Method and device for controlling a child safety system in a vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and device for controlling a vehicle child safety system comprising a touchscreen (12). For this purpose, data representing a set of conditions for activating or deactivating the vehicle's child safety system are received. A control button for the child safety system is displayed on the touchscreen (12) according to a specific graphic representation (320) determined after the initial data is received, the size of the control button being greater than a predetermined threshold. A request to lock at least one door from a set of vehicle doors is transmitted following a touch press (321) on the control button, the control request being a function of the number of fingers simultaneously in contact with a touchscreen interface (12) when the touch press (321) is made. Figure 3 (for the abstract)

Description

Title of the invention: Method and device for controlling a child safety system in a vehicle. Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to methods and devices for controlling a child safety system in a vehicle, particularly but not exclusively a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a method and device for controlling the locking and / or unlocking of the interior of one or more vehicle doors. Technological background

[0002] Many modern vehicles are equipped with a child safety system configured to lock the rear doors to prevent them from being opened from inside the vehicle while allowing them to be opened from the outside. Thus, the child safety system prevents the rear doors from being opened from inside the vehicle to stop a person sitting in a rear seat, particularly a child, from inadvertently opening a rear door, while still allowing them to be opened from the outside for safety reasons, especially in the event of an accident involving the vehicle.

[0003] Activating and deactivating the child safety locks to lock and unlock the rear doors, respectively, is controlled manually by operating a manual control device, typically a physical button located, for example, on the driver's door or the center console. In another example, the manual control device may be a virtual button on the vehicle's graphical human-machine interface (HMI) displayed on a screen in the vehicle's interior, typically the central screen located in the middle of the dashboard. When the driver wishes to activate or deactivate the child safety locks, they must locate the manual control device while keeping their attention on the road, which can be difficult, especially if the driver is unfamiliar with the vehicle or if the manual control device is a virtual button located in a submenu of the HMI.The driver's inattention caused by searching for the manual control thus presents a safety risk to the vehicle, its passengers, and other road users. Summary of the present invention

[0004] One object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the problems of the technological background described above.

[0005] An object of the present invention is, for example, to facilitate the control or command of a child safety system of a vehicle.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is, for example, to minimize the loss of attention of the driver in the use or control of the child safety system.

[0007] According to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for controlling a child safety system of a vehicle, the vehicle having a display system comprising a touch screen, the method being implemented by a processor and comprising the following steps: - receipt of initial data representative of a set of conditions for activating or deactivating the vehicle's child safety system; - display control of a child safety system control button on a main display area of ​​the touch screen according to a determined graphic representation, a size of the control button according to the determined graphic representation being greater than a determined threshold, the display control being triggered by the reception of the first data; - reception of second data representing a touch press on the control button, the second data including information representing a number of fingers simultaneously in contact with a touch interface of the touch screen during the touch press; - transmission of third data representative of a request to lock at least one door of a set of doors of the vehicle, the locking request being a function of the information.

[0008] Using data associated with the detection of a set of conditions related to the activation or deactivation of the vehicle's child safety system, a child safety system control button can be automatically displayed on the touchscreen. This button can be used, for example, to lock (when activated) or unlock (when deactivated) one or more doors of the vehicle. The display is designed to be large, i.e., larger than a predetermined threshold, which makes it easier for the driver to control the system compared to a complex or small control device. The driver does not need to take their eyes off the road to find the control module and operate the child safety system, for example, to activate the child safety system and lock one or more doors from inside the vehicle.Since the driver no longer has to search for the child safety system control button, their attention on the road is increased, which improves the safety of the vehicle and other road users.

[0009] According to one variant, the locking request is further a function of fourth data representing a current activation state of the child safety system, the current activation state belonging to a set of activation states comprising: - an activated state; and - a deactivated state.

[0010] According to another variant, the locking query corresponds to: - a request to lock or unlock each door of the vehicle's door set when the information represents a number of fingers equal to 1; - a request to lock or unlock each front door of the vehicle only when the information represents a number of fingers equal to 2; - a request to lock or unlock each rear door of the vehicle only when the information represents a number of fingers equal to 3; - a request to lock or unlock a left rear door of the vehicle only when the information represents a number of fingers equal to 4; - a request to lock or unlock a right rear door of the vehicle only when the information represents a number of fingers equal to 5.

[0011] According to a further variant, the locking query corresponds to: - a request to lock or unlock all vehicle doors when the information represents a number of fingers equal to 1; - a request to lock or unlock all vehicle doors for a future trip to be made with the vehicle only when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 2; - a request to lock or unlock all vehicle doors for the next two consecutive journeys to be made with the vehicle only when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 3; - a request to lock or unlock all vehicle doors for the next three consecutive journeys to be made with the vehicle only when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 4; - a request to lock or unlock all vehicle doors for the next four consecutive journeys to be made with the vehicle only when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 5.

[0012] According to another variant, said first data belong to a dataset comprising: - data representing the presence or absence of a person in a rear seat of the vehicle; - data representative of the locking status of at least one rear seat belt in the vehicle; and - representative data from a voice command.

[0013] According to yet another variant, the determined threshold represents a ratio between the size of the control button and a total size of the main display area of ​​the touch screen.

[0014] According to another variant, the determined threshold is equal to 90%.

[0015] According to another variant, the determined threshold is configurable via an interface The vehicle's man-machine interface.

[0016] According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a control device for a child safety system of a vehicle, the device comprising a memory associated with a processor configured for the implementation of the steps of the process according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0017] According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to a vehicle, for example of the automobile type, comprising a device as described above according to the second aspect of the present invention.

[0018] According to a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer program which includes instructions adapted for carrying out the steps of the process according to the first aspect of the present invention, in particular when the computer program is executed by at least one processor.

[0019] Such a computer program may use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or an intermediate form between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

[0020] According to a fifth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising instructions for carrying out the steps of the process according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0021] On the one hand, the recording medium can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium can include a storage means, such as a ROM, a CD-ROM or a microelectronic circuit-type ROM, or a magnetic recording means or a hard disk drive.

[0022] On the other hand, this recording medium can also be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, such a signal being able to be transmitted via an electrical or optical cable, by conventional or radio frequency, by self-directing laser beam, or by other means. The computer program according to the present invention can, in particular, be downloaded from an Internet-type network.

[0023] Alternatively, the recording medium may be an integrated circuit in which the computer program is incorporated, the integrated circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the process in question. Brief description of the figures

[0024] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the particular and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention below, with reference to the attached Figures 1 to 7, in which:

[0025] [Fig-1] schematically illustrates part of the passenger compartment of a vehicle equipped with a child safety system, according to a particular embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a screen of the vehicle of [Fig.1], according to a first a particular and non-limiting example of a realization of the present invention;

[0027] [Fig.3] schematically illustrates the vehicle screen of [Fig.1], according to a second a particular and non-limiting example of a realization of the present invention;

[0028] [Fig.4] schematically illustrates the vehicle screen of [Fig.1], according to a third a particular and non-limiting example of a realization of the present invention;

[0029] [Fig.5] schematically illustrates the vehicle screen of [Fig.1], according to a fourth a particular and non-limiting example of a realization of the present invention;

[0030] [Fig.6] illustrates a device configured to control the child safety system of the vehicle of [Fig.1], according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] [Fig.7] illustrates a flowchart of the different stages of a process for controlling the child safety system of the vehicle of [Fig.1], according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. Description of examples of achievements

[0032] A method and a control device for a child safety system of a vehicle will now be described in what follows with joint reference to Figures 1 to 7. The same elements are identified with the same reference signs throughout the description that follows.

[0033] The terms "first," "second" (or "firsts," "seconds"), etc., are used in this document by arbitrary convention to allow for the identification and distinction of different elements (such as operations, means, etc.) implemented in the embodiments described below. Such elements may be distinct or correspond to a single element, depending on the embodiment.

[0034] According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the control of a child safety system is implemented by one or more vehicle computers, in particular by one or more processors of this or these computers. The vehicle also includes a display system comprising a touchscreen interface, known as a touchscreen, controlled by a computer, for example the vehicle's infotainment system computer, known as the IVI computer (from the English "In-Vehicle Infotainment" or in French "Infodivertissement parmi").

[0035] Initial data representing a set of conditions for activating or deactivating the vehicle's child safety lock are received. This initial data is received, for example, from vehicle sensors and / or controllers (e.g., one or more control units) controlling these sensors. This initial data corresponds, for example, to data associated with a situation suitable or required for activating the child safety lock or, conversely, for deactivating the child safety lock, for example, when one or more rear seats of the vehicle are detected as being occupied.Upon receiving the initial data, the control unit adjusts the display of the child safety system control button according to a predetermined graphic representation. The size of the control button in this graphic representation is larger than a specified threshold to ensure it is easily visible and accessible to a vehicle user, such as the driver. A second set of data, representing a touch input on the control button, is received from the touchscreen interface when the user touches the screen where the control button is displayed. This second set of data includes information indicating the number of fingers simultaneously in contact with the touchscreen interface during the touch input.In response to this second set of data, third sets of data representing a request to lock one or more doors of the vehicle are transmitted, for example to a child safety system controller and / or a vehicle locking system controller. This locking request is based on information representing the number of fingers.

[0036] A locking request includes data requesting the locking or unlocking of one or more doors identified in the request, according to the conditions represented by the first data.

[0037] Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a part of the passenger compartment of vehicle 10, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Vehicle 10 corresponds, for example, to a vehicle with an internal combustion engine, with electric motor(s), or even a hybrid vehicle with an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors. Vehicle 10 thus corresponds, for example, to a land vehicle, for example a car, a truck, a bus.

[0039] The vehicle 10 advantageously incorporates a child safety system configured for locking one or more doors of the vehicle, in particular the rear doors of the vehicle from the inside when the child safety is activated, and for unlocking the doors in the locked state when the child safety is deactivated.

[0040] When the child safety lock is activated, the doors in the locked state cannot be opened via the operation of the opening control element (for example the handle) arranged inside the vehicle 10 but these doors in the locked state can still be opened from outside the vehicle 10 by operating the control element (for example the handle) arranged on each door outside the vehicle 10.

[0041] According to a particular embodiment, the child safety system is configured to control the locking status of each door or door of the vehicle 10, i.e.: - the front doors including the driver's door and the front passenger door; and - the rear doors including the left rear door and the right rear door.

[0042] Each of these doors is thus in the locked state preventing any opening from inside the vehicle 10 but allowing opening from outside the vehicle 10 or in the unlocked state allowing opening from inside and outside the vehicle 10.

[0043] The child safety feature thus prevents a child, or an adult, from accidentally opening the door when the vehicle 10 is moving or stopped when this door is in the locked state.

[0044] Such a child safety system comprises one or more manual control devices (typically a control button), a control unit for the vehicle's on-board network 10, and an electrically operated locking device located at the lock of each door of the vehicle 10. A control panel 11 is, for example, located in the driver's door so that the driver can activate and deactivate the child safety system by operating a control button or lever, using the hand on the driver's door side. In one embodiment, the control panel 11 is located on a front or center console of the vehicle 10.

[0045] The vehicle 10 also includes a display system comprising a touch screen interface, referred to as touch screen 12, and a computer configured to control the display of content(s) of a graphical human-machine interface, referred to as HMI, on the touch screen 12. The computer corresponds, for example, to the computer of the infotainment system, referred to as the IVI computer (from the English "In-Vehicle Infotainment" or in French "Infodivertissement étoilé") of the vehicle 10.

[0046] The touch screen 12 corresponds for example to an LCD type screen (from the English "Liquid Crystal Display" or in French "Affichage à cristals liquide"), for example of type TFT (from the English "Thin-Film Transistor" or in French "Transistor en film mince"), or OLED (from the English "Organic Light-Emitting Diode" or in French "Diode électroluminescente organique").

[0047] The child safety system and the display system are interconnected and communicate with each other via one or more data buses of the vehicle's embedded network 10, which links the computers or controllers controlling, in particular, the child safety system and the display system, as well as the sensors of the vehicle 10 and other computers controlling the AD AS (Advanced Driver-Assistance System) of the vehicle 10. The computers form, for example, a multiplexed architecture for the implementation of various services useful for the proper functioning of the vehicle 10 and for assisting the driver and / or passengers of the vehicle in controlling the vehicle 10.These computers communicate and exchange data with each other via one or more computer buses, for example a CAN (Controller Area Network), CAN FD (Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate), FlexRay (according to ISO 17458) or Ethernet (according to ISO / IEC 802-3) type communication bus.

[0048] Figure 2 schematically illustrates the touchscreen 12, according to an example of a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] According to a particular embodiment, the touch screen 12 consists of a main display area 21 and a secondary display area 22. For example, the main display area 21 is used to display a set of information for the driver and / or passengers of the vehicle 10, for example navigation information, or information relating to the operating status of the vehicle 10. According to an embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 2], the secondary display area 22 is used to display various touch buttons for controlling systems of the vehicle 10, with, for example, a control button for the child safety system displayed according to a graphic representation 220 different from that of the control button in the main display area, i.e. with a smaller size than the control button displayed in the main display area 21 as described below.This control button is used to control the activation and deactivation of the vehicle's child safety lock 10.

[0050] The secondary display area 22 covers a surface of the touch screen 12 with dimensions smaller than those of the surface covered by the main display area 21. The secondary display area 22 is, for example, arranged below the main display area 21. According to other examples, the secondary display area 22 is above the main display area 21 or is formed on a lateral strip on one side or the other of the touch screen 12.

[0051] According to another particular embodiment illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5, the touch screen 12 consists of a single main display area 21, occupying the entire available display area of ​​the touch screen 12, for example in the case where the vehicle 10 has a control module of the type of the control pad 11, not requiring the display of such a button in a secondary display area 22 on the touch screen 12.

[0052] The touchscreen 12 is configured to display content for the driver and passengers of the vehicle 10. The touchscreen 12 is also configured to allow the driver and / or passengers of the vehicle 10 to interact with one or more systems on board the vehicle 10 via a human-machine interface (HMI) displayed on the touchscreen 12. For example, the touchscreen 12 is configured to interact with the IVI system, the child safety system of the vehicle 10 and / or other driver assistance systems, called ADAS systems (Advanced Driver-Assistance System).

[0053] The vehicle display system 10 is connected in communication with the child safety system of the vehicle 10, for example the computer in charge of the display system (for example the IVI computer) is connected in communication to the computer (also called controller) in charge of the child safety system via one or more data buses of the vehicle 10's on-board network.

[0054] A problem that then arises concerns the use of the manual control device (for example a button on the control pad 11) or the control button integrated into a graphic HMI displayed on the touch screen to activate or deactivate the child safety of the vehicle 10. The complexity of the control pad 11 or the small size of the physical or touch button(s) (according to the graphic representation 220) requires increased precision from the driver of the vehicle 10, while his attention must be focused on the road.

[0055] A control process for the child safety system of the vehicle 10 is advantageously implemented by one or more processors, for example one or more processors of the IVI computer and / or one or more processors of the computer or controller in charge of the child safety system.

[0056] In a first operation of the process, at least one processor of the vehicle 10, for example the IVI computer or a set of computers, receives initial data representative of a set of activation or deactivation conditions of the child safety of the vehicle 10. The initial data are received for example from one or more sensors of the vehicle 10 and / or from computers controlling this or these sensors or from embedded systems using data from this or these sensors.

[0057] These first data are thus received via one or more data buses of the vehicle's embedded network 10 linking the computer in charge of the process and the sensor(s) or computer(s) controlling this / the sensor(s).

[0058] According to one embodiment, this initial data corresponds, for example, to all or part of the following data, according to different combinations: - data representing the presence or absence of a person in a rear seat of the vehicle; - data representative of the locking status of at least one rear seat belt in the vehicle; and - data representative of a voice command, received for example from a microphone arranged in the passenger compartment of vehicle 10 and coupled to a voice control or recognition system of vehicle 10.

[0059] Data representing the presence or absence of a person on a rear seat of the vehicle 10 and data representing the locking state of at least one rear seat belt of the vehicle 10 correspond to seat occupancy detection data, in particular a rear seat of the vehicle 10.

[0060] Data representing the presence or absence of a person on a rear seat of the vehicle 10 are received, for example, from a set of occupancy detection sensors associated with the seats, with, for example, one occupancy detection sensor per seat (for all or part of the seats of the vehicle 10).

[0061] An occupancy detection sensor corresponds, for example, to a pressure or weight sensor configured to detect the presence of an occupant seated in a seat. An occupant corresponds to a person or an object. A control unit controlling these pressure or weight sensors is thus configured to determine or identify which seat(s) of the vehicle 10 is / are occupied by an occupant, a seat thus being in the occupied or unoccupied state according to the data received from the sensor associated with that seat. In other examples, an occupancy detection sensor corresponds to a capacitive and / or electric field sensor determining the presence and position of an occupant by analyzing the disturbances in the oscillation within a low-intensity magnetic field generated by the system. A control unit controlling these capacitive sensors is thus configured to determine or identify which seat(s) of the vehicle 10 is / are occupied by an occupant.

[0062] According to one embodiment, the presence or absence of an occupant on the rear seat(s) of the vehicle 10 is determined from image data received from a camera arranged in the passenger compartment of the vehicle 10 and having in its field of vision the rear seat(s) of the vehicle 10. The presence and absence of an occupant is determined by processing the image data, according to any method known to a person skilled in the art.

[0063] Data representing the locking state of a rear seat belt of vehicle 10 are, for example, received from sensors configured to detect the fastening of the seat belt, i.e., the insertion of the flat latch into the buckle. Each seat of vehicle 10 is advantageously equipped with a seat belt, with a buckle associated with each seat in addition to the seat belt. The buckle is configured to receive a flat latch corresponding to the end of the seat belt, which inserts into the buckle when the seat belt is fastened to restrain or secure the occupant in their seat.

[0064] A set of conditions associated with the activation or deactivation of child safety includes, for example, one or more of the following conditions: - presence of a passenger on one or more rear seats of the vehicle 10 which may require or justify activating child safety, for example when the current activation state of the child safety system is in the deactivated state; - absence of any passenger on the rear seats of the vehicle 10 which may require or justify deactivating the child safety system, for example when the current activation state of the child safety system is in the activated state; - voice command (desire to activate or deactivate child safety) spoken by a user, for example the driver, of vehicle 10 and detected by a voice recognition system.

[0065] The above conditions are provided by way of illustration and the list of conditions is not exhaustive.

[0066] In a second operation of the process, illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5 according to different embodiments, the display of a control button of the child safety system is controlled in such a way that the control button is displayed on the main display area 21 of the touch screen 12 according to a determined graphic representation 320, the size of the control button according to this determined graphic representation 320 being greater than a determined threshold.

[0067] The control button is displayed in a determined content of a human-machine interface, called HMI, which content is displayed on the touch screen 12.

[0068] The fact that the size of the control button according to the determined graphic representation 320 is greater than a determined threshold, allows a display easily visible to the driver on the touch screen 12, to control the child safety system, for example requesting the activation or deactivation of the child safety controlled by the child safety system of the vehicle 10.

[0069] According to one embodiment, the threshold represents a ratio between the size of the control button according to the determined graphic representation 320 and the total size of the main display area 21 of the touchscreen 12. This ratio is expressed as a percentage occupancy of the total size of the main display area 21 by the control button according to the determined graphic representation 320.

[0070] A display control of graphic content or any graphic object (text, pictogram, icon, control button, indicator, etc.) includes a rendering of the graphic content or graphic object, such rendering corresponding to a set of operations performed by one or more processors on the pixels of one or more images of the graphic content to be displayed on the touch screen 12. For example, the rendering consists of associating to a set of pixels of an image pixel data (for example color data expressed in an RGB (Red, Green, Blue) type space) associated with each graphic object.

[0071] The display control of the control button according to the determined graphical representation 320 thus includes the transmission of control signals to the touch screen 12 to modify the values ​​associated with the pixels of the touch screen 12 at the location intended to display the control button according to the determined graphical representation 320 (or any graphical object).

[0072] According to one particular embodiment, the threshold is equal to 90%. Thus, the control button will be displayed with a size greater than 90% of the size of the main display area 21, as illustrated in [Fig. 3]. A threshold of 90% allows the driver to be informed of the possibility of controlling the child safety system of the vehicle 10 following the detection of conditions requiring (or favorable to) the activation of the child safety system, or following the detection of conditions requiring (or favorable to) the deactivation of the child safety system of the vehicle 10, for example, to respectively require the locking or unlocking from inside one or more doors of the vehicle 10 as described below. Another advantage is that it allows the driver to perform a touch command on the control button without looking at the touchscreen 12, while keeping their attention on the external environment around the vehicle 10.

[0073] According to another particular embodiment, the threshold is equal to 50%. Thus, the control button will be displayed with a size greater than 50% of the size of the main display area 21, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. For example, a threshold of 50% makes it easier for the driver to touch the control button, while keeping a display area available on the main display area 21 to display other information useful to the driver for ensuring the control and supervision of the vehicle 10, for example, navigation information.

[0074] According to a particular embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 4], the determined graphic representation 320 occupies the left part of the main display area 21 of the 12-inch touchscreen, and the right part of the main display area of ​​the 12-inch touchscreen is available to display other information.

[0075] According to another particular embodiment illustrated in [Fig.5], the determined graphic representation 320 occupies the upper part of the main display area 21 of the touch screen 12, and the lower part of the main display area 21 of the touch screen 12 is available to display other information.

[0076] According to another embodiment, the threshold represents dimensions in pixels of a height and a width of a minimum rectangular area on which to display the control button.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the threshold is configurable via a vehicle HMI (Human-Machine Interface) 10. For example, the threshold is configurable by selecting its value from a menu or page of the HMI. The driver selects a threshold according to their preferences, for example, a high threshold if the driver wants to make pressing the control button, as defined by the graphic representation 320, easier. According to another variant, the threshold is configurable by tapping on a corner of the control button and continuously dragging that corner until the size of the control button matches the size desired by the person performing the tap.

[0078] The control button according to the graphic representation 320 illustrated respectively in [Fig. 3], 4 or 5 is represented by a pictogram depicting a vehicle door with a child. Of course, the graphic representation of the control button is not limited to such an example and extends to any graphic representation illustrating the possibility of locking a door from inside the vehicle 10, or a text describing the function associated with the control button.

[0079] In a third operation of the process, second data representing a touch press 321 (also called a touch command) on the control button displayed according to the determined graphic representation 320, as illustrated in [Fig.3], are received, following a touch command, corresponding to the touch press, from a user (for example the driver of the vehicle 10) on the control button displayed on the touch screen 12. The second data advantageously includes information representing a number of fingers simultaneously in contact with a touch interface of the touch screen during the first touch press.

[0080] A touch press on the control button shown according to the graphic representation 320 sends information to the IVI calculator so that the latter implements one or more functions associated with the touch press, the function or functions implemented being a function of the touch press and in particular of the number of fingers simultaneously in contact with the touch interface during the touch press.

[0081] The second data representing the touch press are received for example via one or more data buses linking the touch interface of the screen (or a computer controlling such a touch interface where applicable) and the IVI computer.

[0082] The number of fingers simultaneously in contact with the touch interface is equal to 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 fingers. The touch press corresponds, for example, to a short or brief touch press whereby the duration of pressing the control button is less than a threshold duration (for example, equal to 500 or 1000 ms), the touch press being made with 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 fingers of one of the driver's hands; according to another example, the touch press corresponds to a long touch press whereby the duration of pressing the control button is greater than the threshold duration (for example, equal to 500 or 1000 ms), the touch press being made with 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 fingers of one of the driver's hands or of another passenger of the vehicle 10.

[0083] The simultaneous touch of one or more fingers corresponds to the detection of one or more touch presses in a short time interval (for example equal to 100 or 200 ms), after the first detection of a touch press on the control button according to the graphic representation determined 320. In other words, any touch press detected on the touch interface of the touch screen 12 in this time interval will be associated with the touch press 321, the total number of touch presses corresponding to the number of fingers simultaneously in contact with the touch interface of the touch screen 12.

[0084] In a fourth operation of the process, the IVI computer transmits third data representing a command or request to lock one or more doors of the vehicle 10 to the child safety system controller, the locking control request being a function of the second data, and in particular of the information contained in the second data.

[0085] A lock request commands the locking and unlocking of the door(s) of the vehicle 10 concerned by the lock request. The activation (and respectively the deactivation) of the child safety lock thus includes the locking (respectively the unlocking) of one or more doors of the vehicle 10, depending on the content of the lock request.

[0086] According to a particular embodiment, the locking request is further a function of fourth data representing a current activation state of the child safety system (or equivalently a current activation state of the child safety system). The fourth data is, for example, received from the child safety system control unit, which stores in memory the current activation state of the child safety system and optionally the current locking state from inside (corresponding to the locked or unlocked state) of each door of the vehicle 10.

[0087] The current activation state belongs to a set of activation states comprising: - an activated state, in which child safety is activated and one or more vehicle doors are locked from the inside; and - a deactivated state, in which child safety is deactivated and all 10 vehicle doors are unlocked from the inside.

[0088] The locking request is thus a function of the number of fingers used by the vehicle driver 10 to perform the touch press; that is, the content of the locking request varies depending on whether the touch press 321 is performed with 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 fingers simultaneously in contact with the touchscreen interface 12. The content of the locking request also varies according to the detected conditions, that is, whether the conditions are associated with the activation or deactivation of the child safety lock. In one variant, the locking request is a function of the fourth piece of data.

[0089] The transmission of the third data is triggered by the reception of the second data by the IVI computer.

[0090] These third data are for example transmitted via one or more data buses linking the IVI computer and a computer or controller of the child safety system.

[0091] According to a first example of an embodiment, the locking query corresponds, for example, to: - a request to lock or unlock each door of the vehicle's door set 10 (i.e., the front and rear doors) when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 1; - a request to lock or unlock each front door of vehicle 10 only (i.e. the front doors and not the rear doors) when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 2; - a request to lock or unlock each rear door of the vehicle only (i.e. the rear doors and not the front doors) when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 3; - a request to lock or unlock a left rear door of the vehicle only when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 4; - a request to lock or unlock a right rear door of the vehicle only when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 5.

[0092] The locking request includes, for example, data describing whether it is a locking command or an unlocking command, and data identifying the door(s) to be locked or unlocked. The determination of the command type (locking or unlocking) depends on the initial data (i.e., that is, depending on whether the conditions are associated with activation or deactivation) and / or fourth data.

[0093] According to a second embodiment, the locking request corresponds to: - a request to lock or unlock all the vehicle doors when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 1; - a request to lock or unlock all vehicle doors for a future trip to be made with the vehicle 10 only when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 2, i.e. only for the trip following the transmission of the request, the child safety being then deactivated by default; - a request to lock or unlock all vehicle doors for the next two consecutive journeys to be made with the vehicle only when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 3, i.e. only for the 2 journeys following the transmission of the request, the child safety being then deactivated by default; - a request to lock or unlock all vehicle doors for the next three consecutive journeys to be made with the vehicle only when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 4, i.e. only for the 3 journeys following the transmission of the request, the child safety being then deactivated by default; - a request to lock or unlock all vehicle doors for the next four consecutive journeys to be made with the vehicle only when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 5, i.e. only for the 4 journeys following the transmission of the request, the child safety being then deactivated by default.

[0094] Such a process thus makes it possible, in addition to improving the driver's attention when controlling the child safety system, to choose which door(s) of the vehicle 10 to lock from the inside, not limited to the rear doors, simply by the number of fingers used to press the touch button 321. It is also possible, according to the second embodiment described, to choose the duration of activation or deactivation of the child safety system by selecting the number of journeys to be made with a given configuration (child safety activation) simply by the number of fingers used to press the touch button 321.

[0095] According to a particular embodiment, the display time of the control button according to the graphic representation determined 320 on the main display area of ​​the touch screen 12 is a fixed duration. For example, the display time of the control button according to the graphic representation determined 320 on the display area The main 12-inch touchscreen has a response time of 10, 15, or 20 seconds. This gives the driver a period of time to decide whether to press the control button.

[0096] According to another particular embodiment, the control button with the defined graphic representation 320 on the main display area of ​​the touchscreen 12 disappears following the reception of the second data. This second data indicates that a touch has been detected on the control button, and it is therefore no longer necessary to display this control button with the defined graphic representation 320. In other words, the reception of the second data also triggers a check to end the display of the control button with the defined graphic representation 320, the content displayed on the touchscreen 12 then corresponding to the content displayed before the control button with the defined graphic representation 320 was displayed.

[0097] Fig. 6 schematically illustrates a device 6 configured for the control of a vehicle display system and / or for the control of a vehicle child safety system, for example vehicle 10, according to particular and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention.

[0098] Device 6 is, for example, configured to carry out the operations described opposite Figures 1 to 5 and / or the steps of the process described opposite [Fig. 7]. Examples of such a device 6 include, but are not limited to, embedded electronic equipment such as a vehicle's on-board computer, an electronic control unit such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), a smartphone, a tablet, or a laptop computer. The elements of device 6, individually or in combination, can be integrated into a single integrated circuit, into several integrated circuits, and / or into discrete components. Device 6 can be implemented in the form of electronic circuits or software (or computer) modules, or a combination of electronic circuits and software modules.

[0099] The device 6 comprises one (or more) processor(s) 60 configured to execute instructions for carrying out the steps of the process and / or for executing instructions from the software embedded in the device 6. The processor 60 may include integrated memory, an input / output interface, and various circuits known to those skilled in the art. The device 6 further comprises at least one memory 61, corresponding, for example, to volatile and / or non-volatile memory, and / or includes a memory storage device that may include volatile and / or non-volatile memory, such as EEPROM, ROM, PROM, RAM, DRAM, SRAM, flash, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0100] The computer code of the embedded software(s) including the instructions to be loaded and executed by the processor is for example stored on memory 61.

[0101] According to various particular and non-limiting embodiments, the device 6 is coupled in communication with other similar devices or systems and / or with communication devices, for example a TCU (Telematic Control Unit), for example via a communication bus or through dedicated input / output ports.

[0102] According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 6 includes a block 62 of interface elements for communicating with external devices. The interface elements of the block 62 include one or more of the following interfaces: - radio frequency RF interface, for example of the Wi-Fi® type (according to IEEE 802.11), for example in the 2.4 or 5 GHz frequency bands, or of the Bluetooth® type (according to IEEE 802.15.1), in the 2.4 GHz frequency band, or of the Sigfox type using UBN (Ultra Narrow Band) radio technology, or LoRa in the 868 MHz frequency band, LTE (Long-Term Evolution), LTE-Advanced; - USB interface (from the English "Universal Serial Bus" or "Universal Serial Bus" in French); - HDMI interface (from the English "High Definition Multimedia Interface", or "High Definition Multimedia Interface" in French); - LIN interface (from the English "Local Interconnect Network", or in French "Réseau interconnecté local").

[0103] According to another particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 6 includes a communication interface 63 which enables communication with other devices (such as other computers in the embedded system) via a communication channel 630. The communication interface 63 corresponds, for example, to a transmitter configured to transmit and receive information and / or data via the communication channel 630. The communication interface 63 corresponds, for example, to a wired network of the CAN (Controller Area Network), CAN FD (Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate), FlexRay (standardized by ISO 17458) or Ethernet (standardized by ISO / IEC 802-3) type.

[0104] According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 6 can provide output signals to one or more external devices, such as a display screen 640, touch-sensitive or not, one or more loudspeakers 650 and / or other peripherals 660 (projection system) via output interfaces respectively 64, 65 and 66. According to one variant, one or the other of the external devices is integrated into device 6.

[0105] Figure 7 illustrates a flowchart of the different steps in a method for controlling a child safety system in a vehicle, for example vehicle 10, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The method is implemented, for example, by a device installed in vehicle 10 or by device 6 in Figure 6.

[0106] In a first step 71, initial data representative of a set of conditions for activating or deactivating the child safety of the vehicle are received.

[0107] In a second step 72, the display of a control button for the child safety system is controlled to display this button on a main display area of ​​the touch screen according to a determined graphical representation, a size of the control button according to the determined graphical representation being greater than a determined threshold, the display control being triggered by the reception of the first data.

[0108] In a third step 73, second data representing a touch press on the control button are received, the second data comprising information representing a number of fingers simultaneously in contact with a touch interface of the touch screen during the touch press.

[0109] In a fourth step 74, third data representing a request to lock at least one door of a set of doors of the vehicle are transmitted, for example to a child safety system controller, the locking request being a function of the information contained in the second data.

[0110] According to one variant, the variants and examples of the operations described in relation to one of Figures 1 to 5 apply to the steps of the process in [Fig.7].

[0111] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above but extends to a method for displaying a button representing the child safety system of a vehicle according to one or more graphic representations, which would include secondary steps without departing from the scope of the present invention. The same would apply to a device configured for implementing such a method.

[0112] The present invention also relates to a vehicle, for example an automobile or more generally a land motor vehicle, comprising the device 6 of [Fig.6] or a display system comprising the device 6 of [Fig.6] connected in communication to a touch screen 12.

Claims

Demands

1. A method for controlling a child safety system of a vehicle (10), said vehicle (10) having a display system including a touch screen (12), said method being implemented by at least one processor and comprising the following steps: - receiving (71) initial data representing a set of activation or deactivation conditions of the child safety system of said vehicle (10); - display control (72) of a control button of the child safety system on a main display area (21) of said touch screen (12) according to a determined graphical representation (320), a size of said control button according to said determined graphical representation (320) being greater than a determined threshold, said display control (72) being triggered by the reception (71) of the initial data;- receiving (73) second data representing a touch press (321) on said control button, said second data comprising information representing the number of fingers simultaneously in contact with a touch interface of said touch screen during said touch press (321); - transmitting (74) third data representing a request to lock at least one door of a set of doors of said vehicle, said locking request being a function of said information.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said locking request is further a function of fourth data representing a current activation state of said child safety system, said current activation state belonging to a set of activation states comprising: - an activated state; and - a deactivated state.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein said locking request corresponds to: - a request to lock or unlock each door of said set of doors of said vehicle (10) when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 1; - a request to lock or unlock each front door of said vehicle (10) only when the information represents a number of fingers equal to 2; - a request to lock or unlock each rear door of said vehicle (10) only when the information represents a number of fingers equal to 3; - a request to lock or unlock a left rear door of said vehicle (10) only when the information represents a number of fingers equal to 4; - a request to lock or unlock a right rear door of said vehicle (10) only when the information represents a number of fingers equal to 5.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein said locking request corresponds to: - a request to lock or unlock said set of doors of said vehicle (10) when the information represents a number of fingers equal to 1; - a request to lock or unlock said set of doors of said vehicle (10) for a next trip to be made with said vehicle (10) only when the information represents a number of fingers equal to 2; - a request to lock or unlock said set of doors of said vehicle (10) for two next successive trips to be made with said vehicle (10) only when the information represents a number of fingers equal to 3;- a request to lock or unlock said set of doors of said vehicle (10) for the next three consecutive journeys to be made with said vehicle (10) only when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 4; - a request to lock or unlock said set of doors of said vehicle (10) for the next four consecutive journeys to be made with said vehicle (10) only when the information is representative of a number of fingers equal to 5.;

5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said first data belong to a data set comprising: - data representative of the presence or absence of a person in a rear seat of said vehicle (10); - data representative of a locking state of at least one rear seat belt of said vehicle (10); and - data representative of a voice command.

6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said determined threshold represents a ratio between said size of said control button and a total size of said main display area (21) of said touch screen (12).

7. Method according to claim 6, said determined threshold is equal to 90%.

8. Computer program comprising program code instructions for implementing the method according to any one of the preceding claims, when said program is executed by a processor.

9. Device (6) for controlling a child safety system of a vehicle (10), said device (6) comprising a memory (61) associated with at least one processor (60) configured for carrying out the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. Vehicle (10) comprising a device (6) according to claim 9.

Images