JP2010143324A - Input device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an input device for a vehicle capable of performing an operation intended by a driver, even during steering. <P>SOLUTION: This input device 1 performs various kinds of inputs from a steering wheel. The input device 1 includes an operation direction input means 10 provided in the steering wheel to input the operation direction by the driver, an operation direction detection means 10 for detecting the operation direction inputted by the operation direction input means 10, a steering angle detection means 20 for detecting a steering angle of the steering wheel, and an instruction direction converting means 51 for converting the operation direction by the operation direction input means to an instruction direction by adding a correction angle according to the steering angle of the steering wheel to the operation direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle input device for performing various inputs from a steering wheel.

Some vehicles have an operation device on the steering wheel so that the driver can perform various input operations while holding the steering wheel while driving. Examples of such an operation device include a touch tracer, a trackball, and a joystick. In the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a joystick is provided on the steering wheel, and a display selection item is selected by moving a cursor on the screen of the navigation system displayed on the display in accordance with an operation direction by the driver's joystick.
JP 2001-160336 A JP 2001-322516 A JP 2006-264615 A

  When the driver steers through the steering wheel, there is a deviation between the operation direction of the operation device provided on the steering wheel and the direction intended by the driver according to the steering angle. May be different from the driver's intended movement. In particular, the greater the steering angle, the more difficult it is for the driver holding the steering wheel to move his / her finger, so the deviation from the operation intended by the driver increases.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle input device that can perform an operation intended by the driver even during steering.

  An input device for a vehicle according to the present invention is an input device for a vehicle for performing various inputs from a steering wheel, and is provided on the steering wheel, and an operation direction input means for a driver to input an operation direction, Steering angle detection in the operation direction by the operation direction detection means for detecting the operation direction input by the direction input means, the steering angle detection means for detecting the steering angle of the steering wheel, and the operation direction input means detected by the operation direction detection means And an instruction direction conversion means for converting into an instruction direction in consideration of a correction angle corresponding to the steering angle of the steering wheel detected by the means.

  In this vehicular input device, when an operation direction is input by an operation direction input means provided on a steering wheel by a driver, the operation direction detection means detects the operation direction. In the vehicle input device, the steering angle of the steering wheel is detected by the steering angle detection means. In the vehicular input device, the instruction direction conversion means adds the correction angle corresponding to the steering angle of the steering wheel to the actual operation direction of the operation direction input means, and converts it to the instruction direction of the driver. As described above, in the vehicle input device, the driver's instruction direction is determined by adding the correction angle corresponding to the steering angle of the steering wheel to the actual operation direction by the driver, so that the instruction direction and the driver can be used even during steering. The deviation from the intended direction can be suppressed as much as possible, and the operation input intended by the driver can be performed.

  In the vehicular input device of the present invention, it is preferable that the indication direction conversion means has a correction angle having a larger difference from the steering angle as the steering angle of the steering wheel detected by the steering angle detection means increases. Thus, in the vehicle input device, the larger the steering angle of the steering wheel is, the larger the difference from the steering angle is. Thus, the larger the steering angle, the more difficult the driver moves the finger. Even the corners can be converted into the indicated direction in consideration of an appropriate correction angle, and the deviation between the indicated direction and the direction intended by the driver can be suppressed as much as possible.

  The present invention takes the correction angle according to the steering angle of the steering wheel into the actual operation direction by the driver and takes it as the driver's instruction direction, so that the instruction direction and the direction intended by the driver can be obtained even during steering. The shift can be suppressed as much as possible, and the operation input intended by the driver can be performed.

  Embodiments of a vehicle input device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  In the present embodiment, the vehicle input device according to the present invention is applied to a touch tracer device that performs an input operation using a touch tracer provided on a steering wheel. The touch tracer device according to the present embodiment is an input device used for various settings of the navigation system, and is a remote input device separated from the setting screen of the display. In the present embodiment, there are three modes in which the relationship between the steering angle and the correction angle is different. The first embodiment has a linear relationship in which the correction angle = the steering angle, and the second embodiment is The correction angle = k (0 <k <1) × steering angle is a linear relationship, and the third embodiment has a nonlinear relationship between the steering angle and the correction angle.

  With reference to FIGS. 1-3, the touch tracer apparatus 1 which concerns on 1st Embodiment is demonstrated. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a touch tracer device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is an example of a setting screen of the navigation system by the touch tracer unit, where (a) is not steered and (b) is steered. FIG. 3 is a graph showing the relationship between the steering angle and the correction angle used in the touch tracer device according to the first embodiment.

  The touch tracer device 1 is an input device for selecting and determining a plurality of buttons on various setting screens displayed on the display when the driver performs an input operation using the touch tracer. In particular, in the touch tracer device 1, the steering angle itself (correction angle) is added to the actual operation direction input to the touch tracer so that the operation intended by the driver can be performed even during steering. To do. The touch tracer device 1 includes a touch tracer unit 10, a steering angle sensor 20, a navigation ECU [Electronic Control Unit] 30, a display 40, and an ECU 51.

  In the first embodiment, the touch tracer unit 10 corresponds to the operation direction input unit and the operation direction detection unit described in the claims, and the steering angle sensor 20 detects the steering angle described in the claims. The processing in the ECU 51 corresponds to the instruction direction changing means described in the claims.

  A setting screen in the touch tracer device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The example shown in FIG. 2 shows a case where the facility button IB is selected and operated on the destination setting screen DS in the navigation system. In the present embodiment, a cursor is indicated by a thick frame display for buttons on the setting screen, and a pointer is indicated by an arrow on the setting screen. The cursor indicates a button selected from a plurality of buttons on the setting screen. The pointer indicates the position indicated by the touch tracer on the setting screen.

  A plurality of buttons are arranged on various setting screens, and an area is set for each button. When the driver moves his / her finger up / down / left / right on the touch tracer unit 10, a pointer (arrow) is placed at a position on the setting screen corresponding to the operation direction on the touch tracer unit 10 (instruction direction converted by the ECU). Is displayed. When entering the setting area of a button with a pointer, the button is displayed with a cursor (thick frame display). If the driver performs a determination operation (for example, strongly pressing) on the touch tracer unit 10 while the button is displayed with the cursor, the item of the button displayed with the cursor is determined. Then, the screen transitions to the next setting screen or map. In the case of the example shown in FIG. 2, since the driver has selected and operated the facility button IB on the destination setting screen DS by the touch tracer unit 10, a cursor is displayed on the facility button IB and a pointer is displayed on the facility button IB. ing.

  Now, each part of the touch tracer device 1 will be described.

  The touch tracer unit 10 is an operation unit for selecting a button while moving the position of a pointer on the screen displayed on the display 40 by remote operation, and further, a selected button (a button on which a cursor is displayed). It is an operation means for determining. The touch tracer unit 10 is attached to a predetermined portion (for example, a boss or spoke) of the steering wheel, and is disposed at a portion that can be operated with a thumb when the driver is holding the steering wheel. The touch tracer unit 10 has a substantially square flat touch unit for moving a finger, and can be operated in an analog manner in two directions, up, down, left, and right by the movement of the finger. Further, the touch tracer unit 10 includes a tactile sensor that detects a contact state of a finger with the touch unit. In this tactile sensor, whether or not the finger is in contact with the touch part, and if it is in contact, the operation direction in which the touching finger has moved (for example, the right when the upward direction of the touch part is 0 °) In the case of contact, the strength of pressing by the touching finger is detected, and the detected information is transmitted to the ECU 51 as an operation detection signal.

  The steering angle sensor 20 is a sensor that detects the steering angle input to the steering wheel by the driver. The steering angle sensor 20 detects the steering angle of the steering wheel, and transmits the detected steering angle to the ECU 51 as a steering angle signal.

  The navigation ECU 30 is an ECU for a navigation system, and detects the current position and traveling direction of the host vehicle and performs route guidance control to the destination. In particular, when performing various settings, the navigation ECU 30 generates an image to be displayed on the display 40 of each setting screen on which a plurality of buttons are arranged. When the touch tracer information signal is received from the ECU 51 when generating this image, the navigation ECU 30 calculates a position on the screen according to the instruction direction included in the touch tracer information signal, and the calculated position in the setting screen image. Add an image for pointer display. Further, the navigation ECU 30 determines whether or not the position on the screen corresponding to the indicated direction is within each setting area of the plurality of buttons on the setting screen, and when the position is within the setting area of a certain button. Adds an image for cursor display of the button in the setting screen image. Then, the navigation ECU 30 transmits the generated setting screen image to the display 40 as an image signal.

  In the case of the example shown in FIG. 2, the destination setting screen DS is displayed on the display 40, a cursor is displayed on the facility button IB of the destination setting screen DS, and a pointer is displayed in the facility button IB.

  Also, when the touch tracer information signal is received from the ECU 51 when a button with a setting screen is displayed as a cursor, the navigation ECU 30 determines that the button is ON based on the ON / OFF information determined in the touch tracer information signal. The item of the button indicated by the cursor is determined, and the next screen is displayed.

  The display 40 is a display shared by various in-vehicle systems. When the display 40 receives the image signal from the navigation ECU 30, the display 40 displays the image indicated by the image signal on the screen.

  The ECU 51 is an electronic control unit that includes a CPU [Central Processing Unit], a ROM [Read Only Memory], a RAM [Random Access Memory], and the like, and performs overall control of the touch tracer device 1. The ECU 51 receives an operation detection signal from the touch tracer unit 10 and a steering angle signal from the steering angle sensor 20 at regular intervals. Then, the ECU 51 performs each process based on these signals and transmits a touch tracer information signal to the navigation ECU 30.

  Specifically, every time the ECU 51 receives a steering angle signal, the ECU 51 sets the steering angle indicated by the steering angle signal as a correction angle. When the correction angle is set in this way, as shown in FIG. 3, the steering angle α and the correction angle β have a linear relationship (α = β) with a proportionality constant of 1. The correction angle is not always set every time a steering angle signal is received, but may be set every time a steering angle signal is received when there is an operation input to the touch tracer unit 10. .

  Each time the ECU 51 receives the operation detection signal, the ECU 51 determines whether or not there is an operation input to the touch tracer unit 10 based on the presence / absence information of contact included in the operation detection signal. When there is an operation input, the ECU 51 calculates the instruction direction by correcting the operation direction at the touch tracer unit 10 included in the operation detection signal with the correction angle. When the steering angle is the right rotation direction, the instruction direction is calculated by adding the correction angle to the right rotation direction to the operation direction. When the steering angle is the left rotation direction, the operation direction is set to the left rotation direction. The indicated direction is calculated with the correction angle taken into account. Then, the ECU 51 transmits a touch tracer information signal indicating the indicated direction to the navigation ECU 30.

  This will be described with reference to the example shown in FIG. Here, the operation direction intended by the driver is an operation input in the right direction. As shown in FIG. 2 (a), when the vehicle is not steered, the steering angle is 0 °, so the correction angle is 0 °, and the actual operation direction (right direction) at the touch tracer unit 10 becomes the designated direction as it is. . As shown in FIG. 2B, when α ° is steered in the right rotation direction, the correction angle is α °, and the right rotation direction with respect to the actual operation direction (upwardly to the right) in the touch tracer unit 10. In addition, α ° is added to the right direction.

  When there is an operation input, the ECU 51 determines whether or not the contact strength included in the operation detection signal is equal to or greater than a threshold value. The ECU 51 sets ON as decision ON / OFF information when the contact strength is greater than or equal to a threshold value, and sets OFF as decision ON / OFF information when the contact strength is less than the threshold value. Then, a touch tracer information signal indicating the ON / OFF information is transmitted to the navigation ECU 30. The threshold value is a threshold value for determining a decision operation on the touch tracer by the driver, and is set in advance by an experiment or the like.

  With reference to FIGS. 1-3, operation | movement of the touch tracer apparatus 1 which concerns on 1st Embodiment is demonstrated. Here, an example of destination setting shown in FIG. 2 will be described.

  The steering angle sensor 20 detects the steering angle of the steering wheel at regular intervals and transmits a steering angle signal to the ECU 51. When the steering angle signal is received, the ECU 51 sets the steering angle indicated by the steering angle signal as a correction angle as it is.

  The touch tracer unit 10 detects the presence / absence of finger contact and, when in contact, the operation direction and the strength of the contact, and transmits an operation detection signal to the ECU 51 at regular intervals. When the operation detection signal is received, the ECU 51 determines whether or not there is an operation input to the touch tracer unit 10 based on the contact presence / absence information included in the operation detection signal. Performs processing and determination operation determination processing.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 2, when the destination setting screen DS is displayed on the display 40 for setting the destination, the driver selects the facility button on the touch part of the touch tracer unit 10. Move your finger. In this case, the touch tracer unit 10 detects the operation direction of the finger at the touch unit, and transmits the operation direction to the ECU 51 as an operation detection signal. When the operation detection signal is received, the ECU 51 corrects the operation direction indicated by the operation detection signal using the correction angle to convert the operation direction into an instruction direction, and transmits a touch tracer information signal indicating the instruction direction to the navigation ECU 30.

  Upon receiving this touch tracer information signal, the navigation ECU 30 calculates the position on the screen according to the designated direction, displays a pointer in the facility button IB in the destination setting screen DS, and displays the facility on the destination setting screen DS. A destination setting screen image for displaying a cursor on the button IB is transmitted to the display 40 as an image signal. When this image signal is received, the display 40 displays a pointer setting within the facility button IB and a destination setting screen DS displaying the facility button IB as a cursor.

  According to the touch tracer device 1, the actual operation direction is corrected by the correction angle corresponding to the steering angle to be the direction indicated by the driver, so that the operation position on the screen and the intention of the driver are intended even during steering. The operation position and deviation can be suppressed as much as possible, and the operation input intended by the driver can be performed. In particular, in the touch tracer device 1, since the steering angle is set as it is as the correction angle, the processing load at the time of correction can be reduced.

  With reference to FIG.1 and FIG.4, the touch tracer apparatus 2 which concerns on 2nd Embodiment is demonstrated. FIG. 4 is a graph showing the relationship between the steering angle and the correction angle used in the touch tracer device according to the second embodiment. In the touch tracer device 2, the same components as those in the touch tracer device 1 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  The touch tracer device 2 is different from the touch tracer device 1 according to the first embodiment only in the process for obtaining the correction angle from the steering angle. Therefore, only that point will be described in detail. The touch tracer device 2 includes a touch tracer unit 10, a steering angle sensor 20, a navigation ECU 30, a display 40, and an ECU 52. In the second embodiment, only processing different from the first embodiment in the ECU 52 will be described in detail. In the second embodiment, the processing in the ECU 52 corresponds to the pointing direction changing means described in the claims.

  Each time the ECU 52 receives the steering angle signal from the steering angle sensor 20, the ECU 52 multiplies the steering angle indicated by the steering angle signal by a constant k (0 <k <1), and sets the multiplied value as a correction angle. When the correction angle is set in this way, as shown in FIG. 4, the steering angle α and the correction angle β have a linear relationship (β = k × α) in which the proportionality constant is a positive value less than 1, and The correction angle β is set such that the difference from the steering angle α becomes larger as the steering angle α becomes larger than when the steering angle α is set as the correction angle β as in the first embodiment. The reason why the correction angle is set in this way is that, as the steering angle becomes larger, the driver becomes harder to move his / her finger, so that the correction angle that matches the movement of the driver's finger during steering is set. This constant k is set in advance by experiments or the like (in particular, it may be set for each driver). Then, as with the ECU 51 according to the first embodiment, the ECU 52 corrects the operation direction at the touch tracer unit 10 included in the operation detection signal with the correction angle, and calculates the instruction direction.

  When the operation of the touch tracer device 2 is compared with the operation of the touch tracer device 1 according to the first embodiment, when the steering angle signal is received from the steering angle sensor 20, the steering angle indicated by the steering angle signal is multiplied by a constant k. The only difference is that the correction angle is calculated.

  This touch tracer device 2 has the same effect as the touch tracer device 1 according to the first embodiment. In particular, in the touch tracer device 2, by setting a linear value whose proportionality constant is less than 1 with respect to the steering angle as the correction angle, the driver's finger becomes difficult to move as the steering angle increases. The direction can be converted into an instruction direction with a more appropriate correction angle, and the deviation between the operation position on the screen and the operation position intended by the driver can be suppressed as much as possible even during steering.

  With reference to FIG.1 and FIG.5, the touch tracer apparatus 3 which concerns on 3rd Embodiment is demonstrated. FIG. 5 is a graph showing the relationship between the steering angle and the correction angle used in the touch tracer device according to the third embodiment. In the touch tracer device 3, the same components as those in the touch tracer device 1 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  The touch tracer device 3 differs from the touch tracer device 1 according to the first embodiment only in the process of obtaining the correction angle from the steering angle. Therefore, only that point will be described in detail. The touch tracer device 3 includes a touch tracer unit 10, a steering angle sensor 20, a navigation ECU 30, a display 40, and an ECU 53. In the third embodiment, only processing different from the first embodiment in the ECU 53 will be described in detail. In the third embodiment, the processing in the ECU 53 corresponds to the pointing direction conversion means described in the claims.

  Every time the ECU 53 receives the steering angle signal from the steering angle sensor 20, the ECU 53 calculates the correction angle by the nonlinear function f (steering angle: α) using the steering angle indicated by the steering angle signal as a variable. When the correction angle is set in this way, for example, the steering angle α and the correction angle β have a non-linear relationship as shown in FIG. 5, and the steering angle α is set as the correction angle β as in the first embodiment. A non-linear value larger than the steering angle α is set in a region where the steering angle α is smaller than the case where the steering angle α is set as it is, and a non-linear value smaller than the steering angle α is set in a region where the steering angle α is large. The reason for setting the correction angle in this way is the same reason as described in the second embodiment. This nonlinear function f (α) is set in advance by experiments or the like (in particular, it may be set for each driver). Then, as in the ECU 51 according to the first embodiment, the ECU 53 corrects the operation direction at the touch tracer unit 10 included in the operation detection signal with the correction angle, and calculates the instruction direction.

  When the operation of the touch tracer device 3 is compared with the operation of the touch tracer device 1 according to the first embodiment, when the steering angle signal is received from the steering angle sensor 20, the nonlinear function is used with the steering angle indicated by the steering angle signal as a variable. The only difference is that the correction angle is calculated with f (α).

  This touch tracer device 3 has the same effect as the touch tracer device 1 according to the first embodiment. In particular, in the touch tracer device 3, by setting a non-linear value with respect to the steering angle as the correction angle, the driver's finger becomes difficult to move as the steering angle increases. Therefore, even when steering, the deviation between the operation position on the screen and the operation position intended by the driver can be suppressed as much as possible.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment which concerns on this invention was described, this invention is implemented in various forms, without being limited to the said embodiment.

  For example, in the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to a touch tracer provided on a steering wheel as an operation device. However, the present invention can be applied to other operation devices such as a joystick and a trackball in addition to the touch tracer.

  In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to the input to the setting screen of the navigation system. However, the input to various other screens (for example, the air conditioner setting screen and the audio setting screen), various in-vehicle devices (for example, various mirrors) It can be applied to various inputs such as an input to the angle setting of the camera and the shooting direction setting of the peripheral monitoring camera.

  In the present embodiment, three relationships are shown as the relationship between the steering angle and the correction angle. However, the relationship between the other steering angle and the correction angle in consideration of the difficulty of movement of the finger during steering may be used. For example, there is a linear relationship in which the proportionality constant is greater than 1, and a non-linear relationship in which the steering angle is smaller than the steering angle when the steering angle is small and the steering angle is larger when the steering angle is large.

It is a block diagram of the touch tracer apparatus which concerns on this Embodiment. It is an example of the setting screen of the navigation system by a touch tracer part, (a) is a case where it is not steering, (b) is a case where it is steering. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the steering angle used with the touch tracer apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment, and a correction angle. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the steering angle and correction angle which are used with the touch tracer apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the steering angle used with the touch tracer apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment, and a correction angle.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2, 3 ... Touch tracer apparatus, 10 ... Touch tracer part, 20 ... Steering angle sensor, 30 ... Navigation ECU, 40 ... Display, 51, 52, 53 ... ECU

Claims (2)

A vehicle input device for performing various inputs from a steering wheel,
An operation direction input means provided on the steering wheel for the driver to input the operation direction;
An operation direction detection means for detecting an operation direction input by the operation direction input means;
Steering angle detection means for detecting the steering angle of the steering wheel;
Instruction direction conversion means for converting into an instruction direction by adding a correction angle corresponding to the steering angle of the steering wheel detected by the steering angle detection means to the operation direction by the operation direction input means detected by the operation direction detection means. An input device for a vehicle.   2. The vehicle input device according to claim 1, wherein the instruction direction conversion unit sets a correction angle having a larger difference from the steering angle as the steering angle of the steering wheel detected by the steering angle detection unit increases. .

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