Operator identifying apparatus, operator identifying method and vehicle-mounted apparatus

• US 8,410,794 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2009
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Nakayama, Tasuku, Cordeiro, Craig A., Geaghan, Bernard O.
• Primary Examiner(s): NATALINI, JEFF WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US12/995,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20110084707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 324/658
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0809 Driver authorisation; Driver identity check
• 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

Abstract

An operator identifying apparatus, operator identifying method, and a vehicle-mounted apparatus.

Claims

1. An operator identifying apparatus for identifying an operator that has operated an apparatus having an operation unit, comprising:

a first oscillator for outputting a first identifying signal;

a first electrode connected to said first oscillator and disposed so as to be able to transfer said first identifying signal to a first operator;

a second oscillator for outputting a second identifying signal that has a signal characteristic different from said first identifying signal;

a detector array including at least one detector for detecting said first identifying signal or said second identifying signal;

a second electrode for transferring said second identifying signal to a second operator during a first period that said first oscillator is outputting said first identifying signal and said second oscillator is outputting said second identifying signal, and for transferring said first identifying signal, when coupled to said second operator via said first operator, to said detector array during a second period that said first oscillator is outputting said first identifying signal but that is different from said first period;

a third electrode, disposed on said operation unit, for transferring said first identifying signal or said second identifying signal to said detector array when said first operator or said second operator touches said operation unit; and

,

a controller connected to said detector array, wherein

when said detector array detected said first identifying signal during said first period but did not detect said first identifying signal during said second period, said controller determines that said first operator has operated said operation unit, and

when said detector array detected said first identifying signal during said second period, said controller determines that both of said first operator and said second operator are involved in the operation of said apparatus.

2. The operator identifying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a switch for connecting said third electrode to said detector array and said second oscillator to said second electrode during said first period, and for connecting said second electrode to said detector array and disconnecting said second oscillator from said second electrode during said second period.

3. The operator identifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detector array includes a first detector for detecting said first or second identifying signal during said first period, and a second detector for detecting said first identifying signal during said second period, and

said third electrode is connected to said first detector, and wherein

said operator identifying apparatus further includes a switch for connecting said second oscillator to said second electrode during said first period, and for connecting said second detector to said second electrode during said second period.

4. The operator identifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second electrode includes a first sub-electrode connected to said second oscillator and a second sub-electrode, and wherein

said operator identifying apparatus further includes a switch for connecting said third electrode to said detector array during said first period, and for connecting said second sub-electrode to said detector array during said second period.

5. The operator identifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detector array includes a first detector for detecting said first or second identifying signal during said first period, and a second detector for detecting said first identifying signal during said second period,

said third electrode is connected to said first detector, and

said second electrode includes a first sub-electrode connected to said second oscillator and a second sub-electrode connected to said second detector.

6. The operator identifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when said detector array detected said second identifying signal during said first period and did not detect said first identifying signal during said second period, said controller determines that said second operator has operated said operation unit.

7. The operator identifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first identifying signal and said second identifying signal have the same oscillation frequency but are inverted in phase with respect to each other, and wherein

in said first period, said controller determines that said first identifying signal has been detected when the signal detected by said detector array is identical in phase and frequency to said first identifying signal, but determines that said second identifying signal has been detected when the signal detected by said detector array is identical in phase and frequency to said second identifying signal.

8. The operator identifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first identifying signal and said second identifying signal have different oscillation frequencies, and wherein

in said first period, said controller determines that said first identifying signal has been detected when the signal detected by said detector array is identical in frequency to said first identifying signal, but determines that said second identifying signal has been detected when the signal detected by said detector array is identical in frequency to said second identifying signal.

9. A vehicle-mounted apparatus comprising:

an operator identifying apparatus as described in claim 1;

an operation unit; and

,

a control unit for performing processing in response to an operation that a first operator or a second operator has performed via said operation unit, and wherein

when said operation unit is operated during vehicle driving, if a signal indicating that said first operator has performed said operation unit or a signal indicating that both of said first operator and said second operator are involved in said operation is received from said operator identifying apparatus, said control unit disables said operation.

10. An operator identifying apparatus for identifying an operator that has operated an apparatus having an operation unit, comprising:

an oscillator array, including at least one oscillator, for outputting a first identifying signal during a first period and for outputting a second identifying signal during a second period that is different from said first period;

a first electrode disposed so as to be able to transfer said first identifying signal to a first operator;

a second electrode disposed so as to be able to transfer said second identifying signal to a second operator;

a first detector for detecting said first identifying signal or said second identifying signal;

a third electrode, disposed on said operation unit and connected to said first detector, for transferring said first identifying signal or said second identifying signal to said first detector when said first operator or said second operator touches said operation unit;

a second detector for detecting said second identifying signal passed through said second operator and said first operator during said second period; and

,

a controller connected to said first and second detectors, wherein

when said first detector detected said first identifying signal during said first period, and when neither said first detector nor said second detector detected said second identifying signal during said second period, said operator determines that said first operator has operated said operation unit, and

when said second detector detected said second identifying signal during said second period, said controller determines that both of said first operator and said second operator are involved in the operation of said apparatus.

11. The operator identifying apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said oscillator array includes a first oscillator for outputting said first identifying signal and a second oscillator for outputting said second identifying signal, and

said second oscillator is connected to said second electrode during said second period, and wherein

said operator identifying apparatus further includes a switch for connecting said first electrode to said first oscillator during said first period, and for connecting said first electrode to said second detector during said second period.

12. The operator identifying apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said oscillator array includes a first oscillator for outputting said first identifying signal and a second oscillator for outputting said second identifying signal,

said first oscillator is connected to said first electrode, said first oscillator being controlled not to output said first identifying signal during said second period,

said second oscillator is connected to said second electrode, and wherein

said operator identifying apparatus further includes a fourth electrode, connected to said second detector, for transferring said second identifying signal passed through said second operator and said first operator to said second detector.

13. The operator identifying apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a switch for connecting said oscillator array to said first electrode during said first period, and for connecting said oscillator array to said second electrode during said second period; and

,

a fourth electrode, connected to said second detector, for transferring said second identifying signal passed through said second operator and said first operator to said second detector.

14. The operator identifying apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a switch for connecting said oscillator array to said first electrode during said first period, and for connecting said oscillator array to said second electrode and said first electrode to said second detector during said second period.

15. The operator identifying apparatus according to claim 10, wherein when said first detector did not detect said first identifying signal during said first period, and when, during said second period, said first detector detected said second identifying signal but said second detector did not detect said second identifying signal, the controller determines that said second operator has operated said operation unit.

16. An operator identifying apparatus for identifying an operator that has operated an apparatus having an operation unit, comprising:

a first oscillator for outputting a first identifying signal oscillating with a prescribed frequency;

a first electrode connected to said first oscillator and disposed so as to be able to transfer said first identifying signal to a first operator;

a second oscillator for outputting a second identifying signal that is identical in frequency and amplitude to said first identifying signal but is inverted in phase with respect to said first identifying signal;

a second electrode connected to said second oscillator and disposed so as to be able to transfer said second identifying signal to a second operator;

a detector for detecting said first identifying signal or said second identifying signal;

a third electrode, disposed on said operation unit and connected to said detector, for transferring said first identifying signal or said second identifying signal to said detector when said first operator or said second operator touches said operation unit; and

,

a controller connected to said detector, wherein

when said detector detected said first identifying signal, said controller determines that said first operator has operated said operation unit, and

when said detector detected neither said first identifying signal nor said second identifying signal, said controller determines that both of said first operator and said second operator are involved in the operation of said apparatus.

17. The operator identifying apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said controller determines that said first identifying signal has been detected when the signal detected by said detector is identical in phase to said first identifying signal, but determines that said second identifying signal has been detected when the signal detected by said detector is identical in phase to said second identifying signal.

18. The operator identifying apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said controller determines that neither said first identifying signal nor said second identifying signal has been detected when a maximum amplitude of the signal detected by said detector is smaller than an amplitude of a signal produced by combining said first identifying signal and said second identifying signal.

19. The operator identifying apparatus according to claim 16, wherein when said detector detected said second identifying signal, said controller determines that said second operator has operated said operation unit.

20. An operator identifying method for identifying an operator that has operated an apparatus having an operation unit, comprising the steps of:

in a first period, supplying a first identifying signal produced by a first oscillator to a first electrode disposed so as to be able to transfer said first identifying signal to a first operator, and supplying a second identifying signal produced by a second oscillator and having a characteristic different from said first identifying signal to a second electrode disposed so as to be able to transfer said second identifying signal to a second operator;

in said first period, detecting by said detector said first identifying signal or said second identifying signal transferred thereto via a third electrode disposed on said operation unit when said operation unit is touched by said first operator or said second operator;

in a second period different from said first period, supplying said first identifying signal from said first oscillator to said first electrode, and detecting by said detector said first identifying signal transferred thereto by passing through said first operator and said second operator;

determining that both of said first operator and said second operator are involved in the operation of said apparatus when said detector detected said first identifying signal during said second period; and

,

determining that said first operator has operated said operation unit when said detector did not detect said first identifying signal during said second period but detected said first identifying signal during said first period.