Touch switch module

• US 9,971,494 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2014
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Inventors: Sakayanagi, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tam T
• Application Number:
  US14/491,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20150089441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1468 Touch gesture
• 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: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03548 Sliders, in which the moving part moves in a plane
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A touch switch module according to one embodiment comprises a panel, a touch sensor and a control unit. The panel displays a slide bar. The control unit includes a slide velocity detection unit that detects a slide velocity which is a change over time in sliding when the touch moves along the slide bar and an operation information switching unit that compares the slide velocity with a predetermined threshold, that outputs first operation information as the operation information when the slide velocity is below the threshold, and that outputs second operation information that is different from the first operation information as the operation information when the slide velocity is equal to or higher than the threshold.

Claims

1. A touch switch module comprising:

a panel where a slide bar for instructing an operation of an electrical equipment is displayed;

a touch sensor which is formed on the panel, and which detects a touch to the slide bar; and

an electronic control unit which is connected to the touch sensor, and configured to output operation information for operating the electrical equipment on the basis of the touch, wherein

the electronic control unit is further configured to;

detect a slide velocity which is a change over time in sliding when the touch moves along the slide bar;

compare the slide velocity with a predetermined threshold, that outputs first operation information as the operation information when the slide velocity is below the threshold, and that outputs second operation information that is different from the first operation information as the operation information when the slide velocity is equal to or higher than the threshold;

change the threshold to a higher level during the sliding, in response to the slide velocity being below the threshold and the first operation information being output; and

change the threshold to a lower level during the sliding, in response to the slide velocity being equal to or higher than the threshold and the second operation information being output.

2. The touch switch module according to claim 1, wherein

the first operation information changes an operating condition of the electrical equipment by a first physical quantity, and

the second operation information changes the operating condition of the electrical equipment by a second physical quantity larger than the first physical quantity.

3. The touch switch module according to claim 1, wherein the electrical equipment is an air-conditioning device for a vehicle.