# US 8,788,112 B2 · Process for controlling functions in a motor vehicle having neighboring operating elements > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,112 B2 - Document ID: US8788112B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/967,484 - Filed: 2010-12-14 - Published: 2011-04-07 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-06-20 - Assignees: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Peter Schusser; Bernhard Niedermaier - Inventors: Peter Schusser; Bernhard Niedermaier - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788112B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/02: Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials - G06F 3/04886: by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus - H03K 17/96: Touch switches (specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08) - H03K 2217/96058: Fail-safe touch switches, where switching takes place only after repeated touch - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract In the case of the process for controlling functions in a motor vehicle having neighboring operating elements, the functions in each case being activatable by the operation of a defined operating element assigned to each function, the functions assigned to two neighboring operating elements receive a different priority. The higher-priority function can be activated immediately if the operating element assigned to it is operated before or within a defined time period after the neighboring other operating element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for controlling functions of a vehicle component in a motor vehicle having neighboring operating elements, the functions in each case being activatable by operation of a defined user-selectable operating element assigned to each function, the process comprising the acts of: associating, by the vehicle component, different priorities to functions respectively assigned to two neighboring user-selectable operating elements based on the two neighboring user-selectable operating elements being in proximity to each other; activating immediately, by the vehicle component, a higher-priority function if the user-selectable operating element assigned to such higher-priority function is operated before a neighboring other operating element; and avoiding an unintended operation of one of the neighboring operating elements by ignoring the operation of the user-selectable operating element with the lower-priority function if operation of said user-selectable operating element occurs during the operation of the user-selectable operating element having the higher-priority function. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, further comprising the act of: activating, by the vehicle component, a lower-priority function only if the user-selectable operating element associated with the higher-priority function is not operated within a predefined time period beginning from the operation of the user-selectable operating element having assigned to it the lower-priority function. ### Claim 3 A function control process of a vehicle component having different user-selectable operating elements in a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle in close proximity to one another, wherein each user-selectable operating element is configured to carry out respective functions in response to being actuated by a user, the process comprising the acts of: assigning, by the vehicle component, a higher-priority to a respective function of one user-selectable operating element based on a proximity to another user-selectable operating element; assigning, by the vehicle component, a lower-priority to a respective function of the another user-selectable operating element; activating, by the vehicle component, the higher-priority function immediately upon the one user-selectable operating element receiving an operating input from the user before said other user-selectable operating element receives such operating input from the user; and avoiding an unintended operation of the neighboring operating elements by ignoring receipt of such operating input by the other user-selectable operating element if said operating input occurs during activation of the higher-priority function. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The process according to claim 3, further comprising the acts of: activating, by the vehicle component, the lower-priority function only if the one user-selectable operating element does not receive such operating input within a predefined time period starting from receipt of such operating input by the other user-selectable operating element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the user-selectable operating elements comprise at least one of a key and a rotary switch in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The process according to claim 5, wherein the at least one of the key and the rotary switch correspond to a radio of the motor vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The process according to claim 3, wherein the one user-selectable operating element and the another user-selectable operating element comprise at least one of a key and a rotary switch in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The process according to claim 7, wherein the at least one of the key and the rotary switch correspond to a radio of the motor vehicle.