I/O device for a vehicle and method for interacting with an I/O device

• US 9,604,542 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2011
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2011
• 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: Michaelis, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Levy, Amy M
• Application Number:
  US13/090,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20120272193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,169 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/184 Displaying the same information on different displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/184 Displaying the same information on different displays
• 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 35/29 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: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An I/O device for a vehicle includes at least one touch-sensitive I/O display unit DT, at least one output display unit DI and a control unit CU connecting the I/O display unit DT and the output display unit DI with an information exchange unit IEU. The touch-sensitive I/O display unit DT is located in a readily reachable position for a driver and the output display unit DI is located in a readily discernible position for a driver, and the control unit CU communicates output data DD-I/O related to an interactive I/O communication to the I/O display unit DT, receives touchscreen input data TI from the I/O display unit DT and communicates output data DD-O to the output display unit DI in relation with the input data TI. An I/O method using the above mentioned I/O device for a vehicle is also provided.

Claims

1. An Input/Output (I/O) device for a vehicle comprising

at least one touch-sensitive I/O display unit comprising a first display unit,

at least one output display unit comprising a second display unit, and

a control unit connecting the I/O display unit and the output display unit with an information exchange unit,

wherein the touch-sensitive I/O display unit is located in a readily reachable position for a user and the output display unit is located in a readily discernible position for the user, and the control unit is configured to communicate output data related to an interactive I/O communication to the I/O display unit, receive input data from the I/O display unit and communicate output data to the output display unit in relation with the input data,

wherein both the first and second display units can selectively display information that is not displayed on the other one of the first and second display units or information that is the same as information displayed on the other one of the first and second display units, and the touch-sensitive I/O display, the output display unit, the control unit, and the information exchange unit are configured so that information displayed on the output display can only be accessed or manipulated by a first kind of contact gesture from the user on the touch-sensitive area of the touch-sensitive I/O display unit, and information displayed on the touch-sensitive I/O display unit can only be accessed or manipulated by using a second kind of contact gesture different from the first kind of contact gesture on the touch-sensitive area of the touch-sensitive I/O display unit, and wherein the first type of contact gesture for accessing or manipulating data displayed on the output display is a multi-point-of-contact gesture from the user on the touch-sensitive area of the touch-sensitive I/O display unit, and the second type of contact gesture for accessing or manipulating data displayed on the touch-sensitive I/O display unit is a single-point-of contact gesture on the touch-sensitive area of the touch-sensitive I/O display unit.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive I/O display unit comprises a further touch-sensitive area covering a subpart and/or extending beyond the display area of the display unit.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive I/O display unit is arranged in the center console and/or in the steering wheel of the vehicle.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the output display unit is arranged in at least one of the dashboard, instrument board, a rear-view mirror, a steering wheel of the vehicle.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the output display unit comprises at least one touch-sensitive subarea for inputting data.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the output display unit is a head-up display.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive I/O display, the output display unit, the control unit, and the information exchange unit are configured to permit a user to duplicate information on one of the first and second display units on the other of the first and second display units.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive I/O display, the output display unit, the control unit, and the information exchange unit are configured to permit a user to spread representation of information over the first and second display units.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive I/O display, the output display unit, the control unit, and the information exchange unit are configured to permit a user to display information on the output display unit and on the touch-sensitive I/O display and to manipulate the information on the output display unit by an input through the touch-sensitive I/O display unit.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive I/O display, the output display unit, the control unit, and the information exchange unit are configured to permit a user to display information on the output display unit and on the touch-sensitive I/O display and to trigger a process relating to the information on the output display unit by an input through the touch-sensitive I/O display unit.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive I/O display, the output display unit, the control unit, and the information exchange unit are configured to permit a user to select a control element displayed on the touch-sensitive I/O display by an input through the touch-sensitive I/O display unit so that information relating to the control element is displayed on the output display unit.

12. A method for interacting with an Input/Output (I/O) device for a vehicle comprising at least one touch-sensitive I/O display unit comprising a first display unit, at least one output display unit comprising a second display unit, and a control unit connecting the I/O display unit and the output display unit with an information exchange unit, wherein the touch-sensitive I/O display unit is located in a readily reachable position for a user and the output display unit is located in a readily discernible position for the user, and the control unit is configured to communicate output data related to an interactive I/O communication to the I/O display unit, receive input data from the I/O display unit and communicate output data to the output display unit in relation with the input data, wherein both the first and second display units can selectively display information that is not displayed on the other one of the first and second display units or information that is the same as information displayed on the other one of the first and second display units, and the touch-sensitive I/O display, the output display unit, the control unit, and the information exchange unit are configured so that information displayed on the output display can only be accessed or manipulated by a first kind of contact gesture from the user on the touch-sensitive area of the touch-sensitive I/O display unit, and information displayed on the touch-sensitive I/O display unit can only be accessed or manipulated by using a second kind of contact gesture different from the first kind of contact gesture on the touch-sensitive area of the touch-sensitive I/O display unit, the method comprising:

displaying, with the touch-sensitive I/O display unit, information in a form of at least one of textual and graphical control elements,

selecting at least one of the control elements by the second kind of contact gesture from the user on the touch-sensitive area of the touch-sensitive I/O display unit,

displaying information via the output display unit in response to the selected control element,

accessing or manipulating information displayed on the output display only by the first kind of contact gesture from the user on the touch-sensitive area of the touch-sensitive I/O display unit, the first type of contact gesture being different from the second type of contact gesture, and

accessing or manipulating data displayed on the touch-sensitive I/O display unit by using the second kind of contact gesture on the touch-sensitive area of the touch-sensitive I/O display unit,

wherein the first type of contact gesture for accessing or manipulating data displayed on the output display is a multi-point-of-contact gesture from the user on the touch-sensitive area of the touch-sensitive I/O display unit, and the second type of contact gesture for accessing or manipulating data displayed on the touch-sensitive I/O display unit is a single-point-of contact gesture on the touch-sensitive area of the touch-sensitive I/O display unit.

13. The method according to claim 12, comprising displaying, with the touch-sensitive I/O display unit, selectable graphical and/or textual elements that are also displayed on the output display unit.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first type of contact gesture for selecting at least one of the control elements comprises one or more of

tapping two or more fingers concurrently within an area pertaining to the at least one of the elements,

moving two or more fingers concurrently within the area pertaining to the at least one of the elements for initiating a panning action related to the at least one of the elements,

horizontally and/or vertically moving two or more fingers concurrently within the area pertaining to the at least one of the elements for initiating a scrolling action related to the at least one of the elements, and

moving two fingers apart or together for initiating a zoom-in or a zoom-out action related to the at least one of the elements.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the second kind of contact gesture comprises a set of types of gestures relating to selecting control elements displayed on the touch-sensitive I/O display unit and the first kind of contact gesture comprises a different set of types of gestures relating to selecting at least one of graphical and textual elements displayed on the output display unit.

16. The method according to claim 12, comprising graphically displaying a type of gesture for selecting at least one of a graphical and a textual element or using a function related to the element as a visual aid on the output display unit when a user touches the element on the touch-sensitive I/O display unit.

17. The method according to claim 12, comprising displaying an active region of the touch-sensitive area on the touch-sensitive I/O display unit.

18. The method according to claim 12, comprising duplicating information on one of the first and second display units on the other of the first and second display units by an input through the touch-sensitive I/O display.

19. The method according to claim 12, comprising spreading representation of information over the first and second display units by an input through the touch-sensitive I/O display.

20. The method according to claim 12, comprising displaying information on the output display unit and on the touch-sensitive I/O display and manipulating the information on the output display unit by an input through the touch-sensitive I/O display unit.

21. The method according to claim 12, comprising displaying information on the output display unit and on the touch-sensitive I/O display and triggering a process relating to the information on the output display unit by an input through the touch-sensitive I/O display unit.

22. The method according to claim 12, comprising selecting a control element displayed on the touch-sensitive I/O display by an input through the touch-sensitive I/O display unit and, in response to the selection of the control element, displaying information relating to the control element on the output display unit.