Traffic information presentation system, traffic information presentation method, and electronic device

• US 9,116,547 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2014
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Muramatsu, Fumio, Okumura, Ryo, Adachi, Yusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Merkoulova, Olga
• Application Number:
  US14/250,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A traffic information presentation system according to an embodiment is a system for presenting a tactile sensation to a user based on traffic information, including: a touch section; a tactile presentation section; an input section for receiving traffic information; and a control section for controlling the tactile presentation section based on the traffic information. The control section monitors a status of touch with respect to the touch section, and accepts an instruction from the user that corresponds to the touch input operation when detecting that an amount of change in touched position equals to or exceeds a certain amount. When detecting that the amount of change in touched position is less than the certain amount and that the touch duration equals to or exceeds a certain length, the control section causes the tactile presentation section to present a tactile sensation based on the traffic information.

Claims

1. A traffic information presentation system for presenting a tactile sensation to a user based on traffic information, comprising:

a touch section to be touched by the user;

a tactile presentation section for presenting a tactile sensation to the user;

an input section for receiving traffic information; and

a control section for controlling the tactile presentation section based on the received traffic information,

wherein,

the control section

monitors a status of touch with respect to the touch section,

accepts an instruction from the user corresponding to a touch input operation when detecting that an amount of change in touched position equals to or exceeds a certain amount, and

causes the tactile presentation section to present a tactile sensation based on the traffic information when detecting that the amount of change in touched position is less than the certain amount and that a touch duration equals to or exceeds a certain length.

2. The traffic information presentation system of claim 1, wherein, when the touch duration is less than the certain length, the control section accepts an instruction from the user corresponding to a touch input operation.

3. The traffic information presentation system of claim 1, wherein, when detecting that the touch on the touch section still continues after a tactile sensation is presented, the control section causes the tactile presentation section to again present a tactile sensation based on the traffic information.

4. The traffic information presentation system of claim 1, wherein, when detecting a touch input operation after a tactile sensation is presented, the control section accepts an instruction from the user corresponding to a touch input operation.

5. The traffic information presentation system of claim 1, wherein the input section receives the traffic information from an external device.

6. The traffic information presentation system of claim 1, wherein,

as the control section, the traffic information presentation system includes a first control section being provided in a first device and a second control section being provided in a second device other than the first device, wherein the first device includes the touch section and the tactile presentation section;

the first device and the second device perform wireless communications;

the second control section monitors a status of touch with respect to the touch section; and

the first control section controls the tactile presentation section based on a result of monitoring by the second control section.

7. An electronic device for use in a traffic information presentation system for presenting a tactile sensation to a user based on traffic information, comprising:

a touch section to be touched by the user;

a tactile presentation section for presenting a tactile sensation to the user;

an input section for receiving traffic information; and

a control section for controlling the tactile presentation section based on the received traffic information,

wherein,

the control section

monitors a status of touch with respect to the touch section,

accepts an instruction from the user corresponding to a touch input operation when detecting that an amount of change in touched position equals to or exceeds a certain amount, and

causes the tactile presentation section to present a tactile sensation based on the traffic information when detecting that the amount of change in touched position is less than the certain amount and that a touch duration equals to or exceeds a certain length.

8. A method of presenting a tactile sensation to a user based on traffic information, comprising the steps of:

receiving traffic information;

monitoring a status of touch with respect to a touch section to be touched by the user;

accepting an instruction from the user corresponding to a touch input operation when detecting that an amount of change in touched position equals to or exceeds a certain amount; and

presenting a tactile sensation based on the traffic information when detecting that the amount of change in touched position is less than the certain amount and that a touch duration equals to or exceeds a certain length.