Touchscreen control device for managing the wiper function of a motor vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle control device (VCD) comprising a touch control surface (TCS) for selecting a specific setting level of a vehicle function from a specified number of settings, and a control unit (CU) for said function; said touch control surface (TCS) being arranged to detect a specified number of fingers of the vehicle driver (VD) placed on the touch control surface (TCS); the control unit (CU) translating the number of detected fingers into a setting level selected from the specified number of settings. (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Touchscreen control device for managing the wiping of a motor vehicle

[0001] The present invention relates generally to HMIs (Human Machine Interfaces) arranged in the cockpits, or passenger compartments, of motor vehicles and is more particularly concerned with a control device with a touch control surface managing a function of a motor vehicle and in particular a touch control surface allowing adjustment of the sensitivity and / or the speed of wiping of the windshield wipers of a motor vehicle on the windshield of the vehicle.

[0002] Today the activation and adjustment controls for the wiper function are made via a dedicated manual control device, generally located behind the steering wheel on the end of a branch extending from the steering column, generally designated as a "comodo".

[0003] The adjustment of the wiping power (sweeping speed of the wiper blades on the windshield of the vehicle or wiping speed) is also done via the control stalk as well as the adjustment of the wiping sensitivity in automatic control mode, when the vehicle is equipped with this option.

[0004] For this purpose, the control unit includes a cylindrical mechanical selector, with one or more adjustment rings, with several positions, or indexing notches, distributed on the cylindrical surface of the selector, allowing respectively to activate and deactivate the wiping function, to select the wiping power (wiping speed) generally two wiping powers, in addition to the default power, to select the wiping function in automatic mode and optionally the sensitivity of the wiping in automatic control mode.

[0005] This type of manual control, located behind the steering wheel, is generally not very visible to the driver and when the option to adjust the sensitivity of the wipers, in automatic control mode, is available on the vehicle, its use is often misunderstood by the user.

[0006] This type of "blind" adjustment can make adjusting the sensitivity of the windshield wipers in automatic mode and their speed in manual mode impractical and potentially dangerous for the driver, thus affecting safety and driving comfort.

[0007] The invention proposes a solution that eliminates the need for physical controls that are not easily visible to the user and require numerous mechanical parts that are likely to wear out during use.

[0008] To this end, the present invention has as its first object a control device for motor vehicle, comprising a touch control surface dedicated to the selection of a determined setting level of a vehicle function, from among a determined number of setting levels, and a control unit for said function; said touch control surface being arranged to detect a determined number of fingers of the vehicle driver, placed on the touch control surface; the control unit translating the number of fingers detected into a setting level selected from among the determined number of setting levels.

[0009] According to one feature, the touch control surface belongs to a touch display screen arranged in the vehicle's passenger compartment within easy reach of the vehicle user.

[0010] According to another feature, the touch control surface is activated by the control unit following the detection of a control signal from said feature.

[0011] According to another feature, said functionality is a function of wiping at least one glazed surface of the vehicle, in particular the windshield of the vehicle.

[0012] According to one feature, the activation control signal for the wiping function is automatically generated following the detection of rain and / or moisture on the glass surface.

[0013] According to another feature, the adjustment levels of the wiping function correspond respectively to wiping speeds determined in manual control mode: the higher the number of fingers detected, the higher the selected wiping speed.

[0014] According to another feature, the adjustment levels of the wiping function correspond respectively to determined levels of wiping sensitivity in automatic control mode when the automatic control mode of the wiping function is activated: the higher the number of fingers detected, the higher the selected sensitivity level.

[0015] The present invention has as its second object, a motor vehicle) comprising a device as described above.

[0016] The present invention has the advantage of providing a more ergonomic and intuitive solution for the user in the use of the wiping function.

[0017] Touch control, without even needing to look at the touch control surface, allows for quick and immediate adjustments of the wiper function without the need to navigate through complex menus and / or search for physical controls, and therefore without unnecessary distraction to the driver, thus improving road safety.

[0018] Other advantages and features of the present invention will become clearer from the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the drawings in which:

[0019] [Fig-1] illustrates a schematic interior view of a motor vehicle passenger compartment comprising a control device with a touch control surface according to the invention;

[0020] [Fig.2] illustrates a first configuration for selecting a setting level of the wiping function from the touch control surface control device according to the invention;

[0021] [Fig.3] illustrates a second configuration for selecting the setting level of the wiping function from the touch control surface control device according to the invention;

[0022] [Fig.4] illustrates a third configuration for selecting the setting level of the wiping function from the touch control surface control device according to the invention;

[0023] [Fig. 5] illustrates a fourth configuration for selecting the setting level of the wiping function from the touch-sensitive control surface device according to the invention; and

[0024] [Fig.6] illustrates a fifth configuration for selecting the setting level of the wiping function from the touch control surface control device according to the invention.

[0025] The present invention proposes a fully touch-sensitive and intuitive solution for adjusting the wiping speed in manual mode and / or the sensitivity of the wipers in automatic mode, simply by using the number of fingers placed on a touch control surface arranged in the vehicle's passenger compartment, within easy reach of the driver.

[0026] Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic interior view of a passenger compartment, or cockpit, HAB of a VHL motor vehicle comprising a DCE control device according to the invention comprising a touch control surface SCT dedicated to the adjustment levels of a wiper function of the VHL vehicle.

[0027] The wiping function uses at least one wiper blade, not shown, arranged on the outer surface of a glazed surface of the vehicle VHL, and in particular the PRB windscreen of the vehicle VHL. The blade is coupled to a wiper drive mechanism, also not shown.

[0028] The SCT touch control surface can be materialized by a touch display screen or part of a touch display screen or by a dedicated touchpad, "touchpad" in Anglo-Saxon terminology.

[0029] In the embodiment of [Fig.1], the SCT touch control surface is part of an ETC touch display screen of the VHL vehicle implementing, for example, a TFT LCD (Thin Film Transistor Light-Emitting Diode) type display technology or equivalent OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) type or AMOLED (Active Matrix OLED), associated with a touch detection layer.

[0030] The SCT touch control surface can be displayed on a part of the ETC screen page or on the whole page, which is then dedicated to the wiping function.

[0031] Such a page can be displayed automatically, for example, following the detection of an activation signal for the wiping function.

[0032] Such a signal can be generated automatically by a rain and / or humidity sensor on the PRB windshield, not shown, or as a result of a manual command issued by the CDT driver on a wiper function activation device, also not shown, inside the VHL vehicle's passenger compartment HAB

[0033] The SCT touch control surface is arranged to detect the number of fingers placed on the SCT touch control surface.

[0034] By number of fingers, we mean the number of fingers on a hand of the CDT driver, i.e. a number between one (1) and five (5), including the thumb of the hand.

[0035] By apposed finger, we mean a part of the finger generally the tip of the finger, or last phalanx of the finger, which is simply in contact with the SCT touch control surface.

[0036] The SCT touch control surface is coupled to a UDC control unit which translates the number of fingers detected (1 to 5) into information for selecting a setting level of the vehicle's wiper function VHL.

[0037] In current vehicles, there are generally two operating modes for the wiping function: a first mode called "manual" and a second mode called "automatic".

[0038] In the "manual" operating mode, the number of fingers detected is translated as a selection of a speed, or power level, of the wiper sweep on the PRB windshield of the VHL vehicle.

[0039] In this operating mode, three scanning speeds are generally available: low, medium, and high, but it is possible to offer more than three speeds, with a maximum of five or even six speeds, if an initial, default speed is considered. Each of these speeds can be selected based on the number of fingers placed on the SCT touch control surface, from one (1) to five (5) fingers.

[0040] In automatic operating mode, there are generally three levels of sensitivity for the wiping function.

[0041] As with the manual operating mode, the sensitivity level is selected by the number of fingers detected on the SCT touch control surface. Therefore, there can also be up to five (5) or even six (6) sensitivity levels selectable by the CDT driver of the VHL vehicle.

[0042] In one embodiment, the selection of a setting level for the wiper function is validated after a first time delay determined by default in the VHL vehicle, or configurable by the CDT driver via the ETC touch display screen, or at the moment of removal of the finger(s) from the ETC touch control surface.

[0043] In the same embodiment, the page, or selection window, disappears from the ERTC touchscreen display, also after a second predetermined delay set by default in the VHL vehicle, or configurable by the CDT driver via the ETC touchscreen display. This second delay must be sufficiently long (and in any case longer than the first) to allow one or more wiper cycles with the selected setting level, enabling the CDT driver, if necessary, to change the setting level by placing a new number of fingers corresponding to the newly selected setting, before the end of the second delay.

[0044] In this embodiment, no physical control is required for selecting the adjustment levels of the wiping function.

[0045] Figures 2 to 6 respectively illustrate five configurations for selecting the adjustment levels of the VHL vehicle wiper function.

[0046] In the order of figures 2 to 6, the selection of one (1) to five (5) levels of adjustment of the wiping function has been illustrated respectively, and in particular: the sweep speed, in a manual operating mode of the wiping function, or the level of sensitivity of the wiping, in an automatic operating mode of the wiping function.

[0047] In these figures, the SCT touch control surface has been materialized by a general closed rectangular contour and the driver's hand CDT, here the right hand, in selection configurations of one (1) to five (5) fingers placed on the SCT touch control surface.

[0048] In the example of figures 2 to 6, and in the order of the figures, it is the index finger of the right hand of the CDT driver that is used to select a first level of adjustment ([Fig.2]), the index and middle fingers to select a second level of adjustment ([Fig.3]), the index, middle and ring fingers ([Fig.4]) to select a third level of adjustment, the index, middle, ring and little fingers to select a fourth level of adjustment ([Fig.5]) and, a fifth level of adjustment is selected by adding the thumb ([Fig.6]).

[0049] The finger contact zones (ZCT) on the touch control surface (SCT) are schematically represented in the figures by a dashed circle. The ZCT contact zones can be located anywhere on the touch control surface (SCT).

[0050] A PIC pictogram is displayed, for example, within the SCT touch control surface, here in the upper right corner of the SCT touch control surface, to indicate the selected setting level corresponding to the CDT driver selection configuration. This PIC pictogram ensures, in particular, that the selection has been correctly registered by the UDC control unit. This PIC pictogram schematically represents a windshield accompanied by a number corresponding to the selected setting level, here from 1 to 5.

[0051] The DCE device according to the invention may provide for the display of a second pictogram, not shown, indicating the selected operating mode, automatic or manual

[0052] It may also provide for a text message displayed on the SCT touch control surface, for example in the upper part of the SCT touch control surface, and / or a voice message, inviting the CDT driver to select the desired setting level.

[0053] Although the description is based primarily on adjustment levels of a vehicle's wiper function, other vehicle control functions requiring different adjustment levels may also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0054] Thus, the levels of opening and closing of the windows, the brightness levels of the central screen of the vehicle, of the instrument cluster, of the interior lighting, of the sound volume in the passenger compartment, etc., and generally all the level settings that can be managed by the number of fingers of one hand of the driver.

Claims

Demands

1. A motor vehicle (MV) control device (CVD) comprising a touch control surface (TCS) dedicated to selecting a specific setting level of a vehicle (MV) function from a specified number of setting levels, and a control unit (CU) of said function; said touch control surface (TCS) being arranged to detect a specified number of fingers of the vehicle (MV) driver (DCD) placed on the touch control surface (TCS); the control unit (CU) translating the number of fingers detected into a setting level selected from the specified number of setting levels.

2. Device (DCE) according to the preceding claim, wherein the touch control surface (SCT) belongs to a touch display screen (ETC) arranged in the passenger compartment (HAB) of the vehicle (VHL) within reach of the user (CDT) of the vehicle (VHL).

3. Device (DCE) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the touch control surface (SCT) is activated by the control unit (UDC) following detection of a control signal from said functionality.

4. Device (DCE) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said functionality is a function of wiping at least one glazed surface of the vehicle, in particular the windscreen (PRB) of the vehicle (VHL)

5. Device (DCE) according to the preceding claim, wherein the activation control signal for the wiping function is automatically generated following the detection of rain and / or moisture on the glazed surface (PRB).

6. Device (DCE) according to any one of claims 4 or 5, wherein the adjustment levels of the wiping function correspond respectively to wiping speeds determined in manual control mode: the higher the number of fingers detected, the higher the selected wiping speed.

7. Device (DCE) according to any one of claims 4 or 5, wherein the adjustment levels of the wiping function correspond respectively to predetermined levels of wiping sensitivity in automatic control mode when the mode of 8 Automatic control of the wiping function is activated: the higher the number of fingers detected, the higher the selected sensitivity level.

8. Motor vehicle (VHL) comprising a device (DCE) according to any one of the preceding claims.