User interface device with light-emitter input switch

• US 9,937,796 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2013
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Okada, Noriaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Shen, Yuzhen
• Application Number:
  US14/647,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20150298550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 345173, 701 1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/34 Backlit symbols
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/583 Data transfer between instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/595 Data transfer involving internal databases
• 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 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A user interface device is provided that includes a hardware interface connectable to different types of external devices and an internal control device configured to perform a single control process to implement one of functions that corresponds to at least one of a type of an external device connected to the hardware interface or whether an external device is connected to the hardware interface. The internal control device executes, from among tasks constituting the single control process, a task that corresponds to timing of inputting a press manipulation using an input switch, blinks the light-emitter at a predetermined speed while the task is in execution, and steadily lights the light-emitter when terminating the task and prompting the user to input a next press manipulation.

Claims

1. A user interface device comprising:

a particular single light-emitter-attached input switch that includes a single input switch for a user to input press manipulation and a light-emitter attached to the single input switch;

a hardware interface that is connectable to different types of external devices; and

an internal control device that includes a processor and that performs a single control process to implement one of predetermined functions that corresponds to at least one of

(i) a type of an external device connected to the hardware interface or

(ii) whether an external device is connected to the hardware interface, wherein the internal control device

(i) executes, from among a plurality of tasks constituting the single control process, a task that corresponds to timing of inputting the press manipulation using the single input switch of the particular single light-emitter-attached input switch,

(ii) blinks the light-emitter of the particular single light-emitter-attached input switch at a predetermined speed while the task is in execution,

(iii) steadily lights the light-emitter of the particular single light-emitter-attached input switch when terminating the task and prompting the user to input a next press manipulation for starting execution of a next task of the plurality of tasks constituting the single control process,

(iv) executes the next task in response to the next press manipulation to the single input switch of the particular single light-emitter-attached input switch, and

(v) blinks the light-emitter of the particular single light-emitter-attached input switch at the predetermined speed while the next task is in execution, wherein

the hardware interface is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface,

the USB interface is configured to be connectable to a USB memory device as the external device and a wireless adaptor, and

the internal control device is configured to transfer data to the USB memory device or a mobile control device as the external device through the wireless adaptor, when the USB memory device or the mobile control device is connected to the USB interface.

2. The user interface device according to claim 1, wherein

the internal control device variably controls a blink speed of the light-emitter according to a type of the task that is in execution.

3. The user interface device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle information receiver that inputs detection data indicating a vehicle state; and

an internal storage device including memory and capable of storing the detection data,

wherein;

when none of the USB memory device and the mobile control device is connected to the USB interface, the internal control device performs a first task of storing, in the internal storage device, the detection data inputted via the vehicle information receiver;

when the USB memory device is connected to the USB interface, the internal control device performs a second task that transfers the detection data stored in the internal storage device to the USB memory device; and

when the mobile control device is wirelessly connected to the USB interface through the wireless adaptor, the internal control device performs a third task of transferring the detection data inputted via the vehicle information receiver to the mobile control device without storing the detection data in the internal storage device.

4. The user interface device according to claim 3, wherein:

the internal control device performs a process that sets the blink speed of the light-emitter at a low speed when the task in execution corresponds to the first task and sets the blink speed of the light-emitter at a high speed when the task in execution corresponds to the second task; and

in response to the user'"'"'s press manipulation on condition that the task in execution corresponds to the first task and the blink speed of the light-emitter is set at the low speed, the internal control device performs an exception process that interrupts the first task and starts the second task.

5. The user interface device according to claim 3, wherein:

when an errors occurs and either the USB memory device or the mobile control device is connected to the USB interface, the internal control device controls the light-emitter in an off state; and

when the internal control device is awaiting press manipulation of the single input switch and either the USB memory device or the mobile control device is connected to the USB interface, the internal control device controls steadily lights the light-emitter.

6. The user interface device according to claim 5, wherein when the internal control service is preparing for service prior to connection of the USB memory device or the mobile control device to the USB interface, the internal control device blinks the light-emitter at the predetermined speed.

7. The user interface device according to claim 1, wherein:

in accordance with at least one of (i) the type of the external device connected to the hardware interface or (ii) whether or not the external device is connected to the hardware interface, the internal control device automatically performs the single control process selectively from among a plurality of control processes, which respectively correspond to the predetermined functions different from each other.

8. The user interface device according to claim 1, wherein:

upon completion of service preparation, the internal control device determines whether or not a particular type of the external device is connected to the hardware interface;

in response to determining that the particular type of the external device is connected to the hardware interface, the internal control device automatically performs a first control process as the single control process selectively from among a plurality of control processes, which respectively correspond to the predetermined functions different from each other; and

in response to determining that the particular type of the external device is not connected to the hardware interface, the internal control device automatically performs, as the single control process, a second control process different from the first control process selectively from among the plurality of control processes.

9. A user interface device comprising:

a light-emitter-attached input switch that includes an input switch for a user to input press manipulation and a light-emitter attached to the input switch;

a hardware interface that is connectable to different types of external devices; and

an internal control device that automatically performs a single control process selectively from among a plurality of control processes corresponding to predetermined different functions, in accordance with at least one of (i) a type of the external device connected to the hardware interface or (ii) whether or not the external device is connected to the hardware interface,

wherein the internal control device

(i) executes, from among a plurality of tasks constituting the single control process, a task that corresponds to timing of inputting the press manipulation using the light-emitter-attached input switch,

(ii) blinks the light-emitter at a predetermined speed while the task is in execution, and

(iii) steadily lights the light-emitter when terminating the task and prompting the user to input a next press manipulation, wherein

the hardware interface is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface,

the USB interface is configured to be connectable to a USB memory device as the external device and a wireless adaptor, and

the internal control device is configured to transfer data to the USB memory device or a mobile control device as the external device through the wireless adaptor, when the USB memory device or the mobile control device is connected to the USB interface.

10. The user interface device according to claim 9, wherein:

upon completion of service preparation, the internal control device determines whether or not a particular type of the external device is connected to the hardware interface;

in response to determining that the particular type of the external device is connected to the hardware interface, the internal control device automatically performs a first control process as the single control process selectively from among a plurality of control processes, which respectively correspond to the predetermined functions different from each other; and

in response to determining that the particular type of the external device is not connected to the hardware interface, the internal control device automatically performs, as the single control process, a second control process different from the first control process selectively from among the plurality of control processes.

11. The user interface device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a vehicle information receiver that inputs detection data indicating a vehicle state; and

an internal storage device including memory and capable of storing the detection data,

wherein;

when none of the USB memory device and the mobile control device is connected to the USB interface, the internal control device performs a first task of storing, in the internal storage device, the detection data inputted via the vehicle information received;

when the USB memory device is connected to the USB interface, the internal control device performs a second task that transfers the detection data stored in the internal storage device to the USB memory device; and

when the mobile control device is wirelessly connected to the USB interface through the wireless adaptor, the internal control device performs a third task of transferring the detection data inputted via the vehicle information receiver to the mobile control device without storing the detection data in the internal storage device.