Steering device

1. A steering device comprising:

a gripping detection unit that detects that a steering wheel of a vehicle is gripped, when a capacitance detection value detected using a sensor electrode provided in the steering wheel increases beyond a predetermined gripping detection threshold value; and

a manipulation input detection unit that detects occurrence of a manipulation input to the steering wheel, when the capacitance detection value decreases below a manipulation input detection threshold value set to be higher than the gripping detection threshold value from a state in which the capacitance detection value is higher than the manipulation input detection threshold value, and then increases beyond the manipulation input detection threshold value again without decreasing below the gripping detection threshold value.

2. The steering device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a gripping detection state value setting unit that sets a gripping detection state value based on the capacitance detection value increasing beyond the gripping detection threshold value; and

a manipulation input detection threshold value setting unit that sets the manipulation input detection threshold value, based on the gripping detection state value and the gripping detection threshold value.

3. The steering device according to claim 2 , wherein

the gripping state value setting unit sets an average value of the capacitance detection value for a predetermined time as the gripping detection state value when the capacitance detection value increasing beyond the gripping detection threshold value is stable in a state of being higher than the gripping detection threshold value.

4. The steering device according to claim 3 , wherein

the gripping state value setting unit determines whether or not the capacitance detection value is stable in the state of being higher than the gripping detection threshold value, based on whether or not a change range of the capacitance detection value is within a predetermined value.

5. The steering device according to claim 2 , wherein

the manipulation input detection threshold value setting unit sets, as the manipulation input detection threshold value, the larger one of a value obtained by subtracting a predetermined first setting reference value from the gripping detection state value and a value obtained by adding a predetermined second setting reference value to the gripping detection threshold value.

6. The steering device according to claim 5 , wherein

the first setting reference value is set to a value corresponding to a change in a capacitance when a driver gripping the steering wheel lifts up the driver's finger from the steering wheel to perform the manipulation input.

7. The steering device according to claim 2 , wherein

the manipulation input detection threshold value setting unit obtains a difference between the gripping detection state value and the gripping detection threshold value, and sets the manipulation input detection threshold value by adding a value obtained by multiplying the difference by a predetermined coefficient to the gripping detection threshold value or subtracting the value from the gripping detection state value.

8. The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein

the manipulation input detection unit detects the occurrence of the manipulation input, when the capacitance detection value having decreased below the manipulation input detection threshold value increases beyond the manipulation input detection threshold value again within a predetermined inversion detection time.

9. The steering device according to claim 2 , wherein

the manipulation input detection unit detects the occurrence of the manipulation input, when the capacitance detection value having decreased below the manipulation input detection threshold value increases beyond the manipulation input detection threshold value again within a predetermined inversion detection time.

10. The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein

the manipulation input detection unit determines contents of the manipulation input by counting the number of times of changes at which the occurrence of the manipulation input occurring in the capacitance detection value is detected within a predetermined input determination time.

11. The steering device according to claim 2 , wherein

the manipulation input detection unit determines contents of the manipulation input by counting the number of times of changes at which the occurrence of the manipulation input occurring in the capacitance detection value is detected within a predetermined input determination time.

12. The steering device according to claim 8 , wherein

the manipulation input detection unit determines contents of the manipulation input by counting the number of times of changes at which the occurrence of the manipulation input occurring in the capacitance detection value is detected within a predetermined input determination time.

13. The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein

the manipulation input detection unit determines that the manipulation input is a long pressing manipulation when the capacitance detection value, increasing beyond the manipulation input detection threshold value again after having decreased below the manipulation input detection threshold value, does not decrease below the manipulation input detection threshold value again within a predetermined long pressing determination time.

14. The steering device according to claim 2 , wherein

the manipulation input detection unit determines that the manipulation input is a long pressing manipulation when the capacitance detection value, increasing beyond the manipulation input detection threshold value again after having decreased below the manipulation input detection threshold value, does not decrease below the manipulation input detection threshold value again within a predetermined long pressing determination time.

15. The steering device according to claim 8 , wherein

the manipulation input detection unit determines that the manipulation input is a long pressing manipulation when the capacitance detection value, increasing beyond the manipulation input detection threshold value again after having decreased below the manipulation input detection threshold value, does not decrease below the manipulation input detection threshold value again within a predetermined long pressing determination time.

16. The steering device according to claim 10 , wherein

the manipulation input detection unit determines that the manipulation input is a long pressing manipulation when the capacitance detection value, increasing beyond the manipulation input detection threshold value again after having decreased below the manipulation input detection threshold value, does not decrease below the manipulation input detection threshold value again within a predetermined long pressing determination time.

17. The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein

the sensor electrode includes a first electrode and a second electrode provided independently, and

the manipulation input detection unit determines that the manipulation input occurs, when a change in the capacitance detection value by which the occurrence of the manipulation input is detected exists on one of the first electrode and the second electrode and the change in the capacitance detection value by which the occurrence of the manipulation input is detected does not exist on the other one of the first electrode and the second electrode.

18. The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first electrode and the second electrode are used as an electrode pair, and a plurality of the electrode pairs are provided in the steering wheel.