Rotary Wheel Interface with Circular Menu for Vehicle Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current interfaces for controlling motor vehicle components, such as air conditioning and navigation systems, are not intuitive and can cause visual overload, making them difficult to use without distracting the driver.
Innovation Solution
A control interface featuring a rotary wheel with a metal index and a capacitive touch screen, where the rotary wheel is guided by a ring-shaped guide, allowing continuous reconfiguration of the display and intuitive navigation through circular menus, with tactile feedback and pressure sensors for validation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a mechanical rotary button with optical sensor or electric rotary switch is used for control, then the control function is achieved, but the visual environment is frozen in time and cannot adapt to user manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic visual environment where the display content adapts in real-time to user manipulation of the rotary wheel. The processing unit continuously updates the visual feedback based on the detected angular position, transforming the static frozen display into a dynamic adaptive interface that responds to user actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates continuous feedback by detecting the angular position of the rotary wheel through optical sensors or electric rotary switches and immediately updating the visual display accordingly. This feedback loop enables the display to adapt to user manipulation, showing relevant information such as temperature adjustments or menu selections in real-time.
2Ease of operation
If a capacitive touch screen with rotary wheel is used to detect angular position and enable tactile entry, then the interface becomes programmable and versatile, but visual overload occurs and interferes with driving
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing tactile feedback specifically at the rotary wheel location through haptic actuators, while keeping the overall visual display minimal. The tactile feedback is localized to the control element, enabling intuitive operation without requiring excessive visual attention, thus reducing visual overload for the driver.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses mechanical vibration through haptic feedback actuators integrated with the rotary wheel or touch screen. These actuators generate tactile vibrations that provide force feedback to the user's finger, enhancing the tactile sensation and making the interface more intuitive to operate without increasing visual complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the menu is displayed around the control device with circular shape, then navigation becomes easier and more intuitive, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a circular menu layout surrounding the central rotary wheel control device. This curved arrangement naturally follows the rotational motion of the wheel, making navigation intuitive as users rotate the wheel to move through menu items arranged in a circular pattern, reducing the cognitive load and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The circular menu design serves multiple functions: it provides visual organization of menu items, indicates the current selection through positioning, and correlates with the rotational direction of the wheel for intuitive navigation. This universal design pattern handles both visual display and interaction guidance in a single integrated interface.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The interface provides easy and intuitive handling, reducing visual overload and allowing the driver to manipulate controls without taking their eyes off the road, while the tactile feedback and central location of the rotary wheel facilitate blind operation.
Implementation Method 1
a capacitive touch screen configured to detect the position of the metal index
Implementation Method 2
at least one pressure sensor configured to measure a parameter representative of a pressure force exerted on the capacitive touch screen
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4a~4d
AI summary
The invention relates to an interface (1) for controlling at least one function of a motor vehicle body, comprising at least one control body (2) which comprises a rotating wheel (4), at least one metal index (6) carried by the rotating wheel (4) and movable therewith, a guide (5) used to support and guide the rotation of the rotating wheel (4), a capacitive tactile tile (3) designed to detect the position of the metal index (6), the guide (5) being fixed to the capacitive tactile tile (3) and the metal index (6) being arranged facing the capacitive tactile tile (3), and a display screen (10) arranged beneath the capacitive tactile tile (3), the display screen (10) and the capacitive tactile tile (3) being at least partially transparent, characterised in that the interface (1) is designed to display, on the display screen (10), at least one menu (12) of elements (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) to be selected, the menu (12) having an at least partially circular shape surrounding the control body (2). The invention also relates to an interfacing method.