Multi-display vehicle information system and method

• US 8,457,839 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Schneider, Mark, Johnson, Jason, Brace, Jennifer L., Hernandez, Ivette, Struthers, Alexander, Vandivier, Karl, Garby, Amy, Aldighieri, Paul, Braddock, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCULLOUGH, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US12/854,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20110166748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1446 Touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/145 Instrument input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/11 Graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1446 Touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/145 Input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/589 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include a vehicle human machine interface (HMI) for control by a vehicle occupant. The HMI may include a first graphical display, a second graphical display, a plurality of input controls, and a vehicle computer communicating with the first and second graphical displays. The vehicle computer may be configured to receive user input defining user instructions for controlling one or more functions of the vehicle. In response to the input, the computer may be configured to present on the first and second graphical displays a vehicle function identifier color associated with the vehicle function.

Claims

1. A vehicle human machine interface (HMI) comprising:

a first graphical display including a touch-screen;

a second graphical display;

a plurality of input controls; and

a vehicle computer, communicating with the first and second graphical displays, configured to;

receive user input defining user instructions for controlling one or more vehicle functions; and

responsive to the input, present, on the first and second graphical displays, a vehicle function identifier color, associated with the vehicle function, the first display including four corners, each displaying a different vehicle function and associated identifier color.

2. The vehicle HMI of claim 1 wherein the first graphical display and the second graphical display are configured to display a different vehicle function identifier color.

3. The vehicle HMI of claim 1 wherein the vehicle computer presents the vehicle function identifier color on the first or second graphical display in response to the user input.

4. The vehicle HMI of claim 1 wherein at least one vehicle function is an in-vehicle climate control function.

5. The vehicle HMI of claim 4 wherein the vehicle computer is further configured to store one or more configured climate control settings, wherein the climate control function further includes an input control for enabling the configured climate control settings.

6. The vehicle HMI of claim 1 wherein the first graphical display includes a bezel defining a boundary for receiving the user input at the touchscreen.

7. A method for operating one or more functions of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a first input defining user instructions for controlling one or more functions of a vehicle, the input being received from one or more touchscreen inputs on a first graphical display, located in proximity to one or more corners of the first graphical display;

receiving a second input from a second input device, the second input defining information to display on a second graphical display, wherein the first or second displays include four corners, each corner having a touchscreen input corresponding to a different category of vehicle functions and an associated identifier color;

in response to the first input, presenting on the first graphical display a first vehicle function identifier color associated with the vehicle function; and

in response to the second input, presenting on the second graphical display, a second vehicle function identifier color associated with the displayed information.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first and second vehicle function identifier colors are the same color.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the categories include communication, entertainment, navigation, and climate.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the second input device is disposed on a vehicle steering wheel.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the first graphical display includes a bezel.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising utilizing the bezel for identifying a boundary for the one or more touchscreen inputs.

13. A method comprising:

associating each of a plurality of vehicle function categories with a different color;

receiving input from at least one of a plurality of vehicle controls, defining user instructions for controlling a vehicle function within one of the plurality of categories;

presenting, on two or more vehicle graphical displays, an input-responsive vehicle function identifier color; and

emitting colored light from one or more vehicle controls corresponding to the presented vehicle function identifier color.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the graphical display includes a first display, the method further comprising displaying the vehicle function identifier color in proximity to at least one corner of the first display.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the input control is a voice input control.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the vehicle controls are audio controls, climate controls, or both.