Vehicular control unit and control method thereof

• US 10,642,381 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Murakami, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nitin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Onyekaba, Amy
• Application Number:
  US16/078,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20190050073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/02 electric constitutive elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 36/00 Switches actuated by change of magnetic field or of electric field, e.g. by change of relative position of magnet and switch, by shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/16 Indicators for switching condition, e.g. "on" or "off"

Abstract

A vehicular control unit includes a touch sensor on which a predetermined area is set, a tactile sensation presentation unit, a pressing detector, and a controller that enables operation of a vehicle mounted apparatus in response to an input to the touch sensor when pressing is equal to or higher than a first pressure. The controller is configured to: when the operation of the vehicle mounted apparatus is enabled, within a first time period, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to present a tactile sensation corresponding to enablement of the operation of the vehicle mounted apparatus; in the case of a first slide in a direction going out of the predetermined area, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to present a tactile sensation corresponding to the first slide; and in the case of a second slide in a direction going into the predetermined area, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to present a tactile sensation corresponding to the second slide.

Claims

1. A vehicular control unit, comprising:

a touch sensor on which a predetermined area is set;

a vibration generator for presenting a tactile sensation to a user via the touch sensor;

a pressing detector for detecting pressing against the touch sensor; and

a controller that enables operation of a vehicle mounted apparatus in response to an input to the touch sensor when the pressing is equal to or higher than a first pressure;

wherein the controller is configured to

when the operation of the vehicle mounted apparatus is enabled, within a first time period, cause the vibration generator to present a tactile sensation corresponding to enablement of the operation of the vehicle mounted apparatus;

in the case of a first slide within the predetermined area in a direction going out of the predetermined area, cause the vibration generator to present a tactile sensation corresponding to the first slide; and

in the case of a second slide within the predetermined area in a direction going into the predetermined area, cause the vibration generator to present a tactile sensation corresponding to the second slide.

2. The vehicular control unit according to claim 1, wherein

the touch sensor has a plurality of corners;

the predetermined area is provided so as to include at least one of the corners; and

the controller is configured to, when pressing against the predetermined area is equal to or higher than a second pressure, execute an operation function associated with the predetermined area.

3. The vehicular control unit according to claim 2, wherein

the controller is configured to prevent operation of the vehicle mounted apparatus in response to an input to the touch sensor, when a state in which there is no input to the touch sensor continues for a second time period after the operation of the vehicle mounted apparatus is enabled.

4. The vehicular control unit according to claim 3, wherein

the second time period is set to be a longer time period when a position at which an input is made immediately before input to the touch sensor ceases is included in the predetermined area, than when the position is not included in the predetermined area.

5. The vehicular control unit according to claim 4, further comprising

a display for displaying an operation function associated with the predetermined area.

6. The vehicular control unit according to claim 3, further comprising

a display for displaying an operation function associated with the predetermined area.

7. The vehicular control unit according to claim 2, further comprising

a display for displaying an operation function associated with the predetermined area.

8. The vehicular control unit according to claim 1, wherein

the controller is configured to prevent operation of the vehicle mounted apparatus in response to an input to the touch sensor, when a state in which there is no input to the touch sensor continues for a second time period after the operation of the vehicle mounted apparatus is enabled.

9. The vehicular control unit according to claim 8, wherein

the second time period is set to be a longer time period when a position at which an input is made immediately before input to the touch sensor ceases is included in the predetermined area, than when the position is not included in the predetermined area.

10. The vehicular control unit according to claim 9, further comprising

a display for displaying an operation function associated with the predetermined area.

11. The vehicular control unit according to claim 8, further comprising

a display for displaying an operation function associated with the predetermined area.

12. The vehicular control unit according to claim 1, further comprising

a display for displaying an operation function associated with the predetermined area.

13. A control method of a vehicular control unit, the vehicular control unit comprising a touch sensor on which a predetermined area is set, a vibration generator for presenting a tactile sensation to a user via the touch sensor, a pressing detector for detecting pressing against the touch sensor, and a controller that enables operation of a vehicle mounted apparatus in response to an input to the touch sensor, comprising:

when the pressing is equal to or higher than a first pressure, enabling the operation of the vehicle mounted apparatus in response to an input to the touch sensor;

when the operation of the vehicle mounted apparatus is enabled, within a first time period, causing the vibration generator to present a tactile sensation corresponding to enablement of the operation of the vehicle mounted apparatus;

in the case of a first slide within the predetermined area in a direction going out of the predetermined area, causing the vibration generator to present a tactile sensation corresponding to the first slide; and

in the case of a second slide within the predetermined area in a direction going into the predetermined area, causing the vibration generator to present a tactile sensation corresponding to the second slide.

14. The control method of the vehicular control unit according to claim 13, further comprising

when pressing against the predetermined area is equal to or higher than a second pressure, executing an operation function associated with the predetermined area, wherein

the touch sensor has a plurality of corners;

and

the predetermined area is provided so as to include at least one of the corners.

15. The control method of the vehicular control unit according to claim 14, further comprising:

preventing operation of the vehicle mounted apparatus in response to an input to the touch sensor, when a state in which there is no input to the touch sensor continues for a second time period after the operation of the vehicle mounted apparatus is enabled.

16. The control method of the vehicular control unit according to claim 15, wherein

the second time period is set to be a longer time period when a position at which an input is made immediately before input to the touch sensor ceases is included in the predetermined area, than when the position is not included in the predetermined area.

17. The control method of the vehicular control unit according to claim 14, wherein

the vehicular control unit further comprises a display for displaying an operation function associated with the predetermined area.

18. The control method of the vehicular control unit according to claim 13, further comprising:

preventing operation of the vehicle mounted apparatus in response to an input to the touch sensor, when a state in which there is no input to the touch sensor continues for a second time period after the operation of the vehicle mounted apparatus is enabled.

19. The control method of the vehicular control unit according to claim 18, wherein

the second time period is set to be a longer time period when a position at which an input is made immediately before input to the touch sensor ceases is included in the predetermined area, than when the position is not included in the predetermined area.

20. The control method of the vehicular control unit according to claim 13, wherein

the vehicular control unit further comprises a display for displaying an operation function associated with the predetermined area.