Rotary input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025341902-A1
Application number	US-202519271972-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 17, 2025
Priority date	Feb 20, 2023
Publication date	Nov 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A rotary input device includes an operation knob including an upper surface and a lateral surface, an angle detector configured to detect a rotation angle of the operation knob, a kinesthetic haptic feedback part configured to provide at least one of a driving force or a braking force to the operation knob as kinesthetic haptic feedback, control circuitry configured to control the kinesthetic haptic feedback part, a lateral surface sensor electrode provided on the lateral surface of the operation knob, and an electrostatic sensor configured to detect a contact of an operating body with the lateral surface sensor electrode, wherein the control is circuitry configured to control the kinesthetic haptic feedback part so as to provide kinesthetic haptic feedback to the operation knob according to a detection result of the electrostatic sensor and a detection result of the angle detector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A rotary input device comprising:
an operation knob including an upper surface and a lateral surface; an angle detector configured to detect a rotation angle of the operation knob; a kinesthetic haptic feedback part configured to provide at least one of a driving force or a braking force to the operation knob as kinesthetic haptic feedback; control circuitry configured to control the kinesthetic haptic feedback part; a lateral surface sensor electrode provided on the lateral surface of the operation knob; and an electrostatic sensor configured to detect a contact of an operating body with the lateral surface sensor electrode, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the kinesthetic haptic feedback part so as to provide kinesthetic haptic feedback to the operation knob according to a detection result of the electrostatic sensor and a detection result of the angle detector.

2 . The rotary input device according to claim 1 , comprising a main body including the kinesthetic haptic feedback part, the angle detector, the electrostatic sensor, and a rotating shaft rotating integrally with the operation knob, wherein:
the kinesthetic haptic feedback part is configured to provide the kinesthetic haptic feedback to the operation knob via the rotating shaft; the angle detector is configured to detect a rotation angle of the rotating shaft as the rotation angle of the operation knob; and the electrostatic sensor includes a substrate sensor electrode provided in the main body at a position at which the substrate sensor electrode can be electrostatically coupled with the lateral surface sensor electrode, and the electrostatic sensor is configured to detect the contact of the operating body with the lateral surface sensor electrode by detecting capacitance of the substrate sensor electrode.

3 . The rotary input device according to claim 2 , comprising four or more portions of the lateral surface sensor electrode provided separately from each other on the lateral surface of the operation knob,
wherein the electrostatic sensor includes four or more portions of the substrate sensor electrode, each corresponding to a respective one of the four or more portions of the lateral surface sensor electrode.

4 . The rotary input device according to claim 3 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the kinesthetic haptic feedback part so as to a rotation of the operation knob when a prevent contact of the operating body with at least two portions of the lateral surface sensor electrode that are not adjacent is not detected.

5 . The rotary input device according to claim 1 , comprising an upper surface sensor electrode provided on the upper surface of the operation knob,
wherein the electrostatic sensor is further configured to detect a contact of the operating body with the upper surface sensor electrode.

6 . The rotary input device according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
control the kinesthetic haptic feedback part so as to provide the kinesthetic haptic feedback according to the rotation angle to the operation knob; and cause different kinesthetic haptic feedback to be generated for a case when the electrostatic sensor detects the contact of the operating body with the lateral surface sensor electrode and a case when the electrostatic sensor does not detect the contact of the operating body with the lateral surface sensor electrode.

7 . The rotary input device according to claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
control the kinesthetic haptic feedback part so as to provide a click sensation for each rotation of the operation knob by a predetermined rotation angle; and change the predetermined rotation angle according to the detection result of the electrostatic sensor.

8 . The rotary input device according to claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
control the kinesthetic haptic feedback part so as to prevent a rotation of the operation knob when a performed rotation is equal to or greater than a predetermined allowable rotation angle; and change the predetermined allowable rotation angle according to the detection result of the electrostatic sensor.

9 . The rotary input device according to claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
control the kinesthetic haptic feedback part such that the driving force provided to the operation knob gradually increases until a predetermined rotation angle; and change the predetermined rotation angle according to the detection result of the electrostatic sensor.

10 . The rotary input device according to claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the kinesthetic haptic feedback part so as to prevent a rotation of the operation knob when the electrostatic sensor does not detect the contact of the operating body with the lateral surface sensor.

11 . The rotary input device according to claim 1 , wherein the kinesthetic haptic feedback part includes a brake mechanism configured to generate the braking force with a magneto-viscous fluid.

12 . The rotary input device according to claim 1 , wherein the kinesthetic haptic feedback part includes a motor configured to generate the driving force by rotating.

Assignees

• Alps Alpine Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tomiyama Tatsuhiro
• Hagiwara Yasuji
• Suto Misuzu
• Kotera Yasuo

Classifications

• G06F3/016

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

• G06F3/038 Primary

  Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry · 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

• G06F3/0354

  with detection of two-dimensional [2D] relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks · CPC title

• G06F3/01

  Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer (G06F3/16 takes precedence) · CPC title