OPERATING DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20100121501A1
• Filed: 11/10/2008
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Enrique, Lathrop, Brian, Kruscha, Tatjana, Langnickel, Mirko, Neugebauer, Moritz
• Granted Patent: US 8,700,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• 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

Abstract

In a method for the operator control of a motor vehicle having a display for displaying variable information, a symbol assigned to a function pertaining to the motor vehicle is shown with the aid of the display, the viewing direction of an operator of the motor vehicle is ascertained, and the function pertaining to the motor vehicle is subsequently executed in response to recognition of an acoustic command assigned to the function pertaining to the motor vehicle, while the viewing direction is aimed toward the display.

Claims

1. A method for operator control of a motor vehicle having a display adapted to display variable information, comprising:

representing a symbol, assigned to a function pertaining to the motor vehicle, with the aid of the display;

ascertaining a viewing direction of an operator of the motor vehicle; and

subsequently executing the function pertaining to the motor vehicle in response to recognition of an acoustic command assigned to the function pertaining to the motor vehicle while the viewing direction is aimed toward the display.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting the symbol when an eye of the operator of the motor vehicle is directed toward the symbol.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising identifying the selected symbol.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising subsequently executing the function pertaining to the motor vehicle and assigned to the selected symbol in response to the recognition of an acoustic command assigned to the function pertaining to the motor vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting the symbol when an eye of the operator of the motor vehicle is directed toward the symbol longer than a predefined limiting value.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising identifying the selected symbol.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising subsequently executing the function pertaining to the motor vehicle and assigned to the selected symbol in response to the recognition of an acoustic command assigned to the function pertaining to the motor vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting the symbol when an eye of the operator of the motor vehicle is directed toward the symbol provided an operating element for activating the eye tracker is manipulated.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising subsequently executing the function pertaining to the motor vehicle and assigned to the selected symbol in response to the recognition of an acoustic command assigned to the function pertaining to the motor vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the function pertaining to the motor vehicle is executed only if an operating element for activating the eye tracker is manipulated.

11. An operating device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a display adapted to display variable information;

an eye tracker adapted to ascertain a viewing direction of an operator of the motor vehicle;

a microphone adapted to receive acoustic input of commands; and

a control adapted to;

show a symbol, assigned to a function pertaining to the motor vehicle, with the aid of the display;

subsequently execute the function pertaining to the motor vehicle in response to recognition of an acoustic command assigned to the function pertaining to the motor vehicle and picked up by the microphone while the viewing direction is aimed toward the display.

12. The operating device according to claim 11, further comprising an operating element adapted to activate the eye tracker.

13. A method for operator control of a motor vehicle having a display system adapted to variable information, comprising:

representing a first symbol, assigned to a first function pertaining to the motor vehicle, with the aid of the display system;

representing at least one second symbol, assigned to a second function pertaining to the motor vehicle, with the aid of the display system;

ascertaining a viewing direction of an operator of the motor vehicle;

selecting a symbol toward which an eye of the operator of the motor vehicle is directed;

identifying the selected symbol; and

executing the function pertaining to the motor vehicle and assigned to the selected symbol in response to recognition of an acoustic command assigned to the function pertaining to the motor vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the selecting includes selecting a symbol only if an operating element for activating an eye tracker is manipulated.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the selecting includes selecting a symbol only if the eye of the operator of the motor vehicle is directed toward the symbol longer than a predefined limiting value.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the selecting includes selecting a symbol only if the eye of the operator of the motor vehicle is directed toward the symbol longer than a predefined limiting value.

17. An operating device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a display system adapted to display variable information;

an eye tracker adapted to ascertain a viewing direction of an operator of the motor vehicle;

a microphone adapted to receive acoustic input of commands; and

a control adapted to;

represent a first symbol, assigned to a first function pertaining to the motor vehicle, with the aid of the display system;

represent at least one second symbol, assigned to a second function pertaining to the motor vehicle, with the aid of the display system;

select a symbol toward which an eye of the operator of the motor vehicle is directed;

identify the selected symbol; and

execute the function pertaining to the motor vehicle and assigned to the selected symbol in response to recognition of an acoustic command assigned to the function pertaining to the motor vehicle and picked up by the microphone.

18. The operating device according to claim 17, further comprising an operating element adapted to activate the eye tracker.

19. A method for operator control of a motor vehicle having a defined control-activation location and a microphone, comprising:

ascertaining a viewing direction of an operator of the motor vehicle;

checking whether the viewing direction of the operator is turned toward the control-activation location;

evaluating an output signal of the microphone to recognize acoustic commands;

executing a function pertaining to the motor vehicle and assigned to the control-activation location in response to the recognition of an acoustic command assigned to the function.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the executing includes executing the function pertaining to the motor vehicle and assigned to the control-activation location in response to the recognition of the acoustic command assigned to the function while the viewing direction is aimed toward the control-activation location.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the executing includes executing the function pertaining to the motor vehicle only if an operating element for activating the eye tracker is manipulated

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the executing includes executing the function pertaining to the motor vehicle only if the viewing direction of the operator of the motor vehicle is toward the control-activation location for longer than a predefined limiting value.

23. An operating device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a defined control-activation location;

an eye tracker adapted to ascertain a viewing direction of an operator of the motor vehicle;

a microphone adapted to receive acoustic input of commands; and

a control adapted to;

determine whether the viewing direction of the operator is turned toward the control-activation location; and

execute a function pertaining to the motor vehicle and assigned to the control-activation location in response to recognition of an acoustic command assigned to the function.

24. The operating device according to claim 23, wherein the control is adapted to execute the function pertaining to the motor vehicle and assigned to the control-activation location in response to recognition of the acoustic command assigned to the function, while the viewing direction is aimed toward the control-activation location.

25. The operating device according to claim 23, further comprising an operating element adapted to activate the eye tracker.