Alps Electric Co., Ltd.

Kaiji Nonaka

Noriyuki Fukushima

Satoshi Hayasaka

Shinji Ishikawa

Ken Matsumoto

Yoshio Sanpei

Takuya Maeda

Ken Shibazaki

Ayumu Kobayashi

A haptic feedback input device includes a pair of driving levers journaled at a frame such that rotary shafts thereof are perpendicular to each other, an operating lever coupled to an intersection of the two driving levers such that it can rock, and a pair of rotary motors that apply feedback force to the operating lever via the two driving levers. In the haptic feedback input device, a pair of rotary encoders detect the relative dislocation amount of the operating level, and an absolute position detecting unit is composed of swing arms fixed to the two driving levers and photo interrupters that detect the existence of blocking portions formed at the swing arms and that output ON/OFF signals. A control unit calculates a reference position of the operating lever based on ON/OFF switching signals of the photo interrupters.

Haptic feedback input device

The multifunctional input device is configured of an operating unit; a first detector and a second detector for detecting an operating state of the operating unit; an actuator for providing an external force to the operating unit; a controller for exchanging signals with a host computer, which controls a plurality of electrical apparatuses, and controlling driving of the actuator in accordance with instructions from the host computer; and a function/feel library in which are stored actuator driving data matching first detection signals and second detection signals supplied from the first detector and the second detector, and data for manipulating the electrical apparatuses by way of the host computer. In the function/feel library are stored a plurality of actuator drive characteristics, feel number information including numbers identifying combinations of actuator drive characteristics and detection signals, and function number information including numbers identifying the first detection signals supplied from the first detector and the second detection signals supplied from the second detector.

Multifunctional input device for centralized control of plurality of actuator drive characteristics have function feel library

A force sense imparting type input apparatus includes an operation portion, an actuator for imparting a force sense to the operation portion, a position sensor for detecting an operating direction and an operating quantity of the operation portion, a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the actuator, and a controller for acquiring a position signal and a temperature signal and outputting driving signal of the actuator. A correction control portion provided to the controller determines a calorific value of the actuator from the temperature signal, then a correction value of driving power supplied to the actuator from the calorific value so calculated, adds a correction value of driving power of the actuator at the time of a normal operation and decides driving power of the actuator at the time of over-heat.

Force sense imparting type input apparatus

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Miyagi-ken, Japan

Kaiji Nonaka