Vehicle input device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle input device which allows a user to easily grasp the content of an on-vehicle instrument corresponding to an operation part that is operated without largely moving a sight line in the time of driving.SOLUTION: In a vehicle provided with operation parts on right and left sides in a vehicle width direction with respect to a driver seat, a vehicle input device is configured to: upon detecting a touch onto the operation part on the left side by an occupant, display an image imitating the touched operation part, on the left side of a display part provided on a vehicle front side of the driver seat and display information about an on-vehicle instrument allocated to the operation part having been touched on a right side of the display part; and upon detecting the touch to the operation part on the right side by the occupant, display an image imitating the operation part having been touched on the right side of the display part and display information about an on-vehicle instrument allocated to the operation part having been touched, on the left side of the display part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle input device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an in-vehicle input device in which a plurality of switches are provided on a steering wheel. In this in-vehicle input device, the arrangement of options in a virtual image screen displayed on a front windshield by a head-up display corresponds to the arrangement of the switches.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By making the positional relationship between the virtual image screen and the switches (operation units) correspond as in the in-vehicle input device described in Patent Document 1 above, it becomes easier for the occupant to operate any switch while looking straight ahead. However, it is difficult to grasp the content of the in-vehicle device corresponding to each operation unit.

[0005] In consideration of the above fact, an object of the present invention is to obtain a vehicle input device that can easily grasp the content of the in-vehicle device corresponding to the operated operation unit without significantly moving the line of sight during driving.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The vehicle input device according to claim 1 is a vehicle provided with operation units on both the left and right sides of the driver's seat The steering wheel located at the front of the vehicle respectively multiple When a touch to the left operation unit by an occupant is detected, the touched operation unit An assembly comprising multiple operating parts located on the left side, includingAn image resembling the driver's seat is displayed on a display unit located on the front side of the vehicle, and when the occupant touches the aforementioned control unit on the right side, the touched control unit An assembly comprising multiple operating parts located on the right side, including A vehicle input device that displays an image resembling a vehicle on the display unit, and when a touch is detected on the left side of the operation unit, ,Ta Information regarding the in-vehicle equipment assigned to the touch position of the touched control unit an image that simulates the assembly consisting of the operation unit displayed on the display unit. Display it to the right.

[0007] In the vehicle input device described in claim 1, Steering wheel On both the left and right sides multiple It is equipped with a control panel. If a crew member touches the control panel on the left, the touched control panel An assembly consisting of multiple operating parts located on the left side, including An image resembling the is displayed on a display unit located on the front side of the vehicle in the driver's seat. In addition, information about the in-vehicle equipment assigned to the touched control unit is displayed on the display unit. Similarly, if the occupant touches the control unit on the right side, the touched control unit will be displayed. A collection of multiple operating parts located on the right side, including An image resembling the touched control is displayed on the screen. In addition, information about the in-vehicle device assigned to the touched position of the control unit is displayed on the screen. This allows the occupant to understand the touched control unit and the information about the in-vehicle device being operated while keeping their gaze forward. The term "in-vehicle device" here refers to a concept that includes not only devices such as air conditioners, audio systems, car navigation systems, and voice input devices, but also driving assistance devices such as ACC (Active Cruise Control) and LTA (Lane Tracing Assist).

[0010] Claim 2 The vehicle input device described in claim 1 In this configuration, when an image resembling the control unit is displayed and a press is detected on the control unit, it is detected as an input to the in-vehicle device assigned to the control unit.

[0011] Claim 2 With the vehicle input device described above, input to the in-vehicle equipment can be performed by touching the control panel and then pressing it.

[0012] The vehicle input device according to claim 4, in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of the operation units are provided on both the left and right sides in the vehicle width direction with respect to the driver's seat, and the display unit includes the plurality of operation units and Similar positional relationship So that displays an image simulating the operation unit.

[0013] In the vehicle input device according to claim 4, the driver can grasp the accurate positional relationship of the operation unit while looking straight ahead.

[0014] Claim 3 The vehicle input device described in claim 1 or 2 emphatically displays the image corresponding to the operation unit touched by the occupant.

[0015] Claim 3 In the vehicle input device described in claim, even when a plurality of operation units are displayed, the occupant can immediately grasp the operation unit being touched.

[0016] Claim 4 The vehicle input device described in claim is, in claim 3 hides the image simulating the inoperable operation unit.

[0017] Claim 4 In the vehicle input device described in claim, the occupant can identify the inoperable operation unit by viewing the display unit. Here, "inoperable" includes the case where physically it can be pressed but no input is made to the assigned in-vehicle device even when pressed.

[0018] Claim 5 The vehicle input device described in claim is, in claim 3 or 4 wherein the display unit is a display screen projected from a head-up display onto a partial area of the windshield glass.

[0019] Claim 5In the vehicle input device described in [reference], a passenger can grasp information regarding in-vehicle devices while directing their line of sight towards the scenery in front of the vehicle.

Advantages of the Invention

[0022] As described above, according to the vehicle input device of the present invention, the content of the in-vehicle device corresponding to the operated operation unit can be easily grasped without significantly moving the line of sight during driving.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] It is a view of the front part of the vehicle cabin of a vehicle to which the vehicle input device according to the first embodiment is applied, seen from the rear side of the vehicle. [Figure 2] It is an enlarged view of a main part showing a part of the steering wheel in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a view showing a display example of the display unit in the first embodiment, showing the first layer of the left switch and the first layer of the right switch. [Figure 4] It is a view showing a display example of the head-up display in the first embodiment. In (A), the first layer of the left switch is shown, and in (B), the second layer of the left switch is shown. [Figure 5] It is a view showing a display example of the head-up display in the first embodiment. In (A), the state of touching the lower button of the left first tact switch is shown, and in (B), the state of touching the left fourth tact switch is shown. [Figure 6] It is a view showing a display example of the head-up display in the first embodiment. In (A), the state of touching the right third tact switch is shown. In (B), the state where the right third tact switch is pressed and the lower button of the right first tact switch is touched is shown. In (C), the state where the lower button of the right first tact switch is pressed is shown. [Figure 7] It is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the vehicle input device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8]This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a vehicle input device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This flowchart shows an example of the display processing flow by a vehicle input device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] This block diagram shows the hardware configuration of a vehicle input device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] This block diagram shows the functional configuration of a vehicle input device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] This flowchart shows an example of the flow of voice notification processing by a vehicle input device according to the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] <First Embodiment> A vehicle input device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1, an instrument panel 14 is provided at the front of the passenger compartment of a vehicle 12 to which the vehicle input device 10 of this embodiment is applied. A windshield glass 16 is provided at the front end of the instrument panel 14, and this windshield glass 16 extends in the vertical and horizontal directions of the vehicle, separating the passenger compartment from the outside.

[0025] The windshield glass 16 is equipped with a display screen 17. The display screen 17 is a screen on which an image is projected from the head-up display 19 (see Figure 7) onto a portion of the windshield glass 16, and is located in the area of ​​the windshield glass 16 on the vehicle's front side from the driver's seat.

[0026] A steering wheel 18 is provided on the driver's side (right side of the vehicle) of the instrument panel 14 via a steering column (not shown). The steering wheel 18 has a substantially annular rim portion 18A. A hub portion 18B, which forms the central part, is provided on the inner circumference side of the rim portion 18A, and the rim portion 18A and the hub portion 18B are connected by a plurality (three in this embodiment) of spoke portions 18C.

[0027] The spoke sections 18C are provided in three locations: between the right side of the rim section 18A and the hub section 18B, between the left side of the rim section 18A and the hub section 18B, and between the underside of the rim section 18A and the hub section 18B. A right-side switch 20R is provided on the spoke section 18C between the right side of the rim section 18A and the hub section 18B. A left-side switch 20L is provided on the spoke section 18C between the left side of the rim section 18A and the hub section 18B. Details of the right-side switch 20R and the left-side switch 20L will be described later.

[0028] (Hardware configuration) Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the vehicle input device 10. As shown in Figure 7, the vehicle input device 10 includes an ECU (Electrical Control Unit) 24, which is the control unit. The ECU 24 also includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit: processor) 26, ROM (Read Only Memory) 28, RAM (Random Access Memory) 30, storage 32, a communication interface 34, and an input / output interface 36. Each component is connected to the others via a bus 38 so that they can communicate with each other.

[0029] The CPU 26 is a central processing unit that executes various programs and controls various components. Specifically, the CPU 26 reads programs from the ROM 28 or storage 32 and executes them using the RAM 30 as a working area. The CPU 26 controls each of the above components and performs various calculations according to the programs recorded in the ROM 28 or storage 32.

[0030] ROM28 stores various programs and data. RAM30 temporarily stores programs or data as a working area. Storage32 consists of an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive) and stores various programs, including the operating system, and various data.

[0031] The communication interface 34 is an interface for the ECU 24 to communicate with the server and other devices, and standards such as Ethernet®, FDDI, and Wi-Fi® can be used.

[0032] The communication interface 36 is connected to the HUD (Head-Up Display) 19, in-vehicle equipment 39, the right-side switch 20R, and the left-side switch 20L. Specifically, the communication interface 36 is connected to the HUD 19, which projects images onto the display screen 17, and receives signals from the ECU 24 to project images from the HUD 19 onto the display screen 17. The in-vehicle equipment 39 is a general term that includes not only devices such as the air conditioner, audio system, car navigation system, and voice input device, but also driving assistance devices such as ACC (Active Cruise Control) and LTA (Lane Tracing Assist).

[0033] The right-side switch 20R is equipped with a right first tact switch 40. The right-side switch 20R also includes a right second tact switch 42, a right third tact switch 44, and a right fourth tact switch 46 as operating parts, each of which is a contact-detection type switch. Furthermore, the right-side switch 20R is equipped with a right first electrostatic sensor 41, a right second electrostatic sensor 43, a right third electrostatic sensor 45, and a right fourth electrostatic sensor 47.

[0034] As shown in Figure 2, the right first tact switch 40 is formed in a roughly circular shape and is equipped with an upper button 40A, a lower button 40B, a right button 40C, and a left button 40D as operating parts. Therefore, the right first tact switch 40 is configured to be pressed up, down, left, and right. These buttons are mainly used when operating driving assistance equipment.

[0035] Furthermore, the right first tact switch 40 is equipped with a right first electrostatic sensor 41, which is configured to detect when an occupant touches the right first tact switch 40. Specifically, it is configured to detect which of the up button 40A, down button 40B, right button 40C, and left button 40D on the right first tact switch 40 is being touched by the occupant. Note that the up button 40A, down button 40B, right button 40C, and left button 40D are assigned different functions when the image (at least one of icons and text) displayed on the display screen 17 is switched.

[0036] The right second tact switch 42 is positioned to the lower right of the right first tact switch 40 when viewed from the front of the steering wheel 18, and is formed in a roughly circular shape with a smaller diameter than the right first tact switch 40. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the right second tact switch 42 is assigned the function of switching the image displayed on the display screen 17 when pressed. That is, it switches the level displayed on the display screen 17. The right second tact switch 42 is equipped with a right second electrostatic sensor 43, which is configured to detect when an occupant touches the right second tact switch 42.

[0037] The right third tact switch 44 is positioned to the upper left of the right first tact switch 40 when viewed from the front of the steering wheel 18, and is formed in a roughly rectangular shape with a recessed lower right corner. In this embodiment, the right third tact switch 44 is assigned the function of activating the ACC when pressed. A right third electrostatic sensor 45 is provided on this right third tact switch 44, and is configured to detect when an occupant touches the right third tact switch 44.

[0038] The right fourth tact switch 46 is positioned below the right third tact switch 44 and is formed in a roughly rectangular shape with a recessed upper right corner. In this embodiment, the right fourth tact switch 46 is assigned the function of activating the LTA when pressed. A right fourth electrostatic sensor 47 is provided on this right fourth tact switch 46, and is configured to detect when an occupant touches the right fourth tact switch 46.

[0039] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 7, the left-side switch 20L is equipped with a left first tact switch 48. The left-side switch 20L also includes a left second tact switch 50, a left third tact switch 52, and a left fourth tact switch 54 as operating parts, each of which is a contact-detection type switch. Furthermore, the left-side switch 20L is equipped with a left first electrostatic sensor 49, a left second electrostatic sensor 51, a left third electrostatic sensor 53, and a left fourth electrostatic sensor 55.

[0040] As shown in Figure 2, the left first tact switch 48 is formed in a roughly circular shape and is equipped with an upper button 48A, a lower button 48B, a right button 48C, and a left button 48D as operating parts. Therefore, the left first tact switch 48 is configured to be pressed in all directions: up, down, left, and right.

[0041] Furthermore, the left first tact switch 48 is equipped with a left first electrostatic sensor 49, which is configured to detect when an occupant touches the left first tact switch 48. Specifically, it is configured to detect which of the up button 48A, down button 48B, right button 48C, and left button 48D on the left first tact switch 48 is being touched by the occupant. Note that the up button 48A, down button 48B, right button 48C, and left button 48D are assigned different operations depending on the level displayed on the display screen 17.

[0042] The left second tact switch 50 is positioned to the lower left of the left first tact switch 48 when viewed from the front of the steering wheel 18, and is formed in a roughly circular shape with a smaller diameter than the left first tact switch 48. In this embodiment, the left second tact switch 50 is assigned the function of changing the layer of images displayed on the display screen 17 when pressed. The left second tact switch 50 is also equipped with a left second electrostatic sensor 51, which is configured to detect when an occupant touches the left second tact switch 50.

[0043] The left third tact switch 52 is located to the upper right of the left first tact switch 48 when viewed from the front of the steering wheel 18, and is formed in a roughly rectangular shape with a recessed lower left corner. The left third tact switch 52 is assigned the function of increasing the volume when pressed. A left third electrostatic sensor 53 is provided on this left third tact switch 52, and is configured to detect when an occupant touches the left third tact switch 52.

[0044] The left fourth tact switch 54 is located below the left third tact switch 52 and is formed in a roughly rectangular shape with a recessed upper left corner. The left fourth tact switch 54 is assigned the function of lowering the tone when pressed. A left fourth electrostatic sensor 55 is provided on this left fourth tact switch 54, and is configured to detect when an occupant touches the left fourth tact switch 54.

[0045] (Functional Configuration) The vehicle input device implements various functions using the hardware resources shown in Figure 7. The functional configuration implemented by the vehicle input device will be explained with reference to Figure 8.

[0046] As shown in Figure 8, the vehicle input device 10 is configured as a communication unit 80, an operation detection unit 82, a preparation operation detection unit 84, a reception acceptance / rejection determination unit 86, a non-display setting unit 88, and a notification unit 90. Each functional configuration is realized when the CPU 26 of the ECU 24 reads and executes a program stored in the ROM 28 or storage 32.

[0047] The communication unit 80 communicates with the server and external equipment via the communication interface 34. The operation detection unit 82 detects input to the in-vehicle equipment 39 corresponding to the right switch 20R and the left switch 20L when one of the right switch 20R and the left switch 20L is touched or pressed. Specifically, the right switch 20R detects input by receiving signals from the right first tact switch 40, the right second tact switch 42, the right third tact switch 44, and the right fourth tact switch 46. The left switch 20L detects input by receiving signals from the left first tact switch 48, the left second tact switch 50, the left third tact switch 52, and the left fourth tact switch 54.

[0048] The preparation action detection unit 84 detects the preparation action immediately before the right switch 20R is pressed, and the preparation action immediately before the left switch 20L is pressed. Specifically, the preparation action detection unit 84 detects the touch state immediately before pressing as a preparation action by receiving signals from the right first electrostatic sensor 41, the right second electrostatic sensor 43, the right third electrostatic sensor 45, and the right fourth electrostatic sensor 47. Similarly, the preparation action detection unit 84 detects the touch state immediately before pressing as a preparation action by receiving signals from the left first electrostatic sensor 49, the left second electrostatic sensor 51, the left third electrostatic sensor 53, and the left fourth electrostatic sensor 55. For example, when an occupant touches at least one of the right switch 20R and the left switch 20L, these sensors detect this as a preparation action immediately before pressing.

[0049] The acceptance / reception determination unit 86 determines whether or not it is operable when it detects input to the in-vehicle device 39 through the operation detection unit 82. Specifically, since the right first tact switch 40 and the left first tact switch 48 are assigned different functions depending on the level displayed on the display screen 17, they are switched to an inoperable state at some levels. The acceptance / reception determination unit 86 then determines whether or not each of these right first tact switches 40 and left first tact switches 48 is in an inoperable state where input cannot be accepted.

[0050] The hidden setting unit 88 sets some of the information displayed on the display screen 17 as hidden items. Specifically, each switch has pre-configured content to be hidden according to its hierarchy. The hidden setting unit 88 is configured to determine whether or not an item should be hidden by referring to these settings.

[0051] When a preparation action is detected by the function of the preparation action detection unit 84, the notification unit 90 notifies the occupant of information regarding the in-vehicle equipment 39 corresponding to the right-side switch 20R and the left-side switch 20L that are to be pressed. Specifically, the notification unit 90 notifies the occupant visually by displaying information regarding the in-vehicle equipment 39 on the display screen 17 located on the front side of the vehicle in the driver's seat.

[0052] (Explanation of displayed information) Here, an example of the display information shown on the display screen 17 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 6. Figure 3 shows the image of the first-level menu screen corresponding to the right switch 20R and the image of the first-level menu screen corresponding to the left switch 20L.

[0053] On the right side of the display screen 17, the right first frame section 62 corresponding to the right first tact switch 40 is displayed. This right first frame section 62 is composed of an upper arc section 62A, a lower arc section 62B, a right arc section 62C, and a left arc section 62D. The upper arc section 62A, lower arc section 62B, right arc section 62C, and left arc section 62D correspond to the upper button 40A, lower button 40B, right button 40C, and left button 40D of the right first tact switch 40, respectively.

[0054] Here, icon M1 is displayed adjacent to the upper arc section 62A, and this icon M1 is shaped to resemble the string "RES". In other words, icon M1 corresponds to the RESUME function. Also, icon M2 is displayed adjacent to the lower arc section 62B, and this icon M2 is shaped to resemble the string "SET". In other words, icon M2 corresponds to the SET function.

[0055] Icon M3 is displayed adjacent to the right arc section 62C, and this icon M3 is shaped to resemble the string of characters "CANCEL". In other words, icon M3 corresponds to the CANCEL function. Also, icon M4 is displayed adjacent to the left arc section 62D, and this icon M4 is shaped to resemble a vehicle and radar. Icon M4 corresponds to the function of detecting information around the vehicle.

[0056] In the lower right of the right first frame section 62, the right second frame section 64, which corresponds to the right second tact switch 42, is displayed, and within this right second frame section 64, icon M5 is displayed. Icon M5 mimics the shape of overlapping rectangles and corresponds to the function of changing the hierarchy displayed on the display screen 17.

[0057] In the upper left of the right first frame section 62, the right third frame section 66, which corresponds to the right third tact switch 44, is displayed. Within the right third frame section 66, icon M6 is displayed. This icon M6 is shaped to resemble a vehicle and meter, and corresponds to the ACC function.

[0058] In the lower left of the right first frame section 62, the right fourth frame section 68, which corresponds to the right fourth tact switch 46, is displayed. Within the right fourth frame section 68, icon M7 is displayed. This icon M7 is shaped to resemble a vehicle and lane markings, and corresponds to the LTA function. These icons M1 to M7 are the icons in the first layer of the display screen 17, which corresponds to the right switch 20R.

[0059] On the other hand, the left side of the display screen 17 shows the left first frame section 70 corresponding to the left first tact switch 48. This left first frame section 70 is composed of an upper arc section 70A, a lower arc section 70B, a right arc section 70C, and a left arc section 70D. The upper arc section 70A, lower arc section 70B, right arc section 70C, and left arc section 70D correspond to the upper button 48A, lower button 48B, right button 48C, and left button 48D of the left first tact switch 48, respectively.

[0060] Here, icon M8 is displayed adjacent to the upper arc section 70A, and this icon M8 is shaped to resemble a crew member speaking. In other words, icon M8 corresponds to the voice recognition function. Also, icon M9 is displayed adjacent to the lower arc section 70B, and this icon M9 is shaped to resemble a telephone. In other words, icon M9 corresponds to the call function.

[0061] Icon M10 is displayed adjacent to the right arc section 70C, and this icon M10 is shaped like a triangle. This icon M10 corresponds to the track skipping function. Also, icon M11 is displayed adjacent to the left arc section 70D, and this icon M11 is shaped like a horizontally flipped version of icon M10. This icon M11 corresponds to the track rewind function.

[0062] In the lower left of the left first frame section 70, the left second frame section 72, which corresponds to the left second tact switch 50, is displayed, and within this left second frame section 72, icon M12 is displayed. Icon M12 mimics the shape of overlapping rectangles and corresponds to the function of changing the hierarchy.

[0063] In the upper right corner of the left first frame section 70, the left third frame section 74, which corresponds to the left third tact switch 52, is displayed. Within the left third frame section 74, icon M13 is displayed. This icon M13 is shaped like a speaker and corresponds to the volume up function.

[0064] In the lower right of the left first frame section 70, the left fourth frame section 76, which corresponds to the left fourth tact switch 54, is displayed. Within the left fourth frame section 76, icon M14 is displayed. This icon M14 is shaped like a speaker and corresponds to the volume down function. These icons M8 to M14 are the icons in the first layer of the display screen 17, corresponding to the left switch 20L.

[0065] Next, Figure 4(A) shows the first level of the display screen 17 corresponding to the left switch 20L. In this state, when the occupant presses the left second tact switch 50 of the left switch 20L, the display screen 17 switches to the second level of display shown in Figure 4(B).

[0066] As shown in Figure 4(B), in the second layer, icon M15 is displayed in place of icon M8. Icon M15 is shaped like the string "TEMP+" and corresponds to the function of increasing the air conditioning temperature. Also, icon M16 is displayed in place of icon M9. Icon M16 is shaped like the string "TEMP-" and corresponds to the function of decreasing the air conditioning temperature.

[0067] Furthermore, in the second layer, icon M17 is displayed in place of icon M10. Icon M17 is shaped to resemble an occupant and the direction of airflow, and corresponds to the function of changing the direction of airflow. Moreover, icon M18 is displayed in place of icon M11. Icon M18 is shaped to resemble a vehicle, and corresponds to the function of recirculating internal air. Thus, in this embodiment, the air conditioning is displayed in the second layer of the display screen 17 corresponding to the left-side switch 20L. The operation detection unit 82 is configured to detect when the left-side switch 20L is pressed or touched as an input of an operation corresponding to the layer displayed on the display screen 17.

[0068] Next, Figure 5(A) shows the display screen 17 when the occupant is touching the lower button 48B of the left first tact switch 48. Specifically, Figure 5(A) shows the first level of the display screen 17 corresponding to the left switch 20L. The lower arc portion 70B of the left first frame portion 70 is highlighted. Specifically, the lower arc portion 70B of the left first frame portion 70 and the area around the lower arc portion 70B are brightly displayed. Furthermore, an icon M19 is displayed in the area to the right of the left third frame portion 74 and the left fourth frame portion 76. This icon M19 is shaped to resemble the string of characters "TELEPHONE," indicating that it is a call function. These displays are performed by the notification unit 90, and are configured to display content corresponding to the lower button 48B that the occupant is touching. The notification unit 90 also displays the position of the left first tact switch 48 that the occupant is touching on the display screen 17.

[0069] Figure 5(B) shows the display screen 17 when the occupant is touching the left fourth tact switch 54. As shown in Figure 5(B), the first level of the display screen 17 corresponding to the left switch 20L is displayed. The left fourth frame 76 is highlighted. Specifically, the left fourth frame 76 is displayed brightly. Furthermore, an icon M20 is displayed in the area to the right of the left third frame 74 and the left fourth frame 76. This icon M20 is shaped to resemble the string "VOL25", indicating that the volume level is 25. These displays are performed by the notification unit 90, and are configured to display content corresponding to the left fourth tact switch 54 that the occupant is touching.

[0070] Next, Figure 6(A) shows the display screen 17 when the crew member is touching the right third tact switch 44. As shown in Figure 6(A), icons for functions that cannot be selected are hidden. Specifically, icons M1 to M4 assigned to the upper arc 62A, lower arc 62B, right arc 62C, and left arc 62D of the right first frame 62 are hidden by the function of the hidden setting unit 88. Icon M7 in the right fourth frame 68 is also hidden. Furthermore, the right third frame 66 is highlighted. Specifically, the right third frame 66 is displayed brightly.

[0071] If the crew presses the right third tact switch 44 in the state shown in Figure 6(A), the state changes to that shown in Figure 6(B). In Figure 6(B), the icon M2 assigned to the lower arc portion 62B of the right first frame portion 62 is displayed. Also in Figure 6(B), because the crew is touching the lower button 40B of the right first tact switch 40, the lower arc portion 62B displayed on the display screen 17 is highlighted. Specifically, the lower arc portion 62B and the area around it are highlighted.

[0072] When the occupant presses the lower button 40B of the right first tact switch 40 in the state shown in Figure 6(B), the ACC becomes activated and transitions to the state shown in Figure 6(C). In Figure 6(C), icon M3, which is assigned to the right arc portion 62C of the right first frame portion 62, is displayed. Icon M21 is displayed on the upper arc portion 62A, and icon M22 is displayed on the lower arc portion 62B. Icon M21 is shaped like the letter "+", and icon M22 is shaped like the letter "-". Furthermore, when the upper button 40A of the right first tact switch 40 is pressed, the ACC set speed increases, and when the lower button 40B of the right first tact switch 40 is pressed, the ACC set speed decreases.

[0073] (An example of display processing) Next, an example of the display processing flow by the vehicle input device 10 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 9. This display processing is performed, for example, when the ignition (power) of the vehicle 12 is turned ON, and is carried out by the CPU 26 reading a program from the ROM 28 or storage 32, loading it into the RAM 30, and executing it.

[0074] As shown in Figure 9, the CPU 26 determines whether it has detected that the occupant touched at least one of the right-side switch 20R and the left-side switch 20L in step S102. Specifically, if the preparation operation detection unit 84 receives signals from the right first electrostatic sensor 41, the right second electrostatic sensor 43, the right third electrostatic sensor 45, and the right fourth electrostatic sensor 47, it determines that it has detected that the occupant touched the right-side switch 20R. Similarly, if it receives signals from the left first electrostatic sensor 49, the left second electrostatic sensor 51, the left third electrostatic sensor 53, and the left fourth electrostatic sensor 55, it determines that it has detected that the occupant touched the left-side switch 20L.

[0075] If the CPU 26 determines that it has detected that at least one of the right switch 20R and the left switch 20L has been touched in step S102, it proceeds to the processing in step S104. If the CPU 26 does not detect that the right switch 20R and the left switch 20L have been touched in step S102, it terminates the display process.

[0076] In step S104, the CPU 26 displays information on the display screen 17. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the CPU 26 displays the first-level information corresponding to the right switch 20R and the first-level information corresponding to the left switch 20L on the display screen 17.

[0077] The CPU 26 determines whether the content corresponding to the switch detected as touched in step S106 is to be hidden. Specifically, the CPU 26 determines that the content is to be hidden if the input cannot be accepted by the function of the acceptance / rejection determination unit 86.

[0078] If the CPU 26 determines in step S106 that the content corresponding to the switch being touched is to be hidden, it proceeds to step S110. Then, in step S110, the CPU 26 uses the function of the notification unit 90 to highlight the switch being touched on the display screen 17. For example, in the state shown in Figure 5(A), the occupant is touching the lower button 48B of the left first tact switch 48 (see Figure 2), so the CPU 26 brightens the lower arc portion 70B of the left first frame portion 70 displayed on the display screen 17, thereby highlighting the image corresponding to the lower button 48B that the occupant is touching. Then, the CPU 26 proceeds to step S112.

[0079] On the other hand, if the CPU 26 determines that the content corresponding to the switch being touched in step S106 is not to be hidden, that is, that it is to be displayed, it proceeds to the process in step S108. Then, in step S108, the CPU 26 uses the function of the notification unit 90 to display the location and content of the switch being touched by the occupant on the display screen 17. For example, in the state shown in Figure 5(A), the CPU 26 brightens the lower arc portion 70B of the left first frame portion 70 and displays the icon M19. Then, the CPU 26 proceeds to the process in step S112.

[0080] Next, the CPU 26 determines whether the occupant has gone from touching at least one of the right-side switch 20R and the left-side switch 20L in step S112 to a non-contact state. Specifically, when the occupant removes their finger from the switch, no signals are received from each electrostatic sensor, and the CPU 26 determines that the touch has not been detected, i.e., that there is no contact detected. If the CPU 26 determines in step S112 that there is no contact detected, it proceeds to the process in step S114. If the CPU 26 determines in step S112 that there is no contact detected, it proceeds to the process in step S106, as the state in which the touch has been detected continues.

[0081] In step S114, the CPU 26 changes the location and content of the switch that the occupant is touching to be hidden. Specifically, the CPU 26 hides the display on the display screen 17 using the function of the hide setting unit 88. Then, the CPU 26 terminates the display process.

[0082] (action) Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

[0083] In the vehicle input device of this embodiment, the in-vehicle device 39 is activated when the occupant presses either the right-side switch 20R or the left-side switch 20L provided on the steering wheel 18. That is, the occupant can input to the in-vehicle device 39 while holding the steering wheel 18. Furthermore, when the occupant touches either the right-side switch 20R or the left-side switch 20L, this is detected by the preparation action detection unit 84. Then, the notification unit 90 displays information about the in-vehicle device 39 corresponding to the switch the occupant pressed immediately before pressing the right-side switch 20R or the left-side switch 20L, visually notifying the occupant. As a result, the occupant can accurately understand which switch they are about to press without having to look at the right-side switch 20R or the left-side switch 20L. This helps to suppress erroneous input.

[0084] Furthermore, by simply touching at least one of the right-side switch 20R and the left-side switch 20L, the occupant can grasp information about the in-vehicle device 39 immediately before operation, and input to the in-vehicle device 39 is made by pressing at least one of the right-side switch 20R and the left-side switch 20L while touching it. This allows the occupant to grasp information about the in-vehicle device 39 immediately before operation without consciously thinking about it, while keeping their gaze focused on the scenery in front of the vehicle.

[0085] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the image corresponding to the switch being touched by the occupant is highlighted on the display screen 17. In addition, information regarding the in-vehicle device 39 corresponding to the switch being touched by the occupant is displayed on the display screen 17 in the form of at least one of an icon and text. This allows the occupant to understand the function assigned to the switch being touched while looking forward in the vehicle.

[0086] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the right first tact switch 40 and the left first tact switch 48 are assigned different functions when the hierarchy of the display screen 17 is switched. Therefore, even if the same switch is pressed, if the hierarchy of the display screen 17 is different, it will be detected as a different operation. In other words, multiple functions are set to a single switch. Also, when at least one of the icons and characters displayed on the display screen 17 is hidden, the right switch 20R and the left switch 20L are switched to an inoperable state. This reduces the number of switches while suppressing erroneous input.

[0087] <Second Embodiment> Next, a vehicle input device 120 according to the second embodiment will be described. Components similar to those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0088] Figure 10 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the vehicle input device 120. As shown in Figure 10, in this embodiment, a speaker 122 is connected to the input / output interface 36. The speaker 122 is installed inside the vehicle 12 and is configured to output information to the occupants by voice. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the speaker 122 notifies the occupants of information regarding the in-vehicle equipment 39 by voice.

[0089] (Functional Configuration) The vehicle input device implements various functions using the hardware resources shown in Figure 10. The functional configuration implemented by the vehicle input device will be explained with reference to Figure 11.

[0090] As shown in Figure 11, the vehicle input device 120 is configured as a communication unit 80, an operation detection unit 82, a preparation operation detection unit 84, a reception acceptance / rejection determination unit 86, a non-notification setting unit 124, and a voice notification unit 126 as a notification unit. Each functional configuration is realized by the CPU 26 of the ECU 24 reading and executing a program stored in the ROM 28 or storage 32.

[0091] The non-notification setting unit 124 sets an item as a non-notification item when the function of the acceptance / reception determination unit 86 determines that the input cannot be accepted. Specifically, it sets the voice notification from speaker 122 to non-notification. Each switch has pre-set content to be hidden according to its hierarchy. The non-notification setting unit 124 is configured to determine whether or not an item is subject to non-notification by referring to these settings.

[0092] When a preparation action is detected by the function of the preparation action detection unit 84, the voice notification unit 126 notifies the occupant by voice about information regarding the in-vehicle equipment 39 corresponding to the right switch 20R and left switch 20L that are to be pressed. Specifically, the notification unit 126 notifies the occupant by outputting information regarding the in-vehicle equipment 39 by voice using the speaker 122.

[0093] (An example of voice notification processing) Next, an example of the display processing flow by the vehicle input device 120 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 12. This display processing is performed, for example, when the ignition (power) of the vehicle 12 is turned ON, and is carried out by the CPU 26 reading a program from the ROM 28 or storage 32, loading it into the RAM 30, and executing it.

[0094] As shown in Figure 12, the CPU 26 determines whether it has detected that the occupant touched at least one of the right-side switch 20R and the left-side switch 20L in step S202. Specifically, if the preparation operation detection unit 84 receives signals from the right first electrostatic sensor 41, the right second electrostatic sensor 43, the right third electrostatic sensor 45, and the right fourth electrostatic sensor 47, it determines that a touch to the right-side switch 20R has been detected. Similarly, if it receives signals from the left first electrostatic sensor 49, the left second electrostatic sensor 51, the left third electrostatic sensor 53, and the left fourth electrostatic sensor 55, it determines that a touch to the left-side switch 20L has been detected.

[0095] If the CPU 26 determines in step S202 that it has detected that at least one of the right switch 20R and the left switch 20L has been touched, it proceeds to the processing in step S204. If the CPU 26 does not detect that the right switch 20R and the left switch 20L have been touched in step S202, it terminates the voice notification processing.

[0096] The CPU 26 determines whether the content corresponding to the switch detected as touched in step S204 is subject to non-notification. Specifically, the CPU 26 determines that the input is subject to non-notification if the acceptance / rejection determination unit 86 determines that the input cannot be accepted. If the CPU 26 determines in step S204 that the input is subject to non-notification, it terminates the voice notification process.

[0097] On the other hand, if the CPU 26 determines in step S204 that the user is not subject to notification, that is, if it determines that the user is subject to notification, it proceeds to step S206. In step S206, the CPU 26 uses the function of the voice notification unit 126 to notify the user of the contents of the switch that the user is touching by voice. The CPU 26 then terminates the voice notification process.

[0098] (action) Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

[0099] In the vehicle input device 120 according to this embodiment, the content of the switch being touched by the occupant is notified to the occupant by voice, so that the content corresponding to the switch can be understood without looking at the display screen 17. Other functions are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0100] Although embodiments have been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0101] In the above embodiment, the preparation action detection unit 84 detects when the occupant touches either the right-side switch 20R or the left-side switch 20L. Furthermore, the operation detection unit 82 detects input to the in-vehicle device 39 corresponding to the switch when the occupant presses either the right-side switch 20R or the left-side switch 20L, but is not limited to this. For example, the operation detection unit 82 may be configured to detect input to the in-vehicle device 39 corresponding to the switch when the occupant touches either the right-side switch 20R or the left-side switch 20L. In this case, the preparation action detection unit 84 detects the preparation action immediately before the occupant touches either the right-side switch 20R or the left-side switch 20L. For example, a camera or sensors that image the occupant's hands may be used to detect the state immediately before the occupant's fingers touch the right-side switch 20R or the left-side switch 20L.

[0102] Furthermore, although the right-side switch 20R and the left-side switch 20L in the above embodiment are each configured as contact-detection type switches, the invention is not limited to this. For example, the right-side switch 20R and the left-side switch 20L may be configured as switches equipped with a pressure sensor using a diaphragm gauge. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0103] 10. Vehicle input device 16 Windshield glass 17 Display screen (display section) 18 Steering Wheel 39 In-vehicle equipment 40A Upper button (control panel) 40B Down button (control section) 40C Right button (control panel) 40D Left button (control section) 42 Right second tact switch (operating part) 44 Right third tact switch (operating part) 46 Right fourth tact switch (operating part) 48A Upper button (control panel) 48B Down button (control panel) 48C Right button (control panel) 48D Left button (control panel) 50 Left second tact switch (operating part) 52 Left third tact switch (operating part) 54. Left fourth tact switch (operating part) 82 Operation detection unit 84 Preparation C detection unit 90 Notification Department 120 Vehicle input device 126 Voice notification unit (notification unit)

Claims

1. In a vehicle equipped with multiple control units on both the left and right sides of the steering wheel located in front of the driver's seat, When a touch of the control unit on the left side by an occupant is detected, an image resembling a collection of multiple control units located on the left side, including the touched control unit, is displayed on a display unit located on the front side of the vehicle in the driver's seat. A vehicle input device that, upon detecting a touch of the right-side control unit by an occupant, displays an image on the display unit that simulates an assembly of multiple control units located on the right side, including the touched control unit, When a touch is detected on the left-side control unit, information regarding the in-vehicle equipment assigned to the touched position of the control unit is displayed on the right side of the image representing the assembly of the control units displayed on the display unit. Vehicle input device.

2. When an image resembling the aforementioned control unit is displayed, and a press is detected on the control unit, it is detected as an input to the in-vehicle device assigned to the control unit. The vehicle input device described in claim 1.

3. The vehicle input device according to claim 1 or 2, which highlights the image corresponding to the control unit being touched by the occupant.

4. The vehicle input device according to claim 3, wherein an image representing the control unit that has become inoperable is hidden.

5. The vehicle input device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the display unit is a display screen projected from a head-up display onto a portion of the windshield glass.

Images