IP Library › Granted Patent US 12663869
Granted Patent B2
US 12663869 · App. 18/749,221 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Input device

Inventors: Hisashi Sagara (Osaka, JP); Hideaki Eto (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Co., Ltd.
G06F3/016B60K35/10B60K35/25G06F3/0414B60K35/26G06F2203/04106
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12663869
App. No.
18/749,221
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An input device to be provided in a vehicle includes: an electrostatic sensor that detects the contact position of an operating body on an operation surface; a pressure detector that detects pressure applied to the operation surface; an exciter that vibrates the operation surface; and a controller. The controller causes the exciter to output at least one of sound or vibration based on a signal in accordance with the detection performed by the electrostatic sensor and a signal in accordance with the detection performed by the pressure detector.

Claims (57)

1 . An input device to be provided in a vehicle, the input device comprising:

an electrostatic sensor that detects a contact position of an operating body on an operation surface;

a pressure detector that detects pressure applied to the operation surface;

an exciter that vibrates the operation surface;

a controller;

a main body;

a circuit substrate fixed to the main body;

a holder that holds the exciter; and

a leaf spring that connects the holder and the main body, wherein

the pressure detector includes the holder and the circuit substrate, and

the controller causes the exciter to output at least one of sound or vibration based on a signal in accordance with the detection performed by the electrostatic sensor and a signal in accordance with the detection performed by the pressure detector.

2 . The input device according to claim 1 , wherein

after the controller outputs, to the exciter, a first vibration signal that is a control signal for causing the exciter to output vibration, the controller outputs a second vibration signal that is a control signal having an inverted phase of a phase of the first vibration signal to the exciter.

3 . The input device according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller outputs, to the exciter, a signal obtained by superimposing a first vibration signal and a first sound signal, to cause the exciter to output sound and vibration, the first vibration signal being a control signal for causing the exciter to output vibration, the first sound signal being a control signal for causing the exciter to output sound.

4 . The input device according to claim 3 , wherein

the controller causes the exciter to output vibration to reduce an intensity of vibration to be output from the exciter when the electrostatic sensor detects a trace operation to be less than an intensity of vibration to be output from the exciter when the pressure detector detects pressure applied to the operation surface, the trace operation being an operation of tracing the operation surface.

5 . The input device according to claim 3 , wherein

the controller causes the exciter to reduce a period in which the controller causes the exciter to output sound when the electrostatic sensor detects a trace operation to be shorter than a period in which the controller causes the exciter to output sound when the pressure detector detects pressure applied to the operation surface, the trace operation being an operation of tracing the operation surface.

6 . The input device according to claim 3 , wherein

when the electrostatic sensor detects that a trace operation of tracing the operation surface has ended, the controller causes the exciter to output sound while causing the exciter to stop outputting vibration.

7 . The input device according to claim 3 , wherein

in case the electrostatic sensor detects a trace operation, the controller causes the exciter to reduce pressure of sound to be output from the exciter to be less than pressure of sound to be output from the exciter in case the pressure detector detects pressure applied to the operation surface, the trace operation being an operation of tracing the operation surface.

8 . The input device according to claim 3 , wherein

in case the electrostatic sensor detects a trace operation, the controller causes the exciter to increase a frequency of sound to be output from the exciter to be higher than a frequency of sound to be output from the exciter in case the pressure detector detects pressure applied to the operation surface, the trace operation being an operation of tracing the operation surface.

9 . The input device according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller causes the exciter to output only vibration when the electrostatic sensor detects a contact to the operation surface or when the pressure detector detects pressure applied to the operation surface.

10 . The input device according to claim 9 , wherein

when the controller is causing the exciter to output vibration and the electrostatic sensor detects that an operation on the operation surface has ended, the controller causes the exciter to stop outputting vibration and output sound.

11 . The input device according to claim 10 , wherein

when the electrostatic sensor detects that the operating body ends an operation on the operation surface and gradually moves away from the operation surface, the controller causes the exciter to change sound to be output from the exciter, in accordance with a distance between the operating body and the operation surface.

12 . The input device according to claim 10 , wherein

when the operating body is not contacting the operation surface, the controller is causing the exciter to output sound, and the electrostatic sensor detects that the operating body has contacted the operation surface, the controller causes the exciter to stop outputting sound and output vibration.

13 . The input device according to claim 10 , wherein

when the operating body is not contacting the operation surface and the electrostatic sensor detects that the operating body is gradually approaching the operation surface, the controller causes the exciter to change sound to be output from the exciter, in accordance with a distance between the operating body and the operation surface.

14 . The input device according to claim 1 , wherein

the exciter is mechanically connected to the electrostatic sensor via at least the holder.

15 . The input device according to claim 1 , wherein

the leaf spring is disposed to have an orientation parallel to the operation surface.

16 . An input device to be provided in a vehicle, the input device comprising:

an electrostatic sensor that detects a contact position of an operating body on an operation surface;

a pressure detector that detects pressure applied to the operation surface;

an exciter that vibrates the operation surface; and

a controller, wherein

the controller causes the exciter to output at least one of sound or vibration based on a signal in accordance with the detection performed by the electrostatic sensor and a signal in accordance with the detection performed by the pressure detector, and

in case the electrostatic sensor detects a trace operation, the controller causes the exciter to reduce pressure of sound to be output from the exciter to be less than pressure of sound to be output from the exciter in case the pressure detector detects pressure applied to the operation surface, the trace operation being an operation of tracing the operation surface.

17 . The input device according to claim 16 , wherein

the controller outputs, to the exciter, a signal obtained by superimposing a first vibration signal and a first sound signal, to cause the exciter to output sound and vibration, the first vibration signal being a control signal for causing the exciter to output vibration, the first sound signal being a control signal for causing the exciter to output sound.

18 . An input device to be provided in a vehicle, the input device comprising:

an electrostatic sensor that detects a contact position of an operating body on an operation surface;

a pressure detector that detects pressure applied to the operation surface;

an exciter that vibrates the operation surface; and

a controller, wherein

the controller causes the exciter to output at least one of sound or vibration based on a signal in accordance with the detection performed by the electrostatic sensor and a signal in accordance with the detection performed by the pressure detector, and

in case the electrostatic sensor detects a trace operation, the controller causes the exciter to increase a frequency of sound to be output from the exciter to be higher than a frequency of sound to be output from the exciter in case the pressure detector detects pressure applied to the operation surface, the trace operation being an operation of tracing the operation surface.

19 . The input device according to claim 18 , wherein

the controller outputs, to the exciter, a signal obtained by superimposing a first vibration signal and a first sound signal, to cause the exciter to output sound and vibration, the first vibration signal being a control signal for causing the exciter to output vibration, the first sound signal being a control signal for causing the exciter to output sound.