METHOD FOR DISPLAYING USER ENTRY

Abstract

A method for displaying a multitude of user inputs in a vehicle, comprising identifying a display timing criterion and a display component for each of the multitude of user inputs; developing a redundancy plan that includes an alternative display component for at least one of the multitude of user inputs; assigning a display priority to each of the multitude of user inputs based on the display timing criterion; ranking each of the multitude of user inputs according to the respective display priority in order to develop a prioritization scheme; and displaying the multitude of user inputs in the vehicle according to the prioritization scheme and the redundancy plan.

Description

INTRODUCTION

[0001] The description refers to a method for displaying a large number of user inputs in the vehicle.

[0002] A vehicle can receive user input from a vehicle user via a physical component, such as a rotary knob or a push button, or via a virtual control, such as an electronic button, a slider, or a toggle switch displayed on a screen. For example, the user can interact with the vehicle to change a user input, such as the speaker volume, by turning a physical rotary knob or touching an electronic volume control button on an infotainment touchscreen. Similarly, the user can input a request to call emergency services into the vehicle by pressing a physical button or selecting an electronic button.While the position of the physical components in the vehicle can remain fixed, the virtual controls can change their position on the touchscreen or their position in the vehicle depending on the vehicle's operating conditions and the user's preferences.

[0003] DE 101 25 165 A1 discloses a method and a device for selecting vehicle functions in a motor vehicle, in which selection information associated with the functions is arranged in a hierarchical menu structure, navigated through by the user, and selected, so that the corresponding vehicle functions are activated. At least one piece of selection information is moved to the top menu level depending on the driving situation and is directly selectable to enable convenient and safe operation.

[0004] US 2020 / 0241824A1 discloses a vehicle information system with one or more displays, at least one sensor for determining the user's gaze direction, and a control system that defines active and inactive display zones based on the gaze direction. The active zones operate at a higher display level than the inactive zones. The system further includes a control system that ranks content based on an attention score derived from the user's gaze direction and selects the display with the highest-priority content. A corresponding operating procedure for the displays is also described.

[0005] DE 10 2023 121 955 A1 discloses a method for dynamically displaying driver information in a vehicle, in which an in-vehicle computing system detects that a first display is in a specific state, and this first display represents driver information. The system then determines a section of the driver information to be displayed on a second display and makes this section available on the second display in response to the detected state. DESCRIPTION

[0006] The object of the invention is to ensure continuous, safe, and situation-adapted driver information. This object is achieved by the subject matter according to claim 1. Further developments are described in the dependent claim.

[0007] A method for displaying a multitude of user inputs in a vehicle comprises identifying a display timing criterion and a display component for each of the multitude of user inputs and developing a redundancy plan that includes an alternative display component for at least one of the multitude of user inputs. The method also comprises assigning a display priority to each of the multitude of user inputs based on the display timing criteria and ranking each of the multitude of user inputs according to its respective display priority, thereby developing a priority scheme. The method further comprises displaying the multitude of user inputs in the vehicle according to the priority scheme and the redundancy plan.

[0008] In one aspect, the identification of the display component may include specifying at least two electronic control units (ECUs) of the vehicle that are configured to control the display component.

[0009] In another aspect, the assignment of display priority can include the classification of the display timing criteria for each of the multitude of user inputs.

[0010] In another aspect, the classification can involve prioritizing certain user inputs from the multitude of user inputs over other user inputs from the multitude of user inputs based on the respective display time criteria and the respective display component for each user input from the multitude of user inputs, in order to develop the prioritization scheme.

[0011] In another aspect, the procedure may also include the assessment of whether the display component is functional or non-functional for each of the multitude of user inputs, and the identification of at least displayable user inputs that can be displayed on a functional display component according to the respective display-time criteria, and non-displayable user inputs that cannot be displayed on a non-functional display component according to the respective display-time criteria.

[0012] In one aspect, displaying the displayable user input may involve assessing whether another of the multiple user inputs is displayed on the functional display component. If the other of the multiple user inputs is not displayed on the functional display component, the procedure may include displaying the displayable user input on the functional display component according to the respective display-time criteria. If the other of the multiple user inputs is displayed on the functional display component, the procedure may include assessing which of the displayable user inputs and which of the multiple user inputs has a higher display priority. If the displayable user input has the higher display priority, the procedure may include displaying the displayable user input on the functional display component.If the other of the multitude of user inputs has the higher display priority, the procedure can include displaying the other of the multitude of user inputs on the functional display component.

[0013] In an additional aspect, displaying the non-displayable user input can involve assessing whether the non-displayable user input has the alternative display component and, if so, whether the alternative display component is functional. If the non-displayable user input has the functional alternative display component, the procedure can include displaying the non-displayable user input on the functional alternative display component. If the non-displayable user input does not have the functional alternative display component, the procedure can include checking whether the non-displayable user input has a substitute user input. If the non-displayable user input has the substitute user input, the procedure can include displaying the substitute user input.If the non-displayable user input does not have a replacement user input, the procedure may involve marking the non-displayable user input as unavailable.

[0014] In another aspect, marking the non-displayable user input as unavailable can include offering an alternative user input.

[0015] In another aspect, offering alternative user input may involve changing a function of the non-displayable user input.

[0016] In one aspect, the classification may involve at least part of the priority scheme being changed according to an instruction from a vehicle occupant.

[0017] In another aspect, the identification of the display component can involve assigning at least two display subcomponents to each of the multitude of user inputs.

[0018] In another aspect, the process can also include the identification of a multitude of display components for each of the multitude of user inputs.

[0019] In another aspect, the procedure can also include determining the location of an occupant in the vehicle.

[0020] In one aspect, identifying the display component can involve selecting the display component based on the occupant's location within the vehicle.

[0021] In another embodiment, a method for displaying a plurality of user inputs in a vehicle comprises identifying a display timing criterion and a display component for each of the plurality of user inputs and assigning a display priority for each of the plurality of user inputs based on the display timing criterion. The method further comprises assessing whether the display component is functional or non-functional for each of the plurality of user inputs and identifying at least one displayable user input that can be displayed on a functional display component according to the respective display timing criteria, and one non-displayable user input that cannot be displayed on a non-functional display component according to the respective display timing criteria.After identifying the displayable user input, the procedure includes assessing whether another of the multiple user inputs is displayed on the functional display component. If the other of the multiple user inputs is not displayed on the functional display component, the procedure includes displaying the displayable user input on the functional display component according to the respective display-time criteria. If the other of the multiple user inputs is displayed on the functional display component, the procedure includes assessing which of the displayable user inputs and which of the multiple user inputs has a higher display priority. If the displayable user input has the higher display priority, the procedure includes displaying the displayable user input on the functional display component.If another of the multiple user inputs has a higher display priority, the procedure includes displaying that other input on the functional display component. After identifying the non-displayable user input, the procedure includes evaluating whether the non-displayable user input has a functional alternative display component. If the non-displayable user input has the functional alternative display component, the procedure includes displaying the non-displayable user input on the functional alternative display component. If the non-displayable user input does not have the functional alternative display component, the procedure includes evaluating whether the non-displayable user input has a substitute user input. If the non-displayable user input has the substitute user input, the procedure includes displaying the substitute user input.If the non-displayable user input does not have a substitute user input, the procedure includes marking the non-displayable user input as unavailable.

[0022] In one aspect, the procedure can also ensure that the multitude of user inputs with the highest display priority are displayed without interruption.

[0023] A vehicle contains a multitude of display components, each configured to display at least one of a multitude of user inputs, and a system. The system includes a communication bus and a multitude of electronic control units (ECUs) that communicate with the multitude of display components via the communication bus. Each of the multitude of ECUs is configured to execute a set of instructions to access a display timing criterion for each of the multitude of user inputs and a display priority for each of the multitude of user inputs based on the display timing criterion.Furthermore, each of the multiple ECUs is configured to execute a set of commands to check a redundancy plan that includes an alternative display component for at least one of the multiple user inputs and a priority scheme that ranks each of the multiple user inputs according to its respective display priority. Additionally, each of the multiple control units is configured to execute a set of commands to control at least one of the multiple display components, thereby displaying the multiple user inputs in the vehicle according to the priority scheme and the redundancy plan.

[0024] In one aspect, at least two of the multitude of control units can be configured to communicate with one of the multitude of display components via the communication bus, thereby creating redundancy for one of the multitude of user inputs.

[0025] In another aspect, at least two of the multitude of control units can be configured to communicate with the alternative display component via the communication bus.

[0026] In another aspect, the vehicle may also include a multitude of power sources electrically connected to the multitude of ECUs, with at least two of the multitude of power sources being electrically connected to one of the multitude of ECUs.

[0027] The above features and advantages, as well as other features and associated advantages of this disclosure, will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative examples and methods for carrying out the present description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures and claims. Furthermore, this description expressly includes combinations and subcombinations of the elements and features described above and below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Fig. Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a partial view of a passenger compartment of a vehicle with a multitude of display components, each configured to display at least one of a multitude of user inputs. Fig. Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a method for displaying the multitude of user inputs, which is generated from the vehicle Fig. 1 can be executed. Fig. Figure 3 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the method from Fig. 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Referring to the figures, where identical reference numerals refer to identical elements, a vehicle 10 ( Fig. 1) and a procedure 12, 112 ( Fig. 2 and Fig. 3) to display 14 ( Fig. 2 and Fig. 3) a large number of user inputs 16 ( Fig. 1) shown in vehicle 10. Vehicle 10 and method 12, 112 can be useful for applications requiring virtual or electronic user input 16, such as electronic buttons, sliders and toggle switches on a touchscreen 18 ( Fig. 1) be displayed as a means of interface with a user or occupants of the vehicle 10. In particular, the method 12, 112 can enable certain virtual user inputs 16 to be both available and easily accessible to the user during certain events. More precisely, the method 12, 112 can be useful for prioritizing which virtual or electronic user inputs 16 should remain easily accessible and be displayed in the vehicle 10 without interruption, and for ensuring that these virtual or electronic user inputs 16 are continuously available to the user, even when the vehicle 10 is disabled, damaged, or inoperable.

[0029] In particular, the procedure 12, 112, as explained in more detail below, can identify important or required user inputs 16 and corresponding timing and display component criteria that determine when and where the user inputs 16 must or can be displayed. Such timing and display component criteria can be used to develop a priority scheme to determine which user inputs 16 have the highest display priority and to develop a redundancy plan that prescribes actions if one or more of the user inputs 16 cannot be displayed according to the timing and display component criteria.

[0030] As such, methods 12, 112 and vehicle 10 can be useful for motor vehicle applications, such as internal combustion engine vehicles, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles and the like, but are not limited to them. For example, vehicle 10 can be a motor vehicle powered by a propulsion energy source comprising at least an internal combustion engine, an electric motor and an energy storage device.

[0031] Furthermore, the vehicle 10 can be configured for autonomous or automated driving, in which the vehicle 10 can be controlled or powered by technology, including hardware and software, whether located remotely from or on board the vehicle 10, capable of controlling the vehicle 10 without active physical control by a human operator. Tasks of autonomous or automated driving include, for example, the detection, recognition, and classification of objects and events; response to objects and events; maneuver planning; steering; turning; lane keeping; signaling and lane changes; and acceleration and deceleration.

[0032] Alternatively, Method 12, 112 and Vehicle 10 may also be useful for applications outside the automotive sector, such as in aerospace, shipping, mass transit, agriculture, industry, and rail transport. Vehicle 10 may be, for example, a commercial vehicle, an industrial vehicle, a passenger vehicle, an aircraft, a watercraft, a train, a tram, a bus, or the like, but is not limited to these. It is also considered that Vehicle 10 may be a mobile platform, such as an aircraft, an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), a boat, a personal mobility device, a robot, and the like, to fulfill the purposes of this description.

[0033] Referring to Fig. 1. The vehicle 10 may have a body 20 that defines an inner passenger compartment 22 in which the occupant or user can sit and interact with the vehicle 10. Within the inner passenger compartment 22, the vehicle 10 includes, for example, a variety of display components 24, each configured to display at least one of the variety of user inputs 16. The variety of display components 24 may be selected from, but is not limited to, a touchscreen 18, a screen, an instrument panel 26, an information unit such as a mobile phone (not shown), an entertainment unit such as a handheld tablet (not shown), an infotainment unit 28, a rearview mirror 30, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning component or device 32, a defrosting control panel 34, a window control unit 36, and the like.Furthermore, each of the multitude of display components 24 may be able to display 14 more than one of the multitude of user inputs 16, as will be explained in more detail below.

[0034] To reiterate: Each of the multitude of user inputs 16 can be a virtual control as opposed to a physical component. That is, in one non-restrictive example, one of the multitude of user inputs 16 could be an electronic button which, when touched or selected on a touchscreen 18 along a dashboard d of the vehicle 10 or on the rearview mirror 30 of the vehicle 10, summons emergency services to the vehicle 10. In another non-restrictive example, one of the multitude of user inputs 16 could be an electronic slider or volume control button located on a touchscreen 18 of the vehicle 10. In yet another non-restrictive example, one of the multitude of user inputs 16 could be an electronic window control located on an armrest of the vehicle 10.In another, non-restrictive example, one of the many user inputs 16 could be an electronic temperature control button for the HVAC device 32. In another, non-restrictive example, one of the many user inputs 16 could be an electronic control button located on a touchscreen 18 and configured to control the windshield wiper blades (not shown) of the vehicle 10.

[0035] Referring again to Fig. 1. The vehicle 10 also includes a system 40 configured for communication with and control of the multitude of display components 24, thereby displaying the multitude of user inputs 16. More precisely, the system 40 includes a communication bus 42 and a multitude of electronic control units (ECUs) 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105, which communicate with the multitude of display components 24 via the communication bus 42. The communication bus 42 can be a low-voltage communication bus 42, such as a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus, through which the multitude of application-specific control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 are connected. While in Fig. 1 For the sake of simplicity, six control units or control modules 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 are shown; however, fewer or additional control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 can also be used on the communication bus 42 within the scope of the description.

[0036] Each control unit 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 can be configured to execute computer-readable instructions that follow procedure 12, 112 ( Fig. 2 and Fig. 3) to display 14 of the multitude of user inputs 16 in the vehicle 10 using available network data. Each control unit 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 can be an in-vehicle control unit, i.e., it is located in or on the vehicle 10, and can be used to control the display of the multitude of user inputs 16 according to the procedure 12, 112, which is described below in relation to the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 is described in more detail. Although a differential CAN bus with high-side and low-side voltage data is described for illustrative purposes, the present description is not limited to vehicle designs in general or CAN applications in particular, but rather applies to systems 40 of various types that are used to display the multitude of user inputs 16 and to communicate between several control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 via the communication bus 42.

[0037] In general, the CAN bus protocol allows the connected control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 and the display components 24, 124 to communicate with each other within the vehicle 10 using low-voltage data signals. The CAN bus protocol can use a symmetrical two-wire signaling scheme according to ISO 11898-2, which specifies a two-wire differential where the number of nodes is limited by an electrical bus load. The two wires of a CAN bus are referred to as the CAN high-side (CAN). H ) and CAN Low Side (CAN L ). In an exemplary embodiment of CAN, the characteristic impedance of the communication bus can be 42 120Ω and the common-mode voltage can be between -2 VDC and CAN. L and +7 VDC on CAN H lie. The CAN L -Voltage can generally be in the range of 1.5 VDC - 2.5 VDC and the CAN HThe voltage is in the range of 2.5 VDC to 3.5 VDC. Furthermore, each node on the communication bus can send and receive 42 messages, but not simultaneously. This means that each received message can contain a bit identifier representing the message's priority, i.e., an 11-bit identifier (CAN 2.0A) or an extended 29-bit identifier (CAN 2.0B).

[0038] Furthermore, the CAN bus protocol defines two logical states: recessive and dominant. A differential voltage can be used to represent the recessive and dominant states (i.e., bits). In the recessive state (logical state = 1), the differential voltage can be applied to the CAN bus. H and CAN Lbe less than a minimum value. In the dominant state (logical state = 0), the differential voltage can be greater than the minimum threshold. Data can be transmitted along the communication bus 42 in the form of message packets ( ), commonly referred to as frames, with each frame separated from the previous frames by a bit field called the inter-frame space. The inter-space frame can consist of at least three consecutive recessive bits. Thus, after receiving the consecutive recessive bits, the receipt of a dominant bit from a control unit 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 can be considered the start of the next frame.

[0039] In the Fig. In the configuration shown in Figure 1, the control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, and 105 can be configured to receive or forward data via the communication bus 42. For this purpose, each control unit 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, or 105 can also be electrically connected to corresponding power and grounding networks (not shown). Each control unit 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, or 105 can send and receive bit messages via the communication bus 42, with these messages conforming to a predefined message format. The communication bus 42 of Fig. 1 can therefore include a variety of communication links, such as a first communication link 160 between control units 55 and 65, a second communication link 170 between control units 65 and 75, a third communication link 180 between control units 75 and 85, and the like.

[0040] Without being limited to a specific system 40 or embodiment, the control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 can, in an exemplary vehicle configuration, be configured as a telematics control unit or module, as a control unit or module for the infotainment head unit, as a control unit or module for the instrument cluster, as a control unit or module for the rear-seat entertainment system, as an engine control unit or module, as a transmission control unit or module, as a body control unit or module, as a battery control unit or module, and the like. Furthermore, one or more of the control units 105 can be considered a host control unit configured for forwarding, controlling, or analyzing messages and data traffic via the communication bus 42.

[0041] Although not shown, the power network can include one or more power sources 44, 144, e.g., a battery or a generator, in electrical connection with the plurality of control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 to supply power to the control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105. In some embodiments, at least two of the plurality of power sources 44, 144 can be in electrical connection with one of the plurality of control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 to provide redundancy or reserve power for the control unit 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105. That is, each control unit 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 can be in electrical connection with two power sources 44, 144. Such redundancy can ensure that certain of the many user inputs 16 can also be displayed within the vehicle 10 without interruption, if this is desired or required.Although not shown, the grounding network can include a vehicle ground to electrically ground control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, and 105. Other arrangements for distributing communication, power, and ground for control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, and 105 and communication bus 42 can be used similarly.

[0042] The control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 can be configured as various combinations of one or more processors, e.g., application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), electronic circuits, central processing units, or microprocessors, and sufficient quantities and configurations of associated memory, including read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, random-access memory, optical and / or magnetic memory. The control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 can execute one or more software or firmware programs to perform procedure 12, 112 and provide the described functionality.

[0043] More precisely, and as detailed below, each of the multitude of ECUs 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 can be configured to execute a set of instructions to: access a display timing criterion for each of the multitude of user inputs 16 and a display priority for each of the multitude of user inputs 16 based on the display timing criterion; check a redundancy plan that uses an alternative display component 124 ( Fig. 1) for at least one of the plurality of user inputs 16 and a priority scheme that classifies each of the plurality of user inputs 16 according to the respective display priority; and control at least one of the plurality of display components 24 in order to display the plurality of user inputs 16 in the vehicle 10 according to the priority scheme and the redundancy plan.

[0044] Furthermore, as further referenced above Fig. As described in Section 1, at least two of the plurality of control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 can be configured to communicate with one of the plurality of display components 24 via the communication bus 42, thereby providing redundancy for one of the plurality of user inputs 16. For example, as explained in more detail below, two control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105, such as an infotainment control unit or module and a telematics control unit or module of the vehicle 10, can be configured to communicate with a display component 24, such as a touchscreen 18, via the communication bus 42, in order to provide redundancy for a user input 16, such as a user input 16 for virtual emergency services. Similarly, two control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105, such asA control unit or module for the instrument panel and a control unit or module for the rear-seat entertainment system may be configured to communicate with a display component 24 for window control, thus providing redundancy for a virtual window control button or user input 16. Such redundancy can ensure that certain of the multitude of user inputs 16 within the vehicle 10 can be continuously displayed if desired or required.

[0045] Furthermore, at least two of the multiple control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 can be configured to communicate with the alternative display component 124 via the communication bus 42. This means that if a specific user input 16 cannot be displayed on a specific primary display component 24 and should instead be displayed on the alternative display component 124 according to the redundancy plan, each of the two control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 can communicate with the alternative display component 124, thereby providing redundancy for both control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 and redundancy for the primary display component 24. Likewise, such redundancy can ensure that certain multiple user inputs 16 can be continuously displayed in the vehicle 10 if desired or required.

[0046] Referring to Fig. 2. Procedure 12 for displaying 14 of the multitude of user inputs 16 in the vehicle 10 includes the identification 46 of the display timing criteria and the display component 24 for each of the multitude of user inputs 16. The display timing criteria can represent a time when or how often each of the multitude of user inputs 16 should be displayed, or they can represent required conditions that may be present before or during the display of the multitude of user inputs 16. As non-restrictive examples, a display timing criterion can be identified, classified, or listed as "always available," "temperature inside the vehicle cabin 22 exceeds the threshold," "condensation detected outside the vehicle 10," "volume inside the passenger compartment 22 exceeds the threshold," and the like.

[0047] Furthermore, the method 12 can also identify 46 a large number of display components 24 ( Fig. 1) for each of the plurality of user inputs 16. That is, the identification 46 of the plurality of display components 24 can include the selection of a desired or first-choice display component 24 and the alternative display component 124 for a given user input 16. For example, the desired or preferred display component 24 for a user input 16 for virtual window control can be the touchscreen 18 of the infotainment unit 28 of the vehicle 10, and the alternative display component 124 for the user input 16 for virtual window control can be a rear-seat entertainment device (not shown).

[0048] Furthermore, the identification 46 of the display component 24 can also be the assignment of at least two display sub-components 48 ( Fig. 1) to each of the multitude of user inputs 16. That is, a display subcomponent 48 can be part of a specific display component 24. For example, a left upper quadrant of the infotainment touchscreen 18 can be a display subcomponent 48 of display component 24, and a right lower quadrant of the infotainment touchscreen 18 can be a second display subcomponent 48 of display component 24. Alternatively, a first instrument cluster 26 can be a display subcomponent 48 of display component 24 along the dashboard 38, and a second instrument cluster 26 can be a second display subcomponent 48 of display component 24 along the dashboard 38. Thus, if a display subcomponent 48 is unavailable due to electrical anomalies, damage, or faulty hardware, the second display subcomponent 48 can serve as redundancy for displaying the user input 16.

[0049] The identification 46 of the display component 24 for each of the multitude of user inputs 16 can also include the specification of at least two ECUs 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 ( Fig. 1) of the vehicle 10, which are configured to control the display component 24. For example, the at least two control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105, which are configured to control the user input 16 for the virtual window control, may be an infotainment control module or control unit and an instrument panel control module or unit. Thus, if one control unit 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 is unavailable due to electrical anomalies, damage, or faulty software, the second control unit 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 can provide redundancy for displaying the user input 16.

[0050] Referring to Fig. 2. The procedure 12 may also include the detection 50 of the location of an occupant or user within the vehicle 10. For example, detection 50 may include the detection of the presence or weight of the occupant in a seat 52 ( Fig. 1) via a sensor (not shown). As such, the detection 50 may include determining how many occupants are in the passenger compartment 22 of the vehicle 10 and where the occupants are specifically positioned within the vehicle 10, e.g., in a front seat or a rear seat and on a driver's side or a passenger's side of the vehicle 10. Therefore, the identification 46 of the display component 24 for each of the multitude of user inputs 16 may include selecting the display component 24 based on the occupant's position within the vehicle 10.For example, if an occupant is seated in a rear, passenger-side seat of the vehicle 10, a touchscreen 18 of a rear infotainment device or component located in a headrest directly in front of the seated occupant can be selected as a display component 24 for a virtual user input 16 for HVAC temperature control or a virtual user input 16 for emergency services.

[0051] Referring again to Fig. 2. Procedure 12 also includes the development 54 of the redundancy plan, which contains the alternative display component 124 for at least one of the plurality of user inputs 16. That is, the redundancy plan can specify the alternative display component 124 such that if a particular user input 16 cannot be displayed on a particular first-choice display component 24, the user input 16 can be displayed elsewhere. Thus, the redundancy plan can ensure that every user input 16 is available with a corresponding alternative display component 124 for uninterrupted display, if desired. As a concrete example, it may be important that a user input 16 of the virtual emergency service is displayed without interruption on the infotainment touchscreen display component 24.If the infotainment touchscreen is no longer working or is damaged, the user input 16 for virtual emergency services can be moved to the alternative display component 124 of the instrument panel.

[0052] As with continued reference to Fig. As described in Section 2, the procedure 12 also includes assigning a display priority 56 to each of the multitude of user inputs 16 based on the display timing criteria. As a non-restrictive example, user inputs 16 that contain the display timing criterion "always available" can have a display priority of "1". User inputs 16 that contain the display timing criterion "temperature in passenger cabin 22 exceeds limit" can be displayed automatically under certain conditions and have a display priority of "2". Similarly, user inputs 16 that contain the display timing criterion "condensation detected outside vehicle 10" can have a display priority of "3". User inputs 16 that contain the display timing criterion "noise level in passenger compartment 22 exceeds threshold" can have a display priority of "4".The assignment of display priority 56 can therefore include the classification of the display timing criteria for each of the multitude of user inputs 16, e.g. according to importance, user convenience, environmental conditions or other user-defined considerations.

[0053] Procedure 12, which is generally in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, a ranking 58 is also included for each of the multitude of user inputs 16 according to their respective display priority, in order to develop a priority scheme. For example, the ranking 58 can include the prioritization of certain user inputs from the multitude of user inputs 16 over other user inputs from the multitude of user inputs 16 based on the respective display time criteria and the respective display component 24 for each user input from the multitude of user inputs 16, in order to develop the prioritization scheme. That is, for the non-restrictive example shown above, user inputs 16 with a display priority of "1" can have a higher rank in the priority scheme than user inputs 16 with a display priority of "4".Therefore, if there are display conflicts between two user inputs 16, the user input 16 with the higher display priority in the priority scheme can be displayed on a specific display component 24.

[0054] The ranking 58 can also include modifying at least one part of the priority scheme according to an instruction from the occupant of the vehicle 10. That is, in some cases, the occupant may prefer to prioritize a user input 16 for temperature control over, for example, a user input 16 for volume control. For certain user inputs 16 that are not required for the efficient or intended operation of the vehicle 10, the ranking 58 of the multitude of user inputs 16 for developing the priority scheme can include modifying the respective display priority of the user inputs 16 according to the occupant's preferences.

[0055] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the method 12 also includes the display 14 of the multitude of user inputs 16 in the vehicle 10 according to the priority scheme and the redundancy plan. That is, the display 14 can include access to or verification of the priority scheme and the redundancy plan and provide the multitude of user inputs 16 in the vehicle 10 accordingly. More precisely, one or more of the control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 can read the priority scheme and the redundancy plan and control one or more display components 24 in order to display the multitude of user inputs 16.

[0056] In detail and as further referenced to Fig. As described in 2, the procedure 12 may further include the assessment 60 of whether the display component 24 is functional or non-functional for each of the plurality of user inputs 16, and the identification 62 of at least one of the following features: a displayable user input 16 that is based on a functional display component 224 ( Fig. 1 and Fig. 3) can be displayed according to the respective display time criteria; and a non-displayable user input 116 ( Fig. 1 and Fig. 3), which is located on a non-functional display component 324 ( Fig. 2) cannot be displayed. 1 and 3) can be displayed according to the respective display time criteria; and a non-displayable user input 116 ( Fig. 1 and Fig. 3), which is located on a non-functional display component 324 ( Fig. 1 and Fig. 3) cannot be displayed according to the respective display time criteria. This means that a display component 24 may be temporarily non-functional, for example, due to hardware or software problems, damage to the display component 24, damage to or malfunctions of one or more control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 or the communication bus 42, user errors, and the like, and may not be able to display the intended user input 16. The evaluation 60 may, for example, include determining whether the display component 24 is functional or non-functional, using at least one of the following information: a heartbeat message, such as a periodic communication signal, to check the health and operating status of the display component 24, diagnostics, and performance measurements for the display component 24.

[0057] Furthermore, display 14 for the displayable user input 16 can include the rating 60, whether another of the multitude of user inputs 16-2 ( Fig. 3) is displayed on the functional display component 224. For example, in certain cases, a user input 16 with a higher display priority may already be displayed on the functional display component 224. If the other of the multitude of user inputs 16-2 is not displayed on the functional display component 224, the procedure 12 may include the display 14 of the displayable user input 16 on the functional display component 224 according to the respective display time criteria.

[0058] As a specific example, for a displayable virtual user input 16 of the HVAC control intended to be displayed on the functional infotainment touchscreen display component 224, the procedure 12 may include the assessment 60 of whether another user input 16-2, e.g., a displayable virtual user input 16 of the window control, is displayed on the functional infotainment touchscreen display component 224 instead. If the other user input 16-2, i.e., the displayable virtual user input 16 of the window control, is not displayed on the functional infotainment touchscreen display component 224, the procedure 12 may include the display 14 of the intended displayable virtual user input 16 of the HVAC control on the functional infotainment touchscreen display component 224 according to the respective display-time criteria.

[0059] However, if the other of the set of user inputs 16-2 is displayed on the functional display component 224, the procedure 12 may include assessing which of the displayable user inputs 16 and the other of the set of user inputs 16-2 has a higher display priority. That is, the procedure 12 may include comparing the respective display priorities to determine which user input 16, 16-2, ranks higher in the priority scheme. If the displayable user input 16 has the higher display priority, the procedure 12 may include displaying 14 of the displayable user input 16 on the functional display component 224. If the other of the set of user inputs 16-2 has the higher display priority, the procedure 12 may include displaying 14 of the other of the set of user inputs 16-2 on the functional display component 224.

[0060] That is to say, for the example described above, if the displayable virtual user input 16-2 for window control is displayed on the functional infotainment touchscreen display component 216 instead of the intended displayable virtual user input 16 for HVAC control, the procedure 12 may include the assessment 60 as to which of the user inputs 16, 16-2 has the higher display priority, and the display of that user input 16, 16-2, i.e., the displayable virtual user input 16-2 for window control or the displayable virtual user input 16 for HVAC control.

[0061] Referring again to Fig. 2, the display can show 14 for the non-displayable user input 116 ( Fig. 1) also include the evaluation 60 to determine whether the non-displayable user input 116 has the alternative display component 124, and, if so, whether the alternative display component 124 is functional. That is, procedure 12 may include checking the redundancy plan for the non-displayable user input 116 to determine whether a replacement or alternative display component 124 exists for the desired non-displayable user input 116. If the non-displayable user input 116 has the functional alternative display component 1224 ( Fig. 1 and Fig. 3) Method 12 may include displaying the non-displayable user input 116 on the functional alternative display component 1224, thereby making the non-displayable user input 116 displayable. Method 12 may also include notifying or warning the user, for example, with an audible signal or a visual message, that the non-displayable user input 116 has or does not have the functional alternative display component 1224.

[0062] If the virtual user input 16 of the HVAC control, which is to be displayed on the functional infotainment touchscreen display component 224, is not displayable, the procedure 12 may therefore, with further reference to the example set out above, include the evaluation 60 of whether the non-displayable virtual user input 116 of the HVAC control has an alternative display component 124, e.g. an instrument panel display component 124 instead of the intended infotainment touchscreen display component 224, and then the display 14 of the non-displayable virtual user input 116 of the HVAC control on the alternative instrument panel display component 124.

[0063] However, if the non-displayable user input 116 does not have the functional alternative display component 1224, the procedure 12 may include the evaluation 60 as to whether the non-displayable user input 116 has a substitute user input 216 ( Fig. 1 and Fig. 3). That is, even if the alternative display component is 124 ( Fig. 1) If the user input 116 is not functional, the procedure 12 may include replacing the non-displayable user input 116 with another substitute user input 216. For example, if the dashboard display component 124 is not available as a functional alternative display component 1224, the procedure 12 may include an evaluation 60 as to whether the substitute user input 216 exists. The procedure 12 may also include notifying the user, for example, with an audible signal or a visual message, that the substitute user input 216 is available or not.

[0064] For example, if the virtual user input 116 for the HVAC control, which cannot be displayed, does not have the instrument panel's functional alternative display component 1224, the procedure 12 may include the evaluation 60 to determine whether a substitute user input 216 exists, such as a virtual user input 16 for window control to change the passenger compartment temperature 22.

[0065] If the non-displayable user input 116 has the replacement user input 216 ( Fig. 1) Procedure 12 may include the display of the substitute user input 216. Alternatively, if the non-displayable user input 116 does not have the substitute user input 216, procedure 12 may use the identifier 62 ( Fig. 2) the non-displayable user input 116 as unavailable 316 ( Fig. 3) include, for example, an acoustic gong or a visual message.

[0066] In some cases, the marking 62 of the non-displayable user input 116 as unavailable 316 may also include the offer of an alternative user input 416 ( Fig. 1) For example, the vehicle 10 can present a message or indication to the user or occupants, e.g., visually, audibly, and / or haptically, that the original non-displayable user input 116 is unavailable 316 and that the alternative user input 416 is offered instead. In some examples, offering the alternative user input 416 may involve changing a function of the originally intended non-displayable user input 116.

[0067] For example, if there is no way to successfully display the non-displayable user input 116, procedure 12 may include instructing the functionality of another displayable user input 16. As a concrete example, if the virtual user input 16 for HVAC control is non-displayable, procedure 12 may include modifying a function of the displayable virtual user input 16 for window control so that the occupant can instead use the virtual user input 16 for window control to control the HVAC display component 24.Alternatively, if the virtual user input 16 for emergency services is unavailable, procedure 12 may involve prompting the resident to display an available, viewable, and functional virtual user input 16 for window control to act as the user input 16 that, when touched or selected, triggers contact with emergency services. That is, procedure 12 may involve finding another user input 16 that is functional and viewable, and then modifying the functionality of that user input 16 to match the functionality of the unviewable user input 116.

[0068] In summary, procedure 12 can ensure that user inputs 16 with the highest display priority are displayed and available under all vehicle conditions. As a non-restrictive example, a user input 16 for virtual emergency services may have the highest display priority and must be displayed and available in every vehicle state. Secondly, a user input 16 for HVAC control may be required if the passenger compartment 22 is too hot or too cold. If these user inputs 16 attempt to occupy the same space, i.e., be displayed in the same location on the same display component 24, the user input 16 for HVAC control would be moved to the next best display component 24 according to the priority scheme and redundancy plan.

[0069] If each display component 24 for the user input 16 of the HVAC control is currently being used by a user input 16 with a higher display priority, or is unavailable due to a malfunction or damage, the substitute user input 216 ( Fig. 1) be displayed in a different location, i.e. on a different display component 24, e.g. a window control display component 24.

[0070] In another embodiment, which refers to Fig.As described in Section 3, the procedure 112 for displaying 14 of the plurality of user inputs 16 in the vehicle 10 comprises the identification 46 of the display time criteria and the display component 24 for each of the plurality of user inputs 16. Furthermore, the procedure 112 comprises the assignment 56 of the display priority for each of the plurality of user inputs 16 based on the display time criteria. The procedure 112 also comprises the assessment 60 of whether the display component 24 is functional or non-functional for each of the plurality of user inputs 16, and the identification 62 of at least one of the following inputs: the displayable user input 16, which can be displayed on the functional display component 224 according to the respective time criteria, and the non-displayable user input 116, which cannot be displayed on the non-functional display component 324 according to the respective time criteria.

[0071] Following the identification 62 of the displayable user input 16, procedure 112 includes the evaluation 60 of whether another of the plurality of user inputs 16-2 is displayed on the functional display component 224. If the other of the plurality of user inputs 16-2 is not displayed on the functional display component 224, procedure 112 includes displaying 14 of the displayable user input 16 on the functional display component 224 according to the respective time criteria. If the other of the plurality of user inputs 16-2 is displayed on the functional display component 224, procedure 112 includes the assessment 60 of which of the displayable user inputs 16 and which of the other of the plurality of user inputs 16-2 has a higher display priority.

[0072] If the displayable user input 16 has the higher display priority, procedure 112 includes displaying 14 of the displayable user input 16 on the functional display component 224. If the other of the plurality of user inputs 16-2 has the higher display priority, procedure 112 includes displaying 14 of the other of the plurality of user inputs 16-2 on the functional display component 224.

[0073] Following the identification 62 of the non-displayable user input 116, procedure 112 includes the evaluation 60 of whether the non-displayable user input 116 has the functional alternative display component 1224. If the non-displayable user input 116 has a functional alternative display component 1224, procedure 112 includes the display 14 of the non-displayable user input 16 on the functional alternative display component 1224.

[0074] However, if the non-displayable user input 116 does not have the functional alternative display component 1224, procedure 112 includes the evaluation 60 of whether the non-displayable user input 116 has the substitute user input 216. If the non-displayable user input 116 has the substitute user input 216, procedure 112 includes the display 14 of the substitute user input 216. If the non-displayable user input 116 does not have the substitute user input 216, procedure 112 includes the marking 62 of the non-displayable user input 116 as unavailable 316. As such, procedure 112 can also ensure that the plurality of user inputs 16 with the highest display priority are displayed without interruption. That is, assurance 64 can enable the virtual user inputs 16 to be available and easily accessible to the occupant of the vehicle 10.

[0075] In summary, the method 12, 112 can therefore ensure the availability of vehicle functions and user inputs 16, prioritize which virtual or electronic user inputs 16 should be displayed continuously, and ensure that at least one of the multitude of user inputs 16 is continuously and uninterruptedly available to the user of the vehicle 10, even if the vehicle 10 is deactivated, damaged, or inoperable. That is to say, advantageously, the method 12, 112 can enable certain virtual user inputs 16 to be available and easily accessible to a user or occupant of the vehicle 10 during certain events. Furthermore, the method 12, 112 can provide redundancy with respect to the power sources 44, 144, the control units 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105, the display components 24, and the user inputs 16.Furthermore, Procedure 12, 112 and Vehicle 10 can enable compliance with various legal regulations and offer flexibility in terms of user interfaces and preferences.

[0076] The embodiments described in this description are intended as non-limiting examples, and other embodiments may take different and alternative forms. Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are not necessarily to scale and may represent a somewhat simplified depiction of various features of this description, including, for example, certain dimensions, orientations, positions, and shapes. The details associated with these features are partly determined by the intended application and the operating environment of the described embodiments.

[0077] For the purposes of this description, the use of the singular includes the plural and vice versa, unless expressly excluded. The terms "and" and "or" apply in both the subjunctive and disjunctive moods, and the words "including," "containing," "comprehensive," "with," and the like mean "including without limitation." Furthermore, words of approximation such as "approximately," "essentially," "generally," "about," etc., may be used here to mean "at, close to, or nearly at" or "within 0-5% of" or "within acceptable manufacturing tolerances," or logical combinations thereof. A component that is "configured" to perform a particular function is capable of performing that function without modifications, and not merely has the potential to perform that function after further modifications.In other words, if the described hardware is explicitly configured to perform the specified function, it is specifically selected, built, implemented, used, programmed, and / or designed for performing that function. Furthermore, the use of ordinal numbers such as first, second, and third does not necessarily imply a ranking but can merely distinguish between multiple instances of an action or structure.

[0078] The detailed description and the drawings or figures support and describe the present teaching, but the scope of the present teaching is defined exclusively by the claims. While some of the best modes and other embodiments for carrying out the present teaching have been described in detail, various alternative designs and embodiments for carrying out the present teaching exist, which are defined in the accompanying claims. Furthermore, this description expressly includes combinations and sub-combinations of the elements and features shown above and below.

Claims

[1] A method (112) for displaying a plurality of user inputs (16) in a vehicle (10), wherein the method (112) comprises: Identifying a display timing criterion and a display component (24) for each of the multitude of user inputs (16); Develop a redundancy plan that includes an alternative display component for at least one of the multiple user inputs (16); Assigning (56) a display priority for each of the multitude of user inputs (16) based on the display time criteria; Classifying each of the multitude of user inputs (16) according to their respective display priority in order to develop a priority scheme; and Displaying the multitude of user inputs (16) in the vehicle (10) according to the priority scheme and the redundancy plan, where the assignment is the prioritization of certain user inputs from the multitude of user inputs (16) over other user inputs from the multitude of user inputs (16) based on the respective display time criteria and the respective display component for each user input from the multitude of The procedure includes user inputs (16) in order to develop the prioritization scheme, further comprising the assessment (60) of whether the display component (24) is functional or non-functional for each of the plurality of user inputs (16), and wherein the procedure specifies at least one of the following features: a displayable user input (16) that can be displayed on a functional display component (224) according to the respective display time criteria; and a non-displayable user input (116) that cannot be displayed on a non-functional display component (324) according to the respective display time criteria, including displaying the non-displayable user input (116): Assess whether the non-displayable user input (116) has the alternative display component (1224) and, if so, whether the alternative display component is functional; If the non-displayable user input (116) has the functional alternative display component (1224), display the non-displayable user input (116) on the functional alternative display component (1224); and if the non-displayable user input (116) does not have the functional alternative display component (1224), assess whether the non-displayable user input (116) has a substitute user input (216); If the non-displayable user input (116) has the substitute user input, display the substitute user input (216); and If the non-displayable user input (116) does not have the replacement user input (216), mark the non-displayable user input (116) as unavailable. [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein the marking of the non-displayable user input (116) as unavailable includes offering an alternative user input (416).

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