Arrangement for controlling electronic devices, in particular in a vehicle

• US 20060261965A1
• Filed: 04/27/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Sulzbach, Thomas, Cieler, Stephan, Meier-Arendt, Guido, Donk, Vera
• Granted Patent: US 7,489,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/606
• 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 35/654 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/656 the user being a passenger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

An arrangement has a computing unit which is connected to a memory unit, an operator control device and a display device. The computing unit displays, on the display device, a first operator control display which is read out from the memory unit and is composed of at least two display elements, evaluates an operator control operation which is performed by means of the operator control device, and reads out a second operator control display, assigned to the operator control operation, from the memory device. In order to improve the ability to perceive the relationship between the first and the second operator control displays, at least one of the display elements from the first operator control display is also contained in the second operator control display (150), the at least one display element in the first operator control display differing from the second operator control display in at least one of its display properties. The computing unit performs a gradual transformation of the at least one display element from the first operator control display to the second operator control display and displays it.

Claims

1. An arrangement for controlling at least one electronic device (50), in particular in a vehicle, having a computing unit (10) which is connected to a memory unit (20), an operator control device (30) and a display device (40), the computing unit (10)

displaying, on the display device (40), a first operator control display (120) which is read out from the memory unit (20) and consists of at least two display elements (130, 140),

evaluating an operator control operation which is performed by means of the operator control device (30), and reading out a second operator control display (150), assigned to the operator control operation, from the memory device (20), and

displaying, on the display device (40), a gradual transition between the first operator control display (120) and the second operator control display (150), characterized in that at least one of the display elements (130) from the first operator control display (120) is also contained in the second operator control display (150), the at least one display element (130) in the first operator control display (120) differing from the second operator control display (150) in at least one of its display properties, and in that the computing unit (10) performs a gradual transformation of the at least one display element (130) from the first operator control display (120) to the second operator control display (150) and displays it.

2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the at least one display property is the size or extent of the at least one display element (130).

3. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the at least one display property is the position of the at least one display element (190) relative to the display device (40).

4. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the at least one display property is the orientation of the at least one display element.

5. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the at least one display property is the color of the at least one display element.

6. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the at least one display element (190) is a graphic representation of the operator control device or of elements of the operator control device.

7. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the at least one display element (130) is a symbol for indicating the current operator.

8. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the operator control device has a transfer key (90).

9. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the computing unit (10) is connected to an operator recognition device.