INPUT DEVICE

• US 20140078044A1
• Filed: 07/25/2013
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: YAMASHITA, Tatsumaro
• Granted Patent: US 9,141,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/71 Charge-coupled device [CCD] sensors; Charge-transfer registers specially adapted for CCD sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An input device includes an operation panel that is installed inside a vehicle and is operated by an operating part; a CCD camera that is disposed inside the vehicle to image at least a front side of the operation panel; and a control unit that predicts an action of the operating part based on image information of the CCD camera and performs operation assistance on the operation panel.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

an operation panel installed inside a vehicle and capable of being operated by an operating part;

an imaging element disposed inside the vehicle to image at least a front side of the operation panel; and

a control unit that predicts an action of the operating part based on image information of the imaging element and performs operation assistance on the operation panel.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein an operation position at which the action is predicted on the operation panel is highlighted and displayed by the operation assistance of the control unit.

3. The input device according to claim 2, wherein display parts are displayed on the operation panel and the display part located at the operation position is highlighted and displayed by the operation assistance of the control unit.

4. The input device according to claim 3,

wherein the plurality of display parts are arranged on the operation panel, and

wherein, when the operating part approaches one of the display parts, the action is predicted and the display part which the operating part approaches is highlighted and displayed.

5. The input device according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of display parts are arranged in a lateral direction perpendicular to a height direction of the operation panel.

6. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit specifies an action detection region divided into a plurality of partitions based on the image information, predicts the action based on entrance of the operating part into a predetermined partition located on a side of the operation panel in the action detection region, and performs the operation assistance.

7. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is able to identify whether an operator on the operation panel is a driver or a passenger other than the driver based on an entrance position of the operating part into the action detection region, and performs control such that the operation assistance on the operation panel differs according to the operator.

8. The input device according to claim 7, wherein the control unit performs the operation assistance only when the control unit identifies that the operator is a passenger on a front passenger seat.

9. The input device according to claim 7, wherein the control unit restricts an input operation on the operation panel more when identifying that the operator is the driver than when the operator is the passenger on the front passenger seat.

10. The input device according to claim 7, wherein, the control unit performs the operation assistance by preferring the action prediction of the passenger on the front passenger seat, when the control unit identifies that the operator is either of the driver and the passenger on the front passenger seat.

11. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is able to identify a height position of the operating part, and thus predicts the action on the operation panel of the operating part based on the height position of the operating part and performs the operation assistance.

12. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the action is predicted based on vector information regarding the operating part.

13. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the action is predicted by obtaining coordinates of a contour of a hand which is the operating part, calculating a position of a finger from the coordinates, and tracking a movement trajectory of the finger.