Touch sensitive control device for a motor vehicle

• US 9,205,745 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DAV Société par actions simplifiée
• Original Assignee: DAV Société par actions simplifiée
• Inventors: Tissot, Jean-Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherman, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US13/514,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20120262403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,813 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 715/863, 340933-943, 340988-996
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1868 according to driving situations
• 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 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

The invention relates to a control device for a motor vehicle, including a control touch-sensitive surface (3) configured to detect a gesture by a user, which is exerted on said touch-sensitive surface (3), and a unit (7) for interpreting said detected gesture, in order to generate a command associated with said detected gesture. According to the invention, said control device comprises at least one processing unit (9) configured to alternate the operating mode of said control device between an applied operating mode and a basic operating mode, on the basis of an input parameter for alternating the operating mode.

Claims

1. A control device for an automobile, comprising:

a touch-sensitive control surface configured to detect a gesture of a user exerted on said touch-sensitive surface;

a unit for interpreting said detected gesture to generate a command associated with said detected gesture, wherein the unit for interpreting comprises a plurality of gesture interpretation databases; and

at least one processing unit configured to alternate the operating mode of said control device between an applied operating mode and a basic operating mode, based on at least one input parameter for alternating the operating mode;

at least one motion sensor of said automobile configured to transmit vehicle stoppage or movement information; and

wherein the at least one processing unit is configured to change one of the plurality of gesture interpretation databases of the unit for interpreting according to the operating mode, and

wherein, when said basic operating mode is engaged, said at least one processing unit transmits a signal to said unit for interpreting to select a first gesture interpretation database when said automobile is stopped, and a second gesture interpretation database when said automobile is moving.

2. The control device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a display unit configured to adapt a display according to the applied or the basic operating mode.

3. The control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the display of the basic operating mode comprises a graphic representation of functional areas that are enlarged relative to the display of the applied operating mode.

4. The control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the display unit comprises a display screen and said touch-sensitive surface is integrated in the display screen.

5. The control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said touch-sensitive surface is separate from the display unit.

6. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the basic operating mode, a trajectory gesture is associated with a selection command independently of a length of displacement of the gesture on said touch-sensitive surface.

7. The control device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the selection command is a displacement command in a pop-up menu with a predetermined pitch.

8. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the basic operating mode, a gesture of pressure exerted on said touch-sensitive surface according to a predefined duration is associated with a validation command.

9. The control device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one manual selection means for alternating the operating mode of said control device, the activation of which generates an input parameter for the processing unit to alternate the operating mode.

10. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input parameter for alternating the operating mode is chosen from the group comprising a dynamic status parameter of the vehicle, a parameter for classifying the gesture exerted on said touch-sensitive surface as an applied gesture or a basic gesture, and a parameter on the user of said control device.

11. The control device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the processing unit is configured to engage the basic operating mode when, the dynamic status parameter of the vehicle being a detected speed, said detected speed is above a predefined speed threshold, and to engage the applied operating mode when the detected speed is below said threshold.

12. The control device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the processing unit is configured to engage the basic operating mode if the gesture detected on said touch-sensitive surface is exerted by the driver.

13. The control device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the processing unit is configured to engage the applied operating mode if the gesture detected on said touch-sensitive surface is classified as the applied gesture, and to engage the basic operating mode if said detected gesture is classified as the basic gesture.

14. The control device as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a classification module linked to an input of the processing unit and configured to compare the gesture detected on said touch-sensitive surface with a plurality of stored criteria respectively associated with the applied gesture and/or with the basic gesture, and to classify said detected gesture as the applied gesture or as the basic gesture depending on comparison results.

15. The control device as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one stored criterion associated with the applied gesture is chosen from the following criteria:

a criterion of single pressure exerted on said touch-sensitive surface, a criterion of constancy of pressure exerted on said touch-sensitive surface, a multi-directional criterion of the gesture exerted on said touch-sensitive surface, a criterion of acceleration of the gesture exerted on said touch-sensitive surface below a predefined acceleration threshold.

16. The control device as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one stored criterion associated with the basic gesture is chosen from the following criteria:

a criterion of multiple pressures exerted on said touch-sensitive surface in a single direction, a criterion of non-constancy of pressure exerted on said touch-sensitive surface, a criterion of acceleration of the gesture exerted on said touch-sensitive surface above a predefined acceleration threshold.

17. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said touch-sensitive surface includes sensors sensing multiple pressures.

18. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said touch-sensitive surface includes pressure sensors.