Dual haptic vehicle control and display system

A method of controlling functions of a vehicle comprising:

• controlling a first set of the functions of the vehicle through haptic control on a steering wheel of the vehicle;
• controlling a second set of the functions of the vehicle through separate haptic control on a console of the vehicle;
• and
• when a particular screen is accessed, allowing control of a most often used function directly from the particular screen.

A method of supplying vehicle information for a vehicle on different screens, the method comprising:

• grouping the vehicle information into different systems of the vehicle;
• providing different sets of adjustable functions for the different systems;
• displaying each set of adjustable functions for a particular system on a representative screen for displaying the adjustable functions of a presently selected system, and pictorially representing the adjustable functions, pictorial representations of the adjustable functions containing one of interactive graphics and an interactive alphanumerical display that correspond to present states of the adjustable functions;
• selecting an adjustable function of the vehicle through manipulation of a haptic controller in the vehicle;
• controlling a present state of the selected adjustable function through manipulation of the haptic controller;
• indicating the present state of the controlled adjustable function on the representative screen displaying the presently selected system;
• and
• when a particular screen is accessed, allowing control of a most often used function directly from the particular screen.

A system that provides vehicle information to an occupant of a vehicle, the system comprising:

• electronic components including a processor, memory, and video display circuitry, the processor grouping the vehicle information into different systems of the vehicle that have sets of adjustable functions;
• a display having a screen, the processor controlling the display to display each set of the adjustable functions for a particular system on a representative screen that displays the adjustable functions of a presently selected system and to supply pictorial representations of the adjustable functions, the pictorial representations containing one of interactive graphics and an interactive alphanumerical display that correspond to present states of the adjustable functions, the representative screens and pictorial representations stored in the memory, and when a particular screen is accessed the processor also allowing control of a most often used function directly from the particular screen;
• and
• inputs through which the adjustable functions are adjusted, the inputs including a haptic controller manipulated to select one of the adjustable functions and control a present state of the selected adjustable function,
• wherein the electronic components receive signals from the inputs and transmit signals to the display indicating the present state of the controlled adjustable function on the representative screen displaying the presently selected system.

A dual haptic control system comprising:

• a first haptic controller disposed on a steering wheel of a vehicle;
• a plurality of other controls disposed on the steering wheel;
• a second haptic controller disposed on a console separated from the steering wheel;
• and
• a device that, when a particular screen is accessed, permits control of a most often used function directly from the particular screen
• wherein the first haptic controller and the second haptic controller control overlapping functions of the vehicle.