The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 08, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 20, 2001
Manual input device with force feedback function and vehicle-mounted equipment controller using same
Alps Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
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.