Vehicle user interface with proximity activation

• US 8,892,299 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2010
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesla Motors Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Small, Evan, Finn, Brian, Adams, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Bao Long T
• Application Number:
  US12/708,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20110082616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/36, 348/14.03, 463/37, 345173-178, 725 9- 21, 715/702, 715/771
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/143 Touch sensitive input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/736 the user being the driver
• 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 35/654 the user being the driver
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method for using a vehicle user interface is provided, the user interface utilizing a touch screen display mounted within the vehicle. A proximity detection system provides a means for switching the touch screen display from the sleep mode to the normal use mode without the user having to touch the screen, thus expediting user interaction with the touch screen. The proximity detection system may be configured to distinguish the user'"'"'s presence per touch screen zone, thereby allowing the system controller to switch only a zone of the touch screen from the sleep mode to the normal use mode.

Claims

1. A vehicle user interface system, comprising:

a touch screen centrally mounted within a vehicle passenger compartment of a vehicle, said centrally mounted touchscreen providing access from either a front left seat or a front right seat of said vehicle, wherein said touch screen is configured to simultaneously display at least two zones that are simultaneously viewable and accessible from both said front left seat and said front right seat, wherein a first vehicle subsystem is associated with a first zone of said at least two zones and a second vehicle subsystem is associated with a second zone of said at least two zones, and wherein each of said at least two zones utilize different and non-overlapping regions of said touch screen;

at least one left side proximity detector mounted between a left side of said touch screen and said vehicle left front seat, wherein said at least one left side proximity detector detects objects approaching said left side of said touch screen;

at least one right side proximity detector mounted between a right side of said touch screen and said vehicle right front seat, wherein said at least one right side proximity detector detects objects approaching said right side of said touch screen; and

a system controller coupled to said touch screen and to said at least one left side proximity sensor and to said at least one right side proximity sensor, wherein said system controller monitors touch screen use, wherein said system controller switches an operational mode of said touch screen from a normal use mode to a sleep mode after a preset period of time with no monitored touch screen use, wherein said system controller is configured to identify which zone of said at least two zones is closest to said object approaching from either said left side or said right side of said touch screen, and wherein said system controller is configured to switch said operational mode of said identified zone from said sleep mode to said normal use mode after detection of said object approaching said touch screen from said left side of said touch screen or from said right side of said touch screen.

2. The vehicle user interface system of claim 1, wherein said second vehicle subsystem is selected from the group consisting of a climate control subsystem, an audio subsystem, a mobile/cell phone subsystem, a navigation subsystem, a drive train monitoring subsystem, a battery charging control subsystem, a vehicle set-up subsystem, and a web browser.

3. The vehicle user interface system of claim 1, wherein said preset period of time is comprised of a plurality of time periods that correspond to said at least two zones.

4. The vehicle user interface system of claim 1, wherein said first vehicle subsystem is selected from the group consisting of a climate control subsystem, an audio subsystem, a mobile/cell phone subsystem, a navigation subsystem, a drive train monitoring subsystem, a battery charging control subsystem, a vehicle set-up subsystem, and a web browser.

5. A method of controlling a vehicle interface, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a touch screen centrally mounted within a passenger compartment console of a vehicle to provide touch screen access from either a vehicle left front seat or a vehicle right front seat;

dividing said touch screen into at least two zones, wherein said at least two zones are simultaneously viewable and accessible from both said front left seat and said front right seat, and wherein each of said at least two zones utilize different and non-overlapping regions of said touch screen;

associating a first vehicle subsystem with a first zone of said at least two zones;

associating a second vehicle subsystem with a second zone of said at least two zones;

monitoring touch screen use;

independently setting an operational mode of said touch screen within each zone of said at least two zones based on said monitored touch screen use, wherein said operational mode is selected from a normal use mode and a sleep mode;

automatically switching said touch screen from said normal use mode to said sleep mode after a preset period of time with no monitored touch screen use;

monitoring for objects adjacent to a left side of said touch screen and approaching said touch screen from said left side, wherein said step of monitoring for objects adjacent to the left side of said touch screen utilizes at least one left side proximity detector, wherein said at least one left side proximity detector is mounted between the left side of said touch screen and the vehicle left front seat;

monitoring for objects adjacent to a right side of said touch screen and approaching said touch screen from said right side, wherein said step of monitoring for objects adjacent to the right side of said touch screen utilizes at least one right side proximity detector, wherein said at least one right side proximity detector is mounted between the right side of said touch screen and the vehicle right front seat; and

determining a particular zone of said at least two zones that is closest to said object when said object is detected that is adjacent to the left side of said touch screen and approaching said touch screen from said left side or when said object is detected that is adjacent to the right side of said touch screen and approaching said touch screen from said right side; and

automatically switching said particular zone and only said particular zone of said at least two zones from said sleep mode to said normal use mode when said object is detected that is adjacent to the left side of said touch screen and approaching said touch screen from said left side or when said object is detected that is adjacent to the right side of said touch screen and approaching said touch screen from said right side.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of inputting user configuration instructions into a system controller via said touch screen, wherein said preset period of time is set by said user configuration instructions.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of selecting said first and second vehicle subsystems from displaying one of a plurality of vehicle subsystems consisting of a climate control subsystem, an audio control subsystem, a mobile/cell phone subsystem, a navigation control subsystem, a drive train monitoring subsystem, a battery charging control subsystem, a vehicle set-up subsystem, and a web browser.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of independently setting a display zone brightness level for each zone of said at least two zones based on whether said operational mode of said zone is in said normal use mode or said sleep mode.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of inputting user configuration instructions into said system controller via said touch screen, wherein said display zone brightness level for each zone of said at least two zones for said normal use mode and said sleep mode are set by said user configuration instructions.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein said preset period of time is comprised of a plurality of time periods that correspond to said at least two zones.