Control apparatus and method for input screens

A control apparatus for input screens that is installed in a vehicle, comprising:

• screen control means for causing display device to display information including a plurality of dummy switches and changing the information displayed by the display device to information corresponding to the operated dummy switch;
• and
• operation nullification means for nullifying operation of the dummy switch upon fulfillment of a predetermined traveling condition related to operation of the vehicle and prohibiting information displayed by the display device from being changed based on the operation to prevent unsafe operation while the vehicle is traveling,
• wherein the operation nullification means is constructed to judge whether or not the predetermined condition has been fulfilled, depending on the number of dummy switches included in information displayed by the display device.

A control method for input screens that is installed in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

• causing display device to display information including a plurality of dummy switches and changing the information displayed by the display device to information corresponding to the operated dummy switch;
• judging whether or not a predetermined traveling condition related to operation of the vehicle has been fulfilled, depending on the number of dummy switches included in information displayed by the display device to prevent unsafe operation while the vehicle is traveling;
• and
• nullifying operation of the dummy switch upon fulfillment of a predetermined condition and prohibiting information displayed by the display device from being changed based on the operation.

A control method for input screens that is installed in a vehicle and constructed to cause display device to display information including a plurality of dummy switches and cause the display device to display new information corresponding to one of the dummy switches that has selectively been operated, comprising the steps of:

• estimating a time period required for an operator to watch the displayed information to selectively operate one of the dummy switches included in the displayed information during a period from the start to the stop of the vehicle;
• estimating a time period required for the operator to watch newly displayed information to selectively operate one of a plurality of dummy switches included in the newly displayed information;
• calculating a sum of the estimated time periods;
• and
• nullifying operation performed by the operator for selection of one of a plurality of dummy switches included in the newly displayed information if the summation time period during a traveling condition is longer than a reference time period, and prohibiting new information corresponding to the operated dummy switch from being displayed by the display device to prevent unsafe operation while the vehicle is traveling.