Input Device

• US 20070097094A1
• Filed: 10/27/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Strohband, Sven, Prados, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,665,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/181 using a programmable display, e.g. LED or LCD

Abstract

An input device, especially for a motor vehicle, has a display for the visual representation of information, a touch screen arranged above the display for the input of commands by touching an operating surface of the touch screen, and a layer having adjustable transparency arranged between the display and the touchscreen.

Claims

1. An input device, especially for a motor vehicle, said input device comprising:

a display for the visual representation of information;

a touch screen arranged above the display for the input of commands by touching an operating surface of the touch screen; and

a layer having adjustable transparency arranged between the display and the touchscreen.

2. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the layer having adjustable transparency comprises a plasma addressed liquid crystal (PALC) or a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC).

3. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the layer having adjustable transparency can assume an opaque state.

4. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the layer having adjustable transparency can assume an opaque state by means of an adjustable polarization.

5. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the transparency of the layer having adjustable transparency can be adjusted by means of a voltage.

6. An input device according to claim 1, further comprising

a control unit for adjusting the transparency of the layer having adjustable transparency in such a way that the latter is transparent if information is represented by means of the display.

7. An input device according to claim 6, wherein the layer having adjustable transparency can be transferred into an opaque state by means of the control unit if no information is represented by means of the display.

8. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the operating surface of the touch screen comprises a hydrophobic coating.

9. An input device especially for a motor vehicle, said input device comprising:

a display for the visual representation of information; and

a touch screen arranged above the display for the input of commands by touching an operating surface of the touch screen, said operating surface of the touch screen comprising a hydrophobic coating.

10. A motor vehicle comprising:

a dashboard comprising;

a display for the visual representation of information;

a touch screen arranged above the display for the input of commands by touching an operating surface of the touch screen; and

a layer having adjustable transparency arranged between the display and the touchscreen.

11. An motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the layer having adjustable transparency comprises a plasma addressed liquid crystal (PALC) or a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC).

12. An motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the layer having adjustable transparency can assume an opaque state.

13. An motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the layer having adjustable transparency can assume an opaque state by means of an adjustable polarization.

14. An motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the transparency of the layer having adjustable transparency can be adjusted by means of a voltage.

15. An motor vehicle according to claim 10, further comprising

a control unit for adjusting the transparency of the layer having adjustable transparency in such a way that the latter is transparent if information is represented by means of the display.

16. An motor vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the layer having adjustable transparency can be transferred into an opaque state by means of the control unit if no information is represented by means of the display.

17. An motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the operating surface of the touch screen comprises a hydrophobic coating.