Input device on a sun-visor

An input device is proposed in a vehicle, the input device having a plurality of keys, being connected to a processing unit and being arranged in the sun visor of the vehicle. The input of text via the input device is simplified, the input device being available in the vehicle without space being necessary, for example, in the center console.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The present invention is based on an input device according to the species defined in the main claim. Input devices, for example, for navigation systems in a motor vehicle, are already known, in which letters of the alphabet are input using as few operating elements as possible, and individual alphabetical letters are chosen by a user from a selection of letters. Furthermore, mobile computers (so-called laptops) may be used in the motor vehicle. Such mobile computers have a keyboard, which corresponds in general to the keyboard of a conventional computer, by which text may easily be input, for example, for a route-determination program running on the mobile computer. However, a user must carry the mobile computer along in the vehicle, fix it in position for operation, and take the mobile computer again when leaving the vehicle, or protect it from the view of people looking into the vehicle from the outside, so as not to create a theft incentive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In contrast, the input device of the present invention having the features of the main claim has the advantage that, by the arrangement of the input device, a complete keyboard is available for a processing unit disposed in the vehicle, without such an input device having to be introduced by a user, together with an external processing unit, into the vehicle, or without space having to be provided for such an input device in the center console of the vehicle or in the area of a driver or a front-seat passenger.

Advantageous further developments and improvements of the input device indicated in the main claim are rendered possible by the measures specified in the dependent claims. It is particularly advantageous to arrange the sun visor in a holding device in a removable manner, so that a user is able to bring it into a suitable position for an input. If the input device is not needed, it is put again by the user into the holding device, and is protected and kept handy there until the next usage.

Moreover, it is advantageous that the input device is removable from the sun visor, since the function of the sun visor is thus maintained while the input device is being used.

It is also advantageous that the input device is provided with a voltage supply which is independent of the vehicle electrical system, since due to this, it is not necessary that a constant line link exist between the input device and an electrical system of the vehicle. In particular, it is advantageous to arrange a rechargeable current storage, e.g., an storage battery, on the input device, since an exchange of batteries is thereby avoided.

It is further advantageous to provide a wireless exchange of data between the processing unit and the input device, so as to avoid lines between the input device and the processing unit.

Another advantage is to at least arrange keys for the letters of the alphabet on the input device, preferably in an arrangement as on a typewriter or PC keyboard, and/or a numerical character block having numbers from 0 to 9. The user is accustomed to the arrangement of these keys, and is therefore able to adapt quickly to the keyboard disposed in the vehicle, without having to become accustomed to a new keyboard configuration.

Moreover, it is advantageous to implement the keys as membrane keys, since membrane keys rise only very little above a surface, so that when folding the sun visor back against the vehicle roof, keys are not inadvertently pressed. In addition, membrane keys are easy to clean and insensitive to wetness, for example, when used in vehicles whose roof can be opened.

It is furthermore advantageous that data is able to be input via the input device into a driver information device and/or into a navigation device and/or, via a wireless interface, into a Service Node situated outside of the vehicle. It is thereby possible to use the input device, for example, for a contact to the Internet, e.g. for selecting Web sites, or for sending electronic messages.

Moreover, it is advantageous that the input device is able to be concealed by the sun visor, since when concealed, the keyboard is not observable from the outside, and an additional incentive for a thief to break into the car is thereby avoided.

Another advantage is that the sun visor is removable from a holding device, since in this manner, the sun visor may also be used as a keyboard in the vehicle, the keyboard being connected to the processing device either via an air interface or by a cable. In particular, a storage battery disposed in the sun visor permits operation of the sun visor without it having to be connected to a vehicle battery. This permits convenient use of the sun visor both for a front-seat passenger, but also for passengers at other positions in the vehicle. In this case, the sun visor is able to replace a conventional keyboard of a computer, since the backside of the sun visor offers sufficient space for arranging a computer keyboard. The arbitrary arrangement in the vehicle permits a user to hold the sun visor in such a way that convenient input into the input device disposed on the sun visor is possible.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

The input device may be used in vehicles of all types, thus, for example, in airplanes, in ships, in railborne vehicles and in motor vehicles. The use in a motor vehicle is described in the exemplary embodiment. A left-hand drive motor vehicle was selected for the description.

FIG. 1shows the area in front of a driver and a front-seat passenger in a motor vehicle from the view of the driver and the front-seat passenger. Behind a steering wheel2, in front of which is located the driving position (not shown in the Figure) of a driver of the motor vehicle, a windshield1is arranged in whose upper region a sun visor3is disposed in front of the driver. In the view ofFIG. 1, located to the right next to the position of the driver is a position of a front-seat passenger. A sun visor5is situated in front of the front-seat passenger in an upper region of windshield1to the right next to sun visor3which is located in front of the driver. Disposed in sun visor5in front of the front-seat passenger is an input device10having a keyboard field20made of a plurality of keys. Input device10is arranged on a side4of sun visor5turned away from windshield1. Adjoining an upper edge17of windshield1is a vehicle roof18on which a first holding device7and a second holding device9are arranged. A first retaining element6and a second retaining element8of sun visor5engage in first holding device7and second holding device9. Furthermore, located in the vicinity of upper edge17of windshield1is an operating element12, after whose operation sun visor5is releasable from first holding device7and second holding device9. A region11of sun visor5is used as a passage for a wireless data transmission to a receiver13, which is preferably arranged in a middle area of upper edge17of windshield1on vehicle roof18adjacent to windshield1. Positioned in the area of a center console of the vehicle is a display unit31which is used as output unit of a processing unit30that is arranged at a location in the vehicle not visible for the driver and the front-seat passenger, preferably inside the dashboard. Display unit31is preferably a liquid crystal display and, instead of the position in the center console, may also be arranged directly in front of the driver, e.g. next to a speed display, or directly next to the front-seat passenger. Moreover, several displays at various positions in the vehicle are also possible, which are able to be activated depending on the need. In particular the inputs which are entered via keyboard field20arranged on input device10are displayed in display unit31. Keyboard field20is preferably implemented as a membrane keyboard in which the keyboard field is covered by a membrane, and the membrane is able to be pressed through in the areas of the individual keys, so that pressing in the membrane in the area of a key leads to an activation of the corresponding key. First holding device7and second holding device9are designed in a manner that sun visor5is able to fold against vehicle roof18, so that windshield1is no longer covered by sun visor5. Preferably a depression for receiving sun visor5is provided for sun visor5in vehicle roof18. Instead of in sun visor5in front of the front-seat passenger, input device10may also be arranged on sun visor3in front of the driver or on both sun visors3,5. Sun visors3,5are preferably produced from a plastic material. Operating element12for releasing the sun visor is preferably designed as a recessed pushbutton which does not rise above vehicle roof18, so as to avoid inadvertent operation.

After release by an actuation of operating element12, the sun visor is no longer connected via retaining elements6,8, but rather via the wireless data transmission to receiver13, so that the data entered via input device10and keyboard field20may be routed to processing unit30. In this case, a user may position the sun visor in the vehicle in any way desired, so that use is possible not only for the driver or the front-seat passenger, but rather at any other places in the vehicle, as well. A battery, i.e. a storage battery is arranged in sun visor5for the power supply.

FIG. 2shows a circuit arrangement of input device10and the surroundings belonging to it. Here and in the following, identical reference numerals also designate the identical elements. Input device10is arranged in sun visor5, which is represented symbolically by a dotted line inFIG. 2. The input device has a first keyboard field22which has at least an arrangement of alphabetical letters as is customary on typewriters and/or computer keyboards. The first row of letters begins on the left with the letter sequence “QWERTZ”, and alternatively, as is customary for American keyboards, may begin with the letter sequence “QWERTY”. First keyboard field22may be expanded by function keys and/or by control keys. Input device10also has a second keyboard field21which has a numerical character block having the numbers from 0 to 9. Using it, in particular number sequences, especially telephone numbers, may easily be input. The configuration in the first keyboard field may be such that the letters from 1 to 9 are arranged in a field including 3 by 3 keys.FIG. 2shows a configuration in which numerals7,8,9are arranged in the first row, numerals4,5,6are arranged in the second row, and numerals1,2,3are arranged in the third row, and next to the key for “2” in a fourth row is the key for the “0”. The row having the keys for numerals7,8and9may be exchanged with the row for the numerals1,2and3. The input device may also be implemented in a manner that either only first keyboard field22or second keyboard field21is arranged on the input device. An arrangement of an arbitrarily configured keyboard field, or a design as a touch screen are likewise possible. Moreover, input device10has a display unit23which is preferably designed as a liquid crystal display or as a membrane display, and which is used in particular to directly display to a user his input without him having to turn his eyes to display unit31. Input device10is connected in sun visor5to a storage battery24and a first transceiver unit25. Storage battery24provides both input device10and first transceiver unit25with power. Storage battery24is connected, via a first contact15and a second contact16, by supply lines to vehicle battery14, preferably a lead-acid battery, as long as sun visor5is in first holding device7and second holding device9. First contact15and second contact16are preferably disposed in first holding device7and first retaining element6. Alternatively, storage battery24may take the form of a non-rechargeable battery. In this case, the electroconductive connections to vehicle battery14are omitted. First transceiver25is connected to a second transceiver26via a wireless connection27, preferably an infrared or radio link. Second transceiver26is in turn connected to processing unit30. Processing unit30has at least one microprocessor301and a memory302. Furthermore, processing unit30controls the output in display unit31. In the exemplary embodiment shown inFIG. 2, processing unit30is used as a connection to the Internet, as an on-board computer and as a navigation device. Via a mobile radio interface32, processing unit30is connected by a mobile radio connection36to a Service Node33which is preferably an internetworking processor to the Internet. Via the Internet, it is possible to send and receive messages in electronic form (e.g. e-mail) and/or to retrieve pages from the World Wide Web (WWW). The position of the vehicle may be determined via a GPS antenna34(GPS=Global Positioning System) and routed to processing unit30. After a travel destination has been input via input device10and first keyboard field22as well as second keyboard field21, and has been transmitted to processing unit30, microprocessor301is able to access a digital road map, stored in memory302, having a stored highway system and route network, and as a function of the determined position and the input travel destination, is able to determine a travel route between the position of the vehicle and the travel destination using the map data. Furthermore, processing unit30is able to evaluate vehicle sensors35, and thus carry out a vehicle diagnostic, for example, with respect to gasoline consumption or for detecting damage to the vehicle.

FIG. 3shows first retaining element6in a first holding device7. First retaining element6has a first metal contact41and a second metal content42. First metal contact41and second metal contact42are electrically isolated. First metal contact41leads to a first terminal of storage battery24, and second metal contact42leads to a second terminal of storage battery24. First retaining element6has a bar46having a nearly round cross-section, which is able to be fit into first holding device7and is rotatable therein when the position of sun visor5is changed between windshield1and vehicle roof18. Second holding device9and second retaining element8preferably form a ball-and-socket joint, which, upon release of sun visor5from first holding device7, allows rotation of sun visor5toward a side window of the vehicle not shown inFIG. 1. In this context, preferably only second holding device9may be released using operating element12. First holding device7is to be released manually, so that sun visor5is prevented from inadvertently dropping out.

FIG. 3bshows first holding device7without first retaining element6. A round area45, which otherwise holds first retaining element6, has a third metal contact43and a fourth metal contact44. Round area45is produced from an at least partially elastic material, e.g. a plastic, so that first retaining element6may be inserted and snapped into round area45. Regardless of the position of bar46in round area45, thus regardless of whether the sun visor is folded against windshield1, against vehicle roof18, or is in an intermediate position, an electrical contact exists between first metal contact41and third metal contact43, and electrically isolated therefrom, an electrical contact exists between second metal content42and fourth metal contact44. Third metal contact43is connected to a first terminal of vehicle battery14, and fourth metal contact44is connected to a second terminal of vehicle battery14. First metal contact41and third metal contact43form first contact15; second metal contact42and fourth metal contact44form second contact16.

FIG. 4ashows an input device100, arranged in sun visor5, which is releasable from sun visor5by pressing an operating element50, preferably a pushbutton. Input device100has a grip51which the user is able to grasp to conveniently release the input device from the sun visor. For reasons of clarity in the drawing, only a keyboard field20is indicated on input device100inFIG. 4a. It may be implemented as a second keyboard field21, a first keyboard field22, as a combination of first and second keyboard fields21,22, or as a differently configured keyboard field. A storage battery24and a first transceiver unit are now arranged directly in input device100, but are not shown inFIG. 4a. A region110, through which data is transmitted to a second transceiver unit26, is now disposed directly in input device100.

FIG. 4bshows input device100released from sun visor5. In side4of sun visor5facing away from windshield1, a depression54is now apparent input device100was arranged in the depiction according toFIG. 4a. Recognizable in depression54are detent hooks53which are able to retain input device100and which are releasable by actuation of operating element50. Also located in depression54are a first connection150and a second connection160, via which a contact is able to be produced between storage battery24, arranged in input device100, and vehicle battery14.

FIG. 5shows an exemplary embodiment of input device10, in which sun visor5, and with it input device10, is directly connected via a cable60to vehicle battery14and processing unit30. In this case, a first holding device61is designed in a manner that upon insertion of sun visor5into first holding device61and second holding device9, cable60, which is either flat or helix-type, is automatically rolled up in a cable coiling device, not shown in the Figure, situated in vehicle roof18. First retaining element63then engages in first holding device61. A storage battery positioned in sun visor5or input device10may then be omitted, since a voltage supply is constantly ensured via cable60. Nevertheless, it is possible to remove the sun visor completely from first holding device61and second holding device9so that the input device arranged on sun visor5may be conveniently used as a keyboard, by a user bringing it into a suitable position, e.g. on a depression in the dashboard provided for that purpose or on the legs of the user.

However, the sun visor remains connected to processing unit30and vehicle battery14, respectively, via cable60. A plurality of lines for the voltage supply and for the data transmission run through cable60. In a further exemplary embodiment, cable60includes precisely two lines, in which a data-transmission signal is modulated onto the voltage supply.