Remote-control switch

• US 20060097994A1
• Filed: 09/16/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Access Corp. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Access Corp. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Miyakoshi, Tetsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,746,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position

Abstract

There is provided an excellent easy-to-use remote-control switch in which finger dirt can be infallibly prevented from adhering to a display unit. A remote touch pat 4 capable of performing selection operation is provided separately from a navigation body 2 and the navigation body 2 can be remote-controlled by practicing a touch input through an input panel 11. Hence, the same operating feeling as if touching a touch panel 5 can be given a user via the input panel 11, thus allowing the finger dirt to be infallibly prevented from adhering to a monitor 6 and further enabling operation excellent in usability.

Claims

1. A remote-control switch used for a remote-controlled electronics apparatus comprising:

a display unit for displaying an image,

a control means for controlling image display of said display unit, and

an input panel arranged with a plurality of switches on its plane, wherein;

said input panel is made up separately from said display unit,

an image plane coordinate of said display unit and each switch coordinate of said input panel substantially correspond to each other, and

a switch image corresponding to said each switch is displayed on said display unit by means of said control means.

2. A remote-control switch according to claim 1, wherein said input panel comprises two layers, an upper layer and a lower layer, a select function of said switch image is included in an upper layer, and a determination function for determining said select function to operate is included in a lower layer.

3. A remote-control switch according to claim 1, wherein when a plurality of said switch images on a display screen in said display unit have been selected by said input panel, the plurality of said switch images thus selected are highlighted.

4. A remote-control switch according to claim 2, wherein when a plurality of said switch images on a display screen in said display unit have been selected by said input panel, the plurality of said switch images thus selected are highlighted.

5. A remote-control switch according to claim 1, wherein when a plurality of said switches are simultaneously selected, the plurality of said switches thus selected are zoomed in an arbitrary size on said display unit.

6. A remote-control switch according to claim 1, wherein said control means recognizes an arbitrary switch selected corresponding to a touch input of said input panel from among a plurality of switches displayed in a standard status and then changes a display status only for said recognized switch to display the recognized switch on said display unit, while said control means displays, with said standard status unchanged, switches which have been not recognized and not selected on said display unit.

7. A remote-control switch according to claim 1, wherein said input panel has nearly the same aspect ratio as that of a display screen of said display unit and is made smaller than the display screen.

8. A remote-control switch according to claim 2, wherein said input panel is arranged with an XY coordinate detection operating unit with a select function in said upper layer and is also arranged with a Z coordinate detection operating unit with a determination function in said lower layer, and when a selective operation has been performed by making a finger contact with and slide on said input panel, said XY coordinate detection operating unit detects a position, on said input panel, on which the selective operation has been performed by using two-dimensional plane coordinate, while when pressing strength larger than predetermined strength is applied from an upper side via said XY coordinate detection operating unit in a Z direction, said Z coordinate detection operating unit detects the pressing strength via a film layer.

9. A remote-control switch according to claim 1, wherein said remote-control electronic apparatus is an in-vehicle navigation system.