Methods for controlling a navigation system

• US 9,140,572 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2008
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Millington, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Amy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, William
• Application Number:
  US12/030,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20080201662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,778 Days
• Field of Search: 715810-845, 715/773, 345/689
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: 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

Methods for inputting a destination in a navigation system by manually controlling an actuating device are provided. In an example method, at least the following menu items can be selected when the actuating device is actuated using a first motion type: a CHARACTER menu item provides a list of characters when selected, and a DIGIT menu item that provides a list of digits when selected. The first motion type may be used to actuate the actuating device to select one of the other non-selected menu items.

Claims

1. A method for inputting a destination in a navigation system that is controlled by moving an actuating device using a plurality of motion types, the plurality of motion types being provided by a single actuatable element of the actuating device, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of selectable menu items on a display;

a step of actuating the actuating device using a first motion type to select from the plurality of selectable menu items, the plurality of selectable menu items including;

a CHARACTER menu item that provides a list of characters when selected; and

a DIGIT menu item that provides a list of digits when selected;

where a first list of elements is the list of characters and a second list of elements is the list of digits and the first motion type includes moving the actuating device in different directions along a plane;

displaying the first list of elements when the CHARACTER menu item is selected and displaying the second list of elements when the DIGIT menu item is selected in the step of actuating using the first motion type;

a step of actuating the actuating device using a second motion type to select an element from a displayed list of elements corresponding to a selected menu item of the plurality of selectable menu items, the second motion type being different than the first motion type and the second motion type including a rotation of the actuating device;

displaying the selected element in a central part of the display and at least some elements that are not selected by the second motion type in an area around the selected element, at least some of the plurality of selectable menu items that are not selected by the actuating device using the first motion type being displayed radially outside the at least some elements that are not selected;

a step of actuating the actuating device using a third motion type to confirm the selected element made by actuating the actuating device using the second motion type, the third motion type being different than the first motion type and the second motion type, the third motion type including moving the actuating device in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane in which the actuating device is moved using the first motion type, and the first motion type, the second motion type, and the third motion type being provided by a single actuatable element of the actuating device;

selecting another menu item by moving the actuating device using the first motion type in a direction corresponding with a displayed direction to the another menu item on the display;

repeating the step of actuating the actuating device using the first motion type, the step of actuating the actuating device using the second motion type, and the step of actuating the actuating device using the third motion type to add selected elements to an input; and

confirming input of the selected elements as entered text to indicate the inputted destination.

2. The method of claim 1 where the plurality of selectable menu items further includes:

a RECENT menu item that provides a third list of previously entered text when selected; and

a MORE menu item that provides a fourth list of additional characters not contained in the CHARACTER menu item when selected; and

the method further comprising displaying the third list of previously entered text when the RECENT menu item is selected and the fourth list of additional characters when the MORE menu item is selected in the step of actuating using the first motion type.

3. The method of claim 1 where the plurality of selectable menu items further includes a DONE menu item, the method further comprising:

actuating the actuating device using the first motion type to select the DONE menu item; and

confirming input of the entered text as indication of the inputted destination upon selection of the DONE menu item.

4. The method of claim 1 where the step of actuating the actuating device using the first motion type includes moving the actuating device in four different directions to select from four other non-selected menu items.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

confirming selection of one of the plurality of selectable menu items by actuating the actuating device using the third motion type.

6. The method of claim 2 where, when the MORE menu item is selected using the first motion type, the plurality of selectable menu items for actuating the actuating device using the first motion type includes:

a NEXT menu item containing a list of additional characters;

the CHARACTER menu item; and

the DONE menu item; and

where the method further includes using the first motion type to actuate the actuating device to select one of the other of the plurality of selectable menu items when the MORE menu item has been selected.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a starting element of a list of elements corresponding to a selected menu item of the plurality of selectable menu items in the central part of the display; and

displaying other elements in the list of elements corresponding to the selected menu item in an area of the display around the central part.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

displaying a plurality of selectable menu items not selected by actuating the actuating device using the first motion type radially outside the other elements in the list of elements corresponding to the selected menu item that are displayed around the element displayed in the central part.

9. A navigation system comprising:

an actuating device for manually inputting a destination, the actuating device configured to actuate using a plurality of motion types including a first motion type, a second motion type, and a third motion type, the first motion type being different from the second motion type and the third motion type being different from the first motion type and the second motion type, and the plurality of motion types being provided by a single actuatable element of the actuating device;

a display hardware including a display configured to display a plurality of menu items selectable by actuating the actuating device using the first motion type, the plurality of menu items including;

a CHARACTER menu item that provides a first list of elements when selected; and

a DIGIT menu item that provides a second list of elements when selected,

where the first list of elements includes characters and the second list of elements includes digits and the first motion type includes moving the actuating device in different directions along a plane;

where the display is configured to display the first list of elements when the CHARACTER menu item is selected and the second list of elements when the DIGIT menu item is selected, and

the actuating device is configured to select, by using the second motion type, a given element in a displayed list of elements corresponding to a menu item of the plurality of menu items that is selected when the actuating device is actuated using the first motion type, the second motion type including a rotation of the actuating device; and

a processor comprising a display control unit configured to control the display, the display control unit configured to display the given element of the displayed list of elements in a central part of the display and at least some elements that are not selected by the second motion type in an area around the given element, at least some of the plurality of menu items that are not selected by the actuating device using the first motion type being displayed radially outside the at least some elements that are not selected;

where the actuating device is configured to confirm, by using the third motion type, the selected given element made by actuating the actuating device using the second motion type, the third motion type including moving the actuating device in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane in which the actuating device is moved using the first motion type;

where the actuating device is further configured to select another menu item from among the plurality of menu items that were not selected in response to actuation of the actuating device using the first motion type in response to movement in a direction corresponding with a displayed direction on the display toward the another menu item; and

where the actuating device is configured to confirm input of selected elements as entered text to indicate the inputted destination.

10. The navigation system of claim 9 where the actuating device is a four-way actuating device configured to be moved in four different directions in a plane.

11. The navigation system of claim 9 where the actuating device is configured to be rotated clockwise and counter-clockwise.

12. The navigation system of claim 9 where the display is adapted to display a second set of selectable menu items including:

a NEXT menu item that displays a list of additional characters when selected;

a RECENT menu item that displays a list of previously entered text when selected;

a MORE menu item that displays a list of additional characters not contained in the CHARACTER menu item when selected; and

a DONE menu item that confirms input of the entered text to indicate the inputted destination when selected.