Operation device and control apparatus therefor

1. A control apparatus for an operation device, the control apparatus being connected to the operation device including an operation member and a tactile presentation mechanism, the control apparatus comprising:

an operational input receiving part receiving an operational input by a user to the operation member; and

a tactile sensation presenting part presenting a tactile sensation that corresponds to the operational input, to the user by causing the tactile presentation mechanism to operate when the operational input is received, wherein the tactile sensation presenting part varies contents of the tactile sensation to be presented to the user, in accordance with contents of the operational input received by the operational input receiving part.

2. The control apparatus for an operation device according to claim 1 , wherein the operation device includes a plurality of operation members, the operational input receiving part receives an operational input by the user to any of the plurality of operation members, and the tactile sensation presenting part varies the contents of the tactile sensation to be presented to the user in accordance with a disposition position of the operation member operated by the user on the operation device.

3. The control apparatus for an operation device according to claim 2 , wherein the operation device includes a plurality of vibration mechanisms as the tactile presentation mechanism, and the tactile sensation presenting part presents the tactile sensation that corresponds to the operational input to the user by causing each of the plurality of vibration mechanisms to generate a vibration having strength determined in accordance with the disposition position.

4. The control apparatus for an operation device according to claim 2 , wherein the tactile sensation presenting part presents a pseudo kinesthetic sense in a direction corresponding to a disposition position of the operation member operated by the user on the operation device.

5. The control apparatus for an operation device according to claim 1 , wherein the tactile sensation presenting part acquires information indicating strength of the operational input to the operation member by the user, and varies strength of the tactile sensation to be presented to the user in accordance with the acquired information.

6. The control apparatus for an operation device according to claim 1 , wherein the tactile sensation presenting part acquires information indicating strength of the operational input to the operation member by the user, and determines a timing at which the tactile sensation is presented to the user in accordance with the acquired information.

7. The control apparatus for an operation device according to claim 1 , wherein the operation member is a pressure-sensitive sensor, the operational input receiving part receives a pressing-down operation by the user to the pressure-sensitive sensor, and the tactile sensation presenting part varies the contents of the tactile sensation to be presented to the user in accordance with a state of the operation device when the operational input receiving part receives the pressing-down operation.

8. The control apparatus for an operation device according to claim 7 , wherein the tactile sensation presenting part determines a presentation timing of the tactile sensation in accordance with temporal variation of past pressure values detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor.

9. The control apparatus for an operation device according to claim 8 , wherein the tactile sensation presenting part estimates a timing at which a pressure value exceeds a predetermined threshold value in accordance with the temporal variation of the past pressure values detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor, and determines a presentation timing of the tactile sensation in accordance with a result of the estimation.

10. The control apparatus for an operation device according to claim 7 , wherein the tactile sensation presenting part starts presentation of the tactile sensation at a timing at which a pressure value detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and varies the threshold value in accordance with whether or not the operation device is in motion.

11. The control apparatus for an operation device according to claim 7 , wherein the tactile sensation presenting part starts presentation of the tactile sensation at a timing at which a pressure value detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and varies the threshold value in accordance with presence or absence of an operational input to another operation member included in the operation device.

12. An operation device comprising:

an operation member;

a structure that is coupled with the operation member; and

a vibration mechanism that has one end thereof fixed to the structure and the other end thereof supported by another supporting body, wherein the structure has stiffness that is higher than the another supporting body.

13. A control method for an operation device including an operation member and a tactile presentation mechanism, the control method comprising:

receiving step of receiving an operational input by a user to the operation member; and

presenting a tactile sensation that corresponds to the operational input, to the user by causing the tactile presentation mechanism to operate when the operational input is received,

wherein at the presenting, contents of the tactile sensation to be presented to the user are varied in accordance with contents of the operational input received at the receiving.

14. A non-transitory, computer readable storage medium containing a computer program, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to control an operation device including an operation member and a tactile presentation mechanism, by carrying out actions, comprising:

an operational input receiving part receiving an operational input by a user to the operation member; and

presenting a tactile sensation that corresponds to the operational input, to the user by causing the tactile presentation mechanism to operate when the operational input is received,

wherein the presenting includes varying contents of the tactile sensation to be presented to the user, in accordance with contents of the operational input received by the receiving.