Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device – Cursor mark position control device
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-20
2004-06-29
Liang, Regina (Department: 2674)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
Cursor mark position control device
C345S184000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06756967
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manual input device with a force feedback function and a vehicle-mounted control device using it, and more particularly to technology for multifunctionalization of their input means and consolidation of those multiple functions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Already according to the prior art, there are known manual input devices with a force feedback function input means whose knob is enabled to cause the operator to sense resistance and provided with a thrust according to the quantity and direction of its manipulation to ensure its accurate manipulation by enabling the operator to well feel its reaction to the manipulation.
FIG. 12
illustrates a known example of manual input device of this kind. This manual input device consists of a rotary knob
101
, a detecting means
102
for detecting the quantity and direction of the rotation of the rotary knob
101
, an actuator
103
for loading the rotary knob
101
with an external force, a control unit
104
for taking in a detection signal a supplied from the detecting means
102
and generating control signals c for the actuator
103
, a D/A converter
105
for digital-to-analog (D/A) conversion of the control signal c supplied from the control unit
104
, and a power amplifier
106
for obtaining drive power for the actuator
103
by amplifying the control signal c converted into an analog signal by the D/A converter
105
. The control unit
104
consists of a CPU
104
a
and a memory
104
b
, and in the memory
104
b
are stored control signals c matching different detection signals a in a table form. The CPU
104
a
takes in the detection signal a from the detecting means
102
, reads a control signal b matching the detection signal a that has been taken in out of the memory
104
b
, and supplies it to the D/A converter
105
.
As the actuator
103
is thereby driven and enabled to apply a force feedback to the rotary knob
101
matching the quantity and direction of its manipulation, this manual input device enables the operator to well feel its reaction to the manipulation and accordingly to manipulate the rotary knob
101
accurately.
Manual input devices of this kind are used as by-wire type gear shift units for vehicles and functional adjustment apparatuses for various vehicle-mounted electric appliances including the air conditioner, radio, television, CD player and car navigation system.
When used as a gear shift device, the force feedback function that the manual input device is provided with is used as a locking means for enabling the driver to sense a click in changing the shift lever from one range to another, and thereby to forbid inappropriate manipulation of the shift lever from one specific range to another, for instance from the P (parking) range to the R (reverse) range or from the D (drive) range to the second speed range. Or when used as a functional adjustment apparatus for vehicle-mounded electric appliances, the force feedback function that the manual input device is provided with would be used for facilitating fine tuning of functions by enabling the rotary knob
101
to cause the operator to sense resistance or providing an appropriate thrust to the rotary knob
101
thereby to make its manipulation lighter. Further, the detection signal a can be used as a shift signal for the transmission to enable the gear engagement of the transmission to be changed according to the range shifting of the shift lever.
While the foregoing description referred to a case in which the manual input device is equipped with a rotary knob
101
, a manual input device provided with a joystick type knob swingable in two-dimensional directions in place of the rotary knob
101
and one with a lever type knob swiveling within a fixed plane are also known.
However, no manual input device provided with a plurality of knobs, each placed under force feedback control, has been proposed so far, leaving room for multifunctionalization of manual input devices and consolidation of those multiple functions.
For instance, where the manual input device shown in
FIG. 12
is to be applied as a functional adjustment apparatus for vehicle-mounted devices, as there are many vehicle-mounted devices involving diverse functions to be adjusted, trying to adjust the functions of all the vehicle-mounted devices with a single rotary knob
101
would rather adversely affect the operatability and be likely to invite more errors in operation. However, if a plurality of manual input devices are arranged in parallel on a vehicle-mounted device control unit, the manual input device will occupy a greater installation space, inviting another problem of a bulky and more costly vehicle-mounted device control unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention, attempted to solve the problems noted above, is to provide a compact and low-cost manual input device improved in operatability and multifunctionality and a compact and low-cost vehicle-mounted device control unit provided with a manual input device of this kind, also improved in operatability and multifunctionality.
According to a first aspect of the invention, in order to solve the problems noted above, there is provided a manual input device comprising a plurality of concentrically arranged knobs; one force feedback actuator for loading the plurality of knobs with an external force; a plurality of power transmission mechanisms, connected between the plurality of knobs and the force feedback actuator, for individually transmitting drive power supplied from the force feedback actuator to the plurality of knobs; and a plurality of detecting means for individually detecting the manipulated states of the plurality of knobs.
Equipping the manual input device with a plurality of knobs in this way enables the plurality of knobs to be used in a differentiated manner according to the device or the function to be adjusted, resulting in improved operatability and multifunctionalization of the manual input device. The concentric arrangement of the plurality of knobs makes possible consolidation of knob installation spaces and accordingly a reduction in the size of the manual input device. Furthermore, if the configuration is such that an external force for force feedback is selectively loaded from a single force feedback actuator onto each knob via a pertinent power transmission mechanism, the configuration of the manual input device can be made more compact than where a force feedback actuator is provided for each knob, resulting in reductions in size and cost of the manual input device and accordingly in power saving.
In a manual input device according to a second aspect of the invention, as the plurality of knobs in the first means for solving the problems, a joystick type knob and a rotary knob are concentrically provided.
Equipping the manual input device in this way with two kinds of knobs, manipulated differently from each other, prevents one kind of knob from being mistaken for the other kind of knob. Therefore, wrong manipulation of knobs is avoided, resulting in improved operatability of the manual input device. Furthermore, because a joystick type knob permits adjustment of multiple functions with a single knob, the manual input device can be multifunctionalized with a small number of knobs.
In a manual input device according to a third aspect of the invention, as each of the power transmission mechanisms in the first means for solving the problems, there are provided a clutch, a clutch change-over switch and a clutch change-over actuator operated by the switch.
Equipping as each of the power transmission mechanisms a clutch, a clutch change-over switch and a clutch change-over actuator operated by the switch in this way makes it possible to switch the power transmission path from the force feedback actuator to each knob by merely manipulating the clutch change-over switch, resulting in improved operatability of the manual input device.
In a manual input device according to a fourth aspect of the inve
Numata Hidetaka
Onodera Mikio
Seino Kenichi
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Liang Regina
LandOfFree
Manual input device improved in operatability 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 improved in operatability and..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Manual input device improved in operatability and... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3333351