Tesla Motors, Inc.

Volkswagen Ag

Tesla, Inc.

Evan Small

Michael Fairman

William Lathrop

Dan Adams

Brian Finn

Vincent George Johnston

Roy Goldman

Brian Michael Finn

Brennan Boblett

Enrique Rodriguez

Jonathon Stoia

Veer Nairyani

Luke Simonson

A method for controlling application windows is provided for use with a graphical user interface (GUI) display which is divided into at least first and second application windows. Various software applications may be launched in the first and second application windows. In order to switch locations of the software applications launched in the first and second application windows the user selects a swap window button, for example by tapping or clicking on a swap window icon on the GUI display.

Method of selecting an application target window in a user interface

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to control a vehicle accessory actuator for an actuated vehicle accessory, such as an actuated glovebox in the cockpit of a vehicle. A vehicle accessory control system includes a vehicle accessory actuator and a logic device configured to control operation of the vehicle accessory actuator. The vehicle accessory actuator is configured to unlatch or otherwise control operation of a vehicle accessory. The logic device is configured to receive an unlatch or other control command associated with the vehicle accessory, determine an operating temperature, other environmental condition, or operational status associated with the vehicle, vehicle accessory, or vehicle accessory actuator, and to provide an actuator control signal to the vehicle accessory actuator to unlatch or otherwise control operation of the vehicle accessory, where electrical characteristics of the actuator control signal are based on the determined operating temperature, other environmental condition, or operational status.

Glovebox controller systems and methods

A motor vehicle includes a steering wheel, a first touchpad integrated into the steering wheel adapted to input commands, a second touchpad integrated into the steering wheel and spatially separated from the first touchpad adapted to input commands, and a coordination module adapted to generate a command to operate a function of the motor vehicle as a function of a touch motion over the first touchpad and a simultaneously-occurring touch motion over the second touchpad.

Steering wheel and integrated touchpads for inputting commands

A method for operating a vehicle user interface is provided, the user interface utilizing a touch-screen display mounted within the vehicle. In one aspect, the visual or visual/interactive properties of the interface change after the user initiates interface interaction. In another aspect, the interface allows a user to utilize any of a variety of different control interaction techniques, all to achieve the same function.

Morphing vehicle user interface

A method for using a vehicle user interface is provided, the user interface utilizing a touch screen display mounted within the vehicle. A proximity detection system provides a means for switching the touch screen display from the sleep mode to the normal use mode without the user having to touch the screen, thus expediting user interaction with the touch screen. The proximity detection system may be configured to distinguish the user's presence per touch screen zone, thereby allowing the system controller to switch only a zone of the touch screen from the sleep mode to the normal use mode.

Vehicle user interface with proximity activation

The present invention relates to a motor vehicle having a steering wheel, the motor vehicle including a first display, integrated into the steering wheel, for the variable representation of information; a first touchscreen, situated over the first display, for the input of commands; a second display, integrated into the steering wheel and separated spatially from the first display, for the variable representation of information; and a second touchscreen, situated over the second display, for the input of commands.

Motor vehicle

A system and a method are provided for configuring the touch-sensitive area and/or the tap duration associated with a plurality of touch-sensitive soft buttons of a vehicle user interface in response to varying vehicle conditions. In particular, as a monitored vehicle condition deteriorates, the system controller coupled to the vehicle user interface expands the touch-sensitive region and/or increases the tap duration of the touch-sensitive soft buttons, thereby improving the user's ability to successfully interact with the interface. Vehicle conditions that may be monitored and used to configure the touch-sensitive area and/or tap duration include passenger cabin vibration levels, vehicle speed, turn radius, lateral force levels, precipitation levels and external ambient temperature.

Adaptive soft buttons for a vehicle user interface

A method for configuring and personalizing a vehicle user interface is provided, the user interface utilizing a touch screen display mounted within the vehicle. User configurable aspects of the user interface include the number of zones within the touch screen display, the size of each zone, the subsystem interface assigned to each zone, the style and information contained within each subsystem interface, display brightness levels for the overall display or per zone, and the assignment and location of persistent soft buttons.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Evan Small