Display and operating device

• US 9,575,627 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2006
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Kuenzner, Hermann
• Primary Examiner(s): Tan, Alvin
• Application Number:
  US11/526,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20070016370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,802 Days
• Field of Search: 715/788, 715/821, 715/843, 715/822, 345/184, 701/36
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• 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: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

In a display and operating device for the functions of a menu, which includes multiple functions, in a vehicle having a screen display and input device for preselection of a function by dialing a respective screen symbol, all the functions of the menu may be displayed simultaneously on the screen display and may be preselected individually in a visually discernible manner by the input device. The preselected functions are jointly activatable in response to a switch command.

Claims

1. A display and operating device in a vehicle, comprising:

a display screen on which a menu comprising multiple functions is displayable;

an input device for preselection of a function of the menu by selecting a respective screen symbol for the function;

wherein all functions of the menu are displayable simultaneously on the display screen; and

wherein a plurality of preselected functions are simultaneously displayed on the display screen and, subsequently, are jointly activated in response to a switch command received after the plurality of preselected functions are displayed on the display screen.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of simultaneously displayed functions are preselectable individually by the input device.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the input device is a push button-rotary switch, a rotary movement of which highlights the screen symbols one by one;

wherein a highlighted screen symbol is selectable by a pushing motion of the push button-rotary switch.

4. The device according to claim 3, further comprising a switch allocated individually to menus displayable on the display screen, wherein when the switch is operated, at least one of the following occurs:

the functions of the menu are displayed simultaneously on the display screen, the selected functions of the menu are activated, and activated functions of the menu are deactivated.

5. The device according to claim 2, further comprising a switch allocated individually to menus displayable on the display screen, wherein when the switch is operated, at least one of the following occurs:

the functions of the menu are displayed simultaneously on the display screen, the selected functions of the menu are activated, and activated functions of the menu are deactivated.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of simultaneously displayed functions are identical to those functions activated in an immediately prior operating phase of the menu.

7. The device according to claim 6, further comprising a switch allocated individually to menus displayable on the display screen, wherein when the switch is operated, at least one of the following occurs:

the functions of the menu are displayed simultaneously on the display screen, the selected functions of the menu are activated, and activated functions of the menu are deactivated.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of simultaneously displayed functions are preselected automatically based on at least one of a particular operating state and particular operating conditions of the vehicle.

9. The device according to claim 8, further comprising a switch allocated individually to menus displayable on the display screen, wherein when the switch is operated, at least one of the following occurs:

the functions of the menu are displayed simultaneously on the display screen, the selected functions of the menu are activated, and activated functions of the menu are deactivated.

10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a switch allocated individually to menus displayable on the display screen, wherein when the switch is operated, at least one of the following occurs:

the functions of the menu are displayed simultaneously on the display screen, the selected functions of the menu are activated, and activated functions of the menu are deactivated.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein a visual emphasis of activated functions on the display screen is associated with activation of the preselected functions.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the visual emphasis occurs after an input of the switch command for a predetermined time.

13. A method of operating functions in a vehicle having a display screen, the method comprising the acts of:

displaying all functions of a particular menu simultaneously on the display screen;

preselecting a plurality of the functions on the display screen using an input device; and

jointly activating the preselected plurality of the functions in response to a switch command that is received after the displaying and preselecting acts have been performed.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the act of preselecting the plurality of the functions further comprises the act of preselecting each of the plurality of functions individually by use of the input device.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the input device is a push button-rotary switch, and further comprising the act of rotating the push button-rotary switch to cause a highlighting of a symbol representing the functions of the menu on the display screen one-by-one, wherein a respectively highlighted symbol is selectable by a pushing movement of the push button-rotary switch.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein upon displaying all functions of the particular menu, automatically identifying the plurality of the functions corresponding to a prior plurality of functions activated in a prior operating phase of the particular menu.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein upon displaying all functions of the particular menu, automatically preselecting the plurality of the functions based on at least one of a particular operating state and particular operating conditions of the vehicle.

18. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the act of

jointly deactivating the activated functions in response to another switch command.