Operator-sensed feedback vehicle component operating control

Claim 1

A control arrangement, comprising a display, a plurality of operating controls, each having an associated operating part and being operatively arranged at peripheral portions of the display such that a selected vehicle components from among a group of vehicle components is switched on by operating the one of the operating parts, whereupon the selected vehicle component switched on produces a symbolic representation on the display, the symbolic representation containing functions to be adjusted for the vehicle component switched on and supplying information on current adjustment, and additional functions to be adjusted for other vehicle components each being represented at separate locations of the display such that the additional functions to be adjusted for the other vehicle components are each represented by additional symbolic representations at the separate locations on the display and have a defined association with a respective one of the other operating parts, wherein the operating controls are each mounted at a location on the display at which the additional symbolic representations of each of the additional functions to be adjusted is produced on the display, each operating part having an associated viewing window surrounding the symbolic representation for a respective one of the functions, such that when a selected one of the operating parts is operated, a feedback for the response of a switch of the respective function to be adjusted is sensed by an operator, and the respective function to be adjusted by the associated operating part and symbolically represented on the display is visible through the associated viewing window to minimize the amount of the area of the display covered by the at least one operating control.