OPERATING ELEMENT

• US 20140225865A1
• Filed: 02/11/2014
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Fink, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 10,061,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• 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 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

An operating element which is cylindrical and has two touch panels with touch-sensitive surfaces, the touch panels being arranged on two outer sides of the operating element which face away from one another, an operating command being able to be input by touching the surfaces of both touch panels, a first focal point for touch being able to be detected on a first touch panel and a second focal point for touch being able to be detected on the second touch panel, and a direction associated with the operating command being able to be dynamically determined by the focal points of the touching of the surfaces of the two touch panels.

Claims

1. An operating element which is cylindrical and has two touch panels with touch-sensitive surfaces, the touch panels being arranged on two outer sides of the operating element which face away from one another, an operating command being able to be input by touching the surfaces of both touch panels, a first focal point for touch being able to be detected on a first touch panel and a second focal point for touch being able to be detected on the second touch panel, and a direction associated with the operating command being able to be dynamically determined by the focal points of the touching of the surfaces of the two touch panels.

2. The operating element as claimed in claim 1, in which the two touch panels are arranged on two opposite outer sides of the operating element and the surfaces of the two touch panels are oriented in different directions.

3. The operating element as claimed in claim 1, in which each touch panel is rectangular.

4. The operating element as claimed in claim 1, in which the surfaces of both touch panels are convexly curved.

5. The operating element as claimed in claim 1, which has a body with outer sides on which the touch panels are arranged.

6. The operating element as claimed in claim 1, which has an elliptical cross section.

7. The operating element as claimed in claim 6, in which the elliptical cross section has a virtual main axis which runs through a center of the operating element, the two outer sides being virtually delimited from one another by the main axis.

8. The operating element as claimed in claim 7, which is configured to be arranged in a motor vehicle for which a forward direction of travel is provided, the virtual main axis of the operating element being positioned parallel to the forward direction of travel.

9. The operating element as claimed in claim 1, in which the touch panels are in the form of spatially resolving capacitive contact sensors.

10. The operating element as claimed in claim 1, in which the surfaces of the touch panels have a coefficient of friction which exceeds a predetermined minimum value.

11. A method for inputting an operating command using a cylindrical operating element which has two touch panels with touch-sensitive surfaces, the touch panels being arranged on two outer sides of the operating element which face away from one another, the operating command being input by touching the surfaces of both touch panels, a first focal point for touch being detected on a first touch panel and a second focal point for touch being detected on the second touch panel, and a direction associated with the operating command being dynamically determined by the focal points of the touching of the surfaces of the two touch panels.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, in which a maximum force is exerted on the focal point with the corresponding touching.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, in which a distinction is made regarding the focal point of one of the two touch panels on which a greater force acts.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, in which a focal point is moved on the surface of at least one touch panel, the direction associated with the operating command being dynamically changed.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, in which a size of an area of touch on the surface of at least one touch panel is determined.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, in which the size of at least one touched area on the surface of at least one touch panel is changed.

17. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising determining a direction associated with the operating command relative to a forward direction of travel of the motor vehicle.