Multi-Screen Vehicle Control Apparatus with Drag Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing operator control apparatuses for motor vehicles with multiple touch-sensitive screens face challenges in allowing users to easily transfer and orient graphical elements between screens due to their distance, requiring users to physically move their hand between screens, which can be distracting and difficult to implement software-wise.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus allows users to execute a change command on one screen unit to select a graphical element and a drag command to define its relative orientation with another graphical element on a second screen unit, using touch-sensitive capacitive sensors, enabling the transfer and orientation without needing to physically move hands between screens, with features like confirmation signals and semi-transparent depictions to enhance usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users transfer graphical elements between distanced screen units by physical hand movement, then the transfer operation can be performed, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to hand movement requirements and potential distraction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary selection mechanism where users first select the graphical element on the first screen unit, then select the target screen unit, and finally define the drop position. This intermediary selection process mediates the transfer operation between distanced screens without requiring direct hand movement across the physical gap, resolving the contradiction by making the operation easier while managing complexity through structured interaction steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer operation is segmented into distinct phases: selection phase on the first screen unit, target screen selection phase, and position definition phase on the second screen unit. Each phase is handled independently on the respective screen unit, eliminating the need for continuous hand movement across screens and improving ease of operation while organizing the complexity into manageable segments.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If screen units are arranged at a distance to improve visibility and reduce distraction, then the driver's attention is less diverted, but the ease of operation worsens due to the inability to easily transfer elements between screens
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses an intermediary selection and transfer mechanism that allows users to initiate the transfer operation on the first screen unit without physically moving their hand to the second screen unit. The control device mediates the transfer process, handling the coordination between the distanced screens automatically, thus maintaining the beneficial distance for reducing distraction while preserving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical hand movement system with an electronic/software-based transfer mechanism. Instead of requiring physical hand movement across the distance between screens, the system uses touch input detection and software-controlled graphical element transfer, substituting the mechanical interaction with an electronic process that maintains ease of operation despite the physical distance between screens.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a drag command is implemented across distanced screens, then the relative orientation can be defined, but the device complexity increases due to the need for coordinate transformation and position mapping
Solution Approach 1:
The drag operation is segmented into two independent phases: the drag initiation and execution phase on the first screen unit, and the position definition phase on the second screen unit. The control device processes each phase separately, handling coordinate transformations only at the transition point between phases. This segmentation reduces the overall complexity compared to continuous drag processing across screens while maintaining full adaptability in defining relative orientation.
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
This solution enables users to arrange graphical elements across screens without hand movement, improving usability and simplifying the operation of vehicle appliances by allowing drag-and-drop functionality between touchscreens, enhancing user experience and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
To produce the touch sensitivity, the display area may be configured to have a capacitive sensor matrix, for example.
Data Source
AI summary
First and second touch-sensitive screens are included in an operator control apparatus for a motor vehicle with the second screen arranged at a distance from the first screen. A control device generates a first graphical element on the first screen and a second graphical element on the second screen with at least the first graphical element able to be depicted on both screens. The control device can receive a predetermined change command from at least one of the first and second screens and thereafter a predetermined drag command from a user and to take the change command as a basis for depicting the first graphical element on the second screen and to take the drag command for the depiction on the second screen as a basis for adjusting a relative orientation of the first graphical element and the second graphical element in relation to one another.