Vehicle display apparatus including capacitive and light-based input sensors

• US 9,891,756 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2016
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Cho, Youngjun, Joung, Munchae, Kim, Sunuk
• Primary Examiner(s): Lubit, Ryan A
• Application Number:
  US15/064,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20160266723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/344 for additionally illuminating mechanical elements, e.g. pointers or control knobs
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/48 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1534 Simultaneous multiple use of display matrix, e.g. to display information and to illuminate pointer
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/48 Sensors
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/50 Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle B60K35/231 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0428 by sensing at the edges of the touch surface the interruption of optical paths, e.g. an illumination plane, parallel to the touch surface which may be virtual sensing beam interruptions in a planar beam grid of an optical touch-screen G06F3/0421
• 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 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A vehicle display apparatus includes a display, a plurality of light emitting units provided in the periphery of the display, a plurality of light receiving units provided in the periphery of the display, and a processor configured to calculate a position of an approaching external object based on levels of light signals received by the plurality of light receiving units. The plurality of light emitting units sequentially emits light, the plurality of light receiving units sequentially receives light in correspondence with sequential light emission of the plurality of light emitting units, and the processor calculates the position of the external object based on the levels of the light signals received by the plurality of light receiving units in correspondence with sequential light emission of the plurality of light emitting units. Accordingly, it is possible to stably detect the position of the external object positioned in front of the display.

Claims

1. A vehicle display apparatus comprising:

a display;

a touch sensor provided on an upper surface or a lower surface of the display;

a plurality of light emitting units provided at a periphery of the display and configured to sequentially emit light;

a plurality of light receiving units provided at the periphery of the display and configured to sequentially receive light in correspondence with the plurality of light emitting units that sequentially emit light; and

a processor configured to;

calculate intensity levels of light signals received by the plurality of light receiving units; and

calculate a position of an external object based on the intensity levels of light signals received by the plurality of light receiving units,

wherein the processor is further configured to;

calculate that a user'"'"'s hand corresponds to the external object and is positioned between a first distance value and a second distance value from the display, the second distance value being smaller than the first distance value;

based on the calculation that the user'"'"'s hand corresponds to the external object and is positioned between the first distance value and the second distance value from the display, calculate a motion of the user'"'"'s hand based on the light emitting units and the light receiving units;

calculate that the user'"'"'s hand is positioned between the second distance value and a third distance value from the display or is positioned within the third distance value from the display, the third distance value being smaller than the second distance value; and

based on the calculation that the user'"'"'s hand is positioned between the second distance value and the third distance value from the display or is positioned within the third distance value from the display;

calculate a capacitance change sensed by the touch sensor; and

calculate position information of the user'"'"'s hand based on the calculated capacitance change sensed by the touch sensor.

2. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to calculate the position of the external object based on the intensity levels of light signals received by the plurality of light receiving units by:

calculating a plurality of center points between the plurality of light emitting units and the plurality of light receiving units, each of the plurality of center points corresponding to a position between one of the plurality of light emitting units and one of the plurality of light receiving units;

calculating a light signal pattern of received light corresponding to each of the plurality of center points; and

calculating the position of the external object based on the light signal pattern of received light corresponding to each of the plurality of center points and the intensity levels of the light signals received by the plurality of light receiving units.

3. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to calculate the position of the external object based on the intensity levels of light signals received by the plurality of light receiving units by:

calculating a plurality of center points between the plurality of light emitting units and the plurality of light receiving units, each of the plurality of center points corresponding to a position between one of the plurality of light emitting units and one of the plurality of light receiving units;

selecting a center point among the plurality of center points based on the intensity levels of the light signals received by the plurality of light receiving units; and

calculating the selected center point as the position of the external object.

4. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, based on the intensity levels of the received light signals and based on the calculated position of the external object, calculate a distance value corresponding to the external object.

5. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a number of the light emitting units provided at the periphery of the display is greater than a number of the light receiving units provided at the periphery of the display.

6. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting units is spaced apart from neighboring light receiving units among the plurality of light receiving units along the periphery of the display.

7. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

based on a calculation that the user'"'"'s hand is positioned between the second distance value and the third distance value from the display, set a size of a touch sensing cell to a first size; and

based on a calculation that the user'"'"'s hand is positioned within the third distance value from the display, set the size of the touch sensing cell to a second size, which is smaller than the first size.

8. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

calculate that a user'"'"'s hand corresponds to the external object;

calculate that a motion trajectory of the user'"'"'s hand corresponds to a circular trajectory; and

based on the calculation that the motion trajectory of the user'"'"'s hand corresponds to the circular trajectory, control an initiation of a zoom mode for zooming-in or zooming-out of at least a part of an image displayed on the display.

9. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to:

calculate whether the user'"'"'s hand approaches the display or moves away from the display after the initiation of the zoom mode;

based on a calculation that the user'"'"'s hand approaches the display, control a zooming-in of the at least a part of the image displayed on the display after the initiation of the zoom mode; and

based on a calculation that the user'"'"'s hand moves away from the display, control a zooming-out of the at least a part of the image displayed on the display after the initiation of the zoom mode.

10. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

calculate that the vehicle display apparatus is in a state of displaying a map image on the display;

calculate that input corresponding to the circular trajectory is received in the state of displaying the map image on the display; and

control display of a magnifier object for zooming-in or zooming-out of the map image on the display based on the calculation that the input corresponding to the circular trajectory is received in the state of displaying the map image on the display.

11. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to:

calculate that the vehicle display apparatus is in a state of displaying a map image on the display;

calculate that input corresponding to the circular trajectory is received in the state of displaying the map image on the display; and

control the initiation of the zoom mode for zooming-in or zooming-out of the map image based on the calculation that the input corresponding to the circular trajectory is received in the state of displaying the map image on the display.

12. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

calculate that the vehicle display apparatus is in a state of displaying a map image on the display;

calculate that input corresponding to the circular trajectory is received in the state of displaying the map image on the display; and

control a display of a magnifier object for zooming-in or zooming-out of the map image on the display based on the calculation that the input corresponding to the circular trajectory is received in the state of displaying the map image on the display.

13. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the circular trajectory is in a first direction and the processor is further configured to:

calculate that the vehicle display apparatus is in a state of displaying the magnifier object for zooming-in or zooming-out of the map image displayed on the display in the zoom mode;

calculate that the motion trajectory of the user'"'"'s hand corresponds to a circular trajectory in a second direction different from the first direction in the state of displaying the magnifier object for zooming-in or zooming-out of the map image displayed on the display in the zoom mode; and

control a termination of the magnifier object based on the calculation that the motion trajectory of the user'"'"'s hand corresponds to the circular trajectory in the second direction different from the first direction in the state of displaying the magnifier object for zooming-in or zooming-out of the map image displayed on the display in the zoom mode.

14. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the circular trajectory is in a first direction and the processor is further configured to:

calculate, after the initiation of the zoom mode, that the motion trajectory of the user'"'"'s hand corresponds to a circular trajectory in a second direction different from the first direction; and

control a termination of the zoom mode based on a calculation that the motion trajectory of the user'"'"'s hand corresponds to the circular trajectory in the second direction different from the first direction.

15. The vehicle display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

calculate that input corresponding to the circular trajectory is received in a state of displaying a map image on the display;

control initiation of the zoom mode for zooming-in or zooming-out of the map image based on a calculation that the input corresponding to the circular trajectory is received in the state of displaying the map image on the display;

calculate that the input corresponding to the circular trajectory is received in a state of displaying a first menu screen on the display; and

control a display of a second menu screen or a pre-set application execution screen based on the calculation that the input corresponding to the circular trajectory is received in the state of displaying the first menu screen on the display.

16. A method of controlling a vehicle display apparatus, the method comprising:

sequentially emitting light through a plurality of light emitting units provided at a periphery of a display of the vehicle display apparatus;

sequentially receiving light, through a plurality of light receiving units provided at the periphery of the display, in correspondence with the plurality of light emitting units that sequentially emit light; and

calculating intensity levels of light signals received by the plurality of light receiving units;

calculating a position of an external object based on the intensity levels of light signals received by the plurality of light receiving units,

calculating that a user'"'"'s hand corresponds to the external object and is positioned between a first distance value and a second distance value from the display, the second distance value being smaller than the first distance value;

based on the calculation that the user'"'"'s hand corresponds to the external object and is positioned between the first distance value and the second distance value from the display, calculating a motion of the user'"'"'s hand based on the light emitting units and the light receiving units;

calculating that the user'"'"'s hand is positioned between the second distance value and a third distance value from the display or is positioned within the third distance value from the display, the third distance value being smaller than the second distance value; and

based on the calculation that the user'"'"'s hand is positioned between the second distance value and the third distance value from the display or is positioned within the third distance value from the display;

calculating a capacitance change sensed by a touch sensor provided on an upper surface or a lower surface of the display; and

calculating position information of the user'"'"'s hand based on the calculated capacitance change sensed by the touch sensor.

17. At least one non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with at least one computer program comprising instructions that, when executed, operate to cause a vehicle display apparatus to perform operations comprising:

sequentially emitting light through a plurality of light emitting units provided at a periphery of a display of the vehicle display apparatus;

sequentially receiving light, through a plurality of light receiving units provided at the periphery of the display, in correspondence with the plurality of light emitting units that sequentially emit light; and

calculating intensity levels of light signals received by the plurality of light receiving units;

calculating a position of an external object based on the intensity levels of light signals received by the plurality of light receiving units,

calculating that a user'"'"'s hand corresponds to the external object and is positioned between a first distance value and a second distance value from the display, the second distance value being smaller than the first distance value;

based on the calculation that the user'"'"'s hand corresponds to the external object and is positioned between the first distance value and the second distance value from the display, calculating a motion of the user'"'"'s hand based on the light emitting units and the light receiving units;

calculating that the user'"'"'s hand is positioned between the second distance value and a third distance value from the display or is positioned within the third distance value from the display, the third distance value being smaller than the second distance value; and

based on the calculation that the user'"'"'s hand is positioned between the second distance value and the third distance value from the display or is positioned within the third distance value from the display;

calculating a capacitance change sensed by a touch sensor provided on an upper surface or a lower surface of the display; and

calculating position information of the user'"'"'s hand based on the calculated capacitance change sensed by the touch sensor.