Slide and / or rotary adjuster for determining position information

Abstract

The invention relates to a sliding and / or rotary control (1), in particular for a vehicle operator interface, having a positioning surface (6), a base (3), a control element (2), a detection device (5) and an evaluation unit (7); wherein at least two electric resonance circuits (4) are provided, which are fixed to the control element (2) and are arranged for inductive coupling with an alternating electromagnetic field of the detection device (5), the resonance circuits each having at least one resonance circuit coil which comprises a resonance circuit coil cross section, the cross sections defining coupling surfaces (4a, 4b) when projected perpendicularly onto the positioning surface, and the spatial position of the coupling surfaces on the positioning surface (6) changing as a function of the adjustment of the control element (2); the evaluation unit (7) being adapted to determine the position of the control element (2) and to output position information relating to the position of the control element (2) for the purpose of performing a switching function and / or a control function.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a sliding and / or rotating adjuster, for example, as an input device for a vehicle-operator interface, having a positioning device, a detection device, a base, and an operating member movably supported on the base. In this case, the detection device should be adapted to detect position or position change so that a correlation analysis unit can correspond the switching or control functions of vehicle components to this position change. Background Technology

[0002] Previously known input devices of this type typically have a control element that detects the position and / or position changes of the control element non-contactly. Furthermore, it is known to movably support the control element on a touch-sensitive input surface so that the detection device corresponding to the touch-sensitive input surface can be used not only for contact detection (i.e., detached from sliding and / or rotating adjusters on the input surface), but also as a "waste" for position detection of the control element. Simultaneously, using a movably supported control element instead of input via only a touch-sensitive input surface, i.e., a "pure" touchpad or "pure" touchscreen, in vehicle-to-user interfaces increases operational safety and comfort, as operators remain accustomed to traditional input devices with movably supported control elements. On the other hand, operation can be performed without visual control, without being distracted by traffic conditions and subsequent tactile feedback while gripping the control element. Until now, the conventional approach to this principle has utilized capacitive contact detection suitable for contact detection, specifically, where the control element arranged on a capacitive touchscreen or capacitive touchpad interacts with a corresponding measuring capacitance. However, it has been shown that this technology is susceptible to interference from foreign objects such as liquids. Furthermore, it suffers from the following drawbacks: particularly when detecting small positional changes in controlled components, such as changes in their pivoting position, it cannot provide sufficiently reliable position detection. Moreover, especially when capacitive position encoders operate by utilizing localized capacitive effects for position detection and require conductive connection to the operator, multiple calibration steps are needed during operation to ensure reliable function. In automotive applications, capacitive sensing has been proven susceptible to interference fields or electrostatic charging by the operator. Additionally, capacitive sensing cannot be operated with gloved fingers.

[0003] However, further issues arise if the sliding and / or rotating adjuster, or more precisely, the adjuster's base, should be operable by the operator on the positioning surface. In this case, the problem is that position detection ultimately requires positional information, such as information about the position of the rotation axis, to determine the position. While this information can be obtained through an initial scan along the adjustment path of the manipulator, this type of calibration is costly and absolutely necessary even in the event of unintended positional movement, making the chosen positioning scheme seem impractical. As an alternative, the base could have a position encoder. However, this would increase the complexity of the base's side structure and require additional structural space. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, there is a need for a solution for a sliding and / or rotary adjuster capable of selectively positioning on a positioning surface, the sliding and / or rotary adjuster having relatively more reliable non-contact position detection, which in particular can be manufactured at low cost, and whose operational reliability can be improved and guaranteed over a long period. The solution of the present invention to achieve the above objective is the sliding and / or rotary adjuster described in the first independent claim. An equally advantageous application is the subject matter of the parallel claims. An equally advantageous method of operating a sliding and / or rotary adjuster capable of selectively positioning on a positioning surface is the subject matter of the parallel method claims. Advantageous technical solutions are the subject matter of the dependent claims. It should be noted that the features individually listed in the claims can be combined with each other in any technically advantageous manner and elucidate other technical solutions of the invention. The description, and in particular the accompanying drawings, supplementarily characterize and describe the invention in detail.

[0005] This invention relates to a sliding and / or rotating adjuster, particularly for a vehicle-user interface (interface). Within the scope of this invention, a vehicle-user interface refers to a device for inputting control information about a vehicle or vehicle components. Furthermore, the user, also referred to as the operator, refers to the driver of the vehicle. In addition to the input device according to the invention, other input devices suitable for manual input or components for visualizing the status of the vehicle or vehicle components are typically provided within the framework of the vehicle-user interface.

[0006] According to the invention, the input device has a positioning surface. This positioning surface is, for example, the touch-sensitive input surface of a touchpad or touchscreen. Furthermore, a detection device is provided, which is preferably fixed to the positioning surface and, for example, arranged on the side of the positioning surface facing away from the operator. The term "touchpad" refers to an input device without a display that has a touch-sensitive input surface, while the term "touchscreen" should include an input device that combines a touch-sensitive input surface with a display. This positioning surface is typically arranged on a trim panel or dashboard facing the operator in the passenger compartment of a vehicle. The input device also has an analysis unit electrically connected to the detection unit.

[0007] Furthermore, the input device also includes a base and an operating component rotatably and / or slidably supported on the base. According to the invention, the base can be freely and selectively positioned on a positioning surface, for example, it can be detachably fixed to the positioning surface. That is, after the base is positioned on the positioning surface, the base of the sliding and / or rotating adjuster will maintain its position even during operation input via manual adjustment of the operating component, and there is no need to manually hold the operating component. To maintain position, as mentioned above, a detachable connecting member can be provided between the base and the positioning surface, such as an adhesive or bonding agent that overcomes magnetic forces or creates a vacuum. This base, for example, has a permanent magnet that magnetically interacts with a ferromagnetic or permanent magnet mating element fixed to the positioning surface. Position, for example, refers to the intersection of the rotation axis of the rotating adjuster and the positioning surface, i.e., in the case of an operating component rotatably supported on the base.

[0008] The detection device has a transmitting device for generating an alternating electromagnetic field by means of a transmitted signal and a receiving device for receiving the transmitted alternating field. The transmitting and receiving devices do not necessarily and preferably are not structurally separated from each other. For example, a shared antenna or coil array can be used, or even a shared electrode structure provided by a touchpad or touchscreen. It is preferred to use a shared array of coils, but in a selective order, wherein, depending on the selective wiring, each coil performs the function of either a transmitting coil or a receiving coil, and is understood below to be used in pairs.

[0009] According to the invention, at least two electrically resonant circuits are arranged in an alternating electromagnetic field, each having at least one electrically resonant circuit coil as a resonant circuit element. These resonant circuits are fixed to an operating component and configured to be inductively coupled to the alternating electromagnetic field for use as a position encoder. By being fixed to the operating component, synchronous movement of the resonant circuits with the operating component is achieved during manual adjustment of the operating component. Thus, according to the invention, the resonant circuit coil moves on a projection plane with its resonant circuit coil cross-section. To simplify the description of the movement, an imaginary coupling surface is defined, which is generated by projecting the cross-section of the resonant circuit coil perpendicularly onto the positioning surface. For each resonant circuit, even if the position of the base remains unchanged during adjustment, the spatial position of the coupling surface on the positioning surface changes with the adjustment of the operating component. Preferably, the resonant circuits are arranged such that the coupling surface also "travels" a relatively long distance along the possible adjustment path of the operating component. In the case of a rotary adjuster, the two coupling surfaces are arranged, for example, outside the rotating shaft of the rotary adjuster. According to the present invention, each resonant circuit has an absorption characteristic relative to an alternating electromagnetic field, the absorption characteristic affecting the corresponding received signal and being characteristic of the corresponding resonant circuit, and / or, each resonant circuit has a radiation characteristic based on the current induced in the resonant circuit, the radiation characteristic affecting the corresponding received signal and being characteristic of the corresponding resonant circuit.

[0010] According to the present invention, the analysis unit is adapted to determine the corresponding position of the coupling surface based at least on the received signal (specifically, depending on the embodiment, by both the received signal and the transmitted signal), and further based on the absorption characteristics of the resonant circuit relative to the alternating electromagnetic field or the radiation characteristics of the resonant circuit based on the position of the current induced by the alternating electromagnetic field, according to the transmitted signal and / or the received signal preset for each resonant circuit. Thus, the analysis unit determines the position of the base, such as the position of the rotation axis, and ultimately determines the position of the operating component in order to output position information related to the position of the operating component. In other words, by determining the position of the base, in one technical solution, position information is determined based on local power consumption and by comparing local transmitted and received signals, which are generated by the locally present resonant circuit as characteristic power consumption extracted from the original alternating electromagnetic field at the position corresponding to this position. Therefore, according to the present invention, the analysis unit can perform switching and / or control functions of vehicle components based on the position information. For example, temperature pre-selection of the vehicle's air conditioning control device based on the position of the operating component. For example, control input can be performed more undisturbed by using an alternating electromagnetic field compared to operation input based on a capacitive sensing component.

[0011] Position information is preferably obtained by comparing the received and transmitted signals, particularly by comparing their amplitudes and / or phases, to obtain position-related absorption characteristics. For example, the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit can be determined at least based on the received signal.

[0012] In a relatively small structure, using at least two resonant circuits allows for the precise determination of the base's position based on the corresponding positions of at least two coupling surfaces, and consequently, the determination of the rotation center for possible rotational adjustments. These two resonant circuits exhibit different characteristic resonant properties and are arranged such that the positions of their coupling surfaces change with the adjustment, i.e., they move on the positioning surface during adjustment. Supplementary structural measures for detecting the base's position are unnecessary; rather, this allows for more accurate position determination because, for example, due to clearances in the pivot bearing structure, the actual rotation center thus determined may deviate from the theoretically predetermined rotation center.

[0013] The change in position of the coupling surface during adjustment and its detection enable precise and reliable determination of the adjustment path and the corresponding position of the operating components, without the need for additional detection of the base's position on the positioning surface. This allows for selective positioning of the base, i.e., arbitrary positioning, and ensures position detection of the operating components relative to the base at every location on the base.

[0014] The operating component is unrestricted in terms of further mobility and degrees of freedom; therefore, it is preferable to also provide a pivotable bearing structure for the operating component. For example, a universal bearing or ball bearing structure can be provided between the base and the operating component. Furthermore, according to another technical solution, a sliding property is provided in conjunction with rotatability, wherein the direction of the sliding property is perpendicular to the axis of rotation. A pushing function can also be provided, wherein the operating component can move against a return force towards the positioning surface to achieve a switching function.

[0015] The transmitting device is preferably a transmitter array consisting of coils to which transmission signals can be selectively applied, and / or the receiving device is a receiver array consisting of selectively readable coils. The transmitting and / or receiving arrays are, for example, distributed on a positioning surface. Therefore, spatially resolved position detection can be achieved by selectively analyzing the received and / or transmitted signals belonging to individual coils.

[0016] More preferably, the cross-sections of these coils projected vertically onto the positioning surface define projection surfaces, wherein these projection surfaces partially overlap in pairs, i.e., each coil defines a cutting surface according to its corresponding projection surface, where the cutting surface is a partition of the two projection surfaces. This is particularly advantageous when an array of coils is used as both a transmitting and receiving array, as it reliably enables spatially resolved detection. Specifically, one coil with an overlapping projection surface in a coil pair can be used as a receiving coil, and the other coil as a transmitting coil, so that when the coupling surface overlaps with the corresponding overlapping surface, the position of the position encoder can be actively and spatially resolved at the location of the overlapping surface defined by the cutting surface of the projection surface. This ultimately simplifies the structural design of the detection device. "Overlap" means that these surfaces at least partially coincide, i.e., there is at least one cutting surface, where these surfaces do not need to be completely overlapped.

[0017] Preferably, the projection surfaces, generated as the vertical projection of the coil cross-section onto the positioning surface, extend in strips within the positioning surface along one of two preferably right-angled extension directions. This extension direction presupposes a longitudinal direction, i.e., the direction of maximum extension of the projection surface, which extends, for example, from one side of the positioning surface to the opposite side and across the entire positioning surface. In this case, these strip-shaped projection surfaces form two sets of projection surfaces, where the subordination relative to a set is determined by a shared extension direction. The coils in each set are arranged such that adjacent projection surfaces within each set overlap. Preferably, the projection surfaces within a set are uniform.

[0018] Preferably, each projection surface of one group overlaps with multiple, preferably all, projection surfaces of another group, and overlapping surfaces are defined therein. The resonant circuit coil is arranged on the actuating member such that, for each possible position of the base on the positioning surface and in all possible positions of the actuating member, the coupling surface overlaps with at least one, but not all, overlapping surfaces. To ensure multiple detections, the corresponding coupling surface overlaps with multiple, but not all, overlapping surfaces in all positions. This allows for multiple (but at least one excluded) explicit identification of each position of the actuating member. For example, the amplitude ratio or phase shift for each overlapping surface is determined by controlling the coil defining the overlapping surface, thereby detecting the presence of a resonant circuit or coupling surface in the relevant overlapping surface by comparing it with a preset value or characteristic.

[0019] In one technical solution, the individualized radiation characteristics of each resonant circuit are generated through digital encoding, which is reflected in the received signal and generated through the structure of the resonant circuit. Preferably, each resonant circuit has a characteristic frequency response of the amplitude ratio between the transmitted and received signals, and / or a characteristic frequency response of the phase shift between the transmitted and received signals; these are referred to as resonant characteristics. This allows for the identification of each resonant circuit, and consequently, its spatial location on the positioning surface. It also improves the reliability of detection because the previously known frequency-dependent effects caused by the rotary regulator can be distinguished from other interfering factors (such as droplets on the manipulator) based on the frequency characteristics. This can be, for example, a series of single-frequency signals of different frequencies analyzed sequentially or multi-frequency signals analyzed spectrally to achieve frequency-dependent analysis.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment of the sliding and / or rotating adjuster, the analysis unit is adapted to determine the degree of coupling between the receiving device and at least one resonant circuit, preferably for all resonant circuits, based on at least one received signal and a transmitted signal, so as to detect the displacement of the actuating member in a direction perpendicular to the positioning surface and / or the tilt of the actuating member about an axis parallel to the positioning surface, based on the degree of coupling. In a simple technical solution, this degree of coupling is derived by comparing the signal strength of the received signal with a preset, previously known signal strength. That is, the determination of the coupling degree according to the invention can be simplified to the determination of the signal strength, provided that the signal strength of the output signal or similar signal is known, for example. Sliding in a direction perpendicular to the positioning surface is also referred to as actuating capability. With regard to this actuating capability, the actuating member is supported, for example, so that it can overcome a restoring force and move from a rest position toward the positioning surface to a pressed position, so as to correspond an additional switching function to the actuation.

[0021] Furthermore, the present invention also relates to the use of a sliding and / or rotating adjuster employing one of the foregoing embodiments in an automobile.

[0022] Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a method for operating a sliding and / or rotating adjuster, particularly a sliding and / or rotating adjuster of a vehicle-operator interface, the method comprising the following steps:

[0023] In the step of providing the method according to the invention, the sliding and / or rotating adjuster is provided, having a positioning surface, a base, an operating member rotatably and / or slidably supported on the base, a detection device, and an analysis unit electrically connected to the detection device.

[0024] The detection device includes a transmitting device for generating an alternating electromagnetic field by means of a transmitting signal, and a receiving device for receiving the alternating electromagnetic field when a receiving signal is generated. Furthermore, the provided sliding and / or rotating adjuster also includes at least two electrically resonant circuits fixed to the operating member and arranged to be inductively coupled to the alternating electromagnetic field as position encoders, each resonant circuit having at least one resonant circuit coil comprising the cross-section of a resonant circuit coil.

[0025] In a subsequent positioning step according to the method of the invention, the base may be selectively positioned at a location on the positioning surface so that the actuating element can be manually adjusted relative to the positioning surface while maintaining the corresponding position of the base. In this case, the cross-section of each resonant circuit coil defines a coupling surface when vertically projected onto the positioning surface, wherein the spatial position of the coupling surface on the positioning surface changes with the adjustment of the actuating element, and each resonant circuit has an absorption characteristic relative to the alternating electromagnetic field, the absorption characteristic affecting the corresponding received signal and being characteristic of the corresponding resonant circuit, and / or, each resonant circuit has a radiation characteristic based on the current induced in the resonant circuit, the radiation characteristic affecting the corresponding received signal and being characteristic of the corresponding resonant circuit.

[0026] In the measurement step of the method according to the invention, the analysis unit is used to determine the corresponding position of the coupling surface based on the preset transmission signal and / or the obtained received signal for each resonant circuit, thereby determining the position of the base and the position of the operating component.

[0027] In a subsequent output step of the method according to the invention, at least one position information related to the position of the operating component is output by the analysis unit so that a switching function and / or a control function can be performed based on the position information.

[0028] According to a preferred technical variant of the method, the transmitting device is a transmitter array consisting of coils to which transmission signals can be selectively applied, and / or the receiving device is a receiver array consisting of selectively readable coils. The transmitting and / or receiving arrays are, for example, distributed on a positioning surface. Therefore, spatially resolved position detection can be achieved by selectively analyzing the received and / or transmitted signals belonging to individual coils.

[0029] More preferably, the vertical projections of these coils onto the coil cross-sections on the positioning surface define projection surfaces, wherein these projection surfaces partially overlap in pairs, i.e., each coil defines a cutting surface according to its corresponding projection surface, where the cutting surface is a partition of the two projection surfaces. This is particularly advantageous when an array of coils is shared as both a transmitting and receiving array, as it reliably enables spatially resolved detection. Specifically, one coil in a coil pair with an overlapping projection surface can be used as a receiving coil, and the remaining coil in the pair can be used as a transmitting coil. This allows for active and spatially resolved confirmation of the position encoder's position at the location corresponding to the cutting surface (also called the overlapping surface) when the coupling surface overlaps with the corresponding overlapping surface. This ultimately simplifies the structural design of the detection device. "Overlap" means that these surfaces at least partially coincide, i.e., there is at least one cutting surface, where the surfaces do not need to be completely overlapped.

[0030] According to a preferred technical variant of the method, projection surfaces, generated as vertical projections of the coil cross-section onto the positioning surface, extend in strips within the positioning surface along one of two preferably right-angled extension directions. This extension direction presupposes a longitudinal direction, i.e., the direction of maximum extension of the projection surface, which extends, for example, from one side of the positioning surface to the opposite side and across the entire positioning surface. In this case, these strip-shaped projection surfaces form two sets of projection surfaces, wherein a subordinate relationship relative to one set is generated according to a shared extension direction. The coils in each set are arranged such that adjacent projection surfaces within each set overlap.

[0031] According to a preferred technical variant of the method, each projection surface of one group overlaps with multiple, preferably all, projection surfaces of another group, and overlapping surfaces are defined therein. The resonant circuit coil is arranged on the actuating member such that, for each possible position of the base on the positioning surface and in all possible positions of the actuating member, the coupling surface overlaps with at least one, but not all, overlapping surfaces. To ensure multiple detections, the corresponding coupling surface overlaps with multiple, but not all, overlapping surfaces in all positions. This allows for precise identification of each position of the actuating member. For example, the amplitude ratio or phase shift for each overlapping surface is determined by controlling the coil defining the overlapping surface, thereby detecting the presence of a resonant circuit or coupling surface in the relevant overlapping surface by comparing it with a preset value or characteristic.

[0032] In one technical solution, the individualized radiation characteristics of each resonant circuit are generated through digital encoding, which is reflected in the received signal and generated through the structure of the resonant circuit. According to a preferred technical variant of the method, each resonant circuit has a characteristic frequency response of the amplitude ratio between the transmitted and received signals, and / or a characteristic frequency response of the phase shift between the transmitted and received signals; these are referred to as resonant characteristics. This allows for the identification of each resonant circuit, and consequently, its spatial location on the positioning surface. It also improves the reliability of detection because the previously known frequency-dependent effects of the sliding / rotating regulator can be distinguished from other interfering factors (such as droplets on the manipulator) based on the frequency characteristics. This can be, for example, a series of single-frequency signals of different frequencies analyzed sequentially or multi-frequency signals analyzed spectrally to achieve frequency-dependent analysis.

[0033] According to a preferred embodiment of the method, the analysis unit is adapted to determine the degree of coupling between the receiving device and at least one resonant circuit, preferably for all resonant circuits, based on at least one received signal and a transmitted signal, so as to detect the displacement of the actuating member in a direction perpendicular to the positioning surface and / or the tilt of the actuating member about an axis parallel to the positioning surface, based on the degree of coupling. Sliding in the direction perpendicular to the positioning surface is also referred to as actuating capability. In this actuating capability, the actuating member is, for example, supported such that it can move from a rest position to a compressed position against a restoring force, so as to correspond an additional switching function to the actuation. Attached Figure Description

[0034] The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the following accompanying drawings. These drawings are for illustrative purposes only and illustrate only one preferred embodiment. Wherein:

[0035] Figure 1 A perspective view of the rotary adjuster 1 according to the invention, which is part of a vehicle-operator interface (not fully shown);

[0036] Figure 2 For use based on the coil cross-section Figure 1 The imaginary projection shown on the positioning surface of the positioning base 3 illustrates a sketch of the relative arrangement of the coil of the detection device 5 and the resonant circuit coil of the resonant circuit 4 according to the present invention.

[0037] Figure 3 A diagram illustrating the correlation between the curve of coupling degree k and the standardized distance between the resonant circuit coil and the detection device 5;

[0038] Figure 4 for Figure 1 The figure shows a cross-sectional view of the rotary adjuster 1 according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0039] Figure 1 An embodiment of a rotary and / or sliding adjuster 1, belonging to a vehicle-operator interface according to the present invention, is shown. The actuating component 2 is supported in a manner substantially rotatable relative to its base 3, and is therefore simply referred to below as the rotary adjuster 1. The rotary adjuster 1 can be selectively positioned on a positioning surface 6, specifically, the base 3 is adhered to the positioning surface 6. The positioning surface 6 is, for example, the surface of a decorative panel or the touch-sensitive surface of a touchpad or touchscreen. For example, the adhesion between the base 3 and the positioning surface 6 can be overcome by magnetic interaction, while manual rotation adjustment of the actuating component 2 relative to the base 3 about a rotation axis A is still possible. For example, the position of the base 3 and the position of the rotary adjuster 1 are defined by the intersection of the rotation axis A and the positioning surface 6. The actuating component 2 has two resonant circuits 4, each including a characteristic resonant frequency, and each serves as a position encoder. Since the base 3 can be arranged almost arbitrarily on the positioning surface 6, additional detection of the position of the base 3 is required, and consequently, additional detection of the position of the rotary adjuster 1 on the positioning surface 6. To avoid additional position detection steps and related detection devices, the solution according to the present invention proposes to integrate this step into position detection, specifically by detecting the position of the manipulator 2 on its possible adjustment path during position detection.

[0040] In this case, the innovation of the present invention lies in two electrically resonant circuits 4 arranged in the alternating electromagnetic field of the detection device 5, which will also be described in detail, each of which has at least one electrically resonant circuit coil as a resonant circuit element, for example, a resonant circuit coil with an electrically short circuit.

[0041] The detection device 5 includes a transmitting device for generating an alternating electromagnetic field by means of a transmitted signal and a receiving device for receiving the transmitted alternating field. The transmitting and receiving devices are not structurally separate but share a common array composed of coils, see reference [reference needed]. Figure 2 This array will be described in detail.

[0042] The resonant circuit 4 is fixed to the actuating member 2 and configured to be inductively coupled to the alternating electromagnetic field of the detection device 5, so as to function as a position encoder. By being fixed to the actuating member 2, synchronous movement of the resonant circuit 4 with the actuating member is achieved during manual adjustment of the actuating member 2. Therefore, according to the invention, the resonant circuit coil of the corresponding resonant circuit 4 moves on the projection plane 5 with its resonant circuit coil cross-section. To simplify the description of the motion, it is defined as... Figure 2The imaginary coupling surfaces 4a or 4b shown are generated by projecting the cross-section of the resonant circuit coil perpendicularly onto the positioning surface 6. In this case, the resonant circuit 4 should be arranged as far away as possible from the adjustment fixing point of the operating member 2, i.e., as far away as possible from the rotation axis A. The resonant circuit coil 4 is preferably oriented such that its field direction is perpendicular or orthogonal to this field direction and its cross-section is parallel to the positioning surface 6. Even if the position of the base 3 remains unchanged during adjustment, the spatial positions of the corresponding coupling surfaces 4a, 4b, which are spatially separated from each other, on the positioning surface 6 will change with the adjustment of the operating member 2. According to the invention, each resonant circuit 4 has an absorption characteristic relative to the alternating electromagnetic field, which affects the corresponding received signal and is characteristic of the corresponding resonant circuit 4, and / or, each resonant circuit has a radiation characteristic based on the current induced in the resonant circuit 4, which affects the corresponding received signal and is characteristic of the corresponding resonant circuit 4.

[0043] The analysis unit 7, electrically connected to the detection device 5, is adapted to determine the corresponding positions of the coupling surfaces 4a and 4b based at least on the received signal (specifically, depending on the implementation, by both the received signal and the transmitted signal), and further based on the absorption characteristics of the resonant circuit relative to the alternating electromagnetic field or the radiation characteristics of the resonant circuit 4 based on the position of the current induced by the alternating electromagnetic field, according to the transmitted signal and / or the received signal preset for each resonant circuit 4. Thus, the analysis unit 7 determines the position A of the base 3, here the position of the rotation axis, and determines the position, here the angular position of the operating member 2, using the information obtained thereby related to the position A of the base 3, so as to output position information related to the position of the operating member 2. In other words, in one technical solution, the position information is determined based on local power consumption and by comparing local transmitted and received signals, which are generated by the locally present resonant circuit 4 as characteristic power consumption extracted from the original alternating electromagnetic field at the position corresponding to this position. Therefore, according to the present invention, this analysis unit can perform switching and / or control functions of vehicle components based on the position information. For example, temperature pre-selection of the vehicle's air conditioning control device based on the position of the operating member 3. Position-related absorption characteristics can also be obtained by comparing the received and transmitted signals, particularly by comparing their amplitudes and / or phases, thereby obtaining position information. For example, the corresponding resonant circuit 4 can be identified from the received signal based on the resonant frequency, and the coil array of the detection device 5 can achieve spatial resolution relative to the projection plane 6.

[0044] Using at least two resonant circuits 4, the precise position A of the base 3 can be determined based on the corresponding positions of the coupling surfaces 4a and 4b, thereby determining the rotation center for possible rotational adjustments. These two resonant circuits are arranged such that the positions of their coupling surfaces 4a and 4b change during adjustment, i.e., they move on the positioning surface 6 during the adjustment process. The changing positions of the coupling surfaces 4a and 4b during adjustment and their detection enable the determination of the adjustment path and the corresponding position of the operating component 2, without the need for additional detection of the position A of the base 3 on the positioning surface 6. This allows for selective positioning of the base 3, i.e., arbitrary positioning, and ensures position detection of the operating component 2 relative to the base 3 at each position A.

[0045] like Figure 2 As shown, the transmitting device is a transmitter array consisting of coils X1 to X3 and Y1 to Y3 to which transmission signals can be selectively applied, and the receiving device is a receiver array consisting of selectively readable coils X1 to X3 and Y1 to Y3. The coils X1 to X3 and Y1 to Y3 are distributed on the positioning surface 6 along two orthogonal extension directions x and y. Therefore, spatially resolved position detection can be achieved by selectively analyzing the received signals and / or transmitted signals belonging to individual coils. The coils X1 to X3 and Y1 to Y3 have only one or only a few loops and are integrated, for example, into a layer structure arranged below and fixed to the positioning surface 6 from the operator B's perspective, such as into a thin-film layer structure or a multilayer printed circuit board.

[0046] The vertical projections of coils X1 to X3 and Y1 to Y3 onto the positioning surface 6 define projection surfaces P(X2) and P(Y3), respectively. Figure 2 The coils X2 and Y3 are exemplarily indicated by shaded lines. In this case, the projection planes P(X2) and P(Y3) overlap in pairs and only partially, meaning that the two coils define a cutting surface called the overlapping surface U(X2 / Y3) according to the relevant projection planes P(X2) and P(Y3), which is a partition of the two projection planes P(X2) and P(Y3). In this case, the corresponding coil X2 or Y3 of the pair of coils X2 and Y3 with the overlapping projection planes P(X2) and P(Y3) is used as the receiving coil, and the corresponding other coil Y3 or X2 of the pair is used as the transmitting coil, so that when the coupling surface 4a or 4b overlaps with the relevant overlapping surface U(X2 / Y3), the position of the position encoder can be actively and spatially resolved in the region of the overlapping surface U(X2 / Y3). This ultimately simplifies the structural design of the detection device 5.

[0047] As shown in the figure, projection surfaces P(X2) and P(Y3), generated by the perpendicular projections of the coil cross sections X1 to X3 and Y1 to Y3 onto the positioning surface 6, extend in strips along one of two preferably right-angled extension directions x and y on the positioning surface 6. This extension direction x or y presupposes a longitudinal direction, i.e., the direction of maximum extension of the projection surface 6, which extends, for example, from one side of the positioning surface 6 to the opposite side and extends throughout the entire positioning surface 6. In this case, the periodicity of the coil spacing is a small fraction of the width of the coil loop determined perpendicular to the extension direction x or y.

[0048] In this case, the strip-shaped projection surfaces P(X1) to P(X3) or P(Y1) to P(Y3) form two sets of projection surfaces, wherein the subordinate relationship of a set of P(X1) to P(X3) or P(Y1) to P(Y3) is generated according to a common extension direction x or y. The coils of each set are arranged such that adjacent projection surfaces P(X1) to P(X3) or P(Y1) to P(Y3) within each set overlap. Here, the projection surfaces P(X1) to P(X3) or P(Y1) to P(Y3) within a set are uniform.

[0049] Furthermore, each projection plane P(X1) to P(X3) of one group overlaps with multiple, preferably all, projection planes P(Y1) to P(Y3) of another group, and overlapping planes U(X... / Y...) are defined here, respectively. The resonant circuit coil of the resonant circuit 4 is arranged on the operating member 2 such that for each possible position of the base 3 on the positioning surface 6 and in all possible positions of the operating member 2, the coupling surfaces 4a and 4b overlap with at least one, but not all, overlapping planes U(X... / Y...). To ensure multiple detections, the corresponding coupling surface overlaps with multiple, but not all, overlapping planes U(X... / Y...) in all positions. This allows for clear identification of each position of the operating member 2. For example, the amplitude ratio or phase shift for each overlapping region is determined by controlling the coil forming the overlapping region, thereby detecting the presence of the resonant circuit 4 or coupling surfaces 4a and 4b in the relevant overlapping plane U(X... / Y...) by comparing them with preset values ​​or characteristics.

[0050] Here, each resonant circuit 4 has a characteristic frequency response of the amplitude ratio between the transmitted and received signals, and / or a characteristic frequency response of the phase shift between the transmitted and received signals, which is referred to as the resonance characteristic. This allows identification of each resonant circuit 4, and consequently, the spatial position of each resonant circuit 4 relative to the positioning surface 6 and its spatial position of its vertical projection onto the positioning surface 6 (i.e., coupling surfaces 4a, 4b). It also improves the reliability of detection because the previously known frequency-dependent effects caused by the rotary adjuster 1 acting as a position encoder can be distinguished from other interfering factors (such as droplets on the manipulator 2) based on the frequency characteristics. This can be, for example, a series of single-frequency signals of different frequencies analyzed sequentially or a multi-frequency signal analyzed spectrally to achieve frequency-dependent analysis.

[0051] Furthermore, the analysis unit is also adapted to determine the coupling degree k (also called coupling coefficient) between the receiving device and at least one resonant circuit 4, preferably for the inductive coupling between all resonant circuits, based on at least one received signal and a transmitted signal, so as to detect the displacement of the manipulator 2 in the direction perpendicular to the positioning surface 6 based on this coupling degree. Figure 2 The currents in coils X1 to X3 or Y1 to Y3 respectively generate magnetic flux #1, where the component #2 < #1 penetrates the second coil and induces a voltage therein. The magnetic coupling between the coils is described by the ratio of the magnetic fluxes #2 / #1. The coupling coefficient is largely related to the offset of the coils along the x, y, and z directions. The specific coupling depends on the geometry, for example, generating... Figure 3 The family of curves shown corresponds to different vertical distances between the coil and the resonant circuit 4 (more precisely, the resonant circuit coil). This family of curves is stored, for example, as a family of characteristic curves within the analysis unit. Using this family of characteristic curves and the received signals for the two resonant circuits 4, the positions of the two resonant circuits in three-dimensional space and the angle of the rotary adjuster in space can be determined in principle.

[0052] Rotation analysis of the rotary adjuster 1 is only performed when the base of the rotary adjuster 1 is located on the positioning surface 6. Therefore, in one technical solution, the rotary adjuster 1 is first analyzed by means of a family of characteristic curves to determine whether the rotary adjuster 1 stays on the positioning surface for the shortest time; for example, when t > 100 ms, the received signal of the first resonant circuit 4 and the received signal of the second resonant circuit 4 are both greater than the corresponding threshold and / or when the ratio of the two signals is a specific ratio.

[0053] In one technical solution, in order to make the detection less susceptible to interference, it is also necessary to immediately check whether the position of the resonant circuit 4 is reliable and whether the distance between the resonant circuit coil of the resonant circuit 4 and the receiving coils X1 to X3 and Y1 to Y3 conforms to the dimensions preset by mechanical design. This point is achieved by determining the coupling degree k.

[0054] The position is preferably determined at a frequency of 100Hz or higher. This high speed is essential, especially when using rotary latch haptics (also referred to as latch haptics), to achieve synchronization between tactile feedback and function triggering. When starting the rotational analysis (condition: see above), an initial position analysis related to the rotational position is first initialized. If a specific rotational angle defined by the mechanical latch is reached and detected, a function is triggered. If the operating part 2 of the rotation adjuster 1 remains in this latch position for a specific time, a new initial position is determined. This allows for correction of minor errors, such as those caused by slippage between the base 3 and the positioning surface 6.

[0055] The transmitted signal, i.e., the excitation frequency, should be matched as precisely as possible to the natural frequency w1 or w2 of the resonant circuit 4. In known operating elements, this is achieved by soldering a calibration capacitor during the manufacturing process. This is costly and only suitable for use within a limited temperature range, as the natural frequency of the resonant circuit 4 is temperature-dependent (e.g., the temperature dependence of the capacitance of a capacitor belonging to the resonant circuit). Therefore, a baseline alignment method is used to adapt the excitation frequency to the resonant circuit 4. That is, the detection device 5 can change the excitation frequency within a specific range so that the resonance of the corresponding resonant circuit 4 reaches its maximum. In one technical solution, this baseline alignment method is always implemented when a transmission signal is applied.

[0056] Optionally, the rotary adjuster 1 may have a pressing function. The resonant circuit 4 is mounted such that it moves towards the positioning surface 6 against the reset force when an axial force is applied to the operating member 2 of the rotary adjuster 1. The detection device 5, for example, is... Figure 3 The family of curves shown is used to detect the presence of an operator's "press," for example, by exceeding a certain signal strength and by exceeding a preset coupling degree k. Alternatively, a specific minimum ratio of the signal strengths of the received signals from the two resonant circuits 4 can also be assumed.

[0057] As an alternative, an additional switching element can be integrated into at least one resonant circuit 4, through which the natural frequency of at least one of the two resonant circuits 4 is changed. In this case, a third frequency w3 is supplementarily applied to the coils X1 to X3 and Y1 to Y3 of the transmitting device, and the corresponding response function of the resonant circuit 4 is analyzed by means of the receiving device.

[0058] Figure 4 for Figure 1The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of a rotary adjuster 1 with a locking tactile feedback according to an embodiment of the invention. The operating member 2 is supported on a base 3 in a manner rotatable about a rotation axis A. The base 3 can be arbitrarily placed on a positioning surface 6, wherein the position A of the base 3 on the positioning surface 6 is defined by the intersection of the rotation axis A and the positioning surface 6. To fully but still detachably fix the base 3 to the positioning surface 6 for rotary adjustment, a permanent magnet is provided in the base, which magnetically interacts with a ferromagnetic or permanent magnet mating element provided on the positioning surface 6. Alternatively, an adhesive connection, a suction connection, or a vacuum connection can be provided between the base 3 and the positioning surface 6. The operating member 2 and the base 3 are annular and have a central through-hole 13 to allow visibility of the underside region of the positioning surface 6, which is, for example, the touch-sensitive input surface and display surface of a touchscreen. Furthermore, the rotary adjuster 1 also has a rolling bearing 11 to enable rotatable support of the operating member 2 relative to the base 3. In addition, a locking mechanism 10 is provided, which includes a latch and a locking profile engaging to generate a tactilely perceptible locking sensation when the operating member 2 is rotated. A printed circuit board 12 carrying a resonant circuit 4 is fixed to the operating member 2. This resonant circuit serves as a position encoder for detecting the rotational position of the operating member 2 and the position A of the base 3 on the positioning surface 6. The resonant circuits 4, each with a different resonant frequency, each have a resonant circuit coil, the cross-section of which faces the positioning surface 6. A detection device 5 is provided for detecting the rotational position and the position A of the base 3. This detection device consists of a single coil array composed of selectively controllable coils X1 to X3 and Y1 to Y3, which functions as a transmitting device when a transmitting signal is selectively applied and as a receiving device when a receiving signal is selectively read.

Claims

1. A sliding and / or rotating adjuster (1) having a positioning surface (6); a base (3) selectively positioned at a position (A) on the positioning surface (6); an operating member (2) rotatably and / or slidably supported on the base (3) so as to allow manual adjustment of the operating member (2) relative to the positioning surface (6) while maintaining the corresponding position (A) of the base (3); and a detection device (5) having a transmitting device for generating an alternating electromagnetic field by means of a transmitting signal and a receiving device for receiving the alternating electromagnetic field when a receiving signal is generated; and an analysis unit (7) electrically connected to the detection device (5); wherein at least two electrically resonant circuits (4) fixed on the operating member (2) and arranged to be inductively coupled to the alternating electromagnetic field are provided as position encoders, each of the resonant circuits having at least one resonant circuit coil comprising a cross-section of a resonant circuit coil, the cross-section of the resonant circuit coil defining a coupling surface when vertically projected onto the positioning surface. (4a, 4b), and the spatial position of the coupling surfaces (4a, 4b) on the positioning surface (6) changes with the adjustment of the operating member (2); and each resonant circuit (4) has an absorption characteristic relative to the alternating electromagnetic field, the absorption characteristic affecting the corresponding received signal and being characteristic for the corresponding resonant circuit (4), and / or each resonant circuit (4) has a radiation characteristic based on the current induced in the resonant circuit (4), the radiation characteristic affecting the corresponding received signal and being characteristic for the corresponding resonant circuit (4); and the analysis unit (7) is adapted to determine the corresponding position of the coupling surfaces (4a, 4b) according to the preset transmitted signal and / or the received signal obtained for each resonant circuit (4), thereby determining the position of the base (3) and the position of the operating member (2), and the analysis unit (7) is adapted to output at least one position information related to the position of the operating member (2) so as to be able to perform switching functions and / or control functions according to the position information; The position of the control component (2) is determined only when the dwell time of the rotary adjuster (1) on the positioning surface (6) reaches the shortest time, the received signals of the two resonant circuits (4) are both greater than the corresponding threshold and / or the ratio of the two signals is a specific ratio. The analysis unit (7) is adapted to determine the coupling degree (k) of the inductive coupling between the receiving device and all resonant circuits based on at least one received signal and a transmitted signal, so as to detect the displacement of the operating member (2) in the direction perpendicular to the positioning surface (6) and / or the tilt of the operating member (2) about an axis parallel to the positioning surface (6) based on the coupling degree (k); determine whether the distance between the resonant circuit coil and the receiving coil of the resonant circuit (4) conforms to the size preset by mechanical design, so as to check whether the position determination of the resonant circuit (4) is reliable.

2. The sliding and / or rotating adjuster (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sliding and / or rotary adjuster (1) is a sliding and / or rotary adjuster for the vehicle-operator interface.

3. The sliding and / or rotating adjuster (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmitting device has a transmitter array consisting of coils (X1-X3, Y1-Y3) to which the transmitting signal is selectively applied, and / or the receiving device has a receiving array consisting of selectively readable coils (X1-X3, Y1-Y3), wherein the coil cross sections of the coils (X1-X3, Y1-Y3) projected vertically onto the positioning surface (6) define projection surfaces (P(X2), P(Y3)) respectively, and the projection surfaces (P(X2), P(Y3)) are partially overlapped in pairs respectively.

4. The sliding and / or rotating adjuster (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The projection surfaces (P(X2), P(Y3)) extend in strips on the positioning surface (6) along one of two different, mutually perpendicular extension directions and belong to two groups defined by the extension directions (x, y), in which the coils (X1-X3, Y1-Y3) of one group are arranged such that adjacent projection surfaces (P(X2) or P(Y3)) in each group overlap.

5. The sliding and / or rotating adjuster (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that, Each projection surface (P(X2)) of one group overlaps with multiple projection surfaces (P(Y3)) of another group and hereby defines an overlapping surface (U(X2 / Y3)), and the resonant circuit coil is arranged on the operating member (2) such that for each position (A) of the base (3) on the positioning surface (6) and in all positions of the operating member (2), the coupling surface (4a, 4b) overlaps with at least one, but not all, overlapping surfaces (U(X2 / Y3)).

6. The sliding and / or rotating adjuster (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each projection plane (P(X2)) of one group overlaps with all projection planes (P(Y3)) of another group, and the overlapping plane (U(X2 / Y3)) is defined here respectively.

7. The sliding and / or rotating adjuster (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The at least two coupling surfaces (4a, 4b) are arranged such that for each position of the actuating component (2), the coupling surfaces (4a, 4b) overlap with different overlapping surfaces (U(X2 / Y3)).

8. The sliding and / or rotating adjuster (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each resonant circuit (4) has a characteristic frequency response of the amplitude ratio between the transmitted signal and the received signal, and / or a characteristic frequency response of the phase shift between the transmitted signal and the received signal.

9. The sliding and / or rotating adjuster (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, It has a touchpad or touchscreen that includes a touch-sensitive input surface, and the positioning surface (6) coincides with the touch-sensitive input surface.

10. An automobile comprising a sliding and / or rotating adjuster (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.

11. A method of operating a sliding and / or rotating adjuster (1), the method comprising the following steps: The sliding and / or rotating adjuster (1) is provided, the sliding and / or rotating adjuster having a positioning surface (6), a base (3), an operating member (2) rotatably and / or slidably supported on the base (3), and a detection device (5), the detection device having a transmitting device for generating an alternating electromagnetic field by means of a transmitting signal, and a receiving device for receiving the alternating electromagnetic field when a receiving signal is generated, and the sliding and / or rotating adjuster having an analysis unit (7) electrically connected to the detection device (5); wherein at least two electrically resonant circuits (4) fixed on the operating member (2) and arranged to be inductively coupled to the alternating electromagnetic field are provided as position encoders, each of the resonant circuits having at least one resonant circuit coil including the cross-section of the resonant circuit coil; The base (3) can be optionally positioned at a position (A) on the positioning surface (6) so that the operating component (2) can be manually adjusted relative to the positioning surface (6) while maintaining the corresponding position (A) of the base (3). Each resonant circuit coil cross section defines a coupling surface (4a, 4b) when vertically projected onto the positioning surface (6), and the spatial position of the coupling surface (4a, 4b) on the positioning surface (6) changes with the adjustment of the operating member (2), and each resonant circuit (4) has an absorption characteristic relative to the alternating electromagnetic field, which affects the corresponding received signal and is characteristic for the corresponding resonant circuit, and / or, each resonant circuit (4) has a radiation characteristic based on the current induced in the resonant circuit (4), which affects the corresponding received signal and is characteristic for the corresponding resonant circuit (4); Using the analysis unit (7), the corresponding positions of the coupling surfaces (4a, 4b) on the positioning surface (6) are determined based on the preset transmission signal and / or the received signal obtained for each resonant circuit (4), thereby determining the position (A) of the base (3) and the position of the operating component (2); The analysis unit (7) outputs at least one position information related to the position of the control component (2) so that the switching function and / or control function can be performed according to the position information; The position of the control component (2) is determined only when the dwell time of the rotary adjuster (1) on the positioning surface (6) reaches the shortest time, the received signals of the two resonant circuits (4) are both greater than the corresponding threshold and / or the ratio of the two signals is a specific ratio. The analysis unit (7) is adapted to determine the coupling degree (k) of the inductive coupling between the receiving device and all resonant circuits based on at least one received signal and a transmitted signal, so as to detect the displacement of the operating member (2) in the direction perpendicular to the positioning surface (6) and / or the tilt of the operating member (2) about an axis parallel to the positioning surface (6) based on the coupling degree (k); determine whether the distance between the resonant circuit coil and the receiving coil of the resonant circuit (4) conforms to the size preset by mechanical design, so as to check whether the position determination of the resonant circuit (4) is reliable.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The sliding and / or rotary adjuster (1) is a sliding and / or rotary adjuster for the vehicle-operator interface.

13. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The transmitting device has a transmitter array consisting of coils (X1-X3, Y1-Y3) to which the transmitting signal is selectively applied, and / or the receiving device has a receiver array consisting of selectively readable coils (X1-X3, Y1-Y3), wherein the coil cross sections of the coils (X1-X3, Y1-Y3) projected vertically onto the positioning surface (6) define projection surfaces (P(X2), P(Y3)) respectively, and the projection surfaces (P(X2), P(Y3)) partially overlap in pairs.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The projection surfaces (P(X2), P(Y3)) extend in strips on the positioning surface (6) along one of two different, mutually perpendicular extension directions (x, y) and belong to two groups defined by the extension directions (x, y), wherein the coils (X1-X3, Y1-Y3) of each group are arranged such that adjacent projection surfaces (P(X2) or P(Y3)) within each group overlap.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, Each projection surface (P(X2)) of one group overlaps with multiple projection surfaces (P(Y3)) of another group and hereby defines an overlapping surface (U(X2 / Y3)), and the resonant circuit coil is arranged on the operating member (2) such that for each position (A) of the base (3) on the positioning surface (6) and in all positions of the operating member (2), the coupling surface (4a, 4b) overlaps with at least one, but not all, overlapping surfaces (U(X2 / Y3)).

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that, Each projection plane (P(X2)) of one group overlaps with all projection planes (P(Y3)) of another group, and the overlapping plane (U(X2 / Y3)) is defined here respectively.

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that, The at least two coupling surfaces (4a, 4b) are arranged such that for each position of the actuating component (2), the coupling surfaces (4a, 4b) overlap with different overlapping surfaces (U(X2 / Y3)).

18. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, Each resonant circuit (4) has a characteristic frequency response of the amplitude ratio between the transmitted signal and the received signal, and / or a characteristic frequency response of the phase shift between the transmitted signal and the received signal.

19. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The provided sliding and / or rotating adjuster (1) has a touchpad or touchscreen that includes a touch-sensitive input surface, and the positioning surface (6) is the touch-sensitive input surface.

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