Information playback system and method for information playback

• US 9,878,618 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2013
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Ktter, Nils, Wild, Holger, Wengelnik, Heino, Althoff, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Tzeng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US14/442,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20160288643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 345173
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/122 Instrument input devices with reconfigurable control functions, e.g. reconfigurable menus
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1468 Touch gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/344 for additionally illuminating mechanical elements, e.g. pointers or control knobs
• 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 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An information playback system in a vehicle having a processor designed to generate a video or control signal and provide this signal to a display device so that the video or control signal causes a playback of at least two different contents in two adjoining subsurfaces of a display surface in a display device. The processor generates the video or control signal so that a boundary between the two subsurfaces can be shifted based on a selection detected by the display unit, or based on an approach detected by a display unit, or based on a predefined movement detected by an input device, resulting in modification of the ratio of the surface portions of the two subsurfaces on the display surface of the display device.

Claims

1. An information playback system in a vehicle having a processor which generates a video or control signal and delivers the signal to a display device so that a playback of at least two different content elements in two adjacent sub-areas of a display area of the display device is initiated by the video or control signal,

wherein the processor of the information playback system in the vehicle generates the video or control signal so that a boundary between the two sub-areas is movable so as to effect division of the two sub-areas:

based on a selection of a display division touch button detected by the display device and caused by a touch of a user in one of the two sub-areas, or

based on an approach of user, detected by an input device, to one of the two sub-areas,

so that a ratio of area proportions of the two sub-areas on the display area of the display device changes,

wherein the at least two different content elements comprise at least two of entertainment information, vehicle condition information, communication information, or navigation data, and

wherein the display division touch button switches to an enlarged representation of the display division touch button in response to the approach of user detected by the input device.

2. The information playback system of claim 1, wherein the display device is a touch-sensitive screen and the boundary between the two sub-areas is moved on the basis of an actuation, detected by the touch-sensitive screen and caused by a touch of a user, of the display division touch button which is disposed in one of the two sub-areas.

3. The information playback system of claim 2, wherein the processor generates the video or control signal so that the display division touch button has an arrow-like shape or an arrow-like graphic which indicates a direction in which the boundary moves when the display division touch button is touched.

4. The information playback system of claim 1, wherein an input device is a spatial-resolution proximity sensor which detects an approach of a user and identify which of the two sub-areas the user is approaching.

5. The information playback system of claim 4, wherein the processor, in the event of a detected approach to a first, smaller sub-area of the two sub-areas, generates the video or control signal so that the first sub-area is as large as or larger than the second of the two sub-areas after the boundary has been moved.

6. The information playback system of claim 4, wherein the display device is a touch-sensitive screen and the processor, in the event of a detected approach to a first, larger sub-area of the two sub-areas, generates the video or control signal such that, following a detected approach, at least one actuatable touch button disposed in the first sub-area is shown as larger or is highlighted.

7. The information playback system of claim 4, wherein the display device is a touch-sensitive screen and the processor, in the event of a detected approach to a first, larger sub-area of the two sub-areas, generates the video or control signal such that, following a detected approach in the first sub-area, a hold button appears as an actuatable touch button, wherein, through actuation of the hold button by the user, the ratio of the area portions of the sub-areas is initially kept constant.

8. The information playback system of claim 4, wherein, in the event of a detected approach to one of the two sub-areas, the processor generates the video or control signal such that, following a detected approach in the one sub-area, a menu appears for selection of a content element to be played back in the one sub-area.

9. The information playback system of claim 1, wherein an input device is a touch-sensitive screen which detects a predefined movement on its surface, or an input device is a camera system which detects the predefined movement through an evaluation of a gesture of the user, wherein the processor generates the video or control signal so that the boundary is moved in a direction of the movement.

10. The information playback system of claim 9, wherein the input device detects a predefined movement of the user in a direction parallel to the boundary between the two sub-areas, wherein the processor generates the video or control signal, following detection of a movement running parallel to the boundary such that a content element selected on the basis of the detected movement and differing from the content played back before the detection of the movement is played back in one of the two sub-areas.

11. The information playback system of claim 1, wherein the processor generates the video or control signal so that the boundary is moved only at predefined places only.

12. The information playback system of claim 1, wherein the boundary between the two sub-areas runs essentially vertically between the two sub-areas from an upper edge of the display area of the display device to a lower edge of the display area of the display device.

13. The information playback system of claim 1, wherein the processor generates the video or control signal so that the boundary between the two sub-areas is movable based on a predefined movement of the user, detected by the input device, in a direction orthogonal to the boundary between the two sub areas.

14. A permanently installed infotainment system of a vehicle with an information playback system having a processor which generates a video or control signal and deliver the signal to a display device so that a playback of at least two different content elements in two adjacent sub-areas of a display area of the display device is initiated by the video or control signal,

wherein the processor of the infotainment system of the vehicle generates the video or control signal so that a boundary between the two sub-areas is movable so as to effect division of the two sub-areas:

based on a selection of a display division touch button detected by the display device and caused by a touch of a user in one of the two sub-areas, or

based on an approach of user, detected by an input device, to one of the two sub-areas,

so that a ratio of the area proportions of the two sub-areas on the display area of the display device changes,

wherein the at least two different content elements comprise at least two of entertainment information, vehicle condition information, communication information, or navigation data, and

wherein the display division touch button switches to an enlarged representation of the display division touch button in response to the approach of user detected by the input device.

15. The permanently installed infotainment system of claim 14, wherein the processor generates the video or control signal so that the boundary between the two sub-areas is movable based on a predefined movement of the user, detected by the input device, in a direction orthogonal to the boundary between the two sub areas.

16. A method for information playback, the method comprising:

generating and providing a video or control signal, so that a playback of at least two different content elements in two adjacent sub-areas of a display area of the display device located in a vehicle is initiated by the video or control signal, and

moving a boundary between the two sub-areas based on a selection of a display division touch button in one of the two sub-areas detected by the display device so as to effect a division of the two sub-areas and caused by a touch of a user;

based on an approach of a user, detected by an input device, to one of the two sub-areas,

so that a ratio of area portions of the two sub-areas on the display area of the display device changes,

wherein the at least two different content elements comprise at least two of entertainment information, vehicle condition information, communication information, or navigation data, and

wherein the display division touch button switches to an enlarged representation of the display division touch button in response to the approach of user detected by the input device.

17. A program with a program code to carry out one of the methods as claimed in claim 16, wherein the program code is run on a computer, a processor or a programmable hardware component.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising moving a boundary between the two sub-areas based on a selection of a display division touch button in one of the two sub-areas detected by the display device and caused by a touch of a user based on a predefined movement of the user, detected by the input device, in a direction orthogonal to the boundary between the two sub areas.