Input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10768705-B2
Application number	US-201916249260-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2019
Priority date	Jan 19, 2018
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

A main body includes an input component that receives a load. A pressure-sensitive sensor detects the load received by the input component. A drive unit performs a predetermined operation. A drive controller activates the drive unit when the load detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor reaches a predetermined load threshold. A detection controller changes the predetermined load threshold in accordance with the rate of change in the load detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An input device, comprising:
a main body including an input component that receives a load by being pressed;
a pressure-sensitive sensor that detects the load received by the input component;
a drive unit configured to perform a predetermined operation; and
a controller including a drive controller and a detection controller, the drive controller activating the drive unit when the load detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor reaches a predetermined load threshold, and the detection controller changing the predetermined load threshold in accordance with a rate of change in the load detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor, wherein:
the drive unit is configured to vibrate the input component in response to control by the drive controller,
the predetermined load threshold is one of (i) a predetermined press threshold for a press input defined by a gradual increase in the load received by the input component and (ii) a predetermined release threshold for a release input defined by a gradual decrease in the load received by the input component,
the drive controller activates the drive unit when one of (i) the load detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor during the press input gradually increases and reaches the predetermined press threshold and (ii) the load detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor during the release input gradually decreases and reaches the predetermined release threshold, and
the detection controller one of (i) changes the predetermined press threshold in accordance with the rate of change in the load detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor during the press input, the rate of change during the press input being a press velocity, and (ii) changes the predetermined release threshold in accordance with the rate of change in the load detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor during the release input, the rate of change during the release input being a release velocity.

2. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein
the detection controller one of (i) sets the predetermined press threshold to a first press threshold when the press velocity does not exceed a predetermined press velocity threshold during the press input, and sets the predetermined press threshold to a second press threshold lower than the first press threshold when the press velocity exceeds the predetermined press velocity threshold during the press input, and (ii) sets the predetermined release threshold to a first release threshold when the release velocity does not exceed a predetermined release velocity threshold during the release input, and sets the predetermined release threshold to a second release threshold higher than the first release threshold when the release velocity exceeds the predetermined release velocity threshold during the release input.

3. The input device according to claim 2 , wherein
the predetermined press velocity threshold is set based on a plurality of press velocities, each being the press velocity, obtained by a user performing the press input a plurality of times, and
the predetermined release velocity threshold is set based on a plurality of release velocities, each being the release velocity, obtained by the user performing the release input a plurality of times.

4. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein
the drive controller changes, in accordance with the press velocity, at least one of an amplitude, a frequency, and a duration of a vibration applied to the input component by the drive unit.

5. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein
the input component moves in a direction in which the load is applied, in accordance with an increase in the load,
the main body includes a stopper that contacts the input component to restrict movement of the input component in the direction,
when the load detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor during the press input reaches a predetermined maximum load, the drive controller changes, among an amplitude, a frequency, and a duration of a vibration applied to the input component by the drive unit, at least the amplitude, and
the predetermined maximum load is set to a value greater than a value of the load at contact between the input component and the stopper during the press input.

6. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein
when the press input is repeated two or more times consecutively, the detection controller sets the predetermined press threshold for second and subsequent instances of the press input lower than the predetermined press threshold set for a first instance of the press input.

7. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein
the drive controller changes, in accordance with the release velocity, at least one of an amplitude, a frequency, and a duration of a vibration applied to the input component by the drive unit.

8. An input device, comprising:
a main body including an input component that receives a load by being pressed;
a pressure-sensitive sensor that detects the load received by the input component;
a drive unit configured to perform a predetermined operation;
a controller including a drive controller and a detection controller, the drive controller activating the drive unit when the load detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor reaches a predetermined load threshold, and the detection controller changing the predetermined load threshold in accordance with a rate of change in the load detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor; and
an electrostatic capacitive touch sensor configured to detect a surface area of contact with at least an object used to perform an input, wherein:
the controller:
calculates pressure applied to the electrostatic capacitive touch sensor by dividing the load output from the pressure-sensitive sensor by the surface area output from the electrostatic capacitive touch sensor;
determines a load state, including whether a press input is being performed or not, of the electrostatic capacitive touch sensor by comparing the pressure with a predetermined pressure threshold;
provides haptic feedback to the object according to the load state;
calculates a vibration strength for the drive unit based on the surface area;
includes storage that stores a reference vibration strength for the drive unit and a plurality of coefficients corresponding to different magnitudes of the surface area; and
calculates the vibration strength for the surface area output by the electrostatic capacitive touch sensor based on a mathematical product of the reference vibration strength and a coefficient in the plurality of coefficients that corresponds to the surface area output by the electrostatic capacitive touch sensor, and

the drive unit is configured to generate the haptic feedback to be applied to the object by vibrating the electrostatic capacitive touch sensor.

9. The input device according to claim 8 , wherein
the controller calculates the vibration strength to increase with an increase in the surface area.

10. The input device according to claim 8 , wherein
the controller is configured to arbitrarily set the reference vibration strength.

11. An input device comprising:
a main body including an input component that receives a load by being pressed;
a pressure-sensitive sensor that detects the load received by the input component;
a drive unit configured to perform a predetermined operation;
a controller including a drive controller and a detection controller, the drive controller activating the drive unit when the load detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor reaches a predetermined load threshold, and the detection controller changing the predetermined load threshold in accordance with a rate of change in the load detect

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Masamoto Kai
• Togawa Hiroyuki
• Sonoda Sho
• Maenaka Shogo
• Kitahashi Masaki

Classifications

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/25

  using haptic output · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title