Menu-assisted control method and device

• US 7,089,501 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Heimermann, Matthias, Lilienthal, Joerg
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao(Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US10/048,608
• Time in Patent Office: 2,195 Days
• Field of Search: 715810-812, 715716-718, 715/763, 715/765, 715/850, 715/853, 715/764, 715/805, 715/743, 715/751, 715/854, 340458-461, 340438-439, 307/10.1, 701 1- 18, 701/200, 701 20- 24, 701 48- 49, 701/53, 701/70, 701/93
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• 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: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A method and a device for menu-assisted operator control, in particular for motor vehicles, using a multifunctional operator control, includes a multifunctional display device and a processing device which controls the display build-up of the multifunctional display device and which is able to access electronic devices to be operated and/or controlled. Assisted operator control of the electronic devices is provided in that, at least within one selection menu that is able to be displayed on the multifunctional display device, functions of one or more of the electronic devices are grouped by related objects and are displayed as object icons on the multifunctional display device.

Claims

1. A method for menu-assisted operator control using a multifunctional operator control, including a multifunctional display device, comprising the steps of:

controlling a display build-up of the multifunctional display device by a processing device;

accessing by the processing device electronic devices to be one of operated and controlled;

grouping functions of at least one of the electronic device at least within one selection menu by related electronic-device-independent objects; and

displaying the functions of the at least one of the electronic devices as electronic-device-independent object icons on the multifunctional display device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the menu-assisted operator control is configured for a motor vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of assigning the functions to the object icons on the basis of related objects.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the object icons are displayed on the multifunctional display device in the displaying step at least one of in user-independent fashion and as a function of an operator history.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of assigning the functions to the object icons at least one of in user-dependent fashion, as a function of an operator history and as a function of a type of object.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the object icons displayed on the multifunctional display device in the displaying step are at least one of erasable and addable as new object icons.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of assigning a function to an object icon at least one of erasably and addably as a new function.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of subdividing the functions displayed by the object icons into groups, the groups configured as higher-level group icons.

9. A device for menu-assisted operator control using a multifunctional operator control, comprising:

a multifunctional display device;

a processing device configured to control a display build-up of the multifunctional display device and configured to access electronic devices to be at least one of operated and controlled; and

an arrangement configured to group functions of at least one of the electronic devices by related electronic-device-independent objects at least within one selection menu, the multifunctional display device configured to display as electronic-device-independent object icons representing one menu option the functions of the at least one of the electronic devices.

10. The device according to claim 9, further comprising a motor vehicle.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the multifunctional display device is configured to display the object icons representing one menu option at least one of in user-independent fashion and as a function of an operator history.

12. The device according to claim 9, further comprising an arrangement configured to assign the functions to the object icon at least one of in user-dependent fashion, as a function of an operator history and as a function of a type of object.

13. The device according to claim 9, wherein the object icons displayed on the multifunctional display device are at least one of erasable and addable as new object icons.

14. The device according to claim 9, further comprising an arrangement configured to assign a function to an object icon at least one of erasably and addably as a new function.

15. The device according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the object icons and functions assigned to the object icons are configured at least one of alphanumerically and as a pictogram.

16. The device according to claim 9, further comprising an arrangement configured to combine functions displayed by the object icons into groups, the groups configured as higher-level group icons.