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:
Feb. 17, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 15, 2002
Mikio Onodera, Miyagi-ken, JP;
Alps Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The vehicle-mounted device control unit is provided with an electrical appliance selection switch for selecting an electrical appliance whose function is to be regulated, a manual input device for regulating various functions of the electrical appliance selected with the switch, a loudspeaker, a display unit, and a controller. Signals from the electrical appliance selection switch and the manual input device are supplied to the controller, which controls the manual input device, the loudspeaker and the display unit. The manual input device is provided with knobs, actuators for loading external forces on the knobs, and detecting devices for detecting the manipulated states of the knobs. The controller drives the actuators, the loudspeaker and the display unit by supplying drive signals matching manipulated states of the knobs and carries out force feedback to a user.