JP6731196B2 - Operating device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an operating device.

As a conventional technique, a touch operation unit having an operation surface, a pressing pressure detection unit provided in the touch operation unit for detecting a pressure or a load applied to the touch operation unit, and an output of the pressing pressure detection unit is a predetermined threshold value. There is known a vehicle operation device including a control device that detects a determination operation when the value exceeds (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).

The control device of the vehicle operating device sets the threshold value higher when the vehicle is traveling than when the vehicle is stopped.

JP, 2013-117900, A

However, in the conventional vehicle operation device, even if the operator similarly performs the push operation on the operation surface, there is a possibility that the load detected depending on the location may be different and the push operation may not be determined.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an operating device capable of suppressing the variation in the determination with respect to the push operation performed by the same operation force at different places on the operation surface.

One embodiment of the present invention includes a detection unit that detects an operation performed on an operation surface, a load detection unit that detects a load applied to the operation surface, a reference point and a plurality of measurement points that are predetermined on the operation surface. Based on the operation surface, determine the area that includes the detection point where the operation is detected by defining multiple areas, and specify the reference point that defines the determined area and the reference load when the reference load is added to the measurement point. The push operation on the operation surface is determined based on the first output value and the second output value, the first distance from the reference point to the measurement point, and the second distance from the reference point to the detection point. Provided is an operating device including a determination unit that corrects a threshold value.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the variation of the determination with respect to the push operation performed by the same operation force in the place where operation surfaces differ can be suppressed.

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram showing an example of the inside of a vehicle equipped with an operating device according to an embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of the configuration of the operating device. Yes, FIG.1(c) has shown an example of the block diagram of an operating device. FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a region set on the operation surface of the operating device according to the embodiment, and FIG. 2B is an example of correction of a load threshold value. It is a graph for explaining. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the operating device according to the embodiment.

(Summary of Embodiments)
An operation device according to an embodiment includes a detection unit that detects an operation performed on an operation surface, a load detection unit that detects a load applied to the operation surface, a reference point that is predetermined on the operation surface, and a plurality of measurements. A plurality of areas are defined on the operation surface based on the points, the area including the detection point where the operation is detected is determined, and a reference load is added to the reference point and the measurement point that define the determined area. The push operation on the operation surface is determined based on the first output value and the second output value at the time, the first distance from the reference point to the measurement point, and the second distance from the reference point to the detection point. And a determination unit that corrects the determination threshold.

Since this operating device corrects the determination threshold value by using the output value with respect to the reference load added to the different position on the operation surface, it is similar to the case where this configuration is not adopted at the different positions on the operation surface. It is possible to suppress variation in the determination with respect to the push operation performed by the operation force.

[Embodiment]
(Outline of operating device 1)
FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram showing an example of the inside of a vehicle equipped with an operating device according to an embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of the configuration of the operating device. Yes, FIG.1(c) has shown an example of the block diagram of an operating device. FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a region set on the operation surface of the operating device according to the embodiment, and FIG. 2B is an example of correction of a load threshold value. It is a graph for explaining. In FIG. 2A, the horizontal axis is the x-axis and the vertical axis is the y-axis with the center of the operation surface 20 as the origin. 2B, the horizontal axis represents the distance D from the reference point 200, and the vertical axis represents the output value V output by the load detection unit 4. In each of the drawings according to the embodiments described below, the ratio between figures may be different from the actual ratio. Further, in FIG. 1C, the flow of main information is shown by arrows.

The operation device 1 is arranged on the floor console 80 between the driver's seat and the passenger seat of the vehicle 8, as shown in FIG. The operation device 1 is configured to be able to operate, for example, a cursor displayed on a display unit of an electronic device mounted on the vehicle 8. The display device 85 arranged on the center console 81 functions as the display unit.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 2A, the operation device 1 includes a touch pad 2 as a detection unit that detects an operation performed on the operation surface 20, and a load applied to the operation surface 20. Based on the load detection unit 4 that detects F, the reference point 200 and a plurality of measurement points (measurement points 21 to 28) that are predetermined on the operation surface 20, a plurality of regions (first area) with respect to the operation surface 20. Area 31 to eighth area 38) is determined to determine the area including the detection point P where the operation is detected, and the reference load is added to the reference point 200 and the measurement point that define the determined area. The push on the operation surface 20 based on the first output value and the second output value at the time, the first distance from the reference point 200 to the measurement point, and the second distance from the reference point 200 to the detection point P. The control unit 6 as a determination unit that corrects the determination threshold Th for determining the operation, and is roughly configured.

The number of measurement points in the present embodiment is, for example, eight (measurement points 21 to 28), but the number is not limited to this and may be more. The output value output from the load detection unit 4 is, for example, the voltage V. Therefore, the load threshold Th is set as a voltage value, for example. When the load detection unit 4 uses the load value (N) converted from the voltage V as the output value, the load threshold Th is set as the load value (N). The push operation is performed as an operation for determining an item selected with a cursor or the like, for example.

The operation surface 20 of the touchpad 2 has, for example, a square shape as shown in FIG. 2A, but is not limited to this, and may have a rectangular shape, rounded corners, or a part. The side or the whole may be curved. The reference point 200 described above is, for example, the center point of the operation surface 20, as shown in FIG. The measurement points are, for example, points on the sides 201 to 204 of the operation surface 20 as indicated by circles in FIG.

The region is, for example, a region (first region 31 to eighth region 38) surrounded by the dotted line and the side of the operation surface 20 in FIG. This area is defined by the same number as the number of measurement points. The first area 31 to the eighth area 38 are defined to be line-symmetric with respect to a straight line connecting the reference point 200 and the measurement point, as shown in FIG. 2A, for example.

(Structure of touchpad 2)
The touch pad 2 detects the position on the operation surface 20 that is touched, for example, by touching the operation surface 20 with a part of the operator's body (for example, an operating finger) or a dedicated pen. The operator can operate the connected electronic device by operating the operation surface 20, for example. As the touch pad 2, for example, a resistance film type, an infrared type, a capacitance type touch pad or the like can be used. Further, the touch pad 2 may be one that detects a contact position of a detection target, for example, from a distance image obtained by capturing the operation surface 20. The touch pad 2 of the present embodiment is, for example, a capacitance type touch pad.

The touch pad 12 has a plurality of drive electrodes and a plurality of detection electrodes below the operation surface 20 that intersect while maintaining insulation. The touch pad 2 scans all combinations of the plurality of drive electrodes and the plurality of detection electrodes, reads out the electrostatic capacitance for each combination, and detects the detection target based on the electrostatic capacitance of a predetermined threshold value or more. The detected detection point P is calculated.

The calculation of the detection point P is performed using, for example, a weighted average. Then, the touch pad 2 calculates the coordinates of the detection point P for each scanning, and periodically outputs the detection information S ₁ that is the information of the calculated coordinates to the control unit 6. The coordinates of the detection point P are coordinates in the xy coordinate system set on the operation surface 20, for example, as shown in FIG. In this xy coordinate, the reference point 200 is the origin, the horizontal axis (the left-right direction of the vehicle 8) is the x-axis, and the vertical axis (the front-back direction of the vehicle 8) is the y-axis.

(Structure of load detector 4)
For example, as shown in FIG. 1B, the load detection unit 4 detects the load in the direction in which the operation surface 20 is pushed in as a positive value, and outputs an output value V according to the magnitude of the detected load to the control unit 6. To do. The load detection unit 4 is arranged on the back side of the touch pad 2 and in the center of the operation surface 20.

The load detection unit 4 detects the load using, for example, a piezo type or strain gauge type load sensor. The load detection unit 4 of the present embodiment is, for example, a strain gauge type load sensor.

(Configuration of control unit 6)
The control unit 6 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that performs calculation and processing on the acquired data according to a stored program, a RAM (Random Access Memory) that is a semiconductor memory, and a ROM (Read Only Memory). Is a microcomputer. This ROM stores, for example, a program for operating the control unit 6. The RAM is used as, for example, a storage area that temporarily stores the calculation result, the corrected load threshold Th, and the like. Further, the control unit 6 has means for generating a clock signal therein, and operates based on this clock signal.

Based on the detection information S ₁ acquired from the touchpad 2 and the output value V acquired from the load detection unit 4, the control unit 6 outputs operation information S ₂ that is information such as the position of the detection point P and the presence/absence of a push operation. Generate and output to the connected electronic device.

The control unit 6 also has a load threshold Th, load information 60, and area information 61. The load threshold Th is a threshold for determining a push operation made on the operation surface 20. When the output value V output from the load detection unit 4 is equal to or larger than the load threshold Th, the control unit 6 determines that the push operation has been performed. The load threshold Th is corrected according to the position of the detection point P as described later.

The load information 60 is information on the output value V output from the load detection unit 4 when the reference load is applied to the reference point 200 and the measurement points 21 to 28. The output value V (first output value) output from the load detection unit 4 when the reference load is applied to the reference point 200 is the output value V ₀ . The output value V (second output value) output from the load detection unit 4 when the reference load is applied to the measurement points 21 to 28 is the output value V ₁ to the output value V ₈ .

The measurement points 25 to 28 are corner points of the operation surface 20, as shown in FIG. The measurement point 21 is the center point of the side 201 of the operation surface 20 on the right side of the paper of FIG. The measurement point 22 is the center point of the side 202 of the operation surface 20 on the left side of the paper surface of FIG. The x-axis is an axis passing through the measurement points 21 and 22.

The measurement point 23 is the center point of the side 203 of the operation surface 20 on the upper side of the paper surface of FIG. The measurement point 24 is the center point of the side 204 of the operation surface 20 on the lower side of the paper surface of FIG. The y-axis is an axis passing through the measurement points 23 and 24.

The control unit 6 divides the operation surface 20 into the first area 31 to the eighth area 38 based on the reference point 200 and the measurement points 21 to 28. The area information 61 is information about the first area 31 to the eighth area 38. The area information 61 may include the information of the boundary of the area as a numerical value or may include it as a function.

The first area 31 is an area surrounded by two dotted lines passing through the reference point 200 and a side 201 on which the measurement point 21 is located. The distance from the reference point 200 to the measurement point 21 is D ₁ .

The second region 32 is a region surrounded by two dotted lines passing through the reference point 200 and a side 202 on which the measurement point 22 is located. The distance from the reference point 200 to the measurement point 22 is D ₂ .

The third region 33 is a region surrounded by two dotted lines passing through the reference point 200 and a side 203 on which the measurement point 23 is located. The distance from the reference point 200 to the measurement point 23 is D ₃ .

The fourth region 34 is a region surrounded by two dotted lines passing through the reference point 200 and a side 204 on which the measurement point 24 is located. The distance from the reference point 200 to the measurement point 24 is D ₄ .

The fifth region 35 is a region surrounded by two dotted lines passing through the reference point 200 and sides 201 and 203 where the measurement point 25 is located. The distance from the reference point 200 to the measurement point 25 is D ₅ .

The sixth region 36 is a region surrounded by two dotted lines passing through the reference point 200 and sides 202 and 203 where the measurement point 26 is located. The distance from the reference point 200 to the measurement point 26 is D ₆ .

The seventh area 37 is an area surrounded by two dotted lines passing through the reference point 200 and sides 201 and 204 where the measurement point 27 is located. The distance from the reference point 200 to the measurement point 27 is D ₇ .

The eighth region 38 is a region surrounded by two dotted lines passing through the reference point 200 and sides 202 and 204 where the measurement point 28 is located. The distance from the reference point 200 to the measurement point 28 is D ₈ .

The apex angle of the first region 31 to the fourth region 34 on the side of the reference point 200 is, for example, 30°. Further, the angle of the fifth region 35 to the eighth region 38 on the side of the reference point 200 is, for example, 60°. The apex angle and the angle on the side of the reference point 200 in this region may be the same angle and are arbitrary.

The control unit 6 sets the first output value at the reference point 200 to V ₀ , the second output value at the nth measurement point to V _n , and the first distance from the reference point 200 to the nth measurement point to D. _n and the second distance from the reference point 200 to the detection point P are D _t , and the load threshold Th is corrected by the following equation (1).
Determination threshold Th=V ₀ −(V ₀ −V _n )×(D _t /D _n )...(1)
FIG. 2B shows the straight line represented by the equation (1). As shown in the equation (1), the determination threshold Th becomes smaller in proportion to the distance D _t from the reference point 200 to the detection point P.

The control unit 6 uses, for example, the value of tan θ (=y _t /x _t ) of the angle θ formed by the x coordinate and the straight line connecting the coordinates (x _t , y _t ) of the reference point 200 and the detection point P. The area where the detection point P is located is determined. When the coordinate x _t is zero, tan θ cannot be calculated, so the control unit 6 determines the third region 33 or the fourth region 34 according to the coordinate y _t .

Specifically, the control unit 6, for example, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), check the sign of x coordinate x _t of the detection point P, the detection point P is first quadrant or the fourth if it is positive It is assumed that it is located in the quadrant, and if it is negative, the detection point P is located in the second quadrant or the third quadrant.

That is, when the x coordinate x _t is positive, the control unit 6 determines whether the third region 33, the fifth region 35, the first region 31, the seventh region 37, and the fourth region 34 are dependent on the value of tan θ. In which area the detection point P is located is determined. Further, when the x coordinate x _t is negative, the control unit 6 selects one of the third region 33, the sixth region 36, the second region 32, the eighth region 38, and the fourth region 34 depending on the value of tan θ. In which area the detection point P is located is determined.

As an example, the first region 31 has a range of −0.58<tan θ≦0.58 when the apex angle is 60°. Accordingly, the control unit 6, as an example, is positive x-coordinate _{x t} of the detection point P, when the angle θ is 22 °, since it is tan22 = 0.40, the detection point P on the basis of the area information 61 It is determined to be located in the first area 31. The boundary of the area is set so as to be included in one of the adjacent areas.

Then, since the detection point P is located in the first area 31, the control unit 6 determines the distance D ₁ (n=1) between the reference point 200 and the measurement point 21 based on the load information 60 and the output value of the reference point 200. V ₀ (first output value) and output value V ₁ (n=1: second output value) of the measurement point 21 are acquired, and the distance D _t from the reference point 200 to the detection point P is calculated. Next, the control unit 6 substitutes the obtained value into the above equation (1) to obtain the corrected load threshold Th.

That is, the control unit 6 divides the operation surface 20 in a polar coordinate system with the center of the operation surface 20 as the reference point 200, and linearly corrects the determination threshold Th in the region where the detection point P exists. Therefore, the determination threshold Th has the same value in the same area if the distance Dt from the reference point 200 to the detection point P is the same, and takes the same value concentrically with the reference point 200 as the center in the area. ..

Hereinafter, an example of the operation of the operating device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

(motion)
When the power of the vehicle 8 is turned on, the control unit 6 of the operation device 1 periodically inputs the detection information S ₁ from the touch pad 2 and the output value V from the load detection unit 4. When “Yes” in step 1 is satisfied, that is, when the operation is detected based on the detection information S ₁ (Step 1: Yes), the control unit 6 determines the coordinates (X _{t of the} detection point P based on the detection information S ₁ ). , Y _t ) is acquired (Step 2).

Next, the control unit 6 corrects the load threshold Th (Step 3). Specifically, the control unit 6 determines the area in which the detection point P is located based on the area information 61 and the coordinates (X _t , Y _t ) of the detection point P. The control unit 6, as described above, the output value V ₀ at the reference point _200, the output value V _n of the measurement points of the determined region of the n was _the distance from the reference point 200 to the measurement point D _n, the reference The load threshold Th is corrected by substituting the distance D _t from the point 200 to the detection point P into the equation (1).

Next, the control unit 6 compares the output value V corresponding to the detected load with the corrected load threshold Th to determine the presence/absence of a push operation. When the output value V corresponding to the detected load is equal to or larger than the corrected load threshold Th (Step 4: Yes), the control unit 6 generates the operation information S ₂ indicating that the push operation is performed at the detection point P. And output to the connected electronic device (Step 5).

Here, in step 4, when the output value V corresponding to the detected load is smaller than the corrected load threshold Th (Step 4: No), the control unit 6 determines that the operating finger 9 is detected at the detection point P. The operation information S ₂ is generated and output to the connected electronic device (Step 6).

(Effects of the embodiment)
The operating device 1 according to the present embodiment can suppress variation in determination with respect to push operations performed at different locations on the operation surface 20 with the same operating force. Specifically, the operating device 1 uses the output value V _{n with} respect to the reference load applied to different positions on the operation surface 20 and the distance D _t from the reference point 200 to the detection point P based on the formula (1). The judgment threshold Th is corrected. The above equation (1) is a linear equation as shown in FIG. 2(b), and shows how the reference load is detected depending on the place. Therefore, the operating device 1 can suppress variation in the determination with respect to the push operation performed by the same operating force at different places on the operating surface 20 as compared with the case where this configuration is not adopted.

Since the operating device 1 has the measurement points not only at the four corners but also at the center of the sides 201 to 204, the operating surface 20 can be divided into smaller regions to accurately correct the determination threshold Th. it can.

Although some embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments and modifications are merely examples and do not limit the invention according to the claims. These new embodiments and modified examples can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Further, not all of the combinations of characteristics described in the embodiments and the modifications are essential to the means for solving the problems of the invention. Furthermore, these embodiments and modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and the scope equivalent thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Operating device, 2... Touch pad, 4... Load detection part, 6... Control part, 8... Vehicle, 9... Operating finger, 12... Touch pad, 20... Operation surface, 21-28... Measuring point, 31-38 ... 1st area-8th area, 60... Load information, 61... Area information, 80... Floor console, 81... Center console, 85... Display device, 200... Reference point, 201-204... Side, Th... Load Threshold

Claims (4)

A detection unit that detects an operation performed on the operation surface,
A load detection unit for detecting the load applied to the operation surface,
A plurality of areas are defined on the operation surface based on a predetermined reference point and a plurality of measurement points on the operation surface, an area including a detection point where an operation is detected is determined, and the determined area is defined. A first output value and a second output value when a reference load is applied to the reference point and the measurement point, a first distance from the reference point to the measurement point, and the reference point to the A determination unit that corrects a determination threshold value that determines a push operation on the operation surface based on a second distance to a detection point;
An operating device equipped with. The determination unit sets the first output value at the reference point to V ₀ , the second output value at the n-th measurement point to V _n , and the first output value from the reference point to the n-th measurement point. _Let D _{n be} the distance and D _{t be} the second distance from the reference point to the detection point,
The determination threshold value is corrected based on the formula of the determination threshold value=V ₀ −(V ₀ −V _n )×(D _t /D _n ).
The operating device according to claim 1. The reference point is a center point of the operation surface,
The plurality of measurement points are points on the sides of the operation surface,
The operating device according to claim 1. The plurality of regions are defined so that the regions are line-symmetric with respect to a straight line connecting the reference point and the measurement point,
The operating device according to claim 3.

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