Remote customization of a motor vehicle's human-machine interface

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for personalizing a human-machine interface (2) of a motor vehicle (3). The invention also relates to a computer system (1) implementing such a method. Figure for the abstract: 1

Description

Title of the invention: Remote customization of a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of human-machine interfaces for motor vehicles. The invention relates in particular to a method for customizing a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle by means of a computer system comprising a communicating device remote from the vehicle which executes a module for stipulating personalized commands and a computer on board the vehicle. The invention further relates to a computer system which implements such a method. The invention applies to motor vehicles, in particular land motor vehicles such as cars. State of the prior art

[0002] The human-machine interface of most modern motor vehicles generally includes a touch screen that allows the execution of various commands to allow the user to manage the operation of certain elements or equipment of the vehicle. For example, the operation of a heating and air conditioning system of the vehicle can generally be controlled by means of touch interactions made with respect to icons, scroll bars or other conventional visual content that allows the specification of a choice. However, the commands that the user can control by means of the human-machine interface of the vehicle are generally fixed by the manufacturer at the time of design of the vehicle without the user having the possibility of making any subsequent modifications.In other words, the user of a vehicle cannot stipulate new commands himself that he can subsequently execute by means of the touch screen of the human-machine interface of his vehicle. In this sense, the human-machine interfaces of motor vehicles still suffer from a lack of ergonomics and are likely to generate frustration among certain users. Summary of the invention.

[0003] The invention aims to overcome these drawbacks. In particular, it aims to provide means to enable a user of a motor vehicle to stipulate commands himself which he can then execute by means of a touch screen of the human-machine interface of the vehicle. The invention aims to enable this in an easy manner, in particular by offering the user the possibility of stipulating such commands by means of a simple communicating device such as a smartphone or a computer connected to the Internet. By these means, the invention wishes to participate in the providing more ergonomic human-machine vehicle interfaces that improve user satisfaction.

[0004] In order to achieve these aims, the invention relates, according to a first aspect, to a method for customizing a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle by means of a computer system comprising a communicating device remote from the vehicle, which executes a module for stipulating personalized commands, and a computer on board the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing, by the module for stipulating personalized commands, a graphical interface which makes it possible to enter a specification of a personalized command compatible with the vehicle and executable by means of a touch screen of the human-machine interface, said specification defining at least one element or apparatus of the vehicle relating to said personalized command, an execution logic relating to said personalized command and a visual content relating to said personalized command; ii. cause, by the custom order stipulation module, the transmission of said specification of a custom order to the vehicle as soon as a validation of said transmission is entered by means of said graphical interface; and iii. cause, by the computer, a modification of the operation of the human-machine interface according to said specification of a personalized command.

[0005] According to a variant, said execution logic relating to said personalized command may comprise a conditional instruction and / or a loop.

[0006] According to another variant, said conditional instruction or said loop can establish a type of tactile interaction to be carried out with regard to said visual content in order to execute said personalized command, an action to be carried out with said element or said apparatus of the vehicle during the execution of said personalized command, a schedule for execution of said personalized command and / or a duration of execution of said personalized command.

[0007] According to yet another variant, step i) may comprise a step consisting of adapting said graphical interface as a function of a vehicle identification number.

[0008] According to yet another variant, said transmission can be carried out by means of a wireless communication network.

[0009] According to yet another variant, said visual content can be defined by means of a library of pre-established visual content.

[0010] According to yet another variant, said visual content can be defined by means of a drawing tool.

[0011] According to yet another variant, step üi) may comprise a step consisting of causing the display of said visual content on the screen.

[0012] According to yet another variant, step üi) may comprise a step consisting of causing the execution of said personalized command as soon as it is established that a tactile interaction with said visual content in accordance with said execution logic is carried out.

[0013] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a system for customizing a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle, said system being a computer system and comprising a communicating device remote from the vehicle, which executes a module for stipulating personalized commands, and a computer on board the vehicle, which jointly implement a method as described above. Brief description of the figures

[0014] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the appended figures, in which:

[0015] [Fig-1] is a diagram illustrating the context of the invention; and

[0016] [Fig.2] is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a method according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0017] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates the context of the invention. It shows a system 1 for customizing a human-machine interface 2 of a motor vehicle 3 according to the invention, which comprises a communicating device 4 remote from the vehicle 3, which executes a module for stipulating personalized commands 5, and a computer 6 on board the vehicle 3. The human-machine interface 2 conventionally comprises a touch screen 7 allowing the user of the vehicle to execute commands to manage the operation of elements or equipment of the vehicle. The communicating device 4 is preferably a smartphone. Alternatively, it is a computer connected to the Internet. In both cases, it communicates with the vehicle 3 by means of conventional wireless communication networks and protocols (eg 3 / 4 / 5G; ITS-G5; C-V2X) and radio frequency signal communication equipment (not shown) on board the vehicle 3.

[0018] According to the invention, all the elements of the system 1 according to the invention described above contribute to enabling the implementation of a method for customizing a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle, as described below in connection with [Fig.2].

[0019] [Fig.2] illustrates by means of a flowchart the steps of the method according to the invention.

[0020] According to a first step 201 of the method according to the invention, the stipulation module of custom commands 5 provides a graphical interface that allows to enter a specification of a custom command compatible with the vehicle and executable via the touch screen 7 of the human-machine interface 2. Such a specification defines at least one element or apparatus of the vehicle relating to the custom command, an execution logic relating to the custom command and a visual content relating to the custom command.

[0021] Thus, the implementation of the method according to the invention is initiated as soon as the user operates the communicating device 4 in order to stipulate a personalized command by executing the personalized command stipulation module 5 for this purpose. When this occurs, the personalized command stipulation module 5 provides a graphical interface which allows the user to enter a specification of such a personalized command. And, according to the invention, such a specification comprises, firstly, an element or apparatus of the vehicle 3 relating to the personalized command (e.g. movable glazing, windshield wiper, heating and air conditioning system, lighting and signaling equipment, infotainment system, navigation system, etc.), secondly, an execution logic, which comprises a conditional instruction (i.e. if - then) or a loop (i.e.for, as long as), and, thirdly, visual content relating to the custom order.

[0022] The conditional instruction or loop establishes a type of tactile interaction to be performed with respect to the visual content to execute the personalized command, an action to be performed with the element or apparatus of the vehicle during the execution of said personalized command, a schedule for execution of the personalized command and / or a duration of execution of the personalized command.

[0023] Preferably, the provided graphical interface is configured to allow the user to define the visual content by means of a library of pre-established visual content (e.g. icons, scroll bar, toggles, etc.). Alternatively or cumulatively, the graphical interface is configured to allow the user to define the visual content by means of a drawing tool.

[0024] Advantageously, the graphical interface is adapted according to an identification number of the vehicle 3, which the user has for example entered when installing the personalized command stipulation module 5 on the communicating device 4. Thus, the personalized command stipulation module 5 can extract from a database (not shown) an inventory of the elements and equipment which are on board the vehicle and adapt the graphical interface accordingly in order to offer the user the possibility of specifying a personalized command only in connection with the inventory which he has obtained. This is how it is ensured that the specification of the personalized command is always compatible with vehicle 3.

[0025] Then, according to a second step 202 of the method according to the invention, the personalized command stipulation module 5 causes the transmission of the personalized command specification to the vehicle 3, using a conventional mobile communication network for this purpose. The vehicle 3 therefore receives at this stage by means of its radio frequency signal communication system the personalized command specification that the user has entered by means of the graphical interface provided by the personalized command stipulation module 5 executed by the communicating device 4.

[0026] Finally, according to a third step 203 of the method according to the invention, the computer causes a modification of the operation of the human-machine interface 2 according to the specification of a personalized command which was transmitted to it during the previous step of the method. Thus, it initially causes the display of the visual content on the screen 3. Then, as soon as it establishes that a tactile interaction has been carried out in accordance with the execution logic relating to the personalized command defined by the specification of the personalized command, it then causes the execution of the personalized command. Thus, the user can advantageously at this stage execute the personalized command which he previously specified by means of the communicating device 4.

[0027] For greater clarity, the implementation of the method according to the invention will be explained below in connection with an example in which it is assumed that the user wishes to be able to open the vehicle windows and the sunroof simultaneously by making a short press on an icon and close the windows and the sunroof by making a long press on the same icon. To do this, the user first executes the personalized command stipulation module 5 on the communicating device 4. Thus, a graphical interface is displayed by means of which the user enters the elements of the vehicle relating to the personalized command, namely the windows and the sunroof of the vehicle. He then specifies the execution logic, in this case an “if - then” conditional instruction.It then specifies the touch interactions and actions to be performed when executing the custom command, namely a first conditional instruction consisting of “if short press then open the windows and the sunroof simultaneously” and a second conditional instruction consisting of “if long press, then close the windows and the sunroof”. It chooses the icon to be displayed on the screen 7 of the human-machine interface 2, for example by selecting it from a library of available icons or by drawing it. Finally, it validates the transmission of the specification of the custom command to the vehicle 3, preferably by means of a validation button displayed on the graphical interface. The module for stipulating custom commands 5. then causes the transmission of the specification of the personalized command to the vehicle 3, using for this purpose a mobile communication network to which the communicating device 3 is connected. When it receives the specification of the personalized command by means of the radio frequency signal communication system of the vehicle 3, the computer 6 causes the modification of the operation of the human-machine interface 2 according to the received specification. It first causes the display of the icon on the screen 7 of the human-machine interface. And as soon as the user makes a short press on it, the computer 6 causes the windows and the sunroof to open simultaneously by interacting with the systems which control the movements of these elements. Thus, everything happens as if the user were simultaneously pressing the switches which control the opening of the windows of the vehicle 3 and the one which controls the opening of the sunroof.Similarly, when it establishes that the user has made a long press on the icon displayed on the screen 3, the computer 6 causes the windows and the sunroof to close.

[0028] Custom commands for managing other elements or devices can be envisaged. One can thus think of a custom command aimed at simultaneously activating the hazard lights of the vehicle 3 and playing a particular music track by means of an infotainment system of the vehicle. One can also envisage a custom command which makes it possible to call a particular contact by means of a telephone system of the vehicle 3. The range of customizable commands is endless and limited only by the imagination of the user. In any case, the user can specify these commands in a particularly easy manner, simply by operating the graphical interface provided by the module for stipulating personalized commands 5 on the screen of the communicating device 4.

[0029] Thus, thanks to the method and the system according to the invention described above, a solution is provided to allow a user of a motor vehicle to specify personalized commands in a particularly simple manner. Thus, the invention significantly improves the ergonomics of the human-machine interfaces of vehicles in order to thus provide complete satisfaction to their users.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for customizing a human-machine interface (2) of a motor vehicle (3) by means of a computer system (1) comprising a communicating device (4) remote from the vehicle, which executes a module for stipulating personalized commands, and a computer (6) on board the vehicle, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: i. providing, by the personalized command stipulation module (5), a graphical interface which makes it possible to enter a specification of a personalized command compatible with the vehicle and executable by means of a touch screen (7) of the human-machine interface (2), said specification defining at least one element or apparatus of the vehicle relating to said personalized command, an execution logic relating to said personalized command and a visual content relating to said personalized command; ii.cause, by the personalized command stipulation module (5), the transmission of said specification of a personalized command to the vehicle as soon as a validation of said transmission is entered by means of said graphical interface; and iii. cause, by the calculator (6), a modification of the operation of the human-machine interface (2) according to said specification of a personalized command.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said execution logic relating to said personalized command comprises a conditional instruction and / or a loop.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that said conditional instruction or said loop establishes a type of tactile interaction to be carried out with regard to said visual content in order to execute said personalized command, an action to be carried out with said element or said apparatus of the vehicle during the execution of said personalized command, a schedule for execution of said personalized command and / or a duration of execution of said personalized command.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

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10. that step i) comprises a step of adapting said graphical interface according to a vehicle identification number. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said transmission is carried out by means of a wireless communication network. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said visual content is defined by means of a library of pre-established visual content. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said visual content is defined by means of a drawing tool. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that step iii) comprises a step of causing the display of said visual content on the screen (7). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that step iii) comprises a step of causing the execution of said personalized command as soon as it is established that a tactile interaction with said visual content in accordance with said execution logic is carried out. System (1) for customizing a human-machine interface (2) of a motor vehicle (3), characterized in that said system is a computer system comprising a communicating device (4) remote from the vehicle, which executes a module for stipulating personalized commands (5), and a computer (6) on board the vehicle, which jointly implement a method according to one of the preceding claims.

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