Method and device for navigating a screen menu

Abstract

A method for navigating a screen menu (3) displayed on a screen (2) by means of an electromechanical control element (8), wherein a mechanical control element movement is converted into electrical encoder signals (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) in a direction-dependent manner, wherein the rate of the encoder signals (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) is proportional to a amplitude of the control element movement, and the movement of at least one display element (5) in the screen menu (3) is controlled by means of the encoder signals (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d), comprising the following steps: a) a first control element movement occurs in one direction (B), b) at a starting time (Z0, Z5) of the control element movement, a timer is activated, c) if within a given time interval, a so-called dynamic time interval (Δ D), if a second control element movement in the same direction (B) occurs after the initial time (Z0, Z5), then a control parameter (F) is changed to control the movement of the display element (5).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method and a device for navigating a screen menu. The invention further relates to a motor vehicle equipped with such a device.

[0002] Human-machine interfaces (HMIs) are used to operate computer-controlled devices. A number of control elements are known specifically for navigating the on-screen menus of computer-controlled devices, and these prove more or less suitable depending on the application environment. For example, computer mice are common at stationary workstations. Their movement on a surface such as a mousepad is detected by a laser beam or a mechanical rotary encoder. The encoder signals generated in this process are used to control a cursor on the screen.Laptop computers often feature touchpads next to their keyboards. These touchpads detect finger movements, replacing mouse movements, and generate spatially resolved signals to control a pointer (cursor) or other markers on the computer screen. Furthermore, graphical user interfaces (GUIs), also known as touchscreens, are commonly used to operate computer-controlled devices. These interfaces combine menu display, navigation, and data input capabilities into a single unit. A spatially resolved, touch-sensitive layer is embedded in the screen, allowing the user to directly input information and navigate menus using on-screen buttons. Touchscreens are widely used in devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile global positioning systems (GPS).For game consoles, so-called joysticks have become the standard, allowing the user to operate the game using joysticks and special mechanical buttons.

[0003] For operating complex on-screen menus with long lists, EP 1 956 468 A1 proposed a user interface with a control wheel and associated controls. To enable the user to navigate quickly through the lists (the so-called scrolling process), the scrolling speed is designed to be proportional to the rotation angle of the control wheel. However, a static speed increase that is fixed to the rotation angle and cannot be adjusted by the user often proves to be either too fast or too slow in practice, i.e., insufficiently adapted to the specific scrolling situation.

[0004] EP 2 131 267 A1 specifies a graphical user interface for a computer, which also features a rotary control. The sensitivity of the rotary control to changes in rotation angle is adjustable.

[0005] The publication “Quantitative Analysis of Scrolling Techniques”, Ken Hinckley et al., CHI Conf. on Human Factors in Computing Sciences, pp 65-72, CHI Letters, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2002), analyzes various scrolling methods. Among other things, it describes acceleration algorithms for scroll wheels.

[0006] From the publication “Innovation Brief: Logitech MicroGear™ Precision Scroll Wheel and SmartShift™ Technology” (source: http: / / www.logitech.com / lang / pdf / ibmicrogear and smartshift EN.pdf, downloaded on 24.10.2012) it is known that it is possible to switch between two scroll modes with different speeds when scrolling with a computer mouse.

[0007] US patent 2012 / 0026090 A1 describes a system in which encoder signals from a computer mouse are detected and a scrolling speed on the screen of the computer connected to the mouse is set depending on the frequency of the signals.

[0008] The system described in US 2011 / 0187645 A1 also determines the rate of corresponding encoder signals to set a scrolling speed.

[0009] From DE 202 21 758 U1, a method for scrolling through sections of a data set assigned to a portable electronic device is known. It comprises at least the following actions: receiving a user rotation input; determining whether or not acceleration should be provided with respect to the user rotation input; and scrolling to the next section of the data set either in an accelerated manner if the determination determines that acceleration should be provided, or in a non-accelerated manner if the determination determines that acceleration should not be provided.

[0010] From JP 2007-240 889 A, a system is known in which the scrolling speed on a screen can be adjusted as desired by means of a button on a control element. The longer the button is pressed, the higher the scrolling speed.

[0011] US patent 2003 / 0098885 A1 also describes a system in which the scrolling speed depends on pressing a scroll button. If the button is held down for a certain period of time, the system switches to an automatic mode. If the button is then held down continuously, the scrolling speed increases.

[0012] In DE 10 2009 034 913 A1 a system is described in which pulling the control unit for a specified period of time causes navigation to the top menu level.

[0013] The purpose of the invention is to enable navigation in a screen menu with a control element in such a flexible and ergonomic way that, on the one hand, navigation through a large number of menu items is possible with only a few movements of the control element, and on the other hand, precise positioning on individual menu items is possible within a few menu items.

[0014] This problem is solved by the features of the invention specified in the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0015] According to the invention, an electromechanical control element is provided for navigating a screen menu displayed on a screen. A mechanical movement of the control element is converted into electrical encoder signals in a direction-dependent manner, the rate of the encoder signals being proportional to a amplitude of the control element movement. The movement of at least one display element in the screen menu is controlled by means of the encoder signals. The following steps are performed: a) An initial movement of the control element occurs in one direction, b) A timer is activated at a starting time, c) If, within a specified time interval, the so-called dynamic time interval, a second control element movement occurs in the same direction after the initial time, then a control parameter for controlling the movement of the display element is changed.

[0016] When changing the control parameter, it is particularly important to check whether the second control element movement occurred in the same direction as the first. If so, the control parameter can be changed to increase the control ratio between the movement magnitude of the control element and the movement magnitude of the display element. In step c), the control parameter can be changed so that, at the same encoder signal rate, the display element moves faster. Conversely, if no second control element movement occurs in the same direction within the dynamic time interval, the control parameter for controlling the display element's movement can be changed so that, at the same encoder signal rate, the display element moves slower.

[0017] The control parameter allows you to change the relationship between the movement speed of the display element and the rate of the encoder signals. For example, a higher translation ratio or transformation factor between the encoder signal rate and the signal rate used to control the display element can generate a higher display speed when navigating the on-screen menu at a specific encoder signal rate. This enables an ergonomic, automatic, and situation-adaptive switching of the navigation speed. The transformation factor can be changed, in particular, to coincide with the dynamic time interval. This results in a predictable temporal characteristic of the operating device for the user.

[0018] According to the invention, it was recognized that for users navigating through on-screen menus, an acceleration of menu movement is primarily beneficial when encoder signals are generated within a predetermined time interval, indicating that the control element has moved in the same direction. Such a situation arises, for example, when the user scrolls through a long list.

[0019] The invention makes it possible, in particular, to ergonomically and flexibly configure the scroll function of a rotary control element by means of a time-controlled, dynamic adjustment of the scroll speed for the user. The user of the rotary control can navigate within a few menu items with high sensitivity at low speed, ensuring high precision. If the rotary movement is continued for a certain period, the user can automatically navigate through many menu items at high speed. This advantageous effect can be achieved, in particular, by the control automatically increasing the scroll speed when a minimum number of encoder signals, e.g., two encoder signals, are received in the same direction of movement within a predetermined time interval.To achieve a disproportionate increase in the speed of the display element on the screen, the controller can modify the ratio between encoder signals and the speed of the display element in the corresponding direction. Under certain conditions, it can also be configured that after the time interval, there is no increase or even a decrease in the speed of the display element, for example, if at least one encoder signal is received during the time interval indicating movement of the control element in the opposite direction.

[0020] The invention also revealed that menus with only a few lines, for example, fewer than 50 lines, can be navigated relatively well without dynamically accelerating the menu movement. Therefore, in such situations, it can be advantageous to switch the menu speed between two speeds or with a single multiplier instead of dynamically adjusting it at time intervals with respective multipliers. This switching could, for example, depend on the number of encoder signals in the same direction of movement and / or on whether a minimum number of encoder signals for movement in that direction have been generated within a given time interval.

[0021] The indicator element can be a cursor, such as an arrow or a square, or any other movable, especially graphic, marker displayed on the screen. It can also be, for example, a gray area or hatched area in a menu display, signaling that a specific menu item is selected.

[0022] The invention establishes a control relationship between the movement of the display element and the rate of the encoder signals. It also provides a relatively simple device for situation-adaptive navigation in menus, as the speed of the display or navigation element, such as a cursor, can be adjusted using simple parameters. This adjustment can be made when converting the encoder signals into control signals for the display element, for example, by means of time constants, threshold values ​​for the encoder signals, and / or a gain or conversion factor. Furthermore, the navigation speed, such as the scrolling speed in information displayed line by line on the screen, like a list, can be easily adjusted in very fine increments by specifying appropriately finely divided threshold values ​​for the aforementioned parameters.The configurable parameters allow for user-specific customization of the operation. The process can be largely automated, thus advantageously avoiding the need for manual switching between different speed levels during navigation.

[0023] The control parameter preferably controls the ratio between the rate of the encoder signals and the speed of the display element on the screen or the corresponding control signals used for the movement of the display element. The invention makes it possible to change the transformation factor when encoder signal sequences are generated by the movement of the control element for at least a predetermined time according to at least one predetermined rule. For example, if a scroll wheel is turned only in a specific direction within a certain minimum time interval, the scrolling speed can be increased because it can be assumed that the user of the scroll wheel intends to scroll in this direction not only within a small menu area but across a larger menu area. This allows, for example, for the rapid scrolling of menus.Larger list sections can be searched (scrolled), for example, several thousand entries in just a few seconds. This can be advantageous when scrolling through very long lists such as phone book entries or titles in music collections. The control process can be applied not only to scrolling through lists, but to any type of navigation through screen menus, such as navigating through documents or letter and number fields, especially when selectable fields are arranged in an endless loop, for example, in a circular pattern.

[0024] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, after the dynamic time interval counted following the first control element movement has elapsed, a new timer is started for a dynamic time interval at a specific point in time. Then, step c) for changing the control parameter is repeated until no further control element movement occurs in the same direction within a dynamic time interval. The lengths of the dynamic time intervals can be the same or different from each other. They can be selected based on the control parameter valid at the start of the timer and / or on the control parameter of the display element that was valid before it. This allows for a more finely tuned dynamic control characteristic to be achieved, tailored to the specific operating situation.

[0025] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, if no control element movement occurs in the same direction within a so-called reset interval, the control parameter is automatically set to a default value. At least one of the following parameters can be used to set the control parameter: the default value and a change value, in particular a change factor, which specifies how the control parameter is increased or decreased in step c).

[0026] The control element itself can be moved to generate the encoder signals, for example, if it is designed as a computer mouse. Alternatively, a corresponding movement can occur within and / or on the control element, for example, by moving a rotary dial in a rotary dial unit or by a user moving their finger along a touchscreen. To generate the encoder signals (coding signals), a transformation device is preferably used to convert mechanical motion into electrical signals, which, depending on the application, converts, for example, a rotary and / or a linear mechanical motion into electrical signals.

[0027] The encoder rate is preferably directly proportional to the speed of the control element's movement. However, it can also be inversely proportional to it, according to a suitable mathematical function, for example, a quantity derived from the speed, such as its acceleration or its time integral. The speed of the movement is particularly suitable as the controllable variable of the display element's movement. However, it can also be a quantity derived from or related to the speed, such as the position of the display element on the screen or the acceleration of its movement.

[0028] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the control ratio between the amplitude of the menu movement and the rate of the encoder signals is changed, in particular increased, according to a time-dependent transformation factor. This makes it possible to achieve a progressively faster menu movement over time. The transformation factor can be dynamically adjusted over time, e.g., doubled after predetermined time intervals to increase the speed and / or halved to decrease the speed, or abruptly set to a specific value, e.g., to one. This makes it possible, on the one hand, to scroll quickly across large menu areas within a short time and, on the other hand, to navigate with positional accuracy at a lower speed in smaller menu areas when required.This involves an automatic switching between different navigation speeds as needed. The control ratio between the amplitude of the menu movement and the rate of the encoder signals is preferably adjusted depending on successive movements of the control elements.

[0029] A device according to the invention can be coupled to an electronic vehicle control system for time-dynamic navigation within a screen menu of the vehicle control system. The vehicle control system can, for example, be an audiovisual system, in particular a screen-based media playback system and / or a navigation system. It can also be a system with which operating inputs and / or displays relating to the vehicle itself, the vehicle environment, and / or driving operation are made, for example, regarding speed or power level in a cruise control system.

[0030] The following are exemplary embodiments of the invention explained with reference to figures. These show: Fig. 1. A graphical user interface, Fig. 2 a diagram with a movement profile and Fig. 3. A flowchart.

[0031] In Fig. 1 is a computer-controlled display unit 1 of an information and multimedia system in a motor vehicle. It comprises a graphics processor 6, to which data to be displayed is supplied by application programs such as driver assistance systems, vehicle sensors, a vehicle telephone, a Bluetooth hands-free system, a radio / TV and media player, or a GPS navigation system. The graphics processor 6 uses this data to control a screen 2. The following is displayed on the screen: Fig. Figure 1 shows a menu 3 containing a selection list 4 with list entries LE1, LE2, and LE3. List entry LE2 is highlighted using the hatched display field 5. The display field 5 can be moved along axis A using a rotary knob 8 to highlight and, if necessary, select the respective list entry LE1, LE2, and LE3. List entries LE1, LE2, and LE3, for example, display music tracks from a music collection stored in the media player.

[0032] The rotary dial 8 is housed in an operating console 7, which also contains a rotary dial processor 9. The rotary dial processor 9 receives encoder signals from the rotary dial 8, which depend on the speed and direction of the rotation, as shown, for example, in direction B, clockwise. It converts the encoder signals into control signals, which it outputs to the graphics processor 6 of the display unit 1. The graphics processor 6, in turn, uses these signals to control the movement of the display field 5 on the screen 2 or in the screen menu 3 (menu movement). To process the encoder signals from the rotary dial 8, the rotary dial processor 9 comprises processor hardware and software 10a, including interfaces to the rotary dial 8 and the graphics processor 6, as well as a clock (timer) 10b and a memory 10, which contains control parameters for processing the encoder signals. This memory can, for example, store time constant values ​​and, if necessary, other parameters.Time-dependent or time-independent factor values ​​for the control relationship between the movement size of the menu navigation and the rate of the encoder signals. The parameter values ​​can be stored as corresponding value pairs.

[0033] The following parameter values ​​are used as a basis for an example: Standard factor value F s =1 Factor multiplier F M =2 Dynamic time interval Δ D =750 ms Return time interval Δ R =2000 msec, where - the standard factor value indicates the factor value at the beginning of the control process (default value), - the factor multiplier indicates by which multiplier the factor value is multiplied, - the dynamic time interval specifies the size for controlling the change in the factor value, and - the reset time interval specifies the size required to reset the factor value to the standard factor value.

[0034] The rotary encoder 9 receives encoder signals from the rotary encoder 8, which contain directional information for the rotation of the rotary encoder 8. Speed ​​information can also be derived from at least one sequence of encoder signals. When a rotation begins in a specific direction, i.e., when the first encoder signal is received, the rotary encoder 8 forwards this signal to the graphics processor 6 with the default factor value of 1 and starts the timer 10b. It then monitors for further encoder signals. As soon as additional encoder signals are received, the rotary encoder 8 checks whether the encoder signals indicate a rotation in the same direction as before. If the direction of rotation has changed, it automatically adopts the default factor value as the next factor value.

[0035] Furthermore, the rotary encoder processor 8 uses timer 10b to check how much time has elapsed between the previous encoder signal that triggered timer 10b and the current encoder signal. If the direction of rotation has changed, the factor value is set to the default factor value Fs. If the direction of rotation has not changed, timer 10b is queried to check how much time has passed since the timer started.

[0036] If the currently received encoder signal is within the dynamic change interval (Δ D If a signal has been received 750 msec since the last received encoder signal, then the factor value F=1 currently applied in the rotary encoder processor is increased by the factor multiplier F M =2 increased, in the current example therefore set to F = 1 × 2 = 2.

[0037] If the currently received encoder signal is outside the dynamic change interval, i.e., received later than 750 ms after the start of timer 10b, then the factor value currently applied in rotary processor 8 is increased by the factor multiplier F. M =2 reduced (halved), F=F / 2, where if - as in the current example - the factor value is already at the standard factor value Fs=1, it remains at this value.

[0038] The rotary encoder processor 8 also regularly checks, at intervals when no encoder signals are received, whether the return time interval (Δ) in timer 10b has been reached. R =2000 msec). If this is the case, then it also sets the factor value to the standard factor value Fs=1, as in the case of the change in direction of rotation above.

[0039] Based on Fig. Section 2 now describes an application example based on the parameter values ​​above. Fig. Figure 2 shows a corresponding graph 12, in which the applied factor value F is plotted as a function of time t. Additionally, area 11 displays click sequences corresponding to encoder signals. In this example, the clicks shown in area 11 all originate from the same direction of movement of the scroll wheel 8. Therefore, no directional information is shown. Changes in the factor values ​​F that occur at respective time points Zi (i = 0...9) are indicated numerically in area 11, e.g., the change from 1 to 2 at time Z1.

[0040] At time Z0, the encoder signal of a first click 13a is received by the rotary encoder processor 9, which activates or starts the timer 10b (ACT). At this time, the rotary encoder processor 9 uses the default value F stored in parameter memory 10. s =1 as a factor value F for converting the encoder signals into control signals for the graphics processor 6. Within the dynamic time interval ΔD At 750 ms, further clicks occur, with the rotary encoder 9 generating a control signal from each encoder signal (click). When timer 10b displays 750 ms at time Z1, click 13b is being set. Since several clicks are made in the same direction between Z0 and Z1, the factor value F is increased from 1 to 2 at time Z1 according to the formula F = F × F M The rotary encoder 8 reads the multiplier factor F from the parameter memory 10. M =2. Timer 10b then runs for another dynamic time interval Δ D further until time Z2. Since clicks were also made during this period, namely up to click 13c, the factor value F is increased again by a factor of F at time Z2. M The value of F = 2 is increased from 2 to 4. At time Z3, a corresponding increase to F = 4 × 2 = 8 occurs.

[0041] Since no clicks are made in the period between Z3 and Z4, the factor value F is reduced from 8 to 4 at time Z4 according to the rule F=F / F M =8 / 2. After time Z4, the next click (13d) does not occur until time Z5. This is interpreted as a start click due to the factor value F being previously reduced to 4, and this leads to the timer 10b being reactivated (ACT). The factor value F=4 is maintained until another dynamic time interval Δ D Timer 10b has expired. At time Z6, it is checked again whether at least one further click in the same direction has been made since Z5. If so, the factor value F is increased from 4 to 8 at time Z6 according to the formula F=F×F M .

[0042] No further clicks occur after time Z6. Therefore, the factor value F is successively updated after two dynamic time intervals Δ have elapsed. DThe value is halved at times Z7 and Z8. Finally, at time Z9, the rule applies that if the return time interval Δ is exceeded, the value is halved. R =2000 msec since the last timer activation, the factor value F is reduced to the standard factor value: F=Fs= 1.

[0043] In Fig. Figure 3 shows an example of some of the control steps described above for the case of unidirectional encoder signals in a flowchart. In the first step, S1, the factor value F is set to the standard factor value Fs=1. In the subsequent step, S2, the rotary encoder processor 9 monitors whether an encoder signal is received. If necessary, in step S3, timer 10b is activated and a timer threshold S is set to the value of the dynamic time interval Δ DIn step S4, it is monitored whether the elapsed timer time T has reached the threshold S. After reaching the threshold S, step S5 checks whether another encoder signal was received during the timer runtime. If so, in step S6 the factor value F is set according to the formula F = F × F M In addition, the threshold S is increased by another dynamic time interval Δ D raised (S=S+Δ D ) and switched back to step S4 to monitor the next time interval.

[0044] If no encoder signal can be detected in step S5, step S7 first checks whether the timer has returned the return time interval Δ R has exceeded. If so, then in step S8 the factor value F is reset to the standard factor value Fs=1 and the process continues at step S2. If the return time interval Δ RIf the limit has not yet been exceeded in step S7, then in step S9 the factor value F is calculated according to the formula F=F / F M It is lowered to a minimum of 1. Furthermore, the threshold S is reduced by another dynamic time interval Δ. D raised (S=S+Δ D ) and proceeds to step S10. In this step, it is checked whether an encoder signal has been received in the meantime. If not, the process proceeds to step 11 and monitors for a corresponding encoder signal until the next threshold time S has elapsed. If necessary, the process returns to step S3 and reactivates the timer. If no encoder signal has been received in the loop formed by steps S10 and S11 even after the threshold time S has elapsed, the process proceeds to step 7, and a further reduction of the factor value F is performed in step S8 or S9.

[0045] The described embodiments illustrate ways to change the movement size of the display element or the factor value F. Further options are possible. For example, the factor value F can also be set to the standard factor value Fs if the display element crosses a predefined menu boundary or menu context within a menu, or if it is specifically requested by the operator with a separate return input. Similarly, if, for example, the direction of movement of the scroll wheel 8 is changed or the encoder signals indicate a change of direction, the factor value F can be directly set to the standard factor value Fs. An upper limit of, for example, 32 can be specified for the factor value F and stored in parameter memory 10. All control parameters can be optionally stored in parameter memory 10.can be set, selected, loaded and / or retrieved in a person-specific, hardware-specific, application software-specific and / or menu-specific manner.

Claims

[1] A method for navigating a screen menu (3) displayed on a screen (2) by means of an electromechanical control element (8), wherein a mechanical control element movement is converted into electrical encoder signals (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) in a direction-dependent manner, wherein the rate of the encoder signals (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) is proportional to a magnitude of the control element movement and the movement of at least one display element (5) in the screen menu (3) is controlled by means of the encoder signals (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d), comprising the following steps: a) a first control element movement occurs in one direction (B), b) at a starting time (Z0, Z5) of the control element movement, a timer is activated, c) if within a given time interval, a so-called dynamic time interval (Δ D), if a second control element movement in the same direction (B) occurs after the initial time (Z0, Z5), then a control parameter (F) is changed to control the movement of the display element (5). [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein the control parameter (F) controls the ratio between the rate of the encoder signals (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) and the speed of the display element (5) on the screen (2). [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in step c) the control parameter (F) is changed such that a faster movement of the display element (5) occurs at the same encoder signal rate. [4] Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, if within the dynamic time interval (Δ D) if no second control element movement in the same direction (B) occurs after the initial time (Z0, Z5), the control parameter (F) for controlling the movement of the display element (5) is changed so that a slower movement of the display element (5) occurs at the same encoder signal rate. [5] Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, if within a so-called return time interval (Δ R ) no control element movement in the same direction (B) occurs, the control parameter automatically sets to a default value (F S ) is set. [6] Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the control element (8) is a laser-based computer mouse, a wheel-based computer mouse, a rotary wheel, a joystick or a component of a touch-sensitive screen. [7] Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the following parameters is used to adjust the control parameter (F): - a standard value (F S ), which specifies the control value at the beginning of the procedure and - a change factor (F M ), which indicates how much the control parameter is increased or decreased in step c). [8] Device for navigating in a screen menu (3) displayed on a screen (2) by means of an electromechanical control element (8), comprising a control unit (7) with a clock (10b) which - converts a mechanical control element movement into electrical encoder signals (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d), wherein the rate of the encoder signals (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) is proportional to a amplitude of the control element movement, - by means of the encoder signals (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) the position of at least one display element (5) in the screen menu (3) is changed, - when an initial control element movement occurs in a direction (B), a timer is activated at an initial time (Z0, Z5) using the clock (10b), and - if within a given time interval, a so-called dynamic time interval (t D ), after the initial time (Z0, Z5) a second control element movement in the same direction (B) occurs, a control parameter (F) to control the movement of the display element (5) is changed. [9] Motor vehicle comprising a device according to claim 8. [10] Motor vehicle according to claim 9, comprising an electronic vehicle control unit (1) coupled to the device (7) for navigating in a screen menu (3) of the vehicle control unit (1).

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