JP2012053591A - Control device and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a control device and a program allowing a user to easily operate them, while controlling in-vehicle electronic equipment or the like not to execute control against the user's intention.SOLUTION: A control part 200 of a control device 1000 acquires locus information showing a locus on an operation surface of an input device 100 traced by a user, recognizes it as a gesture operation based on bulged portions formed on the operation surface from the acquired locus information, and transmits a control signal based on corresponding operation data C to in-vehicle electronic equipment 20, which allows the user to easily perform contact operation. Moreover, the control part 200 transmits a control signal to the in-vehicle electronic equipment 20 when a gesture feature amount related to the recognized gesture operation reaches a first set value which is a predetermined value of the gesture feature amount or a second set value smaller than the first set value. Accordingly the in-vehicle electronic equipment 20 is controlled not to execute control against the user's intention.

Description

  The present invention relates to a control device and a program.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a control device that provides a contact sensor that receives a contact operation from a user in a vehicle steering and controls an in-vehicle electronic device such as a car navigation device or an audio device according to the contact operation. Has been.

JP 2009-298285 A

  However, in the control device disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, since the user performs a contact operation without looking at the contact sensor during driving of the vehicle, the user does not know where the touch sensor is touched. Therefore, it was difficult to perform the contact operation. Further, in the control device disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, the user performs a contact operation without looking at the contact sensor during driving of the vehicle. Since this control device controls the in-vehicle electronic device even in response to this erroneous contact, the in-vehicle electronic device often performs an operation not intended by the user. That is, this control device often performs control unintended by the user with respect to the in-vehicle electronic device.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a first object thereof is to provide a control device and a program that allow a user to easily perform a contact operation. Moreover, the place made into the 2nd objective is providing the control apparatus and program which suppress performing control which a user does not intend with respect to predetermined apparatuses, such as a vehicle-mounted electronic device.

In order to achieve the above object, a control device according to the first aspect of the present invention provides:
Trajectory information acquisition means for acquiring trajectory information representing a trajectory traced on the operation surface of the input device;
Device control means for performing control corresponding to the trajectory on a predetermined device when the trajectory represented by the trajectory information acquired by the trajectory information acquisition means satisfies a predetermined condition;
The operation surface has a step,
The predetermined condition is a condition as to whether or not the trajectory represented by the trajectory information is a trajectory related to the preset step.
It is characterized by that.

In order to achieve the above object, a control device according to the second aspect of the present invention provides:
First trajectory information representing a first trajectory traced on the operation surface of the input device and second trajectory information representing a second trajectory traced on the operation surface by the user. Trajectory information acquisition means for acquiring;
When the first trajectory represented by the first trajectory information acquired by the trajectory information acquisition means satisfies a first condition, the first control corresponding to the first trajectory is performed on a predetermined device. And, when the second trajectory represented by the second trajectory information satisfies the second condition after the first control, the second control corresponding to the second trajectory is applied to the predetermined device. Device control means for performing,
The second condition is a looser condition than the first condition.
It is characterized by that.

In order to achieve the above object, a program according to the third aspect of the present invention provides:
Computer
Trajectory information acquisition means for acquiring trajectory information representing a trajectory that the user traces on the operation surface of the input device;
When the locus represented by the locus information acquired by the locus information acquisition unit satisfies a predetermined condition, function as device control unit that performs control corresponding to the locus on a predetermined device,
The operation surface has a step,
The predetermined condition is a condition as to whether or not the trajectory represented by the trajectory information is a trajectory related to the preset step.
It is characterized by that.

In order to achieve the above object, a program according to the fourth aspect of the present invention provides:
Computer
First trajectory information representing a first trajectory traced on the operation surface of the input device and second trajectory information representing a second trajectory traced on the operation surface by the user. Trajectory information acquisition means for acquiring,
When the first trajectory represented by the first trajectory information acquired by the trajectory information acquisition means satisfies a first condition, the first control corresponding to the first trajectory is performed on a predetermined device. And, when the second trajectory represented by the second trajectory information satisfies the second condition after the first control, the second control corresponding to the second trajectory is applied to the predetermined device. Function as device control means for
The second condition is a looser condition than the first condition.
It is characterized by that.

  According to the control device according to the first aspect of the present invention or the program according to the third aspect, the user can easily perform a contact operation. Moreover, according to the control apparatus concerning the 2nd viewpoint of this invention, or the program concerning a 4th viewpoint, it can suppress performing control which a user does not intend with respect to predetermined apparatuses, such as a vehicle-mounted electronic device. .

1 is a configuration diagram of a system including a control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a general-view figure near the driver's seat in the vehicle carrying an input device. (A) is a disassembled perspective view which shows the structure of an input device, (b) is a perspective view after assembling each part shown to this figure (a). (A) is a top view of a contact sensor, (b) is AA sectional drawing of the surface cover in the contact sensor in this figure (a), a sensor sheet | seat, and a spacer. It is a figure explaining the 1st sensor row and the 2nd sensor row which a sensor sheet has. It is a flowchart of the vehicle-mounted electronic device control process which the control apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment performs. (A) And (b) is a figure for demonstrating an example of a gesture feature-value. (A) And (b) is a figure for demonstrating an example of the gesture feature-value based on gesture operation along a protruding part. It is the figure which showed an example of operation of the vehicle-mounted electronic device performed according to gesture operation on the basis of a protruding part, and corresponding to it. It is the figure which showed an example of operation of the vehicle-mounted electronic device performed according to gesture operation on the basis of a protruding part, and corresponding to it. It is the figure which showed an example of operation of the vehicle-mounted electronic device performed according to gesture operation on the basis of a protruding part, and corresponding to it. It is the figure which showed an example of operation of the vehicle-mounted electronic device performed according to gesture operation on the basis of a protruding part, and corresponding to it. It is the figure which showed an example of operation of the vehicle-mounted electronic device performed according to gesture operation on the basis of a protruding part, and corresponding to it. It is a block diagram of the memory | storage part which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the 1st locus | trajectory and 2nd locus | trajectory in predetermined | prescribed gesture operation. It is a flowchart of the erroneous operation prevention process which the control apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment performs. It is a figure explaining the case where it operates in the reverse direction from the forward direction in predetermined | prescribed gesture operation. It is a block diagram of the system containing the control apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. (A) And (b) is the top view which showed an example of the shape of the operation surface which the contact sensor which concerns on the modification of this invention has.

  A control device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1. 1st Embodiment The control apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment is the control apparatus 1000 mounted in the vehicle 1 shown in FIG. When a user (usually a driver) of the vehicle 1 operates the input device 100 shown in FIG. 2, the control device 1000 causes the in-vehicle electronic device 20 to perform various operations according to the operation.

(Configuration of vehicle 1)
As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle 1 includes a steering 10 and an in-vehicle electronic device 20.

  The steering 10 is a part of the steering device of the vehicle 1, and includes a main body 11 and a steering wheel 12.

  The main body 11 is a spoke connected to a steering shaft (not shown) of the vehicle 1 and includes an input device 100 on the right side. The main body 11 is formed with a mounting hole (not shown) that matches the shape of the input device 100. By attaching the input device 100 to the attachment hole, only an operation surface (described later) of the input device 100 is exposed.

  The steering wheel 12 is a ring-shaped member attached to the main body 11 and gripped when the driver steers the vehicle 1.

  The in-vehicle electronic device 20 is an audio device, a car navigation device, or the like, is electrically connected to the control device 1000, and operates according to a control signal received from the control device 1000. The in-vehicle electronic device 20 displays an image corresponding to the operation on the display unit 21.

(Configuration of control device 1000)
The control device 1000 includes an input device 100, a control unit 200, and a storage unit 300.

  As illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the input device 100 includes a contact sensor 110 and a switch device 120.

  When the user performs an operation of tracing a predetermined locus on the operation surface with a thumb or the like (hereinafter referred to as a gesture operation), the contact sensor 110 is controlled by the control unit 200 described later. This is a touch pad device that detects a position where a thumb or the like touches the operation surface, and includes a surface cover 111, a sensor sheet 112, a spacer 113, a lower case 114, and an upper case 115.

  The front cover 111 is formed in a sheet shape from an insulating material such as an acrylic resin and has an operation surface that is touched by a user's finger or the like when a gesture operation is performed. As shown in FIG. 4B, the operation surface of the front cover 111 has irregularities, and a step is formed on this operation surface. Such an operation surface includes a flat portion 111a, a raised portion 111b, a hollow portion 111c, and a gap portion 111d.

  The flat portion 111 a is a flat portion of the surface cover 111.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, the raised portion 111b is a portion that rises so as to rise from the flat surface portion 111a in the front side direction. From the front side, as shown in FIG. 4A, it can be seen that a plurality of raised portions 111b formed in an arc shape are arranged at predetermined intervals so as to substantially surround the circle. The “front side” refers to the user side with respect to the input device 100 as indicated by the double-ended arrows in FIG. 3A, and the “back side” refers to the opposite side.

  As shown in FIG. 4 (b), the recess 111c is located at the approximate center of the operation surface, and is a recessed portion so as to sink from the flat surface portion 111a toward the back side. As shown in FIG. It is formed inside the raised portion 111b arranged in a shape.

  As shown in FIG. 4A (one of the four gap portions 111d is indicated by a two-dot chain line), the gap portion 111d is a portion between the arc-shaped raised portions 111b. The gap portion 111d is a part of the flat surface portion 111a, but has a different name from the flat surface portion 111a in the description of the “gesture operation based on the raised portion” to be performed later.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, the planar portion 111a, the raised portion 111b, and the recessed portion 111c are formed so that their cross-sectional shapes are smoothly connected to each other so as not to hinder the user's gesture operation. .

  The sensor sheet 112 is a projected capacitance type sensor sheet having a plurality of sensors 1120 (detection electrodes) for detecting the position of a detection object such as a finger, and is located on the back side of the front cover 111.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the sensor sheet 112 has a layer having a first sensor array 112a for detecting the position of the detected object in the X direction and a first position for detecting the position of the detected object in the Y direction. A layer having two sensor rows 112b is roughly configured to overlap. By combining the first sensor row 112a and the second sensor row 112b, the sensor 1120 is arranged in a matrix on the sensor sheet 112 as a result. The first sensor row 112a and the second sensor row 112b are each electrically connected to a control unit 200 described later.

  When a detection object such as a finger touches the front cover 111, the capacitance between the sensor 1120 located on the back side and the detection object changes. Since the control part 200 and each sensor 1120 are electrically connected, the control part 200 can detect the change of the electrostatic capacitance in each sensor. The control unit 200 calculates an input coordinate value (X, Y) indicating the contact position of the detection target based on the change in capacitance. The input coordinate value is a coordinate value in the XY coordinate system of each sensor 1120 set in advance on the operation surface. The input coordinate values are the X coordinate assigned to the center of gravity position of the distribution of changes in capacitance in the X direction (for example, the position of the sensor 1120 where the capacitance is higher than a certain threshold value and the largest), and the Y direction. And the Y coordinate assigned to the position of the center of gravity of the distribution of the change in the electrostatic capacity (for example, the position of the sensor 1120 where the electrostatic capacity is higher than a certain threshold value and the largest). The control unit 200 calculates the input coordinate value (X, Y) by calculating the X coordinate and the Y coordinate.

  Returning to FIG. 4, the sensor sheet 112 is integrally formed with the surface cover 111 by drawing, so that the sensor sheet 112 is processed into the same shape as the surface cover 111 (see FIG. 4B). By being integrally molded in this way, the front cover 111 and the sensor sheet 112 are like a single sheet, and the stepped shapes such as the raised portion 111b and the depressed portion 111c of the operation surface are the single sheet. It will be composed of bent parts. In addition, the back surface of the front cover 111 and the front surface of the sensor sheet 112 come into contact with each other by being integrally molded in this way. Thereby, the sensor 1120 is arranged corresponding to the step shape of the front cover 111. Since the sensor 1120 is arranged in this way, even when the gesture operation is performed on the operation surface having a stepped shape such as the raised portion 111b, the control unit 200 changes the capacitance of each sensor. It can be detected.

  The spacer 113 is located on the back side of the sensor sheet 112, and is formed according to the shape of the integrally formed surface cover 111 and sensor sheet 112 as shown in FIG. 4B. It is a member that holds these shapes when pressure is applied from the front side.

  Returning to FIG. 3, the lower case 114 is a box-shaped member formed of synthetic resin or the like, and houses the above-described portions 111 to 113 on the front side thereof.

  The upper case 115 is a lid portion that covers the lower case 114 that houses the above-described portions 111 to 113 from the front side, and has an opening that exposes the operation surface of the front cover 111 and is made of synthetic resin or the like.

  The switch device 120 is located on the back side of the contact sensor 110 and is electrically connected to the control unit 200. When the user performs an operation of pressing down the operation surface of the input device 100 (hereinafter referred to as input confirmation operation), the switch device 120 is pressed and transmits a predetermined input signal to the control unit 200. As will be described later, the input confirmation operation is performed when a command selected by a predetermined gesture operation is confirmed.

  Here, the input device 100 is attached to the main body 11 of the steering 10 by, for example, the upper case 115 of the contact sensor 110 being welded to the main body 11 with a soft resin. By being attached in this way, when the user presses the operation surface, the contact sensor 110 sinks and the switch device 120 is pressed.

  The input device 100 is configured by the above-described units. An overview after the input device 100 is assembled is shown in FIG.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the control unit 200 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the like, and executes an operation program stored in the storage unit 300 to perform various processes and controls. At least a part of the control unit 200 may be configured by various dedicated circuits such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit).

  The storage unit 300 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a flash memory, and the like. The work area of the CPU that configures the control unit 200, a program area that stores an operation program executed by the CPU, and data It functions as an area.

  In the program area, i) a program for executing an in-vehicle electronic device control process, which will be described later, and ii) a program for transmitting a predetermined control signal to the in-vehicle electronic device 20 in accordance with an input confirmation operation received by the switch device 120 , Etc. are stored.

  In the data area, as shown in the figure, a gesture dictionary G, corresponding motion data C, a set value Q that is a predetermined value of a gesture feature amount described later, and the like are stored in advance.

  The gesture dictionary G is data necessary for recognizing a gesture operation being performed, and includes a plurality of patterns indicating trajectory features drawn by the gesture operation. The pattern indicating the feature of the gesture operation is composed of a combination of each component of the gesture feature amount described later. In the present embodiment, this pattern is a pattern indicating the characteristics of a “gesture operation based on a raised portion” to be described later.

  The corresponding operation data C is data of a control signal that causes the in-vehicle electronic device 20 to execute a predetermined operation. There are a plurality of corresponding action data C, each of which is associated with a plurality of patterns included in the gesture dictionary G. For example, the command data for transmitting the volume control signal for causing the in-vehicle electronic device 20 to change the audio volume is associated with the pattern indicating the feature of the arc-shaped gesture operation along the raised portion 111b as the corresponding operation data C. And stored in advance in the data area.

  The set value Q is data of a predetermined value of the gesture feature value, and is data serving as a trigger for transmitting a control signal to the in-vehicle electronic device 20. The setting value Q is associated with each of a plurality of patterns included in the gesture dictionary G. That is, there are a plurality of setting values Q. Here, the gesture feature quantity selected as a comparison target with the set value Q is, for example, a trajectory length S in a trajectory in which a plurality of input coordinate values are connected by a straight line in time series.

  The operation of the control device 1000 will be described in detail later. Here, the gesture dictionary G, the corresponding operation data C, the set value Q, and their respective roles will be briefly described. i) The gesture dictionary G is used for recognizing to which pattern a predetermined gesture operation belongs (that is, what kind of gesture operation). ii) The corresponding operation data C is used to determine what control signal is transmitted to the in-vehicle electronic device 20 in accordance with a gesture operation recognized based on the gesture dictionary G. iii) The set value Q is used to determine what value the gesture feature value related to the recognized gesture operation reaches when the control signal based on the corresponding action data C is transmitted.

  Each data stored in the storage unit 300 is appropriately stored as a default value or by a user's own operation using a known data registration method.

(Operation)
The control device 1000 configured as described above performs various operations of the in-vehicle electronic device 20 according to the “gesture operation based on the raised portion” unique to the present embodiment performed on the operation surface of the contact sensor 110. Control. A vehicle-mounted electronic device control process for realizing such control will be described.

[Vehicle electronics control processing]
The process according to the flowchart of FIG. 6 is executed by the control unit 200. This process is started on condition that the in-vehicle electronic device 20 is activated, for example.

  When starting the process, the control unit 200 determines whether an operation input is being performed in the contact sensor 110 (step S101). Whether or not an operation is being input is determined by the control unit 200 based on whether or not there is a sensor 1120 whose capacitance is higher than the certain threshold in the X and Y directions. When such a sensor 1120 is in the X direction and the Y direction, there is a high possibility that the detection target is touching the operation surface, and thus there is a high possibility that an operation input is being performed. Therefore, in this case, the control unit 200 determines that an operation input is accepted (step S101; Yes), and performs the process of step S102. In other cases, the control unit 200 determines that no operation input has been received (step S101; No), and performs the process of step S101. In this way, the control unit 200 stands by until an operation input is performed. The control unit 200 measures time using a timer (not shown) or the like, but if time measurement has already been performed and it is determined No in step S101, the time measurement is terminated. In addition, when it is determined Yes in step S101, the control unit 200 continues timing when the timing has already been performed, but starts counting when the timing has not been performed. In this way, the control unit 200 continuously counts time from the first contact until the contact is released.

  In step S102, the control unit 200 calculates an input coordinate value (X, Y) (see above), and proceeds to step S103. The control unit 200 records the calculated input coordinate values in the storage unit 300 in chronological order. The input coordinate value is recorded until a predetermined period elapses after the time measurement is completed or recorded along the time series. As a result, a plurality of input coordinate values calculated between the present time and a timing that is a predetermined time back from the present time are recorded.

  In step S103, the control unit 200 calculates various gesture feature amounts, and proceeds to step S104.

Here, the gesture feature amount is an amount indicating the feature of the trajectory drawn by the currently performed gesture operation. The gesture feature amount is an amount calculated based on the time measurement time, the input coordinate value (X ₀ , Y ₀ ) calculated first after the start of time measurement, and the currently calculated input coordinate value (X, Y). The input coordinate value (X ₀ , Y ₀ ) calculated first after the start of time measurement represents the initial position when the operation input is started.

The gesture feature amount includes the currently calculated input coordinate value (X, Y), the distance (Lx) between the coordinates in the X direction from the input coordinate value (X ₀ , Y ₀ ) to the input coordinate value (X, Y), and The inter-coordinate distance (Ly), direction (d), and movement time (t) in the Y direction (see FIG. 7A). Lx is XX ₀ , Ly is YY ₀ , d is an amount calculated from Lx and Ly, and t is a time interval from the start of timing. By the combination of these gesture feature amounts, the control unit 200 can acquire information representing a locus traced by the user on the operation surface of the input device.

The gesture feature amount is not limited to the above-described pattern because it may be an amount obtained by extracting the feature of the locus drawn in the gesture operation. What kind of amount is selected as the gesture feature amount and how the selected amount is combined are appropriately determined in view of the nature of the gesture operation to be recognized. If it is desired to recognize the gesture operation in the rotation direction, the rotation direction (θ) may be calculated as the gesture feature amount (see FIG. 7B), or the coordinate distance (L = {(Lx) ² + (Ly) ² } ^1/2 ) and speed (V = L / t) may be calculated.

  If two input coordinate values are not stored in step S102, the gesture feature amount is not calculated, and thus the process returns to step S101 although not shown. In step S103, the calculated gesture feature amount is stored until the time measurement is completed.

  In step S104, the control unit 200 calculates whether the gesture operation being performed corresponds to one of a plurality of gesture operation patterns included in the gesture dictionary G based on the gesture feature value calculated and stored in step S103. Is recognized by a predetermined collation method. This predetermined collation is performed by comparing the combination of the calculated gesture feature quantity and the gesture operation pattern included in the gesture dictionary G by the NN method (Nearest Neighbor algorithm), the k-NN method (k-Nearest Neighbor algorithm), or the like. Done. That is, in this step S104, processing for determining what type the gesture operation being performed corresponds to is performed.

  When the gesture operation being performed is recognized (step S104; Yes), the process proceeds to step S105. On the other hand, when the gesture operation being performed is not recognized (step S104; No), the process returns to step S101.

  In step S105, the control unit 200 determines whether or not the calculated gesture feature amount has reached the set value Q associated with the pattern related to the gesture operation recognized in step S104. Here, the gesture feature amount to be compared with the set value Q is appropriately determined for each of a plurality of patterns included in the gesture dictionary G according to the characteristics of the gesture operation to be recognized. For example, if the recognized gesture operation is an operation that traces an arc on the operation surface along the raised portion 111b, the gesture feature amount to be compared with the set value Q associated with the pattern of the gesture operation is This is a trajectory length S in a trajectory in which a plurality of input coordinate values are connected by a straight line in time series. When the gesture feature amount has reached a predetermined set value (step S105; Yes), the process proceeds to step S106. On the other hand, when the gesture feature quantity has not reached the predetermined set value Q (step S105; No), the process returns to step S101.

  In step S106, the control unit 200 reads the corresponding operation data C from the storage unit 300, transmits a control signal corresponding to the recognized gesture operation to the in-vehicle electronic device 20, and returns to step S101.

  To briefly explain the flow from step S104 to step 106, i) the control unit 200 determines whether the gesture operation being performed corresponds to one of a plurality of patterns included in the gesture dictionary G. (That is, it recognizes the gesture operation being performed). ii) It is determined whether or not the calculated gesture feature amount has reached the set value Q associated with the pattern related to the recognized gesture operation. iii) When the gesture feature amount has reached the set value Q, a control signal corresponding to the recognized pattern related to the gesture operation is transmitted. It becomes the flow.

  The above is the procedure of the in-vehicle electronic device control process. Next, an example of how this process recognizes an actual gesture operation will be briefly described assuming that a gesture operation along the raised portion 111b is performed. In addition, the following code | symbol depends on the place shown to Fig.8 (a).

The control unit 200 calculates the first gesture feature value (X ₀ , Y ₁ ) from the first input coordinate value (X ₀ , Y ₀ ) calculated after the start of time measurement and the first input coordinate value (X ₁ , Y ₁ ) calculated next. The inter-coordinate distance L1, the direction d1, etc.) are calculated (step S103).

For example, when the gesture operation is not recognized from the first gesture feature amount (step S104; No), the control unit 200 determines the input coordinate value (X ₀ , Y ₀ ) and the first input coordinate value (X ₁ , Y ₁ ), the second gesture feature amount (inter-coordinate distance L2, direction d2, etc.) is calculated from the input coordinate values (X ₂ , Y ₂ ) calculated next (step S103).

  Then, a process of recognizing the gesture operation by the method is performed from the combination of the first gesture feature quantity and the second gesture feature quantity (step S104).

  For example, suppose that the gesture dictionary G includes a pattern indicating a feature of a gesture operation along a raised portion that draws an area between two circles represented by a dotted line shown in FIG. The first input coordinate value is calculated at the time when the second input coordinate value is calculated from the combination of the first gesture feature amount L1, d1 and the second gesture feature amount L2, d2. Information that the inter-coordinate distance L is larger than that at the time point, and that the direction is in the X direction due to the transition of the direction d (there is a high possibility that a gesture operation along the raised portion has been performed clockwise). Is obtained. The gesture operation can be recognized from such information.

  Even if it is other than the gesture operation along the raised portion 111b, as described above, a plurality of features indicating the features of the gesture operation to be recognized based on the coordinate values indicating the position where the raised portion 111b is formed and the range in the vicinity thereof. Can be generated and included as data in the gesture dictionary G, various gesture operations can be recognized, and control signals corresponding to the recognized gesture operations can be transmitted to the in-vehicle electronic device 20. Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 9 to 13, an example of the “gesture operation based on the raised portion” unique to the present embodiment and the operation executed by the in-vehicle electronic device 20 in accordance therewith will be described.

(Example of gesture operation based on the ridge)
<Gesture operation OP10 along the ridge>
When operating power is supplied with the ignition turned on, the in-vehicle electronic device 20 displays an initial screen 21 a shown in FIG. 9 on the display unit 21. In the state of the initial screen 21a, when the user performs a gesture operation OP10 in which the depression 111c of the operation surface is traced clockwise along the raised portion 111b, the control unit 200 recognizes OP10 and corresponds to the recognized OP10. The attached volume control signal is transmitted. The in-vehicle electronic device 20 that has received the volume control signal switches the initial screen 21a to the volume operation screen 21b and changes the audio volume according to OP10. Thus, the user can change the audio volume of the in-vehicle electronic device 20 by performing OP10.

<Gesture operation OP20 over the ridge from the outside to the inside>
As shown in FIG. 10, in the state of the initial screen 21a, the gesture operation OP20 (in this example, the initial operation is performed by tracing the operation surface of the input device 100 in the order of the flat surface portion 111a, the raised portion 111b, and the recessed portion 111c from the outside. When the operation from the right direction corresponding to “AUDIO” on the screen 21a is performed, the initial screen 21a is switched to the audio operation screen 21c.

<Gesture operation OP30 passing through the gap>
As shown in FIG. 11, in the state of the audio operation screen 21c, the operation surface of the input device 100 is moved from the recess 111c to the gap 111d (in this example, the upper right gap corresponding to “Source” of the audio operation screen 21c). When the gesture operation OP30 that traces the flat portion 111a through 111d) is performed, the audio operation screen 21c is switched to the sound source selection screen 21d. Note that the switch to the sound source selection screen 21d may be executed by an input confirmation operation received by the switch device 120 only by moving a predetermined cursor by the gesture operation OP30.

<Gesture operation OP40 over the ridge from the inside to the outside>
As shown in FIG. 12, in the state of the audio operation screen 21c, the gesture operation OP40 (in this example, tracing the operation surface of the input device 100 in order from the inside to the depression portion 111c, the raised portion 111b, and the flat surface portion 111a). When the operation of getting over the right raised portion 111b corresponding to “Search” on the audio operation screen 21c is performed, the audio operation screen 21c is switched to the music search screen 21e. Note that the switching to the music search screen 21e may be executed by an input confirmation operation received by the switch device 120 only by moving a predetermined cursor by the gesture operation OP40.

<Gesture OP50 in the hollow>
As shown in FIG. 13, in the state of the music search screen 21e, when a gesture operation OP50 is performed in which the slidable portion 111c is slid slightly toward the raised portion 111b, a predetermined cursor moves in accordance with the slide direction, and a desired cursor is moved. Music can be selected. The selected music is reproduced by the input confirmation operation accepted by the switch device 120.

  In the example given above, the gesture dictionary G includes a plurality of patterns indicating the characteristics of the trajectory drawn by each of the gesture operations OP10 to 50, and each of the plurality of patterns includes the set value Q and the corresponding operation data. This is realized by executing the above-described in-vehicle electronic device control process on condition that C is associated. The type / value of the gesture feature amount to be compared with the setting value Q, which is associated with each pattern, is appropriately determined in view of the characteristics of the gesture operation to be recognized. In addition, the type of the corresponding action data C that is associated with each pattern is appropriately determined in view of the characteristics of the gesture operation desired to be recognized.

  In the control apparatus 1000 according to the present embodiment, the user can appropriately perform an intended operation while feeling the step shape such as the raised portion 111b provided on the operation surface with the fingertip. And the control apparatus 1000 recognizes the gesture operation performed on the basis of level | step difference shapes, such as the protruding part 111b, by the vehicle-mounted electronic device control process, and controls operation | movement of the vehicle-mounted electronic device 20 according to the recognized gesture operation. be able to. That is, according to the control device 1000 according to the present embodiment, the user can easily perform a gesture contact. Further, due to the stepped shape such as the raised portion 111b on the operation surface, even when the user performs an operation (eyes-free operation) without looking at the operation surface of the input device 100 while the vehicle 1 is traveling, an accurate gesture is achieved. Easy to operate.

  Further, in the control device 1000 according to the present embodiment, the raised portion 111b is formed in an arc shape on the operation surface of the input device 100, and the gesture operation OP10 along the raised portion 111b is a recognition target. As a result, even when the vehicle 1 is running, smooth operation input can be performed in accordance with the arc-shaped movement that is assumed when the user moves the thumb around the base of the thumb while holding the steering wheel 12. It is.

  In the control device 1000 according to the present embodiment, the raised portions 111b are formed on the operation surface of the input device 1000, and the gesture operations OP20 and OP40 that get over the raised portions 111b are targeted for recognition. As a result, even when the vehicle 1 is traveling, the user can feel with his fingertip that he / she has overcome the step shape, and operation input is easy even in an eye-free operation.

  In the control device 1000 according to the present embodiment, the gap portion 111d is formed between the raised portions 111b adjacent to the operation surface of the input device 1000, and the gesture operation OP30 that passes through the gap portion 111d is recognized. It is said. Thereby, even while the vehicle 1 is traveling, the user can feel the sense of having passed through the gap with his fingertip, and operation input is easy even in an eye-free operation.

  Further, since the depression 111c is formed on the operation surface, the finger fits well when the user performs a gesture operation on the operation surface. At the same time, since the recess 111c and the raised portion 111c are formed so as to be smoothly connected to each other, when the user performs the gesture operation OP10 along the raised portion 111b or the gesture operations OP20 and OP40 that get over the raised portion 111b. , Fingering can be done smoothly.

2. Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, the control device 1000 executes the in-vehicle electronic device control process. In addition to this, if the process for preventing the user's erroneous operation can be executed, the control apparatus 1000 concentrates more on the driving of the vehicle 1. Can be safe.

  Hereinafter, a control apparatus 1000 that includes an in-vehicle electronic device control process and performs an erroneous operation prevention process that enables an operation intended by the user will be described. The basic configuration and operation of the system including the control device 1000 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and for the sake of easy understanding, the differences will be mainly described.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, the storage unit 300 has a gesture dictionary G, corresponding motion data C, a first set value Q1 (hereinafter also simply referred to as Q1), and a value smaller than Q1. 2 of set values Q2 (hereinafter also simply referred to as Q2) are stored.

  Q <b> 1 and Q <b> 2 are data of a predetermined value of the gesture feature amount, and are data serving as a trigger for transmitting a control signal to the in-vehicle electronic device 20. Q1 and Q2 are associated with a plurality of patterns included in the gesture dictionary G. That is, there are a plurality of Q1 and Q2.

  The gesture feature value selected as the comparison target with Q1 and Q2 is, for example, the length S of the trajectory in a trajectory in which a plurality of input coordinate values are connected by a straight line in chronological order. The value is set to a value larger than the value of the gesture feature amount that is assumed to be calculated when the operation surface of the input device 100 is instantaneously touched. In addition, Q2 which is a value smaller than Q1 is set so that the user can easily operate sensuously in view of the gesture operation and the characteristics of the operation executed in the in-vehicle electronic device 20 accordingly. Note that the gesture feature amount selected as a comparison target with Q1 and Q2 is not limited to the length S of the trajectory. The gesture feature amount is appropriately selected according to the purpose of the gesture operation.

  In the program area of the storage unit 300, an operation program for executing an erroneous operation prevention process is stored.

(Operation)
In the erroneous operation prevention process, in order to realize the operation intended by the user, it is requested that the gesture feature amount accompanying the performed gesture operation reaches Q1 or Q2. Here, as an example, let the gesture feature quantity selected as the comparison target with Q1 or Q2 be the length S of the trajectory described above. Further, as shown in FIG. 15, the trajectory drawn from when a finger or the like is placed on the operation surface by one continuous gesture operation until the gesture feature amount reaches Q1 is the first locus, and the gesture feature amount is Q1. The trajectory drawn after reaching the point until reaching Q2 is defined as the second trajectory. Since Q1 is larger than Q2, as shown in FIG. 15, the length S1 of the first trajectory is larger than the length S2 of the second trajectory. Then, taking the gesture operation OP10 as an example, the length S of the trajectory required for changing the volume by the same amount must be larger in the first trajectory than in the second trajectory.

  In this way, the user performs the OP10 and increases the required gesture feature amount only before the volume control signal is transmitted to the in-vehicle electronic device 20 (in other words, the gesture feature amount is Q1. If the user accidentally touches the operation surface of the input device 100 during driving of the vehicle 1 or the like, it is necessary to perform control. It is possible to prevent the unit 200 from recognizing the gesture operation OP10 and unintentionally increasing the audio volume. The processing procedure will be described below.

[Incorrect operation prevention processing]
The erroneous operation prevention process according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Steps S201 to S204 of the erroneous operation prevention process are the same as steps S101 to S104 of the in-vehicle electronic device control process of the first embodiment. Therefore, below, it demonstrates centering on the point which is different from a vehicle-mounted electronic device control process.

  In step S205, the control unit 200 determines whether or not the gesture operation recognized in step S204 is a gesture operation recognized in the previous process and having a control signal transmitted.

  Here, “previous process” refers to the process before the current process in the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 15 that is repeated while the finger or the like is continuously tracing on the operation surface. However, this does not mean the processing executed in response to the previous gesture operation in the case where the gesture operation is once ended after being separated from the operation surface and the gesture operation is performed again.

  The determination in step S205 is determined based on the operation history updated and stored in the storage unit 300 in step S209 described later.

  If the gesture operation recognized in the current process is not a gesture operation recognized in the previous process and transmitted with a control signal (step S205; No), the process proceeds to step S206. On the other hand, if it is a gesture operation recognized in the previous process and having a control signal transmitted (step S205; Yes), the process proceeds to step S207.

  In step S206, the control unit 200 determines whether or not the calculated gesture feature amount has reached the first set value Q1 associated with the pattern related to the gesture operation recognized in step S204. In this case, the operation related to the current discrimination target is a gesture operation immediately after being performed, and in FIG. 15, it is a gesture operation depicting the first locus.

  In step S207, the control unit 200 determines whether or not the calculated gesture feature amount has reached the second set value Q2 associated with the pattern related to the gesture operation recognized in step S204. In this case, the operation related to the current discrimination target is a gesture operation that continues even after the gesture feature amount reaches Q1, and in FIG. 15, it is a gesture operation that draws the second trajectory. Become.

  Here, the gesture feature amounts to be compared with Q1 and Q2 are appropriately determined according to the characteristics of the gesture operation to be recognized for each of the plurality of patterns included in the gesture dictionary G. For example, if the recognized gesture operation is an operation in which the operation surface is traced in an arc along the raised portion 111b, the gesture feature amount to be compared with Q1 and Q2 associated with the pattern of the gesture operation is This is a trajectory length S in a trajectory in which a plurality of input coordinate values are connected by a straight line in time series. As described above, in Q1 and Q2 associated with the same pattern, the gesture feature value to be compared with Q1 and the gesture feature value to be compared with Q2 are the same kind of gesture feature values.

  If it is determined in step S206 that the gesture feature amount has reached Q1 (step S206; Yes), or if it is determined in step S207 that the gesture feature amount has reached Q2 (step S207; Yes), step S208. Proceed to

  In step S208, the control unit 200 reads the corresponding operation data C from the storage unit 300, transmits a control signal corresponding to the recognized gesture operation to the in-vehicle electronic device 20, and proceeds to step S209.

  In step S209, the control unit 200 stores the information related to the gesture operation that has transmitted the control signal this time over the previous information and stores the information in the storage unit 300. This information may be a pattern included in the gesture dictionary G, or may be corresponding action data C related to the control signal transmitted this time. Next, it is only necessary to be able to determine whether or not the gesture operation has caused the control signal to be transmitted this time by the processing in step S205 described above, and the method is arbitrary. In this step S209, the operation history related to the gesture operation that caused the control signal to be transmitted is updated. When the operation history is updated, the process returns to step S201.

  The erroneous operation prevention process described above is particularly effective in an operation of continuously tracing on the operation surface like the gesture operation OP10 exemplified in the first embodiment. Q1 and Q2 may be set as appropriate in consideration of the characteristics of gesture operation and the characteristics of the operation performed by the in-vehicle electronic device 20 accordingly.

  In addition, taking the gesture operation OP10 as an example, as well as performing the gesture operation only in the forward direction, the gesture operation is performed in the forward direction (in this case, clockwise as shown in FIG. 17 if the finger or the like is not removed from the operation surface). ), The pattern included in the gesture dictionary G may be determined so that the control unit 200 can recognize the gesture operation. In this case, the volume does not change until the gesture feature amount accompanying the gesture operation OP10 reaches Q1, but after that, even if the volume is moved from the forward direction to the reverse direction (for example, immediately after increasing the volume by a series of operations). When the gesture feature amount reaches Q2, the volume changes smoothly. Even if the movement is continuously reversed in the forward direction and the reverse direction, the same is true as long as the finger or the like is not removed from the operation surface.

  Further, two or more set values of gesture feature values may be provided in accordance with the nature of the operation performed by the in-vehicle electronic device 20 according to the gesture operation.

  The control device 1000 according to the present embodiment performs an erroneous operation prevention process including an in-vehicle electronic device control process. As a result, when the user makes an erroneous contact with the operation surface of the input device 100, the control signal is not transmitted to the in-vehicle electronic device 20, and thus the in-vehicle electronic device 20 does not execute the operation unexpectedly. In other words, according to the control device 1000 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress performing unintended control on the in-vehicle electronic device 20 by the user.

3. Third Embodiment In addition to the erroneous operation prevention processing according to the second embodiment, the control device 1000 according to the present embodiment requires special attention during driving of the vehicle 1, such as during a sharp curve or high speed movement, etc. An operation prohibition process for prohibiting control performed by the control device 1000 on the in-vehicle electronic device 20 is executed. Note that the basic configuration and operation of the system including the control device 1000 are the same as those in the second embodiment, and for the sake of easy understanding, differences will be mainly described.

  As shown in FIG. 18, the vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment further includes a vehicle speed sensor 30 and a rudder angle sensor 40.

  The vehicle speed sensor 30 is electrically connected to the control device 1000 and transmits a vehicle speed signal indicating the vehicle speed value (traveling speed) of the vehicle 1 to the control device 1000.

  The steering angle sensor 40 is electrically connected to the control device 1000, and transmits a steering speed signal indicating the steering angle value (steering amount value) of the vehicle 1 to the control device 1000.

  The data area of the storage unit 300 stores predetermined threshold data (not shown) of the vehicle speed value and the steering angle value, and the program area stores an operation program for executing the operation prohibition process. ing.

[Operation prohibition processing]
The control device 1000 that has received the vehicle speed signal or the steering angle signal determines whether or not the vehicle speed value or the steering angle value calculated based on these exceeds a predetermined threshold. Cancel the erroneous operation recognition process. Then, the control unit 200 cannot recognize the gesture operation and cannot transmit a predetermined control signal corresponding to the gesture operation to the in-vehicle electronic device 20. Thus, even if a finger or the like accidentally touches the operation surface of the input device 100 during a sharp curve or the like, the in-vehicle electronic device 20 does not malfunction, and the user can concentrate on driving. An operating environment can be provided.

  In the operation prohibition process, it is sufficient that the control device 1000 can prohibit the control performed on the in-vehicle electronic device 20 in a situation where it is necessary to concentrate on driving for the safety of the user. The value indicating the running state of 1 is not limited to the vehicle speed value or the steering angle value. For example, the vehicle 1 may include an angle sensor, and control may be prohibited on a steep slope, or when the operating speed of the wiper included in the vehicle 1 becomes maximum (thus, heavy rain is assumed) Control) may be prohibited.

4). Modifications The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. Examples of modifications are shown below.

  The step shape of the operation surface of the input device 100 is not limited to the shape according to the above embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B, various shapes are conceivable (in FIG. 19B, one of the four gap portions 111d is surrounded by a two-dot chain line). If the gesture dictionary G that can recognize the gesture operation based on the raised portion 111b is stored in the storage unit 300, the in-vehicle electronic device control process and the malfunction prevention process can be executed in the same manner. Note that, as in the operation surface shown in FIG. 19B, the raised portion 111b is arranged so that the circumferential direction of the circular recessed portion 111c is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the raised portion 111b. Arranging along the direction can also be broadly referred to as “arc-shaped arrangement”.

  Further, the operation surface of the input device 100 included in the control device 1000 that performs the erroneous operation prevention process according to the second embodiment of the present invention may not be provided with a stepped shape such as the raised portion 111b. In the erroneous operation prevention process, the object of the present invention can be achieved even if the operation surface is not provided with a stepped shape such as the raised portion 111b.

  Moreover, although the control apparatus 1000 showed the example provided with the input device 100, it is not restricted to this. The in-vehicle electronic device 20 may be controlled by the control apparatus 1000 not providing the input apparatus 100 and cooperating with an external input apparatus.

  In addition, the control unit 200 and the storage unit 300 are not provided in the control device 1000, but are shared and integrated with a control system of the in-vehicle electronic device 20 or a circuit of an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) of the vehicle 1. In-vehicle electronic device control processing or erroneous operation prevention processing may be performed.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the sensor sheet 112 is a projected capacitance type, but is not limited thereto. The surface capacitance method may be used, or a method other than a capacitance method such as a resistance film method may be used. Even in this case, the sensor sheet 112 may be integrally formed with the front cover 111 (operation surface).

  Further, in the above embodiment, only one input device 100 is provided in the steering 10, but the present invention is not limited to this. A plurality of input devices 100 may be arranged on the steering 10. For example, even if a total of two input devices 100 are arranged on the steering wheel 10 by providing another input device 100 at a position where the user can operate the main body 11 of the steering wheel 10 with the left thumb while holding the steering wheel 10. Good. Further, two input devices 100 are further provided on the back surface of the two input devices 100 provided in this way (the back side of the main body 11) so that they can be operated with the index fingers of both hands, and the steering device 10 has a total of four input devices. 100 may be arranged.

  Moreover, in the above embodiment, although the input device 100 was arrange | positioned at the main-body part 11 of the steering 10, it is not restricted to this. The input device 100 may be arranged in any position as long as the user can easily operate the vehicle 1 while driving the vehicle 1. For example, the input device 100 may be disposed on the steering wheel 12, or may be disposed near a shift lever (not shown) or a power window switch.

  In the above embodiment, an example of a vehicle on which the control device 1000 and the input device 100 are mounted is a vehicle, but is not limited thereto. It can also be mounted on a ship, an aircraft, or the like.

  In the first embodiment, an example in which there are a plurality of setting values Q has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. If there is only one gesture operation to be recognized, naturally, the setting value Q is one. Further, even when there are a plurality of gesture operations to be recognized, it is not necessary to associate the setting value Q with all of the patterns related to the gesture operations.

  Moreover, in 2nd Embodiment, although the example with multiple Q1 and Q2 was shown, it is not restricted to this. If there is only one gesture operation to be recognized, naturally, Q1 and Q2 are one. Further, even when there are a plurality of gesture operations to be recognized, it is not necessary to associate Q1 and Q2 with all of the patterns related to the gesture operations. As appropriate, Q1 and Q2 may be associated with patterns related to gesture operations that are likely to cause erroneous operations.

  Moreover, although the program executed in order to implement | achieve this invention was demonstrated as what is beforehand memorize | stored in the memory | storage part 300, such an operation program and various data are with respect to the computer contained in the control apparatus 1000. It may be distributed and provided by a removable recording medium. Furthermore, the operation program and various data may be distributed by downloading from another device connected via a telecommunication network or the like.

  The execution form of each process is not only executed by attaching a removable recording medium, but also temporarily stores the operation program and various data downloaded via a telecommunication network or the like in a built-in storage device. Or may be directly executed using hardware resources on the other device side connected via a telecommunication network or the like. Furthermore, each process may be executed by exchanging various data with other devices via a telecommunication network or the like.

  It should be noted that modifications (including deletion of components) can be added to the embodiments and the drawings as appropriate without departing from the scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle 10 ... Steering 11 ... Main-body part 12 ... Steering wheel

1000 ... Control device 100 ... Input device 110 ... Contact sensor
111 ... Surface cover
111a: flat surface portion, 111b: raised portion, 111c: recessed portion, 111d: gap portion
112 ... Sensor sheet
112a ... first sensor array
112b ... second sensor array
1120 Sensor
113 ... Spacer
114 ... Lower case
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 115 ... Upper case 120 ... Switch apparatus 200 ... Control part 300 ... Memory | storage part G ... Gesture dictionary, C ... Corresponding operation data, Q ... Predetermined set value Q1 ... 1st set value, Q2 ... 2nd set value

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 ... Car-mounted electronic device 21 ... Display part 21a ... Initial screen, 21b ... Volume operation screen, 21c ... Audio operation screen 21d ... Sound source selection screen, 21e ... Music search screen

OP10: Gesture operation along the raised portion OP20: Gesture operation to get over the raised portion from outside to inside OP30 ... Gesture operation to go through the gap OP40 ... Gesture operation to get over the raised portion from inside to outside OP50 ... Gesture operation in the recessed portion

30 ... Vehicle speed sensor 40 ... Rudder angle sensor

Claims (9)

Trajectory information acquisition means for acquiring trajectory information representing a trajectory traced on the operation surface of the input device;
Device control means for performing control corresponding to the trajectory on a predetermined device when the trajectory represented by the trajectory information acquired by the trajectory information acquisition means satisfies a predetermined condition;
The operation surface has a step,
The predetermined condition is a condition as to whether or not the trajectory represented by the trajectory information is a trajectory related to the preset step.
A control device characterized by that. The step is formed in an arc shape,
The control device according to claim 1. The trajectory associated with the step is a trajectory that crosses the step.
The control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The trajectory associated with the step is a trajectory along the step.
The control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein A plurality of the steps are formed on the operation surface,
The trajectory related to the step is a trajectory passing between the adjacent steps.
The control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein First trajectory information representing a first trajectory traced on the operation surface of the input device and second trajectory information representing a second trajectory traced on the operation surface by the user. Trajectory information acquisition means for acquiring;
When the first trajectory represented by the first trajectory information acquired by the trajectory information acquisition means satisfies a first condition, the first control corresponding to the first trajectory is performed on a predetermined device. And, when the second trajectory represented by the second trajectory information satisfies the second condition after the first control, the second control corresponding to the second trajectory is applied to the predetermined device. Device control means for performing,
The second condition is a looser condition than the first condition.
A control device characterized by that. The operation surface is provided on a vehicle steering,
The device control means acquires steering angle information representing the steering angle of the steering, and when the steering angle represented by the acquired steering angle information does not exceed a predetermined threshold, the trajectory satisfies the predetermined condition. A control corresponding to the trajectory is performed on a predetermined device.
The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is a control device. Computer
Trajectory information acquisition means for acquiring trajectory information representing a trajectory that the user traces on the operation surface of the input device;
When the locus represented by the locus information acquired by the locus information acquisition unit satisfies a predetermined condition, function as device control unit that performs control corresponding to the locus on a predetermined device,
The operation surface has a step,
The predetermined condition is a condition as to whether or not the trajectory represented by the trajectory information is a trajectory related to the preset step.
A program characterized by that. Computer
First trajectory information representing a first trajectory traced on the operation surface of the input device and second trajectory information representing a second trajectory traced on the operation surface by the user. Trajectory information acquisition means for acquiring,
When the first trajectory represented by the first trajectory information acquired by the trajectory information acquisition means satisfies a first condition, the first control corresponding to the first trajectory is performed on a predetermined device. And, when the second trajectory represented by the second trajectory information satisfies the second condition after the first control, the second control corresponding to the second trajectory is applied to the predetermined device. Function as device control means for
The second condition is a looser condition than the first condition.
A program characterized by that.

Images