FR2959036A1 - Equipment e.g. passenger side glass, movement controlling device for car, has touch screen subjected to units for detecting presence and movement of finger to select function of equipment and control selected function - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a touch screen (1) accessible by a driver and subjected to units provided with a management computer (2) and another two management computers to detect presence and movement of a finger to select a function from one of equipments from various functions and control the selected function. The former management computer is provided with a microcontroller to retrieve information relative to the selected function and to allow displaying of the information on an independent screen, where the information is passed through a controller area networkbetween the microcontrollers.

Description

The invention relates to the technical sector of the automobile.

More particularly, the invention relates to a control device for moving at least two devices that presents a motor vehicle.

In a perfectly known manner, the driver of a vehicle has the opportunity to intervene on different control means to select and / or activate a specific function relating to any equipment.

For example, according to a non-limiting example indicative, the driver has the opportunity to intervene on control organs to perform the following functions: - up and down the front left window, the right front window, the rear left window and the window right rear, - enable or disable a child lock; - adjust the left mirror on the driver's side and / or the right mirror on the passenger's side, fold down the mirrors, ...

For some vehicles, these control means can be grouped on a common plate located, for example, at the armrest of the driver's side door. Each of the aforementioned functions is selected and / or activated by rotary or pulse buttons. For other vehicles, the control members, always in the form of rotary or pulse buttons, are arranged in different places. For example, the buttons for controlling windows and child safety are located on a common plate at the armrest or, possibly, the center console, while the buttons for controlling the mirrors are located on the door, next to the mirror concerned.

It has also been proposed, including in the automotive field, to replace the control buttons with a touch screen connected to sensors and electronic devices able to detect a digital support and a movement of a finger.

For example, there may be mentioned the teaching of EP 1,739,840 which relates to a device for controlling and / or controlling one or more motor vehicle equipment by means of a touch screen. The active surface of the touch screen is subjected to one or more sensors connected to an electronic processing unit, in order to detect and locate an acoustic shock wave generated by an impact on a given area of the active surface, in order to control and / or order the equipment associated with this zone.

DE 103 24 918 also teaches the control of the driver's window from a touch screen located at the door. We can also cite the teaching of FR 2,798,329 which relates to a control device by means of a tactile surface placed on the central part of the steering wheel of the motor vehicle to control various functions of a vehicle equipment (car radio, air conditioning, 25 distress lights, telephone, navigation system, ...).

From this state of the art, the problem to be solved by the invention is to use a single control means in the form of a touch screen to allow the driver to access and perform several functions with the ability to view the selected function.

To solve such a problem, it has been designed and developed a control device for moving at least two pieces of equipment of a motor vehicle, which comprises a tactile panel accessible to the driver and subject to means capable of detecting the presence and movement of a finger to, firstly, select a function of one of the equipment among different functions that are displayed, advantageously but not limitatively, on an independent screen and, secondly, to control the selected function.

To solve the problem of selecting and controlling different functions of the same equipment or of several devices, and to be able to display the selected function or functions, the means consist of: for one of the equipment, located on the driver's side: management, subject to the touch screen, comprising a microcontroller for analyzing the movement of the finger on said slab and to deduce if one changes function or if the function is performed, and connected to a control system of the equipment; a computer comprising a microcontroller for retrieving the information relating to the selected function and enabling it to be displayed on the screen; a CAN bus through which the information passes between the microcontrollers; for the other equipment, located on the passenger side, and in a symmetrical manner: - a management computer comprising a microcontroller for monitoring the signals of the CAN bus and connected to a control system of the equipment; computer control systems acting on actuator members of the equipment in question.

According to another characteristic, the microcontroller retrieves the information on the CAN bus corresponding to the selected function to update the selected function on the screen, and display it. Advantageously, the equipment subject to the actuator members are constituted, on the driver's side and / or on the passenger's side, by the control of the windows and / or the adjustment of the rear-view mirrors and / or the locking of the rear door.

In this embodiment, the driver-side microcontroller, subject to the touchscreen, monitors the position of the finger on said slab, and detects if the motion is of the horizontal type and updates the selected function. The selected information is sent on the CAN bus for use by the screen computer and the passenger-side computer, said information also being sent by the microcontroller on the CAN bus to indicate: - front-side window-lift status Passenger, - Passenger side window condition, - Passenger side mirror state, 25 - Rear door lock state, the control systems acting on the respective actuators. The microcontroller (passenger side) monitors the signals of the CAN bus to know if an action is to be performed on the actuators via the control system.

According to other features, the touch screen is disposed at the driver's door. The screen is arranged at the dashboard.

The invention is described below in more detail with the aid of the figures of the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view showing an example of implantation of the device inside a vehicle; Figure 2 shows an example of displaying the functions on the screen; FIG. 3 is a block diagram giving an example of a functional diagram of the device according to the invention.

The invention relates to the application of a touch screen (1) for controlling at least two devices in combination with a screen (2a) for viewing the selected mode specific to the equipment concerned. In other words, the slab (1) makes it possible to select and execute the various functions, while the screen (2a) makes it possible to display the selected function, as well as the activated or deactivated state of certain other functions.

The selection of the function considered results from a horizontal sliding of the finger on the touch screen (1). This slip corresponds to a vector whose length corresponds to a given function n + 1, n + 2, etc. For example, a displacement of the finger greater than 2 cm and less than 4 cm makes it possible to select the function n + 1 , while the displacement greater than 4 cm and less than 6 cm makes it possible to select the function n + 2, etc.

To raise and lower the windows, the execution of the selected function results from a vertical movement of the finger from bottom to top on the touch screen. The different modes of the selected function are detected by the speed of selection of the finger on the slab (1). For example: - if the finger sliding speed is greater than 3 cm / second, the automatic mode is selected; - if the finger sliding speed is greater than 0.5 cm / second, the manual mode is selected; - If the finger slip speed is less than 0.5 cm / second, the fine adjustment mode is selected.

For stopping the automatic mode, a short support is applied to the slab (1).

The movement of the finger from bottom to top corresponds to a movement of the equipment concerned, for example the rise of a window, as will be indicated in the following description. Conversely, the sliding of the finger from top to bottom corresponds, for example, to the descent of a window.

In addition to the control of the windows, according to different modes from the touch screen (1), both the driver's side and the passenger side, and possibly the rear windows, it is possible, from the slab (1), to control other equipment, eg activation of child safety (locking or unlocking of doors), adjustment of mirrors, folding mirrors, etc.

For child safety, the transition from the child safety state activated to the child safety deactivated state can be carried out by a short press on the touch screen (1). In an arbitrary way, the minimum time to wait between two short presses is fixed at one second. In general, short or short support on the slab means a digital support exercised without slippage and a duration less than 200 milliseconds for example. If you do not activate the touch screen for 5 seconds, the previous selected function is activated again.

The mirror adjustment function follows the sliding of the finger on the touch screen (1) from the first point of contact of the finger on the slab. In other words, a sliding of the finger from bottom to top, allows to pivot in one direction or the other of the mirror relative to the X axis, while a horizontal movement from left to right or right on the left generates a corresponding displacement of the rearview mirror with respect to the Y axis.

The mirror folding function is performed after having selected the functions as for child safety, that is to say by a short fingertip on the slab to switch from one mode to another, open mirrors with closed mirrors and, conversely, closed mirrors with open mirrors. In an arbitrary way, the minimum time to wait between two short presses is fixed at one second. In general, short or short support on the slab means a digital support exercised without slippage and a duration less than 200 milliseconds for example. The screen (2a) displays in the form, for example, of a graphic the various functions that can be controlled from the touch screen (1), as indicated above.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the screen (2a) displays various symbols corresponding to the desired function, namely: FP 1: raising / lowering the front window on the driver's side, FP2: raising / lowering the front window on the passenger's side , FP3: raising / lowering the left rear window, FP4: raising / lowering the right rear window, FP5: activating / deactivating the child safety, FP6: adjusting the mirror on the driver's side, FP7: adjusting the mirror on the passenger side, FP8: folding left and right mirrors.

The FP1 function, which can be considered as a main function and the most commonly used, is automatically activated when the vehicle is started. To differentiate the selected function from the selectable functions, the selected function can be displayed larger than the selectable functions. The functions FP2, FP4, FP5 are selectable by a sliding of the finger towards the right from FP1, while the functions FP3, FP6, FP7, FP8 are selectable from a slip of the finger on the left, to from FP1.

Referring to Figure 3 which shows a possible example of the architecture of the system (Figure 3): The block (1) corresponds to the touch screen, disposed close to the driver. Block (2) corresponds to a screen management calculator (2a) subject to a microcontroller (2b). - The block (3) corresponds to a management computer of the front window, driver side, incorporating a microcontroller (3a) and a control system (3b) of the various actuators corresponding, for example, FP1 functions, FP3, FP6, FP5. The block (4) corresponds to a front passenger side window management computer incorporating a microcontroller (4a) and a control system (4b) of the various actuators corresponding, for example, to the functions FP2, FP4, FP5, FP7. - A CAN bus (S2) retrieves and transmits the data between, inter alia, the different computers (2), (3) and (4).

As already indicated, the touch screen (1) makes it possible to recover the movement of the driver's finger, while the screen (2a) makes it possible to display the information concerning the selected mode FP1 to FP8, in the example.

The microcontroller (2b) retrieves the information on the CAN bus (S2) to update the selected modes on the screen.

The microcontroller (3a) monitors a support and the position of the finger on the touch screen (1) via a signal (Si). This microcontroller (3a) detects, as indicated, whether this movement is of the horizontal type corresponding to the selection of a function. If so, the microcontroller (3a) updates the selected function. This "selected mode" information is sent on the CAN bus to be transmitted to the microcontroller (2b) of the screen (2a) and to the microcontroller (4a).

The microcontroller (3a) also sends the following information: - window lifter status before passenger (rest, manual climb, manual descent, automatic climb, automatic descent). - passenger's rear window condition (rest, manual climb, manual descent, automatic uphill, automatic descent); - Passenger mirror status (rest, low, high); - Passenger mirror status (rest, left, right); - lock status (on / off); - child safety status (on / off). The control system (3b) of the computer (3) slaves, as indicated, the actuators of the various functions (FP1, FP3, FP5, FP6).

The microcontroller (4a), presented by the management computer (4) of the 10 different functions on the passenger side, monitors the signals coming from the CAN bus, in order to know if an action must be performed on the various actuators corresponding to the functions FP2, FP4, FP5, FP7, via the control system (4b).

The diagram of FIG. 3 shows a symmetry at the driver's computer (3) and at the passenger's side of the computer (4) in order to control the corresponding actuators.

Note that the control of equipment, passenger side, is performed in a conventional manner by a button, but could also be performed by a touch screen, observing however that the only function to activate, could be the control of the window before passenger.

Of course, at the level of the various actuators, there is, in a manner perfectly known to one skilled in the art, a return to the corresponding microcontroller, in order to know the selected function.

The advantages are apparent from the description, in particular it is emphasized and recalls:

- the improvement of the aesthetics inside the car; - the use of a single touch screen for controlling different functions of several devices instead of separate buttons corresponding to the control of different functions of the equipment; - a seal easier to obtain; - a simplicity of the architecture of the control board; - the adaptation of the touch screen, without mechanical modification, to the various functions; - ease of maintenance and cleaning; the use of the sliding speed of the finger on the touch screen makes it easy to discriminate the automatic mode from the manual mode, for the control and movement of the window; the possibility of adding a fine adjustment mode to the control of the glass by a slow sliding of the finger on the touch screen; - The architecture allows the separation of the screen and the touch screen, to position them in a place judiciously chosen to be easily accessible by the left or right hand of the driver and function perfectly readable; - The separation of the touch screen and the screen improves the ergonomics of the slab and the readability of the screen, in opposition to a touch screen.

Finally, the device according to the invention offers the possibility of offloading some of the functions. For example, it may be wise to prohibit the folding of mirrors when the vehicle is traveling more than 40 km / h. This load shedding function can already be performed with a traditional interface, but it is less well perceived because the button or joystick remains manipulable without there being any impact on the organ to move. According to the invention, it will suffice to remove the selection image of the function FP8.

This architecture makes it possible to add dependability. Indeed, certain security functions are no longer directly accessible (there is in advance a selection phase). For example, disabling the child security function (FP5) by mistake is much more difficult with the present invention. Indeed, you must first select the function by mistake (horizontal sliding of the finger), then run by mistake (short press on the touch screen). It is therefore necessary two erroneous manipulations whereas for a traditional solution, a simple manipulation is enough (pressing the button to activate / deactivate child safety by mistake).

Similarly, with this capacitive touchscreen solution, an object that falls into the slab by mistake will have no effect on the performance of the functions. This is not true for a traditional solution.

There is less problematic on the appearance of a finger on the touch screen compared to a touch screen (or you have to keep a good view of the image below).

The separation of the touchscreen and the screen allows for a screen with better brightness (because a touchscreen positioned on a screen does not transmit all the brightness of the screen).

Claims (5)

CLAIMS 1- A control device for moving at least two devices (FP1, FP2, FP3, FP4, FP5, FP6, FP7, FP8) of a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a touch screen (1 ) accessible by the driver and subject to means (2), (3), (4) able to detect the presence and movement of a finger to, firstly, select a function of one of the equipment among different functions that are displayed and, on the other hand, to control the selected function. - 2- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the functions are displayed on an independent screen (2a). - 3- Device according to one of claims claims 1 - 2, characterized in that the means are constituted by: for one of the equipment located on the driver's side: - a management computer (3) subject to the touch screen (1) and comprising a microcontroller (3a) for analyzing the movement of the finger on said slab (1) and to deduce if one changes function or if one performs the function, and connected to a control system (3b) of the equipment; a computer (2) comprising a microcontroller (2b) for retrieving the information relating to the selected function and enabling it to be displayed on the screen (2a); a CAN bus (S2) through which information passes between the microcontrollers; for the other equipment located on the passenger side and in a symmetrical manner: - a management computer (4) comprising a microcontroller (4a) for monitoring the signals of the CAN bus and connected to a control system (4b) of the equipment the control systems (3b) and (4b) of the computers (3) and (4) acting on actuating members of the equipment in question. - 4- Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the microcontroller (2b) retrieves the information on the CAN bus corresponding to the selected function to update the selected function on the screen (2a), and display it. - 5- Device according to one of claims 1 - 4, characterized in that the equipment subject to the actuator members are formed, on the driver's side and / or passenger side by the window control (FP1, FP2, FP3, FP4) and / or mirror adjustment (FP6, FP7) and / or rear door lock (FP5). -6- Device according to one of claims 1 - 5, characterized in that the microcontroller (3a), driver side, subject to the touch screen (1) monitors the position of the finger on said slab (1), and detects if the movement is of the horizontal type and updates the function, the selected information is sent on the CAN bus to be used by the computer (2) of the screen and the computer (4) on the passenger side, said information also being sent by the microcontroller on the CAN bus to indicate: - front passenger's window condition, - rear passenger's side window condition, - passenger side mirror status, - rear door locking status, the control systems acting on the different actuators Correspondents.- 7- Device according to one of claims 1 - 6, characterized in that the microcontroller (4a), passenger side, monitors the signals of the CAN bus to know if an action is to be performed on actio The device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the touch screen (1) is arranged at the level of the driver's door. - 9- Device according to one of claims 2 - 7, characterized in that the screen 10 (2a) is disposed at the dashboard.5