Multi-function control device and radio-navigation system for a motor vehicle

• US 8,229,626 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2007
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Medler, Andreas, Michaelis, Jan, Hauschild, Frank, Han, Kyoung Sun
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coker, Robert A
• Application Number:
  US12/297,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20090228158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,940 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/36
• US Class Current: 701/36
• 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 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

The multi-function control device for a motor vehicle has a plurality of operating elements, function groups and/or functions subordinate to the function groups being operable via the operating elements, the function groups having one or more menu levels, which are displayable via a display device, and one or more function groups being active, and a selected function group from among the group of the active function groups, and/or at least one function subordinate to the selected function group is displayable using the display device, it being possible to access non-selected, active function groups and/or at least one function subordinate to the non-selected function group, within the selected function group without leaving the context of the selected function group.

Claims

1. A multi-function control device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of operating elements adapted to operate at least one of (a) function groups and (b) functions subordinate to the function groups, the function groups including at least one menu level; and

a display device adapted to display at least one of (a) a selected function group from among a group of active function groups, and (b) at least one function subordinate to the selected function group from among the group of active function groups;

wherein the operating elements are adapted to access at least one of (a) non-selected, active function groups and (b) at least one function subordinate to the non-selected function group within a selected function group without leaving a context of the selected function group.

2. The multi-function control device according to claim 1, wherein access to at least one of (a) a non-selected active function group and (b) a function subordinate to the function group activates a pop-up menu including operable at least one of (a) functions and (b) parameters of at least one of (a) the non-selected active function group and (b) the function subordinate to the function group, within the display of the selected function group.

3. The multi-function control device according to claim 2, wherein the pop-up menu displays information of at least one of (a) the non-selected active function group and (b) at least one function subordinate to the non-selected active function.

4. The multi-function control device according to claim 1, wherein access to at least one of (a) a non-selected active function group and (b) a function subordinate to the function group takes place via a status indicator assigned to the at least one of (a) the non-selected active function group and (b) the function subordinate to the function group.

5. The multi-function control device according to claim 1, wherein the multi-function control device is formed of a touch screen display.

6. The multi-function control device according to claim 5, wherein a status indicator is formed by a touch screen operating element.

7. The multi-function control device according to claim 1, wherein the menu levels of a function group are ordered hierarchically.

8. A radio-navigation system, comprising:

a multi-function control device including;

a plurality of operating elements adapted to operate at least one of (a) function groups and (b) functions subordinate to the function groups, the function groups including at least one menu level; and

a display device adapted to display at least one of (a) a selected function group from among a group of active function groups, and (b) at least one function subordinate to the selected function group from among the group of active function groups;

wherein the operating elements are adapted to access at least one of (a) non-selected, active function groups and (b) at least one function subordinate to the non-selected function group within a selected function group without leaving a context of the selected function group; and

wherein the group of active function groups comprises navigation, radio, and media-playback function groups.

9. The radio-navigation system according to claim 8, wherein the media playback function group is implemented by at least one of (a) CD-player, (b) a DVD-player, and (c) an MP3 player.

10. The radio-navigation system according to claim 8, wherein the radio-navigation system includes a telephone function group.