Vehicular manipulation input apparatus

• US 8,510,674 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2011
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Hisatsugu, Shinsuke, Minamitani, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Stork, Kyle
• Assistant Examiner(s): Xia, Xuyang
• Application Number:
  US13/134,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20110307824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 715/781
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/113 Scrolling through menu items
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/117 Cursors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/126 Rotatable input devices for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/135 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/145 Instrument input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/11 Graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/113 Scrolling through menu items
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/117 Cursors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/126 Rotatable input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/135 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/145 Input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
• 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: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A vehicular manipulation input apparatus includes a display device and a remote manipulation device. A manipulation to a manipulation member of the manipulation device is enabled by several manipulation manners. One of the several manipulation manners is designated as a valid manipulation manner in the manipulation device according to a window displayed on a screen of the display device. The designated valid manipulation manner is suggested by not only a display on the screen of the display device, but also an ornament display portion arranged around the manipulation member of the manipulation device.

Claims

1. A vehicular manipulation input apparatus in a vehicle, comprising:

a central processing unit;

a display device that displays a window on a screen;

a composite manipulation device including a manipulation member, to which a manipulation is enabled by a first manipulation manner and a second manipulation manner, the first manipulation manner being different from the second manipulation manner in respect of a manipulation direction, the manipulation to the manipulation member enabling a remote manipulation input to the window displayed on the screen of the display device;

wherein

the manipulation member comprises a main body portion and a transformable portion;

the transformable portion is transformable between a first state and a second state;

when the transformable portion is in the first state, a manipulation of the first manipulation manner is permitted while a manipulation of the second manipulation manner is restricted;

when the transformable portion is in the second state, a manipulation of the second manipulation manner is permitted while a manipulation of the first manipulation manner is restricted;

the vehicular manipulation input apparatus further comprising;

a manipulation manner designation section configured to designate a valid manipulation manner that is one of the first manipulation manner and the second manipulation manner, whichever is in a valid state in the composite manipulation device according to the window on the screen of the display device;

a manipulation manner display portion arranged in at least one of the manipulation member and a periphery of the manipulation member, the manipulation manner display portion containing a first display portion that suggests the first manipulation manner and a second display portion that suggests the second manipulation manner;

a primary display control section configured to cause the display device to execute a display that suggests the valid manipulation manner;

an auxiliary display control section configured to highlight one of the first display portion and the second display portion, whichever corresponds to the valid manipulation manner designated by the manipulation manner designation section, more than an other of the first display portion and the second display portion, whichever does not correspond to the valid manipulation manner designated by the manipulation manner designation section; and

a restriction portion configured to restrict a manipulation of one of the first manipulation manner and the second manipulation manner, whichever is different from the valid manipulation manner designated by the manipulation manner designation section;

wherein the first manipulation manner is a rotating manipulation manner in which the manipulation member is rotated around a rotation axis;

the second manipulation manner is a tilting manipulation manner in which the manipulation member is tilted in a direction orthogonal to a reference axis from a reference position where the reference axis accords with a the rotation axis of the first manipulation member;

the composite manipulation device includes a housing in addition to the manipulation member;

the manipulation member containing the main body portion and the transformable portion protrudes towards an outside of the housing from a hole portion that penetrates inside of the housing in a protruding direction;

the main body portion is enabled to rotate based on the rotating manipulation manner around the protruding direction that accords with the rotation axis;

the transformable portion is provided in a non-rotation state with respect to the housing while permitting the main body portion to rotate around the rotation axis;

the transformable portion is reciprocally movable between a concealment position and an exposure position;

at the concealment position, the transformable portion surrounds a protruding tip portion of the main body portion to conceal an outer circumference face of the protruding tip portion;

at the exposure position, the transformable portion is moved from the concealment position towards the housing to expose the outer circumference face of the protruding tip portion;

when the transformable portion is at the concealment position, a spacing is provided between a front face of the housing and the transformable portion, permitting a tilting manipulation of the manipulation member;

when the transformable portion is at the exposure position, a flat face of the transformable portion and a front face of the housing are in contact with each other, restricting the tilting manipulation of the manipulation member;

the restriction portion includes a drive portion and a drive control section;

the drive portion moves the transformable portion between the concealment position being the second state and the exposure position being the first state; and

the restriction portion causes the drive portion to move the transformable portion to the exposure position when the valid manipulation manner switches over to the first manipulation manner, whereas the restriction portion causes the drive portion to move the transformable portion to the concealment position when the valid manipulation manner switches over to the second manipulation manner.

2. The vehicular manipulation input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

in the tilting manipulation manner, the rotation axis of the manipulation member is permitted to tilt from the reference position, where the rotation axis accords with the reference axis, in one of at least three specified directions;

a tip face of the protruding tip portion of the main body portion is shaped of a circle orthogonal to the rotation axis; and

an outer edge of the transformable portion is shaped of a polygon having sides in the at least three specified directions.

3. The vehicular manipulation input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transformable portion includes a fitting hole portion which fits with the main body portion at the concealment position so as to conceal, from an outside, all faces of the main body portion expect for a tip face.

4. The vehicular manipulation input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the primary display control section displays on the screen a manipulation direction display image that models for a display state of the manipulation manner display portion.

5. The vehicular manipulation input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the composite manipulation device further includes in addition to the manipulation member a housing and an auxiliary display device, which is different from the display device and arranged in a front face of the housing around the manipulation member for a manipulation manner display; and

the auxiliary display control section highlights, on a screen of the auxiliary display device, a display area corresponding to one of the first manipulation manner and the second manipulation manner, whichever is the valid manipulation manner designated by the manipulation manner designation section, more than a display portion corresponding to an other of the first manipulation manner and the second manipulation manner, whichever is not the valid manipulation manner designated by the manipulation manner designation section.

6. The vehicular manipulation input apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the drive portion moves the transformable portion reciprocally between the concealment position and the exposure position while a positional relation between the housing and the main body portion is unchanged.

7. A vehicular manipulation input apparatus comprising:

a central processing unit;

a display device that displays a window on a screen;

a composite manipulation device including a housing and a manipulation member, whose manipulation permits a remote manipulation input to the window on the screen, the manipulation being made by a rotating manipulation manner and a tilting manipulation manner,

the rotating manipulation manner in which the manipulation member is rotated around a predetermined rotation axis,

the tilting manipulation manner in which the manipulation member is tilted in a direction orthogonal to a reference axis from a reference position where the reference axis accords with the rotation axis of the manipulation member;

a manipulation manner designation section that designates a valid manipulation manner that is either the rotating manipulation manner or the tilting manipulation manner, whichever is in a valid state in the composite manipulation device according to the window on the screen; and

a restriction portion that restricts a manipulation of either the rotating manipulation manner or the tilting manipulation manner, whichever is different from the valid manipulation manner, wherein;

the manipulation member protrudes towards an outside of the housing from a hole portion that penetrates inside of the housing;

the manipulation member includes a main body portion and a transformable portion, the main body portion being rotated based on the rotating manipulation manner around the rotation axis,

the transformable portion being in a non-rotation state with respect to the housing;

the transformable portion is reciprocally movable between a concealment position and an exposure position;

at the concealment position, the transformable portion surrounds a protruding tip portion of the main body portion to conceal an outer circumference face, and a spacing is provided between a front face of the housing and the transformable portion, permitting a manipulation of the tilting manipulation manner while restricting a manipulation of the rotating manipulation manner; and

at the exposure position, the transformable portion is moved from the concealment position towards the housing to expose the outer circumference face of the protruding tip portion, and a flat face of the transformable portion and a front face of the housing are in contact with each other, restricting a manipulation of the tilting manipulation manner while permitting a manipulation of the rotating manner;

the restriction portion includes a drive portion and a drive control section;

the drive portion moves the transformable portion reciprocally between the concealment position and the exposure position; and

the restriction portion causes the drive portion to move the transformable portion to the exposure position when the valid manipulation manner switches over to the rotating manipulation manner, whereas the restriction portion causes the drive portion to move the transformable portion to the concealment position when the valid manipulation manner switches over to the tilting manipulation manner.

8. The vehicular manipulation input apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the drive portion moves the transformable portion reciprocally between the concealment position and the exposure position while a positional relation between the housing and the main body portion is unchanged.

9. The vehicular manipulation input apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a manipulation manner display portion arranged in at least one of the manipulation member and a periphery of the manipulation member, the manipulation manner display portion containing a first display portion that suggests the rotating manipulation manner and a second display portion that suggests the tilting manipulation manner;

a primary display control section configured to cause the display device to execute a display that suggests the valid manipulation manner; and

an auxiliary display control section configured to highlight, in display, one of the first display portion and the second display portion, whichever corresponds to the valid manipulation manner designated by the manipulation manner designation section, more than an other of the first display portion and the second display portion, whichever does not correspond to the valid manipulation manner designated by the manipulation manner designation section.