METHOD FOR OPERATING A DISPLAY, DISPLAY DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE, AND MOTOR VEHICLE HAVING A DISPLAY DEVICE

Abstract

At least one display area is predefined in a touch-sensitive and flexible display of a display device. When the display is deformed in such a way that the predefined display area is distorted; an operator control element of a graphical user interface is displayed in the predefined display area.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A method for operating a display device of a motor vehicle, comprising: predefining at least one display area within a display of the display device, having a touch-sensitive surface and a flexible structure; deforming the display so that the at least one display area is distorted; and displaying an operator control element of a graphical user interface in the at least one display area of the display.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said deforming includes bending a first part of the display towards a second part of the display, so as to form a curved part in the at least one display area between the first and second parts of the display.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein said deforming includes forming a depression in the at least one display area of the display.

14. A method according to claim 11, further comprising detecting a user touch of the touch-sensitive surface of the display, and wherein the at least one display area is not distorted until the user touch of the display with a finger is detected.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said detecting detects the user touch in the at least one display area, and wherein said method further comprises reversing said deforming of the at least one display area when said detecting detects that the finger of the user has been removed from the at least one display area.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein said deforming of the display is performed contemporaneously with said displaying of the operator control element.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein said predefining includes a position of the at least one display area and a shape of distortion of the at least one display area in dependence upon the graphical user interface displayed on the display.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein the at least one display area includes a plurality of display areas, predefined and distorted, and wherein said predefining includes a number, respective positions and a shape of respective distortions of the display areas, as a function of the graphical user interface displayed on the display.

19. A display device for a motor vehicle, comprising: a display with a touch-sensitive surface and a flexible structure; an adjustment device configured to deform the display so that at least one display area within the display is distorted; a controller configured to predefine the at least one display area within the display and to actuate the display to display an operator control element of a graphical user interface in the at least one display area.

20. A display device according to claim 19, wherein said adjustment device bends a first part of the display towards a second part of the display, so as to form a curved part in the at least one display area between the first and second parts of the display.

21. A display device according to claim 19, further comprising a detector configured to detect a touch by a finger of a user on the touch-sensitive surface of the display, and wherein said adjustment device distorts the at least one display area after the touch on the touch-sensitive surface of the display is detected.

22. A display device according to claim 21, wherein said detector detects the touch in the at least one display area, and wherein said adjustment device reverses distortion of the at least one display area when said detector detects that the finger of the user has been removed from the at least one display area.

23. A display device according to claim 19, wherein said controller predefines a position of the at least one display area and a shape of distortion of the at least one display area in dependence upon the graphical user interface displayed on the display.

24. A display device according to claim 19, wherein the at least one display area includes a plurality of display areas, predefined and distorted, and wherein said controller predefines a number, respective positions and a shape of respective distortions of the display areas, as a function of the graphical user interface displayed on the display.

25. A motor vehicle, comprising: a chassis; and a display device including a touch-sensitive and flexible display; an adjustment device configured to deform the display so that at least one display area within the display is distorted; controller configured to predefine the at least one display area within the display and to actuate the display to display an operator control element of a graphical user interface in the at least one display area.

26. A motor vehicle according to claim 25, wherein said adjustment device bends a first part of the display towards a second part of the display, so as to form a curved part in the at least one display area between the first and second parts of the display.

27. A motor vehicle according to claim 25, further comprising a detector configured to detect a touch by a finger of a user on the touch-sensitive surface of the display, and wherein said adjustment device distorts the at least one display area after the touch on the touch-sensitive surface of the display is detected.

28. A motor vehicle according to claim 27, wherein said detector detects the touch in the at least one display area, and wherein said adjustment device reverses distortion of the at least one display area when said detector detects that the finger of the user has been removed from the at least one display area.

29. A motor vehicle according to claim 25, wherein said controller predefines a position of the at least one display area and a shape of distortion of the at least one display area in dependence upon the graphical user interface displayed on the display.

30. A motor vehicle according to claim 25, wherein the at least one display area includes a plurality of display areas, predefined and distorted, and wherein said controller predefines a number, respective positions and a shape of respective distortions of the display areas, as a function of the graphical user interface displayed on the display.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] These and other aspects and advantages will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

[0021] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a motor vehicle with a display device which has a touch-sensitive and flexible display, an adjustment device and a control device;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the touch-sensitive and flexible display, wherein the display is arranged in the region of a central tunnel of the motor vehicle and part of the display is bent upwards;

[0023] FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view through the display device, wherein a plurality of adjustment elements are arranged underneath the touch-sensitive and flexible display;

[0024] FIG. 4 is a further sectional view through the display device, wherein troughs have been formed in two display areas by the adjustment elements; and

[0025] FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the touch-sensitive and flexible display, wherein a part of the display is again bent upward, and the troughs are formed in the upwardly bent part of the display.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0026] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

[0027] A motor vehicle 10 is shown in a schematic illustration in FIG. 1. The motor vehicle 10 includes a display device 12 which has a touch-sensitive and flexible display 14, an adjustment device 16 and a control device 18. The display 14 is, in other words, a flexibly deformable touchscreen. The display 14 and very different functions of the motor vehicle 10 can therefore be controlled by correspondingly touching the display 14.

[0028] The adjustment device 16 is designed to deform the display 14 in such a way that at least one display area within the display 14 is distorted. The control device 18 is designed to predefine the at least one display area within the display 14 and to actuate the display 14 to display an operator control element (not illustrated here) of a graphical user interface in the predefined display area.

[0029] FIG. 2 illustrates a possible embodiment of the display 14. A first part 20 of the display 14 has been bent in the direction wherein the arrow 22, in the direction of a second part 24 of the display 14, as a result of which a display area 26 with a bending edge has been formed between the two parts 20, 24 of the display 14. The first part 20 of the display 14 has therefore been bent upward from a receptacle 28 or a depression, wherein the display 14 is arranged in the region of a central tunnel 30 of the motor vehicle 10.

[0030] In the example shown here, the display 14 displays a graphical user interface 32 by which the temperature of an air conditioning system of the motor vehicle 10 can be set. An operator control element 34, which is embodied as a type of virtual sliding regulator, is displayed within the display region 26 which is embodied in the form of a bending edge.

[0031] A driver of the motor vehicle 10 can place his finger 36 on the operator control element 34 without having to direct his gaze onto the display 14, since the operator control element 34 is arranged in the distorted display area 26, that is to say in the region of the bending edge which is formed between the two parts 20, 24 of the display 14.

[0032] Contrary to the example shown in FIG. 2, the display 14 can, for example, also be embodied as a planar display, wherein at least the one display area 26 is distorted in such a way that the display area 26 is embodied as a depression in the display 14. In other words, for example a dent, a trough, a hemispherical depression or the like in which an operator control element 34 of the graphical user interface 32 is to be displayed can be formed within the display 14, with the result that a driver can feel this depression quite easily with his finger 36, so that he does not have to direct his gaze onto the display 14 in order to activate the respective operator control element 34 of the graphical user interface 34 which is currently being displayed.

[0033] In this context it is possible to provide that the respective display area 26 is not distorted until it is detected that a user has placed his finger 36 on the display 14. The distortion of the display area 26 is then reversed again as soon as it is detected that the user has removed his finger 36 from the distorted display area 26 again.

[0034] Alternatively it is also possible that the display area 26 is distorted as soon as the respective operator control element 34 of the graphical user interface 32 is displayed. As soon as it is then detected that, for example, the driver touches the distorted display area, and therefore the displayed operator control element 34, with his finger 36, the distortion of the display area 26 which has been formed until then is increased by a predefined amount, with the result that the driver experiences even additional grip with his finger 36 when he activates the operator control element 34. The increased distortion of the display area 26 may be reversed again as soon as it is detected that the driver has moved his finger 36 from the display area 26.

[0035] The position of the display area 26 and the shape of the distortion of the display area 26 may be predefined as a function of the graphical user interface 32 displayed on the display 14. In other words, the flexible display 14 is therefore always deformed according to requirements in such a way that currently displayed operator control elements 34 of the graphical user interface are displayed in distorted areas of the display 14, that is to say, for example, at bending edges, trough-shaped depressions or the like. Therefore, in particular, the driver of the motor vehicle 10 can operate corresponding virtual operator control elements 34 blind with his finger 36, since he can feel the operator control elements 34 owing to the distortions formed in the display 14.

[0036] In FIG. 3, the display device 12 is shown in a schematic lateral sectional view. Underneath the flexible display 14 a plurality of adjustment elements 38 are arranged which are part of the adjustment device 16 shown schematically in FIG. 1. The adjustment elements 38 are arranged here underneath further predefined display areas 27 of the display 14. Furthermore, a carrier 40, in the recesses (not shown) of which the adjustment elements 38 are arranged is arranged underneath the flexible display 14. The carrier 40 is provided here with rounded portions 42 in the region adjoining the adjustment elements 38. In addition, the carrier 40 also has segmented carrier elements 44, so that the distortion of the display 14 explained in conjunction with FIG. 2 between the two display parts 22, 24 can easily be formed.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows the display device 12 again in a schematic lateral sectional view, wherein respective troughs 46 have been formed in the region of the further display areas 27 by the adjustment elements 38. The adjustment elements 38 are connected to the display areas 27 and are moved away from the display 14—that is to say are moved downward in the present illustration—in order to form the troughs 46. As a result of the fact that the adjustment elements 38 are connected, for example bonded, to the display areas 27, the display areas 27 are deflected in relation to the rest of the display 14, that is to say are moved downward together with the adjustment elements 38 in accordance with the present illustration. Then, operator control elements 34 (not illustrated here) are in turn displayed in the troughs 46, with the result that, in particular, in order to activate the operator control elements 34 a driver simply has to feel the troughs 46 without having to direct his gaze onto the display.

[0038] FIG. 5 shows the display 14 in a perspective view, wherein again the first part 20 of the display 14 is, as illustrated in FIG. 2, bent upward and the troughs 46 are formed in the upwardly bent part 20 of the display 14.

[0039] Overall, the display device 12 and the explained method for operating the display device 12 permits a particularly good blind operating capability of a touchscreen, since corresponding depressions, bulges or the like are formed on the flexible display 14 in such a way that, in particular, a driver can feel them with his finger 36. As a result, the frequency and the duration with which, in particular, a driver has to direct his gaze onto the touch-sensitive display 14 to operate the display 14 are reduced, at least to a considerable degree. As a result, the safety when driving the motor vehicle 10 can be considerably improved.

[0040] A description has been provided with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof and examples, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the claims which may include the phrase “at least one of A, B and C” as an alternative expression that means one or more of A, B and C may be used, contrary to the holding in Superguide v. DIRECTV, 358 F3d 870, 69 USPQ2d 1865 (Fed. Cir. 2004).