JP2013123934A - Operation device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an operation device for a vehicle, which can accurately specify which user in the users seated on both seats respectively performs the operation of an operation knob operable from both sides of right and left seats, in a simple structure.SOLUTION: In the operation device 1 for the vehicle provided with the operation knob 4 rotatively operable from the users of right and left both seats of the vehicle, the contact position of each finger in contact with the outer peripheral surface 21 of the operation knob 4 is detected by a contact position detecting part 21S and a control part 10 specifies a multifinger contact region 21T comprising a plurality of adjacent contact positions and a thumb contact region 21P present apart from the region 21T from the detected contact positions and specifies that which user in the users seated on the right and left seats of the vehicle is the operator of the operation knob 4 based on the positional relation of the contact regions 21T, 21P.

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle operating device.

  As an operation device for a vehicle in recent years, there is an operation input device for rotation operation that rotates a dial knob protruding in a cylindrical shape (see Patent Document 1 and the like). On the other hand, for example, in a vehicle air conditioner, a technology has been developed that allows air conditioning parameters to be set independently on the driver's seat side and the passenger seat side.

JP 2009-237836 A

  However, in order to be able to change the control parameters of the driver's seat and front passenger seat independently with one dial knob as described above, a mode in which driver side parameters can be set and parameters on the front passenger seat side are set. It is necessary to switch modes between possible modes. However, if the mode is manually switched by the user, the user must always perform the mode switching operation before the parameter changing operation, which is troublesome and troublesome.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an operation for a vehicle that can easily specify the operation knobs that can be operated from both the left and right seats of the vehicle, with a simple configuration, to which of the two seats the user is seated. To provide an apparatus.

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention

In order to solve the above problems, a vehicle operating device according to the present invention includes:
An operation knob that is positioned between both users so that it can be operated by both users sitting on both the left and right seats of the vehicle, and is rotated by touching the outer peripheral surface with a plurality of fingers.
Contact position detecting means for detecting the contact position of each finger touching the outer peripheral surface;
Based on the detected contact position on the outer peripheral surface of each finger, an operation user specifying means for specifying whether the user who performed the rotation operation on the operation knob is a user seated on either the left or right seat of the vehicle;
It is characterized by providing.

  According to the configuration of the present invention, the user specifying operation for specifying whether the user who has rotated the operation knob is the user sitting on the left or right seat of the vehicle rotates the operation knob. Therefore, the user touches the operation knob with a finger. For this reason, as operations other than the operation of rotating the operation knob, the number of operations is small and the operation burden on the user is small as compared with a configuration that requires a user-specific operation separately. In addition, since an operation of grasping the operation knob can also be used as a shortcut for switching to the control mode / screen display for changing the specified control parameter for the user, an operation device with high operation efficiency can be configured.

  The above rotation operation means that the outer peripheral surface of the operation knob is touched by a plurality of fingers and the hand is rotated while the contact state is maintained, so that the position of the finger touching the operation knob is changed in the rotation direction. It is sufficient if the operation is to move to. That is, the rotation operation may be any operation that rotates the hand touching the operation knob around the rotation axis of the knob, and the operated knob itself may move in any manner.

  The present invention relates to a multi-finger contact area composed of a plurality of contact positions close to each other among the contact positions of each finger detected by the contact position detecting means, and the multi-finger having a narrower area than the multi-finger contact area A contact area specifying means for specifying a thumb contact area that exists away from the contact area can be provided. In this case, the operation user specifying means includes both the specified multi-finger contact area and the specified thumb contact area. Based on the positional relationship in the rotational operation direction of the operation knob, it can be specified whether the user who performed the rotation operation on the operation knob is the user sitting on the left or right seat of the vehicle. Since the fingertips of the thumb and the rest of the fingers are separated from each other due to the structure of the hand, the thumb that would have been touched by the thumb of the finger contact area that touched the outer peripheral surface of the operation knob to operate the operation knob. It is easy to identify the contact area and the multi-finger contact area that other fingers would have touched. Also, when trying to rotate the control knob, there is a certain tendency between operating with the hand coming out from the left of the control knob and operating with the hand coming out from the right of the control knob. By comparing the thumb contact area and the multi-finger contact area, which are easily identified as described above, with the tendency, a user who performed a rotation operation on the operation knob is a user sitting on either the left or right seat of the vehicle. It can be easily identified.

  The operation user specifying means in the present invention sat down on the left seat when the thumb contact area is located on the left side of the vehicle with respect to the multi-finger contact area, and on the right seat when located on the right side of the vehicle. It can be set as the structure which identifies a user as a user who rotated operation with respect to the operation knob. According to this configuration, the simple positional relationship between the thumb contact area and the multi-finger contact area makes it easy to determine whether the user who has rotated the operation knob is the user sitting on the left or right seat of the vehicle. Can be identified.

  The operation user specifying means in the present invention defines a two-dimensional coordinate system with the rotation axis as the origin on a virtual plane orthogonal to the rotation axis of the operation knob, and a multi-finger contact area on the two-dimensional coordinate system. The position corresponding to both the thumb contact area is specified, and the user who has rotated the operation knob based on the inclination of the straight line connecting both the specified positions sits on either the left or right seat of the vehicle. Can be configured to identify whether or not According to this configuration, it is possible to easily identify whether the user who has performed the rotation operation on the operation knob is the user sitting on the left or right seat of the vehicle by calculation on a simple two-dimensional coordinate system.

  The positions corresponding to the multi-finger contact area and the thumb contact area on the virtual plane are the center of gravity positions corresponding to all the contact positions belonging to the contact areas on the virtual plane, or all positions belonging to the contact areas. It can be set as the center position between the positions at both ends of the position corresponding to the contact position. According to this configuration, the position coordinates of the two positions on the two-dimensional coordinate system for obtaining the straight line can be obtained by simple calculation.

  Further, the position corresponding to the multi-finger contact area on the virtual plane is the contact position at both ends of the contact position belonging to the contact area on the virtual plane. You may define as a position corresponding to another contact position. According to this configuration, the position coordinates of one of the two positions on the two-dimensional coordinate system for obtaining the straight line can be obtained more simply.

  The operation user specifying means in the present invention includes the length of the first section extending from the first side of the rotation operation direction along the rotation operation direction and reaching the thumb contact area along the rotation operation direction, and the rotation operation. When calculating the length of the second section extending from the second side opposite to the first side of the rotational operation direction along the direction and reaching the thumb contact area, the shorter section of these sections If the outer periphery of the vehicle is a section that faces the left side of the vehicle right side (when the section of the vehicle left side is longer than the section that faces the right side of the vehicle), the user sitting on the left seat In the case of the section facing the vehicle (when the section facing the vehicle right side is longer than the section facing the vehicle left side), the user sitting on the right seat can be specified as the user who has rotated the operation knob. According to this configuration, the user who has rotated the operation knob on the outer peripheral surface of the operation knob is a user seated on either the left or right seat of the vehicle, based on the distance relationship between the thumb contact area and the multi-finger contact area. Can be easily identified.

  The first section and the second section are determined based on one or more contact positions belonging to the thumb contact area from an intermediate position determined based on a plurality of contact positions belonging to the multi-finger contact area in the rotation operation direction. It is possible to set a section that reaches an intermediate position. According to this configuration, it is possible to easily identify the two sections from the position coordinates of the two positions easily calculated on the two-dimensional coordinate system, and easily calculate the distance between the two sections. it can.

  The operation user specifying means in the present invention includes the length of the first section extending from the contact position of the first side end in the rotational operation direction to the thumb contact area among the contact positions belonging to the multi-finger contact area, Calculate the length of the second section extending from the contact position of the end on the second side opposite to the first side and reaching the thumb contact area, and the shorter section of those sections is the longer section If the vehicle is located on the left side of the vehicle, the user sitting on the left seat, and if the vehicle is on the right side of the vehicle on the right side of the longer vehicle, the user sitting on the right seat is displayed on the control knob. On the other hand, it can be configured to identify the user who has performed the rotation operation. Even in this configuration, based on the distance relationship between the thumb contact area and the multi-finger contact area on the outer peripheral surface of the operation knob, whether the user who performed the rotation operation on the operation knob is the user sitting on the left or right seat of the vehicle Can be easily identified.

  Moreover, in the case of the said structure, although both a 1st area and a 2nd area can also be defined as an area along the rotation operation direction of a rotation operation knob, it can also be defined as a linear area. When the distance is calculated by specifying the above two sections on the already-described virtual plane, the processing can be simplified if the distance is compared between the distances of the straight sections.

  The operation user specifying means in the present invention defines a two-dimensional coordinate system having the rotation axis as an origin on a virtual plane orthogonal to the rotation axis of the operation knob, and includes a first section and a second section on the two-dimensional coordinate system. Each section corresponding to two sections can be identified, and based on the length of each section, it can be configured to identify whether the user who has rotated the operation knob is seated on the left or right seat of the vehicle . As described above, when the user who performed the rotation operation on the operation knob is identified as the user sitting on the left or right seat of the vehicle, the simple distance on the simple two-dimensional coordinate system is also used. It is easily possible by calculation.

  Of the contact positions of each finger detected by the contact position detecting means in the present invention, a multi-finger contact area comprising a plurality of contact positions close to each other, and the multi-finger contact area having a narrower area than the finger contact area And a contact area specifying means for specifying a thumb contact area that exists away from the vehicle. In this case, the operation user specifying means is configured such that the specified thumb contact area is left when the specified thumb contact area is located on the left side of the vehicle. If the user is seated on the right side of the vehicle, the user seated on the right seat can be identified as the user who has rotated the operation knob. When you try to rotate the control knob, you can use the hand that comes out from the left of the control knob or the hand that comes out from the right of the control knob. In particular, there is a certain tendency in the position where the thumb touches. Therefore, by comparing the thumb contact area with the tendency, it is possible to easily identify whether the user who has rotated the operation knob is the user sitting on the left or right seat of the vehicle.

  For example, the operation user specifying means may be configured such that when the thumb contact area is located on the left side of the vehicle on the outer peripheral surface of the operation knob, the user sitting on the left seat is seated on the right seat when located on the right side of the vehicle. It can be set as the structure which identifies the performed user as the user who rotated operation with respect to the operation knob. According to this configuration, it is possible to identify whether the user who has rotated the operation knob is seated on the left or right seat of the vehicle simply by specifying the position of the thumb contact area on the outer peripheral surface of the operation knob. it can.

  The contact position detection means in the present invention may be a contact position detection sensor for detecting the contact position on the entire outer peripheral surface of the operation knob and detecting the contact position on the detection surface. A contact detection sensor that detects the presence or absence of contact with each detection surface can also be used. In this case, if five or more contact detection sensors are arranged at equal intervals in the rotation operation direction, the position of the finger operating the rotation detection knob can be accurately specified on the outer peripheral surface of the rotation operation knob.

  In addition, the contact detection sensors can be arranged at even intervals at equal intervals in a form that is not arranged in the middle of the left side and the right side of the vehicle in the rotational operation direction. In the present invention, since it is important whether the thumb contact area and the multi-finger contact area are located on the left side or the right side of the vehicle, finger contact is detected at a position between the left side and the right side of the vehicle. Since it is important that the contact of the finger is detected at a position slightly shifted to the left or right even slightly from the middle position, by using the above configuration, The contact detection sensor can be efficiently placed.

  Further, the contact detection sensor is not arranged at a position on the vehicle rear side or vehicle lower side in the middle position between the left side and the right side of the vehicle in the rotational operation direction, and is an odd number at regular intervals. Can be arranged. Similarly, in this case, it is not meaningful to detect finger contact at a position between the left side and the right side of the vehicle, and it is slightly shifted to the left or right from the intermediate position. It is important that finger contact is detected at the location. Furthermore, among the positions between the left side of the vehicle and the right side of the vehicle, the position on the rear side or the lower side of the vehicle, where the thumb tends to be located, is more important. It can be set as the state arrange | positioned efficiently.

  In the present invention, a maximum of two contact detection sensors can be detected by the touch of one finger and can be arranged on the operation knob. Thereby, by setting it as the said structure, the contact position of the finger | toe to an operation knob can be detected with moderate precision, and it is not necessary to arrange | position a contact detection sensor wastefully.

The block diagram which shows simply the structure of the operating device for vehicles which is one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is an external view of an operation panel of the vehicle operation device in FIG. 1. The perspective view which showed the rotation operation knob simply. The front view which showed the rotation operation knob simply. The flowchart which shows the 1st example of an operation input device. The figure which shows the 1st example for demonstrating the contact detection state to a rotation operation knob, and the identification method of an operation user's seat. The figure which shows the 2nd example for demonstrating the contact detection state to a rotation operation knob, and the identification method of an operation user's seat. The figure which shows the 3rd example for demonstrating the contact detection state to a rotation operation knob, and the identification method of an operation user's seat. The figure which shows the 4th example for demonstrating the contact detection state to a rotation operation knob, and the identification method of an operation user's seat. The figure which shows the 5th example for demonstrating the contact detection state to a rotation operation knob, and the identification method of an operation user's seat. The figure which shows the 6th example for demonstrating the contact detection state to a rotation operation knob, and the identification method of an operation user's seat. The figure which shows the 7th example for demonstrating the contact detection state to a rotation operation knob, and the identification method of an operation user's seat. The figure which shows the 8th example for demonstrating the contact detection state to a rotation operation knob, and the identification method of an operation user's seat. The figure which shows the 1st calculation method of an intermediate position. The figure which shows the 1st calculation method of an intermediate position. The figure which shows the 1st calculation method of an intermediate position. The figure which shows the 8th example for demonstrating the contact detection state to a rotation operation knob, and the specific method of the seat of the operation user different from FIGS. The figure which shows the 8th example for demonstrating the contact detection state to a rotation operation knob, and the identification method of the operation user's seat different from FIGS. 6-13 and FIG. The figure which shows the 8th example for demonstrating the contact detection state to a rotation operation knob, and the identification method of the operation user's seat different from FIGS. 6-13, 17 and 18. FIG. The figure which shows the 1st example of arrangement | positioning of a contact detection sensor. The figure which shows the 2nd example of arrangement | positioning of a contact detection sensor. The flowchart which shows the 2nd example of an operation input device.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a vehicle operating device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a vehicle operating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle operation device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a device that can be mounted on a vehicle, and the user of both of the users can operate the control unit 10 from both users seated on the left and right seats side by side. And an operation knob 4 that can be rotated by touching the outer peripheral surface 21 with a plurality of fingers, and a contact position detecting unit that detects the contact position of each finger that touches the outer peripheral surface 21 (contact position detection) Means) 21S is connected.

  The vehicle operating device 1 of the present embodiment is a vehicle air conditioner, and as shown in FIG. 2, is provided between both users in the vehicle interior and on the front side of these users, An operation panel 40 that can be operated by both users sitting on both the left and right seats is provided with various switches 5 such as push switches and a display unit 6 that indicates the setting states of various control parameters, together with the operation knob 4. The switch 5 and the display unit 6 are also connected to the control unit 10.

  The operation knob 4 includes a cylindrical rotation operation knob 2 that can perform the rotation operation described above, and a press operation knob that can be pressed in the rotation axis direction of the rotation operation knob 2 within the cylindrical rotation operation knob 2. 3 and a moving operation for moving the entire operation knob 4 having the rotation operation knob 2 and the pressing operation knob 3 in a plurality of predetermined directions perpendicular to the rotation axis 21Q. It is a well-known multi-dial knob configured to be capable of detecting a rotation operation amount detection unit (rotation angle sensor) 42, a pressing operation detection unit (tact switch) 43, and a movement operation detection unit (tact switch). Each of the 44 detection results is input to the control unit 10.

  The display unit 6 is a known liquid crystal display device or the like. In the present embodiment, control parameters whose settings can be changed by the multi-dial knob 4 are displayed side by side, and the control parameters specified as the setting change target are highlighted with respect to the remaining control parameters (here, a frame image). Surrounded by). On the other hand, the multi-dial knob 4 can be moved in both directions (two directions on the left and right) of the control parameters displayed on the display unit 6, and can be moved once. The highlighting of the control parameter highlighted on the display unit 6 is canceled, the control parameter displayed adjacent to the moving direction side of the moving operation is newly highlighted, and the control parameter is newly set. Can be specified as a change target. Then, the current set value of the control parameter designated as the setting change target can be changed by rotating the rotary operation knob 2. The pressing operation knob 3 is an operation unit for causing the control unit 10 to execute automatic air-conditioning control for performing optimum air-conditioning output for causing the vehicle interior temperature to reach the set temperature set by the user by the rotation operation or the like. ing.

  In addition, the said rotation operation to the rotation operation knob 2 (operation knob 4) refers to touching the outer peripheral surface 21 of the operation knob 2 (4) with a plurality of fingers and rotating the hand while maintaining the contact state. Thus, any operation may be used as long as the position of the finger touching the operation knob moves in the rotation direction. That is, the rotation operation may be any operation that rotates the hand touching the operation knob 2 around the rotation axis 21Q, and the operated knob 2 itself may move in any manner. Further, in this embodiment, the designated range of the designated position of the rotary operation knob 2 that can be changed (moved) by the rotational operation is within 180 degrees (240 degrees, preferably 120 degrees in the rotational operation direction). The rotation operation amount detection unit 42 is configured to detect a designated position that is changed (moved) within the predetermined range. Is done.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the rotary operation knob 2 protrudes to the user side below the shoulder positions of both users seated on both the left and right seats, and the rotation axis 21Q of the rotary operation. However, the multi-dial knob is disposed in the center console portion of the vehicle interior in a form orthogonal to a straight line extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rotation operation knob 2 includes contact detection sensors 21 </ b> S <b> 1 to 21 </ b> Sn (n is the total number of sensors) that detect the presence or absence of contact with the outer peripheral surface 21. A plurality (n) are arranged in the rotational operation direction. The contact detection sensors 21 </ b> S <b> 1 to 21 </ b> Sn according to the present embodiment are well-known electrostatic touch sensors that detect a change in capacitance caused by the proximity of a conductor such as a finger to the detection surface. Other touch sensors such as a resistive film type may be used. In the present embodiment, five or more contact detection sensors 21S1 to 21Sn are arranged at equal intervals in the rotation operation direction with respect to the rotation operation knob 2, and each detection surface 210S of these sensors 21S1 to 21Sn is an outer peripheral surface. 21 are arranged at regular intervals with the sensor non-arrangement region 210 in between.

  The control unit 10 is a control unit configured as a normal computer including a known CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like, and various programs including a program for executing the operation input process shown in FIG. 5 are stored in the storage unit. And various kinds of information necessary for executing them are stored.

  In the operation input process shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 10 specifies whether the user who has rotated the operation knob 2 is sitting on the left or right seat of the vehicle from the contact position of the finger with the operation knob. In addition, among the predetermined control parameters that can be set independently for both of the seats, the control parameter corresponding to the specified seat is set and changed by the rotation operation (control means). That is, based on the rotation operation performed by identifying whether the user is seated on the left or right seat of the vehicle from the position of the finger touched to rotate the operation knob 2. Thus, the setting of the control parameter corresponding to the specified seat can be changed. In the present embodiment, the CPU executes a program for the operation input process, so that the current setting value of a predetermined control parameter for air conditioning control can be changed. Specifically, it is possible to change the current setting value of the control parameter indicating the air-conditioning air flow temperature and the air flow rate, and further change the setting value to both the left and right seats (here, the driver's seat and the passenger seat). ) Can be set independently for each.

  Hereinafter, the operation input process of FIG. 5 will be described.

  First, in S <b> 10, the control unit 10 starts accepting an operation input from the rotary operation knob 2. In S <b> 11, the control unit 10 detects the presence or absence of contact (touch) with the outer peripheral surface (operation surface) 21 of the rotation operation knob 4. This is determined based on the presence or absence of an operation signal output from the contact detection sensors 21S1 to 21Sn arranged on the outer peripheral surface 21. This determination is repeated until it is determined that there is contact, and if it is determined that there is contact, the process proceeds to S12.

  In S12, the control unit 10 includes a plurality of contact positions that are close to each other among contact positions (contact positions of each finger immediately after contact) of each finger on the outer peripheral surface 21 detected by the contact detection sensors 21S1 to 21Sn. A multi-finger contact area 21T and a thumb contact area 21P that is narrower than the multi-finger contact area 21T and that is present away from the area 21T are identified (contact area identifying means). In S13, based on the positional relationship in the rotational operation direction of the rotary operation knob 2 between the positions of both the specified multi-finger contact area 21T and thumb contact area 21P, the rotary operation knob 2 is rotated. It is specified whether the selected user is the user sitting on the left or right seat of the vehicle (operation user specifying means). This specifying method will be described later in detail.

  Subsequently, when the result of S13 indicates that the user who has rotated the rotation operation knob 2 is the right seat user (S14: Yes), the control unit 10 corresponds to the right seat at S15. In the case where the first mode in which the current setting value of the control parameter to be changed is set is set, and the user who performs the rotation operation on the rotation operation knob 2 is the user of the left seat (S14: No) In S17, the first mode in which the current set value of the control parameter corresponding to the right seat can be changed is set. And the control part 10 changes the control parameter which can be changed in the set mode by rotation operation with respect to the rotation operation knob 2 in the contact state until the contact with respect to the outer peripheral surface 21 of the rotation operation knob 2 is cancelled | released. can do.

  When the contact with the outer peripheral surface 21 of the rotary operation knob 2 is released (S16: Yes, or S18: Yes), the process proceeds to S19, and the control unit 10 finishes accepting the operation input to the rotary operation knob 2. The presence or absence of control information is determined. This control information may be input from the outside (for example, an ignition switch OFF signal, a vehicle air conditioner OFF signal, or the like), or may be generated in a control program separately executed by the control unit 10. If there is no control information, the process returns to S11 to make a contact determination with respect to the outer peripheral surface 21 of the rotary operation knob 2 again. If there is this control information, the process is terminated.

  Hereinafter, a method for identifying whether the user who performed the rotation operation on the rotation operation knob 2 in S13 is the user sitting on the left or right seat of the vehicle will be described.

  The control unit 10 of the present embodiment detects whether the user who has rotated the rotary operation knob 2 is the user sitting on the left or right seat of the vehicle on the outer peripheral surface 21 of each finger detected by the contact position detection unit 21S. It identifies based on the contact position. Here, among the contact positions of each finger on the outer peripheral surface 21 detected by the contact position detector 21S, a multi-finger contact area 21T composed of a plurality of contact positions close to each other, and away from the multi-finger contact area 21T The existing thumb contact area 21P is specified, and both of the specified positions are specified based on the positional relationship in the rotation operation direction of the rotation operation knob 2.

  That is, the thumb contact area 21P is a contact position where it is estimated that the thumb is in contact, and the multi-finger contact area 21T is a contact position where it is estimated that the remaining fingers are in contact. When the rotary operation knob 2 is touched to rotate, the thumb takes a position away from the remaining fingers in the rotational operation direction. In this embodiment, the position of the thumb at that time and the remaining Based on the positional relationship with the finger position, it is specified whether the rotary operator of the rotary operation knob 2 is a user sitting on the left seat or a user sitting on the right seat.

  Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 13, a straight line 21 </ b> L extending from the multi-finger contact area 21 </ b> T toward the thumb contact area 21 </ b> P is a determination straight line, and the determination straight line 21 </ b> L is on the left side of the vehicle. If the user is seated in the left seat, the user is identified as the user who has rotated the rotary operation knob 2 and the user is in the positional relationship of extending toward the right side of the vehicle. The user sitting on the right seat is specified as the user who has performed the rotation operation on the rotation operation knob 2. That is, as shown in FIGS. 6, 8 to 10, and 12, when the arrow at the tip of the straight line 21L is directed to the left in the figure, the user sitting on the left seat rotates with respect to the rotary operation knob 2. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 9, 11, and 13, when the arrow at the tip of the straight line 21L is pointing to the right in the figure, the user sitting on the right seat rotates It is identified as the user who has rotated the knob 2.

  Hereinafter, as described above, based on the positional relationship between the multi-finger contact area 21T and the thumb contact area 21P, the user who performed the rotation operation on the rotation operation knob 2 is the user sitting on the right seat or the left A specific process for identifying whether the user is seated on the seat will be described.

  First, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 13, a virtual plane 200 having the origin 21q as the position of the rotation axis 21Q of the rotary operation knob 2 is defined, and the vehicle is directed upward on the virtual plane 200 so as to pass through the origin 21q. An XY orthogonal coordinate system (two-dimensional coordinate system) that defines a Y-axis extending toward the right and an X-axis extending toward the right of the vehicle in a manner that passes through the origin 21q is defined. And in this XY coordinate system, it corresponds to the arrangement position of the contact detection sensors 21S1 to 21Sn arranged on the outer peripheral surface 21 on the outer peripheral figure (circular locus) 21R corresponding to the outer peripheral surface 21 of the rotary operation knob 2. Sensor positions (position coordinates) 21s1 to 21sn to be specified are specified in advance.

  Then, when the rotary operation knob 2 is rotated, the initial position on the outer peripheral surface 21 when the outer peripheral surface 21 of the rotary operation knob 2 is touched to perform the operation is specified. Specifically, when the outer peripheral surface 21 of the rotary operation knob 2 is touched, the sensor positions 21s1 to 21sn of the contact detection sensors 21S1 to 21Sn that detect the contact are specified as detection sensor positions in the XY coordinate system. To do.

  Next, in order to specify the multi-finger contact area 21T, at least one detection sensor position adjacent on the outer peripheral edge position 21R among the specified detection sensor positions in the XY coordinate system is determined in advance. Identify things that are within a defined reference distance. A section 21t extending over a plurality of detection sensor positions 21t1 to 21tm (m is the maximum number of the detection sensor positions) specified here corresponds to the multi-finger contact area 21T. Then, an intermediate position 21t0 of the detection sensor positions 21t1 to 21tm specified here is specified (S12). Since this position 21t0 can be said to be a position corresponding to the position where the multi-finger contact area 21T is present on the XY plane, it is set as the starting position of the determination straight line 21L.

  In the present embodiment, the predetermined reference distance described above is larger than the distance between adjacent ones of the sensor positions 21s1 to 21sn on the outer peripheral figure (circular locus) 21R, and is skipped by one. It can be determined to be smaller than the distance between adjacent objects. In this case, the multifinger contact region 21T illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8 and 10 to 12 is recognized as a multifinger contact region. However, in this case, since the multi-finger contact area 21T shown in FIGS. 9 and 13 is not recognized as the multi-finger contact area, in the present embodiment, the reference distance is adjacent to one of the sensor positions 21s1 to 21sn. The distance is set to be larger than the distance between the objects and smaller than the distance between the two adjacent to each other.

  Subsequently, a predetermined intermediate position 21p0 in the section 21p in which the remaining detection sensor positions 21p1 to 21pk (k is the maximum number of the detection sensor positions) is specified (S12). If there is only one remaining detection sensor position (only reference numeral 21p1), that position 21p1 is specified as the intermediate position 21p0, and if there are a plurality of positions as shown in FIG. 8, the intermediate position 21p0 is specified from those positions 21p1, 21p2. (S12). This position 21p0 can be regarded as a position corresponding to the position of the thumb contact area 21P in the XY coordinate system, and is a passing position of the determination straight line 21L.

  When the starting position 21t0 and the passing position 21p0 are specified, the determination straight line 21L can be determined in the XY coordinate system, and the inclination is calculated. Here, in the XY coordinate system, the side corresponding to the right side of the vehicle is defined as the positive direction of the X axis, and the side corresponding to the upward direction of the vehicle is defined as the positive direction of the Y axis. If the user sitting on the left seat is specified as the user who has rotated the rotary operation knob 2 and the inclination is a negative value, the user sitting on the right seat is the rotary operation knob 2. Is identified as the user who performed the rotation operation (S13).

  According to this process, when the thumb contact area 21P is located on the left side of the vehicle with respect to the outer peripheral surface 21 of the rotary operation knob 2 relative to the multi-finger contact area 21T, the user sitting on the left seat If the user is identified as the user who has performed the rotation operation and is positioned on the right side of the vehicle, the user sitting on the right seat is identified as the user who has performed the rotation operation on the rotation operation knob 2.

  The contents of this process need not be limited to those described above, and the multi-finger contact area 21t and the thumb contact area 21P on the rotary operation knob 2 are specified by other methods and based on their positional relationship. Thus, it may be specified whether the user who performed the rotation operation on the rotation operation knob 2 is the user sitting on the left or right seat of the vehicle. As long as it specifies the positional relationship between the multi-finger contact area 21T and the thumb contact area 21P as described above, a process other than the above process may be performed.

  In this process, the sensor positions 21s1 to 21sn exist along the outer peripheral figure 21R forming a circle corresponding to the outer peripheral surface 21 of the rotary operation knob 2 on the virtual plane 200 (the XY coordinate system). However, when calculating the intermediate position (starting position 21t0 of the straight line 21L or passing position 21p0) from them, it is calculated as the position of 21R on the outer peripheral figure (on the circular locus). Alternatively, it may be calculated as a position deviated from the outer peripheral figure (on the circular locus) 21R within the virtual plane 200.

  In the present embodiment, the intermediate position is a position in a section between both ends of the virtual plane 200, excluding positions corresponding to both ends, among positions corresponding to a plurality of contact positions. Can do. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, on the outer peripheral figure (circular locus) 21R, the barycentric position with respect to all target contact positions is set as the intermediate position. Further, as shown in FIG. 14, the intermediate position is a position determined as a center position (center point position) between both end positions of all the contact positions targeted on the outer peripheral figure (on the circular locus) 21R. But you can. Further, as shown in FIG. 15, the intermediate position when there are three or more target contact positions may be any contact position between the two positions excluding the contact positions at both ends.

  Further, in this process, the contact positions 21t1 to 21tm indicate the positions of the contact detection sensors 21S1 to 21Sn that have detected the contact, and therefore, the fingers straddle the detection surfaces 210S of the two adjacent contact detection sensors 21S1 to 21Sn. May be located, and there are cases where two contact detection sensors 21S1 to 21Sn detect one finger. That is, the position of the touched finger is not necessarily specified, and the number of touch detection sensors 21S1 to 21Sn that can be touched by one finger is 2 or less (preferably, the touch detection sensors 21S1 to 21Sn of this embodiment). The rotary operation knob 2 is provided so as to be 1). For example, in the rotational operation direction of the rotational operation knob 2, the width of the detection surface 210S of the contact detection sensors 21S1 to 21Sn and the width between adjacent contact detection sensors 21S1 to 21Sn (width of the sensor non-arrangement region 210) are The length can be provided to be shorter than the finger width.

  Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to this, and the knowledge of those skilled in the art can be used without departing from the spirit of the claims. Various modifications based on this are possible.

  In the above-described embodiment, a two-dimensional coordinate system having the rotation axis 21Q as the origin 21q is defined on the virtual plane 200 orthogonal to the rotation axis 21Q of the rotary operation knob 2, and multiple fingers are defined on the two-dimensional coordinate system. A user who specifies the positions corresponding to both the contact area 21t and the thumb contact area 21P, and performs a rotation operation on the rotary operation knob 2 based on the inclination of the straight line 21L connecting both the specified positions, Although it is specified whether the user is seated on either the left or right seat of the vehicle, another method may be used.

  For example, the multi-finger contact region 21T specified on the outer peripheral surface 21 of the rotary operation knob 2 extends from the first side in the rotational operation direction along the rotational operation direction, and is also specified on the outer peripheral surface 21. The length of the first section until reaching the thumb contact area 21P and the multi-finger contact area 21T extend from the second side opposite to the first side in the rotational operation direction along the rotational operation direction. When the length of the second section until reaching the thumb contact area 21P is calculated, when the outer peripheral side of the shorter section of the sections is a section that mainly faces the left side rather than the vehicle right side (section facing the vehicle right side) (When the section facing the left side of the vehicle is longer) than when the user sitting on the left seat faces the right side rather than the left side of the vehicle (when the section facing the left side of the vehicle is longer than the section facing the right side of the vehicle) On the right seat And the user can be identified as a user that the rotating operation to rotate the operation knob 2. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 17, on the same virtual plane 200 (two-dimensional coordinate system) as described above, the sections 21L1, 21L2 corresponding to the first section and the second section are specified, and these sections 21L1 are identified. , 21L2 can be specified.

  In this case, the first section and the second section are changed from the intermediate position determined based on a plurality of contact positions belonging to the multi-finger contact area 21T in the rotation operation direction of the rotary operation knob 2 to the thumb contact area 21P. It can be determined as a section to reach.

  Further, the length of the first section extending from the contact position of the first side in the rotation operation direction of the rotation operation knob 2 to reach the thumb contact area 21P among the contact positions belonging to the multi-finger contact area 21T, The length of the second section extending from the contact position of the second side end opposite to the first side and reaching the thumb contact area 21P is calculated, and the shorter one of the sections is long. Rotate the user sitting in the left seat when the vehicle is located on the left side of the vehicle, and rotate the user sitting on the right seat when the vehicle is on the right side of the vehicle rather than the left side of the vehicle. You may specify as the user who performed the rotation operation with respect to the operation knob 2. FIG. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, on the same virtual plane 200 (two-dimensional coordinate system) as described above, sections 21L1 and 21L2 corresponding to the first section and the second section are multi-fingered. Specify as a section from a position corresponding to the contact position at both ends of the contact positions belonging to the contact area 21T to a position corresponding to the thumb contact area 21P, and specify based on the lengths of the sections 21L1 and 21L2. Can do.

  In this case, both of the first section and the second section can be either a straight section (FIG. 19) or an arc-shaped section (FIG. 18) along the rotation operation direction. That is, on the same virtual plane 200 (two-dimensional coordinate system) as described above, the sections 21L1 and 21L2 corresponding to both the first section and the second section are defined on the outer peripheral figure (on the circular locus) 21R. Or a straight section on the virtual plane 200 that is not on the outer peripheral figure (on the circular locus) 21R.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, based on the positional relationship of both the multifinger contact area | region 21T specified on the outer peripheral surface 21 of the rotation operation knob 2, and the thumb contact area | region 21P, rotation operation with respect to the rotation operation knob 2 is performed. The user who is seated on the left or right seat of the vehicle is identified as either the multi-finger contact area or the thumb contact area 21P specified on the outer peripheral surface 21 of the rotary operation knob 2 You may specify based on one position. In particular, when the thumb contact area 21P corresponding to the contact position of the thumb with the outer peripheral surface 21 of the rotary operation knob 2 is located on the left side of the vehicle, the user sitting on the left seat is placed on the right side when positioned on the right side of the vehicle. The user sitting on the seat may be specified as the user who has performed the rotation operation on the rotation operation knob 2.

  In this case, for example, when the thumb contact area 21P is located on the left side of the vehicle on the outer peripheral surface of the rotary operation knob 2, the control unit 10 determines that the user sitting on the left seat is right when the thumb contact area 21P is located on the right side of the vehicle. It is possible to identify the user sitting in the seat as the user who has performed the rotation operation on the rotation operation knob 2. Specifically, a virtual plane 200 and a two-dimensional coordinate system similar to those in the above embodiment are defined, and in the same manner as in the above embodiment, a region 21p corresponding to the thumb contact region 21P is specified, and the position is the outer periphery. On the figure (on the circular locus) 21R, the user who performed the rotation operation on the rotation operation knob 2 depending on whether it is positioned on the side corresponding to the left side of the vehicle or the side corresponding to the right side of the vehicle, Can be identified as a user sitting in

  A plurality of contact position detection units 21S are arranged in the rotation operation direction in the rotation operation knob 2 and are contact detection sensors 21S1 to 21Sn that detect the presence or absence of contact with each detection surface 210S. In order to recognize the contact positions of the fingers that are in contact with the outer peripheral surface 21, it is desirable that the number is 5 or more and provided on the outer peripheral surface 21 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

  Further, considering that the user who performed the rotation operation on the rotation operation knob 2 is the user sitting on the left or right seat of the vehicle, the contact detection sensors 21S1 to 21Sn are in the rotation operation direction. When an even number (for example, eight) is arranged at regular intervals, as shown in FIG. 20, the contact detection sensors 21 </ b> S <b> 1 to 21 </ b> Sn are not located at positions between the vehicle left side and the vehicle right side in the rotational operation direction. It is good to be provided in the form which becomes arrangement. Further, when the contact detection sensors 21S1 to 21Sn are arranged in odd numbers (for example, seven) at regular intervals in the rotation operation direction, as shown in FIG. 21, each contact detection sensor 21S1 to 21Sn has its rotation operation direction. In the intermediate position between the left side and the right side of the vehicle, each is preferably arranged in a non-arranged manner at a position on the vehicle rear side or the vehicle lower side.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, in changing the present setting value of the predetermined control parameter which can be set independently in a right-and-left seat among control parameters of vehicle equipment, rotation operation is performed with respect to the rotation operation knob 2. If the specified seat is a seat on the predetermined side, the seat that the user seated is identified and the control parameter corresponding to the identified seat is changed. The configuration may be such that the change of the corresponding control parameter is prohibited. For example, when the specified seat is a seat on a predetermined side, the configuration may be such that the operation input by the rotation operation with the finger touching the operation knob 2 at that time is invalidated. Specifically, the operation input process described above is performed as shown in FIG. 22, so that when the seat specified as described above is a driver seat while the vehicle is running, The change of the control parameter corresponding to the seat can be prohibited.

  Hereinafter, the operation input process of FIG. 22 will be described.

  S110 to S113 are the same as S10 to S13 of FIG. In subsequent S114, the control unit 10 specifies whether the seat specified in S112 is a driver seat or a passenger seat. When it is a driver's seat, it progresses to S115, and the control part 10 determines whether the vehicle is drive | working based on the detection result of the vehicle speed sensor 7 which is a vehicle drive state detection means which detects a vehicle drive state. To do. Note that the state where the vehicle is not traveling can include a predetermined low-speed traveling state (for example, 5 km / h or less) of the vehicle. If the vehicle is traveling, the process proceeds to S116, where the current set value of the control parameter corresponding to the driver's seat is changed based on the rotation operation of the rotation operation knob 2. On the other hand, if the vehicle is not traveling, the process proceeds to S117. Even if the knob 2 is rotated, the operation is invalidated and the current set value of the control parameter is not changed. S118 to S121 are the same as S16 to S19 in FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle operation apparatus 10 Control part (operation user specific means, contact area specific means)
2 Rotation operation knob 21 Outer peripheral surface of rotation operation knob 21S1 to 21Sn Contact detection sensor (contact position detection means)
21s1 to 21sn Sensor positions 21t1 to 21tn, 21p1 to 21pk Detection sensor positions 21T Multi-finger contact area 21P Thumb contact area 21L Determination straight line 200 Virtual plane (two-dimensional coordinate system)

Claims (16)

An operation knob that is positioned between both users so that it can be operated by both users sitting on both the left and right seats of the vehicle, and is rotated by touching the outer peripheral surface with a plurality of fingers.
Contact position detecting means for detecting a contact position of each finger touching the outer peripheral surface;
An operation user specifying means for specifying whether a user who has performed a rotation operation on the operation knob is a user seated on the left or right seat of the vehicle based on the detected contact position of each finger on the outer peripheral surface; ,
A vehicle operating device comprising: Of the contact positions of each finger detected by the contact position detection means, a multi-finger contact area consisting of a plurality of contact positions close to each other, and an area width narrower than the multi-finger contact area and from the multi-finger contact area A contact area specifying means for specifying a thumb contact area that exists remotely;
The operation user specifying unit is configured such that a user who performs a rotation operation on the operation knob based on a positional relationship between the specified positions of both the multi-finger contact area and the thumb contact area in the rotation operation direction of the operation knob. The vehicle operating device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle operating device identifies whether the user is seated on a left or right seat of the vehicle.   The operation user specifying means is configured such that when the thumb contact area is located on the left side of the vehicle with respect to the multi-finger contact area, a user sitting on the left seat is seated on the right seat when located on the right side of the vehicle. The vehicle operation device according to claim 2, wherein the user is specified as a user who has performed a rotation operation on the operation knob.   The operation user specifying means defines a two-dimensional coordinate system having the rotation axis as an origin on a virtual plane orthogonal to the rotation axis of the operation knob, and the multi-finger contact area on the two-dimensional coordinate system. The position corresponding to both the thumb contact area is specified, and the user who has rotated the operation knob based on the inclination of the straight line connecting the specified positions is left or right of the vehicle. The vehicle operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the vehicle operating device specifies whether the user is seated on the vehicle.   On the virtual plane, the positions corresponding to the multi-finger contact area and the thumb contact area correspond to the barycentric positions of the positions corresponding to all the contact positions belonging to these contact areas, or all the contact positions belonging to these contact areas. The operating device for vehicles according to claim 4 which is a central position between positions at both ends among positions.   On the virtual plane, the position corresponding to the multi-finger contact area exists between the contact positions at both ends of the contact positions belonging to the multi-finger contact area, and is a contact position different from the contact positions at both ends. The vehicular operating device according to claim 4, wherein the operating device is defined as a position corresponding to.   The operation user specifying means includes a length of a first section extending from the first side of the rotation operation direction along the rotation operation direction and reaching the thumb contact area along the rotation operation direction, and the rotation. When calculating the length of the second section extending from the second side opposite to the first side of the rotational operation direction along the operation direction and reaching the thumb contact area, the shorter of the sections A user who sits on the left seat when the outer side of the section is mainly facing the left side of the vehicle right side, and a user who sits on the right seat when the section is facing the right side rather than the vehicle left side The vehicle operation device according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle operation device is specified as a user who performs a rotation operation on the operation knob.   The first section and the second section are based on one or more contact positions belonging to the thumb contact area from an intermediate position determined based on a plurality of contact positions belonging to the multi-finger contact area in the rotation operation direction. The vehicle operating device according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle operating device is a section that reaches a predetermined intermediate position.   The operation user specifying means extends the length of the first section from the contact position belonging to the multi-finger contact area to the thumb contact area extending from the contact position of the first end in the rotational operation direction. And the length of the second section extending from the contact position of the end portion on the second side opposite to the first side and reaching the thumb contact area, and the shorter one of the sections is calculated. If the vehicle is located on the left side of the vehicle from the longer section, the user seated on the left seat should be placed on the right side of the vehicle. The vehicle operation device according to claim 2, wherein the operation device is specified as a user who performs a rotation operation on the operation knob.   The vehicle operating device according to claim 9, wherein both the first section and the second section are either a straight section or a section along the rotational operation direction.   The operation user specifying means defines a two-dimensional coordinate system with the rotation axis as an origin on a virtual plane orthogonal to the rotation axis of the operation knob, and the first section and the two-dimensional coordinate system on the two-dimensional coordinate system. A section corresponding to the second section is specified, and based on the length of each section, it is specified whether the user who performed the rotation operation on the operation knob is the user sitting on the left or right seat of the vehicle The vehicle operating device according to any one of claims 7 to 10. Of the contact positions of each finger detected by the contact position detecting means, a multi-finger contact area composed of a plurality of contact positions close to each other, and an area width narrower than the finger contact area and away from the multi-finger contact area A contact area specifying means for specifying the existing thumb contact area
The operation user specifying means operates the user sitting on the left seat when the specified thumb contact area is located on the left side of the vehicle, and the user sitting on the right seat when located on the right side of the vehicle. The vehicular operating device according to claim 1, which is specified as a user who performs a rotating operation on the knob.   The contact position detecting means is a contact detection sensor that is arranged in the operation knob in the rotational operation direction of the operation knob and detects presence / absence of contact with each detection surface. The vehicle operating device according to claim 1.   The vehicle operation device according to claim 13, wherein five or more contact detection sensors are arranged at equal intervals in the rotation operation direction.   The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the contact detection sensors are arranged in an even number at equal intervals in a form that is not arranged at a position intermediate between the left side and the right side of the vehicle in the rotational operation direction. Operating device.   In the rotational operation direction, the contact detection sensors are not arranged at positions on the vehicle rear side or vehicle lower side among the positions between the left side of the vehicle and the right side of the vehicle. The vehicle operating device according to claim 14, which is arranged.