Vehicle Equipment

• US 20170096065A1
• Filed: 02/02/2015
• Published: 04/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: KATSUNO, Keita, KASAI, Shuji
• Granted Patent: US 10,479,203 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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 11/0229 for displays, e.g. cathodic tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

The object of the invention is to provide a technique for vehicle equipment that can be more easily operated by the user. Vehicle equipment according to the present invention includes a protrusion unit provided near at least one side among four sides forming an outer rim of a rectangular display having a touch panel, the protrusion unit being provided such that a long side of the protrusion unit is substantially in parallel with the one side, wherein a button is provided at at least one of both ends of the protrusion unit in an extending direction of the long side, the button being capable of accepting an input in the extending direction of the long side of the protrusion unit.

Claims

1. Vehicle equipment comprising a protrusion unit provided near at least one side among four sides forming an outer rim of a rectangular display having a touch panel, the protrusion unit being provided such that a long side of the protrusion unit is substantially in parallel with the one side, wherein

a button is provided at at least one of both ends of the protrusion unit in an extending direction of the long side, the button being capable of accepting an input in the extending direction of the long side of the protrusion unit.

2. The vehicle equipment according to claim 1, wherein

the button is provided so as to be offset by a predetermined distance from another side among the four sides, the another side being in contact with the one side at a right angle.

3. The vehicle equipment according to claim 1, wherein

the button is provided at one of the both ends of the protrusion unit in the extending direction of the long side, the one of the both ends being nearer to a driving seat of a vehicle mounting thereon the vehicle equipment.

4. The vehicle equipment according to claim 1, wherein

upon acceptance of an input, the button outputs an instruction for starting a sound collection for voice recognition.

5. The vehicle equipment according to claim 1, wherein

the protrusion unit is provided with buttons at the both ends of the protrusion unit in the extending direction of the long side, each of the buttons being capable of accepting an input in the extending direction of the long side of the protrusion unit, and

upon acceptance of an input, one of the buttons outputs an instruction different from an instruction output from the other button.

6. The vehicle equipment according to claim 5, wherein

one of the buttons outputs an instruction to tilt the rectangular display, the one of the buttons being provided at one of the both ends of the protrusion unit in the extending direction of the long side, the one of the both ends being a far end from the driving seat of the vehicle mounting thereon the vehicle equipment.

7. The vehicle equipment according to claim 1, wherein

the protrusion unit is provided at a portion on a display screen of the rectangular display, the portion being excluded from an area that detects a touch to the touch panel.

8. The vehicle equipment according to claim 4 comprising a control unit for starting a sound collection for voice recognition, wherein

when the button provided at the end nearer to the driving seat accepts an input while a moving body to which the vehicle equipment is attached is moving, the control unit starts the sound collection for voice recognition and limits a screen input operation.