HUMAN MACHINE INTERFACE UNIT FOR A COMMUNICATION DEVICE IN A VEHICLE AND I/O METHOD USING SAID HUMAN MACHINE INTERFACE UNIT

• US 20120268294A1
• Filed: 04/20/2011
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: S1nn GmbH & Co. KG (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Michaelis, Oliver, Henkelmann, Heiko
• Application Number:
  US13/090,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20120268294A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method for inputting and outputting data for a communication device in a vehicle includes receiving an abstract input or output method AM_x for inputting data into and outputting data out of a communication application arrangement APP from a communication application arrangement APP of the communication device, selecting at least one physical I/O unit PHE_x depending on at least one type of a requested abstract I/O method AM_x, an addressed HMI endpoint user HE_x, a vehicle state VS_x, a driving state DS_x and/or en environmental condition EC_x, and outputting data of the abstract I/O method AM_x through the selected physical I/O unit PHE_x and/or receiving input data of the physical I/O unit PHE, and converting the input data into an abstract input method AM_ix for inputting the abstract input method AM_ix into the communication application means APP. A human machine interface unit and a communication device including the human machine interface unit for performing the I/O method are also disclosed.

Claims

1. Human machine interface unit for a communication device in a vehicle, comprising a controller means, a memory means, an API interface means in communication with a communication application means APP and at least one I/O interface means I/O-IM in communication with at least one physical I/O unit PHE_x for physically communicating with an HMI endpoint user HE_x, the I/O interface means I/O-IM being also in communication with at least one vehicle state unit VS, one driving state unit DS and/or one environmental condition state unit EC, the API interface means API providing a standardized set of abstract input and output methods AM_x for inputting data into and outputting data out of the communication application means APP;

and the controller means selecting at least one physical I/O unit PHE_x for physically inputting data from or outputting data to the physical I/O unit PHE_x depending on a set of criteria stored in the memory means, comprising at least one type of a requested abstract I/O method AM_x, an addressed HMI endpoint user HE_x, a vehicle state VS_x, a driving state DS_x and/or an environmental condition EC_x.

2. Unit according to claim 1, the abstract I/O method AM_x comprising a set of input methods in the form of a graphical selection input, a textual input, an audio input, a visual recognition input and/or a combination thereof, and comprising a set of output methods in the form of an audio output, a visual output, a mechanical output and/or a combination thereof.

3. Unit according to claim 1, the addressed HMI endpoint user HE_x comprising at least one of a driver, a passenger, preferably a front seat passenger and/or a back seat passenger;

the vehicle state VS_x comprising at least a vehicle parked, a vehicle locked, a vehicle moving and/or a vehicle stopped state;

the driving, state DS_x comprising at least a slow driving, a fast driving and/or a reverse driving state;

the environmental condition state EC_x comprising at least traffic density, visibility and/or noise level.

4. Unit according to claim 1, the controller means a function F) depending on at least one type of a requested abstract I/O method AM_x, an addressed HMI endpoint user HE_x, a vehicle state VS_x, a driving state DS_x and/or an environmental condition EC_x for selecting at least one physical I/O unit PHE_x, and addressing the selected physical I/O unit PHE_x via the I/O interface means I/O-IM for inputting or outputting the data, whereby input data of a physical I/O unit PHE_x is converted by the controller means into an abstract input method AM_ix for communicating the data via the API interface means API to the communication application means APP and an abstract output method AM_ox is Converted by the controller means into an output request of data to be output by one or more selected physical I/O units PHE_x.

5. Unit according to claim 4, the HMI endpoint user HE_x being selected depending on a command of the communication application means APP and/or depending on a physical location of the physical I/O unit PHE_x inside the vehicle, and/or the memory means comprising user preference data and/or priority data of the abstract input or output method AM_x considered by the function F) for selecting a physical I/O unit PHE_x or an HMI endpoint user HE_x.

6. Communication device comprising a human machine interface unit according to claim 1, being wire-based or wirelessly connected to at least one vehicle state unit VS in the form of a vehicle lock sensor, a vehicle park sensor, a vehicle stop sensor, a vehicle move sensor, and/or a window/roof open sensor;

a driving state unit DS in the form of a speed sensor and/or a driving direction sensor;

an environmental state unit EC in the form of a weather sensor, a traffic information system or a noise level sensor.

7. Communication device according to claim 6, a wire based or wireless communication connection line connecting one or a plurality of external physical I/O units PHE_ex with the human machine interface unit for inputting data from or outputting data to the physical external I/O unit PHE_ex.

8. Communication device according to claim 6, the physical I/O unit PHE_x comprising a set of visual output units in the form of a text display, a graphic display, a head-up display and/or a signal light;

a set of audio output units in the form of a loudspeaker and/or a buzzer;

a set of mechanical output units in the form of a shock vibrator, a vibrating seat and/or a vibrating steering wheel; and

a set of mechanical input units in the form of a keyboard, a switch, a dial, a button, a joystick, a slider and/or a touchscreen;

a set of audio input units in the form of a microphone; and

/or a set of visual input units in the form of a camera.

14. Method according to claim 1, the physical I/O unit PHE_x being selected among at least one internal physical I/O unit PHE_ix of the communication device and/or one external internal I/O unit PHE_ex of the vehicle for inputting data from or outputting data to the I/O unit PHE_x.

9. Method for inputting and outputting data for a communication device in a vehicle comprising the following steps:

receiving an abstract input or output method AM_x for inputting data into and outputting data out of a communication application means APP from a communication application means APP of the communication device;

selecting at least one physical I/O unit PHE_x depending on at least one type of a requested abstract I/O method AM_x, an addressed HMI endpoint user HE_x, a vehicle state VS_x, a driving state DS_x and/or an environmental condition EC_x;

outputting data of the abstract I/O method AM_x via the selected physical I/O unit PHE_x and/or receiving input data of the physical I/O unit PHE_x and correlating the input data with an abstract input method AM_ix for inputting the abstract input method AM_ix into the communication application means APP.

10. Method according to claim 9, the input method for inputting data comprising a graphical selection input, a textual input, an audio input, a visual recognition input and/or a combination thereof, and the output methods for outputting data comprising an audio output, a visual output, a mechanical output and/or a combination thereof.

11. Method according to claim 9, the addressed HMI endpoint user HE_x being at least one of a driver, a passenger, preferably a front seat passenger and/or a back seat passenger;

the vehicle state VS_x being at least a vehicle parked, a vehicle locked, a vehicle moving and/or a vehicle stopped state;

the driving states DS, being at least a slow driving, a fast driving and/or a reverse driving state;

the environmental condition state EC_x being at least traffic density, visibility and/or noise level.

12. Method according to claim 9, a function F) selecting the physical I/O unit PHE_x depending on at least one type of a requested abstract I/O method AM_x, an addressed HMI endpoint user HE_x, a vehicle state VS_x, a driving state DS_x and/or an environmental condition Ec_x, and addressing the selected physical I/O unit PHE_x for inputting or outputting the data, whereby input data of a physical I/O unit PHE_x is correlated with an abstract input method AM_ix for inputting the data into the communication application means APP;

and an abstract output method AM_ox is converted into an output request of data for outputting the data to one or more selected physical I/O units PHE_x.

13. Method according to claim 12, the HMI endpoint user HE_x being selected depending on a command of the communication application means APP and/or by a physical location of the physical I/O unit PHE_x inside the vehicle, and/or the function F considering user preference data and/or priority data of the abstract input or output method AM_x for selecting a physical I/O unit PHE_x or an HMI endpoint user HE_x.

15. Computer program product comprising a computer program code stored on a non-transitory medium and adapted to perform a method or for use in a method according to claim 9 when the program is run on a programmable computer of a human machine interface unit.

16. The computer program product adapted to perform a method or for use in a method according to claim 9 comprising computer program code downloaded to a human machine interface unit control unit or one of its components which is connected to the internet.

17. Computer program product stored on a computer readable medium, comprising a program code for use in a method according to claim 9.