Abstract:
An information display unit for an automobile includes a display screen and a user interface presented on the display screen that simultaneously presents at least two display elements each depicting information relating to a different subsystem of the automobile (e.g., a navigational subsystem and an audio subsystem). The user interface visually emphasizes one of display element relative to another other display element in response to a predetermined stimulus such as a user&#39;s hand actuating or coming near a radio control knob or an approaching turn recommended by a navigation system.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     This disclosure relates to presenting information about various vehicle subsystems, such as a navigational system and audio system, on a display screen.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Vehicles, such as automobiles, typically include an array of on-board subsystems, such as a navigation system, audio system, video system, beating and air conditioning system, rear-view camera system, fuel system, and others. One or more consoles, such as a radio console or a navigation console in a dashboard or other readily-accessible location, are typically included in the vehicle to provide a user with information about and/or control of various subsystem.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0003]     In one aspect, the invention features an information display unit for a vehicle (e.g., automobile, aircraft, watercraft, etc.) that has a user interface which presents on a display screen two display elements relating to one or more subsystems of the vehicle (e.g., navigation system, audio system, video system, fuel system instrumentation system, etc.). The user interface is configured to visually emphasize one display element relative to another display element in response to a predetermined internal stimulus (e.g., an action or event triggered by one of the subsystems) or a predetermined external stimulus (e.g., an action taken by a user).  
         [0004]     In another aspect, the invention features an information display unit for an automobile that includes a display screen and a user interface presented on the display screen that simultaneously presents at least two display elements each depicting information relating to a different subsystem of the automobile. The user interface is further configured to visually emphasize at least one display element relative to at least one other display element in response to a predetermined stimulus.  
         [0005]     Implementations may include one or more of the following features. The display elements may depict information relating to a navigational system, audio system, heating and air conditioning system, instrumentation system, rear-view camera system, on-board telephone system, or other subsystems of the automobile. The display elements may be an output of a subsystem, such as a navigational map produced by a navigation system, or may summarize operation of a subsystem, such as a window summarizing operation of the audio or video system.  
         [0006]     The user interface may visually emphasize a display element in response to an internal stimulus, such as a stimulus created by one of the subsystems). For example, a user interface may emphasize a display element depicting information relating to the navigational subsystem of the automobile in response to the automobile approaching a turning maneuver determined by the navigational subsystem. The user interface may also visually emphasize a display element in response to an external stimulus, such as user&#39;s hand or other object touching or proximate to a control element associated with a display element and the user interface. The information display unit may include one or more proximity sensors for detecting presence of an object near a control element. A display elements may be touch-sensitive and function as a control element.  
         [0007]     The user interface of the information display unit may simultaneously present two display elements by overlaying one over another. For example, a first display element depicting a navigational map or an image produced by a rear-view camera may be shown on substantially the entire display screen while a second display element, such as a window summarizing operation of an audio or video system, is overlaid over the first display element.  
         [0008]     The user interface may visually emphasize a display element by changing visual characteristics of the emphasized display element, changing visual characteristics of other display elements, or both. The user interface may change any number of visual characteristics of one or more display elements to emphasize a particular display elements, such as changing the size, position, color, transparency, or brightness of one or more display elements presented on the display.  
         [0009]     In another aspect, the invention features an automobile that includes a plurality of subsystems (e.g., audio system, video system, HVAC system, instruments system, fuel system, navigation system, rear-view camera system, etc.) and an information display unit (e.g., mounted in a dashboard). The information display unit includes a display screen and a user interface presented on the display screen that simultaneously presents at least two display elements each depicting information relating to a different subsystem of the automobile. The user interface is configured to visually emphasize at least one display element relative to at least one other display element in response to a predetermined stimulus.  
         [0010]     In another aspect, the invention features a method for displaying information about multiple subsystems of a vehicle that includes simultaneously presenting on an electronic display at least two display elements each depicting information relating to one or more subsystems of the vehicle and visually emphasizing at least one display element relative to at least one other display element in response to a predetermined stimulus.  
         [0011]     Implementations may include one or more of the following features. The method may also include associating a display element with a control element, and the predetermined stimulus may be a user touching a control element associated with the display element. The method may also include detecting presence of an object near the control element associated with the display element, and the predetermined stimulus may be detection of an object near the control element associated with the display element.  
         [0012]     The predetermined stimulus may be an external stimulus, such as a stimulus caused by a user&#39;s action, and/or an internal stimulus, such as an action or event in one of the subsystems.  
         [0013]     A display element may be emphasized by changing visual characteristics of the emphasized display element and/or by changing visual characteristics of other display elements.  
         [0014]     In another aspect, the invention features a software product residing on a medium bearing instructions to cause an instruction processor to simultaneously present on an electronic display at least two display elements each depicting information relating to a different subsystem of an automobile and visually emphasize at least one display element relative to at least one other display element in response to a predetermined stimulus.  
         [0015]     Implementations may include one or more of the following features. The software product may have further instructions to cause the instruction processor to associate a display element with a control element, and a predetermined stimulus may be detection of an object touching the control element associated with the display element or detection of an object near the control element associated with the display element. The predetermined stimulus may be caused by a user action or action or event in one of the subsystems.  
         [0016]     Other features, as well as advantages and objects, are described in more detail below and in the accompanying figures and claims. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIGS. 1-2  illustrate a vehicle information display unit integrated within an automobile.  
         [0018]      FIGS. 3A-3   c  and  FIG. 4  illustrate a display console and user interface of a vehicle information display unit. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]     A vehicle, such as an automobile, may be provided with an information display unit that efficiently presents information about one or more of the vehicle&#39;s subsystems by visually emphasizing a display element that is likely to be of interest of a vehicle operator or other user. By visually emphasizing display elements that are likely to be of interest to an operator, the operator&#39;s attention will be quickly directed toward the emphasized display element and potentially lessen the amount of time the operator is distracted from operation of the vehicle.  
         [0020]     For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , an automobile  10  includes an information display unit  12  that is in communication with several on-board subsystems including a navigation system  14 , an on-board telephone  16  (e.g., a cellular or satellite phone), an audio system  18 , a fuel system  20 , a heating and air conditioning (HVAC) system  22 , an instruments system  23 , and a rear-view camera system  24 . Each of these subsystems provide information to the information display unit  12 , which presents information about or controls for the subsystems via a user interface presented on a display console  26 . The information display unit  12  is configured to output control signals to all of the subsystems, except the fuel and instruments subsystems. For these subsystems, the information display unit  12  only receives information, such as information about the fuel level or operation of the vehicle&#39;s instruments (e.g., speedometer, tachometer, odometer, turn signals, etc.).  
         [0021]     The information display unit  12  includes a controller and storage unit  28  and display console  26 . The storage unit stores software which is executed by the controller to present a graphical user interface on the display console  26 .  
         [0022]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the display console  26  includes a display screen  30  (e.g., a liquid crystal display, cathode ray tube, etc.) and control knobs  32   a - 32   b . The display screen  30  displays a graphical user interface that is configured to simultaneously present multiple display elements, such as a subsystem information window (e.g., an information window relating to operation of an audio system) overlaid on a navigational map.  
         [0023]     The control knobs  32   a - 32   b  are configured to control operation of various vehicle subsystems (e.g., audio, video, rear-camera, on-board telephone, navigation, HVAC, etc.), and may be in an active or inactive state. When a control element is in an active state, it is ready to accept an input from the user. In addition, a display element presented on the display screen may be associated with a control element. For example, a display element may be associated with an active control element such that when a user actuates the control element (e.g., rotates a control knob), the display element changes to inform the user of the corresponding action (e.g., volume of the audio system is increasing).  
         [0024]     As shown in  FIGS. 3A-3C , a display console  40  includes a display screen  41  that presents two display elements, a first display element  42  showing navigational map  42  and a second display element  44  summarizing the current mode of operation of the audio system (i.e., radio is tuned to AM 530 and is selected for seek control). In this example, the second display element  44  is overlaid on top of the first display element. In other implementations, the display elements may be cascaded or tiled.  
         [0025]     Control knob  46   b  is ready to accept user input and is thus in an active state. Control knob  46   b  includes two concentric dials, an inner dial  47   a  and an outer dial  47   b , that are each associated with the display element  44 . The inner dial  47   b  is associated with the second display element  44  such that if a user were to turn the inner dial in one direction (e.g., clockwise) the second display element  44  would show the radio seek to the next receivable AM frequency after AM 530, and if a user were to turn the inner dial  47   a  in the other direction, the second display element  44  would show the radio would seek to the receivable AM frequency just before AM 530. The second display element  44  is also associated with the outer dial  47   b  of the control knob  46   b  such that if a user were to turn the outer dial  47   b  in one direction (e.g., counter-clockwise), the second display element would show operation of the inner dial  47   a  switch from seek control (shown in  FIG. 3A-3B ) to manual tune control (shown in  FIG. 3C ). Note that the second display element  44  includes two leaves  49   a - 49   b  that graphically summarize the mode of operation. In  FIG. 3B , the lower leaf  49   a  is centered and enlarged indicating the seek control is selected, whereas in  FIG. 3C , a user has turned the outer dial  47   b  in a counter-clockwise direction, causing the upper leaf  49   b  to be centered and enlarged indicating that manual tune control is selected.  
         [0026]     In contrast to control knob  46   b , control knob  46   a  is in an inactive state in the example shown in  FIGS. 3A-3C . A control element may switch between active and inactive states based on internal or external input. For example, a user pressing a control knob may cause that knob to enter an active state and if the knob is not actuated (e.g., rotated) within a predetermined amount of time (e.g.,  5  seconds) it may revert to an inactive state.  
         [0027]     The display console also includes a proximity sensor (not shown) that senses when an object such as a user&#39;s hand is in close proximity to one of the control knobs located adjacent to the display screen  30 . Example of proximity sensors that may be implemented in a display console are described in detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/956,836, titled “System and Method for Accepting A User Control Input” to Carl Price, Andrew Olcott, John Coffey, Neil Gelfond, Joe Killough, Peter Santoro, Lee Zamir, and James Hotary, filed Oct. 1, 2004, which is fully incorporated herein by reference. When the proximity sensor detects that an object is close to an active-state control element, the user interface visually emphasizes one display element presented on the display screen relative to other displayed elements. For example, referring to  FIG. 3B , when an object such as a user&#39;s hand is close to knob  46   b  (which is in an active state), the user interface visually emphasizes the window  44  associated with the knob by moving window  44  to the middle of the display and extending its length across the entire width of the display. In addition to visually emphasizing window  44 , the user interface also visually de-emphasizes the navigational map  32  by dimming it. By visually emphasizing a display element as a user reaches for a control element (e.g., a control knob) associated with that display element, the user&#39;s attention is quickly drawn to the emphasized display element and reduces the amount of time a user&#39;s attention is directed away from operating the vehicle.  
         [0028]     When the user removes his or her hand away from the control knob, the user interface reverts to the configuration shown in  FIG. 3A  in which it simultaneously presents both display elements with roughly equal visual emphasis.  
         [0029]     As shown in  FIG. 3A , the display console  40  also includes several selection buttons  36   a - 36   l , which provide additional subsystem controls for a user. Some of the selection buttons, i.e.,  36   g - 36   h  and  36   k - 36   l , are fixed-operation buttons that do not change operation based on which subsystem(s) are active. In the illustrated example, selection button  36   g  activates a radio source of the audio system, button  36   h  activates a compact disk player source of the audio system, button  36   k  activates the navigation subsystem, and button  36   l  activates the on-board telephone system. Other selection buttons are variable-operation buttons that change operation based on which subsystem(s) are being controlled by the information display unit. In the illustrated example, variable selection button control operation of the audio subsystem. In particular, buttons  36   a - 36   e  each correspond to a pre-set AM frequency and button  36   j  switches from the current seek mode to a scan mode. When a user selections on of the selection buttons, a visually emphasized display window is presented on the user interface. Thus, if a user selects the button associated with AM 870 (i.e., button  36   b ), a visually emphasized display window similar to display element  44  shown in  FIG. 3B  would appear indicating that the radio is tuning to frequency AM 870. Similarly, if the user selects the button associated with the CD source (i.e., button  36   h ), the display element summarizing operation of the radio source would be replaced by a visually-emphasized display element summarizing operation of CD source (e.g., title of CD and name of track being played).  
         [0030]     While the example illustrated in  FIGS. 3A-3C  depict display elements relating to a navigational system and an audio system, the user interface is configured to depict display elements relating to each of the subsystems with which the information display unit is in communication. Thus, for example, the information display unit  12  shown in  FIG. 1  includes display elements relating not only the audio system  18  and navigation system  14 , but also the on-board telephone  16  (e.g., a cellular or satellite phone), an audio system  18 , a fuel system  20 , HVAC system  22 , instruments system  23 , and a rear-view camera system  24 .  
         [0031]     Visual emphasis of a display element may be changed in response to other internal or external stimuli in addition to the proximity of a user&#39;s hand to a control element or actuation of a selection button. For example, a display element may be emphasized when a user touches or actuates a control knob. Moreover, visual emphasis of a display element may be triggered by internal stimuli. For example, a display element of a navigational map (e.g., display element  44  shown in  FIG. 3A ) may be visually-emphasized when the vehicle is within a predetermined distance or time from its next maneuver. Similarly, a display element showing the output of a rear-view camera system may be visually emphasized on the display screen when an automobile is placed in reverse gear. Other examples of stimuli for triggering visual emphasis of a display element include an indication that the vehicle is low in fuel or oil, a key has been left in the ignition, the automatic transmission has been left in gear, the headlamps are on after the engine has stopped, the vehicle is overheating, a door is ajar, or a telephone call has been received.  
         [0032]     Visually emphasizing a display element involves changing visual characteristics of one or more display elements to draw a user&#39;s attention to the emphasized element. Thus, a display element may be visually emphasized by changing visual characteristics of that display element (e.g., increasing its brightness or size, changing its position on the display screen, causing it to blink, changing color to a bright color, changing the amount of information presented in the display element, making the display element opaque, etc.) and/or by changing visual characteristics of other display elements (e.g., decreasing brightness or size, changing position, changing color to a subdued color or to black and white, changing the amount of information in the display element, making the element transparent, etc.). Various combinations of these techniques can also be used to emphasize one display element relative to another. For example, referring again to  FIG. 3A , when the vehicle approaches its next maneuver (a right turn), the first display element  42  that presents the navigational map may brighten and zoom in to show more detail. In addition, the second display element  44  that summarizes operation of the audio system may temporarily disappear or become subdued and transparent until the driver takes the turn. Similarly, as shown in  FIG. 4 , a display console  50  may visually emphasize one display element (i.e., element  52 ) by making another display element (i.e., element  54 ) transparent.  
         [0033]     A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the display elements shown in  FIG. 3A-3B  provide information relating to the vehicle&#39;s navigation and audio subsystems, but do not provide a user-selectable control surface. In some implementations, however, one or more display elements may be a touch-sensitive control surface. Additionally, while  FIG. 1  depicts direct communication between subsystems and the information display unit, in some implementations communication may occur over a network, such as a bus network. Additionally, in some implementations, one or more of the vehicle subsystems, such as an audio, video and/or navigation system, may be included within the information display unit as a single integrated system. And the vehicle information display unit may be located in any area for convenient viewing by user, such as in an instrument panel area of the vehicle. Moreover, a display screen and/or control elements that are part of an information display unit may be incorporated within a larger unit such as a vehicle head unit. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.