Vehicular operating apparatus

• US 8,049,722 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2006
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kumon, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang; Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): DALRYMPLE, TROY S
• Application Number:
  US12/065,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20080211832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,884 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/156, 345/150, 382/104
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/21 using cameras
• 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

Abstract

A vehicular operating apparatus in which an operating portion on which operating switches are arranged is arranged in a vehicle cabin in a separate location that is physically distanced from a display portion that displays an operation menu image showing the positional arrangement and function of the operating switch of the operating portion. An imaging mechanism captures an image of a hand of a user that operates the operating portion, a combining and displaying mechanism combines the captured image of the hand with the operation menu image and displaying the combined image on the display portion, and a light emitting portion illuminates the operating portion.

Claims

1. A vehicular operating apparatus comprising:

a touch panel operating portion on which operating switches are arranged, which has an upper surface on which an operation is performed by a hand of a user, and which generates an operating signal that corresponds to an operating position;

a display portion that is arranged in a vehicle cabin in a position physically distanced from the operating portion, and that displays an operation menu image showing the positional arrangement and function of the operating switches;

an imaging portion that captures images of the operating portion and the hand of a user;

a combining and displaying portion that combines the captured image of the hand with the operation menu image and displays the combined image on the display portion; and

a light emitting portion provided in the operating portion that illuminates the entire operating portion to which a display concerning the operating switches is not applied,

wherein the combining and displaying portion performs the combining and displaying by converting the image of the hand to a graphic image of the hand, combining the graphic image of the hand with the operation menu image and displaying the combined image on the display portion, and

the graphic image of the hand is generated by displaying only an outline of the hand and applying a transparent or semi-transparent color to a region inside the outline of the hand.

2. The vehicular operating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combining and displaying portion uses chroma key combining technology, and the light emitting portion illuminates the operating portion in a key color.

3. The vehicular operating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting portion adjusts luminance of emitted light with at least an amount of sunlight as a parameter.

4. The vehicular operating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a shielding portion that blocks sunlight from shining onto the operating portion, provided around the operating portion.

5. The vehicular operating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operating portion is arranged within a concave space formed in an interior member of the vehicle.

6. The vehicular operating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the imaging portion is arranged within the concave space.

7. The vehicular operating apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a mirror arranged in the concave space so as to oppose the operating portion,

wherein the imaging portion is arranged in a position looking down on the operating portion via the mirror.

8. The vehicular operating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combining and displaying portion performs the combining and displaying by converting the image of the hand to a graphic image of a hand, combining the graphic image of the hand with the operation menu image and displaying the combined image on the display portion.

9. The vehicular operating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an outline of the hand in the graphic image of the hand is generated based on a silhouette of the hand that is extracted based on the image of the hand, and the region of the hand that is surrounded by the outline is smaller than the same region that is surrounded by the silhouette of the extracted hand.

10. The vehicular operating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combining and displaying portion becomes operable when the hand of the user is detected near or touching the operating portion.

11. The vehicular operating apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a proximity/contact detecting portion that detects proximity of or contact by the hand of the user, the proximity/contact detecting portion being provided in an area near the operating portion.

12. The vehicular operating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting portion illuminates the operating portion while gradually increasing luminance of emitted light when the hand of the user is detected near or touching the operating portion.

13. The vehicular operating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein when the hand of the user is not detected near or touching the operating portion, or when the operating portion is not operated for a predetermined period of time or longer, the light emitting portion returns to an original off state or reduced light state while gradually reducing luminance of emitted light.

14. The vehicular operating apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a proximity/contact detecting portion that detects proximity of or contact by the hand of the user, the proximity/contact detecting portion being provided in an area near the operating portion.

15. The vehicular operating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting portion includes a light source that emits light that includes a specific wavelength, and the imaging portion includes a filter through which the wavelength of the light source passes.

16. The vehicular operating apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the light source emits light of a wavelength not included in sunlight.

17. The vehicular operating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a diffusion member provided on the operating portion,

wherein the diffusion member diffuses light emitted by the light emitting portion substantially evenly over an entire operating portion.