Control of Display Areas

Abstract

A method for providing content in various display areas of at least one display includes the steps of acquiring a first selection of one of the display areas; acquiring a second selection of an element of a list that is associated with the selected display area; and providing in the selected display area a content that is associated with the selected element.

Claims

1.-12. (canceled)

13. A method for providing contents on various display areas of at least one display, the method comprising the steps of: acquiring a first selection of one of the display areas; acquiring a second selection of an element of a list, which is assigned to the selected display area; and providing content, which is assigned to the selected element, on the selected display area.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the list is cyclic.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein an overview of the selected list is shown on a display area of the at least one display.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the overview comprises a representation of the selected element and at least one adjacent element of the selected list.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the representation of an element comprises a miniature of the content assigned to the selected element.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the overview comprises a representation of the selected list and at least one adjacent list.

19. A control device for providing contents on various display areas of at least one display, wherein the control device comprises: an input device for acquiring a first and a second selection; wherein the first selection selects one of the display areas and the second selection selects an element of a list, which is assigned to the selected display area; and a processing unit, which is configured to provide content which is assigned to the selected element on the selected display area.

20. The control device according to claim 19, wherein multiple displays are provided and one of the displays comprises a head-up display.

21. The control device according to claim 19, wherein the input device comprises a four-way element and two ways are assigned to each of the first and second selections.

22. The control device according to claim 21, wherein the input device is attached to a steering wheel of a vehicle.

23. A system, comprising: a control device according to claim 19; and at least one display, wherein multiple display areas are provided on the at least one display.

24. A vehicle comprising a control device according to claim 19.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle having a system;

[0028] FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart of a method;

[0029] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary organization of contents for display areas; and

[0030] FIG. 4 illustrates an overview of selections of a list and an element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an exemplary vehicle 100 having a system 105. The vehicle 100 preferably comprises a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger vehicle, a motorcycle, a truck, or a bus. The illustrated system 105 comprises a control device 110 and a first display 115 and preferably a second display 120. The displays 115, 120 are each configured to be read by a person on board the vehicle 100. In the illustrated embodiment, both displays 115, 120 are directed toward a driver of the vehicle 100. The first display 115 is embodied, for example, as a multifunction display on a dashboard. The second display 120 is embodied as a head-up display, so that the driver can visually perceive a content displayed on the second display 120, but at the same time can look through the second display 120 into the surroundings of the vehicle 100.

[0032] At least one display area is defined on each of the displays 115, 120. In the present case, a first display area 125 and a second display area 130 are defined on the first display 115, while a third display area 135 is defined on the second display 120. It is to be noted that in other embodiments the display areas 125-135 can also be defined on only one or on more than two displays 115, 120. The present invention preferably presumes at least two display areas 125-135, which can be located on one or more displays 115, 120.

[0033] The control device 110 is configured to control the displays 115 and 120. For this purpose, contents to be displayed respectively on the display areas 125 to 135 can be output in particular, for example, in the form of text or a graphic. The control device 110 preferably comprises a processing unit 140 and an input device 145, which is arranged by way of example on a steering wheel 150 of the vehicle 100. The input device 145 is configured to be actuated by a user in order to make at least two selections independent of one another. In the illustrated embodiment, the input device 145 comprises for this purpose a four-way button, which can be actuated upward, downward, right, and left. In addition, an actuation in the center can take place in the meaning of a confirmation. Instead of buttons, for example, a touch-sensitive surface can also be used to recognize a gesture.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a method 200 for controlling the provision of contents on different display areas 125 to 135. The method 200 can be carried out in particular in conjunction with a system 105.

[0035] In a step 205, the input unit 145 can be scanned. If an input is recognized, for example, the input of a confirmation, it is thus possible to begin with changing an output of contents on the display areas 125 to 135.

[0036] In a step 210, an overview can be overlaid on one of the display areas 125 to 135 or a further, dedicated display area, which is explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The overview can also be called “navigator” and comprises a graphic interaction element to enable a user the determination of selections. It is to be noted that an effect of a selection of an element shown on the overview can relate to a different display area 125 to 135 than the one on which the overview itself is shown.

[0037] In a step 215, one of the display areas 125 to 135 can be selected, to which a different content to be displayed is to be assigned. The selection can be assisted by the overview in that, for example, it is indicated which display areas 125 to 135 are present and which is presently selected.

[0038] A display area 125 to 135 is assigned a list having elements which is described in more detail hereinafter with reference to FIG. 3. A predetermined content to be displayed is assigned to each element. On the selected display areas 125 to 135, the content is always output which is assigned to the selected element of the list assigned to the display area 125 to 135. In a step 220, an element of a list can be selected which is assigned to the selected display area 125 to 135. For this purpose, a selection of the element can be shifted step by step along the list. This selection can also be assisted by the overview, for example, in that textual or iconographic indications are shown on possible elements. A selected element can be highlighted. Steps 215 and 220 are shown concurrently to symbolize that the display area 125 to 135 and the content to be displayed on the selected display area 125 to 135 can also be selected or changed multiple times in arbitrary sequence and as needed.

[0039] In a step 225, the two relevant selections can be accepted. This can take place in particular when the actuation of a confirmation has been acquired at the input unit 145.

[0040] In a step 230, the selected content can be displayed on the selected display area 125 to 135. A predetermined content can thus be respectively assigned to each display area 125 to 135, which can then be displayed. It is to be noted that respectively contents to be displayed can also be controlled or changed for multiple display areas 125 to 135 in steps 215 and 220.

[0041] In a step 235, the overview can be hidden if it has previously been shown in step 210. The system 105 can thus be put into a typical operating state. For the renewed change of displayed contents on the display areas 125 to 135, it is possible to run through the method 200 again.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary organization of contents for display areas 125 to 135. In the system 105, each available display area 125 to 135 is assigned a list which contains elements of which one can be selected. The first display area 125 is assigned, for example, a first list 305, the second display area 130 is assigned a second list 310, and the third display area 135 is assigned a third list 315. Each list 305 to 315 comprises a number of elements 320. The first list 305 comprises elements 320 which are designated as A1 to A5, wherein the first list 305 can also be called list A. The second list 310 comprises elements 320 B1 to B3 and can also be called list B. The third list 315 comprises elements 320 C1 to C5 and can also be called list C.

[0043] Each element 320 stands for a respectively individually assigned content. Which content is displayed on a display area 125 to 135 is dependent on which of the elements 320 of the list 305 to 315 assigned to the display area 125 to 135 is selected. In the illustrated embodiment, the elements A1, B3, and C2 are selected, so that on the first display area 125, the content is output which is assigned to the element 320 A1, on the second display area 130 the content is output which is assigned to the element 320 B3, and on the third display area 135 the content is output which is assigned to the element 320 C2.

[0044] FIG. 4 shows an overview 400 of selections of a list 305 to 315 and of an element 320. The overview 400 can be shown to a user while this user selects an element 320 for a display area 125 to 135. In the overview 400, each element 320 can be visually represented by a text, a symbol, or a miniaturized representation of a content, which is assigned to the respective element 320. The procedure described with respect to the overview 400 relates in particular to steps 215 and 220 of the method 200 and can also be applied without the overview 400 actually being shown to a user.

[0045] A user can make two selections to assign a content to a display area 125 to 135. A first selection relates to a display area 125 to 135 or a list 305 to 315 assigned to the respective display area 125 to 135. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the first display area 125 or the first list 305 is selected. The lists 305 to 315 are arranged in a predetermined sequence, which is preferably cyclic, so that a first and a last element 320 of the list 305 to 315 are adjacent to one another. The selection made of the first list 305 can thus be changed, for example, by an actuation of the input element 145 to the right to the second list 310, from there by a further actuation to the right to the third list 315, and if needed by still a further actuation to the right to the first list 305. In a corresponding manner, the selected list 305 to 315 can also be changed by an actuation of the input element 145 to the left in the reverse sequence.

[0046] In one embodiment, the lists 305 to 315 are hierarchically organized. For example, an element 320 can be selected in the first list 305, to which the second list 310 is assigned. Another element 320 of the first list 305 could be assigned another second list 310. After selection of the element 320 of the first list 305, an element 320 of the second list 310 can be selected which can be assigned to either a function or a third list 315. Arbitrarily many hierarchy levels can thus be managed.

[0047] In the illustrated embodiment, it is shown for each list 305 to 315 which element 320 is presently selected. Only for the first list 305 selected as an example, it is additionally possible to show which elements 320 are available for a second selection. A change of the selected element 320 can take place incrementally, thus by transition from a selected element 320 to an adjacent element 320, wherein preferably the list 305 is cyclic, so that the two elements A1 and A5 at opposite ends of the first list 305 are also adjacent to one another. For each direction of an incremental change of the selected element 320, a predetermined display of incrementally adjacent elements 320 can be displayed. In the illustrated embodiment, two adjacent elements 320 are respectively shown at the top and bottom. The size of a displayed, non-selected element 320 can decrease with the distance from the selected element 320 here. Overall, the visual impression of a wheel can thus result, on the outside of which designations or symbols for the elements 320 are attached and which is rotatably mounted around a horizontal axis of rotation.

[0048] Proceeding from the illustration of FIG. 4, a user could change the selected element 320 of the first list 305 from A1 to A5, for example, by actuating the input device 145 upward. This change can become effective immediately or only after a confirmation. Subsequently, by actuating the input device 145 to the right, he could select the second list 310 and select the element 320 B2 by an actuation upward. He could use a similar procedure with respect to the third list 315.

[0049] The changing of the selected element 320 within one of the lists 305 to 315 and/or the changing of the selected list 305 to 315 can also be controlled in a further embodiment in that the overview 400 is displayed on a touch-sensitive display 115, 120 (touchscreen) and a user touches this and carries out, for example, a horizontal or vertical gesture or actuation.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0050] 100 vehicle [0051] 105 system [0052] 110 control device [0053] 115 first display (multifunction display) [0054] 120 second display (head-up display) [0055] 125 first display area [0056] 130 second display area [0057] 135 third display area [0058] 140 processing unit [0059] 145 input device [0060] 150 steering wheel [0061] 200 method [0062] 205 scan input unit [0063] 210 overlay overview [0064] 215 select display area [0065] 220 select element from list [0066] 225 accept selection [0067] 230 display content [0068] 235 hide overview [0069] 305 first list (list A) [0070] 310 second list (list B) [0071] 315 third list (list C) [0072] 320 element [0073] 400 overview