VEHICLE FUNCTIONS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a method for facilitating the selection of control devices from a set of control devices for vehicle functions according to the preamble of claim 1 . The invention relates to a system for facilitating the selection of control devices from a set of control devices for vehicle functions. The invention relates also to a vehicle. The invention also relates to a computer programme and a computer programme product.

BACKGROUND

On motor vehicles such as buses there are now a large number of control devices in the form of switches for control of different vehicle functions. On a coach-style bus, for example, which often has a large number of switches grouped together, finding the right switch may be really confusing, thereby distracting the driver, to the detriment of traffic safety during operation of the vehicle.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION One object of the present invention is to provide a method for facilitating the selection of control devices from a set of control devices for functions of a motor vehicle.

One object of the present invention is to provide a system for facilitating the selection of control devices from a set of control devices for functions of a motor vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These and other objects set out by the description below are achieved by a method and a system and by a vehicle, computer programme and computer programme product set out in the introduction which further present the features set out in the characterising part of the attached independent claim 1 . Preferred embodiments of the system are defined in the attached dependent claims.

The invention achieves the objects with a method for facilitating the selection of control devices from a set of control devices for functions of a motor vehicle, comprising the step of marking their availability based on the vehicle's operating situation. This marking of the availability of control devices makes it easier for the driver to find the desired control device so that more of his/her attention may be devoted to operating the vehicle, with consequent improvement of traffic safety.

In one embodiment of the method the step of marking the availability of control devices based on the vehicle's operating situation comprises marking the availability of those which are relevant to the current operating situation.

Thus only the control devices required for use in the current operating situation will be marked for availability, making it easier for the driver to find those which are relevant to the current operating situation. In one embodiment the method comprises the step of determining the current operating situation, thereby making it easier to mark availabilities based on the operating situation.

In one embodiment of the method said operating situation comprise the operating situation where the vehicle is in motion and the operating situation where the vehicle is classified as parked. The division into operating situations means that the only control devices relevant for the current operating situation will be marked when the vehicle, e.g. a bus, is in motion or temporarily stationary, e.g. at traffic lights or when queuing, and only those which are relevant when the vehicle is parked or is temporarily parked for loading/unloading or boarding/alighting.

In one embodiment of the method the operating situation of a vehicle in motion comprises the operating situation where the vehicle is moving or temporarily stationary. Hereby it is taken into account also when the vehicle is temporarily stationary, e.g. at traffic lights or when queuing.

In one embodiment the method comprises the step of taking external factors and the vehicle's localisation into account when marking the availability of control devices. Such external factors comprise weather conditions, whether it is light or dark and the like, and the vehicle's localisation, i.e. its location/position in terms of geography such as the country which the vehicle is in and which may have different laws such that various vehicle functions are allowed or not allowed, e.g. compressor horns, extra lamps and the like, and specific areas where the use of certain functions is not. In one embodiment of the method the marking of the availability of control devices comprises change of state of the control devices. By marking the availability of the control device by changing state for example by illuminating or not the control devices or by being raising or lowering the control devices, it is indicated to the driver which of the control devices that are available and hence makes it easier for him/her to find the desired control device.

In one embodiment of the method the step of marking the availability of control devices on the basis of the vehicle's operating situation comprises making the control device available for activation of corresponding vehicle functions. Thus making the control device available for activation of corresponding vehicle functions makes it possible, where applicable, to only enable activation of a vehicle function which is appropriate to the current operating situation, thereby improving safety in that the driver is not allowed to use control devices to activate a vehicle function which is not appropriate to the current operating situation.

The invention achieves the objects with a system for facilitating the selection of control devices from a set of control devices for functions of a motor vehicle, comprising means for marking the availability of control devices based on the vehicle's operating situation.

In one embodiment of the system the means for marking the availability of control devices on the basis of the vehicle's operating situation comprises marking the availability of those which are relevant to the current operating situation.

In one embodiment the system comprises means for determining current operating situation.

In one embodiment of the system said operating situation comprise operating situation where the vehicle is in motion and operating situation where the vehicle is classified as parked.

In one embodiment of the system the operating situation of vehicle in motion comprises cases where the vehicle is moving or temporarily stationary.

In one embodiment the system comprises means for taking external factors and the vehicle's localisation into account when marking the availability of control devices.

In one embodiment of the system the means for marking the availability of control devices comprises means for change of state of the control device.

In one embodiment of the system the means for marking the availability of control devices based on the vehicle's operating situation comprises means for making the control device available for activation of corresponding vehicle functions. The embodiments for the system present similar advantages to those of corresponding embodiments for the method mentioned above.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood by reading the detailed description set out below in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which the same reference notations are used for similar items throughout the various views, and

Fig. 1 illustrates schematically a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 illustrates schematically a system for facilitating the selection of control devices from a set of control devices for functions of a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a method for facilitating the selection of control devices from a set of control devices for functions of a motor vehicle; and

Fig. 4 illustrates schematically a computer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The term "link" refers herein to a communication link which may be a physical line such as an opto-electronic communication line, or a non-physical line such as a wireless connection, e.g. a radio link or microwave link.

The term "control device" refers herein to a physical unit in the form of a switch. It may be of any suitable configuration and take the form of a rotary device, tilt device, push device or the like.

Fig. 1 illustrates schematically a motor vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle exemplified is a heavy vehicle in the form of a bus. It may alternatively be any suitable vehicle such as a truck or a combination of tractor vehicle and trailer, e.g. a tanker truck.

Fig 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a system I for facilitating the selection of control devices from a set of control devices for functions of a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The system I comprises an electronic control unit 100.

Fig. 2 illustrates schematically a set of control devices 200 for vehicle functions in the form of any suitable vehicle functions which are activable by control devices. These functions comprise in one embodiment functions pertaining to the vehicle's bodywork, e.g. for opening a fuel tank cover, for opening of doors, e.g. on a bus, baggage space hatches etc. They comprise in various embodiments functions for raising/lowering of sun visors, functions for activation of compressor horns, functions for warming/defrosting of mirrors and/or windows, functions for gear changing which are activable by gear change controls present e.g. on city buses in the form of buttons.

Fig. 2 illustrates schematically a set of control devices 200 for activation of vehicle functions, comprising a first control device 210 for activating a first function, a second control device 220 for activating a second function and a third control device 230 for activating a third function. These functions may be any suitable vehicle functions such as those mentioned above.

The system I comprises means 100 for marking the availability of control devices on the basis of the vehicle's operating situation. The means 100 for marking the availability of control devices according to the vehicle's operating situation is adapted to marking the availability of control devices which are relevant to the current operating situation. The means 100 for marking the availability of control devices according to the vehicle's operating situation is therefore so arranged as to mark the control devices as available that are relevant for the current operation situation. The means 100 for marking the availability of control devices according to the vehicle's operating situation comprises means 1 10 for marking the availability of those which are relevant to the current operating situation.

The means 100 for the marking the availability of control devices comprises means 120 for changing the state of an control device by switching on/illuminating the device and switching it off or by raising and lowering the device, as the case may be.

The means 100 for marking the availability of control devices according to the vehicle's operating situation comprises means 130 for making the control device available for activation of corresponding vehicle functions.

The means for marking the availability of control devices according to the vehicle's operating situation comprises in one embodiment the electronic control unit 100. In an undepicted alternative variant it takes the form of a separate means connected to the electronic control unit. Said operating situations comprise the case of vehicles in motion and the case of vehicles classified as parked.

Vehicles in motion comprise those which are actually moving and those which are temporarily stationary, e.g. at traffic lights or when queuing.

Vehicles classified as parked comprise those which are actually parked or are temporarily parked for loading/unloading and/or boarding/alighting.

The system I comprises means 300 for determining current operating situations of the vehicle.

The means 300 for determining current operating situations comprises means 310 for determining whether the vehicle is moving. Said means 310 comprises in one variant means for determining the vehicle's speed, which in one variant takes the form of a speedometer device of the vehicle. Said means 310 comprises in one variant means for continuously determining the vehicle's location, which in one variant takes the form, or is part, of the means 422 described below for determining the vehicle's location.

The means 300 for determining current operating situations comprises means 320 for determining the vehicle's localisation in order to determine whether it is in a traffic lane along its itinerary, in a parking facility or at a temporary parking place such as a bus stop. Said means 320 in one variant takes the form, or is part, of the means 420 referred to below for determining the vehicle's localisation, comprising a map information unit.

The means 300 for determining current operating situations comprises means 330 for determining whether the vehicle is in operation, including determining whether its engine is in operation.

The means 300 for determining current operating situations comprises means 340 for determining whether the vehicle's parking brake is activated.

The means 300 for determining current operating situations may comprise any suitable means for making it easier to determine operating situations.

The system comprises means 400 for taking external factors and the vehicle's localisation into account.

Said means 400 comprises means 410 for determining external factors.

The means 410 for determining external factors comprises a weather unit 412 for determining relevant prevailing weather conditions.

The weather unit 412 comprises weather forecast means for providing updated forecasts of weather conditions.

The weather unit 412 comprises means for determining ambient temperature, which in one variant comprises temperature sensor devices. The weather unit comprises means for determining any precipitation. The weather unit comprises means for determining any solar radiation. The means 410 for taking external factors into account comprises means 414 for determining whether it is light or dark outside the vehicle. Said means 414 comprises in one variant means for determination of time, date and geographical location of the vehicle. Said means 414 comprises in one variant camera devices and/or other light monitoring sensor devices.

The means 400 for taking external factors and the vehicle's localisation into account comprises means 420 for determining the vehicle's localisation. The system I is provided accordingly with means for determining the vehicle's localisation. The means 420 for determining the vehicle's localisation comprises means 422 for determining the vehicle's location, which in one variant comprises a geographical position determination system, i.e. GPS, for identifying the vehicle's location including where it is within a specific country and also in which country it is. The means 420 for determining the vehicle's localisation comprises a map information unit 424 providing map data comprising characteristics along the vehicle's itinerary in terms of roadways, types of road, special areas such as protected areas, etc.

The electronic control unit 100 is signal-connected to the set of control devices 200 via links which enable it to send to control devices relevant to current operating situations signals which represent data for marking their availability. Said data comprise in one variant data for change of state of the control device such as its illumination and/or raising. Said data comprise activation data for making control devices available for activation of corresponding vehicle functions on the basis of operating situation, type of control device, environmental factors, vehicle location or the like, i.e. in case the control device has not been made available for activation of corresponding vehicle functions. The electronic control unit 100 is signal-connected to the first control device 210 via a link 21 which enables it to send to said first control device a signal which represents data for marking its availability.

The electronic control unit 100 is signal-connected to the second control device 220 via a link 22 which enables it to send to said second control device a signal which represents data for marking its availability.

The electronic control unit 100 is signal-connected to the third control device 230 via a link 23 which enables it to send to said third control device a signal which represents data for marking its availability. The electronic control unit 100 is signal-connected to the means 300 for determining the current operating situation, via a link 30 which enables it to receive from said means 300 a signal which represents data on the vehicle's operating situation at the time.

The electronic control unit 100 is signal-connected to the means 310 for determining whether the vehicle is moving, via a link 31 which enables it to receive from said means 310 a signal which represents vehicle movement data.

The electronic control unit 100 is signal-connected to the means 320 for determining the vehicle's localisation, via a link 32 which enables it to receive from said means 320 a signal which represents data for determining the vehicle's localisation, whether it is in a traffic lane along its itinerary, in a parking facility or at a temporary parking place such as a bus stop or the like.

The electronic control unit 100 is signal-connected to the means 330 for determining whether the vehicle is in operation, via a link 33 which enables it to receive from said means 330 a signal which represents operating data for determining whether the vehicle is in operation, including whether its engine is in operation. The electronic control unit 100 is signal-connected to the means 340 for determining whether the vehicle's parking brake is activated, via a link 34 which enables it to receive from said means 340 a signal which represents data on parking brake activation. The electronic control unit 100 is signal-connected via links to the means 400 for taking external factors and the vehicle's location into account.

The electronic control unit 100 is signal-connected to the means 410 for determining external factors, via a link 41 which enables it to receive from said means 410 a signal which conveys weather data for determination of prevailing weather, comprising temperature, precipitation, solar radiation and the like, and data on outdoor light for determining whether it is light or dark outside.

The electronic control unit 100 is signal-connected to the means 420 for determining the vehicle's localisation, via a link 42 which enables it to receive from said means 420 a signal which represents data on the vehicle's localisation for determining its geographical location and characteristics along its itinerary.

The electronic control unit 100 is arranged to process said operating situation data in order to determine current operating situations. It is arranged to process said data in order to determine whether the vehicle is moving, said localisation data in order to determine the vehicle's localisation, said operating data in order to determine whether the vehicle is in operation, and said parking brake activation data, in order thereby to determine the current operating situation. The electronic control unit 100 is consequently arranged to use said operating situation data comprising movement data and/or localisation data and/or operating data and/or parking brake activation data as a basis for determining whether the vehicle is in motion or classified as parked. If for example it is determined that the vehicle is moving and in a traffic lane, it will be classified as being in motion, in which case control devices appropriate for activation of functions of a vehicle in motion will be marked as available. If it is determined that the vehicle's is not in operation, that it is in a parking facility and that its parking brake is activated, it will be classified as parked, in which case control devices appropriate for activation of functions of a vehicle classified as parked will be marked as available.

In addition, such aspects as authorisation may be taken into account where for example a driver has a certain authorisation, which in one variant will be registered via the driver card. In such cases, only the vehicle functions for which the driver has authorisation will be marked as available. Authorisation may also comprise the vehicle's alcohol tester being activated and authorisation to operate the vehicle not being given to the driver until approved deactivation of the alcohol tester has taken place. The electronic control unit 100 is consequently arranged in one variant to determine the respective driver's authorisation. It is arranged to process authorisation data in order to determine authorisation and use it as a basis for marking the availability of control devices for vehicle functions for which the driver is authorised.

For example, in one variant the gear change device will only be marked as available if the driver has authorisation to operate the vehicle.

The electronic control unit 100 is arranged to use operating situations determined as a basis for marking the availability of those relevant to the current operating situation by sending availability marking data to them.

The electronic control unit 100 is arranged to process said external data comprising said weather data and/or outdoor light data. The electronic control unit 100 is arranged to use deternnined external factors as a basis for marking the availability of control devices relevant to such factors by sending availability marking data to them.

The electronic control unit 100 is arranged to process said localisation data in order to determine the vehicle's geographical location and characteristics along its itinerary.

The electronic control unit 100 is arranged to use determined geographical location and characteristics along the vehicle's itinerary as a basis for marking the availability of control devices relevant to the current geographical location and characteristics along the itinerary by sending availability marking data to them.

For example, laws may be different in different countries such that various vehicle functions are allowed or not allowed, e.g. compressor horns, extra lamps and the like. There may also be specific areas where certain functions are not allowed. Thus taking into account the vehicle's localisation, e.g. its location/position in terms of geography such as which country it is in, makes it possible for the control devices relevant to the vehicle's current location to be marked as available.

Fig. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a method for facilitating the selection of control devices from a set of control devices for functions of a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In one embodiment the method for facilitating the selection of control devices comprises a step S1 of marking their availability on the basis of the vehicle's operating situation to make it easier to select them from a set of such devices.

Figure 4 is a diagram of one version of a device 500. The control unit 100 described with reference to Figure 2 may in one version comprise the device 500 which itself comprises a non-volatile memory 520, a data processing unit 510 and a read/write memory 550. The non-volatile memory 520 has a first memory element 530 in which a computer programme, e.g. an operating system, is stored for controlling the function of the device 500. The device 500 further comprises a bus controller, a serial communication port, I/O devices, an A D converter, a time and date input and transfer unit, an event counter and an interruption controller (not depicted). The non-volatile memory 520 has also a second memory element 540.

A proposed computer programme P comprises routines for facilitating the selection of control devices from a set of control devices for functions of a motor vehicle according to the innovative method. The programme P comprises routines for marking the availability of control devices on the basis of the vehicle's operating situation to make it easier to select control devices from a set of such devices. The programme may be stored in an executable form or in compressed form in a memory 560 and/or in a read/write memory 550.

Where the data processing unit 510 is described as performing a certain function, it means that the data processing unit conducts a certain part of the programme stored in the memory 560 or a certain part of the programme stored in the read/write memory 550.

The data processing device 510 can communicate with a data port 599 via a data bus 515. The non-volatile memory 520 is intended for communication with the data processing unit 510 via a data bus 512. The separate memory 560 is intended to communicate with the data processing unit via a data bus 51 1 . The read/write memory 550 is adapted to communicating with the data processing unit via a data bus 514. The links associated with the control unit 100 may for example be connected to the data port. When data are received on the data port 599, they are stored temporarily in the second memory element 540. When input data received have been temporarily stored, the data processing unit 510 will be prepared to conduct code execution as described above. The signals received on the data port may be used by the device 500 for marking the availability of control devices on the basis of the vehicle's operating situation to make it easier to select them from a set of such devices.

Parts of the methods herein described may be conducted by the device 500 by means of the data processing unit 510 which runs the programme stored in the memory 560 or the read/write memory 550. When the device 500 runs the programme, methods herein described will be executed.

The above description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention is provided for illustrative and descriptive purposes. It is not intended to be exhaustive, nor to restrict the invention to the variants described. Many modifications and variations will obviously suggest themselves to one skilled in the art. The embodiments have been chosen and described in order best to explain the principles of the invention and their practical applications and thus make it possible for one skilled in the art to understand the invention for different embodiments and with the various modifications appropriate to the intended use.