Directional pointers for vehicle control unit actuation sequence

• US 8,761,959 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2011
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: BMW AG (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG)
• Inventors: Schusser, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Jabr, Fadey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramesh, Krishnan
• Application Number:
  US13/208,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20120041616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/161 Explanation of functions, e.g. instructions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention

Abstract

A motor vehicle, is provided with a plurality of operator control units which can be operated individually by an occupant in order to initiate functions of the motor vehicle, a plurality of display units that can be illuminated, and a display control logic unit. In response to operator activation of a first function associated with a second function in a specified operating sequence, a first display unit can be controlled in such a way that the first display unit displays a directional pointer in the spatial direction of a second operator control unit, which on being actuated can initiate the second function.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of operator control units configured to be operated individually by hand by an occupant of the motor vehicle to initiate functions of the motor vehicle;

a plurality of spatial direction indication display units located at a plurality of physical locations within an occupant space of the motor vehicle, the display units being configured to be illuminated to provide spatial direction indications between operator control units within the occupant space of the motor vehicle; and

a display control logic unit,

wherein

the display control logic unit is configured to, in response to operation of a first one of the plurality of operator control units by the operator to initiate the first function, to cause a first one of the plurality of display units to display a directional pointer from the first one of the plurality of operator control units in the spatial direction of a second one of the plurality of operator control units configured to initiate a second function associated with the first function in a predetermined operating sequence.

2. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the display control logic unit is configured to, in response to operation of the second one of the plurality of operator control units by the operator to initiate the second function, to cause at least one of the first one of the plurality of display units and a second one of the plurality of display units to display a directional pointer in the spatial direction of a third one of the plurality of operator control units configured to initiate a third function associated with the second function in the predetermined operating sequence.

3. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the first one of the plurality of display units is disposed spatially between the first and the second ones of the plurality of operator control units,

the first one of the plurality of display units is configured to display a light object having a variable length,

a length of the first one of the plurality of display units extends approximately parallel to a line between the first and the second ones of the plurality of operator control units, and

the directional pointer of the first one of the plurality of display units is an increase in a length of the light object over time.

4. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the directional pointer of the first one of the plurality of display units is a unilateral increase in the length of the light object toward the second one of the operator control units.

5. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the increase in length is a continuous increase.

6. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the increase in length occurs at a uniform rate.

7. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the increase in length extends over a duration of more than 300 milliseconds.

8. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the increase in length extends over a duration of more than 600 milliseconds.

9. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein

after the light object has reached a maximum length, the light object is reset to a minimum length, and

the increase in length repeats multiple times.

10. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the first one of the plurality of display units is configured as an optical waveguide, and

the light object is configured as a light bar having a length of more than 15 centimeters.