TOUCH PANEL TYPE INPUT DEVICE, AND TOUCH PANEL TYPE INPUT METHOD

• US 20160202762A1
• Filed: 08/04/2014
• Published: 07/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: TOMARU, Tetsuya, HATANAKA, Shinji
• Application Number:
  US14/910,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20160202762A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/141 Activation of instrument input devices by approaching fingers or pens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1446 Touch switches
• 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: B60K 35/25 using haptic output
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• 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: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard

Abstract

A touch panel type input device includes: a display unit that displays multiple input-enabled regions, on which a finger of a user is touchable; an input device that performs an input corresponding to one of the input-enabled regions when the finger touches the one of the input-enabled regions; and a first approach notification device that executes a first approach notification for notifying the user of an approach of the finger when the finger is disposed within a first predetermined distance from the one of the input-enabled regions without touching the display unit. The first approach notification device executes the first approach notification by vibrating a part of a compartment of a vehicle other than the input device.

Claims

1. A touch panel type input device comprising:

a display unit that displays a plurality of input-enabled regions, on which a finger of a user is touchable;

an input device that performs an input corresponding to one of the input-enabled regions when it is detected that the finger touches the one of the input-enabled regions; and

a first approach notification device that executes a first approach notification for notifying the user of an approach of the finger when the finger is disposed within a first predetermined distance from the one of the input-enabled regions without touching the display unit,

wherein the first approach notification device executes the first approach notification by vibrating a part of a compartment of a vehicle other than the input device.

2. The touch panel type input device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first approach notification device changes a mode of the first approach notification differently according to a type of the one of the input-enabled regions.

3. The touch panel type input device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first approach notification device changes a mode of the first approach notification differently according to a distance between the finger and the one of the input-enabled regions.

4. The touch panel type input device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a touch notification device that executes a touch notification for notifying the user of a touch of the finger through a vibration when it is detected that the finger touches the one of the input-enabled regions.

5. The touch panel type input device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second approach notification device that executes a second approach notification for notifying the user of an approach of the finger when the finger is disposed within a second predetermined distance from the display unit without touching the display unit.

6. The touch panel type input device according to claim 1, wherein:

when a driver drives a vehicle, the part of the compartment of the vehicle touches the driver.

7. The touch panel type input device according to claim 6, wherein:

the part of the compartment of the vehicle is at least one of a steering wheel, a driver seat, and a seat belt of the vehicle.

8. A touch panel type input method for a display unit that displays a plurality of input-enabled regions, on which a finger of a user is touchable, the touch panel type input method comprising:

performing an input corresponding to one of the input-enabled regions when it is detected that the finger touches the one of the input-enabled regions; and

executing a first approach notification for notifying the user of an approach of the finger when the finger is disposed within a first predetermined distance from the one of the input-enabled regions without touching the display unit,

wherein the executing of the first approach notification includes vibrating a part of a compartment of a vehicle other than a touch panel type device.