Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho

Smk Corporation

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Takao Imai

Osamu Yoshikawa

Itaru Watanabe

Syogo Yamaguchi

Yuji Takai

Takahiro Shimizu

Kozo Nishimura

Masanori Fujii

Takashi Ieda

Hiroshi Mori

Naoki Kamiya

Hiroshi Shikata

Jun Ito

Keiji Murase

Hisao Niwa

Toru Ueno

Shoji Kakinuma

Katsuhiro Tsuchiya

Hiroki Noritake

Shingo Yuasa

Hiroaki Fukuoka

A switch device includes an operation unit through which inputting to a controlled device is performed, a detection unit to detect an operation on the operation unit, and a control unit that, after making a determination of the operation on the operation unit detected by the detection unit, transmits a result of the determination depending on whether a function is assigned to the controlled device.

Switch device and method for controlling switch device

A switch device includes an operation unit to receive an operation performed by a user, a movable contact that is connected to a ground circuit and moves according to an operation performed on the operation unit, plural fixed contacts whose state of connection to the movable contact is switched according to an operation position of the operation unit, plural resistors connected in series in such a manner that one end is connected to a power supply, another end is connected to one of the plural fixed contacts, and a node formed by connecting in series is connected to the remaining of the plural fixed contacts, and a control unit that includes an input terminal connected to a first node between the fixed contact connected closest to the power supply and the resistor and determines the operation position of the operation unit based on voltage detected through the input terminal.

Switch device

An operation device includes a housing arranged on a center cluster located diagonally in front of a driver seat and a passenger seat of a vehicle, a left-side operation unit and a right-side operation unit arranged on a right side and a left side, respectively, of a front surface of the housing to receive an operation, a left-side operation detection unit and a right-side operation detection unit to detect an operation performed on the left-side operation unit and the right-side operation unit, respectively, a substrate on which the left-side and right-side operation detection units are arranged, and an output unit that outputs a sound in response to a received operation and is arranged on the substrate so as to be located between the left-side operation detection unit and the right-side operation detection unit at a position to equalize distances from the driver seat and the passenger seat.

Operation device comprising a housing arranged on a center cluster

A detection device is configured to detect an electrostatic capacitance between an operated member having a plurality of detection areas and an electrode having areas associated with the detection areas respectively. A control device is configured to determine whether an operation is performed to each of the detection areas based on whether a difference between the electrostatic capacitance and a reference electrostatic capacitance exceeds a threshold range, and to change the reference electrostatic capacitance based on a change in the electrostatic capacitance. The control device holds the reference electrostatic capacitance in a case where different changes in the electrostatic capacitance are detected between the detection areas.

Electrostatic sensor, control device, and non-transitory computer-readable medium

A control surface has a first area configured to accept a first operation performed with an object for enabling a first function of the controlled device, a second area configured to accept a second operation performed with the object for enabling a second function of the controlled device, and a third area located between the first and second areas. A processing device is configured to: enable the third area to accept the first operation in a case where it is determined that an object contacts or approaches the first area; enable the third area to accept the second operation in a case where it is determined that the object contacts or approaches the second area; and disable acceptance of the first operation and the second operation in a case where it is determined that the objects contacts or approaches the third area prior to the first and second areas.

Remote control device, processing device, and non-transitory computer-readable medium having recorded computer program for the processing device to remotely control an operation of a controlled device

An operation apparatus includes a detector that detects contact of a plurality of operating fingers on an operating surface, an area calculator that calculates an area of a detection region in the operating surface where the operating fingers have been detected, and a determiner that, after a state in which two operating fingers are detected has changed to a state in which one operating finger is detected, obtains a sum of areas of two detection regions where the two operating fingers are detected and an area of one detection region where the one operating finger is detected from the surface area calculator, and determines that an operation made by the two operating fingers is continuing when a continuation condition, in which the area of the one detection region is greater than or equal to the sum of the areas of the two detection regions, is established.

Operation apparatus

A controller of a touch-type input device updates baselines when capacitances of capacitors of a touch panel all remain within a predetermined capacitance range over a predetermined period.

Touch-type input device

A touch-type input device includes a touch panel in which drive electrodes and sensor electrodes are arranged in a grid pattern that provide capacitors. The touch-type input device also includes a controller that determines whether or not there is a touch based on data values that each indicate an amount of change in capacitance of each capacitor from a predetermined reference value. The controller sets the reference value by obtaining a parasitic capacitance of each capacitor when the touch-type input device is activated. When determining from a variation range of the parasitic capacitances of the capacitors that an erroneous reference value has been obtained, the controller re-obtains a parasitic capacitance.

A touch-type input device includes a touch panel. Capacitors are formed at intersections of drive electrodes and sensor electrodes in the touch panel. A controller determines whether the touch panel has been touched from data values, each indicating a change amount in the capacitance from a reference value. When detecting from the data values a change in the capacitance to a reverse polarity differing from the polarity when a human body touches the touch panel, the controller determines that external noise caused the change and stops detecting touching of the touch panel. When the controller detects a change in the capacitance to the reverse polarity, at the same time, the location of where the capacitance of the reverse polarity is detected does not shift, the controller determines that the change in the capacitance is irrelevant to influence of external noise and continues to detect touching of the touch panel.

A capacitance type touch panel is provided which distinguishes a noise signal with ease and detects an input operation position with high accuracy, without extensively modifying the structure of a touch panel. The capacitance type touch panel is provided with capacitance change judgment unit for comparing a voltage variation level R(n,m) of a detection electrode S(n) detected by capacitance detection unit with a detection threshold value. If the voltage variation levels R(n,m) of all the detection electrodes S(n) are equal to or more than the detection threshold value while outputting a detection signal to any drive area DV(m), it is assumed that noise occurs for the long period of outputting the detection signal to the drive area DV(m), and position detection unit does not detect the input operation position.

Capacitance type touch panel

A touch-type input device includes a touch panel including drive electrodes and sensor electrodes. Capacitors are formed at intersections of the drive electrodes and sensor electrodes. A controller determines whether a conductive foreign matter exists on the touch panel from raw data values indicating changes in the capacitances of the capacitors from initial reference values. The controller determines touching of the touch panel from control data values indicating changes in the capacitances of the capacitors from control reference values changed when a conductive foreign matter exists. When the raw data values indicate existence of a conductive foreign matter, the controller sets the control reference value of each capacitor to a raw data reference value corresponding to the present raw data value. The controller updates the initial reference value when the touch-type input device is activated and updates the control reference value when the control reference value is erroneous.

Provided is an operating device that suppresses differences in operational feeling resulting from the amount of sensitivity of a detection subject. The operating device () includes a touch panel () that outputs a first capacitance in accordance with the distance between a finger and an operation surface (), a determination unit () that determines contact to the operation surface () by the finger by comparing the first capacitance acquired from the touch panel () and a pre-set first threshold (), a discrimination unit () that, after contact has been determined by the determination unit (), discriminates on the basis of the first capacitance the amount of sensitivity of the finger contributing to the capacitance detected by the touch panel (), an alteration unit () that alters the first threshold () to a second threshold () on the basis of the amount of sensitivity of the finger discriminated by the discrimination unit (), and a control unit () that detects an operation by the finger by comparing a second capacitance acquired by the touch panel () to the second threshold () acquired from the alteration unit ().

Operating device

A plurality of detection electrodes S(n) are allocated to any one of two or more detection electrode groups SG(k) so that the detection electrodes S(n) to be allocated to each of the detection electrode groups SG(k) are disposed at equal intervals and spaced apart from each other by at least one detection electrode S(n) in the direction of detection. In each of the two or more detection electrode groups SG(k), the detection electrodes S(n) allocated to the detection electrode group SG(k) are sequentially selected in the direction of detection so as to compare the detection voltage levels R(n) that each appear on a set of detection electrodes S(n) and S(n+1) that are adjacent to each other in the direction of detection.

Capacitive touch panel

A turn signal device for a vehicle for activating a turn signal in accordance with operation of an operation lever. The turn signal device includes a turning state detection unit, which detects a turning state of the vehicle. The turning state detection unit monitors a temporal change in the turning state of the vehicle after the turn signal is activated. The turning state detection unit deactivates the turning signal when detecting that the vehicle first turns in an activation direction of the turn signal, then turns in a direction opposite to the activation direction, and afterward turns again in the activation direction.

Vehicle turn signal device

A turn signal illumination controller monitors the lateral movement distance of a vehicle from when a turn switch lever is operated so as to illuminate a turn signal indicator. When the lateral movement distance is greater than or equal to a threshold value indicating completion of lane changing, the turn signal illumination controller cancels the turn signal indicator.

Growing community of inventors

Aichi, Japan

Takao Imai