Operation device

• US 9,176,634 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Takuo
• Primary Examiner(s): GIESY, ADAM
• Application Number:
  US14/365,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20150009177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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

An operation device includes a touch operation unit that has an operation surface; and a control device that responds to a selection operation performed on each of selection items displayed on a display device arranged remotely from the touch operation unit, based on two-dimensional coordinates of a finger touch point on the operation surface, wherein the control device operates in an absolute coordinate mode, in which a coordinate system of the display device corresponds absolutely to a coordinate system of the operation surface of the touch operation unit, when any of the selection items is not selected and, at the same time, operates in a relative coordinate mode, in which the coordinate system of the display device corresponds relatively to the coordinate system of the operation surface of the touch operation unit, when one of the selection items is selected.

Claims

1. An operation device comprising:

a touch operation unit that has an operation surface; and

a control device that responds to a selection operation based on two-dimensional coordinates of a finger touch point on the operation surface, the selection operation being performed on each of selection items displayed on a display device arranged remotely from the touch operation unit, wherein

the control device moves a display position of a cursor in an absolute coordinate mode when any of the selection items is not selected, the absolute coordinate mode being a mode in which a coordinate system of the operation surface of the touch operation unit corresponds absolutely to a coordinate system of the display device,

the control device moves the display position of the cursor in a relative coordinate mode when one of the selection items is selected, the relative coordinate mode being a mode in which the coordinate system of the operation surface of the touch operation unit corresponds relatively to the coordinate system of the display device, and

the selection of the one of the selection items is performed by moving the display position of the cursor to a position of the one of the selection items.

2. The operation device according to claim 1 wherein

when a selection state, in which any of the selection items is selected, continues for a predetermined time, the control device releases the selection state.

3. The operation device according to claim 1 wherein

when a plurality of assumed areas, created by dividing the operation surface of the touch operation unit into a plurality of pieces, is assumed and the two-dimensional coordinates of the finger touch point on the operation surface change from one to another of the assumed areas, the control device switches the mode from the relative coordinate mode to the absolute coordinate mode and operates in the absolute coordinate mode even if the one of the selection items is selected.

4. The operation device according to claim 3 wherein

the selection items displayed on the display device are divided into, and arranged in, at least two display areas according to attributes of the selection items and

the assumed areas are respectively set for the at least two display areas.

5. The operation device according to claim 1 wherein

when the two-dimensional coordinates of the finger touch point on the operation surface are away from immediately preceding two-dimensional coordinates of the finger touch point on the operation surface by a predetermined distance or longer, the control device switches the mode from the relative coordinate mode to the absolute coordinate mode for operation even if the one of the selection items is selected.

6. The operation device according to claim 1 wherein

the selection items displayed on the display device are divided into, and arranged in, at least two display areas according to attributes of the selection items and

when the two-dimensional coordinates of the finger touch point on the operation surface change from one to another of the display areas while the two-dimensional coordinates correspond to the coordinate system of the display device in the relative coordinate mode, the control device switches the mode from the relative coordinate mode to the absolute coordinate mode and operates in the absolute coordinate mode even if the one of the selection items is selected.

7. The operation device according to claim 1 wherein

the control device operates in the relative coordinate mode when the selected one of the selection items is a continuously operable selection item and

the control device operates in the absolute coordinate mode when the selected one of the selection items is a non-continuously operable selection item.

8. The operation device according to claim 1, further comprising:

depression pressure detection means provided in the touch operation unit for detecting a pressure or a load applied to the touch operation unit wherein

the control unit responds to a confirmation operation on the selected one of the selection items when an output of the depression pressure detection means exceeds a predetermined threshold.

9. The operation device according to claim 1 wherein the one of the selection items, when the one of the selection items is selected, is changed to a selection display showing an operator that the one of the selection items is selected.

10. The operation device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a depression pressure detection unit that is provided in the touch operation unit and configured to detect a pressure or a load applied to the touch operation unit wherein

the control unit responds to a confirmation operation on the selected one of the selection items when an output of the depression pressure detection unit exceeds a predetermined threshold.