WO2008109326A1 - Navigation dans des informations stockées - Google Patents

Navigation dans des informations stockées Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2008109326A1
WO2008109326A1 PCT/US2008/055262 US2008055262W WO2008109326A1 WO 2008109326 A1 WO2008109326 A1 WO 2008109326A1 US 2008055262 W US2008055262 W US 2008055262W WO 2008109326 A1 WO2008109326 A1 WO 2008109326A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
display
user
nodes
hierarchical level
node
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2008/055262
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Andrew Olcott
Lisa Debettencourt
James T. Hotary
Richard Moon
John Michael Sakalowsky
Original Assignee
Bose Corporation
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Bose Corporation filed Critical Bose Corporation
Publication of WO2008109326A1 publication Critical patent/WO2008109326A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01C—MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY
    • G01C21/00—Navigation; Navigational instruments not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C19/00
    • G01C21/26—Navigation; Navigational instruments not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C19/00 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
    • G01C21/34—Route searching; Route guidance
    • G01C21/36—Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K35/00—Arrangement of adaptations of instruments
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/048—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
    • G06F3/0481—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
    • G06F3/0482—Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
    • B60W2556/00—Input parameters relating to data
    • B60W2556/45—External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
    • B60W2556/50—External transmission of data to or from the vehicle for navigation systems

Definitions

  • This description relates to browsing stored information.
  • buttons on a dashboard console enable a user to browse through lists of words or phrases representing items in a database of stored information such as information about interstate highways, state roads, and streets. It has also been proposed to enable a user to scroll back and forth through displays of individual segments of a route based on information stored in a database.
  • a geographical field is displayed including indicia, representing respective items stored in a navigation system, that are displayed in positions that correspond to geographic relationships of the items on the geographic field.
  • a visible feature of the geographic field is altered to indicate browsing with respect to a predetermined succession of the stored items.
  • Implementations include one or more of the following features.
  • the altering of a visible feature comprises changing an appearance of at least one of the indicia.
  • the items comprise points of interest in a vicinity of a route on the geographical field.
  • Text identifiers of at least some of the selected items are also displayed in positions that do not correspond to geographic relationships of the items.
  • the indicia are displayed as a hub representing one of the items and spokes representing other items that have a geographical relationship to the one item, the angles of the spokes and the distances separating the hub and the spokes being representative of the directions and distances among the items represented by the hub and the spokes.
  • the user is enabled selectively to cause, at one time, either a geographical display of the indicia, text identifying the selected items, or both a geographical display of the indicia and text identifying the selected items.
  • the geographical field is represented as a map of a region being navigated and the indicia are displayed on the map.
  • the stored items are organized in hierarchical
  • the items represented by the indicia belong to one of the levels.
  • the user is enabled to select items at each of at least two different hierarchical levels by manipulating the user interface.
  • the items comprise points of interest.
  • a cursor is displayed to indicate currently selected items.
  • additional information is provided about currently selected items.
  • the manipulating of a control device comprises turning a knob.
  • the visible feature of the geographic field comprises a cursor, and altering the visible feature comprises causing the cursor to point to successive indicia representing the stored items.
  • the predetermined succession of items is determined automatically.
  • the user manipulating the user interface control device is not associated with an inherent geographic aspect. The user manipulating the user interface control device requires no knowledge by the user of the location on the geographical field of the next item in the predetermined succession of items
  • a method for graphically representing content of a database in an automobile entertainment system includes presenting a primary display element on a display, wherein the primary display element represents a first node in a first hierarchical level of the data base; and presenting a secondary display element on the display, wherein the secondary display element includes a graphical indicator that varies in size according to the number of nodes in a second hierarchical level below the first hierarchical level of the database.
  • the primary display element may include an icon representative of the first node.
  • the secondary display element may include a ring-shaped graphical element.
  • the graphical indicator may include a highlighted arc within the ring-shaped graphical
  • n is the number of nodes in the second hierarchical level below the first hierarchical level that are associated with the first node
  • m is one of 1 and the number of nodes in the hierarchical level below the first hierarchical level that are represented on the display.
  • the number n may be equal to 1 and the and method may further include
  • the number m may be the number of nodes in the hierarchical level below the first hierarchical level that are represented on the display and the method may further include highlighting an arc of the ring, the arc
  • the method may further include causing the arc to be displaced from a starting point by an angular and representing an incrementing through the n nodes by
  • the first graphical element may include a graphical indicator that graphically shows the number of sub-selections under the selected node.
  • the graphical indicator may include a highlighted arc within a ring.
  • the method may further include causing a fourth graphical element associated with a fourth node to appear on the screen as the user rotates the control knob.
  • the first, second and third graphical elements may move on the display in the rotary direction of the control knob when rotated by the user.
  • the entertainment system may further include a second control knob for selecting between sub-selections under the selected node.
  • the second control knob may be concentric with the first control knob.
  • the graphical indicators may move as the second control knob is rotated.
  • a method for displaying audio signal sources each audio signal source corresponding to one of a plurality of preset indicators includes on a display screen, adjacent a first preset indicator, displaying an audio signal source corresponding to the first preset indicator; displaying adjacent a second preset indicator a first graphical indicator that there are additional audio signal sources each corresponding to one of the plurality of preset indicators; and upon selection of the second preset indicator, displaying a second audio signal source corresponding to the first preset indicator.
  • the number of audio signal sources may be greater than the number of preset indicators.
  • the method may further include displaying adjacent a third preset indicator a second graphical indicator that there are additional audio signal sources each corresponding to one of the plurality of preset indicators; and upon selection of the third preset indicator displaying a third audio signal source corresponding to the first preset indicator.
  • an audio system in another aspect, includes a number N of input elements each associated with a particular radio station such then when the input element is actuated by a user the audio system tunes to the particular radio station; and a user interface that permits the user to change the number of particular radio stations that may be stored from a first value to a second value, wherein at least the second value is greater than N.
  • a method for graphically representing data base elements on a display includes causing an icon to appear on a display, the icon representing a first node in a first hierarchical level of a data base; causing a ring to appear around the icon; and highlighting an arc of the ring, the arc described by an included angle, wherein the magnitude of the included angle is related to the number of elements in a hierarchical level below the first hierarchical level associated with the first node.
  • the position of the arc along the circumference of the ring may be related to the position of a highlighted element of the hierarchical level below the first hierarchical level within its hierarchical level.
  • the magnitude of the included angle may be inversely proportional to the number of elements in the hierarchical level below the first hierarchical level associated with the first node.
  • the display may be associated with a vehicle entertainment system.
  • the display may be further associated with a vehicle navigation system.
  • Other general aspects include other combinations of the features recited above and other features expressed as methods, apparatus, systems, program products, and in other ways.
  • Figures IA and 13 A are block diagrams. Figures IB, 6A, 8A, 9A, and 13B show hierarchies.
  • Figures 1C, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3 A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5, 6B, 7A, 7B, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E, 9B, 11 A, 11 B, and 12 show screen shots, in some cases with hierarchies.
  • Figure 10 shows an icon.
  • Figure 14 is a simulated screen shot.
  • Figures 15A and 15B show a ring icon.
  • Figures 16A- 16D show preset indicators and an adjacent portion of a display.
  • the records in the database may relate to (and provide information about) items that are not simply route segments, but rather are attractions in the vicinity of, or supplemental features of, a route or a region or other spatial field that is being displayed.
  • the user can narrow the scope of the items that he will browse by browsing a displayed textual hierarchy of the items to select one or more nodes or leaves of the hierarchy of items (for example, restaurants that serve Italian food).
  • the user can visually browse the items in those nodes or leaves, one item at a time, back and forth, using a user interface device such as a knob to select a current item of interest.
  • the user can alternate between browsing the hierarchy and browsing the items in selected nodes or leaves of the hierarchy because the display can show both the textual hierarchy and a map of the items of that are selected in the hierarchy at a given time. Or the textual hierarchy can be hidden to permit a more complete map display of the items being browsed.
  • the items of the selected portion of the hierarchy are indicated by icons or other indicia displayed on a map (or other two-dimensional or three-dimensional representation). All of the items in that portion of the hierarchy can be indicated simultaneously on the map.
  • the current item of interest selected by the user can be distinguished visually using different indicia than are used for the other displayed items that are not the currently selected item. Displaying all of the items of the portion of the hierarchy at once while highlighting a selected one of them enables the user to comprehend easily the relationship of the different items to the local region and their relationship to one another and their relationship to a current vehicle location.
  • intersections of roads may be organized hierarchically in the database, and the user can select a set of intersections from the hierarchy and then browse successive intersections within that set (for example, all roads that intersect Main Street in Bristol, Rhode Island).
  • the roads selected need not have any relationship to a current position of the vehicle or to a programmed route.
  • the hierarchy of items in the database is not displayed explicitly on the map. Rather, only the items within a selected portion of the hierarchy are displayed on the map as the user browses. In some examples, however, the hierarchy is explicitly displayed. In some cases, the hierarchical display provides an abstracted rather than literal view of the positional relationships among the levels of the hierarchy and the items of a given node or leaf.
  • the display for example, can use a hub and spoke approach to display the geographical relationships of countries, states, and towns.
  • Items that are displayed on the map generally have a geographic aspect. Items at any level of the database hierarchy that exhibit such a geographic aspect, can be displayed, for example, all Italian restaurants or all Chinese restaurants. For example, all attractions could be indicated by a relatively small unobtrusive visual indicia on the map. All gasoline stations could then be indicated by another, slightly more noticeable indicia, all restaurants by a different indicia, and so on. All Chinese restaurants could be shown by an even more noticeable indicia, and so forth. Each restaurant could be shown by a knife and fork icon, for example, and each Chinese restaurant by the same knife and fork icon with a Chinese character overlaid on it. In some cases, the user could be permitted to choose multiple nodes and leaves of the hierarchy for visual display and exclude others. For example, the user could select Chinese restaurants and Italian restaurants to see whether the nearest Italian restaurant (his second favorite cuisine) is much closer than any Chinese restaurant (his favorite cuisine).
  • the user is also enabled to zoom in and out with respect to the displayed map to see more or less detail, and the zooming can be done in conjunction with each of the successive currently selected items. For example, when the user has currently selected the
  • geographical field broadly to refer, for example, to all of the displayed elements that have geographic meaning or are related to elements that have geographic meaning, including the map, cursors, text, roads, points of interest, and other indicia displayed with the map or any of the other geographical elements.
  • a database 100 of records can be accessed and browsed by a user 104 using controls of a user interface 102.
  • the user interface 102 and the database can be part of any of a wide variety of devices including a general-purpose computer running an operating system and applications to manage the database and the interface, among other things. Other devices could include dedicated workstations, portable computers, and hand-held devices including personal digital assistants and mobile telephones.
  • the user interface and the database could be operated on two or more different devices, and the devices could be in the same location or different locations. Different devices could interact through any kind of communication network including a local area network, a wide area network, and the internet.
  • the database may include any kind of information.
  • the database includes navigation information useful for a display-based navigation system of a vehicle.
  • the user interface is exposed to the occupants of the vehicle through a console, for example, a dashboard mounted console.
  • the user interface and the database are managed by software running on an on-board computer in the vehicle.
  • FIG IB One simple example of a portion of the database 100 is illustrated in FIG IB.
  • the records of the database may be organized hierarchically in successive levels beginning with a root node.
  • the root node could represent an action associated with the levels below, for example, "find nearby"
  • Each of the other levels can have multiple nodes.
  • Leaves of the hierarchy occur at the opposite end from the root node.
  • the records in a top level 110 of the hierarchy (in FIG IB, the root node is just to the left of the top level node 110) represent functions performed by a vehicle navigation system, e.g.
  • Map which refers to the display of maps on the navigation system screen
  • Services which refers to display of services that may be available to motorists at facilities located on or near the vehicle's route
  • Location display of information about the vehicle's current location
  • Trip Info display of information about a current trip of the vehicle
  • Each record in the first level 110 of the hierarchy represents a node that is associated with a set of nodes at a second level 112 of the hierarchy.
  • associated with Services in the first level are the nodes Attraction (sites that may be of interest to the vehicle occupants), Gas (places to buy fuel), Information (information about places, geography, history, and the like), and Restaurant (names and other information about eating places).
  • a third level 114 has nodes that correspond to each node in the second level.
  • the restaurant node corresponds to the nodes 114 including American, Chinese, French, Italian, and Mexican.
  • Chinese restaurants are associated with records for China Garden, China Ruby, Harvard Moon, Lotus Flower, and Three Gorges.
  • a sixth level of data would contain the actual data from the record referred to in the fifth level 118, for example, the menu of the China Ruby Chinese Restaurant that is a Service of interest to the vehicle occupants.
  • a record in the fifth level 118 e.g. Directions, might link to data external to the database 100.
  • the nodes at the fifth level may be thought of as leaves of the hierarchy. For a geographical region, the database could include a large number of records and a reasonably complex hierarchy of nodes and leaves.
  • information in a database is presented to a user in successive menus corresponding to the levels of a hierarchy, for example, the portable music player interface shown in FIG 1C.
  • Each screen 120, 122, 124 shows the contents of successive levels of the hierarchy, e.g., categories of music, genres, composers. The user's selection of one record in each screen determines which records from the next level are presented in the next screen.
  • FIGS. 2 through 10 illustrate examples of an improved way to enable a user to browse a database in the context of a vehicle's navigation system.
  • the interface 200 of the navigation system comprises buttons, knobs, and a display screen combined in a unit that can be mounted in a dashboard of a vehicle, for example.
  • Other buttons, e.g., 208, 216, may have functions that vary depending on the state of the navigation system.
  • Knobs 204, 212 may also have fixed functions or differing functions and may also function as push buttons.
  • the display screen 218 may be a video monitor capable of displaying any image or video stream sent to it, or it may comprise discrete elements such as character displays, individual lights, or static images.
  • the records in a level 110 (from FIG 1 B) of the hierarchical database are represented by icons 220 displayed on a screen 218.
  • the screen may be split for purposes of display so that the icons are shown on the bottom portion and a map is shown on the upper portion.
  • the display of the top level icons as illustrated may be the initial or default display for the system.
  • the user may select an icon representing a desired function by rotating a designated knob 212 to change which icon is highlighted (in FIG 2A, it is Services that is highlighted), and then pressing a designated button, which may be the knob 212 used to select the icon.
  • the user might select a function by directly pressing an icon 220, if screen 218 is sensitive to touch.
  • the selecting of one of the icons in FIG 2A by rotating a knob and pressing it, causes the display to change to the configuration shown in FIG 2B, in which selected nodes of the hierarchy at successive levels are displayed, one node per level.
  • FIG 2B only one level of the hierarchy (Restaurants) is shown (in addition to the root node, Find Nearby), and one of the nodes at that level 112 of the hierarchical database is displayed on a line of text 226.
  • the name of the item that was selected in the next higher level is displayed on a higher line of text 224.
  • the starting point and scope of the search for example, services near the vehicle's location, along a calculated route, within a specific city or other area, on a particular cross street, or at a destination or other identified point.
  • the "Find Nearby" item may represent any of these methods, and does not correspond to the details of the hierarchy shown on earlier figures.
  • the user is able to browse the names of nodes in the level 112 by rotating the knob 212 (figure 2A), which changes the name displayed in the line 226 to the successive names (one by one) in a list of the nodes in the level 112 of the hierarchy.
  • a circular icon 222 indicates how far through the list of items in that level of the hierarchy the user has browsed by the angular extent 1002 of the outer ring that is filled in (see FIG 10, described below).
  • the line of the display that contains the phrase ⁇ Distance to Location> indicates an action that can be taken by the user with respect to the selections that appear in the list shown above it. Any of the levels 112, 114 could be visually browsed. For example, one might wish to switch between browsing all Chinese restaurants and browsing all restaurants.
  • the names of the items at that level are displayed, one at a time, in a third line of text 232, with the selected item in each of the previous two levels displayed in preceding lines of text 224 and 226.
  • the user is able to browse the successive items in level 114 by rotating the knob 212 in the same manner as for FIG 2B.
  • the icon 222 indicates how far through the list of records in level 114 the user has browsed. At any time and from time to time, whenever the user is browsing in a level of the hierarchy by turning the knob, he can stop browsing, restart again, and reverse direction once or repeatedly.
  • the icon 222 will continue to show at all times the location of the user within the list of items at that level. Being circular, the icon implies to the user that the list of items is a ring in which the final item is followed by the first item again, and the user can use the knob to browse from the end of the list directly to the beginning of the list. Also shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C are icons 230 and 234.
  • the information associated with a particular node has a geographic attribute, as in (but not limited to) a navigation system
  • the information may be displayed visually and the user may be enabled to browse the visual display.
  • the locations of the individual restaurants in that node can be illustrated by icons or other indicia on a map.
  • a cursor 306 indicates the location on a map 310 of the current item selected by the user, a restaurant named "China Ruby".
  • the textual display of the hierarchy has been hidden in FIG 4A to permit the user to have an unobstructed view of the map.
  • Several names and pin icons 408, 410, 412, and 414 simultaneously indicate locations of other restaurants on the map 310.
  • An icon 406 indicates the current location of the automobile near the center of the screen, giving additional context to the locations shown for the restaurants. As in the earlier examples, rotating the knob 212 browses among the items of the present subset 116. As shown in FIG 4B, in response to the user turning the knob 212, the cursor 306 has moved to the location on the map 310 of the "Three Gorges" restaurant. Text 404 indicates that pressing the corresponding button 208 will return the user to the traditional list view of the database.
  • FIGS. 3 B illustrates an alternative mode of browsing activated when the user presses the button 208 designated "List View" indicated by the text 404 in FIG 4A and 4B.
  • the map 310 is still visible and the display of the hierarchy is also displayed.
  • the display of the hierarchy has been reduced in size, the icon 222 has been reduced in size and relocated, and a new icon 314 has been added.
  • the names of the restaurants are displayed in a fourth line of text 302, one at a time, with the selected item from each of the previous three levels displayed in preceding lines of text 224, 226, and 232.
  • the user is able to browse the records in level 116 by rotating knob 212 and, icon 222 indicates how far through the list of records in level 116 the user has browsed.
  • the restaurant listed on line 302 (figure 3B) is identified on the map by an icon (a pin within the cursor 306)
  • the other restaurants in the list are identified by names and pin icons 412 and 414 as in FIG 4A.
  • the text 404 (FIG 4A) has been replaced by the text 304, indicating that pressing the corresponding button 208 will return the viewer to the Map View.
  • the button 208 the user may toggle back and forth between the view shown in FIG 3B, which includes the list view showing the list and a portion of the map,, and the view, shown in FIG 4A, for example, in which the list is hidden and only the map is shown. An item highlighted in one view will also be highlighted in other view.
  • the information necessary for displaying the other view can be processed in the background.
  • the information for rendering the map in the map view can be calculated at the same time, so that the system can switch rapidly to the alternative view when requested to do so by the user.
  • FIGS. 3 A and 3B one view is overlaid on top of the other view, and both views are updated at the same time.
  • the system may also accommodate highlighting more than one item at a time. For example, all Chinese restaurants may be highlighted, or all Italian restaurants, or all gas stations.
  • FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate the change in the display as the user rotates knob 212 to choose among items in level 116.
  • the knob 212 As the knob 212 is rotated, the item listed in 302 changes from “China Ruby” to "Lotus Flower.” Meanwhile, the outer ring of the icon 222 indicates that the user is farther through the records in the present level, and the icon 306 now indicates the location of the "Lotus Flower” restaurant on the map 310 in the background. Thus the user can browse the database by rotating the knob which causes successive items to be indicated by both the line 302 and the icon cursor on the map.
  • an icon 314 representing the volume of the vehicle's audio system is displayed on the left side of screen 218.
  • the current volume level relative to the maximum potential volume level is represented by the extent to which the outer ring of volume icon 314 is filled in.
  • a line 312 corresponds to the next level 118 of the hierarchy that will be displayed once the user has selected a restaurant in line 302 from level 116. The choice currently shown enables the user to display the distance to the restaurant.
  • Other actions may include ⁇ indicate route>. As illustrated in FIG 5, once a user chooses to see a route to his selected restaurant, as this operation may take some time to complete, the screen 218 may display an indication 502 that the user's request is being processed.
  • FIG 6A shows an example of the nodes in a hierarchical database that support this function. Other database formats may be used.
  • a second level 620 records representing various ways of locating a point on a map correspond to the Map service at the top level 110 (from FIG IB).
  • subsets of records in a third level 622 each contain streets that could be the first street of an intersection.
  • a set of records at a fourth level 624 contains streets that intersect 1 st Street, the street selected in level 622.
  • FIG 6B shows an example of a user interface for accessing intersection information from a database.
  • Line 606 indicates the currently selected mode (in this case, "Find Nearby Intersection")-
  • the line 608 indicates possible cities in which intersections of streets occur.
  • the line 610 indicates possible first streets that could be associated with intersections in the selected city.
  • the line 612 indicates streets that intersect the street selected in line 610.
  • the line 612 is aligned with an icon 602, that indicates (by the drawing of an intersection) the currently active mode that corresponds to the text on line 606.
  • icons 614 are indicated by icons 614.
  • Rotating knob 212 would change the selection on line 612 to other streets.
  • the portion of the outer ring of the icon 602 that is darkened indicates how far through the records of the level 622 the user has browsed.
  • a street 702 is darkened to indicate that it has already been selected as the first street of an intersection.
  • An intersection 704 of a second street is indicated by a callout 706, which displays the name of that second street, "Great Road.”
  • the text 712 indicates that the corresponding one of the buttons 208 will toggle the display to a list view of intersecting streets. Turning the knob 212 changes the currently selected intersecting street, as seen in FIG 7B where intersection 704 (FIG 7A) has been replaced by the intersection 708, and the callout 706 has been replaced by the callout 710 indicating the name of the newly selected intersecting street, "Mill St.”
  • a visual display could also be used to select the first street of an intersection, with each possible street highlighted in turn in the same manner that the street 702 is highlighted in FIGS. 7 A and 7B.
  • Turning knob 212 may change which street is selected according to a hierarchy, e.g., larger roads are selected first, or longer roads are selected first, smaller roads selected second, or alphabetically, or in order across the screen, or in some other manner.
  • a vehicle navigation system enables a user to browse geographical locations (e.g., possible destinations) using an abstract spatial representation that includes, for example, cities and states.
  • FIG 8 A shows nodes in levels of an example hierarchical database that supports this function.
  • One level 802 of the hierarchy lists states for which the navigation system has location information.
  • Another level 804 contains states neighboring a state selected from the level 802.
  • Other levels may include counties, cities, roads, and intersections, and reflect their adjacency relationships, for example.
  • FIG 8B shows an example of a user interface for accessing information from the hierarchical database.
  • the states in levels 802 and 804 are displayed schematically in a hub and spoke display.
  • the user interface provides an outer knob 831 that enables a user to scroll through the spokes visually to select one.
  • An inner knob 833 allows the user to zoom in and out on the selected spoke.
  • Figure 8C shows the display of figure 8B after zooming in.
  • a circle hub 806 may be the state in which the user's vehicle is currently located (Massachusetts) or a state that the user has chosen by browsing a list of states or a schematic representation of the states. Neighboring states to the hub state from level 804 of the database are displayed as dots, e.g., the dots 808 for New Hampshire,
  • the dots for each neighboring state may be positioned in a direction and at a distance from the circle 806 corresponding to the relative geographic locations of the states.
  • the dots 812 and 814 show additional states that are available in level 802 and 804, respectively, but are grayed because they do not border Massachusetts.
  • the selected state changes among the states in the items of level 804, as shown in FIG. 8D, in which Maine is the presently selected state
  • FIG 8E New Jersey is now represented by a circle 816.
  • the level 804 now contains a set of records corresponding to the states neighboring New Jersey, hence neighboring states Pennsylvania and Delaware are represented on the schematic by 818. Pressing the knob 831 or another designated button while a state is highlighted as the hub changes the display to the next level of the hierarchy, as shown in figures 9A and 9B, in which a set of items in a level 902 represent cities located within Massachusetts, the selected item from level 802.
  • the states previously displayed are replaced by cities represented by dots, e.g., the dots 904 for Lynn, Revere, and Quincy.
  • the cities are positioned in a direction and at a distance from a central circle corresponding to their geographic location relative to Boston. Additional cities are shown by the dots 906, which are lighter in color indicating that they are not within the currently selected state. Rotating the knob 831 will select among the cities as in the previous examples.
  • FIGS. 2B, 2C, 3A, 3B, and 6B An icon showing progress through a set of records, as in FIGS. 2B, 2C, 3A, 3B, and 6B, is shown in more detail in FIG 10.
  • the icon 222 is surrounded by a ring 1004.
  • An arc 1002 is displayed over a portion of ring 1004.
  • the angle of the arc corresponds to the position of a presently active record in a list of all records in the present set.
  • arc 1002 has an angle of 120 degrees (out of a possible 360), indicating that a presently selected record (Delta) occupies a position 1/3 into the list of records in level 1006 of a hierarchical database.
  • the first record, Alpha would be represented by a 30 degree arc
  • the final record, Mu would be represented by a full circle (not shown).
  • the size of icon 222 decreases after a selection is made at the first level for which it is displayed.
  • a displayed map 1102 may be broken into arbitrary pie segments 1104, 1106, 1108, 1110, and 1112.
  • the map 1102 could also be broken into areas in other ways, such as in a grid or by geographic or political divisions.
  • a user could visually browse the displayed areas by rotating the knob 212 as in the other examples, with different areas of the map being highlighted in succession.
  • a desired area is highlighted, e.g., the area 1106, the area is selected by pressing the knob 212 or another button, and other functions specific to the highlighted area are made available. This process may be useful for panning and scrolling through a map, for example.
  • the user can zoom into that section, which may be broken into a number of new sub-area segments, which can be visually browsed as before.
  • the area 1106 has been enlarged to fill the display area 1102, and new areas 1114, 1116, 1118, 1120, and 1122 are displayed, with the area 1114 selected.
  • a method for zooming out from a selected area can also easily be accommodated.
  • the calculated route can be divided up into segments, as shown in FIG 12.
  • a database is searched to identify all segments 1204, 1206, 1208, and 1210 associated with the selected route 1202, all of which are displayed in map 1200.
  • By turning the knob 212, or activating another control various segments along the route are highlighted as in other examples.
  • the segment 1204 is highlighted, as shown by a dotted line 1212.
  • a zoom function could be provided to enable display of greater detail of a highlighted route section.
  • the hierarchy being browsed can relate to any information stored in any manner for use in any context.
  • a wide variety of user interface devices may be used as part of the method, including speech recognition. Instead of requiring the user to turn the knob to advance the display to the next item at a level of the hierarchy, the advancing could be done automatically and the user could make a selection during a period when an item is being displayed.
  • the user may also browse through successive items at a higher level of the hierarchy. For example, turning the knob could first highlight all Chinese restaurants than all Italian restaurants, and so forth.
  • FIGS. IA - 12 can be applied to the operation of the entertainment system of a vehicle.
  • FIG. 13A is a block diagram including some of the elements of FIG. IA showing some additional elements.
  • Navigation system 2002 is operatively coupled to interface 160 by display control module 2004.
  • Interface 160 may include a display for displaying graphic images, which will be further explained below.
  • Entertainment system 2006 includes control module 2008, which is operatively coupled to audio signal portals 2010.
  • Control module 2008 is operatively coupled to display control module 2004.
  • Other elements of the entertainment system such as loudspeakers, amplifiers, audio signal processing elements, and the like are not shown in this view.
  • video control module 2004 is shown as a distinct element; however in other embodiments, the video control module can be a component of the navigation system 2002 or the entertainment system 2006 or comprise elements of both.
  • Audio signal portals 2010 may include a storage medium, such as a hard disk drive or memory; an FM receiver; an AM receiver; a satellite radio receiver; a portable storage device; a cell phone; the navigation system 2002; or other sources. Each audio signal portal 2010 may have associated with it a number of audio signal sources. For example if the audio signal portal is a CD/DVD drive, the audio signal sources may be tracks on a CD. If the audio signal portal is an FM or AM receiver, the audio signal sources may be radio stations, and so on.
  • the navigation system 2002 and the entertainment system 2006 transmit to video control module 2004 data that can be displayed graphically on the user display 200 of user interface 160 of FIG. 13A.
  • the display control module 2004 determines what data is displayed on display 200.
  • the graphically displayed data can be data from the navigation system, the entertainment system, or both.
  • the operation of the display control module is controlled by a microprocessor 2005 running software instructions, which may be stored on a microprocessor readable medium 2007, for example, a memory, a hard disk, or other data storage device.
  • the entertainment system may have associated with it a database similar in structure to the database of FIG. IB. At the root level are nodes representing audio source types, such as AM Radio, FM Radio, etc.
  • nodes relating to the nodes of the root level are nodes relating to the nodes of the root level.
  • relating to the node FM Radio may be the nodes Strong Signal, Genre, and Tune, examples of which will be described later.
  • Strong Signals node is a third level of nodes, for example, strong station 1, strong station 2, etc.
  • Genre node is a third and forth level of nodes, the third level corresponding to different genres (e.g., Rock, Classical, Talk, Religious, Sports, etc.) and the forth level of nodes corresponding to stations within the particular genre (e.g., Rock Station 1, Rock Station 2, etc.).
  • the system categorizes the information into the nodes based on various information (e.g., metadata associated with stored content and RDS or similar data associated with broadcasted content).
  • FIG. 14 shows elements of the display 200, including the data stored on the display screen.
  • Knob 212 includes inner knob 833 and outer knob 835.
  • Data displayed on the display screen includes a current display element 2012 and text sections 2014 and 2016.
  • the text section 2014 includes textual information about the node currently being scrolled and about certain nodes in the hierarchy above and below the node currently being scrolled.
  • the root node is the FM receiver audio signal portal, as indicated graphically by the FM indicator 2011.
  • the second level nodes being scrolled is Genre, which is graphically indicated by showing a series of display elements 2016, 2017, 2012, 2018, 2019 in a semi-circular pattern.
  • the third level of nodes currently being scrolled is the "Rock” genre, which is visually indicated by icon 2012a within display element 2012 as well as the text "Rock” 2013 within the display window.
  • Other available third level nodes are shown graphically by icons located within display elements 2016 (associated with, e.g., Classical genre), 2017 (associated with, e.g., Talk genre), 2018 (associated with, e.g., Religious genre), and 2019 (associated with, e.g., Sports genre).
  • These other nodes can be selected by the user by rotating inner knob 833, which causes the display elements 2016, 2017, 2012, 2018 and 2019 to rotate in the same direction as the knob.
  • the currently indicated node and adjacent nodes in the hierarchy level below the currently indicated nodes are also displayed in the scrolling section 2015.
  • the currently indicated node is "101.1” and the adjacent nodes are "100.7” and "101.5".
  • the display also includes a text section that includes other information, such as descriptive information about the currently indicated node, hi this example, the information includes the RDS program service information ("Rock 101") as well as information such as the track currently being played ("Cinderella - Don't Know What You Got”) and the artist (Lynyrd).
  • Current selection icon 2012 provides a visual indicator of the node currently being scrolled.
  • the icons in FIG. 14 are geometric figures.
  • the icon for "Rock” might be, for example, a rock guitar.
  • Icons 2016 - 2019 provide visual indicators of nodes that are adjacent to the node being scrolled.
  • icon 2017 could be a violin, indicating Classical.
  • the five pointed star in icon 2016 could be a microphone to indicate talk radio.
  • display elements 2012 and 2016 - 2019 also each include a concentric ring around the perimeter of the genre icon that will be discussed later.
  • information displayed on the screen can be manipulated by physical operation of inner knob 833 and outer knob 835.
  • operating the inner knob causes the information in the display to scroll through the currently indicated node. For example, turning the knob clockwise would cause 101.5 to become the currently indicated node, and the information in the text section would change, so that it is descriptive of station 101.5, the node being scrolled.
  • Operating the outer knob 835 changes the currently indicated node. For example, turning the outer knob 835 counter-clockwise would cause node 2017 to become the currently indicated node and would cause icon 2019 to no longer appear on the display.
  • the contents of the scrolling section would be the FM stations corresponding to node 2017. If node 2017 were the "Classical" node, the FM stations broadcasting classical music would be displayed in scrolling area 2015.
  • the information shown on display 200 is dependent on the audio signal portal selected by the user.
  • the examples of FIG. 14 show information associated with the FM audio signal portal.
  • the information in the text area 2014 could be information about the CD
  • the items in the scroll section 2015 could the numbers or names of the tracks on the CD
  • the text section could show information about the CD track currently being played.
  • the currently selected audio signal portal is satellite radio or AM
  • the information displayed might be similar to the information shown in FIG. 14, except instead of FM broadcast frequencies (e.g. 100.7, 101.1, 101.5) the information in scrolling area 2015 could be satellite radio channels or AM broadcast frequencies, respectively.
  • the scroll section could show individual tracks, playlists, albums, artists, composers, and other information
  • the text section 2014 could show information about the contents of the track or playlist, album, artist, or composer.
  • a button for example one of buttons 208 or another dedicated button can be designated as an "options" button that permits the setting of options associated with the current audio signal portal selected.
  • the current source is FM and an options button is pressed
  • the user may be presented with options such as changing the manner in which the user would like to navigate the FM source (e.g., by changing the second-level node from Genre to Strong Signals or Tune). Additionally, the user may be presented with other options such as assigning presets and finding alternate frequencies broadcasting the same program content.
  • options presented could include assigning presets.
  • options could include assigning presets.
  • the current source is satellite radio, options could include assigning presets and assigning categories (for example "Decades") to be shown.
  • options could include assigning presets or adjusting TV parameters such as brightness, contrast, and saturation.
  • options presented could include auto-storing the content of a CD disk.
  • options presented could include sorting or managing the library. The displayed information would include information associated with the option being modified.
  • display elements 221a and 221b each include a concentric ring icon 222 A-B around their perimeter.
  • a indicator arc 1002 A, 1002B that provides a visual indication of the number of nodes in the hierarchical level below the node being scrolled, or in other words the number of selectable items that are related to the node being scrolled. If the indicator arc 1002 A is relatively large (as shown in FIG. 15A), this indicates that there is a small number of nodes (or items) through which to scroll. If, however, the indicator arc is relatively small (as shown in FIG. 15B), this indicates that the number of nodes (or items) is relatively large. More precisely, if there are n selectable items, the angular displacement of the arc
  • the arc 1002A has a central angle of 90 degrees, or 1/4 of the circle, indicating that there are four selectable items. Taking the top (12 o'clock) position of the circle as the zero point and measuring clockwise, the arc begins at 180 degrees and occupies the third quadrant of the ring, indicating that the currently indicated node is the third of four indicatable items. As the user scrolls through the list of nodes (by turning outer knob 212 shown in FIG. 14), the indicator bar moves accordingly.
  • the arc has a small included angle, indicating that the number n of indicatable items is large. If n is very large, the arc may become so small that it is difficult to see, so it may be desirable to set a maximum n, for example 32, above which the angle of the arc does not get any smaller.
  • the position of the arc still indicates the position of the currently selected node in the total number of nodes. For example, if there
  • the currently selected node is the 75 th node out of the 100 nodes.
  • the included angle of the arc could be — x 360 where n m is the number of selectable items that are displayed on the display, in the example of FIG. 14, three.
  • the included angle of the arc could be
  • FIGS. 16A - 16D show examples of the preset indicator display depending on the number of presets the user has configured the system for.
  • the user has configured the system for six presets and has assigned six different stations to each of buttons 216A-F (e.g., "Magic" assigned to button 216A, 99.5 assigned to button 216B, and so on).
  • buttons 216A-F e.g., "Magic" assigned to button 216A, 99.5 assigned to button 216B, and so on.
  • FIGS. 16B - 16D the user has configured the system to allow for 14 preset stations.
  • On the display screen adjacent a preset indicators there is displayed an identifier of the radio station corresponding to the preset indicator. If desired, specific present indicators may be left unassigned, indicated by no identifier displayed adjacent it.
  • the identifier may be a broadcast frequency (for 99.5, 101.1, and 104.5), call letters (WXXX and WYYY), and/or station name (MAGIC), or some other identifier available from RDS/RDBS data streams or other metadata.
  • the pointer adjacent preset indicator "6" indicates that there are more presets available. Selecting preset indicator "6" causes another set of presets to be displayed, for example as in FIG. 16C.
  • the leftward pointer adjacent the "1" preset indicator indicates that selecting preset indicator "1 " would result in more presets being displayed, for example the arrangement of FIG. 16B.
  • the rightward pointer adjacent the "6" preset indicator indicates that selecting preset indicator "6” would still another set of presets being displayed, for example as in FIG. 16D.
  • the audio sources associated with the preset indicators depend on the audio signal portal.
  • the audio signal portal is an FM receiver, so the audio signal sources represented by the preset indicators are FM radio stations. If the audio signal is a satellite radio receiver, the audio signal sources could be satellite radio channels. If the audio signal portal is a CD/DVD player, the audio signal source could be a track, and so on. Presets can also be assigned for other portals, such as phone, voice memo, and navigation.
  • FIGS. 13B, 14, 15A, 15B, and 16 have been described as applied to a vehicle entertainment system, however they may also be applied to a home entertainment audio system with a display.

Abstract

Procédé pour représenter graphiquement le contenu d'une base de données dans un système de divertissement pour automobile. Le procédé comprend la présentation d'un premier élément d'affichage sur un écran d'affichage, le premier élément d'affichage représentant un premier nœud dans un premier niveau hiérarchique de la base de données; et la présentation d'un deuxième élément d'affichage sur l'écran d'affichage, le deuxième élément d'affichage comportant un indicateur graphique dont la taille varie selon le nombre de nœuds dans un deuxième niveau hiérarchique sous le premier niveau hiérarchique de la base de données.
PCT/US2008/055262 2007-03-02 2008-02-28 Navigation dans des informations stockées WO2008109326A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US68171907A 2007-03-02 2007-03-02
US11/681,719 2007-03-02

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2008109326A1 true WO2008109326A1 (fr) 2008-09-12

Family

ID=39523374

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2008/055262 WO2008109326A1 (fr) 2007-03-02 2008-02-28 Navigation dans des informations stockées

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2008109326A1 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2013090085A1 (fr) * 2011-12-15 2013-06-20 Qualcomm Incorporated Création de paysages sonores pour la navigation
TWI474232B (fr) * 2012-05-31 2015-02-21
CN110850141A (zh) * 2019-09-30 2020-02-28 深圳市元征科技股份有限公司 一种电平显示方法、装置、终端设备及存储介质

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6529804B1 (en) * 2000-11-07 2003-03-04 Motorola, Inc. Method of and apparatus for enabling the selection of content on a multi-media device
WO2004008305A2 (fr) * 2002-07-12 2004-01-22 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Procede pour commander un systeme d'ecran d'affichage dans des vehicules automobiles
DE10237343A1 (de) * 2002-08-14 2004-03-04 Betaresearch Gmbh Verfahren und Anordnung zur Navigation auf einer Benutzeroberfläche
US20060092129A1 (en) * 2004-10-20 2006-05-04 Visteon Global Technologies, Inc. Human machine interface for vehicle

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6529804B1 (en) * 2000-11-07 2003-03-04 Motorola, Inc. Method of and apparatus for enabling the selection of content on a multi-media device
WO2004008305A2 (fr) * 2002-07-12 2004-01-22 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Procede pour commander un systeme d'ecran d'affichage dans des vehicules automobiles
DE10237343A1 (de) * 2002-08-14 2004-03-04 Betaresearch Gmbh Verfahren und Anordnung zur Navigation auf einer Benutzeroberfläche
US20060092129A1 (en) * 2004-10-20 2006-05-04 Visteon Global Technologies, Inc. Human machine interface for vehicle

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2013090085A1 (fr) * 2011-12-15 2013-06-20 Qualcomm Incorporated Création de paysages sonores pour la navigation
CN103959015A (zh) * 2011-12-15 2014-07-30 高通股份有限公司 导航音景
US8996296B2 (en) 2011-12-15 2015-03-31 Qualcomm Incorporated Navigational soundscaping
EP2937669A1 (fr) * 2011-12-15 2015-10-28 Qualcomm Incorporated Création de paysages sonores pour la navigation
TWI474232B (fr) * 2012-05-31 2015-02-21
CN110850141A (zh) * 2019-09-30 2020-02-28 深圳市元征科技股份有限公司 一种电平显示方法、装置、终端设备及存储介质

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US20070266344A1 (en) Browsing Stored Information
US8438481B2 (en) User interface for multifunction device
US20030231208A1 (en) Multimode interface
EP1965172B1 (fr) Système d'affichage d'informations et procédé d'affichage d'informations associé à des données concernant une carte géographique.
US20050172230A1 (en) Multimode multizone interface
US7516419B2 (en) Information retrieval device
US20100229088A1 (en) Graphical representations of music using varying levels of detail
US7126580B2 (en) Interface for a multifunctional system
US20120013548A1 (en) Human-Machine Interface System
US20090006993A1 (en) Method, computer program product and apparatus providing an improved spatial user interface for content providers
KR20100066606A (ko) 컨텐츠 검색 방법 및 장치
KR101677869B1 (ko) 디스플레이 유닛 상에서 메모리 유닛 내에 저장된 데이터 레코드의 기본 세트의 서브 세트를 지정하고 지정된 서브 세트의 적어도 일부를 시각화하기 위한 방법
CN102421623B (zh) 用于控制在显示面上的信息显示的方法
WO2008109326A1 (fr) Navigation dans des informations stockées
JP3434045B2 (ja) 階層的メニュ選択による指示入力装置
CN101685017B (zh) 导航装置及其显示方法
JP2011141340A (ja) 地図表示装置及びそれを用いたナビゲーションシステム
EP1689608B1 (fr) Interface multimode multizone
CN101647018B (zh) 通过创建导航路径在所显示的元素之间进行导航的方法以及实现该方法的装置
JP2012079017A (ja) 表示装置、表示方法、及び表示プログラム
JP2011118605A (ja) 情報処理装置およびプログラム
JP2004249901A (ja) 表示装置付き車載装置
WO2012035471A1 (fr) Procédé et appareil pour la sélection d'un élément audio

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 08730938

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

DPE1 Request for preliminary examination filed after expiration of 19th month from priority date (pct application filed from 20040101)
NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 08730938

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1