MOTOR VEHICLE INFORMATION SYSTEM HAVING A DATABASE AND A MOVABLE CONTROL ELEMENT

• US 20020062298A1
• Filed: 11/11/1998
• Published: 05/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: MEIER-ARENDT, GUIDO
• Application Number:
  US09/190,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20020062298A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2477 for selecting a function from a menu display H04M1/2474 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display

Abstract

For a motor vehicle information system (1)

having a database (2) which contains a plurality of entries which are ordered by means of a register which is superordinate to the entries,

having a control element (3), which can be activated by moving, in order to select an individual entry, and

having a display (4) for representing the information content of the entry which has been selected with the control element (3),

a detection device (5) is proposed which senses the speed of movement of the control element (3) and, when an accelerated movement is detected, switches over the display (4) from the representation of individual entries to the representation of the superordinate register. As a result, the search process is more convenient, particularly in an extensive database, because the access time is considerably shortened.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle information system (1) having a database (2) which contains a plurality of entries which are ordered by means of a register which is superordinate to the entries, having a control element (3), which can be activated by moving, in order to select an individual entry, and having a display (4) for representing the information content of the entry which has been selected with the control element (3), wherein a detection device (5) is provided which senses the speed of movement of the control element (3) and, when an accelerated movement is detected, switches over the display (4) from the representation of individual entries to the representation of the superordinate register.

2. The motor vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection device (5) contains a counter (8) and a comparator (9), the counter (8) receiving a counting pulse as a result of each entry which has been selected with the control element (3), and the comparator (9) causing the display (4) to switch over from the representation of individual entries to the representation of the superordinate register if a specific minimum number of successive entries has been selected within a defined time period.

3. The motor vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection device (5) contains a timer (10), a memory (11) and a comparator (9), the timer (10) determining the time which passes, during the activation of the control element (3), between the scrolling operations for locating two successive entries, the memory (11) storing the respectively determined time for a specific number of successive measurements, and the comparator (9) causing the display (4) to switch over from the representation of individual entries to the representation of the superordinate register if, given a specific number of successive measurements, the stored times remain in each case below a specific maximum time.

4. The motor vehicle information system as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the control element (3) is a rotary actuator.

5. The motor vehicle information system as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein a switch (6) is provided with which the display (4) can be switched over from the representation of the superordinate register to the representation of individual entries.

6. The motor vehicle information system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the switch (6) is arranged integrated in the control element (3).

7. The motor vehicle information system as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein a timing element (7) is provided which switches over the display (4) from the representation of the superordinate register to the representation of individual entries after a specific time has passed.

8. The motor vehicle information system as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein a parameter memory (12) is provided in which it is possible to store in a freely programmable fashion the parameters which are decisive for the switching over of the display.

9. The motor vehicle information system as claimed in claim 8, wherein a control unit (13) is provided which, during the activation of the control element (3), logs and evaluates the activation dynamics over a specific time and, in the parameter memory (12), automatically adapts the parameters which are decisive for the switching over of the display.

10. The motor vehicle information system as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein a sensor (14) is provided which visually and/or audibly acknowledges the switching over of the display (4) between the representation of the superordinate register and that of individual entries.

11. The motor vehicle information system as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the control element (3) has haptic properties which change during the switching over of the display (4) between the representation of the superordinate register and that of the individual entries.

12. The motor vehicle information system (1) having a database (2) which contains a plurality of entries which are ordered by means of a register which is superordinate to the entries, having a control element (3), which can be activated by moving, in order to select an individual entry, and having a display (4) for representing the information content of the entry which has been selected with the control element (3), wherein a device is provided which, when the control element (3) is simultaneously pressed and moved, switches over the display (4) from the representation of individual entries to the representation of the superordinate register.