METHOD FOR A USER/VEHICLE INTERFACE, AND USER/VEHICLE INTERFACE

Abstract

A method for a user/vehicle interface of a vehicle, having an input unit for input of at least one user command of a user, an output unit for output of at least one selectable vehicle setting of the vehicle to the user, and a controller connected in a signal-transmitting manner to the input unit and to the output unit, wherein the at least one vehicle setting output by means of the output unit is selected by means of the controller as a function of the at least one user command entered by means of the input unit and implemented at least partially as a voice command. In order to further improve the operation of a user/vehicle interface of a vehicle by a user, a user identification unit for identification of the user and/or a driving condition identification unit for identification of a driving condition of the vehicle are additionally provided.

Claims

1. A method for a user/vehicle interface of a vehicle, comprising an input unit for input of at least one user command of a user, an output unit for output of at least one selectable vehicle setting of the vehicle to the user, and a controller connected in a signal-transmitting manner to the input unit and to the output unit, the method comprising: selecting via the controller the at least one vehicle setting output by means of the output unit as a function of the at least one user command entered by means of the input unit and implemented at least partially as a voice command; and identifying, via a user identification unit, an identification of the user and/or via a driving condition identification unit, a driving condition of the vehicle, wherein the output of the at least one vehicle setting selectable by the user takes place as a function of the user identified by the user identification unit and/or of the driving condition identified by the driving condition identification unit.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the output unit outputs a plurality of selectable vehicle settings in a previously defined sequence for selection as a function of the identified user and/or of the identified driving condition.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the previously defined sequence is automatically determined by the controller as a function of at least one previously made selection of at least one vehicle setting.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user is identified on the basis of his speech.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the driving condition is identified by sensor data from at least one on-board sensor and/or navigation data from a navigation system.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user selects the at least one vehicle setting solely with voice commands, preferably solely with one single voice command.

7. A user/vehicle interface of a vehicle, comprising: an input unit for input of at least one user command of a user; an output unit for output of at least one selectable vehicle setting of the vehicle to the user; and a controller connected in a signal-transmitting manner to the input unit and to the output unit, wherein the input unit is designed for input of at least one voice command and the controller is designed for selection of the at least one vehicle setting output by means of the output unit as a function of the at least one voice command; and a user identification unit to identify the user and/or a driving condition identification unit to identify a driving condition of the vehicle, wherein the controller is designed such that the output of the at least one vehicle setting selectable by the user takes place as a function of the user identified by the user identification unit and/or of the driving condition identified by the driving condition identification unit.

8. The user/vehicle interface according to claim 7, wherein the user identification unit is implemented as a voice identification unit.

9. The user/vehicle interface according to claim 7, wherein the driving condition identification unit has at least one on-board sensor and/or a navigation system.

10. A computer program product, comprising commands that cause a user/vehicle interface to carry out the method steps of the method according to claim 1.

11. A computer-readable medium on which the computer program product according to claim 10 is stored.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0021] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawing which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein the sole FIGURE illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a user/vehicle interface according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] In the FIGURE, an exemplary embodiment of a user/vehicle interface according to the invention of a vehicle is shown by way of example. The vehicle is implemented as a motor vehicle, namely as an automobile, and is not itself shown. The user/vehicle interface has an input unit 2 implemented as a voice input unit for input of at least one user command of a user 3, an output unit 4 implemented as a visual output unit for output of at least one selectable vehicle setting of the vehicle to the user 3, and a controller 6 connected in a signal-transmitting manner to the input unit 2 and to the output unit 4. The input unit 2 is thus designed for input of at least one voice command and the controller 6 is designed for selection of the at least one vehicle setting output by means of the output unit 4 as a function of the at least one voice command.

[0023] In addition, the user/vehicle interface in the present exemplary embodiment has a user identification unit 8 implemented as a voice identification unit for identification of the user 3 and a driving condition identification unit 10 for identification of a driving condition of the vehicle, wherein the user identification unit 8 and the driving condition identification unit 10 are each connected in a signal-transmitting manner to the controller 6.

[0024] The driving condition identification unit 10 includes an on-board sensor 12 implemented as a speed sensor and an on-board navigation device 14 integrated into a navigation system in a manner known to the person skilled in the art and interacting with the same. Sensor data from the on-board sensor 12 and navigation data from the navigation system are merged in the driving condition identification unit 10 and analyzed to identify the driving condition. The merging and/or the analysis of the sensor data and the navigation data can also take place in the controller 6 itself, however. In this case, the driving condition identification unit 10 would be implemented as an integral component of the controller 6. The same applies analogously to voice data of the user identification unit 8 implemented as a voice identification unit and to the user identification unit 8 itself.

[0025] The method according to the invention is explained in detail below in accordance with the present exemplary embodiment on the basis of FIG. 1.

[0026] The user 3 of the user/vehicle interface, for example the driver of the vehicle or a passenger in the vehicle, has in advance entered a multiplicity of vehicle settings into the user/vehicle interface, namely into the controller 6 of the user/vehicle interface, in a manner known to the person skilled in the art. Entry of these vehicle settings takes place in a manner known to the person skilled in the art, for example by means of the input unit 2 of the user/vehicle interface. The vehicle settings can correspond in this case to only a single vehicle function or to a multiplicity of vehicle functions. The vehicle functions can relate, for example, to a seat, to a headrest, to a steering wheel, to entertainment media, to passenger-compartment lighting, to an air-conditioning system, and/or to a navigation device. This list is merely by way of example and is not exhaustive. In the present exemplary embodiment, the vehicle function relates to the tilt of a backrest of a driver's seat of the vehicle and the vehicle setting relates to a specific tilt of the backrest of the driver's seat during a driving condition of the vehicle implemented as highway travel. The driver's seat with the backrest is likewise not shown. A corresponding vehicle setting could also be entered in the same way and stored in the controller 6 for additional potential drivers of the vehicle.

[0027] The user 3, for example the driver of the vehicle, may have made the aforementioned vehicle setting, namely the specific tilt of the backrest of the driver's seat during highway travel of the vehicle, ahead of time, for example with the vehicle parked. If the user 3, which is to say the driver of the vehicle, is now driving the vehicle, then specifically this user 3 is identified on the basis of his speech by means of the user identification unit 8. Also, the specific driving condition of the vehicle at a specific point in time or in a specific period of time during travel with the vehicle is identified by means of the driving condition identification unit 10.

[0028] For example, during travel a specific person is identified on the basis of his speech as the current user 3 of the user/vehicle interface of the vehicle. It is also possible, however, that the user identification unit additionally has a camera or the like, by means of which this user 3 of the user/vehicle interface is simultaneously identifiable as the driver sitting in the driver's seat. For example, the camera can be implemented as an interior camera of the vehicle. Such interior cameras are already widespread in modern vehicles, so this interior camera can be used for the user identification unit at the same time as for its original function.

[0029] In addition, the driving condition identification unit 10 identifies the current driving condition of the vehicle on the basis of the on-board sensor 12 and the navigation system with the on-board navigation device 14. By means of the sensor data from the on-board sensor 12 and the navigation data from the navigation system, it can be detected, for example, that the vehicle is currently driving on a highway. Accordingly, the driving condition of the vehicle is identified by means of the driving condition identification unit 10 as highway travel of the vehicle.

[0030] By means of the above-mentioned automatic identification of the user 3 through the user identification unit 8, namely of the specific user 3, and the above-mentioned automatic identification of the current driving condition of the vehicle through the driving condition identification unit 10, namely the highway travel of the vehicle, the vehicle setting that is relevant for the specific user 3 and for the current driving condition of the vehicle is offered by means of the controller 6 through the output unit 4 to the user 3 for selection automatically, which is to say without effort on the part of the user 3 or a passenger of the vehicle.

[0031] In the present exemplary embodiment, provision is made that only one single vehicle setting is offered for selection to the relevant user 3 identified by means of the user identification unit 8 in the relevant driving condition of the vehicle identified by means of the driving condition identification unit 10. Accordingly, it is possible in the present exemplary embodiment that the user 3 can select this vehicle setting by means of a single voice command. The user 3 can thus select the offered vehicle setting with only a single voice command, for example a simple yes or the like.

[0032] Accordingly, the user 3 in the current driving condition of the vehicle, namely the highway travel of the vehicle, is offered for selection only the vehicle setting that the tilt of the backrest of the driver's seat can be transferred into the tilt specified in advance for highway travel of the vehicle by means of a single voice command, for example by a simple yes on the part of the user 3.

[0033] Thus, the aforementioned vehicle setting is offered to the user 3 for selection through the output unit 4 implemented as a visual output unit. For example, the message appears on the output unit 4 that the user 3 can set the tilt of the backrest of the driver's seat to be suitable for highway travel through the voice command yes. Once the user 3 has confirmed this visual message through a spoken yes by means of the input unit 2, the controller 6 activates an electric drive of the driver's seat, for example, such that its backrest is automatically moved into the tilt stored in advance for highway travel.

[0034] It is also possible, however, that the output unit 4 is not implemented as a visual output unit, but instead as an audible output unit. Accordingly, the abovementioned message would be issued audibly. A combination of a visual and an audible message is also possible. In this case, the output unit would be implemented as both a visual and an audible output unit.

[0035] The invention is not limited to the present exemplary embodiment. For example, the method according to the invention, the user/vehicle interface according to the invention, the computer program product according to the invention, and the computer-readable medium according to the invention can also be used advantageously with other vehicles. Furthermore, the at least one vehicle setting is not limited to the vehicle function of the seat. The at least one vehicle function can relate, for example, to a seat, to a headrest, to a steering wheel, to entertainment media, to passenger-compartment lighting, to an air-conditioning system, and/or to a navigation device. This list is merely by way of example and is not exhaustive. Consequently, more than a single selectable vehicle setting can also be output by means of the output unit and selected through the input unit as a function of the user identified by means of the user identification unit and/or of the driving condition identified by means of the driving condition identification unit.

[0036] Accordingly, another advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention provides that the output unit outputs a multiplicity of selectable vehicle settings in a previously defined sequence for selection as a function of the identified user and/or of the identified driving condition. It is especially advantageous when the previously defined sequence is automatically determined by means of the controller as a function of at least one previously made selection of at least one vehicle setting. The selection of the at least one selectable vehicle setting can also be accomplished by means of a multiplicity of voice commands and also by means of at least one voice command and at least one user command that is not implemented as a voice command.

[0037] It is also possible that the input unit includes a steering wheel of the vehicle or other components of the vehicle for haptic user commands.

[0038] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.