Input device

• US 8,599,142 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Prados, Michael, Alessandrini, Philippe, Bloehs, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, PREMAL R
• Application Number:
  US11/322,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20060146036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,896 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345173-176, 701/1, 178 1801- 1806
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An input device, especially for a vehicle, comprises a display to display an operating element, a touchscreen arranged above the display for recognition of the position of touching of an operating surface of the touchscreen, a force sensor connected to the touchscreen for measurement of the force exerted on the operating surface of the touchscreen, and a control to generate a warning during touching of the operating surface of the touchscreen in the region of display of the operating element or during pressing on the operating surface of the touchscreen in the region of display of the operating element, and to generate a control command assigned to the operating element, if, after generation of the warning, a force that exceeds a force limit value is exerted on the operating surface.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a display to display a representation of an operating element, the operating element representation having a boundary defined by a displayed boundary edge;

a touchscreen overlaying the display for recognition of a position of touching of an operating surface of the touchscreen;

a force sensor connected to the touchscreen to measure a force exerted on the operating surface of the touchscreen by a touching at any of multiple different locations on the touchscreen; and

a control to;

detect a location of a touching of the touchscreen

distinguish between a location of the touching corresponding to the displayed boundary edge of the operating element representation and a location of the touching corresponding to an area within the boundary of the operating element representation,

control an electro-mechanical actuator to cause a first physical movement of the touchscreen in at least one direction in response to the location of the touching corresponding to the displayed boundary edge of the operating element representation, and

control the electro-mechanical actuator to cause a second physical movement of the touchscreen in at least one direction in response to the location of the touching corresponding to an area within the boundary of the operating element representation,

wherein the degree of first physical movement of the touchscreen is stronger than the degree of the second physical movement of the touchscreen.

2. Input device according to claim 1, in which at least two different values of a touching force exerted on the operating surface can be distinguished by means of the force sensor.

3. Input device according to claim 1, in which the force sensor is configured as a transparent force measurement layer, integrated in the touchscreen or connected to the touchscreen.

4. Display device according to claim 3, in which the force measurement layer covers a significant part of the display.

5. Display device according to claim 1, in which the force sensor is configured as a force-dependent resistance.

6. Input device according to claim 1, the input device also comprising:

an essentially U-shaped spring for mechanical connection of the touchscreen to the display.

7. A method for operation of an input device with a display for displaying a representation of an operating element, the operating element representation having a boundary defined by a displayed boundary edge, and with a touchscreen overlaying the display for recognition of the position of touching of an operating surface of the touchscreen;

the method comprising;

measuring of a touching force exerted on the operating surface of the touchscreen by a force sensor configured to detect a touching at any of multiple different locations on the touchscreen;

detecting a location of a touching of the touchscreen,

distinguishing between a location of the touching corresponding to the displayed boundary edge of the operating element representation and a location of a touching corresponding to an area within the boundary of the operating element representation,

controlling an electro-mechanical actuator to initiate a first physical movement of the touchscreen in at least one direction in response to the location of the touching corresponding to the displayed boundary edge of the operating element representation,

controlling the electro-mechanical actuator to initiate a second physical movement of the touchscreen in at least one direction in response to the location of the touching corresponding to an area within the boundary of the operating element representation,

wherein the degree of the first physical movement of the touchscreen is stronger than the degree of the second physical movement of the touchscreen.

8. Input device, the input device comprising:

a display for displaying a representation of an operating element, the operating element representation having a boundary defined by a displayed boundary edge, and for displaying information;

a touchscreen overlaying the display for recognition of a position of touching of an operating surface of the touchscreen;

a force sensor connected to the touchscreen to measure a force exerted on the operating surface of the touchscreen by a touching at any of multiple different locations on the touchscreen; and

a control to;

detect a location of a touching of the touchscreen,

distinguish between a location of the touching corresponding to the displayed boundary edge of the operating element representation and a location of the touching corresponding to an area within the boundary of the operating element representation,

generate a first control command to cause a first physical movement of the touchscreen in response to the location of the touching corresponding to the displayed boundary edge of the operating element representation, and

generate a second control command to cause a second physical movement of the touchscreen in response to the location of the touching corresponding to an area within the boundary of the operating element representation,

wherein the degree of the first physical movement of the touchscreen is stronger than the degree of the second physical movement of the touchscreen.

9. Input device according to claim 8, in which at least two different values of a touching force exerted on the operating surface can be distinguished by means of the force sensor.

10. Input device according to claim 8, in which the force sensor is configured as a transparent force measurement layer, integrated in the touchscreen or connected to the touchscreen.

11. Input device according to claim 10, in which the force measurement layer covers a significant part of the display.

12. Input device according to claim 8, in which the force sensor is configured as a force-dependent resistance.

13. Method for operation of an input device of a display for displaying a representation of an operating element, the operating element representation having a boundary defined by a displayed boundary edge, and for displaying information and with a touchscreen overlaying the display for recognition of the position of touching of an operating surface of the touchscreen;

the method comprising;

measuring a touching force exerted on the operating surface of the touchscreen by a force sensor configured to detect a touching at any of multiple different locations on the touchscreen;

detecting a location of a touching of the touchscreen,

distinguishing between a location of the touching corresponding to the displayed boundary edge of the operating element representation and a location of the touching corresponding to an area within the boundary of the operating element representation,

generation of a first control command to cause a first physical movement of the touchscreen in response to the location of the touching corresponding to the displayed boundary edge of the operating element representation,

generation of a second control command to cause a second physical movement of the touchscreen in response to the location of the touching corresponding to an area within the boundary of the operating element representation,

wherein the degree of the first physical movement of the touchscreen is stronger than the degree of the second physical movement of the touchscreen.

14. Input device, the input device comprising:

a touchscreen for recognition of the position of touching of an operating surface of the touchscreen, wherein the touchscreen is operable to be arranged to cover a display that displays a representation of an operating element, the operating element representation having a boundary defined by a displayed boundary edge;

a force sensor connected to the touchscreen to measure a force exerted on the operating surface of the touchscreen by a touching at any of multiple different locations on the touchscreen;

an electro-mechanical actuator to physically move the touchscreen in at least one direction; and

a control to;

detect a location of a touching of the touchscreen,

distinguish between a location of the touching corresponding to the displayed boundary edge of the operating element representation and a location of the touching corresponding to an area within the boundary of the operating element representation,

cause a first physical movement of the touchscreen by operating the electro-mechanical actuator in response to the location of the touching corresponding to the displayed boundary edge of the operating element representation,

cause a second physical movement of the touchscreen by operating the electro-mechanical actuator in response to the location of the touching corresponding to an area within the boundary of the operating element representation,

in which the degree of the first physical movement of the touchscreen is stronger than the degree of the second physical movement of the touchscreen.

15. Input device according to claim 14, the input device also comprising a display arranged on an opposite side of the operating surface of the touchscreen.

16. Input device according to claim 14, in which at least two different values of a touching force exerted on the operating surface can be distinguished by means of the force sensor.

17. Input device according to claim 14, in which the force sensor is configured as a transparent force measurement layer, integrated in the touchscreen or connected to the touchscreen.

18. Input device according to claim 14, in which the force sensor is configured as a force-dependent resistance.

19. Method for operation of an input device with a touchscreen overlaying a display for recognition of the position of touching of an operating surface of a touchscreen, the display displaying a representation of an operating element, the operating element representation having a boundary defined by a displayed boundary edge;

the method comprising;

the measurement of a touching force exerted on the operating surface of the touchscreen by a force sensor configured to detect a touching at any of multiple different locations on the touchscreen;

detecting a location of a touching of the touchscreen,

distinguishing between a location of the touching corresponding to the displayed boundary edge of the operating element representation and a location of the touching corresponding to an area within the boundary of the operating element representation,

a first physical movement of the touchscreen by an electro-mechanical actuator in response to the location of the touching corresponding to the displayed boundary edge of the operating element representation,

a second physical movement of the touchscreen in response to the location of the touching corresponding to an area within the boundary of the operating element representation,

in which the first physical movement or degree of the first physical movement of the touchscreen is stronger than the second physical movement or the degree of the second physical movement of the touchscreen.

20. Method according to claim 19, the method further comprising:

determining whether the touching force exerted on the operating surface of the touchscreen is greater than a first force limit value; and

physical movement of the touchscreen, if the touching force exerted on the operating surface of the touchscreen is greater than the first force limit value.

21. Method according to claim 20, the method further comprising:

determining whether the touching force exerted on the operating surface of the touchscreen is greater than a second force limit value, in which the second force limit value is greater than the first force limit value; and

physical movement of the touchscreen, if the touching force exerted on the operating surface of the touchscreen is greater than the second force limit value.

22. Input device, the input device comprising:

a display for display of a representation of an operating element, the operating element representation having a boundary defined by a displayed boundary edge;

a touchscreen overlaying the display for recognition of the position of a touching of an operating surface of the touchscreen;

a force sensor connected to the touchscreen to measure a force exerted on the operating surface of the touchscreen by a touching at any of multiple different locations on the touchscreen; and

an electro-mechanical actuator to physically move the touchscreen in at least one direction; and

a control for such operation of the electro-mechanical actuator, the control operable to;

detect a location of a touching of the touchscreen,

distinguish between a location of the touching corresponding to the displayed boundary edge of the operating element representation and a location of the touching corresponding to an area within the boundary of the operating element representation,

control an electro-mechanical actuator to cause a first physical movement of the touchscreen in at least one direction in response to the location of the touching corresponding to the displayed boundary edge of the operating element representation, and

control the electro-mechanical actuator to cause a second physical movement of the touchscreen in at least one direction in response to the location of the touching corresponding to an area within the boundary of the operating element representation,

wherein the degree of first physical movement of the touchscreen is stronger than the degree of the second physical movement of the touchscreen.

23. Input device according to claim 22, in which at least two different values of a touching force exerted on the operating surface can be distinguished by the force sensor.

24. Input device according to claim 22, in which the force sensor is configured as a transparent force measurement layer, integrated in the touchscreen or connected to the touchscreen.

25. Input device according to claim 24, in which the force measurement layer covers a significant part of the display.

26. Input device according to claim 22, in which the force sensor is configured as a force-dependent resistance.