Tactile presentation control apparatus, tactile presentation panel, tactile presentation touch panel, and tactile presentation touch display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11789538-B2
Application number	US-201917777055-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2019
Priority date	Dec 26, 2019
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a tactile presentation control apparatus that can provide an operation feeling of a dial knob that allows intuitive operation by a tactile sense of the user, and is user-friendly. A tactile presentation control apparatus according to the present disclosure that has a tactile presentation knob placed on an operation surface and presents a tactile sense to a user via the tactile presentation knob. The tactile presentation control apparatus includes a tactile determination unit that determines the tactile sense according to a state of an apparatus operated with the tactile presentation knob, and a tactile control unit that performs control to present, as the tactile sense determined by the tactile determination unit, a frictional force between the tactile presentation knob and the operation surface in a state where the tactile presentation knob and the operation surface have contact with each other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tactile presentation control apparatus that has a tactile presentation knob placed on an operation surface and presents a tactile sense to a user via the tactile presentation knob, the tactile presentation control apparatus comprising:
a tactile determination unit that determines the tactile sense according to a state of an apparatus operated with the tactile presentation knob; and
a tactile control unit that performs control to present, as the tactile sense determined by the tactile determination unit, a frictional force between the tactile presentation knob and the operation surface in a state where the tactile presentation knob and the operation surface have contact with each other.

2. The tactile presentation control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a frictional force generated in the tactile presentation knob is a frictional force generated in the tactile presentation knob on the operation surface.

3. A tactile presentation panel, comprising:
the tactile presentation control apparatus according to claim 1 ; and
a contact position detection unit that detects a contact position between the tactile presentation knob and the operation surface, wherein,
the tactile control unit performs control to present, as the tactile sense determined by the tactile determination unit, a frictional force between the tactile presentation knob and the operation surface at the contact position detected by the contact position detection unit.

4. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 3 , wherein
the tactile determination unit determines a first tactile sense to be the tactile sense when the apparatus is in a first state, and determines a second tactile sense different from the first tactile sense to be the tactile sense when the apparatus is in a second state.

5. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a tactile electrode including a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes provided on the operation surface of the tactile presentation panel;
a dielectric layer covering the tactile electrode; and
a voltage generation circuit that generates a first voltage signal having a first frequency to be applied to at least one of the first electrodes located in at least a partial region on the operation surface, and generates a second voltage signal having a second frequency different from the first frequency to be applied to at least one of the second electrodes located in at least a partial region on the operation surface,
wherein a frictional force between the tactile presentation knob and the operation surface is generated based on the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal generated by the voltage generation circuit.

6. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 3 , further comprising:
at least one vibration element that vibrates the operation surface of the tactile presentation panel with an ultrasonic wave,
wherein the tactile control unit performs control to present the tactile sense by vibration of the vibration element.

7. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 5 , wherein
the tactile control unit controls magnitude of a frictional force between the tactile presentation knob and the operation surface based on an amplitude and application time of the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal generated by the voltage generation circuit.

8. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 3 , wherein
the tactile control unit performs control such that the frictional force for predetermined time from start of operation of the tactile presentation knob becomes larger than the frictional force after predetermined time from the start of operation elapses.

9. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 3 , wherein
the tactile control unit performs control such that the frictional force when the tactile presentation knob is pressed down during operation becomes larger than the frictional force during operation of the tactile presentation knob.

10. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 3 , wherein
the tactile control unit performs control such that the frictional force of when the apparatus is in operation becomes larger than the frictional force when the operation is stopped.

11. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 3 , wherein
the tactile control unit performs control such that the frictional force when the user is driving a car becomes larger than the frictional force when the car is stopped.

12. A tactile presentation touch panel comprising:
the tactile presentation panel according to claim 3 ; and
a touch panel arranged on a side opposite to the operation surface of the tactile presentation panel,
wherein the contact position detection unit is included in the touch panel instead of the tactile presentation panel.

13. The tactile presentation touch panel according to claim 12 , wherein
a detection electrode and an excitation electrode of the touch panel are arranged as a pair in a matrix.

14. A tactile presentation touch display comprising:
the tactile presentation touch panel according to claim 12 ; and
a display panel attached to the tactile presentation touch panel.

15. The tactile presentation control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the tactile determination unit determines a first tactile sense to be the tactile sense when the apparatus is in a first state, and determines a second tactile sense different from the first tactile sense to be the tactile sense when the apparatus is in a second state.

16. The tactile presentation control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the tactile control unit performs control such that the frictional force for predetermined time from start of operation of the tactile presentation knob becomes larger than the frictional force after predetermined time from the start of operation elapses.

17. The tactile presentation control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the tactile control unit performs control such that the frictional force when the tactile presentation knob is pressed down during operation becomes larger than the frictional force during operation of the tactile presentation knob.

18. The tactile presentation control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the tactile control unit performs control such that the frictional force of when the apparatus is in operation becomes larger than the frictional force when the operation is stopped.

19. The tactile presentation control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the tactile control unit performs control such that the frictional force when the user is driving a car becomes larger than the frictional force when the car is stopped.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Orita Tae
• Yamashita Akira
• Ueno Yoshinori
• Sakai Mitsuru
• Numata Naoki
• Furumoto Yuki
• Sempuku Tsuyoshi
• Sasaki Yuichi

Classifications

• G06F3/016 Primary

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

• G06F3/0416 Primary

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F3/0393

  Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads · CPC title

• G06F2203/04105

  Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position · CPC title

• G06F3/0443

  using a single layer of sensing electrodes · CPC title