USER INTERFACE AND METHOD FOR PERSONALIZED RADIO STATION CREATION

• US 20150227304A1
• Filed: 08/28/2014
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: CRAIG, LARRY VINCENT, TAYLOR, DAVID
• Granted Patent: US 9,098,180 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

A user interface arrangement includes a user interface having a plurality of movable sliders. Each of the sliders corresponds to a respective category of infotainment content. A processor is communicatively coupled to the user interface. The processor presents each of the categories of infotainment content in proportions dependent upon positions of the sliders.

Claims

1. A vehicle user interface arrangement, comprising:

a user interface including a plurality of movable sliders, each of the sliders corresponding to a respective category of infotainment content, each of the sliders being movable in two opposite circumferential directions; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the user interface, the processor being configured to present each of the categories of infotainment content in proportions dependent upon circumferential lengths of visible portions of the sliders.

3. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the sliders are virtual sliders displayed on a display screen of the user interface.

4. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein each of the sliders may be assigned to a respective said category of infotainment content by a user touching the user interface.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the user interface is configured such that one of the categories may be selected, and each of the sliders may be re-assigned to a respective type within the selected category of infotainment content by a user touching the user interface, the processor being configured to present each of the types of infotainment content in proportions dependent upon circumferential lengths of visible portions of the sliders.

6. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the user interface is configured to enable the user to select one of the categories of infotainment to be presented immediately after engine ignition regardless of which of the categories of infotainment was being presented at the last time the engine ignition was previously on.

7. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a virtual touch button which causes a respective said category of the infotainment to be immediately presented to the user.

2. (canceled)

8. A method of operating a vehicle user interface, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a user interface including a plurality of movable sliders, each of the sliders corresponding to a respective category of audio infotainment content; and

playing each of the categories of audio infotainment content in proportions dependent upon sizes of visible portions of the sliders.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein each of the sliders is movable in two opposite circumferential directions.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the sliders are virtual sliders displayed on a display screen of the user interface.

12. The method of claim 8 comprising the further steps of:

enabling a user to select one of the categories;

re-assigning each of the sliders to a respective type within the selected category of infotainment content in response to the user touching the user interface; and

playing each of the types of audio infotainment content in proportions dependent upon sizes of visible portions of the sliders.

13. The method of claim 8 comprising the further step of enabling the user to select which one of the categories of infotainment is to be presented to the user immediately after engine ignition, the selected one category of infotainment being different than a second said category of infotainment being presented to the user when the engine ignition is turned off before the engine ignition.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the user interface includes a virtual touch button, the method comprising the further step of immediately presenting a respective said category of the infotainment to the user in response to the user touching the virtual touch button.

21. The method of claim 8 wherein the sliders are coincident on a same circumference.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the sliders conjunctively span approximately between 300 degrees and 360 degrees of a circle.

11. (canceled)

15. A vehicle user interface arrangement, comprising:

a user interface including a plurality of movable sliders, each of the sliders corresponding to a respective category of infotainment content; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the user interface, the processor being configured to present each of the categories of infotainment content in proportions dependent upon lengths of visible portions of the sliders;

wherein the user interface is configured to enable a user to select one of the categories; and

wherein the processor is configured to;

re-assign each of the sliders to a respective type within the selected category of infotainment content;

sense movements of the sliders to new positions after each of the sliders has been re-assigned to a respective type within the selected category of infotainment content; and

present each of the types of infotainment content in proportions dependent upon lengths of visible portions of the sliders at the new positions of the sliders.

16. The arrangement of claim 15 wherein each of the sliders is movable in two opposite circumferential directions.

17. The arrangement of claim 15 wherein the sliders are virtual sliders displayed on a display screen of the user interface.

18. The arrangement of claim 15 wherein each of the sliders may be assigned to a respective said category of infotainment content in response to touching of the user interface by the user.

19. The arrangement of claim 15 wherein the user interface is configured to enable the user to select which of the categories of infotainment is to be presented immediately after engine ignition.

20. The arrangement of claim 15 wherein the user interface includes a virtual touch button, the processor being configured to immediately present a respective said category of the infotainment to the user in response to touching of the touch button.