Vehicle-mounted apparatus, information providing method for use with vehicle-mounted apparatus, and recording medium recorded information providing method program for use with vehicle-mounted apparatus therein

• US 8,458,618 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nezu, Yoshiyuki, Sato, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Pillai, Namitha
• Application Number:
  US12/881,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20110004822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810, 715/830, 715/863, 715/864, 715/970
• US Class Current: 715/863
• 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 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: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted apparatus is disclosed which includes a displaying unit for providing information to a user, an inputting unit for inputting operations carried out by the user, and a controlling unit for controlling a display of the displaying unit based on the operations input through the inputting unit. The inputting unit has at least a touch-sensitive panel attached to a display screen of the displaying unit. The controlling unit causes the displaying unit to display a menu screen based on the operations input through the inputting unit. The controlling unit also causes the displaying unit to switch the displays based on menus selected on the menu screen. Furthermore, the controlling unit causes the displaying unit to switch, as when a specific menu is selected on the menu screen, the displays in response to a fingertip gesture made by the user for detection on the touch-sensitive panel.

Claims

1. A portable apparatus, the portable apparatus comprising:

a display unit;

a touch sensor located on the display unit and configured to detect a user'"'"'s touch;

a monitor device configured to recognize a user'"'"'s gesture according to the detected user'"'"'s touch; and

a controller configured to activate a map application, to control the display unit to display a map based on the activated map application, and to execute a first operation control in response to a certain gesture onto the displayed map recognized by the monitor device,

wherein the controller is configured to activate a music application, control the display unit to display an index of a plurality of music content data based on the activated music application, execute a second operation control different from the first operation control, in response to the certain gesture onto the displayed index recognized by the monitor device, and control reproduction of the music content data based on the activated music application,

wherein the portable apparatus outputs audio signal of the reproduced music content data to the connected car audio, and

wherein the certain gesture is one of a circular clockwise or counterclockwise arc, a square, a rectangle, and a substantially straight line.

2. The portable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the display unit to enlarge or decrease the map in response to the certain gesture.

3. The portable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the display unit to display a title of the reproduced music content data based on the activated music application.

4. The portable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller activates a photo application, controls the display unit to display thumbnails of a plurality of image content data based on the activated photo application, scroll the thumbnails in response to the certain gesture, and controls the display unit to display one image content data in response to a selection of one thumbnail.

5. The portable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller activates photo application, controls the display unit to display thumbnails of a plurality of image content data based on the activated photo application, controls the display unit to display one image content data in response to a selection of a thumbnail, and controls the display unit to display next image content data of the displayed image content data in response to the certain gesture onto the displayed image content data.

6. The portable apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller activates a video application, a web browser, and a mail application.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for controlling a portable apparatus, the method comprising:

detecting a user'"'"'s touch with a touch sensor located on a display unit;

recognizing a user'"'"'s gesture according to the detected user'"'"'s touch;

activating a map application to control the display unit to display a map based on the activated map application;

executing a first operation control in response to a certain gesture onto the displayed map;

activating a music application and controlling the display unit to display an index of a plurality of music content data based on the activated music application;

executing a second operation control different from the first operation control, in response to the certain gesture onto the displayed index of the plurality of music content data;

controlling reproduction of the music content data based on the activated music application; and

outputting an audio signal of the reproduced music content data,

wherein the certain gesture is one of a circular clockwise or counterclockwise arc, a square, a rectangle, and a substantially straight line.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising controlling the display unit to enlarge or decrease the map in response to the certain gesture.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising controlling the display unit to display a title of the reproduced music content data based on the activated music application.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

activating a photo application;

displaying thumbnails of a plurality of image content data based on the activated photo application;

scrolling the thumbnails in response to the certain gesture; and

controlling the display unit to display one image content data in response to a selection of one thumbnail.

11. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

activating a photo application;

displaying thumbnails of a plurality of image content data based on the activated photo application;

displaying one image content data in response to a selection of a thumbnail; and

displaying next image content data of the displayed image content data in response to the certain gesture onto the displayed image content data.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising activating at least one of a video application, a web browser, and a mail application.

13. A method for controlling a portable apparatus, the method comprising:

detecting a user'"'"'s touch with a touch sensor located on a display unit;

recognizing a user'"'"'s gesture according to the detected user'"'"'s touch;

activating a map application to control the display unit to display a map based on the activated map application;

executing a first operation control in response to a certain gesture onto the displayed map;

activating a music application and controlling the display unit to display an index of a plurality of music content data based on the activated music application;

executing a second operation control different from the first operation control, in response to the certain gesture onto the displayed index of the plurality of music content data;

controlling reproduction of the music content data based on the activated music application; and

outputting an audio signal of the reproduced music content data,

wherein the certain gesture is one of a circular clockwise or counterclockwise arc, a square, a rectangle, and a substantially straight line.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

controlling the display unit to display a title of the reproduced music content data based on the activated music application.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

activating a photo application;

controlling the display unit to display thumbnails of a plurality of image content data based on the activated photo application;

scrolling the thumbnails in response to the certain gesture; and

controlling the display unit to display one image content data in response to a selection of one thumbnail.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

activating a photo application;

controlling the display unit to display thumbnails of a plurality of image content data based on the activated photo application;

controlling the display unit to display one image content data in response to a selection of a thumbnail; and

controlling the display unit to display next image content data of the displayed image content data in response to the certain gesture onto the displayed image content data.