Method and apparatus for providing a user interface, particularly in a vehicle
First Claim
1. A method for providing a user interface in a vehicle in which a structured volume of data is stored which relates to the scope of functions of at least one function the method comprising:
- predetermining at least two hierarchically related subsets of the structured volume of data, wherein a hierarchically higher subset of the structured volume of data comprises a hierarchically lower subset of the structured volume of data entirely;
predetermining at least two hierarchically related modes of operation, which each produce and at least partially display a user menu with controllable graphic objects based on a predetermined subset of the structured volume of data, wherein a hierarchically higher mode of operation is based on the hierarchically higher subset of the structured volume of data;
capturing a control command; and
selecting a mode of operation based on the captured control command,wherein the subsets of the structured volume of data are predetermined such that further menu items from the same menu level are produced and displayed in the hierarchically higher mode of operation in comparison with a hierarchically lower mode of operation;
wherein, when the user interface is switched on via the ignition, the control command is produced automatically in response thereto and, independent of user input, a most recently used mode of operation is selected.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for providing a user interface, particularly in a vehicle, in which a structured volume of data is stored which relates to the scope of functions of at least one function. At least two hierarchically related modes of operation are predetermined which each produce and each at least partially display a user menu with controllable graphic objects on the basis of a predetermined subset of the structured volume of data, wherein a hierarchically higher mode of operation is based on a hierarchically higher subset of the structured volume of data.
41 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for providing a user interface in a vehicle in which a structured volume of data is stored which relates to the scope of functions of at least one function the method comprising:
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predetermining at least two hierarchically related subsets of the structured volume of data, wherein a hierarchically higher subset of the structured volume of data comprises a hierarchically lower subset of the structured volume of data entirely; predetermining at least two hierarchically related modes of operation, which each produce and at least partially display a user menu with controllable graphic objects based on a predetermined subset of the structured volume of data, wherein a hierarchically higher mode of operation is based on the hierarchically higher subset of the structured volume of data; capturing a control command; and selecting a mode of operation based on the captured control command, wherein the subsets of the structured volume of data are predetermined such that further menu items from the same menu level are produced and displayed in the hierarchically higher mode of operation in comparison with a hierarchically lower mode of operation; wherein, when the user interface is switched on via the ignition, the control command is produced automatically in response thereto and, independent of user input, a most recently used mode of operation is selected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for providing a user interface in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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a memory unit that stores a structured volume of data which relate to the scope of functions of at least one function; a display panel that presents graphical objects from a user menu; and a control apparatus connected to the memory unit and to the display panel and which captures a control command, wherein the structured volume of data is stored in at least two hierarchically related subsets in the memory unit, wherein a hierarchically higher subset of the structured volume of data comprises a hierarchically lower subset of the structured volume of data entirely, wherein the user interface is operated using the control apparatus in at least two hierarchically related modes of operation, which each produce and at least partially display on the display panel controllable graphical objects from the user menu based on a stored subset of the structured volume of data, wherein a hierarchically higher mode of operation is based on the hierarchically higher subset of the structured volume of data, and wherein the control apparatus selects a mode of operation based on a captured control command, wherein the subsets of the structured volume of data are predetermined such that further menu items from the same menu level are produced and displayed in the hierarchically higher mode of operation in comparison with a hierarchically lower mode of operation; and wherein the control apparatus is configured to capture a scrolling command to scroll between the hierarchical higher and lower modes of operation, wherein event data for changing between two modes of operation are captured, the event data are evaluated and the user menu of at least one hierarchic mode of operation is automatically reconfigured by altering the associated subset of the structured volumes of data based on the event data, the event data comprises the speed of the vehicle, the operating state of the alternator, or the operating state of the screen wiper. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification