Operating device and method for operating an operating device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11966523-B2
Application number	US-202117787967-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2021
Priority date	Feb 14, 2020
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

An apparatus for carrying out inputs in an input capturing unit that can be coupled to the apparatus. An operating device has a receiving part and an operating element that is rotatably mounted on the receiving part. The operating element can be rotated by a finger to effect an input. A torque for the rotation of the control element can be adjusted by way of a controllable braking device. In addition, the control element has at least two actuating zones. The resistance to movement for the movability of the operating element can be adjusted depending on from which actuation zone the operating element is actuated and/or which actuation zone was previously activated.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An input apparatus for carrying out inputs in an input receiving unit to be coupled to the input apparatus, the input apparatus comprising:
an operating unit having a receptacle part and at least one operating element rotatably mounted to said receptacle part for movement by a finger to carry out an input;
said operating element having at least two actuating zones;
a controlled brake unit configured to adjust a movement resistance for a mobility of said operating element, the movement resistance for the mobility of said operating element being adjustable in dependence on the actuating zone from which said operating element is actuated and/or which actuating zone was previously activated
a rotational movement of said operating element being configured to be subjected to a settable raster and the raster being generated by a deliberate deceleration or blocking and a deliberate release of the rotational movement in specific time intervals or at specific rotational angles, and the raster also being set in dependence on said actuating zone from which said operating element is actuated (rotated).

2. The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the movement resistance for the mobility of said operating element is a torque for a rotatability of said operating element and/or a resistance force for a linear movement of said operating element.

3. The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said brake unit is a magnetorheological device and contains magnetorheological medium and a field generating unit for generating and controlling a magnetic or electrical field, and wherein said medium is influenced by said field generating unit to set the movement resistance for the rotatability of said operating element.

4. The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said actuating zones are connected to one another and rotationally fixed and/or said actuation zones have a common axis of rotation.

5. The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the movement resistance for the mobility of said operating element is adjustable in dependence on a rotational angle of said operating element detected by at least one sensor unit and deliberately adapted to the rotational angle.

6. The input apparatus according to claim 1 , which comprises a monitoring unit for detecting by sensor from which actuating zone the actuation takes place and/or wherein said actuating zones are activatable by at least one of touch or push.

7. The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said actuating zones are haptically distinguishable and have mutually different features selected from the group consisting of a different surface, a different surface structure, a different size, a different geometry, a different color, and a different material.

8. The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said actuating zones include illumination and are configured to be illuminated differently, so that said actuating zones are optically distinguishable by the illumination, and wherein an active actuating zone may be illuminated differently from a currently non-selected actuating zone.

9. The input apparatus according to claim 8 , configured for coupling to a telecommunication unit for operating the telecommunication unit by way of said operating unit, and wherein at least one of said actuating zones is illuminated to indicate an incoming call, and wherein the incoming call can be accepted using the respectively illuminated actuating zone.

10. The input apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a control unit configured to activate said brake unit in dependence on at least one control command and to convert the control command into a haptic signal perceptible at said operating element to convey to a user haptic feedback at said operating element as a consequence of an input.

11. The input apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the haptic feedback is effected in dependence on the actuating zone in which said operating element is actuated or touched.

12. The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a specific input is associated with the respectively actuated actuating zone, and wherein an assignment of an actuating zone to an input is programmable and/or dynamically adaptable.

13. The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a rotatability of said operating element is settable by said brake unit in between a freely rotatable setting and a complete block of a force that is manually generated by operation at said operating element.

14. The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said operating element is mounted for a movement by pushing, pulling, or lateral movement to carry out an input.

15. The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said operating element is a finger roller.

16. The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said operating element is a rotating knob.

17. A vehicle component for carrying out inputs in an input receiving unit of a motor vehicle, the vehicle component comprising:
at least one operating unit according to claim 1 having the receptacle part mounted on a vehicle support structure.

18. The vehicle component according to claim 17 , wherein at least one input receiving unit is operable using the operating unit, said receiving unit being selected from the group consisting of display, instruments, volume control, telephone, telecommunication system, driver assistance systems, cruise control, adaptive cruise control, side assist, turn signal, windshield wipers, horn, vehicle illumination for exterior and interior, seat functions, mirror unit, sliding roof, flashing hazard lights, start and stop system of the vehicle, climate control functions, ventilation, window lifters, and actuating units for closing or opening doors or vehicle hatches.

19. A method of operating an input apparatus, the method which comprises:
providing an input apparatus according to claim 1 ;
moving an operating element of the input apparatus by at least one finger to carry out an input; and
adjusting a movement resistance for a mobility of the operating element in dependence on an actuating zone from which the operating element is actuated and/or which actuating zone was previously activated.

20. The method according to claim 19 , which comprises indicating an assignment of the actuating zones by using at least one signal selected from the group consisting of a haptic signal, and optical signal, and an acoustic signal, to thereby indicate which function can presently be operated using a specific actuating zone.

21. An input apparatus for carrying out inputs in an input receiving unit to be coupled to the input apparatus, the input apparatus comprising:
an operating unit having a receptacle part and at least one operating element rotatably mounted to said receptacle part for movement by a finger to carry out an input;
said operating element having at least two actuating zones;
a controlled brake unit configured to adjust a movement resistance for a mobility of said operating element, the movement resistance for the mobility of said operating element being adjustable in dependence on the actuating zone from which said operating element is actuated and/or which actuating zone was previously activated; and
said operating element being a rocker with a rocker bearing between at least two actuating zones, said operating element being configured to be pressed to both sides of said rocker bearing for effecting an input and a specific input takes place depending on the pressed

Assignees

• Inventus Eng Gmbh

Inventors

• Battlogg Stefan

Classifications

• A45C11/002

  for storing portable handheld communication devices, e.g. pagers or smart phones · CPC title

• A45C11/003

  for storing portable computing devices, e.g. laptops, tablets or calculators · CPC title

• G06F2200/1633

  Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer · CPC title

• G06F3/0362 Primary

  with detection of one-dimensional [1D] translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts · CPC title

• B60K37/06

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic