# US 12,005,780 B2 · Operator control device for operating an infotainment system, method for providing an audible signal for an operator control device, and motor vehicle having an operator control device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,005,780 B2 - Document ID: US12005780B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/912,323 - Filed: 2021-03-16 - Published: 2023-05-25 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-17 - Assignees: Audi AG - Applicants: Audi AG - Inventors: Ulrich Müller; Andreas Spahmann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005780B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/016: {Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user} - B60K 35/22: Display screens - B60K 35/26: using acoustic output - B60K 35/80: Arrangements for controlling instruments - G06F 3/0412: {Digitisers structurally integrated in a display} - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) - G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures - G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path} - G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback} - B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor - B60K 35/25: using haptic output - B60K 35/28: characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver - B60K 2360/128: Axially displaceable input devices for instruments - B60K 2360/143: Touch sensitive instrument input devices - B60K 2360/1438: Touch screens - B60K 2360/145: Instrument input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices - B60K 2360/164: Infotainment - G06F 2203/04105: Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES ## Abstract A method and an operator control device operate an infotainment system. The operator control device has a control unit, an audio device, an actuating element, and a touch-sensitive display device, which is mounted so as to be movable and is designed to display at least one graphical control element. The touch-sensitive display device moves during an actuating action and thus activates the actuating element. The control unit determines an actuation position of the actuating action on the touch-sensitive display device when the actuating element is activated and compares said actuation position with a display position of the at least one graphical control element. The audio device is actuated to output an audible signal when the actuation position matches the display position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An operator control device for operating an infotainment system, comprising: an actuating element; a touch-sensitive display device, mounted to be movable, configured to display at least one graphical control element and to move during an actuating action to activate the actuating element, the touch-sensitive display device to incline about an axis of inclination in a direction of the actuating element; an audio device; and a control unit configured to determine an actuation position of the actuating action on the touch-sensitive display device when the actuating element is activated and to compare said actuation position with a display position of the at least one graphical control element, and to actuate the audio device to output an audible signal when the actuation position matches the display position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The operator control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuating element is configured to provide a silent haptic actuating effect. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The operator control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the actuating element comprises a pushbutton. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The operator control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the actuating element comprises a micro-pushbutton. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The operator control device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the actuating element is configured to measure a pressure caused by the actuating action and to generate a pressure-dependent control signal, and wherein the audio device to adjust a volume of the audible signal based on the pressure-dependent signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The operator control device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the audio device to output an audible error signal when the actuation position does not match the display position when the actuating element is activated. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The operator control device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the infotainment system to perform a function assigned to the graphical control element when the actuating element is activated and when the actuation position matches the display position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The operator control device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the actuating element is configured to measure a pressure caused by the actuating action and to generate a pressure-dependent control signal, and the control unit is configured to actuate the infotainment system to perform a function assigned to the graphical control element based on the pressure-dependent control signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The operator control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuating element is configured to measure a pressure caused by the actuating action and to generate a pressure-dependent control signal, and wherein the audio device is configured to adjust a volume of the audible signal based on the pressure-dependent signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The operator control device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the infotainment system to perform a function assigned to the graphical control element when the actuating element is activated and when the actuation position matches the display position and based on the pressure-dependent control signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The operator control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the audio device to output an audible error signal when the actuation position does not match the display position when the actuating element is activated. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The operator control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the infotainment system to perform a function assigned to the graphical control element when the actuating element is activated and when the actuation position matches the display position. ### Claim 13 A method for providing an audible signal for an operator control device with a touch-sensitive display device, mounted to be movable and to display at least one graphical control element, the method comprising: activating an actuating element by moving the touch-sensitive display device during an actuating action, the touch-sensitive display device being movably inclined about an axis of inclination in the direction of the actuating element; determining an actuation position of the actuating action when the actuating element is activated on the touch-sensitive display device; comparing the actuation position with a display position of the at least one graphical control element; and providing an audible signal when the result of the comparing is that the actuation position matches the display position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said activating of the actuating element provides a silent haptic actuating effect. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: measuring, by the actuating element, a pressure caused by the actuating action, and generating a pressure-dependent control signal, and adjusting by the audio device a volume of the audible signal based on the pressure-dependent signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising actuating, by the control unit, the infotainment system to perform a function assigned to the graphical control element when the actuating element is activated and when the actuation position matches the display position based on the pressure-dependent control signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising actuating, by the control unit, the audio device to output an audible error signal when the actuation position does not match the display position when the actuating element is activated. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising actuating, by the control unit, the infotainment system to perform a function assigned to the graphical control element when the actuating element is activated and when the actuation position matches the display position. ### Claim 19 A motor vehicle, comprising: a chassis; and an operator control device an actuating element, a touch-sensitive display device mounted to be movable and configured to display at least one graphical control element and to move during an actuating action to activate the actuating element, the touch-sensitive display device to incline about an axis of inclination in a direction of the actuating element, an audio device, and a control unit configured to determine an actuation position of the actuating action on the touch-sensitive display device when the actuating element is activated and to compare said actuation position with a display position of the at least one graphical control element, and to actuate the audio device to output an audible signal when the actuation position matches the display position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 19, wherein the actuating element is configured to measure a pressure caused by the actuating action and to generate a pressure-dependent control signal, and wherein the audio device is configured to adjust a volume of the audible signal based on the pressure-dependent signal.