Method for operating an interactive visibility screen, a pane device and a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11227565-B2
Application number	US-201715611272-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2017
Priority date	Jul 6, 2016
Publication date	Jan 18, 2022
Grant date	Jan 18, 2022

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating an interactive visibility screen on a transparent pane of a pane device, in particular in a motor vehicle. The visibility screen is generated by means of a display unit of the pane device on the pane by pixel-wise fade-in of opaque image points, wherein the image points form a coherent visibility screen area. In the method, an operational action by the user is first detected by means of a detection device, which comprises a selection of a setting range and a movement relative to the pane. Subsequently, an expansion of the visibility screen area at the setting range is set as a function of the detected movement by means of a control device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for operating an interactive visibility screen on a transparent pane of a pane device in a motor vehicle, wherein the interactive visibility screen is generated on the pane by means of a display unit of the pane device by pixel-wise fade-in of opaque image points, wherein the opaque image points form a coherent visibility screen area, the method comprising:
detecting an activation action by a user by means of a detection device, the detection of the activation action activating the display unit, the detection of the activation action further allowing the user to subsequently use an operational action to adjust the visibility screen;
detecting the operational action by the user by means of the detection device, wherein the operational action comprises a selection of a setting range and a movement relative to the pane;
setting an expansion of the coherent visibility screen area at the setting range as a function of the movement relative to the pane by means of a control device;
opening at least one predetermined area of the coherent visibility screen area based at least in part on the setting; and
automatically closing the at least one opened predetermined area of the coherent visibility screen after a predetermined period of time after detecting the operational action.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein opening the at least one predetermined area of the coherent visibility screen comprises fading out one or more opaque image points in the predetermined area of the coherent visibility screen.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
detecting a viewing direction of the user; and
moving the at least one predetermined area of the coherent visibility screen area within the coherent visibility screen area as a function of the viewing direction of the user.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the setting the expansion of the coherent visibility screen area is set only after identification of the user, and
the operational action by the user is on an area of the pane accessible from outside the motor vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least one first operating gesture is detected as the movement, and
at least two fingers of the user are moved relative to one another from a starting position in the at least one first operating gesture.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least one second operating gesture is detected as the movement, and
the user performs a wiping motion or a painting motion on the pane or free in the air with one hand or at least one finger in the at least one second operating gesture.

7. A pane device for a motor vehicle, the pane device comprising:
a transparent pane;
a display unit configured to generate a visibility screen on the transparent pane by pixel-wise fade-in of opaque image points, wherein the opaque image points form a coherent visibility screen area;
a detection device configured to detect an activation action of a user and an operational action of the user, wherein detection of the activation action activates the display unit and further allows the user to subsequently use the operational action to adjust the visibility screen, and wherein the operational action comprises a selection of a setting range and a movement relative to the pane; and
a control device configured to set an expansion of the coherent visibility screen area at the setting range as a function of the detected movement, open at least one predetermined area of the coherent visibility screen area based at least in part on the setting of the expansion of the coherent visibility screen, and automatically close the at least one predetermined area of the coherent visibility screen subsequent to the opening of the at least one predetermined area of the coherent visibility screen.

8. The pane device according to claim 7 , wherein the control device is further configured to open the at least one predetermined area of the coherent visibility screen by fading out one or more opaque image points in the predetermined area of the coherent visibility screen.

9. The pane device according to claim 7 , wherein the control device is further configured to set the expansion of the coherent visibility screen area only after identification of the user, and
wherein the operational action by the user is on an area of the pane accessible from outside the motor vehicle.

10. The pane device according to claim 7 , wherein the detection device is further configured to detect at least one first operating gesture as the movement, and
wherein at least two fingers of the user are moved relative to one another from a starting position in the at least one first operating gesture.

11. The pane device according to claim 7 , wherein the detection device is further configured to detect at least one second operating gesture as the movement, and
wherein the user performs a wiping motion or a painting motion on the pane or free in the air with one hand or at least one finger in the at least one second operating gesture.

12. A motor vehicle with a pane device, the motor vehicle comprising:
a transparent pane;
a display unit configured to generate a visibility screen on the transparent pane by pixel-wise fade-in of opaque image points, wherein the opaque image points form a coherent visibility screen area;
a detection device configured to detect an activation action of a user and an operational action of the user, wherein detection of the activation action activates the display unit and further allows the user to subsequently use the operational action to adjust the visibility screen, and wherein the operational action comprises a selection of a setting range and a movement relative to the pane; and
a control device configured to set an expansion of the coherent visibility screen area at the setting range as a function of the detected movement, open at least one predetermined area of the coherent visibility screen area based at least in part on the setting of the expansion of the coherent visibility screen, and automatically close the at least one predetermined area of the coherent visibility screen subsequent to the opening of the at least one predetermined area of the coherent visibility screen.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising:
an additional detection device directed toward surroundings of the motor vehicle,
wherein the control device is configured to assign a point in the surroundings of the motor vehicle fixed by eyes of the user through at least one predetermined area opened in the coherent visibility screen area to an image point detected by the additional detection device, and
wherein the control device is configured to shift the at least one predetermined area within the coherent visibility screen area such that the point fixed by the eyes of the user continues to be fixed by the eyes of the user through the at least one predetermined area during the movement of the motor vehicle.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the control device is further configured to open the at least one predetermined area of the coherent visibility screen by fading out one or more opaque image points in the predetermined area of the coherent visibility screen.

15. The motor vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the detection device is further configured to detect a viewing direction of the user, and
wherein the control device is further configured to move the at least one predetermined area of the coherent visibility screen area within the coherent visibility screen area as a function of the viewing

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Mertens Joris
• Haslinger Georg
• Hélot Jacques
• Klug Markus

Classifications

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/81

  for controlling displays · CPC title

• B60J3/04 Primary

  adjustable in transparency · CPC title

• G09G2300/026

  Video wall, i.e. juxtaposition of a plurality of screens to create a display screen of bigger dimensions · CPC title

• G09G3/20

  for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix {no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters} · CPC title