FR2957860A1 - Displaying unit for man-machine interface of motor vehicle to reveal operational condition of e.g. seat of vehicle for driver of vehicle using pictogram, has two films, where second film is associated with second control unit of portion - Google Patents

Abstract

The unit (5) has a first film (10) comprising a zone to emit light and associated with a first control unit (14) of the zone. A second film (11) comprises a portion whose opacity is variable, and is associated with a second control unit (15) of the portion. The first film and the second film are implemented independently on one another respectively by intermediary of the first control unit and the second control unit. The zone of first film and the portion of the second film are identical and superimposed on one another. An independent claim is also included for a man-machine interface comprising a support resistive detection film.

Description

Means of display and human-machine interface of a motor vehicle.

Technical Field of the Invention

The invention is in the field of control devices of an accessory equipping a motor vehicle. Its object is a means of display and a human-machine interface controlling such an accessory, the latter being in particular a ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning, multimedia, opening of the vehicle or any other device accessible to the driver or the passengers of the said vehicle.

State of the art

A motor vehicle is commonly equipped with an accessory whose implementation requires the intervention of a user, driver or passenger of the vehicle. The accessory is in connection with a human-machine interface that is accessible to the user by being disposed inside or outside the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Such an accessory is for example a ventilation system, heating and / or air conditioning, a car radio, a windshield wiper or a door opening mechanism or sunroof.

The document FR 2,825,832 (SIEMENS AUTOMOTIVE SA) describes a control device which comprises a plurality of elements stacked on each other. A first element consists of a finger guide made of hard plastic material which is provided with cutouts and / or asperities. A second element is formed of a flexible electroluminescent film which is a means of illumination and display. A third element consists of a surface sensitive to the touch which is able to detect the position of a finger of the user and which is able to reconstitute a movement of this finger. A fourth element is formed of an electronic circuit which is associated with the sensitive surface and makes it possible to activate a specific function of the accessory according to the position or the displacement of the user's finger on the sensitive surface.

A general problem posed by the use of such a control device lies in the fact that the latter consumes a lot of electrical energy for its use in daytime conditions and in night conditions and that its interface is visible in all circumstances. in the vehicle environment which affects the aesthetics of the vehicle. In addition, such a control device is likely to disturb the attention of the driver which is potentially dangerous.

Object of the invention

The object of the present invention is to propose a human-machine interface for controlling an accessory of a motor vehicle, the human-machine interface being desired with a high contrast day and night, low energy consumption for its implementation, compact and yet effective, the man-machine interface also providing operating modes that enhance the aesthetics of the man-machine interface made invisible when not in use, which reinforce the driving safety.

A device of the present invention is a man-machine interface installed on or in a motor vehicle. The human-machine interface comprises means for displaying at least one pictogram. The display means comprises a first film which comprises at least one zone able to emit light or to reflect the natural external light and which is associated with a first control means of the zone, and a second film which comprises at least a portion whose opacity is variable and which is associated with a second portion control means.

Said invention is therefore a means of displaying at least one innovative pictogram in that it comprises a first film which comprises at least one zone capable of emitting light and which is associated with a first control means of the zone and a second film which comprises at least one portion whose opacity is variable and which is associated with a second means of controlling the portion.

According to a first characteristic of the invention, the first film and the second film are implemented independently of one another respectively via the first control means and the second control means.

According to a second characteristic of the invention, the region of the first film 10 comprises a reflecting surface.

The area of the first film and the portion of the second film are superimposed on each other. In addition, the region of the first film and the portion of the second film are of identical conformations. According to another characteristic of the invention, the portion of the first film consists of an electroluminescent film whose thickness is 0.21 mm, plus or minus 10%.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the portion of the second film consists of a matrix comprising controlled liquid crystals.

The display means according to the invention comprises a translucent matte film, advantageously disposed on the second upper layer film in contact with the fingers of the user. The matte nature of the film avoids mirror effects or reflections likely to disturb the driver or passengers.

A sealing film covers the translucent matte film and protects the display means of the entrances of liquids or solid impurities at the periphery, which protects the human-machine interface from liquids or solid impurities (dust), from a Generally speaking, external aggression. Advantageously, a first adhesive film is interposed between the translucent matte film and the second film.

Advantageously, a second adhesive film is interposed between the second film and the first film.

The invention also covers a man-machine interface comprising a display means as described above which is innovative in that it comprises a resistive support detection film, in a lower layer. Advantageously, the human-machine interface comprises a third adhesive film is interposed between the first film and the resistive support detection film.

A power supply, a calculator, a brightness sensor and optionally a switch are also included in the human-machine interface of the invention.

Advantageously, it is possible to impose around an axis a curvature on all the films forming the display means and the man-machine interface 20 incorporating said display means, formed of layers of polymers and this in the limit of a radius of about 250mm dictated by the resistive sensing film detection technology.

Advantageously, the man-machine interface may be equipped with a sound return of the button press by buzzer or speaker and generator associated with a sound amplifier.

Description of the figures.

The present invention will be better understood on reading the description which will be given of exemplary embodiments, in relation to the figures of the attached plates, in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a human interface -machine of a motor vehicle according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a display means constituting the human-machine interface illustrated in FIG.

Fig.3 is a partial schematic and exploded view of the display means shown in Fig.2. Fig.4 to Fig.6 are front views of the display means shown in Fig.5 in different operating configurations.

In Fig.1, a motor vehicle is commonly equipped with an accessory 1 whose state, such as a start or stop, or a particular mode of operation, is determined by a user, indifferently driver or passenger of the vehicle. The accessory 1 is more particularly a ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning system capable of modifying the aerothermal parameters of the air contained inside the passenger compartment. The accessory 1 is also likely to consist of a sunroof, headlights, a car radio, one or more wipers (s), a control system to the opening and the closing windows of the vehicle or any other equivalent accessory whose control may be inside or outside the vehicle. To offer the user the ability to control, know and / or determine the state of the accessory 1, the latter is associated with a control device or human-machine interface 2. The human-machine interface 2 is able to indicate to the user general information, such as time, temperature or the like. The human-machine interface 2 is also able to transmit an instruction 3 to the accessory 1 via communication means 4. These are interposed between the human-machine interface 2 and the accessory 1 and are indifferently wired or remote type.

The human-machine interface 2 is preferably integrated into a vehicle dashboard or a console which are arranged inside the passenger compartment. The human-machine interface 2 is nonetheless likely to be placed outside the vehicle, in particular in the case where the man-machine interface 2 is intended to control the opening / closing of the opening of the vehicle.

The human-machine interface 2 comprises means 5 for displaying at least one pictogram 6 which constitutes visual information for the user of the vehicle. The pictogram 6 is for example constituted by one or more alphanumeric characters, illustrating in particular a temperature, such as a temperature prevailing outside the vehicle or a temperature of the air present inside the passenger compartment. The pictogram 6 is for example still significant of an on / off state of the accessory. The pictogram 6 is for example finally revealing an operating state of the accessory 1. In this case, the pictogram 6 is likely to consist of a symbol or several associated symbols illustrating a structural element of the vehicle, such as a seat, a window, a wiper blade or the like.

The man-machine interface 2 also comprises a computer 7 which is intended to receive an order 8 from the resistive support detection film 16 to deduce the instruction 3 of implementation of the accessory 1.

The human-machine interface 2 comprises a power supply 9, such as a battery or the like, to enable the computer 7 and / or the display means 5 to be implemented.

The human-machine interface 2 finally comprises a brightness sensor 27 to choose to feed the first film 10 or simply to exploit its reflective appearance of the external light. It is possible to more simply consider manual control by switch 28 to ensure this transition or an automatic control connected to the ignition of the pilot lights of the vehicle. It is understood that the first film 10 has a reflective surface that reflects the light rays, which makes it possible to dispense with its activation when natural light is sufficient. This solution lowers the power consumption of human-machine interface.

Referring also to FIGS. 2 and 3, the present invention advantageously proposes that the display means 5 comprise at least two distinct polyester films 10, 11, including a first film 10 capable of emitting light. and a second film 11 able to prevent or allow passage of the light emitted by the first film 10. The first film 10 comprises at least one zone 12 capable of emitting light and the second film 11 comprises at least one portion 13 of which opacity is variable. The portion 13 of the second film 11 covers the zone 12 of the first film 10 so that the portion 13 of the second film 11 constitutes a shutter for the passage of light when said portion 13 is opaque. The portion 13 of the second film 11 is preferably constituted by liquid crystals whose orientation is variable to either allow or prohibit the passage of the light emitted by said zone 12. Typically, the thickness of the first film 10 is of the order of 0.21 mm, plus or minus 10% while the thickness of the second film 11 is of the order of 0.25 mm, plus or minus 10%.

The first film 10 is associated with a first control means 14 for light emission by said zone 12. The second film 11 is associated with a second means 15 for controlling the opacity of said portion 13. In other words, the the function of the first film 10 is to emit or not light in said zone 12, the power to emit light being determined by the first control means 14. In addition, the first film 10 has a suitable white reflective upper surface. to reflect the light when it is not powered, which reduces the power consumption of the device. The second film 11 serves to allow or prohibit a passage through said portion 13 of the light emitted or reflected in said zone 12, the ability to allow the passage being placed under the control of the second control means 15. first film 10 and the second film 11 are implemented independently of one another respectively via the first control means 14 and the second control means 15. The first control means 14 and the second control means control 15 are preferably connected to the computer 7 which is provided to send them a respective control order 26, that is to say an order independent of one another or a simultaneous order.

The portion 13 of the second film 11 and the zone 12 of the first film 10 are each shaped according to at least a part of the pictogram 6. More particularly, the portion 13 of the second film 11 and the zone 12 of the first 10 have similar shapes, even identical and are constitutive of the pictogram 6. The latter is likely to be obtained by various portions 13 and 12 zones assembled together.

The display means 5 comprises a third polyester film which is a resistive bearing detection film 16 capable of discerning a pressure 17 and / or a movement 18 exerted by a finger of the user on the display means 5. Such a pressure 17 and / or such a movement 18 causes the order 8 to be sent from the resistive bearing detection film 16 to the computer 7. The latter translates the order 8 into instruction 3 for the accessory 1 , Instruction 3 being in accordance with the wishes of the user embodied by the pressure 17 and / or the movement 18. The resistive support sensing film 16 constitutes a control interface of the accessory 1 which is compact. The resistive bearing detection film 16 comprises a surface fraction 20 which is placed directly above the portion 13 of the second film 11 and the zone 12 of the first film 10. Said fraction 20 comprises, for example, two electrical contacts presenting between them a spacing which varies as a function of the pressure exerted on the display means 5. The calculator 7 translates this variation of spacing into instruction 3 with the possibility of separate commands, that is to say, progressive, under different pressures support. Typically, the thickness of the resistive bearing detection film 16 is of the order of 0.30 mm, within plus or minus 10%.

The display means 5 is capable of comprising a translucent matte film 21 which covers the first film 10, the second film 11 and the resistive bearing detection film 16. The translucent matte film 21 masks the pictogram 6 when the latter is not illuminated and insufficiently masked by the second opaque film 11 because of the limit of its technology. The transparent matte film 21 is intended to typically absorb from 0 to 20% of the light intensity that passes through it as a function of the performances related to the second film 11. The transparent matte film also prevents the reflection of the external light on the surface of the medium display 5 to improve the readability of the display means 5 and avoid the effects of glare harmful to the driver or passengers. Typically, the thickness of the translucent matte film 21 is of the order of 0.15 mm, within plus or minus 10%.

The display means 5 is capable of comprising a sealing film 22 which is able to isolate the man-machine interface 2 from the external moisture to the latter, so that the man-machine interface 2 can be installed outside the passenger compartment, for example in the case where it is dedicated to the control of opening of the vehicle. This sealing film 22 also makes it possible to protect the display means 5 from liquids (beverages inside the vehicle, rain outside) or solid impurities (dust) or else aggression.

To ensure the mechanical coherence of the display means 5, the latter comprises a plurality of adhesive films 23,24,25. These are two-sided adhesive films of respective thickness of the order of 0.10 mm, plus or minus 10%. A first adhesive film 23 is interposed between the translucent matte film 21 and the second film 11. A second adhesive film 24 is interposed between the second film 11 and the first film 10. A third adhesive film 25 is interposed between the first film 10 and the resistive support sensing film 16.

It follows from these provisions that the display means 5 has a low overall thickness, of the order of 1.21 mm to plus or minus 10%, which confers on the man-machine interface 2 a reduced space requirement. maximum.

The constitution of the man-machine interface 2 offers the great advantage of being able to be curved and follow the shapes of a vehicle interior, for example a dashboard or a central console. The curvature of the display means is due to the fact that the first film 10 and the second film 11 are flexible due to their small thicknesses. Of course, the other films such as the resistive support sensing film 16, the adhesive films 23, 24 or 25, the translucent matte film 21, and the sealing film 22 have the same fineness characteristics as the first and second films so as to constitute a human-machine interface that can be curved.

From differentiated commands of the implementation of the first film 10 and the second film 11, the man-machine interface 2 advantageously offers several different visual aspects of the pictogram (s) 6, as successively illustrated in FIGS. 4 to fig.6.

In a first configuration corresponding to an opacity of the man-machine interface illustrated in FIG. 4, the first film 10 is deactivated by the first control means 14 so that the zone 12 does not emit light while the second film 11 is deactivated by the second control means 15 so that the portion 13 is made opaque, to prohibit the light reflection on the first film 10 consecutive to natural light. Such a first configuration is particularly advantageous for putting into operation the display means 5 in the diurnal condition making it possible to make the second film 11 visually uniform, the portion 13 of the second film 11 being visually identical to the rest of the second film 11. Thus, the pictogram 6 is invisible to the user which makes the cabin of the vehicle homogeneous by lack of a multiplicity of pictograms in several places in the cockpit. In other words, the display means 5 is completely opaque and is free of reflections so that it is impossible to discern the pictogram 6.

In a second configuration illustrated in FIG. 5, the first film 10 is deactivated by the first control means 14 so that the zone 12 does not emit light while the second film 11 is activated by the second means of control 15 so that the portion 13 is transparent. Such a second configuration is particularly advantageous for putting into operation the display means 5 in the daytime condition or in a high-brightness condition making it possible to visually distinguish said portion 13 of the second film 11 with respect to the remainder of the second film 11 without the zone 12 does not emit light. It is here the reflective character of the first that is exploited. Such light conditions are for example characteristic of a very sunny day. Thus, the pictogram 6 is identifiable and readable by the user with a minimum power consumption, reduced to that just needed to power the second film 11.

In a third configuration illustrated in FIG. 6, the first film 10 is activated by the first control means 14 so that the zone 12 emits light while the second film 11 is activated by the second control means 15. so that the portion 13 is transparent. Such a third configuration is particularly advantageous for operating the display means 5 in a night condition or with a low luminosity making it possible to quickly identify and locate the portion 13, from a light emission provided by said zone 12. This configuration is however usable in daytime conditions. Such light conditions are for example characteristic of the moment of passage between day and night.

These provisions are such that the display of the pictogram 6 is ephemeral, the pictogram 6 can be made invisible in the first configuration, which avoids disrupting the attention of the driver of the vehicle and which contributes to increasing the aesthetics of the human-machine interface 2.

The transition from a configuration illustrated in FIG. 4 or 5 to a configuration illustrated in FIG. 6 can be controlled automatically by the computer 7, which is dependent on a brightness sensor 27. This transition can also be manually controlled by a switch 28 dedicated and manipulated by the user of the human-machine interface 2 according to the lighting conditions and to reduce the consumption of the said interface 2. Alternatively, this transition can be dependent on the ignition pilot lights of the vehicle.

Claims (1)

1. means for displaying (5) at least one pictogram (6), characterized in that it comprises a first film (10) which comprises at least one zone (12) capable of emitting light and which is associated with a first control means (14) of the zone (12), and a second film (11) which comprises at least one portion (13) whose opacity is variable and which is associated with a second control means (15) of the portion (13). 2. Display means (5), in which the first film (10) and the second film (II) are implemented independently of one another respectively via the first control means (14). ) and the second control means (15). 3. Display means (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the region (12) of the first film (10) comprises a reflecting surface. 4. Display means (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the region (12) of the first film (10) and the portion (13) of the second film (11) are superimposed on each other. one on the other. 5. Display means (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the region (12) of the first film (10) and the portion (13) of the second film (11) are of respective conformations. identical. 6. Display means (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the portion (13) of the first film (10) has an electroluminescent property whose thickness is 0.21 mm, at plus or minus 10%, advantageously by means of an electroluminescent film. 12 7. Display means (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the portion (13) of the second film (11) consists of a matrix comprising liquid crystals, advantageously controlled by the second control means (15). 8. Display means (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a translucent matte film (21), advantageously arranged on the second film (11). 9. Display means (5) according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises a sealing film (22) which covers the translucent matte film (21) and protects at the periphery the display means (5). ) entrances of liquids or solid impurities. 10. Display means (5) according to claims 8 or 9, characterized in that a first adhesive film (23) is interposed between the translucent matte film (21) and the second film (11). 20 11. Display means (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a second adhesive film (24) is interposed between the second film (11) and the first film (10). 12. A man-machine interface (2) comprising a display means (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a resistive support detection film (16). 13. A human-machine interface (2) according to claim 12, characterized in that a third adhesive film (25) is interposed between the first film (10) and the resistive bearing detection film (16). 15 14.- human-machine interface (2) according to any one of claims 12 or 13, characterized in that it comprises a power supply source (9), a computer (7), a brightness sensor (27). ) and optionally a switch (28).