OPERATOR IDENTIFYING APPARATUS, OPERATOR IDENTIFYING METHOD AND VEHICLE-MOUNTED APPARATUS
First Claim
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1. An operator identifying apparatus for identifying an operator that has operated an apparatus having an operation unit, comprising:
- a first oscillator for outputting a first identifying signal;
a first electrode connected to said first oscillator and disposed so as to be able to transfer said first identifying signal to a first operator;
a second oscillator for outputting a second identifying signal that has a signal characteristic different from said first identifying signal;
a detector array including at least one detector for detecting said first identifying signal or said second identifying signal;
a second electrode for transferring said second identifying signal to a second operator during a first period that said first oscillator is outputting said first identifying signal and said second oscillator is outputting said second identifying signal, and for transferring said first identifying signal, when coupled to said second operator via said first operator, to said detector array during a second period that said first oscillator is outputting said first identifying signal but that is different from said first period;
a third electrode, disposed on said operation unit, for transferring said first identifying signal or said second identifying signal to said detector array when said first operator or said second operator touches said operation unit; and
,a controller connected to said detector array, whereinwhen said detector array detected said first identifying signal during said first period but did not detect said first identifying signal during said second period, said controller determines that said first operator has operated said operation unit, andwhen said detector array detected said first identifying signal during said second period, said controller determines that both of said first operator and said second operator are involved in the operation of said apparatus.
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Abstract
An operator identifying apparatus, operator identifying method, and a vehicle-mounted apparatus.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An operator identifying apparatus for identifying an operator that has operated an apparatus having an operation unit, comprising:
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a first oscillator for outputting a first identifying signal; a first electrode connected to said first oscillator and disposed so as to be able to transfer said first identifying signal to a first operator; a second oscillator for outputting a second identifying signal that has a signal characteristic different from said first identifying signal; a detector array including at least one detector for detecting said first identifying signal or said second identifying signal; a second electrode for transferring said second identifying signal to a second operator during a first period that said first oscillator is outputting said first identifying signal and said second oscillator is outputting said second identifying signal, and for transferring said first identifying signal, when coupled to said second operator via said first operator, to said detector array during a second period that said first oscillator is outputting said first identifying signal but that is different from said first period; a third electrode, disposed on said operation unit, for transferring said first identifying signal or said second identifying signal to said detector array when said first operator or said second operator touches said operation unit; and
,a controller connected to said detector array, wherein when said detector array detected said first identifying signal during said first period but did not detect said first identifying signal during said second period, said controller determines that said first operator has operated said operation unit, and when said detector array detected said first identifying signal during said second period, said controller determines that both of said first operator and said second operator are involved in the operation of said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 22)
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9. An operator identifying apparatus for identifying an operator that has operated an apparatus having an operation unit, comprising:
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an oscillator array, including at least one oscillator, for outputting a first identifying signal during a first period and for outputting a second identifying signal during a second period that is different from said first period; a first electrode disposed so as to be able to transfer said first identifying signal to a first operator; a second electrode disposed so as to be able to transfer said second identifying signal to a second operator; a first detector for detecting said first identifying signal or said second identifying signal; a third electrode, disposed on said operation unit and connected to said first detector, for transferring said first identifying signal or said second identifying signal to said first detector when said first operator or said second operator touches said operation unit; a second detector for detecting said second identifying signal passed through said second operator and said first operator during said second period; and
,a controller connected to said first and second detectors, wherein when said first detector detected said first identifying signal during said first period, and when neither said first detector nor said second detector detected said second identifying signal during said second period, said operator determines that said first operator has operated said operation unit, and when said second detector detected said second identifying signal during said second period, said controller determines that both of said first operator and said second operator are involved in the operation of said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An operator identifying apparatus for identifying an operator that has operated an apparatus having an operation unit, comprising:
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a first oscillator for outputting a first identifying signal oscillating with a prescribed frequency; a first electrode connected to said first oscillator and disposed so as to be able to transfer said first identifying signal to a first operator; a second oscillator for outputting a second identifying signal that is identical in frequency and amplitude to said first identifying signal but is inverted in phase with respect to said first identifying signal; a second electrode connected to said second oscillator and disposed so as to be able to transfer said second identifying signal to a second operator; a detector for detecting said first identifying signal or said second identifying signal; a third electrode, disposed on said operation unit and connected to said detector, for transferring said first identifying signal or said second identifying signal to said detector when said first operator or said second operator touches said operation unit; and
,a controller connected to said detector, wherein when said detector detected said first identifying signal, said controller determines that said first operator has operated said operation unit, and when said detector detected neither said first identifying signal nor said second identifying signal, said controller determines that both of said first operator and said second operator are involved in the operation of said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. An operator identifying method for identifying an operator that has operated an apparatus having an operation unit, comprising the steps of:
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in a first period, supplying a first identifying signal produced by a first oscillator to a first electrode disposed so as to be able to transfer said first identifying signal to a first operator, and supplying a second identifying signal produced by a second oscillator and having a characteristic different from said first identifying signal to a second electrode disposed so as to be able to transfer said second identifying signal to a second operator; in said first period, detecting by said detector said first identifying signal or said second identifying signal transferred thereto via a third electrode disposed on said operation unit when said operation unit is touched by said first operator or said second operator; in a second period different from said first period, supplying said first identifying signal from said first oscillator to said first electrode, and detecting by said detector said first identifying signal transferred thereto by passing through said first operator and said second operator; determining that both of said first operator and said second operator are involved in the operation of said apparatus when said detector detected said first identifying signal during said second period; and
,determining that said first operator has operated said operation unit when said detector did not detect said first identifying signal during said second period but detected said first identifying signal during said first period.
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20-21. -21. (canceled)
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23. (canceled)
Specification