Method and device for providing a user interface, in particular in a vehicle

• US 9,442,619 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2012
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Geyer, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): Troost, Aaron L
• Application Number:
  US14/000,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20140025263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,681 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 701/49
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/141 Activation of instrument input devices by approaching fingers or pens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/11 Graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/141 Activation by approaching fingers or pens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/146 Input by gesture
• 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: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method and device for providing a user interface includes an operator unit having multiple operator positions, in particular in a vehicle. In the method, a manual operator action for the operator unit, executed by a control element, is detected, and during the manual operator action an acceleration of at least one reference system associated with the control element or the operator unit is detected. Through the manual operator action, an input for a certain operating position is detected, the detected acceleration is used to calculate a correction for the detected operator position, and a control signal associated with the corrected operator position is generated.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user interface in a vehicle having an operator unit which encompasses multiple operator positions, the method comprising:

detecting a manual operator action for the operator unit executed by a control element, wherein an approach trajectory of the control element toward the operator unit is detected during the manual operator action;

detecting an acceleration event of at least one reference system associated with the control element or the operator unit during the manual operator action;

detecting an input event at an input location corresponding to a particular operator position selected by the manual operator action executed by the control element;

calculating a corrected input location corresponding to an intended operator position based on the detected approach trajectory and the detected acceleration event, wherein the calculation of the corrected input location includes one of (i) taking into consideration an oscillation and damping behavior of the at least one reference system subjected to the detected acceleration event and, and (ii) in the case the input event is detected while the detected acceleration is ongoing, extrapolating a portion of the detected approach trajectory occurring prior to the detected acceleration event; and

generating a control signal associated with the corrected input location corresponding to the intended operator position.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the corrected input location corresponding to the intended operator position is calculated by taking into consideration the oscillation and damping behavior of the at least one reference system subjected to the detected acceleration event.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the input event is detected while the detected acceleration is ongoing, and wherein the corrected input location is calculate by extrapolating a portion of the detected approach trajectory occurring prior to the detected acceleration event.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein an average approach speed of the control element toward the operating unit is detected and considered in calculating the corrected input location.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the input for the particular operator position takes place by touching the operator unit.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the input for the particular operator position is implemented in contactless manner.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the operator positions are displayed on a display panel in context-specific manner.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the operator positions are displayed corrected according to the detected acceleration.

9. A device for providing a user interface in a vehicle, comprising:

an operator unit adapted to detect an input event, the operator unit having a plurality of operator positions;

an approach-detection device adapted to detect a manual operator action for the operator unit manually implemented by a control element, wherein an approach trajectory of the control element toward the operator unit is detected during the manual operator action;

at least one acceleration sensor adapted to detect an acceleration event of at least one reference system associated with the control element or the operator unit during the manual operator action; and

a control unit, which is coupled to the operator unit, the approach-detection device, and the at least one acceleration sensor, and which is adapted, when an input event at an input location corresponding to a particular operator position is detected, to calculate a corrected input location corresponding to an intended operator position based on the detected approach trajectory and the detected acceleration event, wherein the calculation of the corrected input location includes one of (i) taking into consideration an oscillation and damping behavior of the at least one reference system subjected to the detected acceleration event and, and (ii) in the case the input event is detected while the detected acceleration is ongoing, extrapolating a portion of the detected approach trajectory occurring prior to the detected acceleration event, and to generate a control signal associated with the corrected input location corresponding to the intended operator position.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the corrected input location corresponding to the intended operator position is calculated by taking into consideration the oscillation and damping behavior of the at least one reference system subjected to the detected acceleration event.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the input event is detected while the detected acceleration is ongoing, and wherein the corrected input location is calculate by extrapolating a portion of the detected approach trajectory occurring prior to the detected acceleration event.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein an average approach speed of the control element toward the operating unit is detected and considered in calculating the corrected input location.

13. The device according to claim 9, wherein the operator unit is adapted to implement the input for the particular operator position by touching the operator unit.

14. The device according to claim 9, wherein the operator unit is adapted to implement the input for the particular operator position in contactless manner.

15. The device according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is adapted to display the operator positions on a display panel in context-specific manner.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the control unit is adapted to display the operator positions corrected according to the detected acceleration.

17. A vehicle, comprising:

a device for providing a user interface in the vehicle, comprising;

an operator unit adapted to detect an input event, the operator unit having a plurality of operator positions;

an approach-detection device adapted to detect a manual operator action for the operator unit manually implemented by a control element, wherein an approach trajectory of the control element toward the operator unit is detected during the manual operator action;

at least one acceleration sensor adapted to detect an acceleration event of at least one reference system associated with the control element or the operator unit during the manual operator action; and

a control unit, which is coupled to the operator unit, the approach-detection device, and the at least one acceleration sensor, and which is adapted, when an input event at an input location corresponding to a particular operator position is detected, to calculate a corrected input location corresponding to an intended operator position based on the detected approach trajectory and the detected acceleration event, wherein the calculation of the corrected input location includes one of (i) taking into consideration an oscillation and damping behavior of the at least one reference system subjected to the detected acceleration event and, and (ii) in the case the input event is detected while the detected acceleration is ongoing, extrapolating a portion of the detected approach trajectory occurring prior to the detected acceleration event, and to generate a control signal associated with the corrected input location corresponding to the intended operator position.