User interface unit for a vehicle
First Claim
1. An interface for a control system of a vehicle, the control system having a plurality of operating modes, the interface comprising:
- an operating mode selection means for manual selection of at least one of the plurality of operating modes;
a display symbol dedicated to each one of the plurality of operating modes; and
control means arranged to determine which of the plurality of operating modes are available for actuation and which are unavailable for actuation, and to illuminate the display symbols corresponding to the operating modes available for actuation and cease illumination of the display symbols corresponding to the operating modes which are unavailable for actuation;
wherein the vehicle has various operation points which determine the availability of each of the plurality of operating modes, and the control means monitors the various operation points, during operation of the control system, and illuminates the display symbols corresponding to each of the plurality of operating modes when the operating mode becomes available for actuation, and ceases illumination of the display symbol corresponding to an operating mode which becomes unavailable for actuation.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle (10) includes a suspension system controlled by a suspension controller (12). The system further comprises a user interface unit (18) which includes a series of symbols (26, 28, 30) which remain secret until illuminated and each of which is associated with a particular operating mode of the suspension system. The symbols are illuminated only when their associated mode is available to a user for selection. The operating modes are selected by a series of push button switches (20, 22, 24) which are associated with the symbols (26, 28, 30) and are disabled unless their associated symbol is illuminated.
40 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An interface for a control system of a vehicle, the control system having a plurality of operating modes, the interface comprising:
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an operating mode selection means for manual selection of at least one of the plurality of operating modes;
a display symbol dedicated to each one of the plurality of operating modes; and
control means arranged to determine which of the plurality of operating modes are available for actuation and which are unavailable for actuation, and to illuminate the display symbols corresponding to the operating modes available for actuation and cease illumination of the display symbols corresponding to the operating modes which are unavailable for actuation;
wherein the vehicle has various operation points which determine the availability of each of the plurality of operating modes, and the control means monitors the various operation points, during operation of the control system, and illuminates the display symbols corresponding to each of the plurality of operating modes when the operating mode becomes available for actuation, and ceases illumination of the display symbol corresponding to an operating mode which becomes unavailable for actuation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An interface for a control system of a vehicle, the control system having a plurality of operating modes, the interface comprising:
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an operating mode selection means for manual selection of at least one of the plurality of operating modes;
a display symbol dedicated to each one of the plurality of operating modes; and
a controller arranged to determine which of the plurality of operating modes are available for actuation and which are unavailable for actuation, and to illuminate the display symbols corresponding to the operating modes available for actuation and cease illumination of the display symbols corresponding to the operating modes which are unavailable for actuation;
wherein the vehicle has various operation points which determine the availability of each of the plurality of operating modes, and the controller monitors the various operation points, during operation of the control system, and illuminates the display symbols corresponding to each of the plurality of operating modes when the operating mode becomes available for actuation, and ceases illumination of the display symbol corresponding to an operating mode which becomes unavailable for actuation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An interface for a control system of a vehicle, the control system having a plurality of operating modes, the interface comprising:
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an operating mode selection means for manual selection between said operating modes;
a display symbol dedicated to each of the operating modes;
control means arranged to determine which of the plurality of operating modes are available for selection and which are not, and to illuminate the display symbols corresponding to the available operating modes and extinguish the display symbols corresponding to the operating modes which are not available;
the mode selection means further comprising a plurality of switch means each switch means being associated with a respective one of the display symbols and operable for selection of the mode associated with that symbol; and
wherein each of the switch means is capable of illumination independently of the associated symbol, and when one of the operation modes has been selected using the corresponding switch means, the corresponding switch means is arranged to flash until the selected mode has been entered.
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Specification