User interface and method for personalized radio station creation

Abstract

A user interface arrangement includes a user interface having a plurality of movable sliders. Each of the sliders corresponds to a respective category of infotainment content. A processor is communicatively coupled to the user interface. The processor presents each of the categories of infotainment content in proportions dependent upon positions of the sliders.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle user interface arrangement, comprising:
 a user interface including a plurality of movable sliders, each of the sliders corresponding to a respective category of infotainment content, each of the sliders being movable in two opposite circumferential directions; and   a processor communicatively coupled to the user interface, the processor being configured to present each of the categories of infotainment content in proportions dependent upon circumferential lengths of visible portions of the sliders.   
     
     
         2 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the sliders are virtual sliders displayed on a display screen of the user interface. 
     
     
         3 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein each of the sliders may be assigned to a respective said category of infotainment content by a user touching the user interface. 
     
     
         4 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the user interface is configured such that one of the categories may be selected, and each of the sliders may be re-assigned to a respective type within the selected category of infotainment content by a user touching the user interface, the processor being configured to present each of the types of infotainment content in proportions dependent upon circumferential lengths of visible portions of the sliders. 
     
     
         5 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the user interface is configured to enable the user to select one of the categories of infotainment to be presented immediately after engine ignition regardless of which of the categories of infotainment was being presented at the last time the engine ignition was previously on. 
     
     
         6 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the user interface includes a virtual touchbutton which causes a respective said category of the infotainment to be immediately presented to the user. 
     
     
         7 . A method of operating a vehicle user interface, said method comprising the steps Of:
 providing a user interface including a plurality of movable sliders, each of the sliders corresponding to a respective category of audio infotainment content; and   playing each of the categories of audio infotainment content in proportions dependent upon sizes of visible portions of the sliders.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein each of the sliders is movable in two opposite circumferential directions. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the sliders are virtual sliders displayed on a display screen of the user interface. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  comprising the further steps of:
 enabling a user to select one of the categories; 
 re-assigning each of the sliders to a respective type within the selected category of infotainment content in response to the user touching the user interface; and 
 playing each of the types of audio infotainment content in proportions dependent upon sizes of visible portions of the sliders. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  comprising the further step of enabling the user to select which one of the categories of infotainment is to be presented to the user immediately after engine ignition, the selected one category of infotainment being different than a second said category of infotainment being presented to the user when the engine ignition is turned off before the engine ignition. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the user interface includes a virtual touchbutton, the method comprising the further step of immediately presenting a respective said category of the infotainment to the user in response to the user touching the virtual touchbutton. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the sliders are coincident on a same circumference. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the sliders conjunctively span approximately between 300 degrees and 360 degrees of a circle. 
     
     
         15 . A vehicle user interface arrangement, comprising:
 a user interface including a plurality of movable sliders, each of the sliders corresponding to a respective category of infotainment content; and   a processor communicatively coupled to the user interface, the processor being configured to present each of the categories of infotainment content in proportions dependent upon lengths of visible portions of the sliders;   wherein the user interface is configured to enable a user to select one of the categories; and   wherein the processor is configured to:
 re-assign each of the sliders to a respective type within the selected category of infotainment content; 
 sense movements of the sliders to new positions after each of the sliders has been re-assigned to a respective type within the selected category of infotainment content; and 
 present each of the types of infotainment content in proportions dependent upon lengths of visible portions of the sliders at the new positions of the sliders. 
   
     
     
         16 . The arrangement of  claim 15  wherein each of the sliders is movable in two opposite circumferential directions. 
     
     
         17 . The arrangement of  claim 15  wherein the sliders are virtual sliders displayed on a display screen of the user interface. 
     
     
         18 . The arrangement of  claim 15  wherein each of the sliders may be assigned to a respective said category of infotainment content in response to touching of the user interface by the user. 
     
     
         19 . The arrangement of  claim 15  wherein the user interface is configured to enable the user to select which of the categories of infotainment is to be presented immediately after engine ignition. 
     
     
         20 . The arrangement of  claim 15  wherein the user interface includes a virtual touchbutton, the processor being configured to immediately present a respective said category of the infotainment to the user in response to touching of the touchbutton.