Alps Electric Co., Ltd.

Hidetaka Numata

Mikio Onodera

Katsuya Mitsuzuka

Kenichi Seino

Hiroyuki Sato

Ken Mizuta

Tatsuya Yokoyama

Toshihiko Kawata

Yasuhiro Miyasaka

Takashi Murakami

A force feedback device comprising an operation unit, an actuator for providing a feel sensation (force) to the operation unit and a control unit for controlling the actuator, wherein the control unit stores a plurality of different unit force patterns, forms composite force patterns by combining the unit force patterns and controls the actuator based on the composite force patterns to provide feel sensations to the operation unit.

Force feedback device

A changeable operation feeling (tactile sensation) is provided for a user manipulating the knob of manual input device. The manual input device includes a feeling providing device which has plural discs fixed to a control shaft, bearing feeling patterns on their circumferential surfaces and a ball holder which works in conjunction with the discs to provide an operation feeling to the knob. An actuator is driven to move up or down the ball holder to select the feeling pattern to be elastically forced to contact the ball to change an operation feeling as the user rotates the knob. A car-mounted apparatus controller incorporates this type of manual input device for functional control of car-mounted electric apparatuses.

Manual input device which provides its control knob with plural modes of operation feeling, and car-mounted apparatus controller based thereon

A manual in put device is provided with a spherical bearing, a joystick type knob held swingably on the spherical bearing, a rotary knob disposed coaxially with the joystick type knob, a first actuator for loading an external force on the joystick type knob, a second actuator for loading an external force on the rotary knob, a control unit for controlling these first and second actuators, a guide member for defining an operation direction of the joystick type knob, first detection means for detecting an operation state of the joystick type knob, and second detection means for detecting an operation state of the rotary knob. In an onboard instrument control device, the built-in manual input device is contained in a box and the joystick type knob and the rotary knob and push button switches used for instrument selection are disposed on an upper surface of the box.

Force feedback functioning manual input device and onboard instrument control system having it

A manual input device has a configuration consisting of a case, a joystick type knob and a rotary knob concentrically arranged over the top face of the case, one force feedback actuator for loading these knobs with external forces, a control unit for controlling the force feedback actuator, first and second power transmission mechanisms for individually transmitting the drive power of the force feedback actuator to the knobs, first and second detecting devices for individually detecting manipulated states of the knobs, and a push-button switch for finalizing signals set in the joystick type knob. A vehicle-mounted device control unit has a configuration consisting of the manual input device built into a case, on the top face of which are arranged the joystick type knob and the rotary knob provided for the manual input device, a clutch change-over switch, and push-button switches for selection of appliances.

Manual input device improved in operatability and multifunctionality, and vehicle-mounted control device using it

A ROM provided in a computer stores tables showing the relationships between the direction and amount of operation of a manual operating section, and external force to be applied from electric motors. A CPU determines the direction and amount of external force to be applied to the manual operating section based on positional information output from encoders and the tables, and drives the electric motors via a motor driver. The operator can feel the resistance produced thereby at the manual operating section. Therefore, it is possible to finely operate the manual operating section, and to thereby control the functions of car-mounted electrical devices. By applying external force to the manual operating section when the manual operating section is operated to the moving limit, the operator can sense the moving limit of the manual operating section, and can select a car-mounted electrical device.

Car-mounted input device

A manual input device and a vehicle-mounted equipment controller are provided. The manual input device includes: a knob secured to an operation shaft and sensing portion for detecting the operation state of the operation shaft; an actuator to apply force to the knob; a power transmission portion for transmitting power between the operation shaft and a drive shaft of the actuator; and an input/output portion to send a first signal to the external device and to receive a second signal from an external device. The device further includes a control portion for generating a control signal for the actuator in accordance with an external signal outputted from an external sensing portion, or in accordance with control information generated in accordance with, at least, the external signal. The vehicle-mounted equipment controller includes selection switches for vehicle-mounted electric equipment, function selection switches, and the manual input device to adjust functions of the vehicle-mounted electric equipment selected.

Manual input device with force feedback function and vehicle-mounted equipment controller using same

A vehicle mounted input unit excellent in versatility and functional performance, which allows a manual operation section to be used as a mouse for a navigation system or a personal computer. The vehicle mounted input unit is composed of a body of equipment, a panel installed on an operating side of the body of equipment, an X-Y table, an engaging pin, a guide plate, a solenoid, a stick controller and a manual operation section. The guide plate is fitted to the X-Y table to be movable up and down and driven up and down through the solenoid. When the guide plate is lifted, the engaging pin and a guide groove are engaged with each other SO that the vehicle mounted input unit can be used as an operating unit for electronic equipment mounted in the motor vehicle. On the other hand, when the guide plate is lowered, the engaging pin and the guide groove are released form their engagement, at which time the manual operation section can be used as a mouse.

Vehicle mounted input unit

A signal input device includes a movable operating section for inputting a desired signal by selecting the shift position thereof, a shift position detecting device for detecting the shift position of the operating section, and an indication device for giving an operator information in different modes based on a shift position signal from the shift position detecting device.

Signal input device

A steering apparatus capable of accurately recognizing operations of an operation section and of reducing the number of parts and simplifying its structure. The steering apparatus is composed of a steering wheel for controlling movements, operation sections mounted on the steering wheel for operating equipment, and a vibration section for giving vibrations to at least a portion of the steering wheel in relation to the operations of said operation sections.

Steering apparatus

Disclosed is a power window switch device capable of informing the driver of the occurrence of a malfunction in the opening and closing of power windows. A power window switch device includes a plurality of pairs of power window switches individually connected to a plurality of power window motors, a detecting section for detecting a malfunction in the opening and closing of the power windows and outputting a malfunction signal, a control section for detecting the malfunction signal output from the detecting section and outputting an actuator drive signal, and a vibrating device driven by the drive signal output from the control section. The vibration of the vibrating device is transmitted to the finger operating the power window switches to thereby inform the driver of the occurrence of a malfunction.

Power window switch device

A rotation detecting device which issues a plurality of code signals by a simple configuration so as to detect the rotational angle position and the direction of rotation of a rotor according to the code signals. The rotation detecting device has a knob member which is rotatably attached to a part of an enclosure, a plurality of projections which are formed on the periphery of one end of the knob member, and two detection switches which selectively engage with the projections to turn ON/OFF and issue signals. These detection switches are disposed on a printed circuit board in such a manner that they turn ON/OFF at different timings as the knob member rotates. Thus, the rotational position and the direction of rotation of the knob member are detected by the combinations of the ON/OFF signals of the detection switches.

In-car rotation detecting apparatus

A transistor protective circuit includes a transistor transmitting a current to a load to drive same, and a switching element provided in a preceding stage of the transistor and responsive to an abnormal current in the load to turn off the transistor to protect it against destruction.

Transistor protective circuit

An output stage control circuit comprises an output driving means connected to a load for driving the same, a control means for taking out detection signals corresponding to signals flowing to the load and supplying analog control signals to the output driving means and a reference signal supply means for supplying reference signals to the control means, in which the analog control signals are generated depending on the detection signals and the reference signal, and the load is driven in an analogous manner by the output driving means depending on the analog control signals. The output stage control circuit can continuously supply the current to the load thereby operating the load stably with less occurrence of noises and stably for a long period of time.

Output stage control circuit

A device for preventing a motor from being locked comprises a position indicator for indicating a position to be moved in response to rotation of the motor, a position detector for detecting the position being moved in response to rotation of the motor, a servo control unit for supplying a current to the motor so that an output signal from the position detector will be equalized with an indication by the position indicator, a stop detector for detecting stoppage of the motor in response to a differential of the output signal from the position detector, and a cutoff control unit for cutting off the current supplied from the servo control unit to the motor in response to an output signal from the stop detector.

Servo control for motor having cutoff device for preventing motor from

A motor driving circuit apparatus for use in a motor actuator for actuating, for example, a valve between two limit positions, having a control means for inputting a driving control signal for the motor, a sensor adapted to output a signal corresponding to the position of the actuator, and a comparator section adapted to compare the input through the control means and the output from the sensor, the comparator being adapted to produce an output signal in accordance with which the motor is driven and controlled. The motor driving circuit apparatus comprises a differentiation circuit for differentiating the output of the comparator section and a timer section adapted to be controlled by the output from the differentiation circuit, wherein the driving control of the motor by the output of the comparator section is conducted only within a predetermined period of time in accordance with the output from the timer section.

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Miyagi-ken, Japan

Hidetaka Numata