System and method for enabling touchscreen by passenger in moving vehicle

摘要

A system and method for controlling the performance of complex operations on a dashboard-mounted touchscreen in a vehicle moving above a predetermined minimal speed. The system includes a sensor for determining that the touchscreen is intended or going to be touched by driver and/or front seat passenger. A control, responsive to operation of the sensor, disallows or allows the touchscreen to be responsive to a touching. The touchscreen is not allowed to perform a complex operation when the vehicle is moving above the minimal speed if the touchscreen is touched by the driver. The touchscreen is allowed to perform a complex operation when the vehicle is moving above the minimal speed if the touchscreen is not going to be touched by the driver and is touched by the passenger.

主权项

1. A system, comprising:
a sensor that is programmed to determine that an operable dashboard-mounted touchscreen in a moving vehicle is going to be touched by a hand of a driver and/or a hand of a front-seat passenger of said vehicle based on particular proximity of said driver's hand and/or said passenger's hand to said sensor; and a control that is programmed to allow or disallow, based on input from said sensor, said touchscreen to be responsive to touching of said touchscreen by said driver's hand and/or said passenger's hand; wherein the system includes logic to disable said sensor and said control when said vehicle is moving below a predetermined minimal speed, whereby said operable touchscreen is then fully responsive to touching by said driver's hand and/or said passenger's hand.