Operating method for an operating and display device in a vehicle and operating and display device in a vehicle

• US 10,766,366 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2013
• Issued: 09/08/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Jun, Mi-Ran
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiberou, Mahelet
• Application Number:
  US14/913,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20160200195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,576 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 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• 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 operating method in a vehicle having a menu of an operating structure displayed on a display surface arranged in the vehicle. The operating structure includes a main menu and additional menus. Inputs can be detected, by which a change of the displayed menu can be caused and by which switching elements of the menus can be actuated. A special switching element is displayed at the edge of the display surface which can be actuated by a swipe gesture and, if the swipe gesture associated with the special switching element has been detected, the main menu is displayed. Also disclosed is an operating device for performing the operating method.

Claims

1. An operator control method for operating a display panel of a transportation vehicle, the method comprising:

using the display panel arranged in the transportation vehicle to display a menu for an operator control structure, wherein the operator control structure comprises a main menu and a multiplicity of further menus, wherein upon initiation of the operator control structure the main menu is initially displayed,

capturing inputs via interaction with the display panel, wherein captured inputs bring about alteration of the displayed menu and actuate switching elements of the further menus, including capturing an initial actuation of one of the switching elements and responsively presenting animated movement of the main menu to reveal one of the further menus associated with the actuated switching element,

displaying a special switching element at an edge of the display panel for at least a plurality of menus from the multiplicity of further menus of the operator control structure, wherein the special switching element is actuated in response to a captured input as a swipe gesture capturing the special switching element, and

in response to actuation of the special switching element by the capture input, moving the main menu onto the display panel by transitioning from the edge at which the special switching element is displayed within a first interval of time so that the main menu takes up an increasing area of the display panel as time progresses and at the same time the previously displayed menu disappears as time progresses, wherein responsive to expiration of the first interval of time, the display panel presents only the main menu thereby indicating the change of the display panel to provide simple access to the main menu from any of the plurality of menus of the multiplicity of menus without negotiating a menu hierarchy.

2. The operator control method of claim 1, wherein the operator control structure is a hierarchic operator control structure in which the main menu is arranged on the hierarchically highest level.

3. The operator control method of claim 1, wherein for all menus of the operator control structure apart from the main menu, the special switching element is displayed at the edge of the display panel.

4. The operator control method of claim 1, wherein the special switching element is displayed in the same position for all menus apart from the main menu.

5. The operator control method of claim 1, wherein the special switching element is arranged at the upper edge of the display panel.

6. The operator control method of claim 1, wherein the menu displayed prior to the main menu is displayed again if no input from a switching element of the main menu has been sensed within a second interval of time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein initiation of the operator control structure comprises starting the transportation vehicle.

8. An operator control apparatus in a vehicle, the operator control apparatus comprising:

a display panel;

a memory that stores data pertaining to an operator control structure that comprises a main menu and a multiplicity of further menus;

a control apparatus coupled to the memory and to the display panel that is configured to produce graphics data for presenting the further menus of the operator control structure on the display panel; and

an input apparatus that is configured to be used to capture inputs that can bring about alteration of the displayed menu and that can actuate switching elements of the menus,

wherein the controller is configured, at initialization of the operator control structure, to present the main menu having a number of switching elements and to capture an initial actuation of one of the switching elements and to responsively present animated movement of the main menu to reveal one of the further menus associated with the actuated switching element, and to present, for at least a plurality of menus from the multiplicity of further menus of the operator control structure, a special switching element at the edge of the display panel, the special switching element configured for actuation responsive to a swipe gesture catching the special switching element, and

wherein responsive to activation of the special switching element, the main menu moves incrementally to transition onto the display panel from the edge at which the special switching element is displayed and the previously displayed menu simultaneously disappears as time progresses until expiration of a first time interval, wherein responsive to expiration of the first time interval the display panel presents only the main menu thereby indicating the change of the display panel to provide simple access to the main menu from any of the plurality of menus of the multiplicity of menus without negotiating a menu hierarchy.

9. The operator control apparatus of claim 8, wherein the input apparatus comprises a touch-sensitive surface that is arranged on the display panel and on which the swipe gesture is sensed.

10. The operator control apparatus of claim 8, wherein the input apparatus comprises a sensing device that is configured to be used to sense a gesture carried out in a detection area, wherein the detection area is arranged in front of the display panel.

11. The control apparatus of claim 8, wherein initialization of the operator control structure comprises starting the transportation vehicle.

12. An operator control apparatus for a transportation vehicle, the operator control apparatus comprising:

a display panel;

a memory that stores data pertaining to an operator control structure that comprises a main menu and a multiplicity of further menus;

a controller coupled with the memory and the display panel to produce graphics data for presenting the menus of the operator control structure on the display panel; and

an input apparatus arranged to capture inputs that alter the displayed menu and to actuate switching elements of the menus,

wherein the controller is configured, at initialization of the operator control structure, to present the main menu having a number of switching elements and to capture an initial actuation of one of the switching elements and to responsively present animated movement of the main menu to reveal one of the further menus associated with the actuated switching element, and to present a special switching element at the edge of the display panel for at least a plurality of menus from the multiplicity, the special switching element configured to be actuated by a swipe gesture capturing the special switching element, and

wherein responsive to activation of the special switching element, the main menu moves incrementally to transition onto the display from the edge at which the special switching element is displayed and the previously displayed menu simultaneously disappears as time progresses, wherein responsive to expiration of a first time interval, the display panel presents only the main menu thereby indicating the change of the display panel to provide simple access to the main menu from any of the plurality of menus of the multiplicity of menus without negotiating a menu hierarchy.

13. The control apparatus of claim 12, wherein for all menus of the operator control structure apart from the main menu, the special switching element is displayed at the edge of the display panel.

14. The control apparatus of claim 12, wherein the menu displayed prior to the main menu is redisplayed if no input from a switching element of the main menu has been sensed within a second interval of time.

15. The control apparatus of claim 12, wherein the operator control structure is a hierarchic operator control structure in which the main menu is arranged on the hierarchically highest level.

16. The control apparatus of claim 12, wherein the special switching element is displayed at an upper longitudinal edge of the display panel, the special switching element is displayed at an upper longitudinal edge of the display panel.

17. The control apparatus of claim 12, wherein initialization of the operator control structure comprises starting the transportation vehicle.