Abstract:
The present invention relates to an operating device for an in-car computing system ( 10 ) for controlling a selection mark (cursor), comprising an operating body ( 32 ) which is hold pivotally around an axis ( 36 ) (pivot axis) as to implement first and second switching functions, and a handle ridge ( 38 ) passing through said pivot axis ( 36 ), characterized in that  
     the rotation of the operating body ( 32 ) is limited to an angle of ±90° relative to its normal position;  
     a resetting means is provided for resetting said operating body ( 32 ) in its normal position;  
     said operating body ( 32 ) is movable towards the pivot axis ( 36 ) as to implement a third switching function, and  
     said operating body ( 32 ) is provided tiltably around an axis ( 45 ) being parallel to said handle ridge ( 38 ) as to implement fourth and fifth switching functions.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION  
         [0001]    This application claims priority of German patent application DE 101 31 039 filed Jun. 29, 2001.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an operating device for an in-car computing system for controlling a selection mark (cursor), comprising an operating body which is pivotally arranged about an axis (pivot axis) as to implement first and second switching functions, and a handle ridge passing said pivot axis. The invention further relates to an in-car computing system.  
           [0003]    In-car computing systems are generally known. More and more, such in-car computing systems are built into modern vehicles as to implement different car-specific and car-unspecific applications, like navigation, telephone, audio and video etc. The selection of these applications is made via selection menus which are displayed on a display~screen of the in-car computing system and which may be selected by !means of operating devices. Due to the plurality of different applications, the selection menu comprises a plurality of menu levels (hierarchy levels) and a plurality of individual menu items within each menu level. If a user of the in-car computing system likes to select a particular application, it is sometimes necessary to navigate through a great number of menu levels as to reach the desired menu item at the end. Such a navigation through a selection menu requires increased attention of the user which, however, does not pose any problems under normal circumstances. However, in a vehicle, the operation makes high demands, particularly the attention of the user may not be distracted. This is true not only for displaying and organizing the selection menus, but to a great degree also for the operating device provided for making the selection. The known operating devices such as rotary switch buttons are not able to meet the increased demand caused by the increased number of selectable functions.  
           [0004]    Control or operating devices employed in vehicles are for example disclosed in DE 100 02 493 C1, DE 197 32 287 A1 or DE 199 26 521 A1. Further, a force-feedback joystick is disclosed in DE 100 21 895 A1. A bi-directional rotary switch is e.g. disclosed in DE 196 39 119 A1.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    In view of the above, the object of the present invention is to provide an operating device which allows a simple and ergonomic operation of an in-car system, particularly movement of a selection mark (cursor) within a selection menu.  
           [0006]    This object is solved in the operating device as mentioned in the outset such that the rotation of the operating body is limited to an angle of ±90° relative to its normal position, a resetting means is provided for resetting said operating body in its normal position, said operating body is movable towards the pivot axis as to implement a third switching function, and said operating body is tiltably arranged around an axis being parallel to said handle ridge as to implement fourth and fifth switching functions.  
           [0007]    This means with other words that the operating device allows at least five switching functions wherein the operation is simple and ergonomic. Particularly, the most frequently used switching functions, namely the first and second switching functions may be reached fast and safe by means of the relatively large handle ridge so that the user does not have to direct his view to the operating device necessarily. The resetting means promotes the movement of the selection mark from one menu item to the other by resetting the operating body in its normal position continuously. Therefore, the user has the possibility to reach single menu items by operating and releasing the operating device a plurality of times without having optical contact to the display screen.  
           [0008]    In a preferred embodiment, the sixth and seventh switching functions are activated when reaching one of both end positions of the angle range and holding the operating body there, respectively.  
           [0009]    This measure has the advantage that the number of possible switching functions is increased, however, without increasing the number of operating devices to the same extent.  
           [0010]    In a preferred embodiment, a force applying device is provided which applies a force to the operating body as to avoid a rotation in at least one direction.  
           [0011]    This measure has the advantage that the operation is further simplified. Particularly, the user obtains a specific information by locking the rotation of the operating body, particularly the information that the end of a list of menu items is reached. The user obtains this information without having to direct his view to the display screen in the vehicle.  
           [0012]    In a preferred embodiment, the operating body has a disk-shaped form and extends radially across the diameter of the operating body.  
           [0013]    This measure results in a most preferred design of the operating device.  
           [0014]    The object underlying the present invention is also solved by an in-car computing system, in which single functions are activated dependent on the selection of single menu items within a hierarchical structured selection menu, by providing an operating device according to the present invention. The operating device allows to move the selection mark (cursor) between individual menu items in a hierarchical level of the selection menu by means of the first and second switching functions, the change of the hierarchical level of the selection menu is achieved by means of the fourth and fifth switching functions and the selection of a menu item is achieved by means of the third switching function.  
           [0015]    This in-car computing system enables a simple and fast navigation within different menu levels of a selection menu, and hence the simple selection of menu items by using the operating device according to the present invention, without having to focus his attention to the operation of the operating device.  
           [0016]    Further advantages and embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the description and the enclosed drawings.  
           [0017]    It is to be understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the respective combination indicated, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without leaving the scope of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and will be explained in more detail in the description below with reference to same. In the drawings:  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an in-car computing system,  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 a  is a schematic plan view of an operating device according to the present invention; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 2 b  is a schematic sectional view along line IIb-IIb of FIG. 2 a  of the operating device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]    In FIG. 1, an in-car computing system for a vehicle is schematically shown and indicated with reference numeral  10 . The in-car computing system  10  comprises a computer unit  12  which is for example an ordinary PC adapted to the demands in a vehicle. The assignee of the present application offers such a computer unit  12  under the name “CarPC”.  
         [0023]    A plurality of different components are coupled with this computer unit  12  as to exchange data with each other. The in-car computing system  10  comprises a display screen  14 , which is provided preferably as a LCD screen and is embedded in the dashboard of a vehicle. The display screen  14  serves to display data and selection menus which allow the control of the in-car computing system  10 .  
         [0024]    Further components coupled to the computer unit  12  are for example a navigation system  16 , a telephone system  18  and an Internet communications system  20 . The design of these components  16  to  20  is known per se so that a detailed description of these components is omitted.  
         [0025]    These components  16  to  20  exchange data with the computer unit  12  and are controlled by the computer unit  12 . An operating device  22  serves to input information and to select particular menu items of the selection menu displayed on the display screen  14 , the operating device being described in more detail below.  
         [0026]    The computer unit  12  further comprises a control unit  24  which carries out the control of the data flow as well as the processing of predetermined programs. A driver unit  26  is provided for driving the display screen  14 , the driver unit receiving the respective data from the control unit  24 .  
         [0027]    The in-car computing system  10  further comprises a force applying device  28  which is also known under the name “force feedback devices”. This force applying device  28  is coupled with the operating device  22  and applies an actuating force counteracting the force applied by the user, as to prevent a particular operation of the operating device. The force applying device  28  is driven by signals of the computer unit  12  which supplies control signals to the force applying device  28  responsive to predetermined criteria.  
         [0028]    Referring to FIGS. 2 a  and  2   b , the structure of the operating device  22  and its function will be described below.  
         [0029]    The operating device  22  comprises an operating body  32  which has a disk-shaped form. The operating body  32  is pivotally arranged within a frame or casing  34  and is rotatable around its longitudinal axis  36 . The range within which the operating body  32  is rotatable is limited by respective stop means, which is indicated by an arrow  36 . The angle range is approximately ±20° starting from a normal position indicated with “0”. Of course, the angle range may be adapted to the respective needs, however, should not exceed ±45° due to ergonomic reasons.  
         [0030]    For rotating and pivoting the operating body  32  about the axis  36 , respectively, a handle ridge is provided which is indicated with reference numeral  38  and :shown with broken lines. This handle ridge  38  extends across the whole diameter of the operating body  32  in a radial direction so that the handle ridge  38  passes the pivot axis  36 . The handle ridge  38  therefore divides the area shown in FIG. 2 a  into an upper section  41  and a lower section  43 . By means of the handle ridge  38 , the operating body  32  may be pivoted in a simple manner about the axis  36  within the predetermined angle range. This pivot movement is transferred to a switching element not shown to implement first and second switching functions.  
         [0031]    The operating body  32  is also arranged tiltably about an axis  45  (FIG. 2 b ) within the frame  34 . This axis  45  (tilt axis) extends perpendicular to the tilt axis  36  and parallel to the handle ridge  38 . This arrangement allows the operating body  32  to be tilted about the axis  45  by applying an actuating force to one of both sections  41 ,  43 , what is indicated with arrow  47 , for example.  
         [0032]    This tilt movement about ;the tilt axis  45  is transferred to switching elements not shown which implement fourth and fifth switching functions.  
         [0033]    In addition to the above-mentioned movement capability of the operating body  32 , a further possibility of moving the operating body  32  parallel in the direction of the tilt axis  36  is provided, indicated in FIG. 2 b  by an arrow  49 . That is with other words that the operating body  32  may be moved by pushing or pressing it. The movement is transferred to a further switching element, which is also not shown, as to implement a third switching function.  
         [0034]    To sum up, the operating body  32  of the operating device  22  is pivotally arranged about the pivot axis  36  within a predetermined angle range, is movable in a direction of the pivot axis  36  and is tiltable about the tilt axis  45  by applying an actuating force to one of the sections  41 ,  43 . These possibilities of movement and adjustment, respectively, allow to implement five switching functions with one single device operating.  
         [0035]    As mentioned before, the force applying device  28  serves to counteract an actuating force applied by the user when operating the operating device. In the present embodiment, the force counteracts the actuating force which would otherwise cause a rotation about the pivot axis  36 . That is, the operating body  32  may not be pivoted in one or both rotational directions if the counter force is selected large enough.  
         [0036]    The force applying device may be of course applied to other movements of the operating body  32 .  
         [0037]    The operating device  22  allows to control the in-car computing system in the following manner:  
         [0038]    As already mentioned, individual functions of the in-car computing system are selected by moving a selection mark (cursor) on the respective menu item and then by confirming this menu item. With the help of the operating device  22 , the cursor may be moved for navigation through the selection menu which comprises at least several menu levels.  
         [0039]    If several menu items are displayed on the display screen  14 , the cursor may be moved within such a list of individual menu items by shortly pivoting the operating body  32  about the pivot axis  36 . The provided resetting device resets the operating body  32  back into the normal position after the actuation of the operating body. The direction of the cursor movement (namely an upper or lower, a left or right direction) may Be selected by means of the rotational direction. Pivoting the operating body  32  counterclockwise results for example in a cursor movement within the list in an upward direction, whereas pivoting clockwise moves the cursor within the list downwardly. Hence, the first and second switching functions of the operating device  22  serves to move the cursor from menu item to menu item.  
         [0040]    If the user intends to skip the menu items displayed on the display screen and to reach the menu items of the next page, the user holds the operating body  32  in its upper or lower end position. The computer unit  12  detects this holding (first or second switching function) and causes a jump to the next page.  
         [0041]    When the user reaches the desired menu item, he may select this menu item and the function associated therewith by pushing the operating body  32  in the direction of the pivot axis  36 . This actuation initiates the third switching function.  
         [0042]    In order to reach different menu levels, the fourth and fifth switching functions are provided which are achieved by pushing any of both sections  41 ,  43  causing a tilt of the operating body  32  about the axis  45 . Pushing the lower section  43  causes the cursor to jump to the next higher menu level, whereas pushing the upper section causes return to the main menu level.  
         [0043]    As to simplify the operation for the user, the force applying device  28  locks a pivot movement of the operating body  32  in one of both directions when the cursor reaches the end of the list of menu items.  
         [0044]    This locking of switching functions of the operating device  22  may be of course also implemented for other switching functions, for example the fifth switching function which is achieved by pushing the lower section  43 . When the tilt movement of the operating body  32  is locked, the user obtains haptically the information lock that the cursor is already in the main menu level.  
         [0045]    To sum up, it is apparent that the operating device  22  allows a plurality of operating possibilities which simplify the navigation within a selection menu, particularly because the user has a central operating device and is therefore not urged to change between different operating devices. Even though the design of the single operating device  22  is simple.