System and method for selective cancellation of navigation lockout

• US 8,700,318 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2010
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tan, Adrian K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilder, Hunter
• Application Number:
  US12/720,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20110224897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/432, 455/456.4
• US Class Current: 701/432
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a navigation system for a vehicle. The navigation system includes a user interface configured to receive input from and output information to a user, and a controller configured to perform a plurality of functions based on the user input, the controller further configured to disable performance of at least one of the plurality of functions based on a vehicle condition and provide a warning to the user indicating that performance of the plurality of functions is to be performed by a passenger other than a driver, wherein the controller enables performance of the at least one of the plurality of functions upon receiving input signifying that the user is a passenger other than the driver.

Claims

1. A navigation system for a vehicle, comprising:

a user interface having a primary input device configured to receive input from a user and a display device configured to output information to the user;

an additional user input device including at least one steering wheel input device configured to receive input from a driver of the vehicle; and

a controller configured to perform a plurality of functions in response to the input from one or both of the user interface and the additional user input device and to provide information for display at the display device of the user interface, the controller further configured to disable performance of at least one of the plurality of functions based on a vehicle condition and output, for display, a first warning message to the user which spans substantially the entirety of the display device to obstruct access to a user interface screen, indicates that performance of the plurality of functions is to be performed by a passenger other than the driver, and requests for an identifying input from the user to signify the user is a passenger other than the driver;

wherein the controller enables performance of the at least one of the plurality of functions in response to receiving the identifying input from the user interface signifying that the user is a passenger other than the driver while disabling the additional user input device and outputs, for display, a second warning message which spans a first portion of the display device with a user interface screen positioned on a second portion of the display device that is unobstructed from the second warning message.

2. The navigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

an occupant detection sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of the presence of an occupant in a passenger seat, wherein the controller enables performance of the at least one of the plurality of functions in response to receiving the identifying input from the user interface while continuing to disable the additional user input device if the signal is indicative of the presence of the passenger in the passenger seat and the identifying input signifies that the user is a passenger other than the driver regardless of the vehicle condition.

3. The navigation system of claim 2, wherein the passenger seat is a front passenger seat.

4. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle condition is at least one of vehicle speed and transmission position.

5. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the controller disables performance of the plurality of functions if the identifying input signifying that the user is a passenger other than the driver is not received.

6. A vehicle, comprising:

a driver seat;

a passenger seat;

an occupant detection sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of the presence of an occupant in the passenger seat; and

a navigation system including a user interface having a primary input device configured to receive input from a user and a display device configured to output information to the user, an additional user input device including at least one steering wheel input device configured to receive input from a driver of the vehicle, a controller configured to perform a plurality of functions in response to the input from the primary input device or the additional user input device, the controller further configured to disable performance of at least one of the plurality of functions based on a vehicle condition and output, for display, a first warning message to the user which spans substantially the entirety of the display device to obstruct access to a user interface screen, indicates that performance of the at least one of the plurality of functions is to be performed by a passenger other than the driver, and requests for an identifying input from the user to indicate that the user is a passenger other than the driver;

wherein the controller allows performance of the at least one of the plurality of functions if the signal is indicative of the presence of the passenger in the passenger seat in response to receiving the identifying input from the user interface signifying that the user is a passenger other than the driver while disabling the additional user input device and outputs, for display, a second warning message which spans a first portion of the display device with a user interface screen positioned on a second portion of the display device that is unobstructed from the second warning message.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the vehicle condition is at least one of vehicle speed and transmission position.

8. A method of controlling a navigation device in a vehicle, comprising:

detecting a vehicle condition;

selectively enabling and disabling at least one of a plurality of functions of the navigation device based on the vehicle condition;

displaying a first warning to a user, the first warning spanning substantially the entirety of a display device to obstruct access to a user interface screen, indicating that performance of the at least one of the plurality of functions is to be performed by a passenger other than a driver, and requesting an identifying input signifying that the user is a passenger other than the driver; and

enabling use of the at least one of the plurality of functions in response to receiving the identifying input from a user interface having a primary input device configured to receive input from the user, the identifying input signifying that the user is a passenger other than the driver while disabling an additional user input device including at least one steering wheel input device and configured to receive input from the driver of the vehicle and displaying a second warning message which spans a first portion of the display device simultaneously with a user interface screen across a second portion of the display device that is unobstructed from the second warning message.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting the presence of the passenger; and

enabling use of the at least one of the plurality of functions in response to the presence of the passenger and receiving the identifying input signifying that the user is a passenger other than the driver regardless of the vehicle condition while continuing to disable the additional user input device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the vehicle condition is at least one of vehicle speed and transmission position.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

disabling use of the at least one of the plurality of functions if the identifying input signifying that the user is a passenger other than the driver is not received.