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:
May. 06, 2014
Filed:
Nov. 07, 2012
Alps Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Tadashi Sano, Tokyo, JP;
ALPS Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In a vehicle input device having a position detection portion configured to output a detection signal and a controller (control section) configured to receive the detection signal, the position detection portion operated by a driver is provided near an end side of the vehicle input device, and a contact operation surface on which the driver performs a contact operation is an end surface of an operation member of the position detection portion. Thus, the driver is capable of operating the vehicle input device with a finger while holding a steering wheel. In addition, by the controller determining the position of an operation of the driver on the basis of the detection signal from the position detection portion, it is made possible to detect various operations and various devices can be operated.