Input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024212959-A1
Application number	US-202118288995-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 6, 2021
Priority date	May 6, 2021
Publication date	Jun 27, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

The input device includes: a plurality of capacitive buttons that are provided side by side; a capacitance detection circuit configured to detect capacitance values of a pair of sensor electrodes in the plurality of capacitive buttons; and an input determination circuit configured to, when the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit in a first button of the plurality of capacitive buttons exceeds a first threshold, accept an input operation to the first button in a case where the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit in a second button adjacent to the first button is smaller than a second threshold, and not to accept the input operation to the first button in a case where the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit in the second button is equal to or larger than the second threshold.

First claim

1 .- 9 . (canceled)

10 . An input device comprising:
a plurality of capacitive buttons that are provided side by side; a capacitance detection circuit configured to detect capacitance values of a pair of sensor electrodes in the plurality of capacitive buttons; and an input determination circuit configured to, when the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit in a first button of the plurality of capacitive buttons exceeds a first threshold, accept an input operation to the first button in a case where the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit in a second button adjacent to the first button is smaller than a second threshold, and not to accept the input operation to the first button in a case where the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit in the second button is equal to or larger than the second threshold, wherein the input determination circuit, when the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit in the first button exceeds the first threshold, accepts the input operation to the first button in the case where the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit in the second button is smaller than the second threshold and is equal to or larger than a third threshold, and does not accept the input operation to the first button in a case where the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit in the second button is smaller than the third threshold.

11 . The input device according to claim 10 , comprising:
a capacitance storage circuit configured to store, when the capacitance values of the pair of sensor electrodes in the plurality of capacitive buttons are detected in the capacitance detection circuit, identification information of the capacitive button, information of the capacitance value, and information indicating time when the capacitance value is detected in association with each other.

12 . The input device according to claim 10 , comprising:
a plurality of light sources each provided in the plurality of capacitive buttons; and a control circuit configured to half light the light sources provided in the capacitive button in which the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit exceeds a fourth threshold, then fully light the light sources provided in the capacitive button in which the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit exceeds a fifth threshold, and put out the light sources provided in the other capacitive buttons.

13 . The input device according to claim 11 , comprising:
a plurality of light sources each provided in the plurality of capacitive buttons; and a control circuit configured to half light the light sources provided in the capacitive button in which the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit exceeds a fourth threshold, then fully light the light sources provided in the capacitive button in which the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit exceeds a fifth threshold, and put out the light sources provided in the other capacitive buttons.

14 . An input device comprising:
a plurality of capacitive buttons that are provided side by side; a capacitance detection circuit configured to detect capacitance values of a pair of sensor electrodes in the plurality of capacitive buttons; and an input determination circuit configured to accept an input operation to the capacitive button in which the capacitance value shows a largest value, in a case where a difference or a ratio between the largest value and a second largest value of the capacitance values detected by the capacitance detection circuit in the plurality of capacitive buttons is equal to or larger than a threshold, wherein the input determination circuit determines input of the capacitive button in a case where the capacitance value of the capacitive button for which the input operation is accepted continuously becomes equal to or larger than a fifth threshold, and cancels acceptance of the input of the capacitive button in a case where the capacitance value of the capacitive button for which the input operation is accepted becomes equal to or smaller than a sixth threshold.

15 . The input device according to claim 14 , comprising:
a plurality of light sources each provided in the plurality of capacitive buttons; and a control circuit configured to half light the light sources provided in the capacitive button in which the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit exceeds a fourth threshold, then fully light the light sources provided in the capacitive button in which the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit exceeds a fifth threshold, and put out the light sources provided in the other capacitive buttons.

16 . An input device comprising:
a plurality of capacitive buttons that are provided side by side and divided into a plurality of groups; a plurality of capacitance detection circuits configured to each detect capacitance values of a pair of sensor electrodes in the capacitive buttons in the plurality of groups; and a plurality of input determination circuits that are each provided corresponding to the plurality of groups, and configured to each accept an input operation to the capacitive button in which the capacitance value shows a largest value, in a case where the largest value of the capacitance values detected by the capacitance detection circuit in the capacitive buttons in a corresponding group is larger than the largest value of the capacitance values detected by the capacitance detection circuit in the capacitive buttons in another group and a difference or a ratio between the largest value and a second largest value of the capacitance values detected by the capacitance detection circuit in the capacitive buttons in the corresponding group is equal to or larger than a threshold.

17 . The input device according to claim 16 , wherein the input determination circuit determines input of the capacitive button in a case where the capacitance value of the capacitive button for which the input operation is accepted becomes equal to or larger than a fifth threshold, and cancels acceptance of the input of the capacitive button in a case where the capacitance value of the capacitive button for which the input operation is accepted becomes equal to or smaller than a sixth threshold.

18 . The input device according to claim 17 , wherein the input determination circuit determines the input of the capacitive button in the case where the capacitance value of the capacitive button for which the input operation is accepted continuously becomes equal to or larger than the fifth threshold.

19 . The input device according to claim 16 , comprising:
a plurality of light sources each provided in the plurality of capacitive buttons; and a control circuit configured to half light the light sources provided in the capacitive button in which the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit exceeds a fourth threshold, then fully light the light sources provided in the capacitive button in which the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit exceeds a fifth threshold, and put out the light sources provided in the other capacitive buttons.

20 . The input device according to claim 17 , comprising:
a plurality of light sources each provided in the plurality of capacitive buttons; and a control circuit configured to half light the light sources provided in the capacitive button in which the capacitance value detected by the capacitance detection circuit exceeds a fourth threshold, then fully light

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Inoue Takuya
• Yamazaki Takeshi
• Orita Tae
• Ono Takeshi

Classifications

• H01H2239/006

  Containing a capacitive switch or usable as such · CPC title

• H01H89/00

  Combinations of two or more different basic types of electric switches, relays, selectors and emergency protective devices, not covered by any single one of the other main groups of this subclass · CPC title

• H01H2221/082

  Superimposed actuators · CPC title

• H01H36/00 Primary

  Switches actuated by change of magnetic field or of electric field, e.g. by change of relative position of magnet and switch, by shielding · CPC title

• H03K17/9622 Primary

  using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard · CPC title