Touch device panel

• US 5,539,429 A
• Filed: 08/22/1994
• Issued: 07/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Katsuaki, Goto, Hirofumi, Yoshida, Chisato, Yokouchi, Kazuhiro, Hirasa, Yoshiaki, Yano, Haruto, Tokunaga, Toshimichi
• Primary Examiner(s): SARAS, STEVEN J
• Application Number:
  US08/293,607
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/175, 345/179, 345/145, 345/146, 345/156, 345/157, 345/112-116, 345/121, 345/123, 345/172, 395/155, 395/159, 395/161, 395/156, 395/100, 364/424.05, 364/943, 364/449, 348/113, 348/116, 382/13, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 353/14
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• 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 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A touch panel device for navigation of a vehicle for example an automobile. There is a display unit with a screen, and information display for visually representing desired information on the screen. A switch superimposes a switch pattern over the information on the screen and executing a predetermined control action when an operator'"'"'s finger approaches the switch pattern. To remove the switch pattern after the lapse of a preset time form the visual representation of the switch pattern, erasing is used. The erasing can be accomplished for example by the actuation of a timer to remove the switch pattern. With the switch pattern removed, the entire information on the screen can be seen wholly without being concealed by the switch pattern.

Claims

1. A vehicle touch panel device comprising:

a display unit having a screen;

means for visually representing information on said screen said information related to navigational information of the vehicle;

switch means for superimposing a predetermined switch pattern over the visually represented information on said screen and executing a predetermined control action upon detection of approach of an object within a given range from said pattern;

erase means for erasing said switch pattern by the lapse of a preset time after the visual representation of said switch pattern by said switch means if no further actuation of the switch pattern occurs during the preset time; and

switch pattern display start means for making said switch means start visual representation of the switch pattern in response to detection of approach of an object within a given range from said screen, so that said predetermined switch pattern can be displayed on the screen after said switch pattern has been displayed and erased.

2. A vehicle touch panel device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said screen is a cathode ray tube.

3. The vehicle touch panel device of claim 1, further comprising:

restarting means for restarting the lapse of the preset time by said erase means in response to detection of approach of an object within a given range from said screen.

4. A touch panel apparatus for use in a vehicle comprising:

display means for visually displaying sequentially a plurality of modes of navigational information associated with a vehicle;

switch means for superimposing a predetermined switch pattern by touch and approach over the information visually represented on said screen and executing a predetermined control action upon detection of approach of an object within a given range from said pattern;

erase means for erasing said switch pattern solely by the lapse of a preset time after the visual representation of said switch pattern by said switch means if no further actuation of the switch pattern occurs during the preset time; and

switch pattern display actuation means for actuating said switch pattern display in response to detection of approach of an object within a given range from said screen, so that said predetermined switch pattern can be displayed.

5. The touch panel apparatus of claim 4, wherein one of said plurality of navigational modes of information includes navigation information for representing the location of the vehicle on the display means.

6. The touch panel apparatus of claim 5, wherein said navigation information includes a map.

7. The panel apparatus of claim 6, wherein said switch pattern upon actuation can control visual movement and size of said map.

8. The touch panel apparatus of claim 7, wherein said switch pattern included means for scrolling the map.

9. The touch panel apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said switch pattern includes means for enlarging or reducing the size of the map on the display means.

10. The touch panel apparatus of claim 5, wherein said means for erasing is a timer.

11. A touch panel apparatus for use in a vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein said display means is a cathode ray tube.

12. A touch panel apparatus for use in a vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein said touch panel is installed in a vehicle.

13. The vehicle touch panel device of claim 4, further comprising:

restarting means for restarting the lapse of the preset time by said erase means in response to detection of approach of an object within a given range from said screen.

14. A vehicle including a touch panel device comprising:

a display unit having a screen;

means for visually representing information on said screen said information related to navigational information of the vehicle;

switch means for superimposing a predetermined switch pattern over the visually represented information on said screen and executing a predetermined control action upon detection of approach of an object within a given range from said pattern, said superimposed switch pattern partially visually obscuring the represented information;

erase means for erasing said switch pattern from the screen after a lapse of a preset time if no further actuation of the switch pattern occurs during the preset time, so that the represented information is not obscured; and

switch pattern display actuation means for actuating said switch means to start visual representation of the switch pattern in response to detection of approach of an object within a given range from said screen, so that said predetermined switch pattern can be displayed on the screen.

15. The vehicle touch panel device of claim 14, further comprising:

restarting means for restarting the lapse of the preset time by said erase means in response to detection of approach of an object within a given range from said screen.