Motor Vehicle Operating Device with Visual Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern motor vehicle operating devices lack intuitive and error-free methods for selecting menu items, particularly in hierarchical structures, due to the separation of display and operating elements, leading to potential driver confusion and inefficiency during navigation.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle operating device is designed with a display device and an operating element where the operating element symbol is displayed corresponding to its outline shape, allowing menu items to be selected through rotation, with visual cues like lines and highlighted representations to guide the driver in selecting menu items, enabling intuitive navigation through hierarchical menus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the operating device is separated from the display device, then the operating device can be independently positioned in the center console, but the driver recognition and selection of menu items becomes less intuitive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy of the physical operating element by displaying an operating element symbol on the display device that corresponds to the actual operating element's outline shape. This symbol appears in the menu area and maintains the same geometric form as the physical element, allowing drivers to intuitively understand the relationship between the physical control and its function without requiring additional spatial processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The operating element symbol serves as an intermediary between the physical operating element and the menu items. It visually connects the physical control position with the corresponding menu area, acting as a mediator that bridges the spatial separation between the operating device in the center console and the display, making the system easier to operate despite the physical separation.
2Loss of information
If multiple menu levels are displayed simultaneously, then comprehensive information is provided, but driver confusion and selection errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different visual qualities to different menu levels by displaying them with distinct characteristics in the menu area. Each menu level can be differentiated through local visual properties such as positioning, size, or highlighting, allowing drivers to distinguish between hierarchical levels while viewing comprehensive menu information, thereby reducing selection errors.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the operating element uses multiple degrees of freedom (rotation, pushing, tilting), then more functions can be controlled, but the driver's cognitive load and selection errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements visual feedback by displaying an operating element symbol that corresponds to the physical operating element's position and state. When the operating element is rotated, pushed, or tilted, the symbol updates to reflect these changes, providing immediate visual feedback to the driver. This feedback mechanism helps drivers understand which degree of freedom is currently active and what function will be triggered, reducing cognitive load and selection errors while maintaining versatile control capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle operating device has a display device, an operating element and a control device, which are mutually coupled and set up such that an operating element symbol that corresponds to the operating element with respect to its outline shape is displayed on the display device. Menu items of a hierarchical menu structure can be selected by use of the operating element. A selection of a menu item from a plurality of menu items that can be made based on a rotating degree of freedom of the operating element is displayed with a line extending from the operating element symbol in the direction of a first menu item representation which is part of a plurality of selectable menu item representations.