JP5875337B2 - Input device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an input device used for an input operation of an in-vehicle device.

  An in-vehicle device that recognizes characters drawn on a touch panel is known (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2007-178279 A

  In a conventional touch pad (including a touch panel), the user needs to perform an input operation according to the vertical direction of the touch pad. However, when the user or the like who fastens the seat belt operates the touch pad (including the touch panel) of the in-vehicle device, the direction of the hand extended by the user and the vertical direction of the touch pad may be greatly different. In such a situation, when performing a complicated input operation such as character drawing, the user has to perform an operation with an unnatural posture such as twisting the wrist.

The present invention is an input device used for an input operation to an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle, and includes a touch pad having a detection surface for detecting finger contact, and a contact position of a thumb that first contacts the detection surface. A thumb detecting means for detecting the forefinger, an index finger detecting means for detecting the contact position of the index finger secondly contacting the detection surface, a contact position of the thumb detected by the thumb detecting means, and an index finger detected by the index finger detecting means. Corresponds to the trajectory of the index finger contact position based on the direction of the hand specified by the hand direction specifying means and the direction of the hand specified by the hand direction specifying means based on the touch position and an operation recognition means for recognizing an input operation to the in-vehicle apparatus, the hand direction specifying means, first detection including the contact position and the contact position of the index finger of the thumb each have a predetermined shape When the region and the second detection area are set on the detection surface and the trajectory passes through the first detection area, the direction of the left hand corresponding to the contact position of the thumb and the contact position of the index finger is set on the touch pad. When the trajectory passes through the second detection area, the direction of the right hand corresponding to the contact position of the thumb and the contact position of the index finger is input to the touch pad. an input device which is characterized that you identified as the orientation of the hand to perform.

  According to the present invention, since the direction of the user's hand that has touched the touch pad is specified and the input operation is recognized based on the specified direction of the hand, it is not necessary for the user to perform an operation with an unnatural posture.

It is a block block diagram of the input device by one embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the direction of the hand which a hand direction specification means specifies. It is an example of the flowchart regarding a hand direction specific | specification means. It is a figure for demonstrating the 1st detection area and 2nd detection area which are set on the detection surface of a touchpad based on the contact position of a thumb and the contact position of an index finger. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of a menu operation by the input device 1. FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an input device according to an embodiment of the present invention. An input device 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is an input device of an in-vehicle device such as a navigation device, and includes a touch pad 10 and an input control unit 20. The touch pad 10 has a detection surface that detects contact of the user's finger, and outputs a signal corresponding to the contact position of the finger to the input control unit 20. The touch pad 10 is a multi-touch type touch pad, and when a plurality of fingers touch the detection surface at the same time, the plurality of fingers touching the detection surface can be detected separately.

  The input control unit 20 includes a thumb detection unit 21, an index finger detection unit 22, a hand direction identification unit 23, and an operation recognition unit 24. The input control unit 20 recognizes an input operation performed by the user based on a signal input from the touch pad 10 and transmits it to the in-vehicle device side. The input control unit 20 is configured by, for example, a CPU provided in the in-vehicle device.

  The thumb detection unit 21 detects the contact position of the user's thumb that has touched the touchpad 10. The thumb detection unit 21 determines whether the finger touched by the user is the thumb based on the order in which the finger contacts the detection surface of the touch pad 10. For example, the thumb detection unit 21 detects the contact position of the finger that first contacts the detection surface of the touch pad 10 as the contact position of the thumb.

  The index finger detection unit 22 detects the contact position of the user's index finger that has touched the touchpad 10. The index finger detection unit 22 determines whether the finger touched by the user is an index finger based on the order in which the finger contacts the detection surface of the touch pad 10. For example, the index finger detection unit 22 detects the contact position of the finger that has contacted the detection surface of the touch pad 10 as the contact position of the index finger.

  The hand direction specifying unit 23 specifies the direction of the hand operating the touch pad 10 based on the contact position of the thumb detected by the thumb detection unit 21 and the contact position of the index finger detected by the index finger detection unit 22. The “hand direction” specified by the hand direction specifying unit 23 is a direction from the base of the hand in contact with the touchpad 10 toward the middle finger.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the direction of the hand specified by the hand direction specifying unit 23. FIG. 2A shows a state where the touch pad 10 is installed on the center console 100 of the vehicle. FIG. 2B shows a state in which the user sitting on the driver's seat 101 of the vehicle shown in FIG. 2A extends the right hand 2 to the touch pad 10. In FIG. 2B, the thumb of the right hand 2 and the index finger are in contact with the detection surface of the touch pad 10. An arrow 3 indicates the upward direction of the touch pad 10. An arrow 4 is an example of a “hand direction” specified by the hand direction specifying unit 23 and indicates a direction from the base 2a of the right hand 2 performing an input operation to the touch pad 10 toward the middle finger 2b. Hereinafter, the arrow 4 is referred to as the direction 4 of the right hand 2.

  The operation recognizing unit 24 recognizes an input operation to the in-vehicle device based on the direction of the hand specified by the hand direction specifying unit 23 and the locus of the contact position of the index finger detected by the index finger detecting unit 22. The input operation to the in-vehicle device is, for example, character input or menu operation.

  Processing performed by the operation recognition unit 24 will be described using the situation of FIG. FIG. 2B shows a state in which characters are input via the touch pad 10 to the in-vehicle device in an operation mode that accepts character input. On the touch pad 10 shown in FIG. 2B, “Hi” in hiragana is entered by the index finger of the right hand 2. The operation recognition unit 24 recognizes that the operation mode of the in-vehicle device is a mode that accepts character input. Then, the operation recognizing unit 24 recognizes the direction 4 of the right hand 2 specified by the hand direction specifying unit 23 as the upward direction of the input character, and draws by the locus of the contact position of the index finger detected by the index finger detecting unit 22. Interpret the characters that are Since the operation recognizing unit 24 recognizes the direction 4 of the right hand 2 specified by the hand direction specifying unit 23 as the upward direction of the input character, the character input in FIG. It can be correctly interpreted as a “Hi” in Hiragana. The operation recognizing unit 24 recognizes that “tsu” has been input to the in-vehicle device.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart regarding the processing of the hand direction identification unit 23. In step S <b> 301, the hand direction specifying unit 23 acquires information regarding the contact position of the thumb detected by the thumb detection unit 21. In step S <b> 302, the hand direction specifying unit 23 acquires information regarding the contact position of the index finger detected by the index finger detection unit 22.

  In step S <b> 303, the hand direction specifying unit 23 sets a first detection area corresponding to the left hand and a second detection area corresponding to the right hand on the detection surface of the touch pad 10. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the first detection area and the second detection area set by the hand direction identification unit 23 in step S303.

  When the hand direction specifying unit 23 acquires the contact position 41 of the thumb in step S301 and acquires the contact position 42 of the index finger in step S302, the left hand 44a is first determined based on the contact position 41 of the thumb and the contact position 42 of the index finger. The size of the right hand 44b, the first direction 46a corresponding to the direction of the left hand 44a, and the second direction 46b corresponding to the direction of the right hand 44b are specified. Then, the elliptical arc 43a and the elliptical arc 43b are set on the detection surface of the touch pad 10 based on the sizes of the left hand 44a and the right hand 44b, the first direction 46a, and the second direction 46b, respectively. The elliptical arc 43a is set as passing through the tip of each finger of the left hand 44a where the thumb is at the contact position 41 and the index finger is at the contact position 42. The elliptical arc 43b is set as passing through the tip of each finger of the right hand 44b where the thumb is at the contact position 41 and the index finger is at the contact position 42. The left hand 44a and the right hand 44b have predetermined shapes such as the degree of finger opening and the length ratio of the five fingers based on the shape of a standard human hand.

  Next, the hand direction specifying part 23 has a predetermined shape (a quarter cut of an ellipse) formed by a straight line 47a passing through the center of the base 45a of the left hand 44a and extending in the first direction 46a and an elliptical arc 43a. Is set as the first detection area 48a. The hand direction specifying unit 23 has a predetermined shape (a quarter cut of an ellipse) formed by a straight line 47b that extends through the center of the base 45b of the right hand 44b and extends toward the second direction 46b, and an elliptical arc 43b. The region is set to the second detection region 48b. As shown in FIG. 4, the first detection area 48a and the second detection area 48b are in a line-symmetric relationship with a line segment 49 connecting the contact position 41 of the thumb and the contact position 42 of the index finger as the symmetry axis.

  In step S304, the hand direction specifying unit 23 detects the first detection area 48a and the second detection region 48a set in step S303 and the locus of the contact position of the index finger detected by the index finger detection unit 22 when the user moves the index finger on the touch pad 10. It is determined which of the detection areas 48b has been passed. The hand direction identification unit 23 proceeds to step S305 when the locus of the contact position of the index finger passes the first detection region 48a, and proceeds to step S306 when the locus of the contact position of the index finger passes the second detection region 48b. .

  In step S305, the hand direction specifying unit 23 specifies the direction of the hand that is actually in contact with the touch pad 10 as the first direction 46a. In step S306, the hand direction specifying unit 23 specifies the direction of the hand that is actually in contact with the touch pad 10 as the second direction 46b.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of the menu operation based on the direction of the hand specified by the hand direction specifying unit 23 and the locus of the contact position of the index finger detected by the index finger detecting unit 22. In FIGS. 5A and 5B, the touch pad 10 is overlaid on the display monitor and used as a part of the touch panel. When the thumb and index finger of the left hand 5 come into contact with the detection surface of the touchpad 10 as shown in FIG. 5A, the direction of the left hand 5 is the direction of the arrow 6 in FIG. Identified. At this time, the menu screen 500 of FIG. 5B is displayed on the display monitor existing under the touch pad 10. In the menu screen 500, a determination button 501 is displayed corresponding to the contact position of the thumb of the left hand 5, and a predetermined distance in the direction of the arrow 6 from the contact position of the thumb of the left hand 5 (within the range where the index finger of the left hand 5 slides and reaches). A menu button 502a is displayed at a position separated by (distance). Then, the menu button 502b and the menu button 502c are displayed around the menu button 502a (position within the range where the index finger of the left hand 5 slides).

  Menu buttons 502 a to 502 c correspond to menu items that can be selected on the menu screen 500. When the index finger of the left hand 5 is slid to any of the menu buttons 502a to 502c, the menu button with the index finger of the left hand 5 slid can be dragged. When a draggable menu button is dragged onto the enter button 501, the operation recognition unit 24 recognizes that the item corresponding to the menu button has been selected.

According to the embodiment described above, the following operational effects are obtained.
The input device 1 according to the present embodiment is used for an input operation to an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle, and includes a touch pad 10, a thumb detection unit 21, an index finger detection unit 22, a hand direction specification unit 23, and an operation. A recognition unit 24. The touch pad 10 has a detection surface for detecting finger contact. The thumb detection unit 21 detects the contact position of the finger that first contacts the detection surface of the touch pad 10 as the contact position of the thumb. The index finger detection unit 22 detects the contact position of the finger that secondly contacts the detection surface of the touch pad 10 as the contact position of the index finger. The hand direction specifying unit 23 detects the thumb by the thumb detection unit 21, and determines the direction of the hand to input to the touch pad 10 based on the locus of the contact position of the index finger detected by the index finger detection unit 22. Identify (Figure 3). The operation recognizing unit 24 recognizes an input operation to the in-vehicle device corresponding to the locus of the contact position of the index finger based on the hand orientation specified by the hand direction specifying unit 23. When the input device 1 according to the present embodiment performs an input operation to the in-vehicle device, the input device 1 identifies the orientation of the user's hand and correctly recognizes the input operation corresponding to the identified orientation. There is no need to operate with an unnatural posture.

The embodiment described above can be implemented with the following modifications.
(Modification 1) The installation position of the touch pad 10 is not limited to the position shown in FIG. For example, it may be provided on an armrest of a vehicle or a rear seat display device that is suspended from the ceiling of the vehicle.
(Modification 2) The shapes of the first detection region 48a and the second detection region 48b are not limited to the shapes shown in FIG. As long as the outer periphery of the shape passes at least the contact position 41 of the thumb and the contact position 42 of the index finger, it may be a right-angled isosceles triangle or a rectangle.
(Modification 3) When the touch pad 10 is provided at a position on a substantially central axis with respect to the left-right direction of the vehicle, for example, the center console 100 as shown in FIG. The seat on which the operating user is seated can be specified based on the direction of the hand specified by. That is, the input control unit 20 specifies the left seat when the direction of the hand contacting the touchpad 10 is specified as the first direction 46a by the hand direction specifying unit 23, and specifies the second direction 46b when the direction is specified as the first direction 46a. Identify as right seat. Such a function can be used when the vehicle-mounted device that is input via the input device opens different menus for the driver and the passenger sitting in the passenger seat.

  The above embodiments and modifications may be combined and executed as long as the features of the invention are not impaired. The above-described embodiments and modifications are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these contents as long as the features of the invention are not impaired.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Input device 10 Touchpad 20 Input control part 21 Thumb detection part 22 Index finger detection part 23 Hand direction specific part 24 Operation recognition part 100 Center console

Claims (3)

An input device used for input operation to an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle,
A touchpad having a detection surface for detecting finger contact;
Thumb detection means for detecting a contact position of the thumb that first contacts the detection surface;
An index finger detecting means for detecting a contact position of the index finger that is secondly in contact with the detection surface;
A hand direction that specifies the orientation of the hand that performs input to the touchpad based on the contact position of the thumb detected by the thumb detection means and the contact position of the index finger detected by the index finger detection means Specific means,
Operation recognition means for recognizing an input operation to the in-vehicle device corresponding to the locus of the contact position of the index finger, based on the direction of the hand specified by the hand direction specifying means ,
The hand direction specifying means includes
A first detection area and a second detection area having a predetermined shape and including the contact position of the thumb and the contact position of the index finger, respectively, are set on the detection surface;
When the trajectory passes through the first detection area, the orientation of the left hand corresponding to the contact position of the thumb and the contact position of the index finger is specified as the orientation of the hand performing input to the touch pad. ,
When the trajectory passes through the second detection area, the direction of the right hand corresponding to the contact position of the thumb and the contact position of the index finger is specified as the direction of the hand performing input with respect to the touch pad. An input device characterized by that. The input device according to claim 1 ,
The hand direction specifying means sets the first detection area and the second detection area to be symmetrical with respect to each other with a line connecting the contact position of the thumb and the contact position of the index finger as an axis of symmetry. Characteristic input device. The input device according to claim 1 or 2 ,
The touch pad is provided at a position on a substantially central axis with respect to the left-right direction of the vehicle,
When the hand direction specifying means specifies the direction of the left hand as the direction of the hand performing input with respect to the touchpad, it is determined that the user sitting on the right seat of the vehicle is operating the input device,
Determining that the user sitting on the left seat of the vehicle is operating the input device when the hand direction specifying means specifies the direction of the right hand as the direction of the hand inputting to the touchpad. An input device characterized by.

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