JP2009132248A - On-vehicle equipment operating device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an on-vehicle equipment operating device operable with a steering wheel gripped and capable of preventing wrong operation and facilitating operation. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of operation input parts 5, 7 are installed in the steering wheel of a vehicle to sense operation inputs by a driver. Each of the plurality of operation input parts 5, 7 receives stroke inputs including a stroke direction as the operation inputs by the driver. An operation signal processing part 9 generates an operation signal for controlling on-vehicle equipment 3 in accordance with the operation inputs sensed by the plurality of operation input parts 5, 7. When operation inputs are simultaneously sensed by the plurality of operation input parts 5, 7, the operation signal processing part 9 makes the operation effective and generates operation signals different in accordance with combination of a plurality of stroke inputs received by the plurality of operation input parts 5, 7, respectively. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an in-vehicle device operation device that can be operated while a driver holds a steering wheel.

  Conventionally, a vehicle is provided with a plurality of in-vehicle devices, and each in-vehicle device has a plurality of functions, and various operations are performed corresponding to various functions. For example, in the case of an air conditioner, operations such as temperature adjustment, automatic air conditioning setting, air volume adjustment, and wind direction adjustment are performed. In the case of a navigation device, operations such as map operation and destination setting are performed. In the case of audio equipment, operations related to CD, MD, cassette tape, DVD, radio, and the like are performed. In recent years, as many information technologies are applied to vehicles, functions that can be used by passengers are increasing, and the types of operations tend to increase.

  If an interface such as a button or slide bar is individually provided in the vehicle (especially between the driver's seat and the passenger seat) corresponding to the various functions of these devices, a large number of interface operations are required as the functions increase. This complicates the operation of each in-vehicle device and makes it difficult to understand. Furthermore, many mechanically designed buttons and slide bars are arranged in the vehicle, which is disadvantageous in terms of aesthetics.

  Therefore, Patent Document 1 proposes a technique for operating a plurality of in-vehicle devices with a single input device. In this prior art, an operation lever is disposed between a driver seat and a passenger seat, and a button is installed on the operation lever. A plurality of in-vehicle devices can be used by operating the lever and the button.

  In Patent Document 2, a touch panel is installed on a steering wheel, and a plurality of in-vehicle devices are operated using the touch panel. According to this prior art, the in-vehicle device can be operated with the steering wheel held.

Furthermore, the operating device of Patent Document 2 is configured as follows in order to prevent erroneous operation. That is, this conventional apparatus recognizes the contact position as the operation center position when the driver first touches the touch panel. Then, a plurality of contact areas are set on the panel corresponding to the plurality of selection items with the operation center position as the center. Thereby, it is possible to prevent erroneous operations caused by individual differences such as grip position and hand size.
JP 2007-30814 A JP 2005-119540 A

  However, in the prior art, there is a problem that an erroneous operation occurs when the driver touches the operating device unintentionally. For example, when the driver greatly steers, the hand may unintentionally touch the touch panel. Compared with simple operation input members that detect only on / off, such as buttons, input devices such as touch panels and joysticks are more sensitive, and even if the driver touches lightly, it is interpreted that an input has occurred, resulting in incorrect operation. Cause it to occur. Although the prior art of Patent Document 2 prevents erroneous operations due to individual differences such as hand size, it cannot prevent such erroneous operations due to inadvertent contact.

  In addition, the operation device is required to be able to quickly use a target function by an intuitive operation. However, with the increase in the function, it is not easy to meet such operability requirements. For example, in Patent Document 1, the types of operation are tilting the lever and pressing a button on the lever. For example, in patent document 2, the kind of operation is the contact to either of the some operation area | region set to the touch panel. These operations are for selecting and determining a target function from a plurality of candidates, the operation is the same regardless of the type of function, and the driver performs the same operation several times until the target function is reached. Need to repeat. As described above, in the related art, the operation is monotonous and has a small degree of freedom, and the relevance of the operation with the actual function is low. Therefore, the operation tends to be unintuitive.

  The present invention has been made under the above background, and an object of the present invention is to provide an in-vehicle device operating device that can be operated while holding a steering wheel, can prevent erroneous operation and can be easily operated.

  One aspect of the present invention is an in-vehicle device operation device operated by a driver to use an in-vehicle device, and is installed in a steering of a vehicle, and a plurality of operation input units that detect an operation input by the driver And an operation signal processing unit that generates an operation signal for controlling the in-vehicle device in response to operation inputs detected by the plurality of operation input units, and each of the plurality of operation input units includes the driving A stroke input, which is a continuous input of input position information with respect to an input member, is accepted as an operation input by an operator, and the operation signal processing unit is effective when an operation input is simultaneously detected by the plurality of operation input units. And different operation signals are generated according to combinations of a plurality of stroke inputs respectively accepted by the plurality of operation input units.

  According to the above invention, since the operation signal is generated by enabling the operation when the operation inputs are simultaneously detected by the plurality of operation input units, the erroneous operation due to the unintended contact with the operation member can be prevented. In addition, since different operation signals are generated according to combinations of a plurality of stroke inputs, the degree of freedom of operation is increased, and an intuitive operation according to the function to be operated becomes possible.

  In the present invention, the plurality of operation input units are configured to accept stroke input as described above, and specifically include, for example, a touch panel and a joystick. Further, two operation input units may be provided, and the operation may be validated when the two operation input units are operated simultaneously. Three or more operation input units may be provided, and the operation may be validated when at least two of the three or more operation input units accept the operation input.

  Each of the plurality of operation input units may continuously generate the input position information corresponding to an input position with respect to the input member, and the operation signal processing unit may generate a plurality of input position information from the plurality of input position information. A plurality of stroke inputs can be obtained at the same time by a plurality of stroke analysis units for analyzing stroke inputs, a combination operation pattern storage unit for storing device operations corresponding to combinations of a plurality of stroke inputs, and the plurality of stroke analysis units. A multipoint stroke analysis unit that determines the device operation corresponding to the combination of the plurality of stroke inputs with reference to the combination operation pattern storage unit, and the device determined by the multipoint stroke analysis unit An operation signal generation unit that generates an operation signal corresponding to the operation. With this configuration, the operation signal can be suitably varied according to a combination of a plurality of stroke inputs.

  The stroke analysis unit may have a noise removal function for removing an operation input determined as noise based on a predetermined noise determination level. As a result, when the operation input is determined to be noise, the operation becomes invalid, and erroneous operations can be further reduced.

  The plurality of operation input units are provided on a left side portion and a right side portion of the steering, respectively, and include a left operation input unit and a right operation input unit that are operated by a left hand and a right hand while a driver holds the steering, respectively. It's okay. By providing these left and right operation input units, it is possible to prevent erroneous contact with both operation input units, and it is possible to suitably prevent erroneous operations. In addition, combining left and right stroke inputs increases the degree of freedom of operation.For example, unique operations such as widening and narrowing with fingers of both hands can be realized, and the target function is related to the target function. It is also possible to associate the left and right operations with each other, making the operations intuitive and easy to understand.

  The in-vehicle device may be a display device, and the operation signal processing unit displays a display screen in the display device when a combination of stroke inputs in a stroke direction away from each other is received by the left operation input unit and the right operation input unit. A display screen of the display device when a combination of stroke inputs in a stroke direction approaching each other by the left operation input unit and the right operation input unit is received. An operation signal for reducing the whole or a part of may be generated. Accordingly, when the left and right operation input units are operated so as to increase the distance between the fingers of both hands, the display is enlarged, and when the left and right operation input units are operated so as to reduce the distance between the fingers of both hands, the display is reduced. Accordingly, the enlargement and reduction of the display, which is the target function, and the operation of both hands are related, so that the operation can be intuitively understood.

  The vehicle-mounted device may be a map display device, and the operation signal processing unit may be connected to the map display device when a combination of stroke inputs in a stroke direction away from each other is received by the left operation input unit and the right operation input unit. An operation signal for enlarging the displayed map may be generated and displayed on the map display device when a combination of stroke inputs in a stroke direction approaching each other by the left operation input unit and the right operation input unit is received. An operation signal for reducing the map may be generated. Accordingly, the map is enlarged when the left and right operation input units are operated so as to increase the distance between the fingers of both hands, and the map is reduced when the left and right operation input units are operated so as to reduce the distance between the fingers of both hands. Therefore, since the enlargement and reduction of the map, which is the target function, and the operation of both hands are related, the operation can be intuitively understood.

  The plurality of operation input units are provided on a surface on the driver side of the steering and a surface on the opposite side, respectively, and are operated with different fingers on one hand while the driver is holding the steering wheel. Part and back operation input part may be included. By providing these front and back operation input units, it is possible to prevent erroneous contact with both operation input units, and it is possible to suitably prevent erroneous operations. In addition, combining the front and back stroke input increases the degree of freedom of operation, and for example, it is possible to realize an unprecedented unique operation such as crossing fingers so that they are pinched with fingers of both hands, and the target function becomes the target function. Corresponding operations can be associated with each other, making the operations intuitive and easy to understand.

  The in-vehicle device may be a display device, and the operation signal processing unit displays on the display device when a combination of stroke inputs in opposite stroke directions is received by the front operation input unit and the back operation input unit. An operation signal for enlarging or reducing the whole or a part of the screen is generated, and a combination of stroke directions corresponding to display enlargement may be opposite to a combination of stroke directions corresponding to display reduction. Accordingly, the display can be enlarged or reduced by moving a plurality of fingers of one hand in the opposite direction. In addition, by reversing the direction in which the finger is moved, enlargement and reduction can be switched. Therefore, since the display enlargement and reduction, which are the target functions, are related to the operation, the operation can be intuitively understood.

  The in-vehicle device may be a map display device, and the operation signal processing unit is configured to receive a combination of stroke inputs in opposite stroke directions by the front operation input unit and the back operation input unit. An operation signal for enlarging or reducing the map displayed on the map is generated, and a combination of stroke directions corresponding to the map enlargement may be opposite to a combination of stroke directions corresponding to the map reduction. Thus, the map can be enlarged or reduced by moving the fingers of one hand in the opposite direction. In addition, by reversing the direction in which the finger is moved, enlargement and reduction can be switched. Therefore, since the enlargement and reduction of the map, which is the target function, are related to the operation, the operation can be intuitively understood.

  The in-vehicle device may be a map display device, and when the operation signal processing unit receives a stroke input for moving the input position and a stationary input for which the input position is stationary by the plurality of operation input units, An operation signal for moving the map according to the stroke direction of the stroke input may be generated. A stroke input in which the input position moves may be referred to as a movement input or a movement stroke input, a stationary input in which the input position is stationary may be referred to as a stationary stroke input, and the map may be moved in the movement input movement direction. Thereby, it is possible to intuitively understand the map moving operation while preventing an erroneous operation.

  Here, the stationary position of the input position may be that the amount of movement of the input position is 0 (the amount of stroke is 0), or the amount of movement of the input position is a small amount that is a predetermined amount or less (the amount of stroke). (The same shall apply hereinafter).

  The in-vehicle device may be a map display device, and when the operation signal processing unit receives a stroke input for moving the input position and a stationary input for which the input position is stationary by the plurality of operation input units, An operation signal for changing the inclination of the map according to the stroke direction of the stroke input may be generated. Stroke input that moves the input position may be referred to as movement input or movement stroke input, and static input with the input position stationary may be referred to as stationary stroke input, and the inclination of the map changes according to the direction of movement input movement. May be. Thereby, it is possible to intuitively understand the operation of changing the map inclination while preventing an erroneous operation.

  The operation signal processing unit may generate the operation signal so that a change amount of the map display varies according to a stroke amount of the stroke input. This makes it possible to intuitively adjust the map display change amount while preventing an erroneous operation, and to make the operation intuitively easy to understand.

  The operation signal processing unit is selected according to the stroke direction of the stroke input when a plurality of operation input units respectively accepts a stroke input whose input position moves and a static input whose input position is stationary. When the operation input unit that has received the stroke input receives a static input and the operation input unit that has received the static input receives a stroke input, a stroke is generated. An operation signal for setting the selection item may be generated according to the input stroke direction and stroke amount. As a result, both selection and setting can be completed simply by a series of actions in which the fingers of both hands touch the operation input part and then move away, making it easy to reach the desired function setting quickly and intuitively. Operation can be realized.

  The in-vehicle device operation device according to the present invention may include a notification unit that notifies the driver of at least one of the indication that the operation has been enabled and the completion of the operation by at least one of display and sound. As a result, the driver recognizes the moment when the operation becomes effective or the moment when the operation is finished, so that the operation becomes more intuitive.

  Another aspect of the present invention is applied to an in-vehicle device operation device operated by a driver to use the in-vehicle device, and generates an operation signal for controlling the in-vehicle device according to an operation by the driver. A device operating method, wherein each of a plurality of operation input units installed in a steering of a vehicle receives a stroke input which is a continuous input of input position information to an input member, and the plurality of operation input units simultaneously perform a stroke. An operation is validated when an input is detected, and different operation signals are generated according to combinations of a plurality of stroke inputs respectively accepted by the plurality of operation input units. This aspect also provides the above-described advantages of the present invention.

  Another aspect of the present invention is executed by an in-vehicle device operating device operated by a driver to use the in-vehicle device, and generates an operation signal for controlling the in-vehicle device according to an operation by the driver. An in-vehicle device operation program for acquiring stroke input information, which is a continuous input of input position information for an input member, from each of a plurality of operation input units installed in a vehicle steering, and the plurality of operation input units The vehicle-mounted device operating device performs processing for enabling operation when a stroke input is detected simultaneously and generating different operation signals according to a combination of a plurality of stroke inputs respectively received by the plurality of operation input units. To do. This aspect also provides the above-described advantages of the present invention.

  Another aspect of the present invention is a moving body operating device that is operated to use a moving body, the plurality of operation input units that are installed on the moving body and detect an operation input by a user, An operation signal processing unit that generates an operation signal for controlling the moving body in accordance with an operation input detected by the operation input unit, and each of the plurality of operation input units includes an operation input by the user, Receiving a stroke input which is a continuous input of input position information to the input member, the operation signal processing unit validates the operation when the operation inputs are simultaneously detected by the plurality of operation input units, and the plurality of operations Different operation signals are generated according to combinations of a plurality of stroke inputs respectively accepted by the input unit. This aspect is applied to a moving body. The moving body may be a vehicle. The moving body is, for example, an electric wheelchair. This aspect may be applied to any moving body. Further, the operation target may be a moving body or a device mounted on the moving body. This aspect also provides the advantage of the present invention that it is possible to prevent erroneous operations and facilitate operations.

  The present invention is provided with a plurality of operation input units provided in the steering, and when the stroke input is simultaneously received by the plurality of operation input units, the operation is validated, and the operation signal is changed according to the combination of the plurality of stroke inputs. Thus, the operation can be performed while holding the steering wheel, and an erroneous operation can be prevented and the operation can be facilitated.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an in-vehicle device operating device according to the present embodiment. The in-vehicle device operating device 1 is operated by a driver in order to use the in-vehicle device 3. The in-vehicle device 3 is a navigation device, for example, an air conditioner, or an audio device, for example. The in-vehicle device operation device 1 is preferably configured to operate a plurality of in-vehicle devices 3.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the in-vehicle device operation device 1 includes a left operation input unit 5, a right operation input unit 7, and an operation signal processing unit 9. The left operation input unit 5 and the right operation input unit 7 correspond to a plurality of operation input units of the present invention, are installed on the steering 11, have an input detection function, and detect an operation input by the driver. The operation signal processing unit 9 generates an operation signal for controlling the in-vehicle device 3 according to the operation input detected by the left operation input unit 5 and the right operation input unit 7.

  FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of the left operation input unit 5 and the right operation input unit 7 on the steering 11. As shown in the figure, the left operation input unit 5 and the right operation input unit 7 are respectively provided on the left side portion and the right side portion of the driver side surface of the steering 11, and the thumb of the left hand in a state where the driver holds the steering wheel 11. It is placed in the place where it can be operated with the thumb of the right hand.

  In the present embodiment, the left operation input unit 5 and the right operation input unit 7 are configured to accept stroke input that is continuous input of position information. Stroke input is not limited to a linear stroke. Each of the operation input units 5 and 7 continuously generates an input position signal (input position information) corresponding to an input position with respect to the input member (operation member), and a stroke is obtained from the continuous position signal. The stroke input includes a stroke direction and a stroke amount. The stroke direction is a direction of change of the input position, and is a direction along the stroke or a direction between two points on the stroke. The stroke amount is a change amount of the input position, and is a length along the stroke or a distance between two points on the stroke.

  Each of the operation input units 5 and 7 is specifically a touch panel. A stroke input is accepted by the operator moving the finger while touching the panel. At this time, the coordinate signal of the contact position on the panel is continuously output as the input position signal. However, the operation input unit is not limited to the touch panel within the scope of the present invention. For example, the operation input unit may be a joystick.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the operation signal processing unit 9 is connected to the left operation input unit 5 and the right operation input unit 7, and processes input position signals input from the left operation input unit 5 and the right operation input unit 7. Thus, an operation signal for controlling the in-vehicle device 3 is generated. The operation signal is output to the in-vehicle device 3, and the in-vehicle device 3 operates according to the operation signal.

  In the present embodiment, in particular, the operation signal processing unit 9 is configured to validate an operation and generate an operation signal when an operation input is simultaneously detected by the left operation input unit 5 and the right operation input unit 7. Has been. Further, the operation signal processing unit 9 is configured to generate different operation signals in accordance with combinations of a plurality of stroke inputs respectively accepted by the left operation input unit 5 and the right operation input unit 7.

  In order to realize the above functions, the operation signal processing unit 9 includes a left stroke analysis unit 21, a right stroke analysis unit 23, a combination operation pattern storage unit 25, a multipoint stroke analysis unit 27, an operation signal generation unit 29, and a notification unit 31. Have

  The left stroke analysis unit 21 analyzes the left stroke input from the input position signal generated by the left operation input unit 5. The input position signal is the coordinate information of the input position on the touch panel as described above. When the operator moves his / her finger while maintaining the contact state, the input position signal changes sequentially. A trajectory of the input position is obtained from a series of input position signals, and the stroke direction and the stroke amount are specified from the trajectory. Looking at the whole of one stroke input, the stroke direction and the stroke amount are the direction and distance between the start point and the end point of the stroke. Similarly, the right stroke analysis unit 23 analyzes the right stroke input from the input position signal generated by the right operation input unit 7.

  The stroke analysis units 21 and 23 described above have a noise removal function that removes an operation input determined as noise based on a predetermined noise determination level. This noise removal function is a function that removes a minute operation input that is judged to be noise or an operation input that is too large and performs processing so as not to supply the input to the multipoint stroke analysis unit 27 as a stroke input. The noise determination level is defined by, for example, the touch area of the touch panel. In this case, if the contact area is equal to or less than a predetermined lower limit threshold area or equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit threshold area, the operation input is ignored as noise. Further, the noise determination level is defined by, for example, the touch time of the touch panel. In this case, if the contact time is equal to or shorter than a predetermined threshold time, the operation input is ignored as noise. Noise may be determined using both the above contact area and contact time parameters. In this case, if the contact area is equal to or smaller than the predetermined lower limit threshold area, or the contact area is equal to or larger than the predetermined upper limit threshold area, or the contact time is equal to or smaller than the predetermined threshold time, the operation input is ignored as noise. Good. Further, as already described as a modified example, when the operation input unit is a joystick, it is preferable to determine noise based on a threshold value of the contact time. By providing such a noise removal function, when the operation input is determined to be noise, the operation becomes invalid, and erroneous operations can be further reduced.

  The combination operation pattern storage unit 25 is configured to store device operations corresponding to combinations of left stroke input and right stroke input, and stores a plurality of device operations respectively corresponding to a plurality of combination patterns. The operation of the equipment differs depending on the combination of the right stroke input. The multipoint stroke analysis unit 27 performs processing for analyzing a combination of the left stroke analysis unit 21 and the right stroke analysis unit 23. The multi-point stroke analysis unit 27 refers to the combination operation pattern storage unit 25 when the left stroke input and the back stroke analysis unit 23 obtain the left stroke input and the right stroke input at the same time. The device operation corresponding to the combination of inputs is determined, and information on the determined device operation is supplied to the operation signal generation unit 29. Then, the operation signal generation unit 29 generates an operation signal corresponding to the device operation determined by the multipoint stroke analysis unit 27 and supplies the generated operation signal to the in-vehicle device 3.

  The notification unit 31 is configured to notify the driver that the operation has been enabled and that the operation has been completed by display and sound. The notification display device is, for example, a head-up display or a meter panel display. The display device may be a vehicle-mounted device to be operated. The notification sound is output from the speaker. This speaker may also be a vehicle-mounted device to be operated.

  The notification unit 31 is notified from the multipoint stroke analysis unit 27 that the operation has been validated and that the operation has been completed. The multi-point stroke analysis unit 27 supplies an operation signal generation instruction to the operation signal generation unit 29 and a notification instruction to the notification unit 31 when the left and right stroke inputs are simultaneously detected. The content of the notification instruction may be the same as the operation signal generation instruction. And the alerting | reporting part 31 outputs the alerting | reporting corresponding to operation validation to a display apparatus and a speaker in response to an alerting | reporting instruction | indication. In addition, the multipoint stroke analysis unit 27 supplies an operation end instruction to the operation signal generation unit 29 and also supplies an operation end notification instruction to the notification unit 31. Receiving this, the alerting | reporting part 31 outputs the alerting | reporting corresponding to completion | finish of operation to a display apparatus and a speaker. By providing the notification unit 31, the driver recognizes the moment when the operation becomes effective or the moment when the operation is finished, so that the operation becomes more intuitive and easy to understand.

  Moreover, the content of the notification at the moment when the operation is enabled may be different from the content of the notification at the moment when the operation is completed. For example, the notification unit 31 may be configured to notify the moment when the operation is valid with a high-scale sound and notify the moment when the operation is completed with a low-scale sound. This makes it easier for the driver to intuitively understand the content of the notification.

  The operation signal processing unit 9 may be realized by a processing device such as a computer. A program that realizes the function of the operation signal processing unit 9 may be executed by a computer. This processing apparatus may be integrated with other apparatuses. For example, any in-vehicle device such as a navigation device may function as the operation signal processing unit 9. In this case, the in-vehicle device incorporating the operation signal processing unit 9 may use the operation signal by the device itself.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the operation is effective only when the left stroke input and the right stroke input are detected at the same time. Next, a case for enabling the operation and a case for disabling the operation will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

  FIG. 3 is an example of a case where the operation is validated. In FIG. 3, the upper half indicates left stroke input to the left operation input unit 5, and the lower half indicates right stroke input to the right operation input unit 7. In FIG. 3, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the input position (contact position). Actually, the input position changes on the two-dimensional coordinates, but FIG. 3 shows only the one-dimensional input position in the left-right direction. The line in the figure indicates stroke input (input position change).

  In FIG. 3, at time t1, first, the left finger touches the left operation input unit 5, the left stroke input starts, and the input position starts to move. While the contact of the left operation input unit 5 is maintained, the finger of the right hand contacts the right operation input unit 7 at time t2, the right stroke input starts, and the input position starts to move. Thereafter, at time t3, the finger of the left hand leaves the left operation input unit 5, and the left stroke input ends. Further, at time t4, the finger of the right hand leaves the right operation input unit 7, and the right stroke input ends.

  In the above description, the left operation input unit 5 and the right operation input unit 7 are operated simultaneously from time t2 to time t3. Thus, if the operation input periods of the left operation input unit 5 and the right operation input unit 7 partially overlap, the multipoint stroke analysis unit 27 operates the left operation input unit 5 and the right operation input unit 7 simultaneously. Then, the operation signal generator 29 generates an operation signal.

  In FIG. 3, each of the left stroke analysis unit 21 and the right stroke analysis unit 23 may detect an operation only during a period in which two operations are performed simultaneously. That is, the right stroke input and the left stroke input during the period t2 to t3 may be detected. In this case, the stroke direction of the left stroke input is the direction of the input position at time t3 with respect to the input position at time t2 of the left operation input unit 5, and the stroke amount is the distance between these input positions. Similarly, the stroke direction of the right stroke input is the direction of the input position at time t3 with respect to the input position at time t2 of the right operation input unit 7, and the stroke amount is the distance between these input positions. In the case of this measurement method, the left stroke direction is left and the stroke amount is S1, the right stroke direction is right, and the stroke amount is S3.

  Alternatively, in FIG. 3, each of the left stroke analysis unit 21 and the right stroke analysis unit 23 may analyze stroke input from the start to the end of each stroke. In this case, the stroke direction of the left stroke input is the direction of the input position at time t3 with respect to the input position at time t1 of the left operation input unit 5, and the stroke amount is the distance between these input positions. Similarly, the stroke direction of the right stroke input is the direction of the input position at time t4 with respect to the input position at time t2 of the right operation input unit 7, and the stroke amount is the distance between these input positions. In the case of this measurement method, the left stroke direction is left and the stroke amount is S2, the right stroke direction is right, and the stroke amount is S4.

  The stroke direction and the stroke amount described in the above example are values related to the entire stroke input. Before the entire stroke input information is obtained, the device operation may be started using the sequentially obtained stroke information. That is, the operation signal processing unit 9 may start the process for supplying the operation signal from the time when the left and right stroke input starts (from time t2 in FIG. 3). More specifically, each of the left stroke analysis unit 21 and the right stroke analysis unit 23 continues to supply the stroke input analysis result to the multipoint stroke analysis unit 27 at a predetermined processing interval (cycle). The multipoint stroke analysis unit 27 also determines device operation according to a combination of two stroke inputs at predetermined processing intervals, and the operation signal generation unit 29 generates operation signals at the predetermined processing intervals.

  FIG. 4 shows a case where the operation is invalidated. In the example of FIG. 4, the operation period of the left operation input unit 5 and the operation period of the right operation input unit 7 do not overlap. As described above, when an input from only one of the operation input units is detected, the operation becomes invalid. As a result, the operation when the operation input unit is inadvertently touched becomes invalid, thereby preventing an erroneous operation.

  FIG. 5 shows a combination operation table stored in the combination operation pattern storage unit 25. The combination operation table is a table for left stroke input, right stroke input, and device operation. The multipoint stroke analysis unit 27 refers to the combination operation table and identifies the device operation corresponding to the combination of the left stroke and the right stroke.

  The example of FIG. 5 corresponds to the case where the in-vehicle device 3 is a map display device, that is, a navigation device. The navigation device includes a map storage unit, a map image processing unit, and a display. The map image processing unit reads the map information from the map storage unit, performs image processing for converting the map according to the operation signal supplied from the operation signal processing unit 9, and the map image thus generated is displayed on the display.

  Hereinafter, each operation defined in the combination operation table of FIG. 5 will be described. First, the map enlargement (1) and the map reduction (2) will be described.

(1) When the left stroke input stroke direction is left and the right stroke input stroke direction is right, the device operation is map enlargement.

(2) When the left stroke input stroke direction is right and the right stroke input stroke direction is left, the device operation is map reduction.

  FIG. 6 shows operations corresponding to the above cases (1) and (2). As shown in the figure, when the map is enlarged, the left and right fingers are spread in a direction away from each other, that is, outward. As a result, the input position of the left operation input unit 5 moves to the left, the input position of the right operation input unit 7 moves to the right (time t1 to t2), the stroke analysis result becomes a combination of (1), and the map An enlargement operation signal is generated. Similarly, when the map is reduced, the left and right fingers are narrowed toward each other, that is, inward. As a result, the input position of the left operation input unit 5 moves to the right, the input position of the right operation input unit 7 moves to the left (time t3 to t4), and the stroke analysis result becomes a combination of (2), A reduction operation signal is generated.

  As described above, the device operation may be started when two stroke inputs are simultaneously detected. In this example, the map enlargement may be started from time t1, and the map reduction may be started from time t3. Then, stroke input (input position change) may be detected every predetermined cycle, and the map may be enlarged or reduced according to the stroke input.

  In the above process, the lateral component of the stroke input may be processed. Thereby, the stroke input in the oblique direction is also determined as the stroke input in the right direction or the left direction. Alternatively, an operation that enters an angle within a predetermined range up and down with respect to the horizontal axis may be determined as a horizontal operation.

  In the above enlargement and reduction processing, it is preferable to change the scale change amount according to the stroke amount. Here, the sum of the left stroke amount and the right stroke amount may be processed as the stroke amount for determining the scale change amount. For example, the average of the left stroke amount and the right stroke amount may be processed as the stroke amount for determining the scale change amount. A table for associating the stroke amount with the scale change amount is stored in advance, and the scale change amount may be obtained from this table. The scale change amount may be obtained by calculation.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the left and right fingers are moved away from each other, the map is enlarged. This operation is similar to the operation of expanding and stretching the object. On the other hand, moving the left and right fingers toward each other reduces the map. This operation is similar to the operation of shrinking the object small. In this way, the enlargement and reduction of the map, which is the target function, and the operation of both hands correspond, so that the operation can be intuitively understood.

  Next, (3) map movement and (4) inclination change in the combination operation table of FIG. 5 will be described.

(3) When the left stroke input is a static input and the right stroke input is a stroke input in any stroke direction, the device operation is a map movement in the stroke direction.

(4) When the left stroke input is a stroke input in any one of the stroke directions and the right stroke input is a static input, the device operation is a change in the inclination of the map according to the stroke direction.

  In the above, the static input corresponds to a state where the finger is stationary and the input position is also stationary. The stationary position of the input position may mean that the amount of movement of the input position is 0 (the amount of stroke is 0), or the amount of movement of the input position is a small amount less than or equal to a predetermined amount (the amount of stroke is a predetermined amount). (The same shall apply hereinafter). Thus, the static input is an operation in which the stroke amount is 0 or a very small amount. Therefore, in the present invention, the static input is treated as a kind of stroke input and is detected by the left stroke analysis unit 21 and the right stroke analysis unit 23. The The above two types of inputs may be referred to as movement input and stationary input, or may be referred to as movement stroke input and stationary stroke input (movement input or movement stroke input is an input whose input position moves. The stroke input in any one of the above-described stroke directions, and the device operation depends on the stroke direction, that is, the movement direction).

  FIG. 7 shows operations corresponding to the above-mentioned case (3). As illustrated, it is assumed that the finger of the left hand is stationary on the left operation input unit 5 and the finger of the right hand is moved on the right operation input unit 7. As shown in the graph of FIG. 7, the input position of the left operation input unit 5 does not change, and the input position of the right operation input unit 7 changes with time. In this case, the map moves, that is, scrolls, in the direction in which the input position of the right operation input unit 7 changes. The map is not limited to top, bottom, left and right, but may be moved diagonally.

  The device operation may start when two stroke inputs are detected at the same time, that is, the map movement may start from time t1. And a stroke input (input position change) is detected for every predetermined cycle, and a map may be moved according to a stroke input. In the graph of FIG. 7, the input position for the right stroke input rises, falls, and then rises again. In response to this change in stroke input, the map also moves upward, moves downward, and then moves upward again. Eventually, the position at the end is higher than the start of stroke input, and a map above is displayed.

  In the operation of FIG. 7 described above, the operation of moving the input position is similar to the operation of moving the object in the movement direction. Therefore, since the map movement, which is the target function, corresponds to the operation, the operation can be intuitively understood.

  In the above map movement, it is preferable to change the map movement amount according to the stroke amount. A table that associates the stroke amount with the map movement amount is stored in advance, and the map movement amount may be obtained from this table. The map movement amount may be obtained by calculation.

  FIG. 8 shows operations corresponding to the case (4). As illustrated, it is assumed that the finger of the right hand is stopped on the right operation input unit 7 and the finger of the left hand is moved on the left operation input unit 5. As shown in the graph of FIG. 8, the input position of the right operation input unit 7 does not change, and the input position of the left operation input unit 5 changes with time. In this case, the map inclination (inclination angle) is changed according to the change in the input position of the left operation input unit 5. The inclination changes depending on the viewpoint angle. When the angle of the viewpoint is not directly above and the map is tilted, a bird's-eye view (bird view) overlooking the tilted direction is displayed. If the input position changes upward, that is, if the stroke direction is up, the inclination increases (the viewpoint becomes lower), the map tilts away, and a map overlooking the distance is displayed. Conversely, if the input position is lowered, the inclination becomes smaller (the viewpoint becomes higher), and the map leans forward. If the stroke direction is left and right, the inclination in the left and right direction is changed. If the stroke direction is diagonal, the map is also tilted diagonally. For example, if the stroke direction is in the upper right, the map is tilted to the right side on the other side. This displays a map overlooking the far side and the right side (or northeast if north is up).

  Also in this example, the device operation may start from the time when two stroke inputs are detected simultaneously, that is, the tilt change may start from time t1. Then, stroke input (input position change) may be detected every predetermined cycle, and the inclination may be changed according to the stroke input. In the graph of FIG. 8, the vertical axis represents the input position in the vertical direction. Then, during the time t1 to the time t2, the input position of the left stroke input rises and then falls. As the stroke input changes, the inclination increases and then decreases. Eventually, the input position at the end is higher than the start of stroke input, and the map tilt is larger than at the start of the operation.

  In the operation of FIG. 8 described above, the operation of raising the input position is similar to the operation of tilting the object from the front to the back. Conversely, the operation of lowering the input position is similar to the operation of bringing an object from the back to the front. Also, the operation of moving the finger to the left and right is similar to the operation of tilting the object to the left and right. Therefore, since the map tilt change, which is the target function, corresponds to the operation, the operation can be intuitively understood.

  Further, in the above map movement, it is preferable to change the inclination change amount according to the stroke amount. A table associating the stroke amount with the inclination change amount is stored in advance, and the inclination change amount may be obtained from this table. The amount of change in inclination may be obtained by calculation.

  Next, operation | movement of the vehicle equipment operation device 1 which concerns on this Embodiment is demonstrated. The left operation input unit 5 supplies an input position signal to the left stroke analysis unit 21 when the driver's finger is touched. The left stroke analysis unit 21 processes the input position signal, analyzes the left stroke input, and supplies the analysis result to the multipoint stroke analysis unit 27. Similarly, the right operation input unit 7 supplies an input position signal to the right stroke analysis unit 23 when the driver's finger touches. The right stroke analysis unit 23 processes the input position signal, analyzes the right stroke input, and supplies the analysis result to the multipoint stroke analysis unit 27.

  When the driver operates the left operation input unit 5 and the right operation input unit 7 at the same time, both the left stroke analysis unit 21 and the right stroke analysis unit 23 simultaneously receive information on the left stroke input and the right stroke input in the multipoint stroke analysis unit 27. To supply. At this time, the multipoint stroke analysis unit 27 determines whether or not the combination of the left stroke input and the right stroke input is stored in the combination operation pattern storage unit 25. If a combination of both stroke inputs is stored, the device operation corresponding to the combination is specified. This device operation is instructed to the operation signal generation unit 29, and an operation signal corresponding to the device operation is generated. This operation signal is output to the in-vehicle device 3 corresponding to the device operation. In the above example, an operation signal for changing the map display is supplied to the navigation device.

  When the driver operates only one of the left operation input unit 5 and the right operation input unit 7, only information on one stroke input is supplied to the multipoint stroke analysis unit 27. In this case, the multipoint stroke analysis unit 27 does not perform processing for specifying the device operation, and the operation signal generation unit 29 also does not generate an operation signal. Therefore, when the driver unintentionally touches one of the operation input units, the device operation is not performed.

  In the above example, the present invention is applied to map display operation. However, the present invention may be applied to any display operation other than a map. When the in-vehicle device 3 is a navigation device, the present invention may be applied to the operation of an arbitrary image on the display screen of the navigation device. In this case, the same operation as the above map enlargement / reduction is preferably applied. Specifically, when the left stroke input stroke direction is left and the right stroke input stroke direction is right, the device operation is display enlargement. On the other hand, when the left stroke input stroke direction is right and the right stroke input stroke direction is left, the device operation is display reduction. The enlargement / reduction may be performed on the entire display screen or a part thereof. With such a configuration, when the left and right operation input units are operated so as to increase the distance between the fingers of both hands, the display is enlarged, and when the left and right operation input units are operated so as to reduce the distance between the fingers of both hands, the display is reduced. Accordingly, the enlargement and reduction of the display, which is the target function, and the operation of both hands are related, so that the operation can be intuitively understood.

  Next, an application example of the present invention to still another operation will be described with reference to FIG. In this example, the present invention is applied to a menu selection operation. The operation screen is displayed on the display device, the display device displays a plurality of selection items (functions / operation targets), and the operation is performed on the display device. In FIG. 9, the following operations (1) and (2) are performed.

(1) Selecting a function with the right hand The right operation input unit 7 accepts a right stroke input by a finger of the right hand. In the left operation input unit 5, the finger is stationary and is in a stationary input state. Since both stroke inputs are accepted, the operation is validated. Then, the selection item changes according to the position of the finger of the right hand. The selected item is displayed greatly enlarged. In this example, the in-vehicle device 3 is an air conditioner and the temperature adjustment function is selected.

(2) Setting with left hand The left operation input unit 5 accepts a left stroke input by the left hand while keeping the selection of the right hand. The temperature setting changes according to the left / right stroke input. The greater the stroke amount, the greater the amount of change in temperature setting.

  FIG. 10 shows changes in input positions of the left operation input unit 5 and the right operation input unit 7 corresponding to the above operation. First, input to the right operation input unit 7 starts at time t1, and the input position changes. Input to the left operation input unit 5 starts at time t2, and the operation is validated. And according to the change of the input position to the right operation input part 7, the selection item on a menu screen changes. At time t3, the input position of the right operation input unit 7 is stationary, and the selection item is determined to be temperature adjustment. After time t3, the input position of the right operation input unit 7 is fixed, and the selection item is also fixed to temperature adjustment.

  At time t4, the finger of the left hand starts to move, and the input position to the left operation input unit 5 starts to change. In this example, the input position changes to the right side. Therefore, the stroke direction is the right direction, and the temperature setting changes to the higher one. The right hand is released at time t5, the left hand is released at time t6, and the operation is completed.

  In the above description, the operation screen is displayed on the display device, and the display device displays a plurality of selection items and the like. This display device (not shown) functions as a component of the in-vehicle device operation device 1. This display device may be a display device of a car navigation device, for example. That is, the display device of the car navigation device may function as the display device of the in-vehicle device operation device 1. Furthermore, the in-vehicle device operation device 1 may be provided in the car navigation device. The car navigation device may have an air conditioner operation function for the above air conditioner operation.

  In the above example, the operation device is selected with the right hand, and the setting is performed with the left hand as it is, and the target function is operated using both hands. As described above, according to the present embodiment, by providing two operation input units, an operation device is selected by input to one operation input unit, and setting is performed by directly inputting to the other operation input unit. It is possible to quickly access a target function using two operation input units.

  In the present embodiment, the in-vehicle device operation apparatus 1 may be configured to perform the following “cancel operation” process. When the plurality of stroke inputs obtained from the plurality of operation input units match the pattern indicating “cancel” stored in the combination operation pattern storage unit 25, the operation signal processing unit 9 performs the operation up to the immediately preceding operation. Cancel. As a specific configuration example, in the above embodiment, there are touch panels on the left and right of the steering wheel. The “cancel” pattern is a stroke input that quickly and repeatedly moves the fingers of both hands in different directions. When the input of the “cancel” pattern matches the left and right strokes, the operation signal processing unit 9 cancels the previous operation.

  According to the above configuration example, it is assumed that the left stroke input is detected in the order of moving to the left, moving to the right, moving to the left, and releasing. Further, it is assumed that a right stroke input is detected in the order of movement to the right, movement to the left, movement to the right, and release. The combination of these stroke inputs matches the “cancel” pattern stored in the combination operation pattern storage unit 25, and as a result, the operation up to immediately before is canceled. In the above example, for example, the scale of the map is changed to the original value or the default value. For example, the original menu selection screen is displayed.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the arrangement of operation input units is different, and the combination pattern of stroke input is different accordingly. Hereinafter, description of matters common to the above-described embodiment will be omitted, and differences will be described.

  As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, in the present embodiment, the in-vehicle device operation device 51 includes a front operation input unit 53 and a back operation input unit 55. The front operation input unit 53 and the back operation input unit 55 are provided on the front surface 57 on the driver side of the steering wheel 11 and the back surface 59 on the opposite side, respectively, and the driver holds the steering wheel 11. Each hand is operated with different fingers. In this example, the front operation input unit 53 and the back operation input unit 55 are disposed on the left side portion of the steering 11 and are operated with the thumb and index finger of the left hand, respectively. The front operation input unit 53 and the back operation input unit 55 are touch panels as in the first embodiment.

  Corresponding to the front operation input unit 53 and the back operation input unit 55, the operation signal processing unit 9 includes a front stroke analysis unit 61 and a back stroke analysis unit 63. The stroke analysis unit 61 analyzes the front stroke input to the front operation input unit 53, and the back stroke analysis unit 63 analyzes the back stroke input to the back operation input unit 55.

  FIG. 13 shows a combination operation table stored in the combination operation pattern storage unit 25. As shown in the figure, the combination operation table is a table for front stroke input, back stroke input, and device operation. Also in this example, the in-vehicle device 3 is a map display device, and the device operation is a map display operation. The multipoint stroke analysis unit 27 refers to the combination operation table and identifies the device operation corresponding to the combination of the front stroke and the back stroke.

  Hereinafter, each operation defined in the combination operation table of FIG. 13 will be described. First, the map enlargement (1) and the map reduction (2) will be described.

(1) When the stroke direction of front stroke input is up and the stroke direction of back stroke input is down, the device operation is map enlargement.

(2) If the stroke direction of the front stroke input is down and the stroke direction of the back stroke input is up, the device operation is map reduction.

  FIG. 14 shows operations corresponding to the cases (1) and (2). In the graph in the figure, the horizontal axis is time, and the vertical axis is the input position in the vertical direction. As shown in the figure, when the map is enlarged or reduced, the driver crosses the thumb and index finger to pinch an object. As a result, the thumb and index finger move in opposite directions. When the thumb on the front side moves up and the index finger on the back side moves down, the input positions of the front operation input unit 53 and the back operation input unit 55 are similarly moved (time t1 to t2). The combination of 1) generates a map enlargement operation signal. When the combination in the stroke direction is reversed, the stroke analysis result becomes the combination (2), and an operation signal for map reduction is generated.

  In the above processing, the vertical component of stroke input may be processed. Thereby, the stroke input in the oblique direction is also determined as the stroke input in the upward direction or the downward direction. Alternatively, an operation that enters an angle within a predetermined range with respect to the vertical axis may be determined as a vertical operation.

  Further, similarly to the first embodiment, in the above enlargement and reduction processing, it is preferable to change the scale change amount according to the stroke amount.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the map can be enlarged or reduced by moving two fingers of one hand in the opposite direction. In addition, by reversing the direction in which the finger is moved, enlargement and reduction can be switched. The operation of moving the finger on the front side and moving the finger on the back side down is an operation of moving the object upward, and is similar to the operation of extending the object. On the other hand, the operation of moving the front finger down and moving the back finger up is an operation of shifting the object downward, and is similar to the operation of contracting the object. Therefore, since the enlargement and reduction of the map, which is the target function, are related to the operation, the operation can be intuitively understood.

  Next, (3) map movement and (4) inclination change in the combination operation table of FIG. 13 will be described.

(3) When the front stroke input is a stroke input in any stroke direction and the back stroke input is a static input, the device operation is a map movement in the stroke direction.

(4) When the front stroke input is a static input and the back stroke input is a stroke input in any stroke direction, the device operation is a change in the map inclination according to the stroke direction.

  FIG. 15 shows operations corresponding to the above-mentioned case (3). As shown in the figure, it is assumed that the index finger is stationary on the back operation input unit 55 and the thumb is moved on the front operation input unit 53. As shown in the graph of FIG. 15, the input position of the back operation input unit 55 does not change, and the input position of the front operation input unit 53 changes with time. In this case, the map moves, that is, scrolls, in the direction in which the input position of the table operation input unit 53 changes. The map is not limited to top, bottom, left and right, but may be moved diagonally. The operation of moving the input position is similar to the operation of moving the object in the movement direction. Therefore, since the map movement, which is the target function, corresponds to the operation, the operation can be intuitively understood. As in the first embodiment, it is also preferable here to change the map movement amount according to the stroke amount.

  FIG. 16 shows operations corresponding to the case (4). As shown in the figure, it is assumed that the thumb is stationary on the front operation input unit 53 and the index finger is moved on the back operation input unit 55. As shown in the graph of FIG. 16, the input position of the front operation input unit 53 does not change, and the input position of the back operation input unit 55 changes with time. In this case, the inclination of the map is changed according to the change in the input position of the back operation input unit 55. If the input position changes upward, that is, if the stroke direction is up, the inclination becomes smaller and the map tilts forward. Conversely, if the input position is lowered, the inclination is increased, the map is tilted away, and a map overlooking the distance is displayed. Also, when the stroke direction is left and right, the inclination is changed to right and left. Furthermore, if the stroke direction is diagonal, the inclination is also changed to the diagonal direction. Here, the operation of raising the finger on the back side of the steering wheel 11 is similar to the operation of tilting the object from the back to the front. Conversely, the operation of lowering the finger on the back side is similar to the operation of tilting the object from the front to the back. Also, the operation of moving the finger to the left and right is similar to the operation of tilting the object to the left and right. Therefore, since the map tilt change, which is the target function, corresponds to the operation, the operation can be intuitively understood.

  Again, as in the first embodiment, it is preferable to change the amount of change in inclination according to the stroke amount.

  In the above example, the map operation is performed, but other operations are also realized using the front operation input unit 53 and the back operation input unit 55. For example, as described in the first embodiment, the present invention may be applied to any display operation other than a map. In this case, when the stroke direction of the front stroke input is up and the stroke direction of the back stroke input is down, the device operation is display enlargement. When the front stroke input stroke direction is down and the back stroke input stroke direction is up, the device operation is display reduction. The enlargement / reduction may be performed on the entire display screen or a part thereof. With such a configuration, the display can be enlarged or reduced by moving a plurality of fingers of one hand in the opposite direction. In addition, by reversing the direction in which the finger is moved, enlargement and reduction can be switched. Therefore, since the display enlargement and reduction, which are the target functions, are related to the operation, the operation can be intuitively understood.

  In addition, menu selection may be performed as in the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, as described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, the function is selected with the right hand and the setting is performed with the left hand. In the second embodiment, for example, a function is selected by input to the front operation input unit 53 using the thumb, and setting is performed by input to the back operation input unit 55 using the index finger. Conversely, the function may be selected using the index finger and the setting may be performed using the thumb. By such an operation, the target function can be quickly accessed using the two operation input units as in the first embodiment.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. According to the present invention, when an operation input is detected at the same time by a plurality of operation input units, the operation is activated and the operation signal is generated, so that an erroneous operation due to an unintended contact with the operation member can be prevented. In addition, since different operation signals are generated according to combinations of a plurality of stroke inputs, the degree of freedom of operation is increased, and an intuitive operation according to the function to be operated becomes possible.

  Further, as described in the first embodiment, by providing the left and right operation input units, it is possible to prevent erroneous contact with both operation input units, and it is possible to appropriately prevent erroneous operations. In addition, combining left and right stroke inputs increases the degree of freedom of operation.For example, unique operations such as widening and narrowing with fingers of both hands can be realized, and the target function is related to the target function. It is also possible to associate the left and right operations with each other, making the operations intuitive and easy to understand.

  Further, as described in the second embodiment, by providing the front and back operation input units, it is possible to prevent erroneous contact with both operation input units, and it is possible to suitably prevent erroneous operations. In addition, combining the front and back stroke input increases the degree of freedom of operation, and for example, it is possible to realize an unprecedented unique operation such as crossing fingers so that they are pinched with fingers of both hands, and the target function becomes the target function. Corresponding operations can be associated with each other, making the operations intuitive and easy to understand.

  In addition, as described in the first and second embodiments with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, the operation signal processing unit includes a stroke input in which an input position moves and an input by a plurality of operation input units. When a stationary input with a stationary position is received, an operation signal for selecting a selection item is generated according to the stroke direction of the stroke input, and then the operation input unit that has received the stroke input performs a stationary input. When the operation input unit that has received the input and the static input receives the stroke input, an operation signal for setting the selection item according to the stroke direction and the stroke amount of the stroke input may be generated. In the above-described example, the temperature adjustment function of the air conditioner is selected as the selection item, and then the temperature setting is performed. According to the present invention, since both selection and setting can be completed only by a series of operations in which the fingers of both hands touch the operation input unit and then leave, it becomes easy to quickly reach the target function setting. Intuitive and easy-to-understand operation can be realized.

  In the above embodiment, each operation input unit is a touch panel. However, the operation input unit is not limited to the touch panel within the scope of the present invention. The operation input unit may be a joystick as described above, and in this case as well, stroke input can be accepted. These touch panels and joysticks are two-axis input devices, and two-dimensional position input is possible. However, a uniaxial or triaxial input device may be applied. Furthermore, it can be said that the operation input unit applied to the present invention is a device that inputs continuous values, not digital values such as on / off. From this viewpoint, the operation input unit of the present invention can also be called an analog input device. Here, the term analog means a continuous value. For example, when the operator moves a finger on the touch panel, a continuous position change signal is obtained as analog information.

  Further, in the above embodiment, two operation input units are provided, and the operation is validated when these two operation input units are operated simultaneously. However, within the scope of the present invention, three or more operation input units may be provided, and the operation may be validated when at least two of the three or more operation input units accept the operation input. That is, the operation may be effective when input is detected by all the operation input units, or the operation may be enabled when some of the operation input units detect the operation input. For example, the first embodiment and the second embodiment may be combined to provide a total of four operation input units on the left and right of the front surface of the steering wheel and the left and right of the back surface. For each combination of arbitrary (two to four) operation input units, different device operations may be set according to the combination of stroke inputs as described in the above-described embodiment.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that those skilled in the art can modify the above-described embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

  As described above, the present invention is useful as a technique capable of preventing erroneous operation of an in-vehicle device and preparing the operation.

It is a figure which shows the vehicle equipment operation apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the left operation input part and right operation input part which were provided in the steering. It is a figure which shows an input position change when the operation input of a left and right operation input part is detected simultaneously, and operation is validated. It is a figure which shows an input position change when the operation input of a left and right operation input part is not detected simultaneously and operation is not validated. It is a figure which shows the example of the combination operation table memorize | stored in the combination operation pattern memory | storage part. It is a figure which shows the expansion and reduction operation of a map by the combination of right and left operation. It is a figure which shows map movement operation by the combination of right and left operation. It is a figure which shows operation which changes the map inclination by the combination of left and right operation. It is a figure which shows menu selection operation by the combination of left and right operation. It is a figure which shows menu selection operation by the combination of left and right operation. It is a figure which shows the vehicle equipment operation apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the front operation input part and back operation input part which were provided in the steering. It is a figure which shows the example of the combination operation table memorize | stored in the combination operation pattern memory | storage part. It is a figure which shows the expansion and reduction operation of the map by the combination of front and back operation. It is a figure which shows map movement operation by the combination of front and back operation. It is a figure which shows operation which changes the map inclination by the combination of front and back operation.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 In-vehicle apparatus operation apparatus 3 In-vehicle apparatus 5 Left operation input part 7 Right operation input part 9 Operation signal processing part 11 Steering 21 Left stroke analysis part 23 Right stroke analysis part 25 Combination operation pattern memory | storage part 27 Multipoint stroke analysis part 29 Operation signal Generator

Claims (17)

An in-vehicle device operating device operated by a driver to use an in-vehicle device,
A plurality of operation input units that are installed in the steering of the vehicle and detect operation inputs by the driver;
In response to operation inputs detected by the plurality of operation input units, an operation signal processing unit that generates an operation signal for controlling the in-vehicle device,
With
Each of the plurality of operation input units accepts a stroke input that is a continuous input of input position information for an input member as an operation input by the driver,
The operation signal processing unit validates an operation when an operation input is simultaneously detected by the plurality of operation input units, and according to a combination of a plurality of stroke inputs respectively received by the plurality of operation input units. A vehicle-mounted device operating device that generates different operation signals. Each of the plurality of operation input units continuously generates the input position information corresponding to the input position with respect to the input member,
The operation signal processor is
A plurality of stroke analysis units that respectively analyze a plurality of stroke inputs from the plurality of input position information;
A combination operation pattern storage unit for storing device operations corresponding to combinations of a plurality of stroke inputs;
A multi-point stroke that determines the device operation corresponding to the combination of the plurality of stroke inputs with reference to the combination operation pattern storage unit when a plurality of stroke inputs are simultaneously obtained by the plurality of stroke analysis units. An analysis unit;
An operation signal generation unit that generates an operation signal corresponding to the device operation determined by the multipoint stroke analysis unit;
The in-vehicle device operating device according to claim 1, wherein   The in-vehicle device operation device according to claim 2, wherein the stroke analysis unit has a noise removal function for removing an operation input determined as noise based on a predetermined noise determination level.   The plurality of operation input units are installed on a left side portion and a right side portion of the steering, respectively, and include a left operation input unit and a right operation input unit that are operated with a left hand and a right hand while a driver holds the steering, respectively. The in-vehicle device operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The in-vehicle device is a display device,
The operation signal processing unit is an operation for enlarging the whole or a part of the display screen in the display device when a combination of stroke inputs in a stroke direction away from each other is received by the left operation input unit and the right operation input unit. An operation signal for reducing the whole or a part of the display screen in the display device when a combination of stroke inputs in a stroke direction approaching each other is received by the left operation input unit and the right operation input unit. The in-vehicle device operating device according to claim 4, wherein the on-vehicle device operating device is generated. The in-vehicle device is a map display device,
The operation signal processing unit outputs an operation signal for enlarging a map displayed on the map display device when a combination of stroke inputs in a stroke direction away from each other is received by the left operation input unit and the right operation input unit. Generating an operation signal for reducing a map displayed on the map display device when a combination of stroke inputs in a stroke direction approaching each other by the left operation input unit and the right operation input unit is received. The in-vehicle device operation device according to claim 4, wherein the device is an on-vehicle device operation device.   The plurality of operation input units are provided on a surface on the driver side of the steering and on a surface on the opposite side, respectively, and are operated with different fingers on one hand while the driver is holding the steering wheel. The in-vehicle apparatus operation device according to claim 1, further comprising a back portion and a back operation input portion. The in-vehicle device is a display device,
The operation signal processing unit enlarges the whole or a part of the display screen in the display device when a combination of stroke inputs in opposite stroke directions is received by the front operation input unit and the back operation input unit. The in-vehicle device operation device according to claim 7, wherein an operation signal to be reduced is generated, and a combination of stroke directions corresponding to display enlargement is opposite to a combination of stroke directions corresponding to display reduction. The in-vehicle device is a map display device,
The operation signal processing unit enlarges or reduces a map displayed on the map display device when a combination of stroke inputs in opposite stroke directions is received by the front operation input unit and the back operation input unit. 8. The in-vehicle device operating device according to claim 7, wherein a combination of stroke directions corresponding to map enlargement is generated opposite to a combination of stroke directions corresponding to map reduction. The in-vehicle device is a map display device,
The operation signal processing unit is configured to display a map according to a stroke direction of the stroke input when a plurality of operation input units receives a stroke input whose input position moves and a static input whose input position is stationary. The vehicle-mounted device operation device according to claim 1, wherein an operation signal for moving the vehicle is generated. The in-vehicle device is a map display device,
The operation signal processing unit is configured to display a map according to a stroke direction of the stroke input when a plurality of operation input units receives a stroke input whose input position moves and a static input whose input position is stationary. The in-vehicle device operation device according to claim 1, wherein an operation signal for changing the inclination of the in-vehicle device is generated.   The said operation signal process part produces | generates the said operation signal so that a display variation | change_quantity may differ according to the stroke amount of the said stroke input, The Claim 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, or 11 characterized by the above-mentioned. In-vehicle equipment operation device.   The operation signal processing unit is selected according to the stroke direction of the stroke input when a plurality of operation input units receives a stroke input whose input position moves and a static input whose input position is stationary. When the operation input unit that has received the stroke input receives a static input and the operation input unit that has received the static input receives a stroke input, a stroke is generated. The in-vehicle device operation device according to claim 1, wherein an operation signal for performing setting for a selection item is generated according to an input stroke direction and a stroke amount.   The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising: a notification unit that notifies the driver of at least one of the operation being enabled and the operation being ended by at least one of a display and a sound. The in-vehicle device operation device described. An in-vehicle device operation method is applied to an in-vehicle device operation device operated by a driver to use an in-vehicle device, and generates an operation signal for controlling the in-vehicle device according to an operation by the driver,
Each of the plurality of operation input units installed in the steering of the vehicle accepts stroke input which is continuous input of input position information for the input member,
The operation is validated when a plurality of stroke inputs are simultaneously detected by the plurality of operation input units, and different operation signals are generated according to combinations of the plurality of stroke inputs respectively accepted by the plurality of operation input units. In-vehicle device operation method characterized by the above. An in-vehicle device operation program that is executed by an in-vehicle device operation device operated by a driver to use the in-vehicle device and generates an operation signal for controlling the in-vehicle device according to an operation by the driver,
From each of the plurality of operation input units installed in the steering of the vehicle, information on stroke input that is continuous input of input position information on the input member is acquired,
When a stroke input is simultaneously detected by the plurality of operation input units, the operation is enabled, and different operation signals are generated according to combinations of the plurality of stroke inputs respectively received by the plurality of operation input units.
An in-vehicle device operation program that causes the in-vehicle device operation device to perform processing. A moving body operating device operated to use a moving body,
A plurality of operation input units installed on the mobile body and detecting operation inputs by a user;
An operation signal processing unit that generates an operation signal for controlling the moving body in accordance with operation inputs detected by the plurality of operation input units;
With
Each of the plurality of operation input units accepts a stroke input that is a continuous input of input position information for an input member as an operation input by the user,
The operation signal processing unit validates an operation when an operation input is simultaneously detected by the plurality of operation input units, and according to a combination of a plurality of stroke inputs respectively received by the plurality of operation input units. A moving body operating device that generates different operation signals.

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