JP2000066784A - Display and operation device for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize easy switch operability where only the depression of a switch by means of a finger corresponding to a menu wished to be operated is required by judging which one of the switches is depressed in accordance with decided switch areas. SOLUTION: A finger position detecting part 14 detects a position on a switch surface against each human finger which is brought into contact with the touch sensor of a switch part 3. A switch area setting part 5 sets the five (or less) switch areas corresponding to the respective fingers in the switch part 3 with the respectively detected finger positions as reference. A switch area storing and registering part 6 stores and registers the set switch areas. Then, a switch operation judging part 8 judges which one of the switches is depressed in accordance with the decided switch areas. In this case, the set switch areas are registered and preserved in the switch area storing and registering part 6 at every individual ID number. Then, the set switch areas are used.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a display / operation device for a vehicle which performs a switch operation according to a menu screen for operating a plurality of in-vehicle devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional display / operation device for a vehicle, for example, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-109802.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional display / operation device for a vehicle, a display section having a plurality of menu sections is constituted by a push switch and a touch switch set on each push switch. It operates with the switch unit configured, detects the switch operator's finger position by touching the touch sensor, and displays which switch on the menu screen corresponds to which switch your finger is on, Although you do not need to look at the switch when performing menu operations, check which menu screen your finger is currently on on the menu screen and hold your finger on the menu to be operated. It took time to check the finger position and move the finger. The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem. By configuring as follows, each of the five fingers is a switch corresponding to the menu screen, so that the If you check if it is a switch corresponding to your finger, just operate the switch with that finger,
Conventional problems can be solved.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display / operation device for a vehicle, wherein a plurality of menu sections for operating a plurality of on-vehicle devices are arranged in a predetermined shape. A display section having a menu screen, and a switch section having a touch sensor disposed on an upper surface having each switch area corresponding to each menu section operation of the display section, and these switch sections and the display section are separated from each other. In the disposed display / operation device for a vehicle, a finger position detection unit that detects a position on a switch surface for each finger of a human touching the touch sensor of the switch unit; and a switch unit based on the detected finger positions. A switch area setting unit that sets five (or less) switch areas corresponding to each finger; and a switch area storage unit that stores and registers the set switch areas. A recording unit, and a switch region determining section for determining a switch region currently used, and switches the operation determination unit which switch is determined whether the pressed in accordance with the determined switch region, characterized by having a. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display / operation device for an automobile according to the first aspect, wherein the fingerprint detection unit detects a fingerprint of each finger, and the fingerprint registration unit registers the detected fingerprint of each finger for each operator. When,
Wherein a fingerprint of a finger touching the switch unit is detected to determine which finger the finger is, and a switch operation corresponding to the finger is performed. The invention according to claim 3 is
3. The display / operation device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the switch area determining unit selects whether or not to use the registered switch area, and does not use the registered switch area. When the switch is not operated for a certain period of time and five fingers are placed on the switch, the position of each finger is detected, and when the next switch is operated within the certain time in the switch, immediately before 5 detected
It is characterized by comprising means for performing switch operation control based on the switch area determined based on the finger position, and a switch for canceling the position of the five fingers detected immediately before. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the display / operation device for an automobile according to the first to third aspects, a palm rest for a switch is installed as a hand guide in the switch section, and a sensor for detecting whether or not a hand is put on the palm rest. 4. The switch operation according to claim 3, wherein the unit detects whether or not a hand is placed on the palm rest, and when the hand is placed, switch operation control with five fingers is performed, and when the hand is not placed, the switch operation according to claim 3 is performed. The control is performed, and when the switch operation of the switch section is performed without detecting the five-finger position described in claim 3, the switch operation control described in claim 2 is performed. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the display / operation device for a vehicle according to the first to fourth aspects, the finger position detecting unit detects a tip direction of each finger and detects the forward direction of the vehicle. Means for determining whether the tip direction of the finger is the driver's side or the passenger's side, and if the result of the determination is that of the passenger's side, it is determined that the driver is operating and an operation menu for the driver is displayed on the display unit. If the result of the determination is the driver's side, it is determined that the occupant in the passenger seat is operating, and an operation menu for the fellow passenger is presented on the display unit. The invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to claims 1 to 5
In the above-described display / operation device for a vehicle, each switch is identified by a sound, force feedback, and color corresponding to the switch operation of each finger.

[0005]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention. First, the configuration will be described.
A display unit 1 having a menu screen in which a plurality of menu sections for operating a plurality of in-vehicle devices, respectively, are arranged in a predetermined shape; a display control unit 2; and each switch area corresponding to each menu section operation of the display unit 1 A switch unit 3 provided with a touch sensor on the upper surface having a touch panel. In a display / operation device for an automobile in which the switch unit 3 and the display unit 1 are separately disposed, the touch sensor of the switch unit 3 is touched. A finger position detector 4 for detecting a position on the switch surface for each human finger, and five (or less) switch areas corresponding to each finger are set in the switch unit 3 based on the detected finger positions. A switch area setting unit 5 for storing and registering the set switch area;
The configuration includes a registration unit 6, a switch region determination unit 7 that determines a switch region to be used at present, and a switch operation determination unit 8 that determines which switch has been pressed according to the determined switch region. .

More specifically, the switch unit 3 is laid out at a position on the instrument that is easily accessible by the driver, and a touch sensor is arranged on the upper surface of the switch unit 3, for example, in a lattice pattern. The switch section 3 has five or less switch areas, and a switch operation is performed by touching the area with a finger. On the other hand, the display unit 1 corresponding to the switch operation has a display laid out at an easy-to-see position on the instrument separated from the switch unit 3.
Four menu sections for operating switches of the navigation system / TV are set, and each menu section has a hierarchical menu structure.

FIG. 2 shows a layout example of the switch section 3 and the display section 1 around the driver's seat. And the switch unit 3
FIG. 3 shows an example of correspondence between the display and the display unit 1. In this example, the switch unit 3 is set to five switch areas, of which four switch areas correspond to four menu sections (air conditioning, audio, TV, and navigation system) of the display unit 1, and one remaining switch area is provided. Functions as a switch to return to the previous menu screen. A switch area (for example, leftmost switch area SW) corresponding to the menu section (for example, leftmost menu section, audio)
By touching (1) (switch operation) 1), the lower menu of the audio, that is, MD, CD, FM, and AM is displayed. Further, the menu to be operated is selected by performing the switch operation corresponding to the menu section. Go. In the switch section 3, the place set as the switch area can be determined by the fact that the color of the entire area or only the boundary frame is different from the color outside the area.

Next, a method for determining a switch area will be described (a detailed flowchart is shown in FIG. 4). As a procedure, a default switch area is allocated as an initial state unless otherwise specified (steps 1 and 2). When a switch area change is input (the area change button is pressed), first, the driver's ID number is input (step 3). Then, it is checked whether or not a switch area corresponding to the ID number is registered in the switch area storage / registration unit 6 (steps 4 and 5). If it is registered, the registered switch area is called to change the setting of the switch area of the switch unit 3 (the initial setting is given by default:
Step 6, Step 7). Then, the driver confirms whether or not this is sufficient, and if so, sets a switch area (steps 8 and 9). In addition, the user wants to change the registered switch area, or sets the switch area when the switch area is not registered. Here, a method for setting the switch area will be described. First, in order to set the switch area to a position where the driver can easily operate, the driver places five fingers in a position where the fingers can be easily operated without bringing the fingers into close contact with the switch unit 3. A position where a finger touches the entire surface of the switch is detected by a touch sensor arranged on the upper surface of the switch (step 10). Then, as a method of setting the switch area based on the detected finger positions, the center coordinates and the finger direction of each detected finger are calculated. Then, a preset switch area corresponding to each finger, for example, 60
An area of 30 mm × 30 mm is set according to the center coordinates of the already detected finger and the direction of the finger (60 mm in the longitudinal direction is the direction of the finger) (steps 11 and 12).

The set switch area can be registered and stored in the switch area storage / registration unit 6 for each personal ID number (step 13). Then, the set switch area is used. At this time, the switch areas set in the switch unit 3 are color-coded so that they can be identified. Then, in the actual switch operation, the switch area where the finger touches the most is activated (step 14).

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 5 shows Embodiment 2
The flowchart of FIG. This embodiment further includes, in addition to the configuration of the first embodiment, a detection unit that detects a fingerprint of each finger and a fingerprint registration unit that registers the detected fingerprint of each finger for each individual. The configuration is such that the fingerprint of the finger touching the switch unit 3 is detected to determine which finger it is, and a switch operation corresponding to the finger is performed. In particular,
It is checked whether or not the personal ID number has been input and the fingerprint has already been registered (steps 20 and 21).
If the fingerprint has not been registered, the hand for operating the switch is placed on the switch unit 3, and the fingerprint is detected and registered by the fingerprint detection unit (steps 22 and 23). The fingerprint detection unit has an upper surface of the switch unit 3, a glass unit, and an imaging device such as a CCD camera attached from below the glass unit. Is registered along with the personal ID number. Then, the fingerprint detection unit detects the fingerprint of the finger touching the switch unit 3 to perform the switch operation (step 24),
By comparing the registered fingerprint with the currently operated fingerprint, it is determined which finger is the finger (step 25), and a switch operation corresponding to the finger is performed (the first finger is the switch 1, the switch 1). The two fingers act as switch 2, the third finger acts as switch 3, the fourth finger acts as switch 4, and the fifth finger acts as switch 5: step 25, step 26, step 27).

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of Embodiment 3. In the present embodiment, specifically,
As a method of determining the switch area of the switch unit 3, first, whether or not to use the registered switch area is selected (step 31). If the registered switch area is to be used, the process proceeds to step 32, and the control from step 1 (FIG. 4) is performed. When the registered switch area is not used, a predetermined time, for example, 5
When no switch is operated for five minutes and five fingers are placed on the switch unit 3, the center coordinates and the direction of each finger are detected, and a predetermined switch area (for example, 60 mm × 30 mm) is set as a switch area ( Steps 33 to 37), when the next switch operation is performed within a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) in the switch unit 3 (Step 38), the switch area determined based on the positions of the five fingers detected immediately before is displayed. The switch operation is controlled based on the operation. (Step 39) If it is desired to immediately change the switch area set in this process, the switch for canceling the position of the five fingers detected immediately before is pressed (Step 40), so that the switch area is determined again. Can be.

(Fourth Embodiment) FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a fourth embodiment. In this embodiment, a switch palm rest is installed as a hand guide in the switch unit 3 of the first to third embodiments. By installing the palm rest, the position of the finger when pressing the switch will be almost the same position. Then, a pressure sensor is disposed on the palm rest portion, and in step 51, when there is a pressure equal to or more than a certain value, it is determined in step 52 that the hand is placed on the palm rest. 5. Switch operation control using five fingers (switch operation control starting from step 1 in FIG. 4 described in the first embodiment) is performed. If no hand is placed, the process proceeds from step 54 to step 55, and When the time switch operation is not performed and five fingers are placed on the switch unit, the position of each finger is detected, and when the next switch operation is performed within a fixed time in the switch unit, the process proceeds to step 56 and immediately before. 5 detected on
Switch operation control (switch operation control starting from step 31 in FIG. 6 described in the third embodiment) is performed based on the switch area determined based on the finger position. And 5
When the switch operation of the switch unit is performed without the finger position detection being performed, the process proceeds to step 57, where the fingerprint of the finger touching the switch unit is detected to determine the number of the finger, and the corresponding finger is detected. Switch operation control (switch operation control starting from step 20 in FIG. 5 described in the second embodiment).

FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of a fifth embodiment. In the present embodiment, in the first to fourth embodiments, when the finger position detecting unit 4 detects the center coordinates of each finger and the tip direction of each finger, the detected tip direction of the finger is set in the forward direction of the automobile. On the other hand, it is determined whether the driver side or the passenger side. If the result of the determination is that of the passenger, the driver determines that the driver is operating, and an operation menu for the driver is presented on the display unit 1. If the result of the determination is that of the driver, the driver of the passenger is operating. Upon determination, an operation menu for the fellow passenger is presented on the display unit 1 (steps 60 to 66).

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, the structure of the display unit has a menu screen in which a plurality of menu sections for operating a plurality of in-vehicle devices are arranged in a predetermined shape. A switch unit having a touch sensor disposed on an upper surface having each switch area corresponding to each menu section operation of the display unit, wherein the switch unit and the display unit are arranged separately from each other. A finger position detection unit that detects a position on the switch surface of each of the human fingers touching the touch sensor of the switch unit, and five (or five) corresponding to each finger in the switch unit based on the detected finger positions. A switch area setting section for setting a switch area, a switch area storage / registration section for storing / registering the set switch area, and a switch currently used. A switch area determining unit for determining the area, and a switch operation determining unit for determining which switch has been pressed according to the determined switch area. It is only necessary to press, and an effect is obtained that simple switch operability can be realized. According to a second aspect of the present invention, the display / operation device for an automobile according to the first aspect registers a fingerprint detection unit that detects a fingerprint of each finger, and registers the detected fingerprint of each finger for each operator. A fingerprint registration unit, and detects the fingerprint of the finger touching the switch unit to determine the number of the finger, and performs a switch operation corresponding to the finger. Even if it is not placed on the unit, it can be used even if operated with one finger. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the display / operation device for a vehicle according to the first or second aspect, the switch area determining unit selects whether to use a registered switch area. In the case where the registered switch area is not used, when five fingers are placed on the switch part without performing the switch operation for a certain time, the positions of the respective fingers are detected, and the next time within the certain time in the switch part, Means for performing switch operation control based on the switch area determined based on the position of the five fingers detected immediately before, and a switch for canceling the position of the five fingers detected immediately before, when the switch operation is performed. As a result, it is possible to easily set a switch area even when using an unregistered switch area. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the display / operation device for an automobile according to any one of the first to third aspects, a palm rest for a switch is installed as a hand guide on the switch section, and whether or not a hand is placed on the palm rest is determined. Detecting whether or not a hand is placed on the palm rest by the detecting sensor unit,
When the hand is placed, the switch operation control with five fingers is performed, and when the hand is not placed, the switch operation control according to claim 3 is performed, and the five finger position detection according to claim 3 is not performed. Since the switch operation control according to claim 2 is performed when the switch operation of the switch unit is performed in
When operated by the same person, the effect is obtained that the operation can be performed in the same switch area. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the display / operation device for an automobile according to the first to fourth aspects, the finger position detection unit detects a tip direction of each finger, Means for determining whether the tip direction of the detected finger is the driver's side or the passenger's side, and if the determination result is the passenger's side, it is determined that the driver is operating and the driver's operation menu is displayed. If the result of the determination is presented on the display unit and the result of the determination is the driver's side, it is determined that the occupant in the passenger seat is operating, and the operation menu for the passenger is presented on the display unit. Even if the occupant is not used, it is possible to automatically recognize which occupant is using it and to present a display menu corresponding to the occupant. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle display / operation device according to the first to fifth aspects, each switch is identified by a sound, force feedback, and color corresponding to the switch operation of each finger. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an effect of serving as an auxiliary function for recognizing which switch is being touched.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram around a driver's seat to which Embodiment 1 is applied;

FIG. 3 is an example of a menu screen display.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a switch area determination method.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the fifth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display part 2 Display control part 3 Switch part 4 Finger position detection part 5 Switch area setting part 6 Switch area storage / registration part 7 Switch area determination part 8 Switch operation judgment part

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A display section having a menu screen in which a plurality of menu sections for operating a plurality of in-vehicle devices are arranged in a predetermined shape, and a switch area corresponding to each menu section operation of the display section. A switch unit having a touch sensor disposed on an upper surface thereof, wherein the switch unit and the display unit are disposed separately from each other. A finger position detecting unit for detecting a position on the switch surface; a switch region setting unit for setting five (or less) switch regions corresponding to each finger in the switch unit based on the detected finger positions; A switch area storage / registration unit for storing / registering the switch area that has been set, a switch area determination unit for determining the switch area currently used, Automotive display and operating device, characterized in that it comprises a switch operation determination unit which switch is determined whether the pressed according to switch region. 2. The display / operation device for an automobile according to claim 1, further comprising: a fingerprint detection unit that detects a fingerprint of each finger; and a fingerprint registration unit that registers the detected fingerprint of each finger for each operator. A display / operation device for an automobile, comprising: detecting a fingerprint of a finger touching the switch unit, determining what finger the finger is, and performing a switch operation corresponding to the finger. 3. The display for an automobile according to claim 1 or 2.
In the operating device, the switch area determination unit selects whether or not to use the registered switch area, and if the registered switch area is not used, the switch operation has not been performed for a certain period of time. When five fingers are placed on the switch unit, the position of each finger is detected, and when the next switch operation is performed in the switch unit within a fixed time, the position is determined based on the position of the five fingers detected immediately before. A display / operation device for a vehicle, comprising: means for performing a switch operation control based on a switch area; and a switch for canceling the position of the five fingers detected immediately before. 4. The display for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein
In the operation device, a palm rest for a switch is installed as a hand guide on the switch unit, and a sensor unit for detecting whether or not a hand is placed on the palm rest detects whether or not the hand is placed on the palm rest, and the hand rests. The switch operation control by five fingers is performed when the switch is touched, and the switch operation control according to claim 3 is performed when the hand is not placed.
3. A display / operation device for a vehicle, wherein the switch operation control according to claim 2 is performed when a switch operation of a switch unit is performed without detecting the five-finger position described above. 5. The display for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein:
In the operating device, the finger position detection unit detects a tip direction of each finger, and a unit that determines whether the tip direction of the detected finger with respect to the front direction of the vehicle is the driver side or the passenger seat side, If the result of the determination is that the driver is on the passenger side, it is determined that the driver is operating the vehicle, and an operation menu for the driver is presented on the display unit. A display / operation device for a vehicle, characterized in that an operation menu for a passenger is determined to be present on the display unit. 6. The display for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein:
A display / operation device for an automobile, wherein each switch is identified by a sound, force feedback, and color corresponding to a switch operation of each finger.