Touch Screen Pictogram Backlighting Control for Vehicle Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control interfaces for vehicles, such as those with multifunction screens, suffer from poor perceived quality due to clutter and unnecessary buttons or sensitive areas, leading to a negative user experience and increased production costs from manufacturing multiple interfaces for different models with varying function sets.
Innovation Solution
A control interface with a dark-colored display screen and capacitive zones, featuring lighting means that only illuminate pictograms associated with available functions, allowing for context-aware operation and reduced unnecessary backlighting based on user presence and system configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If all N pictograms are illuminated on the control interface, then all functions are visible and accessible, but the interface becomes cluttered and difficult to read when not all functions are offered by a particular model
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively illuminating only the pictograms corresponding to functions that are actually offered by the specific vehicle model. The control means controls each lighting means individually or in groups, so that only relevant pictograms are backlit while others remain dark, creating a clean, readable interface tailored to each model's function set.
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination state of the pictograms is dynamic rather than static. The control means can change which pictograms are illuminated based on the vehicle model configuration and operational context, allowing the interface to adapt its appearance and functionality to match the specific system capabilities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a dedicated control interface is manufactured for each vehicle model with different function sets, then the interface is optimized for that specific model, but production costs and inventory complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing a single control interface structure that can serve multiple vehicle models with different function sets. The same physical interface hardware is used across all models, but the control means selectively activates only the pictograms and functions relevant to each specific model, allowing one interface to universally accommodate multiple configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the control interface by controlling the illumination state of different pictograms based on the vehicle model. Instead of manufacturing different hardware interfaces, the system changes which elements are activated (illuminated) to match each model's function set, achieving model-specific optimization through parameter control rather than hardware variation.
3Illumination intensity
If backlighting is provided for all pictograms, then the visual effect is nice and all functions are visible, but energy consumption increases and unnecessary functions are highlighted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts or removes the unnecessary backlighting for pictograms that do not correspond to functions offered by the specific vehicle model. The control means disables illumination for irrelevant pictograms while maintaining illumination for active functions, thereby eliminating wasted energy consumption while preserving the visual effect for relevant controls.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of providing full backlighting for all pictograms (excessive action), the system provides partial backlighting only for the subset of pictograms corresponding to offered functions. This partial action is sufficient to achieve the desired visual effect and usability while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to illuminating all pictograms.
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
Improves readability and perceived quality by only displaying necessary controls, reducing production costs and inventory complexity while maintaining a streamlined user interface.
Implementation Method 1
They comprise a film comprising capacitive electrodes (accumulating an electric charge) and glued behind a plastic wall on which the user can press a finger to locally cause a variation in the electric charge which is detected by a dedicated microprocessor
Implementation Method 2
N lighting means suitable for illuminating respectively the N pictograms
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a control interface (IC) provided in a system available in at least two models offering different sets of functions selected from among N functions. Said control interface (IC) includes: a deep color display screen (EA) comprising N touch screen areas (Z1-Z14) associated, respectively, to N pictograms, which are in turn respectively associated with N functions, each capable of enabling a user to control the associated function; N lighting means capable of illuminating, respectively, the N pictograms; and control means arranged such as to only operate lighting means that are associated with the pictograms associated either with all the functions from a set offered by the system in question or with functions belonging to a set offered by the system in question and related to predefined areas of the system in question wherein users are present.