In-vehicle display system

• US 8,849,510 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOTT, GENNA M
• Application Number:
  US13/708,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20130166146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 345/619, 345/156
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/111 for controlling multiple devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/113 Scrolling through menu items
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/145 Instrument input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/164 Infotainment
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/182 Distributing information between displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/782 on the steering wheel
• 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 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• 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 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An in-vehicle display system includes a steering switch disposed at a steering wheel, an in-vehicle display having a display screen, and a touch panel covering the display screen. When an operator operates the touch panel, the in-vehicle display is operable to display a touch panel menu including icons on the display screen. When the operator operates the steering switch while the touch panel menu is displayed on the display screen, the in-vehicle display is operable to replace the touch panel menu with a steering switch menu to display the steering switch menu on display screen. The steering switch menu includes the icons arranged differently than the touch panel menu. This in-vehicle display system is suitably used to operate both of the touch panel and the steering switch.

Claims

1. A controller for an in-vehicle display system including a touch panel display device and a steering switch coupled to the controller, and a plurality of in-vehicle control devices operatively controlled by the controller, the controller being configured to:

generate a top level touch panel menu to be displayed on the touch panel display device, the top level touch panel menu including a plurality of icons associated with the plurality of in-vehicle control devices;

generate a second level touch panel menu to be displayed on the touch panel display device in response to a selection of one of the plurality of icons via the touch panel display device;

generate a top level steering switch menu to be displayed on the touch panel display device, the top level steering switch menu display including a plurality of icons associated with the plurality of in-vehicle control devices, the plurality of icons arranged differently from those of the top level touch panel menu;

generate a second level steering switch menu to be displayed on the touch panel display device in response to a selection of one of the plurality of icons via the steering switch;

switch from the top level touch panel menu to the top level steering switch menu when the steering switch is operated to make a selection during display of the top level touch panel menu;

switch from the second level touch panel menu to the second level steering switch menu when the steering switch is operated to make a selection during display of the second level touch panel menu;

switch from the top level steering switch menu to the top level touch panel menu when the touch panel display device is operated to make a selection during the display of the top level steering switch menu; and

switch from the second level steering switch menu to the second level touch panel menu when the touch panel display device is operated to make a selection during the display of the second level steering switch menu.

2. The in-vehicle display system according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of icons are arranged in a matrix form in the touch panel menu, and

wherein the plurality of icons are arranged along an ellipse circumference in the steering switch menu.

3. The in-vehicle display system according to claim 1, wherein, when an operator touches the touch panel display device at a position of a certain icon out of the plurality of icons while the top level or second level steering switch menu is displayed, the certain icon is selected.

4. The in-vehicle display system according to claim 1,

wherein the top level touch panel menu and the second level touch panel menu are not displayed on the display screen touch panel display device simultaneously to each other;

and

wherein the top level steering switch menu and the second level steering switch menu are not displayed on the touch panel display device simultaneously to each other.

5. A controller for an in-vehicle display system including a touch panel display device and a steering switch coupled to the controller, and a plurality of in-vehicle control devices operatively controlled by the controller, the controller being configured to:

generate a top level touch panel menu to be displayed on the touch panel display device, the top level touch panel menu including a plurality of icons associated with the plurality of in-vehicle control devices;

generate a second level touch panel menu to be displayed on the touch panel display device in response to a selection of one of the plurality of icons via the touch panel display device;

generate a top level steering switch menu to be displayed on the touch panel display device, the top level steering switch menu display including a plurality of icons associated with the plurality of in-vehicle control devices, the plurality of icons arranged differently from those of the top level touch panel menu;

generate a second level steering switch menu to be displayed on the touch panel display device in response to a selection of one of the plurality of icons via the steering switch;

switch from the top level touch panel menu to the top level steering switch menu or the second level steering switch menu when the steering switch is operated to make a selection during display of the top level touch panel menu;

switch from the second level touch panel menu to the second level steering switch menu when the steering switch is operated to make a selection during display of the second level touch panel menu;

switch from the top level steering switch menu to the top level touch panel menu or the second level touch panel menu when the touch panel display device is operated to make a selection during the display of the top level steering switch menu; and

switch from the second level steering switch menu to the second level touch panel menu when the touch panel display device is operated to make a selection during the display of the second level steering switch menu.