Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Vehicle subsystem or accessory control
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-20
2003-07-08
Beaulieu, Yonel (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Vehicle subsystem or accessory control
Reexamination Certificate
active
06591175
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a manual input device with a force feedback function and a vehicle-mounted equipment controller using the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to control means for controlling an actuator that applies an external force as a feedback force to a knob.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, to provide a satisfying sensation while manipulating a knob and to secure the operation thereof, a manual input device with a force feedback function has been known which provides the knob with a sense of resistance and/or thrust corresponding to the amount and direction of manipulation of the knob.
Referring to
FIG. 17
, an example of a manual input device of the known type is illustrated. The known manual input device includes a knob
101
, sensing means
102
for detecting the amount and direction of manipulation of the knob
101
, and an actuator
103
for applying an external force to the knob
101
. The manual input device further includes a control portion
104
which receives a detection signal a outputted from the sensing means
102
and which generates a control signal c for controlling the actuator
103
, a D/A converter
105
which performs a digital-to-analog conversion of the control signal c outputted from the control portion
104
, and a power amplifier
106
which amplifies an analog signal c outputted from the D/A converter
105
to provide driving power for driving the actuator
103
. The control portion
104
is provided with a CPU
104
a
, and a memory
104
b
in which the control signal c corresponding to the detection signal a is stored in a table format. The CPU
104
a
receives the detection signal a from the sensing means
102
, reads from the memory
104
b
the control signal c corresponding to the received detection signal a, and outputs the control signal c to the D/A converter
105
.
This causes the driving of the actuator
103
, so that force feedback in response to the amount and direction of manipulation of the knob
101
can be provided to the knob
101
. Thus, the manual input device of this example can provide a satisfying sensation while manipulating the knob
101
and can secure the operation of the knob
101
.
These kinds of manual input devices have been applied to shift-by-wire gear systems for automobiles, and function adjusting devices for various vehicle-mounted electric equipment, such as air-conditioners, radios, TVs, CD players, and navigation systems.
When the manual input device is used as a gear shifter, a force feedback function provided in the manual input device is utilized, for example, to provide a notchy feeling while shifting the shift lever. Other applications include locking means for disabling irregular operations of the shift lever from changing from one gear to another, such as shifting from P (park) to R (reverse), and from D (drive) to second. When used as a function adjusting device for vehicle-mounted electric equipment, the force feedback function provided in the manual input device is utilized to provide an adequate sense of resistance to the knob
101
, thereby facilitating fine adjustment of the functions, and provides adequate thrust to the knob
101
, thereby facilitating the manipulation of the knob
101
.
When the manual input device is applied to the gear shifter of an automobile, the force feedback function provided in the manual input device may be used to prevent an incorrect operation of the shift lever from one position to another. In this case, however, electric power must be constantly supplied to the actuator
103
during the period of time when the shift lever is switched to a certain position, thus requiring more power consumption. Thus, in order to avoid such a disadvantage, the force feedback function, which is provided in the manual input device, may be utilized for only providing a notchy feeling while switching the shift lever. In this case, locking means for disabling the incorrect operation of the shift lever from one position to another is commonly accomplished by means of a mechanical arrangement.
However, the known manual input device is configured to control the actuator
103
merely based on the amount and direction of manipulation of the knob
101
. Thus, with the locking means mechanically configured, after the locking means is released, the force feedback function of the manual input device only provides a notchy feeling while switching the shift lever, thereby permitting the switching of the shift lever from drive to reverse or drive to second, for example, while driving at even a high speed. Even if the gear shifter is mistakenly operated such that it is placed from drive into reverse while diving at a high speed, the transmission installed in the automobile does not synchronize with the operation, so that a gearshift from the drive gear to the reverse gear does not occur. However, this may cause disagreement between the engagement status of the actual gears and the shift status of the shift lever. As a result, this arrangement makes it impossible for the gear shifter to operate the transmission in a correct manner. Furthermore, an unforeseen transmission shift could occur, which may cause an accidental operation such as a sudden stop or sudden deceleration.
This holds true to the case in which the manual input device is applied to a function adjusting device for vehicle-mounted electric equipment. This is because the known manual input device described above is configured to control the actuator
103
in accordance with the amount and direction of manipulation of the knob
101
, independently of the status of vehicle-mounted equipment whose functions are adjusted. The known manual input device, therefore, has problems of difficulty in appropriately adjusting the functions depending on the state of the vehicle-mounted electric equipment, thus resulting in a usability which cannot necessarily be called favorable.
SUMMARY
Accordingly, the present invention has been made to overcome the deficiencies of such known art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a manual input device having enhanced operability and reliability and being capable of providing an operation feeling that varies depending on the status of an exterior device to be operated.
To this end, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a manual input device, the manual input device includes: a knob for operating an external device; an actuator for applying an external force to the knob; a control portion for controlling the actuator; sensor for detecting the operation state of the knob; and an input/output portion for sending and receiving to send a first signal to the external device and to receive a second signal from the external device. The external device is connected to an external sensor that outputs an external signal. The control portion receives, at least, the external signal to generate a control signal for the actuator, the control signal corresponding to the external signal, thereby controlling the actuator.
In this arrangement, the actuator for applying an external force to the knob is controlled by the control signal generated in accordance with the external signal outputted from the external sensor. This allows fine-grained control of the actuator depending on the state of the external device. This arrangement, therefore, can prevent a disagreement between the driving state of the external device and the operation state of the knob, thereby enhancing the operability and reliability of the manual input device. In addition, the control portion is provided in the manual input device and all the detection signals and external signals are inputted to the control portion. This eliminates the need for making a change to the external device, thereby facilitating the application of the manual input device to the external device.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a manual input device that includes: a knob for operating an external device; an actuator fo
Numata Hidetaka
Onodera Mikio
Seino Kenichi
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Beaulieu Yonel
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
LandOfFree
Manual input device with force feedback function and... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Manual input device with force feedback function and..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Manual input device with force feedback function and... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3087219