Vehicle AC Touch Interface for Intuitive Seat Airflow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing touch-type operation input devices for vehicle air conditioning systems lack intuitive operability, as users cannot easily determine which areas inside the vehicle the air conditioning is controlling, leading to low usability.
Innovation Solution
The system displays a touch panel screen with a seat image and a reference area image, where touching from the reference area to the seat increases airflow and touching from the seat to the reference area decreases airflow, allowing users to intuitively control air conditioning settings through directional touch operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a touch-type operation input device displays only memory images and guidance images around a rotation axis, then the device can change temperature and airflow settings through continuous touch operations, but the user cannot intuitively know which part inside the vehicle the air conditioning is controlling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy of the actual air conditioning control environment by displaying seat images and reference area images that correspond to physical locations in the vehicle. This graphical representation allows users to intuitively understand which parts of the vehicle are being controlled without losing spatial information.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch panel display serves as an intermediary between the user and the air conditioning system. By displaying visual representations of seats and reference areas, it mediates the control process, providing both operational interface and spatial information simultaneously.
2Loss of information
If the display screen shows detailed visual information about air conditioning control areas, then users can intuitively understand which parts are controlled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display screen is segmented into distinct functional areas: seat images representing controlled regions and reference area images representing the air conditioner outlet. This segmentation provides clear spatial information while maintaining a relatively simple display structure that is easy to implement.
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioning control device that controls an air conditioner installed in a vehicle includes a controller that controls a display screen of a touch panel display and controls the air conditioner based on a touch operation on the display screen. The display screen includes a seat image representing a seat and a reference area image representing a reference area. The controller, in a case where the touch operation has a direction from the reference area image to the seat image, outputs a control command to increase airflow of air coming out from the air conditioner. The controller, in a case where the touch operation has a direction from the seat image to the reference area image, outputs a control command to decrease the airflow of the air coming out from the air conditioner.