System switch

• US 6,476,794 B1
• Filed: 01/29/1998
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Ogawa, Masayuki, Kataoka, Ichiro, Takada, Yoshihide
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Said, Mansour M.
• Application Number:
  US09/015,512
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/160, 345/161, 345/162, 345/172, 345/7, 345/8, 345/173, 345/168, 463/38, 702/37, 200/5.A, 200/6.A
• US Class Current: 345/161
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00985 Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence
• 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 35/213 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0063 Manual parameter input, manual setting means, manual initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/58 Rests or guides for relevant parts of the operator's body
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof

Abstract

A system switch comprises an operation switch constituted by a mode switch and low-ranking switches of the mode switch; a display unit; and a control unit. The control unit makes the display unit display the operation switch, interprets the function of the operation switch at that time, and outputs a control signal for executing the function of the operation switch at that time when the operation switch is operated.

Claims

1. A system switch comprising:

an operation switch including a mode switch for selecting one of a plurality of high-level functions, and a plurality of low-ranking switches of the mode switch for selecting corresponding middle-level functions, wherein the mode switch is further configured for selecting one of a plurality of low-level functions corresponding to the selected high-level function;

a display means;

a control unit;

wherein the control unit outputs information to the display means corresponding to the selected high-level function, interprets the selected high-level function, and outputs a control signal for executing the selected high-level function.

2. A system switch according to claim 1, wherein said operation switch includes a joy stick.

3. A system switch according to claim 2, wherein said mode switch is realized by said joy stick.

4. A system switch according to claim 3, wherein said low-ranking switches are disposed in a region where a finger can touch said switches when a hand is put on said joy stick.

5. A system switch according to claim 2, wherein said joy stick is shaped like a flat disc, and designed to be able to rotate around a central axis of said disc and inclined forward/backward and right/left so that said joy stick has a switch mechanism corresponding to the rotation and inclination, wherein the high-level functions are assigned to the rotating operation of the joy stick and the low-level functions are assigned to the inclining operation of the joy stick.

6. A system switch according to claim 2, further comprising a positioning member extending near said joy stick from a rear of said joy stick so as to cover an upper surface of said joy stick partially.

7. A system switch according to claim 1, wherein said control unit also makes said display means display the function of said operation switch at that time.

8. A system switch comprising:

a mode switch for selecting one of a plurality of high level functions, each high level function having a set of middle level functions and a set of lower level functions associated therewith, wherein the mode switch is realized by an operating member shaped into a flat disk rotatable around a central portion of the flat disk, wherein the high level functions are assigned to a rotating operation of the operating member;

a plurality of subswitches;

control means for determining which high level function has been selected via the mode switch and for assigning the middle level functions associated with the selected high level function to the subswitches; and

a display for displaying the middle level functions and the lower level functions.

9. The system switch according to claim 8, wherein the subswitches are disposed in a region accessible to a user'"'"'s fingers when the user'"'"'s hand is on the operating member.

10. The system switch according to claim 9, wherein the operating member includes a positioning member for the user'"'"'s hand.

11. The system switch according to claim 8, wherein the display displays the functions executed by the rotating operation of the operating member.

12. A system switch device for selecting one of plural hierarchical functions performed in a vehicle, the system switch device comprising:

a display provided in the vehicle, for displaying at least one of the hierarchical functions;

a flat panel provided in the vehicle; and

a disk-shaped first switch member movably provided on the flat panel, for selecting one of high-level hierarchical functions in association with a first motion thereof, and for selecting one of low-level hierarchical functions in association with a second motion thereof.

13. The system switch device as set forth in claim 12, wherein the first motion is a horizontal rotation and the second motion is an inclining action with respect to a vertical center axis of the first switch member.

14. The system switch device as set forth in claim 13, further comprising at least one second switch member placed on the flat panel, for selecting one of middle-level hierarchical functions.

15. The system switch device as set forth in claim 13, wherein the second switch member is arranged at a position where a user'"'"'s finger is placed when the user'"'"'s hand is placed on the first switch member.