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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11972053-B2
Application number	US-201917781408-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2019
Priority date	Dec 26, 2019
Publication date	Apr 30, 2024
Grant date	Apr 30, 2024

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 the user via the tactile presentation knob. The tactile presentation control apparatus includes a tactile control unit that performs control to present different tactile senses to each of a plurality of operation regions on the operation surface when the tactile presentation knob is rotationally operated. When the tactile presentation knob is present in one of the operation regions, the tactile control unit performs control to present, as the tactile sense, a frictional force generated in the tactile presentation knob to the operation region.

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 control circuit that performs control to present different tactile senses to each of a plurality of distinct operation regions that each correspond to a different range of rotational motion of the tactile presentation knob on the operation surface when the tactile presentation knob is rotationally operated,
wherein when the tactile presentation knob is present in one of the distinct operation regions, the tactile control circuit performs control to present, as the tactile sense, a frictional force generated in the tactile presentation knob within the distinct operation region,
the tactile presentation panel further comprises a tactile electrode including a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes provided on the operation surface,
the tactile presentation knob includes a conductive elastic portion that presents the tactile sense to the user, and
the frictional force is generated in the tactile presentation knob using an electric field formed in a lateral direction between the first electrodes and the second electrodes via the conductive elastic portion.

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 distinct operation region.

3. A tactile presentation panel, comprising:
the tactile presentation control apparatus according to claim 1 ; and
a contact position detection circuit that detects a contact position between the tactile presentation knob and the operation surface, wherein
when the contact position detected by the contact position detection circuit is present in one of the distinct operation regions, the tactile control circuit performs control to present, as the tactile sense, a frictional force between the tactile presentation knob and the operation surface to within the distinct operation region.

4. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 3 , wherein
the tactile presentation knob includes a position detection unit used when the contact position detection unit detects the contact position, and a conductive elastic portion that presents a tactile sense to the user, and
the position detection unit and the conductive elastic portion are in contact with the operation surface.

5. A tactile presentation panel, comprising:
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 including a tactile control circuit that performs control to present different tactile senses to each of a plurality of distinct operation regions on the operation surface when the tactile presentation knob is rotationally operated,
wherein when the tactile presentation knob is present in one of the distinct operation regions, the tactile control circuit performs control to present, as the tactile sense, a frictional force generated in the tactile presentation knob within the distinct operation region; and
a contact position detection circuit that detects a contact position between the tactile presentation knob and the operation surface, wherein
when the contact position detected by the contact position detection circuit is present in one of the distinct operation regions, the tactile control circuit performs control to present, as the tactile sense, a frictional force between the tactile presentation knob and the operation surface within the distinct operation region,
the tactile presentation panel 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 coveting the tactile electrode; and
a voltage generation circuit that generates a first voltage signal leaving 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,
the tactile presentation panel further comprises a tactile electrode including a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes provided on the operation surface,
the tactile presentation knob includes a conductive elastic portion that presents the tactile sense to the user, and
the frictional force is generated in the tactile presentation knob using an electric field formed in a lateral direction between the first electrodes and the second electrodes via the conductive elastic portion.

6. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 5 , wherein
a frictional force between the tactile presentation knob and the operation surface changes according to a change in amplitude and cycle of each of the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal generated by the voltage generation circuit.

7. 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 circuit performs control to present the tactile sense by vibration of the vibration element.

8. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 3 , wherein
one of the distinct operation regions is an end portion operation region adjacent to a non-operation region where the rotation operation cannot be performed.

9. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 8 , wherein
the tactile control circuit performs control to present, as the tactile sense, the frictional force larger than that in the distinct operation region other than the end portion operation region to the end portion operation region.

10. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 3 , wherein
one of the distinct operation regions is a neutral position region serving as a reference of the rotation operation.

11. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 10 , wherein
the tactile control circuit performs control to present, as the tactile sense, the frictional force larger than that in the distinct operation region other than the neutral position region to the neutral position region.

12. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 10 , wherein
the tactile control circuit performs control to present, as the tactile sense, the frictional force larger than that in the neutral position region to within the distinct operation region other than the neutral position region.

13. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 3 , wherein
the operation surface further includes a scale region indicating a separation between the respective distinct operation regions.

14. The tactile presentation panel according to claim 13 , wherein
the tactile control circuit performs control to present, as the tactile sense, the frictional force larger than that in the distinct operation region other than the scale region t

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Orita Tae
• 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

• G06F3/0362

  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

• G06F3/0446 Primary

  using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes · CPC title

• G06F3/0443

  using a single layer of sensing electrodes · CPC title

• G06F3/0445

  using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer · CPC title