JP2007058317A - Controller - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a controller having high operability for solving the problem in operability of a touch panel screen where positions of icons displayed on a screen of a monitor television are ambiguous. <P>SOLUTION: This controller 10 is characterized in that, for example, when a plurality of icons 54 are displayed vertically on the screen of the monitor 48, LEDs provided opposite each other in the vertical direction of the controller 10 across the touch panel of the controller 10 illuminates, but LEDs provided opposite each other in the lateral direction of the controller 10 across the touch panel of the controller 10 do not illuminate. Consequently, parts of a design part 18 which are opposite each other in the vertical direction of the controller 109 illuminate since lights of the LEDs is guided. In this state, the plurality of icons 54 are arranged vertically on the screen of the monitor 48 and then it is easily recognized that only vertical selecting operations are possible on the controller 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a controller for operating various devices such as a car navigation device, an audio device, and an air conditioner for a vehicle, and operating a personal computer or the like.

  In recent vehicles, there is a type in which a monitor TV (monitor means) is mounted on a vehicle instrument panel or a storage part formed on the instrument panel, for example, monitoring a map screen of a car navigation device or the like. It is displayed on the screen.

  Further, in addition to the car navigation device described above, since various devices such as an audio device and an air conditioner are mounted on the vehicle, for example, it is configured with icons or the like corresponding to these various devices. Display the virtual control panel on the monitor TV screen, switch the monitor TV screen display to the virtual control panel corresponding to the desired device using the controller, and then select the pointer displayed on the monitor TV screen using the controller. There is also a configuration in which a desired control content or operation content is executed by moving an icon or the like corresponding to the control content or operation content and selecting an icon or the like.

  In the case of such a configuration, there is an advantage that various devices can be operated and controlled with one controller even if the types of devices mounted on the vehicle increase.

  On the other hand, as a controller used in such a device, there is a controller having a configuration in which a touch panel is provided on a main body of the controller (see Patent Document 1 below as an example).

That is, the pointer displayed on the screen of the monitor TV is moved by moving the finger on the touch panel in correspondence with the coordinate position on the touch panel of the controller and the coordinate position on the screen of the monitor TV. The icon displayed on the monitor TV screen is selected.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-280814

  By the way, in a controller equipped with such a touch panel, the position where the finger or the like touches on the touch panel and the moving direction of the finger correspond to the position and moving direction on the screen of the monitor television. However, the orientation of the screen of the monitor and the orientation of the surface of the touch panel are different, and the longitudinal direction and the width direction of the touch panel may not match the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the passenger depending on the posture of the passenger.

  For this reason, the position of the icon displayed on the screen of the monitor television becomes ambiguous, and there is still room for improvement from the viewpoint of the operability of the screen using the touch panel.

  An object of the present invention is to obtain a controller with high operability in consideration of the above facts.

  The controller according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a detection unit that detects a position on the operation surface of the operation body that is close to the surface of the predetermined operation surface, and a detection unit that is connected to the predetermined device. Control means for controlling the predetermined device based on the detection result, light emitting means for controlling light emission by the control means in accordance with the state of the predetermined device, and provided on a side of the operation surface. And a guide means for suggesting a state of the predetermined device by transmitting light emitted from the means and emitting or releasing light emission.

  According to the controller of the first aspect of the present invention, when an operating body such as a finger approaches the operating surface, the position of the operating body on the operating surface is detected by the detecting means. The control unit controls a predetermined device connected to the control unit based on the detection result of the detection unit.

  On the other hand, in the controller according to the present invention, the control means controls the light emitting means in accordance with the state of a predetermined device connected to the control means. For example, when the light emitting means emits light under the control of the control means, the light emitted by the light emitting means passes through the guide means provided on the side of the operation surface.

  Thus, the light is transmitted through the guide means, so that the person who operates the controller is suggested the state of the predetermined device. Thereby, the state of said predetermined apparatus can be grasped | ascertained easily.

  In the present invention, the guide means may be disposed on the side of the operation surface. Therefore, the guide means is disposed on the side of the outer peripheral portion of the operation surface (that is, the operation along the direction substantially parallel to the surface of the operation surface). The side of the operation surface, or the side of the operation surface along the direction facing the front surface or the back surface of the operation surface.

  Further, in the present invention, the detection means may be configured to detect that an operating body such as a finger approaches the operation surface, and is not limited to a specific aspect thereof. Further, the detecting means may be configured to detect that the operating body is simply approaching the operating surface, may be configured to detect that the operating body is in contact with the operating surface, and further, It may be configured to detect a pressing force applied to the operation surface by the operation body touching the operation surface (that is, “contact” or “press” to the operation surface is a result of “approach” to the operation surface, In the present invention, “contact” and “press” with respect to the operation surface are also one mode of “approach”).

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the controller according to the first aspect, the control means sets the position of the operation body on the operation surface in the predetermined device according to a state. In addition, the control means controls the light emitting means based on the setting.

  In the controller according to the second aspect of the present invention, the position of the operation body on the operation surface is set by the control means in accordance with the state of the predetermined device. Further, the control means controls the light emitting means based on the set position on the operation surface.

  As a result, the light emitted from the light emitting means passes through the guide means, thereby suggesting the contact position on the operation surface set by the control means. Therefore, it is possible to easily grasp at which position on the operation surface the operating body such as a finger should be placed when further operating the predetermined device.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the controller according to the first aspect, the control means sets a moving direction of the operation body on the operation surface in the predetermined device according to a state. In addition, the control means controls the light emitting means based on the setting.

  In the controller according to the third aspect of the present invention, the movement direction on the operation surface of the operation body that is close to the operation surface is set by the control means in accordance with the state of the predetermined device. Further, the control means controls the light emitting means based on the set moving direction of the operating body.

  As a result, the light emitted from the light emitting means is transmitted through the guide means, which suggests the moving direction of the operating body on the operating surface set by the control means. Therefore, when further operating the predetermined device, it is possible to easily grasp in which direction the operating body that is brought close to the operation surface should be moved.

  A controller according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the controller according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the light transmittance of the guide means differs according to the light transmission position. The state of the predetermined device is suggested by the density of light transmitted through the guide means.

  In the controller according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the light emitting means emits light by the control means, the light is transmitted through the guide means.

  Here, the light transmittance of the guide means varies depending on the light transmission position. For this reason, the light transmitted through the guide means is shaded, and the shade of the light suggests the state of a predetermined device. Therefore, by confirming the light transmitted through the guide means, the state of a predetermined device, the position of the operation body with respect to the operation surface, and the like can be easily grasped.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the controller according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the control means controls the intensity of light emitted from the light emitting means according to the state of the predetermined device. It is characterized in that the intensity of the light transmitted through the guide means is changed by changing the intensity of the light.

  According to the controller of the present invention as set forth in claim 5, the intensity of light emitted from the light emitting means is changed by the control means in accordance with the state of a predetermined apparatus. In the controller according to the present invention, when the intensity of the light emitted from the light emitting unit is changed in this way, the boundary position of the density of the light transmitted through the guide unit is changed.

  Therefore, it is possible to easily grasp the state of the predetermined device by confirming the boundary position of the light density transmitted through the guide means, and to suggest the change of the state of the predetermined device and each of the plurality of states of the predetermined device. it can.

  As described above, the controller according to the present invention has very good operability because it can easily grasp the position where the pressing force is applied to the operation surface, the moving direction when the pressing force is applied to the operation surface, and the like.

<Configuration of First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the main part of the controller 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the controller 10 includes a base 12.

  If the controller 10 is fixed to the vehicle for the operation of the center control device 14 of the vehicle, the base 12 is an instrument panel within the reach of the driver's passenger between the driver's seat and the passenger seat. Fixed to etc.

  Further, the base 12 is formed with a frame portion 16 along the outer peripheral portion thereof, and the base 12 is formed in a shallow box shape in which one of the frame portions 16 is opened as a whole. A design portion 18 as a guide means is provided on one side of the frame portion 16.

  The design portion 18 is formed of a synthetic resin material that is transparent or translucent to the extent that light can pass through the interior thereof. The design part 18 includes a frame part 20 corresponding to the frame part 16, and the design part 18 is fixed to the base 12 by fixing the frame part 20 to the frame part 16. A wall portion 22 extends from the side opposite to the frame portion 16 toward the inner side of the frame portion 20 in the frame portion 20.

  On the other hand, a flat support base 24 is provided inside the frame portion 16. A touch panel 26 as a detecting means is provided on the support base 24. As shown in FIG. 2, the touch panel 26 includes a pair of sheets 28 and 30.

  Each of the sheets 28 and 30 is formed into a substantially rectangular sheet shape whose outer peripheral shape is smaller than the frame portion 16 and larger than the inner peripheral shape of the wall portion 22 in plan view by an insulating material such as a synthetic resin material having flexibility. Is formed. A plurality of line electrodes 32 are formed on one surface in the thickness direction of the sheet 28.

  Each line electrode 32 is linearly formed of a conductive material such as a transparent electrode capable of transmitting light formed of a metal foil (for example, a copper foil) or an ITO film, and the like. One of the longitudinal direction and the width direction is defined as the longitudinal direction, and the sheet 28 is provided at regular intervals on the other of the longitudinal direction and the width direction of the sheet 28.

  On the other hand, a plurality of line electrodes 34 are formed on one surface in the thickness direction of the sheet 30. Each line electrode 34 is linearly formed of a conductive material such as a metal foil (for example, a copper foil) in the same manner as the line electrode 32. Each of the line electrodes 34 has a longitudinal direction along the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the line electrode 32 in the longitudinal direction and the width direction of the sheet 30, and the longitudinal direction of the line electrode 32. Are provided at regular intervals.

  The side of the sheet 30 on which the line electrode 34 is provided and the side of the sheet 28 on which the line electrode 32 is provided are overlapped with each other facing each other. A substantially hemispherical dot spacer 36 is provided on one surface of the sheet 28 in the thickness direction.

  The dot spacer 36 is formed at a substantially central portion between the adjacent line electrodes 32 and a substantially central portion between the adjacent line electrodes 34, and the line spacers 32 are formed along the thickness direction of the sheets 28 and 30. The sheet 30 is supported from the sheet 28 side in a state where a predetermined gap is formed between the line electrode 34 and the line electrode 34.

  Therefore, normally, the line electrode 32 and the line electrode 34 are not electrically connected, but the sheet 30 is moved to the sheet 28 by pressure from a finger or the like as a pressing body against the sheet 30 from the side opposite to the sheet 28 of the sheet 30. When it is bent so as to approach the side, the line electrode 34 and the line electrode 32 come into contact with each other at the bent portion, and conduction is established at this contact portion.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the line electrode 32 is connected to a power source 42 via a scan circuit 40 that constitutes a control device 38 as control means. The scan circuit 40 is connected to the CPU 46, and is controlled by the CPU 46 to cause the line electrodes 32 to conduct to the power source 42 in a preset order.

  On the other hand, the line electrode 34 is grounded via a scan circuit 41 as a detection means provided in the control device 38. The scan circuit 41 is also connected to the CPU 46 described above, and detects whether or not a current flows through each line electrode 34 in a preset order under the control of the CPU 46 and feeds back the detection result to the CPU 46 as an operation signal. is doing.

  The CPU 46 is electrically connected to a monitor 48 provided on a vehicle instrument panel or the like, and controls an image displayed on the monitor 48 based on data read from the RAM 50 or ROM 52. For example, FIG. As shown in FIG. 6A, a menu screen including a plurality of icons 54, a map screen as shown in FIG.

  Here, as shown in FIGS. 4A to 6B, the vertical direction and the horizontal direction of the monitor 48 correspond to the touch panel 26, and thus the vertical direction and the horizontal direction of the controller 10, respectively. The CPU 46 determines the position on the screen of the monitor 48 corresponding to the position on the touch panel 26 from the line electrodes 32 and 34 that are electrically connected to each other among the plurality of line electrodes 32 and 34.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, LEDs 56 as light emitting means are provided on both sides of the support base 24 in the longitudinal direction, and LEDs 58 as light emitting means are provided on both sides of the support base 24 in the width direction. Yes. These LEDs 56 and 58 are connected to the CPU 46 and the power source 42 via the LED driver 60. Based on the light emission control signal from the CPU 46, the LED driver 60 controls energization of the LEDs 56 and 58.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, a protective plate 62 as an operation surface is provided between the touch panel 26 and the wall portion 22 of the design portion 18. The protection plate 62 is formed in a thin flat plate shape or a sheet shape having flexibility as a whole by a synthetic resin material such as acrylic.

<Operation and Effect of First Embodiment>
In the center control device 14 adopting the controller 10, when the CPU 46 reads a menu program for selecting various functions of the center control device 14 from the ROM 52 or the like, various types as shown in FIG. A plurality of icons 54 representing the function names and their contents with characters, pictures, etc. are displayed in a matrix on the screen of the monitor 48.

  In such a state, when the surface of the protective plate 62 is touched and pressed with a finger, the protective plate 62 bends. Further, when the protective plate 62 is bent in this way, the sheet 30 is bent, and the line electrode 34 of the sheet 30 and the line electrode 32 of the sheet 28 are brought into contact with each other at a position corresponding to the position of the finger on the protective plate 62 and are conducted. To do. This conduction is detected by the scan circuits 40 and 41.

  When the operation signal is fed back to the CPU 46 from the scan circuit 41, the CPU 46 determines the position on the screen on the monitor 48 corresponding to the position of the finger on the touch panel 26 (on the protective plate 62). Based on the result, the icon 54 displayed at the position corresponding to the position of the finger among the plurality of icons 54 displayed on the screen of the monitor 48 is selected, and for example, the icon 54 corresponding to the selected state 54 is supported. Activate the function.

  Here, in this controller 10, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the CPU 46 displays a plurality of icons 54 side by side in the vertical direction of the screen of the monitor 48, the CPU 46 controls the LED driver 60 with predetermined light emission control. Output a signal. The LED driver 60 to which the light emission control signal is input passes current to the LED 56 but does not pass current to the LED 58. As a result, the LED 56 emits light, but the LED 58 does not emit light.

  As described above, since the LEDs 56 are provided on both sides in the width direction of the support base 24 (that is, the direction corresponding to the vertical direction of the screen of the monitor 48), the light emitted from these LEDs 56 is transmitted through the design portion. Of the 18 frame portions 20, the light enters the portions on both sides in the vertical direction.

  As a result, as shown in FIG. 4B, the portions on both sides in the vertical direction of the frame portion 20 and the wall portion 22 emit light. Therefore, by confirming the light emission state of the frame portion 16 and the wall portion 22, in this state, the plurality of icons 54 are arranged in the vertical direction on the screen of the monitor 48, and the controller 10 can only perform the vertical direction selection operation. Can be easily grasped.

  On the other hand, for example, when the CPU 46 displays a screen for adjusting the volume of the in-vehicle audio on the screen of the monitor 48, an adjustment pattern 55 is displayed on the screen of the monitor 48 as shown in FIG. The The adjustment picture 55 is a shape obtained by further dividing a substantially isosceles triangle picture having the apex at one end (left side) in the horizontal direction of the screen of the monitor 48 into a plurality of horizontal directions. It means that the volume from the speaker of the vehicle increases when the color changes sequentially, and the volume decreases when the color changes sequentially from the other side in the horizontal direction.

  In a state where such a screen is displayed, the surface of the protective plate 62 is touched with a finger to press and bend the protective plate 62, and further, the protective plate is maintained with the finger still touching the protective plate 62 When the finger is moved to the other side in the lateral direction of the protective plate 62 on the line 62, the line electrodes 32 and 34 that are in contact with each other change according to the change of the finger position on the protective plate 62.

  As described above, the conductive portions and the non-conductive portions of the plurality of line electrodes 32 and 34 are detected by the scan circuits 40 and 41. Therefore, when the operation signal is fed back to the CPU 46 from the scan circuit 41, the CPU 46 moves the finger on the touch panel 26 (on the protective plate 62) from the change of the finger position on the touch panel 26 (on the protective plate 62). The direction is calculated, and further, the direction on the screen of the monitor 48 corresponding to the moving direction of the finger is determined.

  Based on the determination result, the CPU 46 changes the color of the adjustment picture 55 in order from one side in the horizontal direction of the screen of the monitor 48 and increases the volume of the vehicle speaker.

  On the other hand, when displaying such a screen, the CPU 46 outputs a predetermined light emission control signal to the LED driver 60. The LED driver 60 to which the light emission control signal is input passes a current to the LED 58, but does not pass a current to the LED 56.

  As a result, the LED 58 emits light, but the LED 56 does not emit light. As described above, since the LEDs 58 are provided on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the support base 24 (that is, the direction corresponding to the horizontal direction of the screen of the monitor 48), the light emitted from these LEDs 58 is transmitted through the design portion. Of the 18 frame portions 20, the light is incident on both lateral portions.

  Thereby, as FIG.5 (B) shows, the part of the horizontal direction both sides among the frame part 20 and the wall part 22 light-emits. Therefore, by confirming the light emission state of the frame portion 16 and the wall portion 22, in this state, the controller 10 can only perform a lateral operation, and the volume can be increased or decreased by performing the lateral operation. Can be easily grasped.

  On the other hand, in the center control device 14, when the CPU 46 reads, executes, and processes, for example, a navigation program or map screen data from the ROM 52 or the like, as shown in FIG. A map around the current location is displayed.

  In this state, the surface of the protective plate 62 is touched with a finger to press and bend the protective plate 62, and the finger is moved on the protective plate 62 while maintaining the state where the finger is still in contact with the protective plate 62. Then, the line electrodes 32 and 34 in contact with each other change according to the change of the finger position on the protection plate 62.

  As described above, the conductive portions and the non-conductive portions of the plurality of line electrodes 32 and 34 are detected by the scan circuits 40 and 41. Therefore, when the operation signal is fed back to the CPU 46 from the scan circuit 41, the CPU 46 moves the finger on the touch panel 26 (on the protective plate 62) from the change of the finger position on the touch panel 26 (on the protective plate 62). The direction is calculated, and further, the direction on the screen of the monitor 48 corresponding to the moving direction of the finger is determined.

  Further, the CPU 46 displays the map screen data or the like on the screen of the monitor 48 so as to move the map screen in the direction opposite to the direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the finger based on the determination result, whereby the screen of the monitor 48 is displayed. The map screen displayed on the screen looks as if it is moving in the direction of finger movement. In this way, by moving the map screen in an arbitrary direction, for example, the destination and its surrounding map screen can be displayed.

  Here, in the controller 10, as shown in FIG. 6A, the monitor 48 is displayed in either the vertical direction or the horizontal direction of the screen as in the case where a map is displayed on the screen of the monitor 48. When the operation on the screen is possible, the CPU 46 outputs a predetermined light emission control signal to the LED driver 60. The LED driver 60 to which the light emission control signal is input passes current to both the LEDs 56 and 58.

  Light emitted from the LED 56 is incident on both sides in the vertical direction of the frame portion 20 of the design portion 18, and light emitted from the LED 58 is a portion on both sides in the horizontal direction of the frame portion 20 of the design portion 18. Is incident on. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6B, the entire frame portion 20 and the wall portion 22 emit light.

  Therefore, by confirming the light emission state of the frame part 16 and the wall part 22, it can be easily grasped that the controller 10 can be operated in either the vertical direction or the horizontal direction.

  As described above, in the controller 10, the direction in which the controller can be selected or moved on the touch panel 26 (on the protection plate 62) according to the display on the screen of the monitor 48 is easily based on the light emission state in the design unit 18. Therefore, the operability of the controller 10 is improved.

  In the present embodiment, at least one of the pair of LEDs 56 arranged in the vertical direction and the pair of LEDs 58 arranged in the horizontal direction is configured to emit light. ), But not on both sides of the vertical direction (upward or downward), the touch panel 26 (on the protective plate 62) can be selected or moved. Only the LED 56 in the direction in which movement is permitted may emit light.

  In the present embodiment, detection means detects a so-called “pressure-type touch panel” in which the line electrode 34 of the sheet 30 and the line electrode 32 of the sheet 28 come into contact with each other according to the position of the finger pressing the protective plate 62. It was the structure applied to the touch panel 26 as. However, the detection means is not limited to a specific mode as long as it can detect the position of a contact body such as a finger touching the surface of the protection plate 62 as an operation surface on the protection plate 62. Absent.

  Therefore, for example, a so-called “electrostatic touch panel” that detects the position of a finger on the transparent electrode based on a change in capacitance of static electricity generated when the protective plate 62 is coated with a transparent electrode and the finger touches the transparent electrode. May be applied as detection means.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the protective plate 62 is disposed on the touch panel 26 as the detecting means. However, a configuration in which a contact body such as a finger directly touches the touch panel 26 without arranging the protective plate 62, that is, The touch panel 26 may be configured to serve as both a detection unit and an operation surface.

  Further, in the present embodiment, when the protective plate 62 is pressed, the control device 38 selects the icon 54 corresponding to the pressed position on the protective plate 62 detected by the touch panel 26, and the selected icon is further selected. 54 is activated. However, the control device 38 simply selects the icon 54 corresponding to the pressed position on the protective plate 62 detected by the touch panel 26 and operates an input means such as a push switch separately from the touch panel 26. The function corresponding to the icon 54 may be activated.

<Configuration of Second Embodiment>
Next, other embodiments of the present invention will be described. In the following description of each embodiment, the same parts as those in the previous embodiment are basically the same as those in the embodiment described above including the first embodiment. Reference numerals are assigned and description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the controller 80 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in these drawings, the controller 80 is provided with an LED 84 constituting light emitting means.

  In the present embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, only one LED 84 is provided. In addition, the controller 80 includes a support base 86 that constitutes a light emitting unit together with the LED 84 instead of the support base 24. The support base 86 has a body portion 88 formed in a flat plate shape, and has the same function as the support base 24 in the first embodiment in that it supports the touch panel 26.

  However, the support base 86 is entirely formed of a transparent synthetic resin material such as acrylic, and a rectangular bar-shaped condensing portion 90 is formed on one end side in the longitudinal direction (the side where the LED 84 is provided). The light emitted from the light is taken in by the light collecting unit 90, and the main body portion 88 emits light as a whole.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the LED 84 is connected to the CPU 46 and the power source 42 via the LED driver 60, and the light emission of the LED 84 is controlled by the LED driver 60 to which the light emission control signal from the CPU 46 is input. Yes.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, in this controller 80, a protection plate 91 is provided instead of the protection plate 91. Unlike the protective plate 62, the protective plate 91 is formed with a printing layer 92 as guide means on the surface on the touch panel 26 side. The outer peripheral shape of the printed layer 92 is substantially equal to the outer peripheral shape of the protective plate 91.

  In addition, a plurality of punched portions 94 are formed in the print layer 92, and a coating film or the like constituting the print layer 92 is not formed in a portion where the punched portions 94 are formed (that is, the punched portions 94 are not formed). The printed layer 92 is not formed on the formed portion).

  These punched portions 94 are formed in a matrix along the vertical direction and the horizontal direction of the printing layer 92. In particular, in the present embodiment, seven rows along the vertical direction and along the horizontal direction. Twelve rows of punched portions 94 are formed. In addition, although this invention is not limited by the formation position and the number of the extraction parts 94, it demonstrates below that the extraction part 94 is formed in 7 rows 12 columns.

  Among these punched portions 94, a printed layer 96 as a guide means is provided on the surface of the protective plate 91 on the touch panel 26 side corresponding to the punched portions 94 in the fourth row and the punched portions 94 in the fifth and sixth rows. Is formed. In addition, the extraction part 94 of the first to fourth columns and the seventh to twelfth columns of the third and fifth rows, and the first, second, and sixth rows of the fourth and seventh columns. A printing layer 98 as a guide means is formed on the surface on the touch panel 26 side of the protective plate 91 corresponding to the cutout portion 94 in the seventh row. Further, a printing layer 100 as guide means is formed corresponding to the punched portion 94 that the printing layers 96 and 98 do not correspond to.

  Each of the print layers 92, 96, 98, and 100 is formed by gradation printing with a paint colored to such an extent that light can be transmitted. Further, these print layers 92 to 100 have the same hue, and the gradation changes in the order of the print layer 92, the print layer 100, the print layer 98, and the print layer 96, and the color gradually decreases in this order. It has become.

<Operation and Effect of Second Embodiment>
In the center control device 14 adopting the controller 80, the CPU 46 reads a menu program for selecting various functions of the center control device 14 from the ROM 52 or the like. As a result, as shown in FIG. When the CPU 46 displays three vertical and three horizontal icons 54 side by side on the screen of the monitor 48, the CPU 46 outputs a predetermined light emission control signal to the LED driver 60.

  The LED driver 60 to which the light emission control signal is input causes a sufficiently large current to flow through the LED 84 and causes the LED 84 to emit light relatively strongly. The light emitted from the LED 84 is captured by the light collecting unit 90 in the support base 86. In this way, the light of the LED 84 taken in by the light collecting unit 90 is guided from the light collecting unit 90 to the main body portion 88.

  Thereby, the main body portion 88 emits light as a whole. The light emitted from the main body portion 88 passes through the touch panel 26 and the protective plate 91 and is recognized by an occupant operating the controller 80. Here, as described above, the printing layers 92 to 100 are formed on the surface of the protective plate 91 on the touch panel 26 side.

  Therefore, the light transmitted through the touch panel 26 passes through the printing layers 92 to 100 before passing through the protective plate 91. Here, as described above, when relatively strong light is transmitted through each of the printing layers 96 to 100, the difference in intensity of light transmitted through each of the printing layers 96 to 100 becomes large.

  For this reason, a sufficient difference occurs in the light emission state between the portion corresponding to the print layers 96 and 98 and the portion corresponding to the print layer 100. 10B, the surface of the protective plate 91 can be apparently divided between the printed layer 98 and the printed layer 100 as divided by the alternate long and short dashed lines A in FIG. 10B.

  As the surface of the protective plate 91 is divided in this way, when selecting the icons 54 displayed in the vertical and horizontal directions on the screen of the monitor 48, the position on the surface of the protective plate 91 is touched with a finger to protect the icon 54. It can be easily grasped whether the touch panel 26 should be pressed through the plate 91.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11A, when the CPU 46 displays two vertical and horizontal icons 54 side by side on the screen of the monitor 48, the CPU 46 sends a predetermined light emission control signal to the LED driver 60. Is output.

  The LED driver 60 to which the light emission control signal is input causes a small current to flow through the LED 84 and causes the LED 84 to emit light relatively weakly. For this reason, in this case, the main body portion 88 of the support base 86 emits light weakly as a whole.

  Here, when relatively weak light is transmitted through each of the print layers 96 to 100, the print layer is compared with the difference between the intensity of the light transmitted through the print layer 96 and the intensity of the light transmitted through the print layer 98. The difference between the intensity of light transmitted through 98 and the intensity of light transmitted through the printing layer 100 is sufficiently small.

  For this reason, the light transmitted through the printing layer 96 is more conspicuous than the light transmitted through the printing layers 98 and 100, and the light passes through the printing layer 96 as shown by the dashed line B in FIG. It looks as if the light delimits the surface of the protective plate 91. For this reason, when selecting the icons 54 displayed on the screen of the monitor 48 two by two in the vertical and horizontal directions, any position on the surface of the protective plate 91 may be touched with a finger and the touch panel 26 may be pressed through the protective plate 91. Or can easily grasp.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the current passed through the LED 84 is changed according to the arrangement form of the icons 54 displayed on the screen of the monitor 48, whereby the surface of the protection plate 91 touched by the finger is arranged on the surface of the icon 54. Can be classified according to. For this reason, when selecting the icon 54 for activating a desired function, it is possible to easily grasp which position on the surface of the protective plate 91 should be touched with a finger, so that the operability of the controller 80 is improved. To do.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the intensity of the light emitted from the LED 84 is changed according to the arrangement form of the icons 54 displayed on the screen of the monitor 48. In this way, the light emitted from the LED 84 is changed. The condition for changing the strength of the icon 54 may not be the arrangement form of the icons 54.

  For example, a sensor that detects that the occupant's hand has approached the design unit 18 or the like is provided. When the occupant's hand approaches the design unit 18, the CPU 46 causes the LED 84 to shine relatively weakly via the LED driver 60, and When the protective plate 91 is pressed and either of the line electrodes 32 of the touch panel 26 and any of the line electrodes 34 come into contact with each other, the CPU 46 may emit the LED 84 relatively strongly via the LED driver 60.

  In such a configuration, when the occupant's hand approaches the design portion 18, the LED 84 emits light weakly, and thus the protection plate 91 shines weakly, so that the controller 80 can be easily operated. . Further, when the finger touching the protection plate 91 presses the protection plate 91 and any one of the line electrodes 32 of the touch panel 26 comes into contact with any one of the line electrodes 34, the LED 84 emits strong light. By shining strongly, it can be easily grasped that the controller 80 has accepted the operation of the occupant.

<Configuration of Third Embodiment>
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The controller 110 according to the present embodiment is different from the second embodiment only in that the protective plate 112 shown in FIG. 12 is provided instead of the protective plate 91 in the second embodiment. Therefore, the detailed description of the configuration other than the protective plate 112 is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the protective plate 112 constituting the controller 110 according to the present embodiment is basically the same as the protective plate 91 in the second embodiment, but the thickness thereof is the same. A print layer 114 as a guide means is formed on the surface in one direction (the side opposite to the touch panel 26).

  The print layer 114 is formed by forming a paint of a predetermined color into a film shape, and light transmitted through the protective plate 112 passes through the print layer 114 with a predetermined transmittance. In addition, a plurality of circular punched portions 116 are formed in a matrix on the printed layer 114, and the paint constituting the printed layer 114 is not substantially applied to the punched portions 116.

  On the other hand, a printing layer 118 as a guide means is formed on the other surface in the thickness direction of the protective plate 112 (on the touch panel 26 side).

  The printing layer 118 does not transmit light, or is formed in a film shape with a paint having a sufficiently small light transmittance. The printed layer 118 has a plurality of punched portions 120 each having a cross shape. As with the cutout portions 116, the portion where the cutout portions 120 are formed is not substantially coated with the paint that constitutes the printed layer 118. Therefore, unlike these other portions, these cutout portions 120 emit light. Fully transparent.

  The cutout portion 120 is formed so as to be aligned in the width direction of the protection plate 112 on the substantially central side in the longitudinal direction of the protection plate 112, and in the longitudinal direction of the protection plate 112 on the substantially central side in the width direction of the protection plate 112. The plurality of punched portions 120 are arranged in a cross shape as a whole. Further, when the extracted portion 120 is viewed in the thickness direction of the protective plate 112, the extracted portions 120 are formed such that the extracted portions 120 are positioned between adjacent adjacent extracted portions 116.

<Operation and Effect of Third Embodiment>
In the controller 110 according to the present embodiment, the main body portion 88 of the support base 86 does not emit light unless the LED 84 emits light. Therefore, in this state, light does not pass through the print layer 118 and the extraction portion 120, and as shown in FIG. 13, the controller 110 can visually recognize only the print layer 114 and the extraction portion 116 in a plan view.

  On the other hand, for example, a map screen as shown in FIG. 6 (A) is displayed on the screen of the monitor 48, or a plurality of icons 54 are displayed side by side as shown in FIG. 10 (A). Regardless of whether the finger touching the plate 112 and applying a pressing force to the touch panel 26 via the protective plate 112 moves in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction of the protective plate 112 (and thus the touch panel 26), an operation accompanying the movement is performed. If it is valid, the CPU 46 outputs a predetermined light emission control signal to the LED driver 60.

  The LED driver 60 to which the light emission control signal is input causes a current to flow through the LED 84 to cause the LED 84 to emit light. The light emitted from the LED 84 is captured by the light collecting unit 90 in the support base 86. In this way, the light of the LED 84 taken in by the light collecting unit 90 is guided from the light collecting unit 90 to the main body portion 88.

  Thereby, the main body portion 88 emits light as a whole. The light emitted from the main body portion 88 is permeated through the touch panel 26, the printing layer 118, the protective plate 112, and the printing layer 114 and is recognized by an occupant operating the controller 110.

  Here, the printed layer 114 has a predetermined transmittance (light transmittance) even at a portion other than the extracted portion 116, but the portion other than the extracted portion 120 of the printed layer 118 does not transmit light, or Since the light transmittance is sufficiently smaller than that of the print layer 114, the light after passing through the print layer 118 is sufficiently weak even if the print layer 118 transmits light.

  However, since the paint forming the print layer 118 is not applied to the extraction portion 120, the light is sufficiently transmitted, and the light transmitted to the shape of the extraction portion 120 is projected onto the print layer 114. Therefore, in this state, as shown in FIG. 14, an overall substantially cross-shaped pattern corresponding to the shape of the cutout 120 is formed on the printing layer 114, and the substantially cross-shaped pattern is recognized. Even if the finger touching and pressing the protective plate 112 is moved in either the vertical direction or the horizontal direction of the protective plate 112 (and thus the touch panel 26), it can be easily grasped that the operation is effective.

It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the schematic structure of the controller which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an expanded view (plan view) which shows the structure of a touch panel. It is a block diagram which shows the relationship between the controller which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention, and a center control apparatus. It is a top view which shows the relationship between the state of the screen of a monitor, and the state of a controller. It is a top view which shows the relationship between the other state of the screen of a monitor, and the state of a controller. It is a top view which shows the relationship between the other state of the screen of a monitor, and the state of a controller. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows schematic structure of the controller which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows a protection board and each printing layer. It is a block diagram which shows the relationship between the controller and center control apparatus which concern on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the relationship between the state of the screen of a monitor, and the state of a controller. It is a top view which shows the relationship between the other state of the screen of a monitor, and the state of a controller. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows roughly the structure of the principal part of the controller which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the controller which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention, and is a figure which shows the state from which the light emission means is not light-emitting. FIG. 14 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 13 in a state where the light emitting means emits light.

Explanation of symbols

10 controller 18 design part (guide means)
26 Touch panel (detection means)
38 Control device (control means)
56 LED (light emitting means)
58 LED (light emitting means)
62 Protection plate (operation surface)
80 controller 84 LED (light emitting means)
86 Support stand (light emitting means)
91 Protection plate (operation surface)
92 Printing layer (guide means)
96 Printing layer (guide means)
98 Print layer (guide means)
100 Print layer (guide means)
110 Controller 112 Protection plate (operation surface)
114 Printing layer (guide means)
118 Print layer (guide means)

Claims (5)

Detecting means for detecting a position on the operation surface of the operation body approaching the surface of the predetermined operation surface;
A control unit connected to the predetermined device and controlling the predetermined device based on a detection result of the detection unit;
A light emitting means whose light emission is controlled by the control means according to the state of the predetermined device;
Guide means provided on the side of the operation surface, through which light emitted from the light emitting means is transmitted, and suggesting the state of the predetermined device by releasing light emission or light emission,
Controller with. The control unit sets the position of the operating body on the operation surface according to the state of the predetermined device, and the control unit controls the light emitting unit based on the setting.
The controller according to claim 1. The control means sets the moving direction of the operating body on the operation surface in accordance with the state of the predetermined device, and the control means controls the light emitting means based on the setting.
The controller according to claim 1. Depending on the light transmission position, the light transmittance of the guide means is different, suggesting the state of the predetermined device by the density of light transmitted through the guide means,
The controller according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the controller is provided. The control means controls the intensity of light emitted by the light emitting means according to the state of the predetermined device, and changes the light intensity transmitted through the guide means by changing the intensity of the light.
The controller according to claim 4.

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