US-12623537-B2 - User interface for a vehicle, a vehicle, and a method for operating a user interface for a vehicle

US12623537B2US 12623537 B2US12623537 B2US 12623537B2US-12623537-B2

Abstract

A user interface for a vehicle includes a two-dimensional display and an optical faceplate. The display displays information on a display portion. The optical faceplate includes a contact surface, a three-dimensional display surface for displaying information, and an optic light guide material. The optical faceplate is integrated into the display such the areal extension of the display surface and/or the contact surface is smaller than an areal extension of the display. The contact surface receives light emitted from the display. The user interface further includes comprises a device that determines a context according to a state of the vehicle, information that is visible on the display portion and/or the display surface, and/or user input captured by the user interface. The user interface displays contextually dependent information so that the information that is visible on the display portion and on the display surface depend on the determined context.

Inventors

Etienne Iliffe-Moon
Iris Koser
Wei Wang

Assignees

BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20220708
Priority Date: 20210722

Claims (20)

1 . A user interface for a vehicle configured to present visible information and configured to capture user input, the user interface comprising: a display comprising a two-dimensional display for displaying information on a display portion, and an optical faceplate comprising a contact surface, a three-dimensional display surface for displaying information, and an optic light guide material provided between the contact surface and the three-dimensional display surface; wherein the optical faceplate is integrated into the display such that at least one of an areal extension of the three-dimensional display surface and an areal extension of the contact surface is smaller than an areal extension of the display, and such that the contact surface is configured to receive light emitted from the display; wherein the user interface further comprises a context determination device configured to determine a context according to at least one of the group consisting of: a state of the vehicle; at least a portion of the information that is visible on the display portion; the information that is visible on the three-dimensional display surface; and user input captured by the user interface; and wherein the user interface is configured to display contextually dependent information so that the information that is visible on the display portion and the information that is visible on the three-dimensional display surface depend on the determined context.
2 . The user interface as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the user interface is configured to separately determine the information that is visible on the display portion and the information that is visible on the three-dimensional display surface.
3 . The user interface as claimed in claim 2 , wherein: the user interface is further configured to display the contextually dependent information so that the information that is visible on the display portion and the information that is visible on the three-dimensional display surface relate to each other.
4 . The user interface as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the user interface is further configured to, depending on the determined context, move at least one of the information that is visible on the three-dimensional display surface or the information that is visible on the display portion to the other of the three-dimensional display portion or the display portion.
5 . The user interface as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the user interface is further configured to, depending on the captured user input, move information that is visible on the display portion to the three-dimensional display surface.
6 . The user interface as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the user interface is further configured to, depending on the captured user input, move the information that is visible on the three-dimensional display surface to the display portion.
7 . The user interface as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the user interface comprises a memory configured to store past data consisting of at least one of the group consisting of past context data relating to a context that was determined in the past, a past state of the vehicle, past information that was visible on the display portion, past information that was visible on the three-dimensional display surface ( 11 ), and past user input captured by the user interface; and the context determination device is further configured to receive said past data and to determine the context based at least in part on said past data.
8 . The user interface as claimed in claim 7 ; wherein: the user interface is configured to separately determine the information that is visible on the display portion and the information that is visible on the three-dimensional display surface.
9 . The user interface as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the three-dimensional display surface comprises at least two surface portions that are separated by an edge; and the user interface is configured to display contextually dependent information so that the information that is visible on each of the at least two surface portions depends on the determined context.
10 . The user interface as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the three-dimensional display surface comprises at least two surface portions that are separated from each other by an edge; and wherein the user interface is configured to separately determine the information that is visible on each of the at least two surface portions.
11 . The user interface as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the faceplate is touch sensitive; the three-dimensional display surface comprises at least two surface portions that are separated by an edge; and the user interface is configured to determine separate information to be displayed on each of the at least two surface portions.
12 . The user interface as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the user interface is configured to display the information that is visible on the three-dimensional display surface such that light emitted from the display is projected onto the three-dimensional display surface.
13 . The user interface as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the user interface is configured to display the information that is visible on the three-dimensional display surface such that light emitted from the display is manipulated according to the three-dimensional display surface.
14 . The user interface as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the display portion and the three-dimensional display surface form a combined user interface.
15 . The user interface as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the two-dimensional display is touch sensitive, the faceplate is touch sensitive, and the user interface is configured to capture a gesture relative to the faceplate as the user input.
16 . The user interface as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the optical light guide material of the faceplate comprises fiber optic elements, each fiber optic element having an axis; and the fiber optic elements are arranged such that each of the axes of the fiber optic elements are disposed at an angle of less than 80° with respect to the three-dimensional display surface.
17 . The user interface as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the optical light guide material of the faceplate comprises fiber optic elements, each fiber optic element having an axis; and the fiber optic elements are arranged such that each of the fiber optics elements is curved between the contact surface and the three-dimensional display surface.
18 . The user interface as claimed in claim 17 , wherein: the light guide material of the faceplate comprises portions with differently oriented fiber optics elements.
19 . A vehicle comprising the user interface as claimed in claim 1 .
20 . A method for operating a user interface for a vehicle that is configured to present visible information and configured to capture user input, the method comprising: displaying information on a display portion of a display, the display comprising a two-dimensional display; displaying information on a three-dimensional display surface of an optical faceplate via a contact surface arranged to receive light emitted from the display and, the optical faceplate including an optic light guide material provided between the contact surface and the three-dimensional display surface, wherein the faceplate is integrated into the display such that at least one of an areal extension of the three-dimensional display surface and an areal extension of the contact surface is smaller than an areal extension of the display; determining a context according to at least one of the group consisting of a state of the vehicle, the information that is visible on the display portion, the information that is visible on the three-dimensional display surface, and user input captured by the user interface; displaying contextually dependent information such that the information that is visible on the display portion and the information that is visible on the three-dimensional display surface depend on the determined context; and depending on the captured user input, moving the information that is visible on the three-dimensional display surface to the display portion and/or moving the information that is visible on the display portion to the three-dimensional display surface.

Description

The present application is the U.S. national phase of PCT Application PCT/EP2022/069108 filed on Jul. 8, 2022, which claims priority of European patent application No. 21187100.9 filed on Jul. 22, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to user interfaces for vehicles and methods for operating user interfaces for vehicles. BACKGROUND A known user interface can comprise a two-dimensional flat display to display information and/or a physical button or knob to capture user input. Two-dimensional displays are used to present a variety of information to the driver and/or other passengers of the vehicle. Two-dimensional displays can comprise a touch functionality to capture user input. Thereby, the two-dimensional display with touch functionality, also called touchscreen, can provide a part of the user interface with a large number of functions. During driving it appears to be difficult to make use of the large number of functions, in particular for the driver who needs to pay attention to driving the vehicle. Furthermore, due to a lack of feedback perceivable by a user, e.g., the driver, in case of a touch sensitive display it appears difficult for the user to perform an accurate input, e.g. with a user's finger. For the same reason, the driver is distracted and needs to pay visual and cognitive attention to operate a touch sensitive display. That is, such a two-dimensional display comprises a plurality of aspects that needs to be improved. Physical buttons provide a physical affordance which provides important benefits, in particular when used in a vehicle. E.g., user-friendliness by providing physical stability to a finger interacting with the button, reduced distraction as opposed to using a touchscreen, and familiarity as the button's physical location and function is substantial and consistent. The physical button allows a blind operation since the user memorizes and/or feels where to find the button, how to operate it and/or which function it has. In addition, a physical button may also be an aesthetic feature of the vehicle. A physical button or knob can also present information, e.g., a rotatable knob can present information about a volume of a radio by its orientation or a slide control can present information about a temperature set for an interior of the vehicle. However, physical buttons have properties that may be disadvantageous, such as having a dedicated function and a lack of relationship to the digital user interface, e.g., to content that is displayed on a two-dimensional display. US 2014/0147087 A1 discloses a display comprising an image device configured to output an image; and a faceplate configured to propagate the image to a display surface of the faceplate. The display is expected to be more aesthetically pleasing than a flat display. However, the two-dimensional display is fully covered by the faceplate. As a result, the user might not distinguish easily between different pieces of information that are visible at the display surface, since any information is presented in an equal manner on the display surface. Certain types of digital content or media to be displayed at the display surface may not be adapted to be displayed at the display surface of the faceplate, e.g., movies, photos, animations, music album cover artwork, etc. Covering the entire display with a faceplate might not be cost-effective, especially as the two-dimensional display gets larger. Furthermore, the interaction with the user interface could be difficult as the user, in particular the driver, cannot easily determine where to perform input at the display surface. There is a need, therefore, for further improved functionality and user-friendliness of a user interface. SUMMARY The above-stated need, as well as others, are addressed by at least some embodiments disclosed herein. At least one embodiment is a user interface for a vehicle adapted to present visible information and adapted to capture user input comprises a two-dimensional display for displaying information on a display portion, and an optical faceplate comprising a contact surface, a three-dimensional display surface for displaying information, and an optic light guide material provided between the contact surface and the three-dimensional display surface. In other words, the faceplate comprises the contact surface, the three-dimensional display surface and the optic light guide material. According to one embodiment, the faceplate is integrated into the display so that an areal extension of the three-dimensional display surface and/or an areal extension of the contact surface is smaller than an areal extension of the display, and so that the contact surface is arranged to receive light emitted from the display. The faceplate is integrated into the display, i.e., the faceplate is mounted to the display, wherein the faceplate covers a partial or smaller fraction of the area of the displa