OPERATOR CONTROL DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE BY USING AN OPERATOR CONTROL DEVICE

Abstract

A touch-sensitive display device and a hand rest which can be adjusted between a first position and a second position are included in an operating device for a motor vehicle. The hand rest is arranged in the area of the display device. A control device activates a first display area of the display device and activates a manual driving mode of the motor vehicle when the hand rest is arranged in the first position. The control device activates a second display area of the display device and an autopilot of the motor vehicle when the hand rest is arranged in the second position.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. An operator control device for a motor vehicle, comprising: a touch-sensitive display apparatus; a hand rest, provided in a region of the touch-sensitive display apparatus, adjustable between a first position and a second position; and a controller configured: to activate a first display region of the touch-sensitive display apparatus and a manual driving mode of the motor vehicle, when the hand rest is in the first position, and to activate a second display region of the touch-sensitive display apparatus and an autopilot function of the motor vehicle, when the hand rest is in the second position.

12. The operator control device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the hand rest is to be disposed further forward in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle in the first position than in the second position, when the hand rest is mounted in the motor vehicle, and the first display region is to be disposed further forward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle than the second display region, when the touch-sensitive display apparatus is mounted in the motor vehicle.

13. The operator control device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to extend the first display region to the second display region when the hand rest is in the second position.

14. The operator control device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to deactivate the first display region when the hand rest is in the second position.

15. The operator control device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising: a first web which extends from a first side of the hand rest to connect the hand rest to an interior vehicle component, when the hand rest is mounted in the motor vehicle, and a second web which extends from a second side of the hand rest to connect the hand rest to the interior vehicle component, when the hand rest is mounted in the motor vehicle.

16. The operator control device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the interior vehicle component is a central console of the motor vehicle.

17. The operator control device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the hand rest is elongated in a transverse direction of the motor vehicle, when the hand rest is mounted in the motor vehicle a lower end of the first web and a lower end of the second web are each pivotable about a first transverse axis of the motor vehicle, when the hand rest is mounted in the motor vehicle, an upper end of the first web is connected to the first side of the hand rest and an upper end of the second web is connected to the second side of the hand rest, and the hand rest is pivotable about a second transverse axis spaced apart from the first transverse axis, when the hand rest is mounted in the motor vehicle.

18. The operator control device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the hand rest is adjustable from the first position into the second position and/or from the second position into the first position by activation of a release key provided on the hand rest.

19. The operator control device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the touch-sensitive display apparatus is to be disposed obliquely with respect to a plane extending in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle and a transverse direction of the motor vehicle, when the touch-sensitive display apparatus is mounted in the motor vehicle.

20. A motor vehicle, comprising: a driver assistance system configured to provide an autopilot function of the motor vehicle; and an operator control device, including: a touch-sensitive display apparatus, a hand rest, provided in a region of the touch-sensitive display apparatus, adjustable between a first position and a second position, and a controller configured: to activate a first display region of the touch-sensitive display apparatus and a manual driving mode of the motor vehicle, when the hand rest is in the first position, and to activate a second display region of the touch-sensitive display apparatus and the autopilot function of the motor vehicle, when the hand rest is in the second position.

21. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 20, wherein the hand rest is disposed further forward in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle in the first position than in the second position, and the first display region is disposed further forward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle than the second display region.

22. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to activate each of the first display region and the second display region, when the hand rest is in the second position such that a total display region of the touch-sensitive display region is greater in size than when the hand rest is in the first position.

23. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to deactivate the second display region when the hand rest is adjusted from the second position into the first position, and to keep the first display region activated when the hand rest is adjusted from the first position into the second position.

24. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 20, wherein the operator control device further includes: a first web which extends from a first side of the hand rest to connect the hand rest to an interior vehicle component, and a second web which extends from a second side of the hand rest to connect the hand rest to the interior vehicle component.

25. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 24, wherein the hand rest is elongated in a transverse direction of the motor vehicle, when the hand rest is mounted in the motor vehicle, a lower end of the first web and a lower end of the second web are each mounted to the interior vehicle component so as to be pivotable about a first transverse axis of the motor vehicle, an upper end of the first web is connected to the first side of the hand rest and an upper end of the second web is connected to the second side of the hand rest, and the hand rest is pivotable about a second transverse axis spaced apart from the first transverse axis.

26. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 20, wherein the operator control device is disposed within the motor vehicle at a position operable by a driver of the motor vehicle.

27. The operator control device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the touch-sensitive display apparatus is disposed obliquely with respect to a plane extending in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle and a transverse direction of the motor vehicle, and the first display region provided further upward in a vertical direction of the motor vehicle than the second display region.

28. A method for operating a motor vehicle, comprising: providing a hand rest in a region of a touch-sensitive display apparatus of the motor vehicle; activating, by a controller, a first display region of the touch-sensitive display apparatus and a manual driving mode of the motor vehicle when the hand rest is in a first position; and activating, by the controller, a second display region of the touch-sensitive display apparatus and an autopilot function of the motor vehicle when the hand rest is in a second position.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising: deactivating, by the controller, the first display region when the hand rest is in the second position; and deactivating, by the controller, the second display region when the hand rest is in the first position.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising: activating, by the controller, both the first display region and the second display region, when the hand rest is in the second position such that a total display region of the touch-sensitive display region is greater in size than when the hand rest is in the first position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] These and other aspects and advantages will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the example embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

[0025] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a motor vehicle with an operator control device which has a touch-sensitive display apparatus and a hand rest which can be adjusted between a first and a second position and which is arranged in the region of the display apparatus, wherein the operator control device has a control apparatus for controlling the display apparatus and for activating and deactivating an autopilot of the motor vehicle;

[0026] FIG. 2 is a perspective view in which the adjustable hand rest and the touch-sensitive display apparatus are illustrated;

[0027] FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the adjustable hand rest and touch-sensitive display apparatus, wherein the adjustable hand rest is arranged in the same position as in FIG. 2;

[0028] FIG. 4 is a further perspective view in which the adjustable hand rest and the touch-sensitive display apparatus are illustrated, wherein the adjustable hand rest is arranged in another position than in FIGS. 2 and 3; and

[0029] FIG. 5 is a further schematic plan view of the adjustable hand rest and touch-sensitive display apparatus, wherein the adjustable hand rest is arranged in the same position as in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Reference will now be made in detail to the example embodiments which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

[0031] A motor vehicle 1 having an operator control device 2 is shown a schematic illustration in FIG. 1. The operator control device 2 includes a touch-sensitive display apparatus 3, a control apparatus 4 and an adjustable hand rest 5 which is arranged in the region of the touch-sensitive display apparatus 3. In addition, a driver assistance system 6 is also indicated schematically, which driver assistance system 6 can make available an autopilot function for autonomously controlling the motor vehicle 1.

[0032] In FIG. 2, the adjustable hand rest 5 and the touch-sensitive display apparatus 3 are shown in a perspective view. The hand rest 5 is arranged here in a first position which causes the control apparatus 4 to deactivate the driver assistance system 6, and as a result causes the motor vehicle 1 to be operated in a manual driving mode in which a driver of the motor vehicle 1 has to control the motor vehicle 1 completely manually.

[0033] As soon as the hand rest 5 is arranged in the first position shown here, the control apparatus 4 additionally causes a first display region 7 of the touch-sensitive display apparatus 3 to be activated. Furthermore, the touch-sensitive display apparatus 3 also has a second display region 8 which directly adjoins the first display region 7. The two display regions 7, 8 therefore together form the total available display and operator control area of the touch-sensitive display apparatus 3.

[0034] The hand rest 5 is pivotably mounted on a schematically indicated central console 10 of the motor vehicle 1 by using respective webs 9 which are laterally attached to the hand rest 5. Respective lower ends of the webs 9 are mounted on the central console 10 so as to be pivotable about an axis 11 which runs in the transverse direction y of the vehicle. The hand rest 5 itself is in turn mounted in an articulated fashion at respective upper ends of the webs 9, with the result that the hand rest 5 can be pivoted relative to the webs 9, about a further axis 12 which also runs in the transverse direction y of the vehicle. As a result it is possible for a support area of the hand rest 5 which points upward and is not denoted in more detail always to point upward independently of the position of the hand rest 5, with the result that the driver of the motor vehicle 1 can always position his hand comfortably on the hand rest 5.

[0035] As is apparent, the touch-sensitive display apparatus 3 is positioned obliquely. Both display regions 7, 8 are therefore oriented obliquely with respect to a plane extending from the longitudinal direction x of the vehicle and transverse direction y of the vehicle. Furthermore, the first display region 7 is arranged further upward in the vertical direction z of the vehicle than the second display region 8.

[0036] In FIG. 3, the touch-sensitive display apparatus 3 and the hand rest 5 are shown in a schematic plan view, wherein the hand rest 5 is again arranged in the first position as in FIG. 2. A hand 13 of the driver of the motor vehicle 1 which is positioned on the hand rest 5 is additionally indicated schematically. As is apparent, the driver can comfortably operate the first display region 7 with his hand 13 if the hand rest 5 is arranged in the first position.

[0037] In FIG. 4, the touch-sensitive display apparatus 3 and the hand rest 5 are shown in a further perspective view, wherein the hand rest 5 is now arranged in a second position. As soon as the hand rest 5 has been adjusted into this second position, the control apparatus 4 activates the driver assistance system 6, as a result of which the autopilot of the motor vehicle 1 is activated. In addition, the control apparatus 4 also switches on the second display region 8 of the display apparatus 3 in addition to the first display region 7. The display and operator control region of the touch-sensitive display apparatus 3 is therefore extended as soon as the hand rest 5 has been adjusted into the second position shown here. When the autopilot is activated, the driver of the motor vehicle 1 therefore has, through the switching on of the second display region 8, a larger display and operator control region available than if the motor vehicle 1 is operated in the manual mode.

[0038] In FIG. 5, the adjustable hand rest 5 and the touch-sensitive display apparatus 3 are shown in a further schematic plan view, wherein the hand rest 5 is arranged in the second position as shown in FIG. 4. As is apparent, in the second position the hand rest 5 no longer projects beyond the second display region 8 when viewed from above. As a result of the pivoting back of the hand rest 5 into the second position, the driver can now also comfortably operate the additionally activated second display region 8 with his hand 13.

[0039] On an underside of the hand rest 5, a release key (not illustrated in the drawings) can be provided. This release key must be activated for the hand rest 5 to be able to be adjusted between the first and second positions. This can ensure that the driver does not inadvertently displace the hand rest 5 and change from a manual driving mode of the motor vehicle 1 into the automatic driving mode, and vice versa.

[0040] As a result of the fact that the respective driving mode of the motor vehicle 1, that is to say the manual driving mode or the autopilot mode, depends on the position of the hand rest 5, the mode awareness for the driver is increased for the respective operating mode of the motor vehicle 1. As a result of the switching on and switching off of the second display region 8 as a function of the position of the hand rest 5 and therefore as a function of the driving mode of the motor vehicle 1 it is additionally possible for the operator control and display region of the touch-sensitive display apparatus 3 to be displaced toward the driver in a particularly easy way.

[0041] A description has been provided with particular reference to example embodiments, 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).