Tracked Vehicle Touchscreen Layout for Consistent Operator Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Operators of tracked vehicles, such as snow groomers, face difficulties in managing diverse user interfaces across different vehicles, leading to increased operational complexity and personal preference-driven vehicle selection.
Innovation Solution
A tracked vehicle system featuring a unified user interface with a touch-sensitive display that allows operators to customize the information displayed, selecting from a range of standard settings to optimize their workflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If each tracked vehicle has a different display layout and information placement, then each vehicle can be optimized for specific operator preferences, but operators must learn and adapt to different interfaces for each vehicle, increasing operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit is designed with a unified display template that can be universally applied across different tracked vehicle models. The template includes standardized zones (first zone for first information, second zone for second information) that consistently display the same types of information regardless of vehicle model, making the interface universal and consistent across the entire vehicle fleet while maintaining adaptability through selectable settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows operators to change display parameters by selecting from multiple standardized templates. Each template defines different arrangements of information zones, and operators can switch between templates to change the display layout. This enables adaptability through parameter selection while maintaining ease of operation because all templates follow the same standardized structure and zone conventions.
2Ease of operation
If operators can select from multiple display templates, then personal preferences can be accommodated, but the system complexity increases with more configuration options
Solution Approach 1:
The display is segmented into distinct standardized zones (first zone, second zone, etc.), each with a specific function and information type. This segmentation simplifies the configuration process because operators only need to select which standardized zone displays which information, rather than configuring each display element individually. The segmented structure reduces the perceived complexity while still allowing multiple configuration options through template selection.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple display templates are pre-configured with standardized zone arrangements and information mappings. Operators do not need to create configurations from scratch or understand complex display parameters; they simply select from pre-prepared templates that are optimized for different operational preferences. This preliminary preparation of configuration options reduces the complexity of the user interaction while maintaining versatility.
Data Source
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AI summary
A tracked vehicle (1), preferably a snow groomer for the preparation of ski runs, comprising: a plurality of tracks (6); at least one accessory device (7) selected in a group comprising a shovel (8) or blade, a tiller assembly (9) and a winch assembly (10); and a user interface (11) comprising a display (30) and a selector device (31) for receiving commands from an operator (U), preferably the selector device is a device that detects a touch of an operator (U) on the display (30); a control unit (15) coupled to the user interface (11), in particular to the display (30), for sending images to be displayed to the display (30) and receiving commands from the display (30) which are related to the touches detected; wherein the control unit (15) is configured to display on the display (30) a main screen (SM) divided into a plurality of main screen portions (PS1,..., PS8), wherein the plurality of main screen portions are displayed together in the main screen and each in a different position in the main screen; wherein each main screen portion (PS1,..., PS8) is configured to display an image that illustrates one or more pieces of data and/or information correlated to the tracked vehicle (1); the control unit (15) is configured to detect one or more selections made by an operator, preferably on the display (30) by means of a touch, corresponding to the type (s) of data or information that are required to be displayed in each portion of the display (30), and to display a main screen portion (PS1,..,PS8) in each portion of the display (30), wherein each main screen portion (PS1,..., PS8) is configured to illustrate a respective image relating to the data or information selected by the operator (U) for said portion of the display (30).