Instrumentation interface display customization

• US 7,441,189 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2005
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navico Incorporated (Brunswick Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navico International Limited
• Inventors: Michaels, Damon C.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAO H
• Application Number:
  US11/156,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20070006101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 715/700, 715/736, 715/747, 715/707, 715763-765, 701200-215
• US Class Current: 715/700
• CPC Class Codes: B63J 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/12 Avionics applications

Abstract

A method of producing an instrumentation interface for a vehicle having a display device may include initializing a display format for the instrumentation interface in accordance with one or more characteristics of the vehicle. The method may further include collecting customization data to configure a display site defined by the display format of the instrumentation interface, and generating the instrumentation interface via the display device in accordance with the display format and the customization data for the display site.

Claims

1. A method of producing an instrumentation interface for a vehicle having a display device, the method comprising the steps of:

initializing a display format for the instrumentation interface based upon which components are included in the vehicle, the initializing including determining gauge data for the vehicle given the included components;

collecting customization data to configure a display site defined by the display format of the instrumentation interface; and

, generating the instrumentation interface via the display device in accordance with the display format and the customization data for the display site, wherein the gauge data specifies suitable gauge types for the display site.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of applying the customization data to configure a mirror display site relative to the first-named display site.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the applying step is implemented automatically based on whether mirroring is appropriate given the included components of the vehicle determinative of the display format.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the applying step is implemented automatically based on whether mirroring is appropriate given a gauge type specified in the customization data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the collecting step comprises generating a list of the suitable gauge types to prompt a user for selection of a gauge from the list of suitable gauge types for placement at the display site.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the display format specifies a plurality of gauge sites for a display screen of the instrumentation interface available for customization.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the collecting step comprises selecting a gauge for the display site, and wherein the generating step comprises determining a gauge range for the gauge in accordance with the display format.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the customization data comprises a measurement unit specification such that the gauge range determining step comprises converting a default gauge range of the display format to a customized range based on the measurement unit specification.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the initializing step comprises accessing default display data for the display format, and wherein the method further comprises the step of modifying the default display data such that the display format reflects the customization data.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of storing a representation of the modified default display data reflecting the customization data as a customized display configuration.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the instrumentation interface comprises a plurality of gauge display screens, and wherein the collecting step is implemented for a respective gauge display screen of the plurality of gauge display screens.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting the customization data comprises collecting user preferences.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining which components are included in the vehicle from a database based on a type of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying one or more characteristics of the component.

15. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable medium for producing an instrumentation interface for a vehicle having a display device, the computer program product comprising:

a display initialization routine to determine a display format of the instrumentation interface characteristics based upon which components are included in of the vehicle, the initializing including determining gauge data for the vehicle given the included components;

a configuration routine to collect customization data to configure a display site defined by the display format of the instrumentation interface; and

, a display routine to generate the instrumentation interface via the display device in accordance with the display format and the customization data for the display site, wherein the gauge data specifies suitable gauge types for the display site.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising a display site mirroring routine to apply the customization data to a further display site.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the display site mirroring routine is implemented automatically based on whether mirroring is appropriate given the included components of the vehicle determinative of the display format.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the display site mirroring routine is implemented automatically based on whether mirroring is appropriate given a gauge type specified in the customization data.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the configuration routine comprises a user selection routine to list the suitable gauge types for selection of a gauge from the list of suitable gauge types for placement at the display site.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the display format specifies a plurality of gauge sites for a display screen of the instrumentation interface available for customization.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the display routine comprises a gauge range routine to determine a gauge range in accordance with the display format.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the customization data comprises a measurement unit specification such that the gauge range routine converts a default gauge range of the display format to a customized range based on the measurement unit specification.

23. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the configuration routine modifies display structure data specified by the display format to reflect the customization data.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the configuration routine stores the modified display structure data as a customized display configuration.

25. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the configuration routine collects the customization data by collecting user preferences.

26. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the display initialization routine further determines which components are included in the vehicle from a database based on a type of the vehicle.

27. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the display routine is further configured to display one or more characteristics of the component.

28. A system for producing an instrumentation interface for a vehicle having a display device, the system comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable medium in communication with the processor;

a display initialization routine stored on the computer-readable medium and adapted for implementation by the processor to determine a display format of the instrumentation interface in based upon which components are included in the vehicle, the initializing including determining gauge data for the vehicle given the included components;

and a display generation routine stored on the computer-readable medium and adapted for implementation by the processor to generate a display screen of the instrumentation interface that is configured to depict via the display device customized instrumentation data in accordance with the display format, wherein the gauge data specifies suitable gauge types for the display site.