Managing the transfer of content between touchscreens and a head-up display device in a motor vehicle's human-machine interface

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 a head-up display (3), a first touchscreen (4) arranged in a first location near the driver's seat, and a second touchscreen (5) arranged in a second location near the driver's seat. 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 content transfer between touchscreens and a head-up display device of a human-machine interface in a motor vehicle Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of human-machine interfaces in motor vehicles. The invention relates in particular to a method for managing the operation of a human-machine interface in a motor vehicle, said human-machine interface comprising a head-up display, a first touchscreen arranged in a first location near the driver's seat, and a second touchscreen arranged in a second location near the driver's seat. The invention also relates to a device implementing such a method, as well as a motor vehicle comprising such a device. The invention is applicable to motor vehicles such as motor vehicles, particularly cars. Prior art

[0002] It is known that the human-machine interfaces of some modern motor vehicles use several screens to allow the driver to access information and manage various vehicle functions. Sometimes, space and ergonomic constraints require that these screens be arranged side by side or overlapping near the driver's seat. This means that some screens are farther from the driver's seat than others, or that some screens are lower than others, which complicates the reading of information displayed on the screens that are furthest away or least visible. This problem also creates a risk to driving safety, as the driver must increasingly take their eyes off the road when they want to access information displayed on the screens furthest from their field of vision. 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 in a motor vehicle, which includes multiple screens, more ergonomic and safer. Through this, the invention seeks to improve the ergonomics and safety of motor vehicles equipped with a multi-screen human-machine interface.

[0004] In order to achieve these goals, the invention relates, according to a first aspect, to a management method, using a computer device embedded on board a motor vehicle, of the operation of a vehicle human-machine interface, said human-machine interface comprising a head-up display, a first touchscreen arranged in a first location near the driver's seat and a second touchscreen arranged in a second location near the driver's seat, the method comprising the steps of: i. determine whether a touch interaction consisting of an up or down swipe is performed on the first screen or the second screen; and when it is established that this is the case, ii. cause, when it is established that said interaction is an upward swipe, the transfer of content displayed on the first screen or on the second screen, depending on the screen on which said interaction is performed, to a display surface of the head-up display device or, when it is established that said interaction is a downward swipe, the transfer of content displayed on the display surface of the head-up display device to the first screen or the second screen, depending on the screen on which said interaction is performed.

[0005] According to one variant, said sliding may be vertical.

[0006] According to another variant, said sliding may be diagonal.

[0007] 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 a head-up display device, a first touch screen arranged in a first location near the driver's seat and a second touch screen arranged in a second location near the driver's seat, 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.

[0008] According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a computer program comprising program code instructions for the execution of the steps of a process as described above when said program is executed by at least one processor.

[0009] According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a medium usable in a computer on which a program as described above is recorded.

[0010] According to a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising a device as described above and a human-machine interface, said human-machine interface comprising a head-up display device, a first touch screen arranged in a first location near the driver's seat and a second touch screen arranged in a second location near the driver's seat. Brief description of the figures

[0011] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from an examination of the detailed description below, and the accompanying figures, in which:

[0012] [Fig-1] is a diagram of a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0013] [Fig.2] is a functional diagram of a device according to the invention; and

[0014] [Fig.3] is a flowchart of the steps of a process according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0015] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a motor vehicle 1 according to the invention. This is equipped with a human-machine interface 2, which includes at least one head-up display unit 3, which conventionally allows the display of visual content on a display surface located in the driver's field of vision when the driver is looking at the road in front of the vehicle 1, a first touchscreen 4 arranged in a first location near the driver's seat, so that the driver can easily perform touch interactions on its display surface when seated in the driver's seat, and a second touchscreen 5 arranged in a second location near the driver's seat, for example next to or below the first screen 4.

[0016] Advantageously, the vehicle 1 according to the invention also includes a device 100 for managing the operation of a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle, said human-machine interface comprising a head-up display device, a first touch screen arranged in a first location near the driver's seat and a second touch screen arranged in a second location near the driver's seat, as described below, which implements a method for managing the operation of a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle, said human-machine interface comprising a head-up display device, a first touch screen arranged in a first location near the driver's seat and a second touch screen arranged in a second location near the driver's seat, as briefly summarized below and described in detail below.

[0017] During the implementation of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention continuously monitors any touch interactions that are performed on the first screen 4 or on the second screen 5. And when it determines that a touch interaction consisting of a swipe is performed on the first screen 4 or the second screen 5, it then causes the transfer of content between the screens 4, 5 and the display surface of the head-up display unit 3. More specifically, when the touch interaction is an upward, vertical, or diagonal swipe, the device 100 according to the invention then causes the transfer of content The content displayed on the first screen 4 or the second screen 5, depending on which screen the interaction is performed, is transferred to the display surface of the head-up display 3. Conversely, when the interaction is a downward swipe, the device 100 according to the invention then transfers the content displayed on the display surface of the head-up display 3 to the first screen 4 or the second screen 5, depending on which screen the interaction is performed. In other words, the driver can, with a simple gesture, transfer visual content between a touchscreen and the head-up display 3, and vice versa. It is in this way that the device 100 according to the invention contributes to providing a more ergonomic and safer human-machine interface for a motor vehicle.

[0018] Figure 2 schematically illustrates the device 100 for managing the The operation of a human-machine interface for a motor vehicle, said human-machine interface comprising a head-up display, a first touchscreen arranged in a first location near the driver's seat, and a second touchscreen arranged in a second location near the driver's seat. It is essentially a computer device, comprising at least one information processing unit 101, including one or more processors, a data storage medium 102, on which is stored, in particular, a program comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of the process according to the invention described below, and an input and output interface 103 enabling the reception and transmission of data.

[0019] Preferably, the device 100 according to the invention is hosted on an independent computer and interacts via its input and output interface 103 and by means of a wired communication network of the vehicle (e.g. CAN, Ethernet, MOST) - represented on [Fig. 1] by a double-direction arrow - with the human-machine interface 2 of the vehicle 1, in particular with its head-up display equipment 3, its first screen 4 and its second screen 5. Alternatively, the device 100 according to the invention is part, in whole or in part, of the human-machine interface 2 of the vehicle 1.Therefore, the device 100 according to the invention can, in particular, determine whether a touch interaction consisting of a slide is performed on the first screen 4 or on the second screen 5, and it can cause the transfer of content displayed on the first screen 4 or on the second screen 5 to the display surface of the head-up display equipment 3, and vice versa.

[0020] 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 a head-up display unit, a first touchscreen arranged in a first location near the driver's seat and a second touchscreen arranged in a second location situated near the driver's seat, as described below in relation to [Fig.3].

[0021] Figure 3 illustrates, by means of a flowchart, the steps of the process according to the invention.

[0022] According to a first step 301 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention determines whether a touch interaction, consisting of a swipe, preferably vertical, or alternatively diagonal, is performed on the first screen 4 or on the second screen 5. To do this, it interacts with the human-machine interface 2 or with its screens 4, 5. Thus, the device 100 according to the invention continuously monitors whether a swipe-type touch interaction, performed with one or more fingers, is performed on one of the screens 4, 5. In other words, it continuously monitors whether the driver expresses a desire to move content that is currently displayed on one of the screens 4, 5 to the display surface of the head-up display 3, or vice versa. And when it determines that such an interaction is performed, it then carries out the next step of the method according to the invention described below.

[0023] According to a second step 302 of the method according to the invention, when it establishes that the interaction is an upward slide, the device 100 according to the invention then causes the transfer of content displayed on the first screen 4 or on the second screen 5, depending on the screen on which the interaction is carried out, to the display surface of the head-up display unit 3. The driver can thus more easily view in front of him content that is originally displayed on one of the screens 4, 5. Conversely, when it establishes that the interaction is a downward slide, the device 100 according to the invention then causes the transfer of content displayed on the display surface of the head-up display unit 3 to the first screen 4 or the second screen 5, depending on the screen on which said interaction is carried out.The driver can thus easily free up the display area of ​​the head-up display unit 3 from content that is no longer of interest by sending it back to one of the screens 4, 5 on which it was originally displayed.

[0024] Thus, thanks to the method and device according to the invention described above, a solution exists for providing a multi-screen human-machine interface that allows the driver to view content displayed on each screen of the human-machine interface more safely and ergonomically. In this way, the method and device according to the invention contribute to improving the ergonomics and safety of motor vehicles equipped with a multi-screen human-machine interface.

Claims

Demands

1. A method for managing, by means of a computer device (100) installed on board a motor vehicle (1), the operation of a human-machine interface (2) of the vehicle, said human-machine interface comprising a head-up display unit (3), a first touchscreen (4) arranged in a first location near the driver's seat and a second touchscreen (5) arranged in a second location near the driver's seat, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: i. determining whether a touch interaction consisting of a swipe up or down is performed on the first screen (4) or on the second screen (5); and when it is established that this is the case, ii.cause, when it is established that said interaction is an upward swipe, the transfer of content displayed on the first screen (4) or on the second screen (5), depending on the screen on which said interaction is performed, to a display surface of the head-up display device (3) or, when it is established that said interaction is a downward swipe, the transfer of content displayed on the display surface of the head-up display device (3) to the first screen (4) or the second screen (5), depending on the screen on which said interaction is performed.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said sliding is vertical.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said sliding is diagonal.

4. A device (100) for managing the operation of a human-machine interface (2) of a motor vehicle, said human-machine interface comprising a head-up display unit (3), a first touchscreen (4) arranged in a first location near the driver's seat and a second touchscreen (5) arranged in a second location near the driver's seat, 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 put implement a method according to any one of the preceding claims.

5. Computer program comprising program code instructions for carrying out the steps of a process according to any one of claims 1-3 when said program is executed by at least one processor.

6. A medium usable in a computer, characterized in that a program according to claim 5 is stored thereon.

7. Motor vehicle (1), characterized in that it comprises a device (100) according to claim 4 and a human-machine interface (2), said human-machine interface comprising a head-up display unit (3), a first touchscreen (4) arranged in a first location near the driver's seat and a second touchscreen (5) arranged in a second location near the driver's seat.

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