In-vehicle display system

• US 8,677,261 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2010
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Ono, Takatsugu, Kamikawa, Noriyuki, Kubo, Tatsuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdul-Ali, Omar
• Assistant Examiner(s): BHARGAVA, ANIL K
• Application Number:
  US12/949,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20110131519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 715/771, 701/400, 701/36
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/126 Rotatable input devices for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/135 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/11 Graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/126 Rotatable input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/135 Joysticks
• 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: B60K 37/06 of controls, e.g. controls knobs
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233
• 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 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

An in-vehicle display system is installed in a vehicle for displaying information to a user. The system includes a display unit that displays information; an operation unit that is located separately from the display unit and that allows a user to perform user operations including a directional operation and a turning operation; and a receiver that receives user instructions for making entry of plural characters that can be displayed on the display unit, based on displayed content displayed on the display unit and the user operations made with the operation unit. The receiver receives: (i) a first one of the directional operation and the turning operation as the user instruction in order to select a group from amongst a plurality of groups displayed on the display unit each of the plurality of groups representing a plurality of characters which are candidates for entry, and (ii) a second one of the directional operation and the turning operation as the user instruction in order to select a character from amongst the plural characters included in the group that is selected by the first one of the directional operation and the turning operation.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle display system for installation in a vehicle, the system comprising:

a display unit that displays information;

an operation unit that is located separately from the display unit and that allows a user to perform user operations including a directional operation and a turning operation; and

a receiver that receives user instructions for making entry of plural characters that can be displayed on the display unit, based on displayed content displayed on the display unit and the user operations made with the operation unit,

the receiver receiving;

(i) the directional operation as the user instruction in order to select a group from amongst a plurality of groups displayed on the display unit each of the plurality of groups representing a plurality of characters which are candidates for entry, and

(ii) the turning operation as the user instruction in order to select a character from amongst the plural characters included in the group that is selected by the directional operation,

the display unit displaying;

the plurality of groups in a two-dimensional array; and

at least some of the plurality of characters included in the group selected by the directional operation, the at least some of the plurality of characters being in a circular pattern centered on a position of the group selected by the directional operation.

2. The in-vehicle display system of claim 1, wherein

the display unit displays at least some of the plural characters included in the group that is selected, and does not display at least some of the plural characters included in the groups that are not selected from amongst the plurality of groups.

3. The in-vehicle display system of claim 1, wherein

the operation unit includes one controller member by which the user performs both of the turning operation and the directional operation.

4. The in-vehicle display system of claim 3, wherein

the receiver receives the user instruction given by the turning operation in preference to the user instruction given by the directional operation.

5. The in-vehicle display system of claim 1, wherein

the plural characters include Japanese characters.

6. The in-vehicle display system of claim 4, wherein:

the receiver waits a predetermined time period after receipt of the turning operation before accepting the directional operation.

7. The in-vehicle display system of claim 6, wherein:

the predetermined time period is between about 0.3 seconds and about 1.0 seconds.

8. The in-vehicle display system of claim 1, wherein:

the display unit displays the plurality of groups as selectable items without displaying all of the plurality of characters which are candidates for entry.

9. The in-vehicle display system of claim 1, wherein:

before the directional operation is received, the display unit displays the plurality of groups as selectable items, and

after the directional operation is received, the display unit continues to display the plurality of groups as selectable items, while displaying the plural characters included in the group selected by the directional.