Customizable and reconfigurable virtual instrument panel

• US 9,829,993 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2015
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Minds LLC
• Original Assignee: Applied Minds LLC
• Inventors: Ferren, Bran, Hillis, W. Daniel, Yates, Randall Adam, Lichtman, Ira M., Hope, Clinton Blake
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US14/841,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20150370343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 340462, 340158, 345173, 345156, 345168
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/145 Instrument input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/148 Instrument input by voice
• 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 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

The invention provides an instrument control panel that is easily customized and reconfigured, and yet provides the familiar tactile sensation of physical knobs, sliders, and buttons. The instrument control panel comprises one or more interface components that are removably coupled to an interface display wherein the interface components communicate with one or more control components disposed behind the interface display. The present invention lends itself particularly well to an instrument panel.

Claims

1. A control apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

an interface surface having a first side and a second side opposite the first side;

an encoder positioned on the second side of the interface surface, wherein the encoder is electronically coupled to an electronic application; and

an interface component that is removably coupled to the first side of the interface surface upon placement by a user, wherein the interface component is magnetically or inductively coupled to the encoder through the interface surface, and wherein at least a portion of the interface component is movable;

wherein the processor is configured to control a function of the electronic application in response to manipulation of the movable portion of the interface component.

2. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interface surface is further configured to display a status of an attribute.

3. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the encoder includes a plurality of encoders that are positioned on the second side of the interface surface, wherein the plurality of encoders define a plurality of positions at which the interface component can be placed.

4. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic application comprises any of an audiovisual application or a global positioning system application.

5. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interface surface includes a liquid crystal display (LCD).

6. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interface surface is disposed within a vehicle;

wherein the second side of the interface surface faces away from the user; and

wherein the processor is configured to

determine an association between the interface component and the electronic application in response to a placement of the interface component onto the interface surface, and

manipulate the electronic application upon movement of at least a portion of the interface component.

7. The control apparatus of claim 6, wherein the interface surface is disposed within any of a dashboard, an instrument panel, a headrest, or a console of the vehicle.

8. The control apparatus of claim 6, wherein the vehicle is any of an automobile, a boat, a train, and an airplane.

9. The control apparatus of claim 6, wherein the determining an association between the interface component and an electronic application comprises:

determining a location where the interface component was placed on the interface surface; and

determining the electronic application of the vehicle based on the determined location of the interface component.

10. The control apparatus of claim 6, wherein the determining an association between the interface component and the electronic application of the vehicle comprises:

receiving voice input associated with a placement of the interface component; and

interpreting the voice input to indicate the electronic application of the vehicle to be associated with the interface component.

11. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interface surface includes a display component that is configured to display information related to a function of the interface component.

12. A method of controlling a device, the method comprising:

removably coupling an interface component to a first side of an interface surface, wherein an encoder is positioned on a second side of the interface surface opposite the first side, wherein the encoder is electronically coupled to an electronic application, wherein the interface component is magnetically or inductively coupled to the encoder through the interface surface, and wherein the interface component includes a movable portion; and

with a processor,

sensing movement of at least a portion of the interface component; and

controlling a function of the electronic application in response to the moving of the movable portion of the interface component.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

with the processor, displaying a status of an attribute with the interface surface.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the encoder includes a plurality of encoders that are positioned on the second side of the interface surface, wherein the plurality of encoders define a plurality of positions at which the interface component can be placed.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic application comprises any of an audiovisual application or a global positioning system application.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the interface surface includes a liquid crystal display (LCD).

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the interface surface is disposed within a vehicle, wherein the second side of the interface surface faces away from the user, and wherein the method further comprises, with the processor:

determining an association between the interface component and the electronic application in response to a placement of the interface component onto the interface surface; and

manipulating the electronic application upon movement of at least a portion of the interface component.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the interface surface is disposed within any of a dashboard, an instrument panel, a headrest, or a console of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the vehicle is any of an automobile, a boat, a train, and an airplane.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining an association between the interface component and the electronic application comprises:

determining a location where the interface component was placed on the interface surface; and

determining the electronic application of the vehicle based on the determined location of the interface component.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining an association between the interface component and the electronic application of the vehicle comprises:

receiving voice input associated with a placement of the interface component; and

interpreting the voice input to indicate the electronic application of the vehicle to be associated with the interface component.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the interface component comprises a knob, and the moving of the movable portion of the interface component comprises a rotation of the knob.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the interface surface includes a display component, the method further comprising:

displaying information with the display component, wherein the displayed information is related to a function of the interface component.