JP2018124811A - Operation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an operation device capable of reducing an operational load.SOLUTION: An operation device 1 includes: a touch pad 3 for detecting touches to an operational surface 30 by a plurality of operation fingers; a load detection part 5 for detecting, for each of the operation fingers, a load applied to the operational surface 30; and a control part 7. The control part allows a display unit 87 to: display for each of the operation fingers, a first image corresponding to the operation finger and a second image corresponding to a shade of the operation finger on the basis of the touch of the operation finger to the operational surface 30; and switch only the first image and the second image of the operation finger, for which a load in which a predetermined load threshold is 70 or more is detected, to a third image newly to display it.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an operating device.

  As a conventional technique, there is known an automobile input / output device including an operation unit composed of an absolute coordinate type touch pad that can be operated and input by an operation finger, and a display unit installed relatively far from the operation unit. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  The vehicle input / output device changes at least one of the shade, size, and shape of the cursor displayed on the display unit according to the distance between the operation unit and the operation finger, and operates the operation unit. Based on the input absolute coordinate information, the cursor of the display means can be displayed at a position corresponding to the absolute coordinate information.

JP 2010-61224 A

  However, the conventional input / output device for automobiles has to deal with the entire operation surface with a single operation finger brought into contact with the operation surface, so that the movement amount of the operation finger is large and the operation load is large.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an operating device that can reduce the operating load.

  One aspect of the present invention provides a detection unit that detects contact of a plurality of operation fingers with respect to the operation surface, a load detection unit that detects a load for each operation finger added to the operation surface, and contact of the operation finger with respect to the operation surface. Based on this, the first image corresponding to the operating finger and the second image corresponding to the shadow of the operating finger are displayed on the display device for each operating finger, and a load equal to or greater than a predetermined load threshold value is displayed. There is provided an operation device including a control unit that causes only a first image and a second image of a detected operation finger to be switched to a third image for display.

  According to the present invention, the operation load can be reduced.

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of the inside of a vehicle on which an example of the operating device according to the embodiment is mounted, and FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating an example of the operating device, and FIG. ) Is a block diagram illustrating an example of a vehicle communication system including an operation device. FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C are schematic diagrams for explaining an example of an operation on the touch pad of the operation device according to the embodiment. FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C are schematic diagrams for explaining examples of the first image to the third image displayed on the display screen by the control unit of the controller device according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the controller device according to the embodiment.

(Summary of embodiment)
The operation device according to the embodiment includes a detection unit that detects contact of a plurality of operation fingers with respect to the operation surface, a load detection unit that detects a load for each operation finger added to the operation surface, and an operation finger on the operation surface. A first image corresponding to the operating finger and a second image corresponding to the shadow of the operating finger are displayed on the display device for each operating finger based on the contact, and the predetermined load threshold value is exceeded. And a control unit that newly switches only the first image and the second image of the operating finger in which the load is detected to the third image and displays them.

  When a plurality of operation fingers touch the operation surface, the operation device displays a first image indicating the operation finger and a second image indicating the shadow on the display device, so that the operator can respond to a desired operation. It is easy to confirm which operation finger is the operation finger. In addition, since the operation device switches the first image and the second image corresponding to the operation finger in which a load equal to or greater than the load threshold is detected to display the third image, it is understood that the operation has been accepted. easy. Therefore, compared with the case where this configuration is not adopted, the operation device can perform operations over a wide range of the operation surface with a plurality of operation fingers, reducing the amount of wrist movement and reducing the operation load. can do.

[Embodiment]
(Overview of operation device 1)
FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of the inside of a vehicle on which an example of the operating device according to the embodiment is mounted, and FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating an example of the operating device, and FIG. ) Is a block diagram illustrating an example of a vehicle communication system including an operation device. FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C are schematic diagrams for explaining an example of an operation on the touch pad of the operation device according to the embodiment. FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C are schematic diagrams for explaining examples of the first image to the third image displayed on the display screen by the control unit of the controller device according to the embodiment. FIGS. 3A to 3C illustrate an example of the display screen 870 when the operation target is the navigation device 84. On this display screen 870, a map image 871 and a current position cursor 872 indicating the current position of the vehicle 8 are displayed.

  Note that, in each drawing according to the embodiment described below, the ratio between figures may be different from the actual ratio. Moreover, in FIG.1 (b) and FIG.1 (c), the flow of main information is shown by the arrow.

  For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, the operating device 1 operates an electronic device to be operated mounted on the vehicle 8 based on an operation performed. The operating device 1 is disposed, for example, on a floor console 80 between a driver seat and a passenger seat. The electronic devices to be operated are, for example, the navigation device 84, the music and video playback device 85 shown in FIG. As an example, the controller device 1 and the electronic device to be operated constitute a vehicle communication system 800 as shown in FIG.

  A display device 87 that functions as a display unit of the electronic device is disposed on the center console 81, for example. The display device 87 is, for example, a liquid crystal display. Hereinafter, the operation finger 9 is a detection target.

  As illustrated in FIGS. 1A to 3C, the operation device 1 is added to the operation surface 30 and a touch pad 3 as a detection unit that detects contact of a plurality of operation fingers with the operation surface 30. A load detection unit 5 that detects a load for each operation finger, a first image corresponding to the operation finger based on contact of the operation finger with the operation surface 30, and a second image corresponding to the shadow of the operation finger. Only the first image and the second image of the operation finger that are displayed on the display device 87 for each operation finger and in which a load that exceeds a predetermined load threshold 70 is detected are newly switched to the third image. And a control unit 7 to be displayed.

  3B and 3C, as an example, a first image 930 as a first image, a second image 931 as a second image, and a third image 932 as a third image are shown. It is displayed. The control unit 7 displays the first image at a position on the display screen 870 corresponding to the position of the operation surface 30 where the operation finger is detected, and displays the second image at a position away from the first image. For example, the second image imitates a shadow when illuminated from a direction inclined from the vertical direction, not a shadow when the operating finger is illuminated from a direction perpendicular to the operation surface 30.

  The control unit 7 is configured not to output operation information indicating that the operation fingers are touched when a plurality of operation fingers are detected within a predetermined time. That is, for example, when a touch operation is performed on the operation surface 30 with a plurality of operation fingers, the control unit 7 is configured to display the first image and the second image for each operation finger without moving the cursor or the like. Has been.

  Here, the vehicle communication system 800 described above is a communication system using a standard such as CAN (Controller Area Network) as an example. The vehicle communication system 800 is configured such that, for example, the operation device 1 and the navigation device 84 communicate with each other via a vehicle LAN (Local Area Network) 82.

  In this vehicle communication system 800, as shown in FIG. 1C, for example, the operation device 1, the vehicle control unit 83, the navigation device 84, the music and video playback device 85, the air conditioning device 86, the display device 87, and the like communicate with each other. It is configured to be able to. The vehicle control unit 83 is, for example, a microcomputer that controls the vehicle communication system 800.

(Configuration of touchpad 3)
The touch pad 3 can operate an electronic device that is electromagnetically connected, for example. The touch pad 3 is an instruction such as movement of the cursor displayed on the display device 87, selection of the displayed icon, determination, dragging, dropping, etc., for example, by an operation with a conductive pen or a part of the operator's body. It is configured to be able to do. The touch pad 3 is a capacitive touch pad and can detect multi-touch.

The touch pad 3 includes, for example, a plurality of drive electrodes and a plurality of detection electrodes that are insulated from each other and intersect. Further, for example, the touch pad 3 calculates the coordinates on the operation surface 30 where the operation finger is detected based on the electrostatic capacitance obtained by periodically scanning all combinations of the drive electrodes and the detection electrodes. It is configured. The touch pad 3 is, for example, as shown in FIG. 1 (b), to the control unit 7 calculates the coordinate information of the operating finger as the detection information S _1.

Here detecting unit as a modification example may be configured to include a 3D camera that outputs detection information S ₁ is information of a distance-based approach and the contact of the operating finger 9 as to the operating face 30.

(Configuration of load detection unit 5)
For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the load detection unit 5 is disposed on the back side of the touch pad 3 so as to detect a load applied to the operation surface 30. The load detection unit 5 is, for example, a sheet-shaped load sensor, and is configured to detect a load at an arbitrary position on the operation surface 30. The load detection unit 5, load and the load detected is output to the control section 7 the information of the detected coordinates as load information S _2.

(Configuration of control unit 7)
The control unit 7 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that performs operations and processes on acquired data according to a stored program, a RAM (Random Access Memory) that is a semiconductor memory, a ROM (Read Only Memory), and the like. Microcomputer. In this ROM, for example, a program for operating the control unit 7 and a load threshold 70 are stored. For example, the RAM is used as a storage area for temporarily storing calculation results and the like.

Control unit 7, when the load based on the load information S ₂ is a load threshold value 70 or more, the vehicle communication system 800 generates operation information S ₄ that the push operation is performed in a coordinate where the load is detected To the electronic device via

The control unit 7, the first image and display information S ₃ to display the second image on the display device 87 generates and outputs based on the operation finger is detected positions.

  As an example, in FIG. 2B and FIG. 3B, the operation finger 91 (index finger), the operation finger 92 (middle finger), the operation finger 93 (ring finger), and the operation finger 94 (small finger) are shown as operation fingers. 30, the first image 910 and the second image 911 corresponding to the operation fingers 91 to 94, the first image 920 and the second image 921, the first image 930 and the second image 910. An image 931, a first image 940, and a second image 941 are displayed on the display screen 870. In FIG. 2C and FIG. 3C, as an example, the operator performs a push operation with the operation finger 93, and the first image 930 and the second image 931 are displayed on the third image 932. It shows the state of switching.

  This first image is, for example, a circular image showing an operation finger. Further, the second image has, for example, a shape imitating the shadow of the first image. Note that the first image may be, for example, a shape imitating an operating finger.

  More specifically, as an example, as shown in FIG. 2A, when an operating finger is not detected, a map image 871 and a current position cursor 872 are displayed on the display screen 870 of FIG. Is done.

  The operation device 1 can be operated by bringing a plurality of operation fingers into contact with the operation surface 30. Since the controller device 1 can display the first image and the second image on the display screen 870 corresponding to the plurality of operation fingers, the operator cares about the correspondence between the operation surface 30 and the display screen 870. It is possible to confirm an operation finger close to a desired position without making a mistake.

At this time, the control unit 7, as shown in FIG. 2 (b) and 3 (b), when the operating finger 91 to operate the fingers 94 other than the operation finger 90 (thumb) is detected, the display information _{S 3} The first image 910 and the second image 911, the first image 920 and the second image 921, the first image 930 and the second image 931, the first image 940 and the second image 941 are output. Is superimposed on the map image 871 and displayed.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2B, the load detection unit 5 includes a load F _{1 of} the operation finger 91, a load F _{2 of} the operation finger 92, a load F ₃ of the operation finger 93, and a load F _{4 of the} operation finger 94. Is detected, load information S ₂ including information on the position of the load is generated and output to the control unit 7.

The operator defines an operation finger to push operations and the ring finger (operation finger 93) by the display screen 870 of FIG. 3 (b), increasing the load F ₃ pushes the operating surface 30 by operation finger 93. The control unit 7 controls the display device 87 so that the second image 931 approaches the first image 930 as the load increases.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 2 (c) and 3 (c), the control unit 7 displays the first image 930 and the second image 931 when the load F ₃ increases and exceeds the load threshold 70. The third image 932 is displayed instead. For example, when the load F ₃ becomes equal to the load threshold 70, the control unit 7 superimposes the second image 931 on the first image 930. The third image 932 has a cross shape, for example, and is displayed at a position corresponding to the fingertip of the first image 930.

Here, the control unit 7 changes the distance between the first image and the second image based on the difference between the load threshold 70 and the detected load. Specifically, the control unit 7 determines the distance (depth expression distance) Z between the first image and the second image by the following equation (1).
Z = a × (Fth−F) (1)
Note that a is a constant. Fth is a load threshold value 70. F is a load.
The control unit 7 determines that a push operation has been performed when Z = 0. This push operation is, for example, a determination operation for a selected item or the like.

Note the controller 7 as a modification, the reduction of the shape of the second image as the load increases, the optimization of the focus, configured to at least any one of outputs display information S ₃ executed in color change May be. These may be executed in combination.

  Below, an example of operation | movement of the operating device 1 of this Embodiment is demonstrated according to the flowchart of FIG.

(Operation)
When the vehicle 8 is powered on, the control unit 7 of the controller device 1 acquires the detection information S ₁ from the touch pad 3 and the load information S ₂ from the load detection unit 5. And the control part 7 monitors whether an operation finger is detected.

When “Yes” in Step 1 is established, that is, when a touch operation with a plurality of operating fingers is detected within a predetermined time (Step 1: Yes), the control unit 7 determines the first image and the operating finger for each operating finger. It generates display information _{S 3} to display the second image on the display device 87 and outputs (Step2).

Control unit 7 monitors the load based on the load information S _2, when the load is increased, changing the distance of the first image and the second image based on the equation (1) above. When the load becomes 70 or more and the push operation is determined (Step 3: Yes), the control unit 7 switches the corresponding first image and second image to the third image and displays it. (Step 4). Next, the control unit 7 generates operation information S ₄ indicating that a push operation is performed by outputting the electronic device proceeds to step 3 (Step5).

  Here, in step 3, when the push operation is not determined within a predetermined time (Step 3: No), the control unit 7 proceeds to Step 3 if the touch operation is continued (Step 6: Yes). The push operation determination process is performed again. In step 6, when the touch operation is completed within a predetermined time (Step 6: No), the control unit 7 ends the display of the first image and the second image (Step 7), and ends the process. .

(Effect of embodiment)
The operation device 1 according to the present embodiment can reduce the operation load. Specifically, when a plurality of operation fingers come into contact with the operation surface 30, the operation device 1 causes the display device 87 to display a first image indicating the operation finger and a second image indicating the shadow thereof. It is easy to confirm which operation finger is the operation finger corresponding to the desired operation. In addition, since the operation device 1 switches the first image and the second image corresponding to the operation finger in which a load of the load threshold value 70 or more is detected to the third image, the operation is accepted. Is easy to understand. Therefore, compared with the case where this configuration is not adopted, the controller device 1 can perform a wide range of operations on the operation surface 30 with a plurality of operation fingers, thereby reducing the movable amount of the wrist and reducing the operation load. Is reduced.

  In addition, since the operation device 1 can perform a desired operation in a state where the operator touches the operation surface 30 with a plurality of operation fingers, the position of the image corresponding to the operation finger on the display screen 870 is confirmed for each operation. However, the need to change the touch position is suppressed, and the operation load is reduced.

  As mentioned above, although some embodiment and modification of this invention were demonstrated, these embodiment and modification are only examples, and do not limit the invention based on a claim. These novel embodiments and modifications can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, changes, and the like can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition, not all combinations of features described in these embodiments and modifications are necessarily essential to the means for solving the problems of the invention. Further, these embodiments and modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Operation apparatus, 3 ... Touch pad, 5 ... Load detection part, 7 ... Control part, 8 ... Vehicle, 9 ... Operation finger, 30 ... Operation surface, 70 ... Load threshold value, 80 ... Floor console, 81 ... Center Console, 82 ... Vehicle LAN, 83 ... Vehicle control unit, 84 ... Navigation device, 85 ... Video playback device, 86 ... Air conditioning device, 87 ... Display device, 90-94 ... Operating finger, 800 ... Vehicle communication system, 870 ... Display Screen, 871 ... Map image, 872 ... Current position cursor, 910 ... First image, 911 ... Second image, 920 ... First image, 921 ... Second image, 930 ... First image, 931 ... 2nd image, 932 ... 3rd image, 940 ... 1st image, 941 ... 2nd image

Claims (4)

A detection unit for detecting contact of a plurality of operation fingers with respect to the operation surface;
A load detection unit for detecting a load for each operation finger added to the operation surface;
A first image corresponding to the operation finger and a second image corresponding to the shadow of the operation finger are displayed on the display device for each operation finger on the basis of the contact of the operation finger with the operation surface. A control unit for newly switching and displaying only the first image and the second image of the operating finger in which a load equal to or greater than the load threshold is detected;
The operating device with. The control unit does not output operation information indicating that the operation fingers are in contact when a plurality of operation fingers are detected within a predetermined time.
The operating device according to claim 1. The control unit changes a distance between the first image and the second image based on a difference between the load threshold and the detected load.
The operating device according to claim 1 or 2. When the detected load is equal to or greater than the load threshold, the control unit determines that a push operation has been performed at the coordinates where the operation finger to which the load is applied is detected.
The operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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