Managing the transfer of content between screens of a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for managing the operation of a human-machine interface (2) of a motor vehicle (1), said human-machine interface comprising at least a first touch screen (3) arranged at a first location situated at a first distance (d1) from the driving position (4) measured according to the width of the vehicle which is less than one meter and a second screen (5) arranged at a second location situated at a second distance (d2) from the driving position measured according to the width of the vehicle which is greater than the first distance. The invention also relates to a computer device (100) implementing such a method, as well as a motor vehicle (1) comprising such a device (100). Figure for the abstract: 1

Description

Title of the invention: Management of the transfer of content between screens 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 managing the operation of a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle, said interface comprising at least a first touch screen arranged at a first location situated at a first distance from the driver's position measured according to the width of the vehicle which is less than one meter and a second screen arranged at a second location situated at a second distance from the driver's position measured according to the width of the vehicle which is greater than the first distance. The invention also relates to a device implementing such a method, as well as a motor vehicle comprising such a device. The invention applies to motor vehicles such as land motor vehicles, in particular cars. State of the prior art

[0002] It is known that the human-machine interfaces of certain modern motor vehicles use several screens to allow the driver to obtain information and manage various vehicle functions. Sometimes, space and ergonomic constraints require that these screens be arranged side by side near the driver's seat. This means that some screens are further from the driver's seat than others, which complicates reading and interacting with information that is displayed on the screens that are furthest from the driver's seat. This problem also creates a risk in terms of driving safety, because the driver must look away from the road more and more when he wishes to read information that is displayed on the most distant screens.In addition, a large number of screens with which the driver must be able to interact through touch interactions increases the manufacturing cost of vehicles, which is reflected in their selling price, which may prevent the use of multi-screen solutions in low-cost vehicles. Summary of the invention

[0003] The invention aims to overcome these drawbacks. In particular, it aims to provide a solution for making a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle which comprises several screens arranged side by side more ergonomic and safer. Another objective of the invention is to provide a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle with multiple screens whose manufacturing cost remains measured. By this means, The invention aims to improve the ergonomics of human-machine interfaces in motor vehicles and reduce the manufacturing cost of vehicles.

[0004] In order to achieve these aims, the invention relates, according to a first aspect, to a method for managing, by a computer device on board a motor vehicle, the operation of a human-machine interface of the vehicle, said human-machine interface comprising at least a first touch screen arranged at a first location situated at a first distance from the driving position measured according to the width of the vehicle which is less than one meter and a second screen arranged at a second location situated at a second distance from the driving position measured according to the width of the vehicle which is greater than the first distance, the method comprising the steps of: i. determining whether a touch interaction that consists of a swipe is performed on the first screen; and when it is established that this is the case, ii. cause the content displayed on the second screen to be transferred to the first screen and the content displayed on the first screen to be transferred to the second screen.

[0005] According to a variant, said sliding can be carried out according to the width of the first screen.

[0006] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a device for managing the operation of a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle, said human-machine interface comprising at least one first touch screen arranged at a first location situated at a first distance from the driving position measured according to the width of the vehicle which is less than one meter and a second screen arranged at a second location situated at a second distance from the driving position measured according to the width of the vehicle which is greater than the first distance, the device comprising at least one information processing unit, comprising at least one processor, and a data storage medium configured to implement a method as described above.

[0007] According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a computer program comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of a method as described above when said program is executed by at least one processor.

[0008] According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a medium usable in a computer on which a program as described above is recorded.

[0009] According to a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising a device as described above. Brief description of the figures

[0010] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the appended figures, in which:

[0011] [Fig-1] is a diagram of a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0012] [Fig.2] is a functional diagram of a device according to the invention; and

[0013] [Fig.3] is a flowchart of the steps of a method according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0014] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a motor vehicle 1 according to the invention. This is equipped with a human-machine interface 2, which advantageously comprises at least a first touch screen 3 arranged at a first location situated at a first distance d1 from the driving position 4 measured according to the width of the vehicle which is less than one meter and a second screen 5 arranged at a second location situated at a second distance d2 from the driving position 4 measured according to the width of the vehicle which is greater than the first distance. Alternatively, the human-machine interface 2 may comprise additional screens arranged next to the second screen 5, which are thus each located at increasing distances from the driving position 4.

[0015] Advantageously, the vehicle 1 according to the invention also carries a device 100 for managing the operation of a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle, said human-machine interface comprising at least a first touch screen arranged at a first location located at a first distance from the driving position measured according to the width of the vehicle which is less than one meter and a second screen arranged at a second location located at a second distance from the driving position measured according to the width of the vehicle which is greater than the first distance, as described below, which implements a method for managing the operation of a touch screen of a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle,said human-machine interface comprising at least a first touch screen arranged at a first location situated at a first distance from the driving position measured according to the width of the vehicle which is less than one meter and a second screen arranged at a second location situated at a second distance from the driving position measured according to the width of the vehicle which is greater than the first distance, as briefly summarized below and described in detail below.

[0016] When implementing the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention continuously monitors any tactile interactions that are carried out on the first screen 3. And when it establishes that a tactile interaction that consists of a slide (i.e. in English “swipe”) is carried out on the first screen 3, it then causes the transfer of the content displayed on the second screen 4 to the first screen 3 and the transfer of the content displayed on the first screen 3 to the second screen 5. In other words, the device 100 according to the invention causes a rotation of the contents from one screen to another. Thus, the driver can more easily read and possibly interact with the content that was previously displayed on a screen further away from the driver's seat 4. It is in this way that the device 100 according to the invention contributes to the provision of a multi-screen human-machine interface that is more ergonomic and safer. Furthermore, by allowing the transfer of content between screens, it is no longer necessary for each of the screens to be equipped with functionalities for supporting touch interactions, which makes it possible to minimize the manufacturing cost of the human-machine interface of the vehicle 1 according to the invention.

[0017] In [Fig. 2] is schematically illustrated the device 100 for managing the operation of a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle, said human-machine interface comprising at least a first touch screen arranged at a first location situated at a first distance from the driving position measured according to the width of the vehicle which is less than one meter and a second screen arranged at a second location situated at a second distance from the driving position measured according to the width of the vehicle which is greater than the first distance.It is essentially a computer device, which comprises at least one information processing unit 101, comprising one or more processors, a data storage medium 102, on which is recorded in particular a program which comprises program code instructions for the execution of the steps of the method according to the invention described below, and an input and output interface 103 allowing the reception and transmission of data.

[0018] Preferably, the device 100 according to the invention is hosted on an independent computer and it interacts via its input and output interface 103 and by means of a wired communication network of the vehicle (e.g. CAN, Ethernet, MOST) - shown in [Fig.l] by a two-way arrow - with the human-machine interface 2 of the vehicle 1, in particular with its first screen 3 and with its second screen 5. Alternatively, the device 100 according to the invention is partially or fully part of the human-machine interface 2 of the vehicle 1. As a result, the device 100 according to the invention can, in particular, determine whether a tactile interaction which consists of a slide is carried out on the first screen 3, and it can cause the transfer of the content displayed on the second screen 5 to the first screen and the transfer of the content displayed on the first screen 3 to the second screen 5.

[0019] According to the invention, all the elements described above contribute to enabling the implementation of a method for managing the operation of a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle, said human-machine interface comprising at least a first touch screen arranged at a first location situated at a first distance from the driving position measured along the width of the vehicle which is less than one meter and a second screen arranged at a second location situated at a second distance from the driving position measured according to the width of the vehicle which is greater than the first distance, as described below in connection with [Fig.3].

[0020] [Fig. 3] illustrates by means of a flowchart the steps of the method according to the invention.

[0021] According to a first step 301 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention determines whether a tactile interaction which consists of a slide, preferably carried out along the width of the screen, is carried out on the first screen 3. To do this, it interacts with the human-machine interface 2 or with the screen 3. Thus, the device 100 according to the invention continuously monitors whether a tactile interaction of the slide type, carried out with one or more fingers, is carried out on the first screen 3. In other words, it continuously monitors whether the driver expresses the wish to bring closer content which is at a current time displayed on the second screen 5 which is further away from the driving position 4. And when it establishes that such an interaction is carried out, it then carries out the following step of the method according to the invention described below.

[0022] According to a second step 302 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention causes the transfer of the content displayed on the second screen 5 to the first screen 3 and the transfer of the content displayed on the first screen 3 to the second screen 3. Thus, at the end of this second step, the contents displayed on each of the screens are inverted, in other words the content which was previously displayed on the second screen 5 is displayed on the first screen 3 and, conversely, the content which was previously displayed on the first screen 3 is displayed on the second screen 5. The driver can thus more easily view and possibly interact with content which was previously further away from the driving position 4.

[0023] In the case where the human-machine interface comprises other additional screens arranged next to the second screen 5, the device 100 according to the invention similarly causes the transfer of contents between screens, so that the contents displayed on each of the screens are progressively brought closer to the driving position 4 over the successive slides which are carried out on the first screen 3. Thus, if the human-machine interface comprises, for example, four screens arranged side by side along the width of the console of the vehicle 1, successive slides carried out on the first screen 3 make it possible to bring the contents displayed on the screens furthest away closer to the driving position 4. Thus, in the case of such an interface, a first slide will make it possible to transfer the contents displayed on the third screen to the second screen 5.Then, another swipe will transfer the content that was initially displayed on the third screen, then on the second screen 5, to the first screen 3. The content that was initially displayed on the first screen 3 is displayed on the . fourth screen on the first swipe and then, on the second swipe, on the third screen. Similarly, the content that is initially displayed on the second screen 5 is displayed on the first screen 3 on the first swipe, and on the fourth screen on the second swipe. We have, so to speak, a rotation of the content between screens.

[0024] Thus, thanks to the method and the device according to the invention described above, a solution exists for providing a multi-screen human-machine interface which allows the driver to be able to easily view and interact with all the contents which are displayed on each of the screens of the human-machine interface. Furthermore, thanks to the method and the device according to the invention, it is no longer necessary for each of the screens of the human-machine interface to be provided with functionalities for supporting touch interactions, because these can be carried out only on the first screen 3 on which all the contents displayed on each of the screens of the human-machine interface can be transferred by means of a simple sliding gesture carried out on the first screen.This is how the method and the device 100 according to the invention contribute to making the human-machine interface of the vehicle 1 according to the invention more ergonomic and safer, while also minimizing its manufacturing cost compared to other vehicles equipped with a human-machine interface with several screens arranged according to the width of the vehicle.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for managing, by a computer device (100) on board a motor vehicle (1), the operation of a human-machine interface (2) of the vehicle, said human-machine interface comprising at least a first touch screen (3) arranged at a first location situated at a first distance (dl) from the driving position (4) measured according to the width of the vehicle which is less than one meter and a second screen (5) arranged at a second location situated at a second distance (d2) from the driving position (4) measured according to the width of the vehicle which is greater than the first distance, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: i. determining whether a touch interaction which consists of a slide is carried out on the first screen (3); and when it is established that this is the case, ii.cause the content displayed on the second screen (5) to be transferred to the first screen (3) and the content displayed on the first screen (3) to be transferred to the second screen (5).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said sliding is carried out according to the width of the first screen.

3. Device (100) for managing the operation of a human-machine interface (2) of a motor vehicle, said human-machine interface comprising at least one first touch screen (3) arranged at a first location located at a first distance (dl) from the driving position (4) measured according to the width of the vehicle which is less than one meter and a second screen (5) arranged at a second location located at a second distance (d2) from the driving position (4) measured according to the width of the vehicle which is greater than the first distance, characterized in that the device comprises at least one information processing unit (101), comprising at least one processor, and a data storage medium (102) configured to implement a method according to any one of the preceding claims.

4. A computer program comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of a method according to any one of claims 1 to 2 when said program is executed by at least one processor.

5.

6. Support usable in a computer, characterized in that a program according to claim 4 is recorded therein. Motor vehicle (1), characterized in that it comprises a device (100) according to claim 3.

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