In-vehicle apparatus and control method of in-vehicle apparatus

• US 10,296,173 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2016
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nezu, Yoshiyuki, Sasaki, Makoto, Yamazaki, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Basom, Blaine T.
• Application Number:
  US15/265,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20170003842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/55 Remote control arrangements
• 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: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• 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 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• 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 in-vehicle apparatus and a control method of an in-vehicle apparatus, which is applied to a multimedia terminal having, for example, a function of navigation equipment and a function of video playback so as to improve usability to a user in a case of accepting an operation through a touch panel and a remote commander. A touch panel menu screen suitable for an operation through a touch panel and a remote commander menu screen suitable for an operation through a remote commander are switched to be displayed so as to accept an operation by a user.

Claims

1. An apparatus capable of performing user selected operations comprising:

control circuitry configured to;

generate display control signals for each of a touch panel screen image, a first remote control screen image, and a second remote control screen image, so as to display each at mutually different times on a screen,

the touch panel screen image for an operation through a touch panel, the touch panel screen image including a plurality of selectable images aligned vertically on the touch panel screen image and containing at least a first selectable image located at a first position and a second selectable image located at a second position,

the first remote control screen image for an operation through a remote control, the first remote control screen image containing a third selectable image that is located at a third position on the screen, which is a different position than the first position, and that is not aligned vertically with another selectable image on the first remote control screen image,

the second remote control screen image for an operation through the remote control, the second remote control screen image containing a fourth selectable image that is located at a fourth position on the screen, which is a different position than the second position, and that is not aligned vertically with another selectable image on the second remote control screen image,

both the first selectable image within the touch panel screen image and the third selectable image within the first remote control screen image indicating the same first function,

both the second selectable image within the touch panel screen image and the fourth selectable image within the second remote control screen image indicating the same second function, the second function being different from the first function,

execute the first function in response to a user input received when the first selectable image is displayed,

execute the first function in response to a user input received when the third selectable image is displayed,

execute the second function in response to a user input received when the second selectable image is displayed,

execute the second function in response to a user input received when the fourth selectable image is displayed,

change a display state from a first display state in which at least the first remote control screen image or the second remote control screen image is displayed, to a second display state in which the touch panel screen image is displayed in response to a touch panel input corresponding to a first touch position in the first display state, and to a third display state corresponding to a third function different from the first function and the second function in response to a touch panel input corresponding to a second touch position different from the first touch position in the first display state without displaying a touch panel screen image, and

change a display state from a fourth display state in which a first function screen corresponding to execution of one of the first function, the second function and the third function is displayed to a fifth display state in which a second function screen corresponding to execution of another of one of the first function, the second function and the third function is displayed in response to an input received at a button of a remote controller.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the touch panel screen image includes a fifth selectable image indicating a fourth function which is different from both the first and second functions,

each of the first remote control screen image and the second remote control screen image lacks any selectable image indicating the third function, and

the control circuitry is further configured to execute the third function in response to a user input received when the fifth selectable image is displayed.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate display control signals for displaying at least the first remote control screen image and the second remote control screen image sequentially in response to remote control input indicating switching of a currently displayed remote control screen image.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to switch among generating display control signals for displaying at least the first remote control screen image and at least generating display control signals for displaying the second remote control screen image cyclically in response to successive remote control input indicating switching of a currently displayed remote control screen image.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to switch from generating display control signals for displaying the first remote control screen image to generating display control signals for displaying the second remote control screen image in response to remote control input indicating switching of a currently displayed remote control screen image, and to switch again to generating display control signals for displaying the first remote control screen image in response to subsequent remote control input indicating switching of a currently displayed remote control screen image.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein both the first selectable image within the touch panel screen image and the third selectable image within the first remote control screen image indicate video playback.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein both the second selectable image within the touch panel screen image and the fourth selectable image within the second remote control screen image indicate a setup function.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first position and the second position do not overlap one another on the screen.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third selectable image within the first remote control screen image is a different size than the first selectable image within the touch panel screen image.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third selectable image within the first remote control screen image includes substantially the same shape as the first selectable image within the touch panel screen image.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the fourth selectable image within the second remote control screen image includes substantially the same shape as the second selectable image within the touch panel screen image.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an external memory slot configured to communicatively connect to an external memory, wherein the control circuitry is configured to generate display control signals based on information stored in the external memory.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a communication interface configured to output a signal for displaying information on an external display apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a wireless communication interface configured to wirelessly communicate with another device.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an operator operable by a user to perform a particular function that is identical to a function performed by user operation of a second operator on the remote control.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

the touch panel configured to accept at least the touch panel input indicating selection of the first selectable image.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the touch panel is also configured to accept the touch panel input indicating selection of the second selectable image.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

the screen configured to display images in response to display control signals from the control circuitry, wherein the touch panel is integrated with the screen.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to execute the first function in response to a user input received when the third selectable image is displayed wherein the user input is performed while the first remote control screen image is displayed.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the first touch position is a position of the screen lacking any selectable image.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

switch from generating display control signals for displaying the touch panel screen image to generating display control signals for displaying the first remote control screen image response to a first remote control input; and

switch among generating display control signals for displaying the first remote control screen image and at least generating display control signals for displaying the second remote control screen image cyclically in response to successive remote control inputs indicating switching of a currently displayed remote control screen image.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second touch position is a position where a sixth selectable image is displayed.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the control circuitry is configured to:

execute the first function in response to a user input received at the touch panel selecting the first selectable image,

execute the first function in response to a remote control input selecting the third selectable image,

execute the second function in response to a user input received at the touch panel selecting the second selectable image, and

execute the second function in response to a remote control input selecting the fourth selectable image.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate display control signals for displaying a cursor indicating focus of the third selectable image.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to communicate with a global positioning system (GPS) unit and to generate display control signals based on an output of the GPS unit.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first remote control screen image comprises a selectable image that is the same size as a selectable image in the touch screen image.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the remote control in wireless communication with the control circuitry.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the input received at the button of the remote controller does not correspond to a selection of any one of the selectable images.

29. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the button of the remote controller is not specific to any of the first function, the second function or the third function.

30. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the circuitry is configured to toggle through function screens corresponding to each of the first function, the second function and the third function in response to successive inputs at the button of the remote controller.

31. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the first function screen and the second function screen each encompass substantially an entirety of a display on which the first function screen and the second function screen are displayed.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein

the first function is a video playback function and the second function is a photo function.

33. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the first function, the second function and the third functions are each different a function executed by the apparatus.

34. A method for performing user selected operations comprising the steps of:

generating display control signals for each of a touch panel screen image, a first remote control screen image, and a second remote control screen image, so as to display each at mutually different times on a screen,

the touch panel screen image for an operation through a touch panel, the touch panel screen image including a plurality of selectable images aligned vertically on the touch panel screen image and containing at least a first selectable image located at a first position and a second selectable image located at a second position,

the first remote control screen image for an operation through a remote control, the first remote control screen image containing a third selectable image that is located at a third position on the screen, which is a different position than the first position, and that is not aligned vertically with another selectable image on the first remote control screen image,

the second remote control screen image for an operation through the remote control, the second remote control screen image containing a fourth selectable image that is located at a fourth position on the screen, which is a different position than the second position, and that is not aligned vertically with another selectable image on the second remote control screen image,

both the first selectable image within the touch panel screen image and the third selectable image within the first remote control screen image indicating the same first function,

both the second selectable image within the touch panel screen image and the fourth selectable image within the second remote control screen image indicating the same second function, the second function being different from the first function,

executing the first function in response to a user input received when the first selectable image is displayed,

executing the first function in response to a user input received when the third selectable image is displayed,

executing the second function in response to a user input received when the second selectable image is displayed,

executing the second function in response to a user input received when the fourth selectable image is displayed,

changing a display state from a first display state in which at least the first remote control screen image or the second remote control screen image is displayed, to a second display state in which the touch panel screen image is displayed when a touch panel input corresponding to a first touch position is received in the first display state, or to a third display state corresponding to a third function different from the first function and the second function when a touch panel input corresponding to a second touch position different from the first touch position is received in the first display state without displaying the touch panel screen image, and

changing a display state from a fourth display state in which a first function screen corresponding to execution of one of the first function, the second function and the third function is displayed to a fifth display state in which a second function screen corresponding to execution of another of one of the first function, the second function and the third function is displayed in response to an input received at a button of a remote controller.

35. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer program instructions for performing user selected operations, the computer program instructions, when executed by electronic circuitry, being operable to cause control circuitry to perform the following steps:

generating display control signals for each of a touch panel screen image, a first remote control screen image, and a second remote control screen image, so as to display each at mutually different times on a screen,

the touch panel screen image for an operation through a touch panel, the touch panel screen image including a plurality of selectable images aligned vertically on the touch panel screen image and containing at least a first selectable image located at a first position and a second selectable image located at a second position,

the first remote control screen image for an operation through a remote control, the first remote control screen image containing a third selectable image that is located at a third position on the screen, which is a different position than the first position, and that is not aligned vertically with another selectable image on the first remote control screen image,

the second remote control screen image for an operation through the remote control, the second remote control screen image containing a fourth selectable image that is located at a fourth position on the screen, which is a different position than the second position, and that is not aligned vertically with another selectable image on the second remote control screen image,

both the first selectable image within the touch panel screen image and the third selectable image within the first remote control screen image indicating the same first function,

both the second selectable image within the touch panel screen image and the fourth selectable image within the second remote control screen image indicating the same second function, the second function being different from the first function,

executing the first function in response to a user input received when the first selectable image is displayed,

executing the first function in response to a user input received when the third selectable image is displayed,

executing the second function in response to a user input received when the second selectable image is displayed,

executing the second function in response to a user input received when the fourth selectable image is displayed, and

changing a display state from a first display state in which at least the first remote control screen image or the second remote control screen image is displayed, to a second display state in which the touch panel screen image is displayed when a touch panel input corresponding to a first touch position is received in the first display state, or to a third display state corresponding to a third function different from the first function and the second function when a touch panel input corresponding to a second touch position different from the first touch position is received in the first display state without displaying the touch panel screen image, and

changing a display state from a fourth display state in which a first function screen corresponding to execution of one of the first function, the second function and the third function is displayed to a fifth display state in which a second function screen corresponding to execution of another of one of the first function, the second function and the third function is displayed in response to an input received at a button of a remote controller.

36. Electronic circuitry capable of performing user selected operations comprising:

means for outputting display control signals for each of a touch panel screen image, a first remote control screen image, and a second remote control screen image, so as to display each at mutually different times on a screen,

the touch panel screen image for an operation through a touch panel, the touch panel screen image including a plurality of selectable images aligned vertically on the touch panel screen image and containing at least a first selectable image located at a first position and a second selectable image located at a second position,

the first remote control screen image for an operation through a remote control, the first remote control screen image containing a third selectable image that is located at a third position on the screen, which is a different position than the first position, and that is not aligned vertically with another selectable image on the first remote control screen image,

the second remote control screen image for an operation through the remote control, the second remote control screen image containing a fourth selectable image that is located at a fourth position on the screen, which is a different position than the second position, and that is not aligned vertically with another selectable image on the second remote control screen image,

both the first selectable image within the touch panel screen image and the third selectable image within the first remote control screen image indicating the same first function,

both the second selectable image within the touch panel screen image and the fourth selectable image within the second remote control screen image indicating the same second function, the second function being different from the first function,

means for;

executing the first function in response to a user input received when the first selectable image is displayed,

executing the first function in response to a user input received when the third selectable image is displayed,

executing the second function in response to a user input received when the second selectable image is displayed,

executing the second function in response to a user input received when the fourth selectable image is displayed;

means for changing a display state from a first display state in which at least the first remote control screen image or the second remote control screen image is displayed, to a second display state in which the touch panel screen image is displayed in response to a touch panel input corresponding to a first touch position in the first display state, and to a third display state corresponding to a third function different from the first function and the second function in response to a touch panel input corresponding to a second touch position different from the first touch position in the first display state without displaying the touch panel screen image; and

means for changing a display state from a fourth display state in which a first function screen corresponding to execution of one of the first function, the second function and the third function is displayed to a fifth display state in which a second function screen corresponding to execution of another of one of the first function, the second function and the third function is displayed in response to an input received at a button of a remote controller.