Control system and method for function-configurable mechanical switch of cabin

Abstract

The invention discloses a control system and method for a function-configurable mechanical switch of a cabin, the system comprises one or more mechanical switches arranged in the cabin, and the output end of each mechanical switch is connected to an IVI host; and the IVI host is used for recording the configuration function of the mechanical switch, converting an action signal of the mechanical switch into a control signal, and transmitting the control signal to the whole vehicle CAN network so as to be read and executed by the actuator. The method has the advantages that the definition of common functions of a user is met by arranging the mechanical switches with the configurable functions, the operation convenience of the user is improved, the cost increase is limited due to the limited number of the configurable switches, and meanwhile blind operation of the user can be met to complete adjustment of some functions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of automobile cockpit control, and in particular to a control system and method for a functionally configurable mechanical switch in a cockpit. Background Art

[0002] In the prior art, with the advancement of technology and the application and development of intelligent electrification technology in automobiles, mechanical switches have gradually become virtual soft switches, that is, soft switches developed in the central control touch screen, which realize the adjustment functions of the original mechanical switches, such as air conditioning adjustment and volume adjustment. Even the shift switch has been developed into a virtual soft switch in many vehicles. This method can greatly save costs and save space in the car, which is beneficial for the layout of the car and increasing the space in the cockpit. Therefore, with the development of automobile technology, in the existing cockpit driving system, the control buttons and knobs on the car have all been displayed on the central control screen, the co-pilot screen and other entertainment screens.

[0003] However, this kind of cockpit uses virtual soft switches to control some functions in the car, which also has certain defects. In some cases, it leads to inconvenience in operation, increases response time, and even operating the central control screen button during high-speed driving will affect driving safety; for example, when the air conditioner, volume or other functions need to be adjusted, the vehicle is driving at this time, and the soft switch of the touch screen is needed to switch or adjust the function. At this time, it will cause the user to look at the touch screen while driving. This operation is prone to safety hazards and causes inconvenience to the user. Compared with the blind operation of mechanical switches, it is definitely inconvenient. However, restoring all mechanical switches will also take up space and cost in the entire vehicle. How to strike a balance is something that car companies need to consider. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and to provide a control system and method for a functional configurable mechanical switch for a cockpit. By providing a mechanical switch with configurable functions, the definition of commonly used functions of users can be met, thereby improving the convenience of user operation. The limited number of configurable switches has limited increase in cost and can also meet the user's blind operation to complete the adjustment of some functions, thus achieving a balance between cost and user needs. Moreover, the functions are configurable and adjustable, which also improves the user experience of the cockpit and enhances the sense of technology.

[0005] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a control system for a functionally configurable mechanical switch in a cockpit, wherein one or more mechanical switches are arranged in the cockpit, and the output end of the mechanical switch is connected to an IVI host; the IVI host is used to record the configuration function of the mechanical switch and convert the action signal of the mechanical switch into a control signal and transmit it to the CAN network of the whole vehicle to be read and executed by the actuator.

[0006] The IVI host is connected to a memory, and the memory is used to store functional configuration information of the mechanical switch.

[0007] The IVI host is connected to the central control system, and the configuration information of the mechanical switch is entered or modified through the central control screen of the central control system. After receiving the configuration information of the central control system, the IVI host stores the modified configuration information of the mechanical switch and corresponds it to the mechanical switch; after the configuration is completed, when the mechanical switch is triggered, the IVI host receives the trigger signal, reads the corresponding function configuration information, converts it into a control command and sends it to the CAN network.

[0008] A mechanical LCD screen is provided on the mechanical switch, and the mechanical LCD screen is connected to the IVI host. After the mechanical switch configuration is completed, the IVI host sends the function icon corresponding to the configuration information to the mechanical LCD screen for display. The mechanical LCD screen is set on the top of the mechanical switch to display the configured function of the current mechanical switch.

[0009] The mechanical switch includes two action states: rotation and pressing. When the function is configured through the central control screen, the function information is configured for the action states of the mechanical switch respectively.

[0010] A control method for a control system of a functionally configurable mechanical switch in a cockpit, characterized in that:

[0011] The control method includes a configuration step of a mechanical switch, which includes: a user opens a central control screen and selects a configuration interface for a mechanical switch, enters or selects an ID of the mechanical switch and corresponding configuration information in the configuration interface, and after the IVI host obtains the user request, sends a function configuration request to the corresponding mechanical switch through a LIN signal, and after receiving the configuration change request, executes the configuration operation and displays a log corresponding to the current configuration function; the IVI host matches the configuration information in the configuration request with the corresponding mechanical switch ID and stores it in a memory connected to the IVI host.

[0012] During configuration, the pressing function of the mechanical switch is configured to turn the function on and off; the rotation of the mechanical switch is configured to adjust the level of the function; the functions corresponding to the mechanical switch are configured and the configuration information is entered through the central control screen.

[0013] During the configuration stage, the user's configuration and adjustment signals are received through the central control screen, and the configuration information selected by the user is sent to the IVI host for execution; in the central control host system of the central control screen, a function for selecting or customizing the mechanical switches of corresponding positions is added through the APP interface, and the user customizes the configuration of the mechanical switches in the APP interface.

[0014] After the configuration stage is completed, the mechanical switch with the configured function is in an operable state. When the mechanical switch is triggered, the trigger signal is received by the IVI host, and the IVI host controls the LCD screen on the mechanical switch to display the function logo corresponding to the mechanical switch; at the same time, the corresponding function of the mechanical switch is forwarded to the CAN network, and the actuator of the corresponding function of the mechanical switch reads the function instruction through the CAN network and executes it.

[0015] The mechanical switch pressing signal is received by the GPIO port of the IVI host as a corresponding signal, and the pressing status is recorded through the soft flag; when the mechanical switch rotates, the rotation signal is collected by the encoder and given to the IVI host; the IVI host controls the execution of the corresponding mechanical switch function according to the collected signal.

[0016] The advantages of the present invention are as follows: by providing a mechanical switch with configurable functions to meet the definition of commonly used functions of users, the convenience of user operation is improved; the limited number of configurable switches has limited increase in cost and can also meet the user's blind operation to complete the adjustment of some functions, thus achieving a balance between cost and user needs; and the configurable and adjustable functions also improve the user experience of the cockpit and enhance the sense of technology. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The following is a brief description of the contents expressed in the drawings of the present invention and the symbols in the drawings:

[0018] Figure 1 is a structural diagram of the control system of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 is a flow chart of the control system of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the correspondence between mechanical button / knob events and control functions of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the position distribution of two knobs and four buttons in the present invention as an example;

[0022] Figure 5 is a flow chart of the configuration of the mechanical switch of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a control flow chart for the use of the configured mechanical switch of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The specific implementation of the present invention will be further explained in detail below by describing the optimal embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] In the present embodiment, a control system for function-configurable mechanical switches for the cockpit adds mechanical buttons whose functions can be defined by users on the basis of the touch virtual buttons on the original central control screen, co-pilot screen and other entertainment screens. In this way, the user's own purpose of rapid function operation can be met and safety can be improved. At the same time, the functions can be configured and defined, and the user can implement the function settings according to personal needs and customization, thereby improving the convenience of use of the cockpit and the user experience.

[0026] In this embodiment, a control system for a functionally configurable mechanical switch in a cockpit is provided, and its hardware components include: an undefined mechanical switch arranged in the cockpit, an on-board IVI host, an on-board central control screen, etc.

[0027] The undefined mechanical switch may be any mechanical switch form such as a button, a knob, or a combination of a button and a knob.

[0028] One or more mechanical switches are set in the cockpit. The number of settings can be adjusted by the OEM according to actual needs. Generally, the number of settings is in the single digit and is usually less than 6. Excessive number of settings will affect the layout and space inside the vehicle.

[0029] The output end of the mechanical switch is connected to the IVI host; the IVI host is used to record the configuration function of the mechanical switch and convert the action signal of the mechanical switch into a control signal and transmit it to the vehicle CAN network to be read and executed by the actuator.

[0030] The IVI host is connected to a memory, which is used to store the functional configuration information of the mechanical switch. The stored functional configuration can be modified and entered by the user, and the modification and entry are realized through the central control screen, which is the touch screen of the central control system. The IVI host is connected to the central control system, and the configuration information of the mechanical switch is entered or modified through the central control screen of the central control system. After receiving the configuration information of the central control system, the IVI host will modify the configuration information of the mechanical switch and store it corresponding to the mechanical switch; after the configuration is completed, when the mechanical switch is triggered, the IVI host receives the trigger signal, reads the corresponding functional configuration information and converts it into a control command and sends it to the CAN network.

[0031] Since the mechanical switch can be configured and modified by the user, in order to avoid the user not knowing the specific function of the mechanical switch they set or configured, an LCD screen is set on the mechanical switch. The LCD screen is set on the top of the mechanical switch housing. The mechanical LCD screen is connected to the IVI host. After the mechanical switch is configured, the IVI host sends the function icon corresponding to the configuration information to the mechanical LCD screen for display. The mechanical LCD screen is set on the top of the mechanical switch to display the configured function of the current mechanical switch. When performing function configuration, when the mechanical switch includes two action states of rotation and pressing, when performing function configuration through the central control screen, the function information of the action state of the mechanical switch is configured separately.

[0032] The control method of the control system of the mechanical switch includes two parts: the first part is to configure and define the functions of the undefined mechanical switches. The user sets the configuration functions of each mechanical switch as needed through the APP software developed on the central control screen. After the configuration is completed, when the user operates the mechanical switch, the IVI host converts the corresponding function into a CAN command and sends it to the CAN network, which is executed by the actuator. For example, when the mechanical switch is configured as an air-conditioning switch, the actuator is the air-conditioning controller, and the air-conditioning controller obtains the control command on the CAN network and executes it.

[0033] During configuration, the user opens the central control screen and selects the mechanical switch configuration interface. In the configuration interface, the user enters or selects the ID of the mechanical switch and the corresponding configuration information. After the IVI host obtains the user's request, it sends a function configuration request to the corresponding mechanical switch through the LIN signal. After receiving the configuration change request, it executes the configuration operation and displays the logo corresponding to the current configuration function. The IVI host matches the configuration information in the configuration request with the corresponding mechanical switch ID and stores it in a memory connected to the IVI host.

[0034] After the configuration is completed, when the user operates the mechanical switch, the IVI host obtains the operation signal of the mechanical switch, and then identifies the configuration function corresponding to the current mechanical switch through the configuration information recorded in the memory, and then converts the configuration function into a CAN command and sends it to the CAN network, and then sends it to the corresponding actuator through the CAN network. At the same time, the LCD screen on the mechanical switch can also be lit periodically or light up every time after getting on the car and extinguished after a long period of no operation, which is convenient for viewing and energy saving.

[0035] This embodiment provides an embodiment for the setting of mechanical switches, which is provided with two mechanical knobs and four mechanical buttons (the number needs to be determined by the OEM according to specific needs and market research). These mechanical buttons and knobs have undefined functions, and users can define their functions according to their own habits and needs. The functions corresponding to the two added mechanical knobs and four mechanical buttons can be configured by software to be related to air conditioning control, brightness / volume control, or seat adjustment, etc. The specific functions are determined according to customer preferences;

[0036] This system adds two mechanical knobs and four mechanical buttons on the basis of the touch virtual buttons on the original central control screen, co-pilot screen and other entertainment screens; the added control buttons and knobs include but are not limited to air conditioning control-related, brightness and volume control-related, and seat adjustment-related, etc.; the functions corresponding to the two added mechanical knobs and four mechanical buttons, the mechanical knobs and mechanical buttons can be configured through software to be related to air conditioning control, brightness and volume control, or seat adjustment, etc., and the specific functions can be customized according to customer preferences.

[0037] This system includes a central control screen, an IVI host, and mechanical LCD buttons / knobs. See the attached system block diagram for details. Figure 1 ;

[0038] The user opens the central control screen system settings APP, selects the interface for configuring mechanical buttons / knobs, selects the ID of the mechanical LCD button / knob to be configured, and sends a request to modify the function of the mechanical LCD button / knob ID through the CAN / I2C / Te l net signal. After the IVI host receives the user's request, it sends a function configuration request to the corresponding mechanical button / knob ID through the LIN signal. After receiving the configuration change request, the mechanical LCD button / knob performs the configuration operation and displays the logo of the current function. The user can turn the function on and off by pressing; the function level can be adjusted by rotating.

[0039] If no operation is performed for a long time, the system will enter sleep mode. Rotating or touching any mechanical button or knob will wake up and light up all mechanical buttons and knobs, and display the logos of all mechanical buttons and knobs in a pop-up box on the central control screen. For details of the flowchart, please see the attached Figure 2 ;

[0040] 1. Central control screen:

[0041] Receive the user's adjustment signal and send the user's selected settings to the IVI host via CAN / I2C / Te l net. The system settings APP interface adds a function that can be used to select or customize the corresponding machine position mechanical button / knob; the central control screen system settings APP, users can customize the function of the mechanical LCD button / knob; the APP interface will display the positions of 2 mechanical knobs and 4 mechanical buttons, mark the user setting button / knob Logo and can reflect the corresponding function; after opening the APP, it will prompt to select different functions in different positions, including but not limited to the following methods, after opening the APK:

[0042] 1) Select different function IDs according to needs: air conditioning control, seat mode control, brightness and sound control;

[0043] 2) Air conditioning control includes but is not limited to the following functions: air conditioning switch, air conditioning AUTO switch, A / C switch, internal circulation switch, front windshield defrost switch, and rear windshield defrost switch;

[0044] 3) Seat control includes but is not limited to the following functions: seat function switch, seat function gear adjustment, seat ventilation, seat heating, and seat massage;

[0045] 4) Brightness and sound control include but are not limited to the following functions: brightness adjustment function switch, brightness adjustment, sound adjustment function switch, sound adjustment;

[0046] 5) The events of mechanical knobs and buttons include but are not limited to: Knob 1 Press, Knob 1 Rotate, Knob 2 Press, Knob 2 Rotate, Key 1, Key 2, Key 3 and Key 4; see the following diagram for the correspondence between button / knob events and function descriptions (see Appendix Figure 3 )

[0047] 6) There is an LCD screen on the top of each button and knob to display the logo. To reduce the power consumption of the LCD screen of the mechanical buttons, the buttons and knobs will enter sleep mode if they are not operated for a long time (can be set to 60 seconds). Rotating any of the two mechanical knobs can wake up all the mechanical buttons and knobs. At the same time, the central control screen pops up a box to display the logos of all the mechanical buttons and knobs.

[0048] 2.IVI host:

[0049] 1) Receive the user setting signal sent by the central control screen and save the setting data to the storage device, including but not limited to EEPROM / Flash, and save it when the power is off;

[0050] 2) Configure the function of each mechanical LCD button / knob according to the user's setting information. The communication method between the IVI host and the mechanical LCD button / knob includes but is not limited to LIN;

[0051] 3) The functions of virtual buttons and mechanical buttons / knobs are synchronized in real time;

[0052] 3. Mechanical LCD buttons / knobs:

[0053] 1) Receive the button / knob function configuration signal sent by the IVI host. After the mechanical LCD button / knob receives the configuration change request, the logo of the current function is displayed on the button screen; for buttons and knobs, users can turn the function on and off by pressing; for knobs, the function level can be adjusted by rotating;

[0054] 2) The brightness of the logo backlight on the button / knob is consistent with the brightness of other screens in the cockpit, and receives adjustment requests from the IVI host;

[0055] 3) When a button is pressed, a GPIO signal is sent to the IVI host, and the pressing status is recorded through a soft flag. When the knob is rotated, an encoder signal is sent to the IVI host. The principle is to convert the displacement into a periodic electrical signal, and then convert the electrical signal into a counting pulse, and use the number of pulses to represent the adjustment amplitude.

[0056] 4) There is an LCD screen on the top of each button and knob to display the logo. To reduce the power consumption of the LCD screen of the mechanical buttons, the buttons and knobs will enter sleep mode if they are not operated for a long time (60 seconds can be set). Rotating any of the two mechanical knobs can wake up all the mechanical buttons and knobs. At the same time, the central control screen pops up a box to display the logos of all the mechanical buttons and knobs.

[0057] The button / knob position layout can be set and adjusted according to actual needs, such as Figure 4 As shown, in the design of this embodiment, there are two mechanical knobs on both sides and four mechanical buttons in the middle; users can configure custom functions for any mechanical button / knob; the layout of the cockpit mechanical buttons / knobs can be found in the attached Figure 4 .

[0058] The undefined mechanical switch in the cockpit of this solution includes a configuration process and a usage process, and the processes are as follows:

[0059] 1. Mechanical button / knob configuration process: The user opens the central control screen system setting APP, selects the button / knob function configuration interface, and selects the configuration according to needs: air conditioning control, seat mode control, brightness and sound control, etc.; the central control screen sends a request to modify the mechanical LCD button / knob to the IVI host through the CAN / I2C / Te l net signal; the IVI host determines that the central control screen and the IVI host have successfully handshaked, the IVI host receives the user setting signal, and saves the setting data to a storage device, such as EEPROM, Flash, etc.; configure the function of each mechanical LCD button / knob according to the user's setting information; the communication method between the IVI host and the mechanical LCD button / knob includes but is not limited to LIN; after the mechanical LCD button / knob receives the configuration change request, the logo of the current function is displayed on the button screen; the mechanical LCD button / knob responds to the user's request in real time, and gives real-time feedback to the IVI host according to the press / rotation signal; see the following attachment for details Figure 5 ;

[0060] 2. Process of using mechanical buttons / knobs by users (for example, turning on the front windshield defrost function): The user has configured through the central control screen that pressing "Knob 1" turns on / off the air conditioning control, rotating "Knob 2" adjusts the air conditioning wind speed, and pressing "Button 3" turns on / off the front windshield defrost function; the mechanical button / knob displays the Logo icon according to the configuration; the user presses "Knob 1" to turn on the air conditioning control function, rotates "Knob 2" to adjust the air conditioning wind speed, and presses "Button 3" to turn on the front windshield defrost function; after the IVI host receives the signals from "Knob 1", "Knob 2", and "Button 3", it controls the relevant modules in the cockpit and turns on the front windshield defrost function; after the IVI host receives the signal from "Button 3" again, it turns off the front windshield defrost function; if the user wants to turn off the air conditioning control function, the IVI host turns off the air conditioning control function after receiving the pressing signal from "Knob 1" again; see the attached document for details. Figure 6 ;

[0061] The smart cockpit system using the above solution has the following technical advantages:

[0062] 1. Add mechanical LCD buttons / knobs on the basis of the virtual buttons on the cockpit central control screen to facilitate turning on or off necessary functions and shorten the adjustment time;

[0063] 2. Based on the central control screen system setting APP, users can customize the functions of mechanical LCD buttons / knobs; the APP interface will display the positions of 2 mechanical knobs and 4 mechanical buttons, mark the logo of the user-set buttons / knobs and reflect the corresponding functions;

[0064] 3. There is an LCD screen on the top of each button and knob to display the logo. To reduce the power consumption of the LCD screen of the mechanical buttons, the buttons and knobs will enter sleep mode if they are not operated for a long time (60 seconds can be set). Rotating any of the two mechanical knobs can wake up all the mechanical buttons and knobs. At the same time, the central control screen pops up a box to display the logos of all the mechanical buttons and knobs.

[0065] 4. The central control screen sends the function configuration to the IVI host for storage to save it when power is off;

[0066] 5. Users can turn on or off the corresponding function by pressing, and can adjust the function level by rotating; the functions related to the mechanical button / knob and the related functions on the virtual screen are synchronized in real time;

[0067] 6. The functions of the mechanical LCD buttons / knobs include but are not limited to air conditioning control, brightness and volume control, and seat control.

[0068] Obviously, the specific implementation of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned methods. As long as various non-substantial improvements are made using the method concept and technical solution of the present invention, they are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control system for a functionally configurable mechanical switch in a cockpit, characterized in that: One or more mechanical switches are arranged in the cockpit, and the output end of the mechanical switch is connected to the IVI host; the IVI host is used to record the configuration function of the mechanical switch and convert the action signal of the mechanical switch into a control signal and transmit it to the CAN network of the whole vehicle to be read and executed by the actuator.

2. A control system for a functionally configurable mechanical switch in a cockpit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The IVI host is connected to a memory, and the memory is used to store functional configuration information of the mechanical switch.

3. A control system for a functionally configurable mechanical switch in a cockpit as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The IVI host is connected to the central control system, and the configuration information of the mechanical switch is input or modified through the central control screen of the central control system. After receiving the configuration information of the central control system, the IVI host stores the modified configuration information of the mechanical switch and corresponds to the mechanical switch; After the configuration is completed, when the mechanical switch is triggered, the IVI host receives the trigger signal, reads the corresponding function configuration information, converts it into control instructions and sends it to the CAN network.

4. A control system for a functionally configurable mechanical switch in a cockpit as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that: A mechanical LCD screen is provided on the mechanical switch, and the mechanical LCD screen is connected to the IVI host. After the mechanical switch configuration is completed, the IVI host sends the function icon corresponding to the configuration information to the mechanical LCD screen for display. The mechanical LCD screen is set on the top of the mechanical switch to display the configured function of the current mechanical switch.

5. A control system for a functionally configurable mechanical switch in a cockpit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The mechanical switch includes two action states: rotation and pressing. When the function is configured through the central control screen, the function information is configured for the action states of the mechanical switch respectively.

6. A control method for a control system of a functionally configurable mechanical switch for a cockpit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The control method includes a configuration step of a mechanical switch, which includes: a user opens a central control screen and selects a configuration interface for a mechanical switch, enters or selects an ID of the mechanical switch and corresponding configuration information in the configuration interface, and after the IVI host obtains the user request, sends a function configuration request to the corresponding mechanical switch through a LIN signal, and after receiving the configuration change request, executes the configuration operation and displays a logo corresponding to the current configuration function; the IVI host matches the configuration information in the configuration request with the corresponding mechanical switch ID and stores it in a memory connected to the IVI host.

7. A control method for a control system of a function-configurable mechanical switch in a cockpit according to claim 6, characterized in that: During configuration, the pressing function of the mechanical switch is configured to turn the function on and off; the rotation of the mechanical switch is configured to adjust the level of the function; the functions corresponding to the mechanical switch are configured and the configuration information is entered through the central control screen.

8. The control method for a control system of a function-configurable mechanical switch in a cockpit according to claim 6, characterized in that: In the configuration stage, the central control screen receives the user's configuration and adjustment signals, and sends the user's selected configuration information to the IVI host for execution; In the central control host system of the central control screen, a function for selecting or customizing the mechanical switch of the corresponding position is added through the APP interface, and the user customizes the function of configuring the mechanical switch in the APP interface.

9. A control method for a control system of a function-configurable mechanical switch for a cockpit as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that: After the configuration stage is completed, the mechanical switch with the configured function is in an operable state. When the mechanical switch is triggered, the trigger signal is received by the IVI host, and the IVI host controls the LCD screen on the mechanical switch to display the function logo corresponding to the mechanical switch; at the same time, the corresponding function of the mechanical switch is forwarded to the CAN network, and the actuator of the corresponding function of the mechanical switch reads the function instruction through the CAN network and executes it.

10. The control method for a control system of a function-configurable mechanical switch of a cockpit according to claim 9, characterized in that: The mechanical switch pressing signal is received by the GPIO port of the IVI host as a corresponding signal, and the pressing status is recorded through the soft flag; when the mechanical switch rotates, the rotation signal is collected by the encoder and given to the IVI host; the IVI host controls the execution of the corresponding mechanical switch function according to the collected signal.

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