
• Granted Patent: US 10,046,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/111 for controlling multiple devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/182 Distributing information between displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/184 Displaying the same information on different displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/563 Vehicle displaying mobile device information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/566 Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/573 Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/583 Data transfer between instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/595 Data transfer involving internal databases
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/77 Instrument locations other than the dashboard
• 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 35/29 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 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 : for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 : for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A personal device may include a display and a processor. The processor of the personal device may be programmed to send, to the display, a vehicle interior map overlaid with indications of in-vehicle components, create a group of the in-vehicle components responsive to receipt of a swipe gesture to the display selecting a subset of the indications, receive input from the display of a location on the map, and aim outputs of the in-vehicle components of the group based on the location.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a personal device including

a display; and

a processor, programmed to

send, to the display, a vehicle interior map overlaid with indications of in-vehicle components,

create a group of the in-vehicle components responsive to a gesture to the display selecting a subset of the indications,

receive input from the display of a location on the map, and

aim outputs of the in-vehicle components of the group based on the location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

generate a first setting adjustment to a first in-vehicle component of the group to aim output of the first in-vehicle component; and

generate a second setting adjustment to a second in-vehicle component of the group to aim output of the second in-vehicle component, the second setting adjustment being different from the first setting adjustment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the location on the map is a location to which outputs of the in-vehicle components of the group are to be aimed, and the processor is further programmed to adjust spread, intensity and direction of the outputs of the in-vehicle components of the group toward the location.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the location on the map is a location to which outputs of the in-vehicle components of the group are to avoid, and the processor is further programmed to adjust spread, intensity and direction of the outputs of the in-vehicle components of the group away from the location.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to send to the display a legend including type indications of the in-vehicle components, each type indication corresponding to one of a plurality of component types and being rendered in a different color or pattern, each component being of one of the plurality of component types, and each component indication being displayed in the color or pattern of the corresponding type indication.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

receive input from the display to one of the type indications; and

responsive to the input, toggle visibility of the in-vehicle components of the type corresponding to the one of the type indications.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to display output indications overlaid on the vehicle interior map emanating from the in-vehicle components and indicative of intensity and direction of the output of the in-vehicle components.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the output indications indicate one of light output, climate control air output, or sound output.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to specify the location as an adjustable region according to one or more of:

(i) a size of the adjustable region defined according to input of a pinch gesture to the display;

(ii) a placement of the adjustable region defined according to input of a drag gesture to the display; and

(iii) an orientation of the adjustable region defined according to input of a rotation gesture to the display.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

activate the adjustable region as a location to which outputs of the in-vehicle components of the group are to be aimed responsive to receipt of gesture input of a first type to the display; and

activate the adjustable region as a location to which outputs of the in-vehicle components of the group are to avoid responsive to receipt of gesture input of a second type different from the first type.

11. A method comprising:

displaying, on a touch screen, a vehicle interior map overlaid with indications of in-vehicle components providing outputs within the vehicle interior;

receiving touch input to the screen indicating a location on the interior map to aim the in-vehicle components; and

adjusting one or more of spread, intensity and direction of outputs of the in-vehicle components toward the location of the vehicle interior.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying a legend including type indications of the in-vehicle components;

receiving input from the display to one of the type indications; and

responsive to the input, toggling visibility of the in-vehicle components of the type corresponding to the one of the type indications.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising overlaying indications on the vehicle interior map emanating from the in-vehicle components and indicative of the intensity and direction of the output of the in-vehicle components.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the in-vehicle components include a first type of in-vehicle component and a second type of in-vehicle component, and further comprising:

displaying indications of the first type of in-vehicle component in a first color or pattern; and

displaying indications of the second type of in-vehicle component in a second color or pattern different from the first color or pattern.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating a first setting adjustment to a first in-vehicle component to aim the output of the first in-vehicle component; and

generating a second setting adjustment to a second in-vehicle component to aim the output of the second in-vehicle component, the second setting adjustment being different from the first setting adjustment.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying a handle control at an original location at which the in-vehicle components are aimed, wherein receiving input from the display includes receiving input dragging the handle control to indicate the location on the interior map to aim the in-vehicle components.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of a personal device, cause the personal device to:

display a vehicle interior map overlaid with indications of a group of in-vehicle components providing outputs within the vehicle interior;

receive input indicating a location on the interior map to aim the in-vehicle components;

generate a first setting adjustment to a first in-vehicle component of the group to aim the output of the first in-vehicle component toward the location; and

generate a second setting adjustment to a second in-vehicle component of the group to aim the output of the second in-vehicle component toward the location, the second setting adjustment being different from the first setting adjustment.

18. The medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of a personal device, cause the personal device to:

display a legend including type indications of the in-vehicle components;

receive input from the display to one of the type indications; and

responsive to the input, toggle visibility of the in-vehicle components of the type corresponding to the one of the type indications.

19. The medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of a personal device, cause the personal device to:

display indications of a first type of in-vehicle component in a first color or pattern; and

display indications of a second type of in-vehicle component in a second color or pattern different from the first color or pattern.

20. The medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of a personal device, cause the personal device to display a handle control at an original location at which the in-vehicle components are aimed, wherein the input from the display includes input dragging the handle control to indicate the location on the interior map to aim the in-vehicle components.