Vibration device

Abstract

Provided is a vibration device comprising: a vibration actuator capable of simultaneously generating vibrations in a plurality of different frequency bands; and a control unit that vibrates the vibration actuator using a composite signal obtained by combining a plurality of types of signals output from a plurality of signal output units and representing different pieces of information or vibrations.

Description

Vibration device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vibration device.

[0002] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-166058 discloses a tactile feedback system including a tactile actuator, a gesture detector, and a controller. In the system, the gesture detector captures the movement of a driver or a passenger of a vehicle and outputs data representing the gesture made by the driver or the passenger of the vehicle. Further, the controller receives a signal representing a gesture from the gesture detector, selects a tactile effect based on the detected gesture, and sends a signal for providing the selected tactile effect to the tactile actuator.

[0003] In recent years, with the evolution of vehicle technologies based on the concept of CASE ("Connected", "Automated / Autonomous", "Shared & Service", "Electrification") and the entertainmentization of the vehicle interior, it has been demanded to enhance information transmission using an actuator also with respect to HMI (Human Machine Interface). On the other hand, the technology described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-166058 is a technology for operating a tactile actuator when it is detected that an occupant of a vehicle has made a gesture to provide feedback to the occupant, and does not consider simultaneously perceiving a plurality of types of information or vibrations.

[0004] The present disclosure provides a vibration device capable of simultaneously causing a vibration perceiver to perceive a plurality of types of information or vibrations.

[0005] A first aspect of the present disclosure is a vibration device including a vibration actuator capable of simultaneously generating vibrations in a plurality of different frequency bands, and a control unit that vibrates the vibration actuator with a composite signal obtained by combining a plurality of types of signals representing different information or vibrations output from a plurality of signal output units.

[0006] In the first embodiment, a vibration actuator capable of simultaneously generating vibrations in multiple different frequency bands is used as the actuator. The vibration actuator is then vibrated by a composite signal obtained by combining multiple types of signals representing different information or vibrations output from multiple signal output units. As a result, the vibration device of the first embodiment of this disclosure can simultaneously allow a vibration perceiver to perceive multiple types of information or vibrations represented by multiple types of signals.

[0007] A second aspect of this disclosure is that, in the first aspect, the vibration actuator may be a voice coil actuator.

[0008] A voice coil actuator is an actuator that generates vibrations using the same principle as a speaker. When a signal composed of multiple types of signals is input, multiple types of vibrations corresponding to each of the combined signals are simultaneously generated. This simplifies the configuration of the vibration actuator in this disclosure compared to configuring the vibration actuator in this disclosure by combining multiple simple harmonic motion actuators that can only generate vibrations in a single frequency band.

[0009] A third aspect of the present disclosure is that, in the first aspect, the signal output unit may be selected from any of the following: an operation monitoring unit that outputs an operation detection signal when it detects a predetermined operation performed by a vehicle occupant; an interior / exterior monitoring unit that outputs a state detection signal when it detects that the interior or exterior of the vehicle has entered a predetermined state; and an entertainment signal output unit that outputs an entertainment signal representing vibration to improve the entertainment value inside the vehicle.

[0010] In a third embodiment, if one of the multiple signal output units is an operation monitoring unit, when an operation detection signal is output from the operation monitoring unit, the vibration generated by the vibration actuator can make the vibration perceiver aware that a predetermined operation has been detected, thereby improving the operability of the HMI. Examples of predetermined operations include gesture operations, touch operations on touch panels, physical switch operations (e.g., pressing a push-type physical switch, sliding a slide-type physical switch, etc.), and voice input operations. Furthermore, in a third embodiment, if one of the multiple signal output units is an in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit, when a state detection signal is output from the in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit, the vibration generated by the vibration actuator can make the vibration perceiver aware that the interior or exterior of the vehicle has entered a predetermined state. This allows, for example, if the vibration perceiver is the driver of the vehicle, to drive according to the perceived interior or exterior state, thereby improving vehicle safety. Furthermore, in a third embodiment, if one of the multiple signal output units is an entertainment signal output unit, when an entertainment signal is output from the entertainment signal output unit, the vibration generated by the vibration actuator can cause vibrations that improve the entertainment value inside the vehicle to be perceived by the vibration perceiver, thereby improving the entertainment value inside the vehicle.

[0011] A fourth aspect of the present disclosure, in the third aspect, the signal output unit may include a road surface monitoring unit that outputs a road surface simulation signal representing vibrations that simulate the road surface condition based on road surface information representing the road surface condition.

[0012] In the fourth embodiment, the signal output unit includes a road surface monitoring unit, from which a simulated road surface signal is output. The vibrations generated by the vibration actuator allow the vibration perceiver to perceive the road surface condition represented by the road surface information. This allows, for example, if the vibration perceiver is the driver of a vehicle, the driver to drive in accordance with the perceived road surface condition, thereby improving vehicle safety.

[0013] A fifth aspect of the present disclosure is that, in the third or fourth aspect, the in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit may be selected from either an in-vehicle monitoring unit that outputs an in-vehicle state detection signal when it detects that the driver of the vehicle is in a predetermined state, or an out-of-vehicle state monitoring unit that outputs an out-of-vehicle state detection signal when it detects that the outside of the vehicle is in a predetermined state.

[0014] In a fifth embodiment, when the in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit is an in-vehicle monitoring unit, when an in-vehicle state detection signal is output from the in-vehicle monitoring unit, vibrations generated by the vibration actuator can make the vibration perceiver that the vehicle driver's state has reached a predetermined state. Examples of predetermined states include a state where fatigue level exceeds a predetermined value, a state where drowsiness exceeds a predetermined value, or a state where distractibility exceeds a predetermined value. Also in a fifth embodiment, when the in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit is an out-of-vehicle state monitoring unit, when an out-of-vehicle state detection signal is output from the out-of-vehicle state monitoring unit, vibrations generated by the vibration actuator can make the vibration perceiver that the outside of the vehicle has reached a predetermined state. Examples of predetermined states include a situation where the distance between the vehicle and other vehicles, pedestrians, or roadside objects is less than a predetermined value. In this way, when the in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit can be selected from either an in-vehicle monitoring unit or an out-of-vehicle state monitoring unit, the safety of the vehicle can be improved.

[0015] A sixth aspect of the present disclosure is that, in the third or fourth aspect, the entertainment signal output unit may be selected from any of the following: a complementary vibration output unit that outputs a complementary vibration signal representing vibrations that complement the audio of entertainment content when entertainment content is being played in the vehicle; a massage vibration unit that outputs a massage signal representing massage vibrations when the generation of massage vibrations is instructed; and a game execution unit that outputs a game signal representing vibrations corresponding to actions performed by the occupants of the vehicle in a game when a game is being played in the vehicle.

[0016] In a sixth embodiment, if the entertainment signal output unit is a complementary vibration output unit, when a complementary vibration signal is output from the complementary vibration output unit, the vibrations generated by the vibration actuator can cause the vibration perceiver to perceive vibrations that complement the audio of the entertainment content being played. Also, if the entertainment signal output unit is a massage vibration unit, when a massage signal is output from the massage vibration unit, the vibrations generated by the vibration actuator can cause the vibration perceiver to perceive massage vibrations. Furthermore, if the entertainment signal output unit is a game execution unit, when a game signal is output from the game execution unit, the vibrations generated by the vibration actuator can cause the vibration perceiver to perceive actions performed by the occupant in the game being played. In this way, if the entertainment signal output unit can be selected from a complementary vibration output unit, a massage vibration unit, or a game execution unit, the entertainment quality inside the vehicle can be improved.

[0017] A seventh aspect of the present disclosure is that, in the first aspect, the vibration actuators may be provided in the front and rear seats of the vehicle, and the control unit may differentiate the types of multiple signals to be synthesized as the composite signal or the gains of the multiple signals between the vibration actuator provided in the front seat of the vehicle and the vibration actuator provided in the rear seat of the vehicle.

[0018] According to the seventh aspect, the information or vibrations perceived by the vibration perceiver can be optimized depending on whether the vibration perceiver is seated in the front seat or the rear seat.

[0019] An eighth aspect of the present disclosure, in the seventh aspect, the control unit may, for the vibration actuator provided in the front seat of the vehicle, exclude the entertainment signal, which represents vibration for improving the in-vehicle entertainment quality output from the entertainment signal output unit, from the plurality of signals to be synthesized as the synthesized signal, or supply the synthesized signal to the vibration actuator provided in the rear seat of the vehicle, in which the gain of the entertainment signal is smaller than that of the synthesized signal supplied to the vibration actuator provided in the rear seat of the vehicle.

[0020] In the eighth aspect, for a vibration actuator installed in the front seat of the vehicle, an entertainment signal representing vibrations intended to improve the in-vehicle entertainment experience is excluded from the multiple signals synthesized as a composite signal, or its gain is reduced. This allows the attention of the vibration perceiver seated in the front seat of the vehicle to be directed relatively towards understanding the detection status of a predetermined operation, understanding the conditions inside or outside the vehicle, understanding the road surface conditions, etc., thereby improving operability in the HMI and enhancing vehicle safety.

[0021] A ninth aspect of the present disclosure, in a seventh aspect, the control unit may, for the vibration actuator provided in the rear seat of the vehicle, exclude at least one of the following from the plurality of signals synthesized as the synthesized signal: an operation detection signal output from the operation monitoring unit when it detects a predetermined operation performed by a vehicle occupant; a state detection signal output from the interior / exterior monitoring unit when it detects that the interior or exterior of the vehicle has entered a predetermined state; and a road surface simulation signal output from the road surface monitoring unit based on road surface information representing the state of the road surface. Alternatively, the control unit may supply the vibration actuator provided in the front seat of the vehicle with a synthesized signal in which the gain of at least one of the operation detection signal, the state detection signal, and the road surface simulation signal is smaller than the synthesized signal supplied to the vibration actuator provided in the front seat of the vehicle.

[0022] In the ninth embodiment, for a vibration actuator located in the rear seat of a vehicle, at least one of the operation detection signal, state detection signal, and road surface simulation signal is excluded from being synthesized as a composite signal, or its gain is reduced. This allows vibration perceivers seated in the rear seat of the vehicle to be relatively immersed in the entertainment provided by the entertainment signal (e.g., watching entertainment content, massage, or games), thereby further improving the entertainment value of the vehicle's interior.

[0023] A tenth aspect of the present disclosure is that, in the first aspect, the vibration actuator may be provided in the steering system and the seat of the vehicle, and the control unit may differentiate the types of multiple signals to be synthesized as the composite signal or the gains of the multiple signals between the vibration actuator provided in the steering system of the vehicle and the vibration actuator provided in the seat of the vehicle.

[0024] According to the tenth embodiment, the information or vibrations perceived by a vibration perceiver holding the steering body and the information or vibrations perceived by a vibration perceiver not holding the steering body can be optimized, respectively.

[0025] An eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, in the tenth aspect, the control unit may, with respect to the vibration actuator provided in the steering device of the vehicle, exclude from the plurality of signals to be synthesized as the synthesized signal an entertainment signal representing vibration for improving the in-vehicle entertainment quality output from the entertainment signal output unit, or supply the synthesized signal having a gain of the entertainment signal smaller than the synthesized signal supplied to the vibration actuator provided in the seat of the vehicle.

[0026] In the eleventh embodiment, the vibration actuator provided in the vehicle's steering system excludes entertainment signals from being synthesized as a composite signal or reduces their gain. This allows the attention of the vibration perceiver holding the vehicle's steering body to be directed relatively towards understanding the detection state of a predetermined operation, understanding the state inside or outside the vehicle, understanding the state of the road surface, etc., thereby improving operability in the HMI and improving vehicle safety.

[0027] A twelfth aspect of the present disclosure is that, in the first aspect, the control unit may, while the vibration actuator is being vibrated by a signal including an entertainment signal, which is output from the entertainment signal output unit as the composite signal, an entertainment signal, which represents vibrations to improve the in-vehicle entertainment experience of the vehicle, and when a state detection signal is output from the in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit because it is detected that the inside or outside of the vehicle has reached a predetermined state, exclude the entertainment signal from the plurality of signals that are synthesized as the composite signal, or supply the composite signal with a reduced gain of the entertainment signal to the vibration actuator.

[0028] In the twelfth embodiment, when a state detection signal is output from the in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit while the vibration actuator is being vibrated by a signal including an entertainment signal, the entertainment signal is excluded from being synthesized as a composite signal, or its gain is reduced. This prevents the vibration corresponding to the state detection signal from being overshadowed by the vibration corresponding to the entertainment signal, and relatively directs the attention of the vibration perceiver towards understanding the state inside or outside the vehicle, thereby improving vehicle safety.

[0029] According to the above embodiment, the vibration device of the present disclosure can cause multiple types of information or vibrations to be perceived simultaneously by a vibration perceiver.

[0030] This is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a vibration device according to an exemplary embodiment. This is a perspective view showing an example of the placement position of the VCA on the front seats of a vehicle. This is a perspective view showing an example of the placement position of the VCA on the steering body of a vehicle. This is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the VCA drive ECU. This is a flowchart showing the VCA drive process performed by the controller of the VCA drive ECU. This is a flowchart showing the steering VCA drive process. This is a block diagram showing another example of a schematic configuration of a vibration device.

[0031] Hereinafter, an example of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows a vibration device 10 according to this exemplary embodiment. The vibration device 10 is mounted on a vehicle and generates vibrations that are perceived by the occupants of the vehicle, and is equipped with a plurality of voice coil actuators (hereinafter referred to as "VCAs") 12 for generating vibrations. Hereinafter, the vehicle on which the vibration device 10 is mounted will be referred to as "the vehicle".

[0032] The VCA 12 generates vibrations in multiple frequency bands simultaneously when the AC signal supplied to the voice coil is a signal containing components in multiple frequency bands. Thus, the VCA 12 is an example of a "vibration actuator capable of simultaneously generating vibrations in multiple different frequency bands" in this disclosure. The resonant frequency of the VCA 12 may be, for example, in the range of 15 to 200 Hz, preferably in the range of 15 to 100 Hz.

[0033] As shown in Figure 2, the VCA 12 is provided at multiple locations on the seat cushion portion 44A of the front seat 44 of the vehicle, and also at multiple locations on the seat back portion 44B of the front seat 44. Although not shown in the figure, the VCA 12 is also provided at multiple locations on the seat cushion portion of the rear seat of the vehicle, and also at multiple locations on the seat back portion of the rear seat. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the VCA 12 is also provided at multiple locations on the steering body 46 of the vehicle. Note that the VCA 12 may be provided on other parts of the steering device, such as the steering shaft, instead of the steering body 46.

[0034] In the following, the VCA12 located in the front seat 44 of the vehicle will be referred to as "VCA12F", the VCA12 located in the rear seat of the vehicle will be referred to as "VCA12R", and the VCA12 located in the steering body 46 of the vehicle will be referred to as "VCA12S" (see Figure 1). The VCA12F is connected to the VCA drive ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 26 via the amplification unit 14F, the VCA12R is connected to the VCA drive ECU 26 via the amplification unit 14R, and the VCA12S is connected to the VCA drive ECU 26 via the amplification unit 14S.

[0035] Furthermore, a sensor group 18, which includes multiple types of sensors 16, is connected to the VCA drive ECU 26. The sensor group 18 includes an in-vehicle camera that photographs the interior of the vehicle, a touch sensor on a display installed inside the vehicle, a physical switch installed inside the vehicle, a microphone that detects voices emitted by the vehicle's occupants, an exterior camera that photographs the exterior of the vehicle, a radar and lidar that detect the distance and relative speed to objects such as other vehicles outside the vehicle, and a road surface condition sensor that detects the condition of the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling and outputs road surface information representing the condition of the road surface. Note that the road surface condition sensor may be a tire vibration sensor attached to the inner surface of the vehicle's tire to detect tire vibration, or a road surface camera that photographs the road surface to detect irregularities and other features of the road surface.

[0036] The VCA drive ECU 26 is equipped with an operation monitoring unit 28, an in-vehicle monitoring unit 30, an out-of-vehicle monitoring unit 32, and a road surface monitoring unit 34, which are signal output units that output signals representing different information or vibrations based on detection signals output from one or more sensors 16 of the sensor group 18. The VCA drive ECU 26 is also equipped with a controller 42.

[0037] If the vehicle is configured to allow the occupant to give various instructions to the vehicle by making gestures (for example, operation of the air conditioning system, the entertainment content playback device 20 described later, the massage device 22, the game device 24, etc.), the operation monitoring unit 28 monitors, for example, whether a predetermined gesture has been made by the occupant based on a detection signal output from an in-vehicle camera. Furthermore, if the vehicle is configured to allow the occupant to give various instructions to the vehicle by operating a touch panel, the operation monitoring unit 28 monitors, for example, whether a predetermined touch operation has been made by the occupant based on a detection signal output from a touch sensor. Furthermore, if the vehicle is configured to allow the occupant to give various instructions to the vehicle by operating a physical switch, the operation monitoring unit 28 monitors, for example, whether a physical switch has been operated by the occupant based on a signal output from a physical switch. Furthermore, if the vehicle is configured to allow the occupant to give various instructions to the vehicle by making sounds, the operation monitoring unit 28 monitors, for example, whether a voice input operation has been performed by making a predetermined sound based on a detection signal output from a microphone. When the operation monitoring unit 28 detects that an occupant has performed a predetermined operation (a predetermined gesture, a predetermined touch operation, a physical switch operation, or a predetermined voice input operation), it outputs an operation detection signal, which represents a predetermined vibration, to the controller 42, for example, to the VCA 12s of all seats and steering wheel 46 of the vehicle, to notify the occupant of the vehicle that the predetermined operation has been detected. The operation monitoring unit 28 may also selectively output the operation detection signal to the controller 42 individually to the VCA 12s of each seat and steering wheel 46 of the vehicle when it detects that an occupant has performed a predetermined operation.

[0038] The in-vehicle monitoring unit 30 measures the position of the eyes and head of the occupant (driver) seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle, based on detection signals output from, for example, an in-vehicle camera, and evaluates and monitors the driver's attention level, awareness level, engagement level, etc. When the in-vehicle monitoring unit 30 detects that the driver has entered a predetermined state (for example, the driver's fatigue level exceeds a predetermined value, the driver's drowsiness exceeds a predetermined value, or the driver's distractibility exceeds a predetermined value), it outputs an in-vehicle state detection signal, which represents a predetermined vibration to warn the driver that they have entered a predetermined state, to the controller 42, for example, to the VCA 12 of all seats and the steering wheel 46 of the vehicle. Alternatively, when the in-vehicle monitoring unit 30 detects that the driver has entered a predetermined state, it may selectively output the in-vehicle state detection signal to the controller 42 individually to the VCA 12 of each seat and the steering wheel 46 of the vehicle.

[0039] The external monitoring unit 32 monitors whether the external conditions of the vehicle have reached a predetermined high-risk state (for example, the distance between the vehicle and other vehicles, pedestrians, or roadside objects in its vicinity has fallen below a predetermined value) based on detection signals output from, for example, external cameras, radar, and lidar. When the external monitoring unit 32 detects that the external conditions of the vehicle have reached a predetermined state, it outputs an external condition detection signal, which represents a predetermined vibration to warn the external conditions of the vehicle, to the controller 42, for example, to the VCA 12s of all seats and the steering wheel 46 of the vehicle. Alternatively, when the external monitoring unit 32 detects that the external conditions of the vehicle have reached a predetermined state, it may selectively output the external condition detection signal to the controller 42 individually to the VCA 12s of each seat and the steering wheel 46 of the vehicle.

[0040] The road surface monitoring unit 34 generates a simulated road surface signal that simulates the vibrations of the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling, based on a detection signal (road surface information) output from, for example, a road surface condition sensor, and outputs it to the controller 42, for example, to the VCA 12s of all seats and steering bodies 46 of the vehicle. The road surface monitoring unit 34 may also output the simulated road surface signal to the controller 42 individually and selectively to the VCA 12s of each seat and steering body 46 of the vehicle.

[0041] Furthermore, the VCA drive ECU 26 is connected to an entertainment content playback device 20 (hereinafter simply referred to as "playback device 20"), a massage device 22, and a game device 24. The playback device 20 plays entertainment content such as movies, karaoke videos, and music (hereinafter simply referred to as "content") instructed by the occupants of the vehicle inside the vehicle. The playback device 20 also outputs an audio signal of the content being played as an entertainment signal while the content is being played inside the vehicle. The massage device 22 outputs a first vibration signal as an entertainment signal to generate massage vibrations in a specific seat when the occupants of the vehicle instructed to perform a massage in that specific seat. The game device 24 runs a game in a specific seat inside the vehicle in response to instructions from the occupants of the vehicle. The game device 24 also outputs a second vibration signal as an entertainment signal to generate vibrations in the specific seat corresponding to actions performed by the occupants of the vehicle during the game being played, when the game is running in a specific seat inside the vehicle.

[0042] The VCA drive ECU 26 is equipped with a signal output unit that outputs signals representing different information or vibrations based on signals output from the playback device 20, massage device 22, and game device 24. More specifically, it is provided with an entertainment signal output unit that outputs entertainment signals representing vibrations to improve the in-vehicle entertainment experience, consisting of a complementary vibration output unit 36, a massage vibration unit 38, and a game execution unit 40.

[0043] When the content is being played back by the playback device 20, the complementary vibration output unit 36 receives the audio signal of the content being played back from the playback device 20, extracts the low-frequency component from the received audio signal, and outputs the extracted low-frequency component to the controller 42 as a complementary vibration signal representing the vibration for complementing the audio of the content being played back, for example, to the VCA12 of all seats and the steering body 46 of the host vehicle. Note that when the content is being played back by the playback device 20, the complementary vibration output unit 36 may selectively output the complementary vibration signal to the controller 42 individually and specifically to the VCA12 of each seat and the steering body 46 of the host vehicle.

[0044] When the first vibration signal is being output from the massage device 22, the massage vibration unit 38 receives the first vibration signal from the massage device 22 and outputs a massage signal representing the massage vibration to be generated on a specific seat of the host vehicle to the controller 42, for example, to the VCA12 of a specific seat of the host vehicle. Note that the massage vibration unit 38 may perform signal processing such as extracting components in a frequency band corresponding to the VCA12 as needed for the first vibration signal received from the massage device 22.

[0045] When the second vibration signal is being output from the game device 24, the game execution unit 40 receives the second vibration signal from the game device 24 and outputs a game signal representing the vibration to be generated on a specific seat corresponding to the operation performed by the occupant of the host vehicle in the game being executed to the controller 42, for example, to the VCA12 of a specific seat of the host vehicle. Note that the game execution unit 40 may also perform signal processing such as extracting components in a frequency band corresponding to the VCA12 as needed for the first vibration signal received from the game device 24.

[0046] Note that the operation detection signal output by the operation monitoring unit 28, the in-vehicle state detection signal output by the in-vehicle monitoring unit 30, the out-vehicle state detection signal output by the out-vehicle monitoring unit 32, the road surface simulation signal output by the road surface monitoring unit 34, the complementary vibration signal output by the complementary vibration output unit 36, the massage signal output by the massage vibration unit 38, and the game signal output by the game execution unit 40 may have at least one of the types and frequency bands of vibration represented by these signals different from each other.

[0047] The controller 42 receives a plurality of types of signals representing different information or vibrations from the operation monitoring unit 28, the in-vehicle monitoring unit 30, the out-vehicle monitoring unit 32, the road surface monitoring unit 34, the complementary vibration output unit 36, the massage vibration unit 38, and the game execution unit 40, and synthesizes the received plurality of types of signals with gains determined for each part of the front seat 44, the rear seat, and the steering body 46. Then, the synthesized signal for the front seat 44 is output to the VCA 12F via the amplifier unit 14F, the synthesized signal for the rear seat is output to the VCA 12R via the amplifier unit 14R, and the synthesized signal for the steering body 46 is output to the VCA 12S via the amplifier unit 14S. Note that the controller 42 is an example of the control unit in the present disclosure.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 4, the VCA drive ECU 26 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 60, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 62, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 64, a storage 66 such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive), a communication I / F (InterFace) 68, and an input / output I / F 70, and these are interconnected via a bus 72.

[0049] The storage 66 stores a VCA drive program 74. The VCA drive ECU 26 functions as the above-described operation monitoring unit 28, in-vehicle monitoring unit 30, out-vehicle monitoring unit 32, road surface monitoring unit 34, complementary vibration output unit 36, massage vibration unit 38, game execution unit 40, and controller 42 when the VCA drive program 74 is read from the storage 66 and expanded in the RAM 64, and the VCA drive program 74 expanded in the RAM 64 is executed by the CPU 60.

[0050] Next, as an example of the operation of this exemplary embodiment, the VCA drive process executed by the controller 42 while the vehicle's power switch is ON will be described with reference to Figure 5.

[0051] In step 100 of the VCA drive process, the controller 42 sets the variable i, which identifies each seat provided in the vehicle, to 1. In step 102, the controller 42 recognizes all signals output from multiple signal output units toward the VCA 12 provided in the i-th seat of the vehicle.

[0052] In step 104, the controller 42 determines whether the i-th seat of its vehicle is the front seat 44 of its vehicle. If the determination in step 104 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 106. In step 106, the controller 42 determines whether the i-th seat of its vehicle is the driver's seat of its vehicle. If the determination in step 106 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 108.

[0053] In step 108, the controller 42 determines whether the signals recognized in step 102 include a state detection signal (at least one of the in-vehicle state detection signal output from the in-vehicle monitoring unit 30 and the out-of-vehicle state detection signal output from the out-of-vehicle monitoring unit 32). If the determination in step 108 is negative, the process proceeds to step 110, in which the controller 42 sets a moderate value (Gmid) for the gain of the operation detection signal, a moderate value (Gmid) for the road surface simulation signal, and a moderate value (Gmid) for the entertainment signal.

[0054] Furthermore, if the determination in step 108 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 112. In step 112, the controller 42 sets the gain of the operation detection signal to a moderate value (Gmid), the gain of the state detection signal to a relatively large value (Ghi), the gain of the road surface simulation signal to a moderate value (Gmid), and the gain of the entertainment signal to a relatively small value (Glo).

[0055] Furthermore, if the determination in step 106 is denied (i.e., the i-th seat of the vehicle is the passenger seat), the process proceeds to step 114. In step 114, the controller 42 sets the gain of the operation detection signal to a moderate value (Gmid), the gain of the state detection signal to a moderate value (Gmid), the gain of the road surface simulation signal to a moderate value (Gmid), and the gain of the entertainment signal to a moderate value (Gmid).

[0056] Furthermore, if the determination in step 104 is denied (i-th seat of the vehicle is a rear seat), the process proceeds to step 116. In step 116, the controller 42 sets a relatively small value (Glo) for the gain of the operation detection signal, a relatively small value (Glo) for the gain of the state detection signal, a relatively small value (Glo) for the gain of the road surface simulation signal, and a relatively large value (Ghi) for the gain of the entertainment signal.

[0057] Once the gain of each signal is set in any of steps 110 to 116, the process moves to step 118. In step 118, the controller 42 combines the signals for the i-th seat of the vehicle, which were recognized in step 102, using the gain set in any of steps 110 to 116. Then, in step 120, the controller 42 outputs the generated combined signal to the VCA 12 located on the i-th seat.

[0058] In step 122, the controller 42 determines whether the variable i has reached the total number of seats in the vehicle, imax. If the determination in step 122 is negative, the process proceeds to step 124. In step 124, the controller 42 increments the variable i by 1 and returns to step 102. Steps 102 to 124 are repeated until the determination in step 122 is positive, and a composite signal is output to each VCA 12 installed in each seat of the vehicle. The VCA 12 installed in each seat of the vehicle is then vibrated by the input composite signal, and multiple types of information or vibrations are perceived by the occupants seated in each seat.

[0059] As a result of the above processing, the VCA 12F located in the front seat 44 of the vehicle is supplied with a composite signal in which the gain of the entertainment signal is smaller than that supplied to the VCA 12R located in the rear seat of the vehicle, as is clear from comparing steps 110 to 114 with step 116. Similarly, the VCA 12R located in the rear seat of the vehicle is supplied with a composite signal in which the gains of the operation detection signal, state detection signal, and road surface simulation signal are smaller than those supplied to the VCA 12F located in the front seat 44 of the vehicle, as is clear from comparing step 116 with steps 110 to 114. Furthermore, when the VCA 12 is vibrating with a signal that includes the entertainment signal as a composite signal, and a state detection signal is output from the in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit, the VCA 12 is supplied with a composite signal in which the gain of the entertainment signal is smaller than that supplied to the VCA 12F located in the front seat 44 of the vehicle.

[0060] Furthermore, if the determination in step 122 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 126. In step 126, the controller 42 performs steering VCA drive processing and returns to step 100. The steering VCA drive processing will now be explained with reference to Figure 6.

[0061] In step 130 of the steering VCA drive processing, the controller 42 recognizes all signals output from multiple signal output units toward the VCA 12S provided on the steering body 46 of the vehicle. In step 132, the controller 42 determines whether the signals recognized in step 130 include a state detection signal (at least one of the in-vehicle state detection signal output from the in-vehicle monitoring unit 30 and the out-of-vehicle state detection signal output from the out-of-vehicle monitoring unit 32).

[0062] If the determination in step 132 is negative, the process proceeds to step 134. In step 134, the controller 42 sets a moderate value (Gmid) for the gain of the operation detection signal, a moderate value (Gmid) for the gain of the road surface simulation signal, and a relatively small value (Glo) for the gain of the entertainment signal. If the determination in step 132 is positive, the process proceeds to step 136. In step 136, the controller 42 sets a moderate value (Gmid) for the gain of the operation detection signal, a relatively large value (Ghi) for the gain of the state detection signal, a moderate value (Gmid) for the gain of the road surface simulation signal, and a relatively small value (Glo) for the gain of the entertainment signal.

[0063] After setting the gain of each signal in step 134 or step 136, the process moves to step 138, in which the controller 42 combines the signals for the vehicle's steering body 46, which were recognized in step 130, using the gain set in step 134 or step 136. Then, in step 140, the controller 42 outputs the generated combined signal to the VCA 12S provided on the steering body 46.

[0064] As a result of the above processing, the VCA 12S provided on the vehicle's steering body 46 is supplied with a composite signal in which the gain of the entertainment signal is smaller than that of the composite signal supplied to the VCA 12 provided on the vehicle's seat, as can be seen by comparing step 134 with step 110.

[0065] Thus, the vibration device 10 according to this exemplary embodiment includes a VCA 12 capable of simultaneously generating vibrations in multiple different frequency bands, and a controller 42 that vibrates the VCA 12 using a composite signal obtained by combining multiple types of signals representing different information or vibrations output from multiple signal output units. This makes it possible to simultaneously perceive multiple types of information or vibrations represented by multiple types of signals to a vibration perceiver (occupant).

[0066] Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, the VCA12 is used as a vibration actuator capable of simultaneously generating vibrations in multiple different frequency bands. This simplifies the configuration of the vibration actuator compared to a case where multiple simple harmonic motion actuators, each capable of generating vibrations in only a single frequency band, are combined to form the vibration actuator.

[0067] Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, the signal output unit includes an operation monitoring unit 28 that outputs an operation detection signal when it detects a predetermined operation performed by a vehicle occupant, an in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit (at least one of the in-vehicle monitoring unit 30 and the out-of-vehicle monitoring unit 32) that outputs a state detection signal when it detects that the inside or outside of the vehicle has reached a predetermined state, and an entertainment signal output unit (at least one of the complementary vibration output unit 36, the massage vibration unit 38, and the game execution unit 40) that outputs an entertainment signal representing vibration to improve the entertainment value inside the vehicle.

[0068] If an operation monitoring unit 28 is provided as a signal output unit, the vibration perceiver can be made aware that a predetermined operation has been detected, thereby improving the operability of the HMI. Furthermore, if an in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit is provided as a signal output unit, the vibration perceiver can be made aware that the inside or outside of the vehicle has reached a predetermined state, thereby improving the safety of the vehicle. In addition, if an entertainment signal output unit is provided as a signal output unit, vibrations that enhance the entertainment value inside the vehicle can be made perceived by the vibration perceiver, thereby improving the entertainment value inside the vehicle.

[0069] Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, a road surface monitoring unit 34 is provided as a signal output unit, which outputs a road surface simulation signal that simulates vibrations based on road surface information representing the road surface condition. This makes it possible to make the vibration-perceiving person perceive the road surface condition represented by the road surface information, thereby improving vehicle safety.

[0070] Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, the in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit includes an in-vehicle monitoring unit 30 that outputs an in-vehicle state detection signal when it detects that the vehicle driver is in a predetermined state, and an out-of-vehicle monitoring unit 32 that outputs an out-of-vehicle state detection signal when it detects that the area outside the vehicle is in a predetermined state. When the in-vehicle monitoring unit 30 is provided as part of the in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit, it is possible to make the vibration perceiver aware that the vehicle driver's state has reached a predetermined state, thereby improving the safety of the vehicle. Similarly, when the out-of-vehicle monitoring unit 32 is provided as part of the in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit, it is possible to make the vibration perceiver aware that the area outside the vehicle is in a predetermined state, thereby improving the safety of the vehicle.

[0071] Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, the entertainment signal output unit includes a complementary vibration output unit 36 ​​that outputs a complementary vibration signal representing vibrations that complement the audio of the content when content is being played in the vehicle, a massage vibration unit 38 that outputs a massage signal representing massage vibrations when the generation of massage vibrations is instructed, and a game execution unit 40 that outputs a game signal representing vibrations corresponding to actions performed by the vehicle occupants in the game when a game is being played in the vehicle. When the complementary vibration output unit 36 ​​is provided as the entertainment signal output unit, vibrations that complement the audio of the content being played can be perceived by the vibration perceiver, thereby improving the entertainment experience inside the vehicle. When the massage vibration unit 38 is provided as the entertainment signal output unit, massage vibrations can be perceived by the vibration perceiver, thereby improving the entertainment experience inside the vehicle. Furthermore, when the game execution unit is provided as the entertainment signal output unit, actions performed by the occupants in the game being played can be perceived by the vibration perceiver, thereby improving the entertainment experience inside the vehicle.

[0072] Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, VCA 12 is provided in the front seat 44 and the rear seat of the vehicle, and the controller 42 differentiates the gains of multiple types of signals to be synthesized as a composite signal between the VCA 12F provided in the front seat 44 and the VCA 12R provided in the rear seat of the vehicle. This makes it possible to optimize the information or vibrations perceived by the vibration perceiver depending on whether the vibration perceiver is seated in the front seat or the rear seat.

[0073] Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, the controller 42 supplies a composite signal to the VCA 12F located in the front seat 44 of the vehicle, in which the gain of the entertainment signal representing vibrations to improve the in-vehicle entertainment quality output from the entertainment signal output unit is smaller than that of the composite signal supplied to the VCA 12R located in the rear seat of the vehicle. This allows the attention of the vibration perceiver seated in the front seat of the vehicle to be directed relatively towards understanding the detection status of a predetermined operation, understanding the conditions inside or outside the vehicle, understanding the road surface conditions, etc., thereby improving the operability of the HMI and improving the safety of the vehicle.

[0074] Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, the controller 42 supplies a composite signal to the VCA 12R located in the rear seat of the vehicle. This composite signal has a gain smaller than the composite signal supplied to the VCA 12F located in the front seat 44 of the vehicle. The composite signal consists of at least one of the following: an operation detection signal output from the operation monitoring unit 28 when a predetermined operation performed by a vehicle occupant is detected; a state detection signal output from the interior / exterior monitoring unit when a predetermined state is detected inside or outside the vehicle; and a road surface simulation signal representing vibrations that simulate the road surface condition, output from the road surface monitoring unit 34 based on road surface information representing the road surface condition. This allows vibration perceivers seated in the rear seat of the vehicle to be relatively more immersed in the entertainment provided by the entertainment signal, thereby further improving the entertainment value inside the vehicle.

[0075] Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, the VCA 12 is provided on the vehicle's steering body 46 and the seat, respectively, and the controller 42 differentiates the gains of multiple types of signals to be synthesized as a composite signal between the VCA 12S provided on the vehicle's steering body 46 and the VCA 12 provided on the vehicle's seat. This makes it possible to optimize the information or vibrations perceived by the occupant holding the steering body 46 and the information or vibrations perceived by the occupant not holding the steering body 46, respectively.

[0076] Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, the controller 42 supplies a composite signal to the VCA 12S provided on the vehicle's steering body 46, in which the gain of the entertainment signal, which represents vibrations to improve the in-vehicle entertainment quality output from the entertainment signal output unit, is smaller than the composite signal supplied to the VCA 12 provided on the vehicle's seat. This allows the attention of the vibration perceiver holding the vehicle's steering body 46 to be directed relatively towards understanding the detection state of a predetermined operation, understanding the state inside or outside the vehicle, understanding the state of the road surface, etc., thereby improving operability in the HMI and improving vehicle safety.

[0077] Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, when the controller 42 is vibrating the VCA 12 with a signal that includes an entertainment signal, which is output from the entertainment signal output unit as a composite signal, representing vibrations to improve the in-vehicle entertainment experience, and a state detection signal is output from the in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit because it is detected that the inside or outside of the vehicle has reached a predetermined state, the controller 42 supplies the VCA 12 with a composite signal in which the gain of the entertainment signal has been reduced. This prevents the vibrations corresponding to the state detection signal from being overshadowed by the vibrations corresponding to the entertainment signal, and by relatively directing the attention of the vibration perceiver to understanding the state inside or outside the vehicle, the safety of the vehicle can be improved.

[0078] In the above exemplary embodiment, a VCA 12 was described as an example of a vibration actuator according to the present disclosure. However, the vibration actuator according to the present disclosure can be any actuator capable of simultaneously generating vibrations in multiple different frequency bands, and actuators other than VCAs are also applicable.

[0079] Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiments described above, as an example, a method was described in which the gain of each signal to be synthesized as a composite signal is changed in three stages, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the gain of each signal may be changed in four or more stages, or the gain of each signal may be changed in two stages.

[0080] Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment described above, a configuration was described in which the gains of multiple types of signals to be synthesized as a composite signal are different for the VCA 12F provided in the front seat 44 of the vehicle and the VCA 12R provided in the rear seat of the vehicle. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the types of multiple types of signals to be synthesized as a composite signal may be different for the VCA 12F and the VCA 12R. Specifically, for example, the VCA 12F may be supplied with a composite signal in which entertainment signals are excluded from the multiple types of signals to be synthesized, and the VCA 12R may be supplied with a composite signal in which at least one of, for example, an operation detection signal, a status detection signal, and a road surface simulation signal is excluded from the multiple types of signals to be synthesized as a composite signal.

[0081] Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment described above, a configuration was described in which the gains of multiple types of signals synthesized as a composite signal are different between the VCA 12S provided on the vehicle's steering body 46 and the VCA 12 provided on the vehicle's seat. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the types of multiple types of signals synthesized as a composite signal may be different between the VCA 12S provided on the vehicle's steering body 46 and the VCA 12 provided on the vehicle's seat. Specifically, for example, entertainment signals may be excluded from the multiple types of signals synthesized as a composite signal for the VCA 12S provided on the vehicle's steering body 46.

[0082] Furthermore, in the above exemplary embodiment, a configuration was described in which, when a state detection signal is output from the in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit while the VCA 12 is being vibrated by a signal including an entertainment signal as a composite signal, a composite signal with a reduced gain of the entertainment signal is supplied to the VCA 12. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and in the above case, the entertainment signal may be excluded from the multiple types of signals to be synthesized as a composite signal.

[0083] Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment described above, an operation monitoring unit 28, an in-vehicle monitoring unit 30, an out-of-vehicle monitoring unit 32, a road surface monitoring unit 34, a complementary vibration output unit 36, a massage vibration unit 38, and a game execution unit 40 were described as signal output units, however, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and at least one of the above signal output units may be omitted. For example, if the steering device provided in the vehicle is not of the steer-by-wire type, the road surface monitoring unit 34 may be omitted. Also, for example, as shown in Figure 7, if the vehicle is equipped with an operation monitoring ECU 80 with functions equivalent to the operation monitoring unit 28, an in-vehicle monitoring ECU 82 with functions equivalent to the in-vehicle monitoring unit 30, an out-of-vehicle monitoring ECU 84 with functions equivalent to the out-of-vehicle monitoring unit 32, and a road surface monitoring ECU 86 with functions equivalent to the road surface monitoring unit 34, then, as shown in Figure 7, it is also possible to omit the operation monitoring unit 28, the in-vehicle monitoring unit 30, the out-of-vehicle monitoring unit 32, and the road surface monitoring unit 34.

[0084] Furthermore, although the above exemplary embodiments describe a configuration in which the vibration device 10 according to the present disclosure is mounted on a vehicle and the VCA is provided on the vehicle's seat and steering wheel 46, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and may be provided on a regular chair or the like.

[0085] Furthermore, although the above exemplary embodiment describes a configuration in which the VCA drive program 74 is pre-stored (installed) in the storage 66, the VCA drive program 74 can also be provided in a form recorded on a non-temporary recording medium such as an HDD, SSD, or DVD.

[0086] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-190055, dated October 29, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0087] All documents, patent applications, and technical standards described herein are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application, and technical standard were specifically and individually noted to be incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. A vibration device comprising: a vibration actuator capable of simultaneously generating vibrations in multiple different frequency bands; and a control unit that vibrates the vibration actuator using a composite signal obtained by combining multiple types of signals representing different information or vibrations output from multiple signal output units.

2. The vibration device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration actuator is a voice coil actuator.

3. The vibration device according to claim 1, wherein the signal output unit can be selected from any of the following: an operation monitoring unit that outputs an operation detection signal when it detects a predetermined operation performed by a vehicle occupant; an interior / exterior monitoring unit that outputs a state detection signal when it detects that the interior or exterior of the vehicle has entered a predetermined state; and an entertainment signal output unit that outputs an entertainment signal representing vibration for improving the entertainment value inside the vehicle.

4. The vibration device according to claim 3, wherein the signal output unit is a road surface monitoring unit that outputs a road surface simulation signal representing vibrations that simulate the road surface condition based on road surface information representing the road surface condition.

5. The vibration device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the in-vehicle / out-of-vehicle monitoring unit can be selected from either an in-vehicle monitoring unit that outputs an in-vehicle state detection signal when it detects that the driver of the vehicle is in a predetermined state, or an out-of-vehicle state monitoring unit that outputs an out-of-vehicle state detection signal when it detects that the outside of the vehicle is in a predetermined state.

6. The vibration device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the entertainment signal output unit can be selected from any of the following: a supplemental vibration output unit that outputs a supplemental vibration signal representing vibrations that complement the audio of entertainment content when entertainment content is being played in the vehicle; a massage vibration unit that outputs a massage signal representing massage vibrations when the generation of massage vibrations is instructed; and a game execution unit that outputs a game signal representing vibrations corresponding to actions performed by the occupants of the vehicle in the game when a game is being played in the vehicle.

7. The vibration device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration actuators are provided in the front and rear seats of the vehicle, and the control unit differs in the types of signals to be synthesized as the composite signal or the gains of the multiple types of signals between the vibration actuator provided in the front seat of the vehicle and the vibration actuator provided in the rear seat of the vehicle.

8. The vibration device according to claim 7, wherein the control unit either excludes the entertainment signal, which represents vibrations for improving the in-vehicle entertainment quality output from the entertainment signal output unit, from the plurality of signals to be synthesized as the synthesized signal, or supplies the synthesized signal to the vibration actuator provided in the front seat of the vehicle, having a gain of the entertainment signal smaller than that of the synthesized signal supplied to the vibration actuator provided in the rear seat of the vehicle.

9. The vibration device according to claim 7, wherein the control unit excludes at least one of the following signals from the plurality of signals to be synthesized as the synthesized signal to the vibration actuator provided in the rear seat of the vehicle: an operation detection signal output from the operation monitoring unit when it detects a predetermined operation performed by a vehicle occupant; a state detection signal output from the interior / exterior monitoring unit when it detects that the interior or exterior of the vehicle has entered a predetermined state; and a road surface simulation signal output from the road surface monitoring unit based on road surface information representing the state of the road surface; or the control unit supplies the synthesized signal to the vibration actuator provided in the front seat of the vehicle, wherein the gain of at least one of the operation detection signal, the state detection signal, and the road surface simulation signal is smaller than the synthesized signal supplied to the vibration actuator provided in the front seat of the vehicle.

10. The vibration device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration actuator is provided on the steering device and the seat of the vehicle, and the control unit differs in the types of signals to be synthesized as the composite signal or the gains of the multiple types of signals between the vibration actuator provided on the steering device of the vehicle and the vibration actuator provided on the seat of the vehicle.

11. The vibration device according to claim 10, wherein the control unit either excludes the entertainment signal, which represents vibrations for improving the in-vehicle entertainment quality output from the entertainment signal output unit, from the plurality of signals to be synthesized as the synthesized signal, or supplies the synthesized signal to the vibration actuator provided in the vehicle's steering device, having a gain of the entertainment signal smaller than the synthesized signal supplied to the vibration actuator provided in the vehicle's seat.

12. The vibration device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit vibrates the vibration actuator with a signal that includes an entertainment signal, which is output from the entertainment signal output unit as the composite signal, representing vibrations that improve the in-vehicle entertainment experience of the vehicle, and when a state detection signal is output from the in-vehicle / out-vehicle monitoring unit because it is detected that the inside or outside of the vehicle has reached a predetermined state, the control unit excludes the entertainment signal from the plurality of signals that are combined as the composite signal, or supplies the composite signal with a reduced gain of the entertainment signal to the vibration actuator.

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