Management of the display of interactive visual content relating to navigation by tactile interaction with a digital instrument cluster of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for managing the operation of a tactile digital instrument cluster (2) of a motor vehicle (1), which is arranged behind the steering wheel of the vehicle (1) and on the screen of which a guiding image (3) is displayed by means of a navigation system (4) of the vehicle (1). The invention also relates to a device (100) for carrying out such a method and to a motor vehicle (1) comprising such a device.

Description

DESCRIPTION TITLE: Management of the display of interactive visual content relating to navigation by tactile interaction with a digital instrument cluster of a motor vehicle The present invention claims priority from French application 2314050 filed on 13.12.2023, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference. Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of vehicle instrument clusters. The invention relates in particular to a method for managing the operation of a digital and tactile instrument cluster of a motor vehicle, which is arranged behind the steering wheel of the vehicle and on the screen of which at least one guidance visual is displayed by means of a vehicle navigation system. The invention also relates to a device implementing such a method, as well as a motor vehicle carrying such a device. The invention applies to motor vehicles such as land motor vehicles, in particular cars. State of the prior art

[0002] Some modern motor vehicles are equipped with a digital instrument cluster that is arranged behind the steering wheel and on the screen of which the analog needle dials of conventional instrument clusters are represented by graphic objects. In addition, a guidance visual is often displayed during journeys guided by the navigation system, for example in the center of the screen. However, the amount of navigation information that must be displayed on the relatively large space The limited screen size of such a cluster may force drivers to choose to display certain navigation information at the expense of other information that is nevertheless relevant to help the driver better understand navigation. In particular, known digital instrument clusters generally only have the capacity to display a guidance visual in the form of a map and / or guidance instructions, without any other information relating to navigation being made available (e.g. points of interest, traffic, weather, etc.). Similarly, they do not provide any means to facilitate the reading of informative elements that elaborately explain navigation. From this point of view, these known digital instrument clusters lack ergonomics. Summary of the invention

[0003] The invention seeks to solve this problem. In particular, it aims to provide a solution to enable a driver of a motor vehicle to obtain elaborate navigation information in a simple and practical manner, in particular by means of a digital instrument cluster. In this way, the invention aims to improve the ergonomics of motor 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 digital and tactile instrument cluster of the vehicle, which is arranged behind the steering wheel of the vehicle and on the screen of which at least one guidance visual is displayed by means of a navigation system of the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: • determine whether a first tactile interaction with the guidance visual is carried out; and, when it is established that this is the case, • cause the display on the screen of a first interactive visual content containing at least one informative element.

[0005] According to a variant, the first visual content may comprise a first interactive zone allowing the specification by tactile interaction of at least one setting of a guidance parameter of the navigation system.

[0006] According to another variant, the first visual content may comprise at least one second interactive zone making it possible to trigger the display of a second visual content by tactile interaction.

[0007] According to yet another variant, the method may comprise the steps of: • determining whether a second pre-established touch interaction is performed in an area of ​​the instrument cluster while the first visual content is displayed; and, when it is established that this is the case, • cause the first visual content to disappear.

[0008] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a device for managing the operation of a digital and tactile instrument cluster of a motor vehicle, which is arranged behind the steering wheel of the vehicle and on the screen of which at least one pictogram providing information on the current speed of the vehicle is displayed, the device comprising at least one information processing unit, comprising at least one processor, and a data storage medium, which are configured to implement a method as described above.

[0009] 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.

[0010] According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a medium usable in a computer on which a program as described above is recorded.

[0011] According to a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising a device as described above. Brief description of the figures

[0012] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the appended figures, in which:

[0013] [Fig- 1] is a diagram illustrating a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0014] [Fig. 2] is a functional diagram of a device according to the invention;

[0015] [Fig. 3] is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a method according to the invention;

[0016] [Fig. 4] illustrates the implementation of at least one step of the method according to the invention; and

[0017] [Fig. 5] illustrates the implementation of at least one step of the method according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0018] In Figure 1 a motor vehicle 1 according to the invention is schematically illustrated. This is equipped with a digital and tactile instrument cluster 2 which is arranged behind the steering wheel of the vehicle 1 and on the screen of which a guidance display 3 is displayed. Such a guidance display 3 conventionally contains a miniature map and / or guidance instructions similar to those which are displayed on the screen of a conventional navigation system during a guided journey. And to enable the display of such a guidance display 3, the instrument cluster 2 interacts in a manner conventional with a navigation system 4 of the vehicle 1, which conventionally uses a satellite positioning system (eg GPS, Galileo, Beidou, etc.) to, among other things, determine in real time the current location of the vehicle 1. Preferably, the navigation system is of the connected type, that is to say that it regularly receives data (eg mapping, real-time traffic, applicable road legislation, weather conditions, etc.) by means of a radiofrequency signal communication system.

[0019] Advantageously, the vehicle 1 according to the invention also carries a device 100 for managing the operation of a digital and tactile instrument cluster of a motor vehicle, which is arranged behind the steering wheel of the vehicle and on the screen of which at least one guidance visual is displayed by means of a vehicle navigation system, as described below, which implements a method for managing the operation of a digital and tactile instrument cluster of a motor vehicle, which is arranged behind the steering wheel of the vehicle and on the screen of which at least one guidance visual is displayed by means of a vehicle navigation system, as briefly summarized below and described in detail below.

[0020] When implementing the method, the driver can control the display of visual content explaining the navigation in a detailed manner, and this in a manner that could not be more ergonomic since it consists of carrying out a simple tactile interaction with the guidance display 3, for example a short press, a long press, two successive short presses, etc. Once he has become aware of this content, the driver can just as easily control the return to the nominal display of the instrument cluster 2 by carrying out a new tactile interaction, for example a short press or a lateral movement. As will be seen below, this is in this way the invention contributes to improving the ergonomics of the instrument cluster 2 of the vehicle 1 according to the invention compared to known digital instrument clusters.

[0021] The device 100 according to the invention is illustrated in Figure 2. It is essentially a computer device, which comprises at least one information processing unit 101, with 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.

[0022] Preferably, the device 100 according to the invention is integrated into 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. 1 by the two-way arrows - with the instrument cluster 2. Alternatively, the device 100 according to the invention is partially or entirely part of the instrument cluster 2. Consequently, the device 100 according to the invention can, in particular, determine whether a tactile interaction with the guidance display 3 is carried out. It can also cause the display of visual content on the screen of the instrument cluster 2.

[0023] According to the invention, all the elements described above combine to enable the implementation of a method for managing the operation of a digital and tactile instrument cluster of a motor vehicle, which is arranged behind the steering wheel of the vehicle and on the screen of which at least one guidance visual is displayed, as described below in particular in connection with Figures 3-4.

[0024] Figure 3 illustrates in the form of a flowchart the steps of the method according to the invention.

[0025] According to a first step 301 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention determines whether a first tactile interaction with the guidance display 3 is carried out. In other words, the device 100 according to the invention determines whether one is in a situation like that illustrated schematically in FIG. 4 in which the driver carries out a tactile interaction (e.g. short press, long press, double press, etc.) on the guidance display 3 which is displayed on the screen of the instrument cluster 2. And when it establishes that this occurs, the device 100 according to the invention carries out the following step of the method according to the invention described below.

[0026] According to a second step 302 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention causes, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the display on the screen of the instrument cluster 2 of a first interactive visual content 501 which contains at least one informative element 502 relating to navigation.

[0027] Preferably, this first visual content 501 thus displayed at this stage takes the form of a window displayed in the foreground (i.e. superimposed), and it preferably comprises a first interactive zone 503 which allows the specification by tactile interaction of at least one setting of a navigation parameter of the navigation system 4. In addition, it also comprises a second interactive zone 504 which makes it possible to provoke by tactile interaction the display of a second visual content.

[0028] According to an exemplary embodiment, the informative element 502 takes the form of an enlarged map similar to that which is usually displayed on the screen of a conventional navigation system. According to another exemplary embodiment, the second interactive zone 504 provides information the vehicle's autonomy and a tactile interaction carried out on this zone triggers the display of a second visual content which provides information on the locations of charging stations, possibly on map 502.

[0029] According to an advantageous alternative, the device 100 according to the invention then performs an additional step during which it determines whether a second pre-established tactile interaction (e.g. short press outside the visual content, lateral swipe gesture, etc.) is performed in an area of ​​the instrument cluster 2 while the first visual content 501 is displayed on the screen of the instrument cluster 2. Then, when it establishes that this occurs, the device 100 according to the invention performs another additional step during which it causes the disappearance of the first visual content 501 and / or the second visual content. The driver can thus, when he wishes, easily return to the nominal display of the instrument cluster 2 with a simple gesture.

[0030] Therefore, by means of the method and device according to the invention described above, a solution is provided to enable a driver of a motor vehicle to obtain in a simple and practical manner elaborated information which explains the navigation, in particular by means of a digital instrument cluster. By these means, the invention therefore significantly improves the ergonomics of digital instrument clusters of motor vehicles.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Method for managing, by a computer device (100) on board a motor vehicle (1), the operation of a digital and tactile instrument cluster (2) of the vehicle, which is arranged behind the steering wheel of the vehicle (1) and on the screen of which at least one guidance visual (3) is displayed by means of a navigation system (4) of the vehicle (1), characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: • determine whether a first tactile interaction with the guidance visual (3) is carried out; and, when it is established that this is the case, • cause the display on the screen of a first interactive visual content (501) containing at least one informative element (502).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first visual content (501) comprises a first interactive zone (503) allowing the specification by tactile interaction of at least one setting of a guidance parameter of the navigation system (4).

3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first visual content (501) comprises a second interactive zone (504) making it possible to cause the display of a second visual content by tactile interaction.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: • determining whether a second pre-established touch interaction is performed in an area of ​​the instrument cluster screen (2) while the first visual content (501) is displayed; and, when it is established that this is the case, • cause the first visual content to disappear (501).

5. Device (100) for managing the operation of a digital and tactile instrument cluster (2) of a motor vehicle (1), which is arranged behind the steering wheel of the vehicle and on the screen of which at least one guidance visual (3) is displayed by means of a navigation system (4) of the vehicle (1), characterized in that the device comprises at least one information processing unit (101), comprising at least one processor, and a data storage medium (102), which are configured to implement a method according to any one of the preceding claims.

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

7. Support usable in a computer, characterized in that a program according to claim 6 is recorded therein.

8. Motor vehicle (1), characterized in that it comprises a device (100) according to claim 5.

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