JPH0154724B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

The present invention relates to a vehicle multi-operation switch device for centrally operating vehicle equipment such as an air conditioner and a car radio. In order to reduce installation space and improve operability of a switch device for a vehicle, the inventors of the present application provided an operating member in a cutout of an acrylic sheet plate, and applied pressure by pressing the operating member. A so-called pictorial display switch device is proposed in which a plurality of switch parts each having pressurized conductive rubber or conductive rubber are provided to close the contacts. According to such a pictorial display switch device, multiple operation parts are provided on one operation panel, so in-vehicle equipment such as the air conditioner and fender mirror can be controlled at one time.
It can be operated centrally in one place. By the way, the types of in-vehicle devices that are activated by switch operations and the operation items for each device have been increasing in recent years, and even with the above-mentioned pictorial display switch device, the number of switch parts that can be arranged in one switch device has increased. Since the number of picture display switch devices is limited, if the types of equipment and operation items further increase, the number of pictorial display switch devices must be increased. However, since the driver is restrained by a seat belt while driving, the range in which the driver can freely operate the switch device of the vehicle-mounted equipment while driving is limited. As a result, it is difficult to install the above-mentioned pictorial display switch device without impairing the operability of the switch, as it cannot interfere with the installation of other instruments essential for driving operations such as speedometers and tachometers. It was hot. Therefore, the technical problem of the present invention is to make it possible to easily operate the switch device of in-vehicle equipment even when restrained by a seat belt, without obstructing the installation of instruments essential for driving operation, and to make it possible to easily operate the switch device of in-vehicle equipment even when restrained by a seat belt. The purpose of the present invention is to enable the display screen to be switched based on the driver's intention. In order to solve such technical problems, the present invention provides a first image that shows the distinction between on-vehicle equipment including an on-board air conditioner and a radio receiver on one screen, and a second image that shows their operation items on one screen. an optical crossover point forming device that forms a plurality of optical intersection points in front of the screen of the image display means; and a display portion of any type of the first image. image switching means for outputting a switching command signal to the display means to switch to the second image representing the selected type of operation item when the image is selected and the light passing through the optical intersection point corresponding to the selected region is blocked; When one of the display parts related to the in-vehicle equipment in the switched second image is selected and the light passing through the optical intersection point corresponding to that part is blocked, an operation command signal corresponding to the operation item is sent to the corresponding in-vehicle device. an operation control means for outputting an output to the device, and a display image changing from the second image to the first image;
an image return switch set on the screen that can issue a command signal to switch back to the first image; and an image return switch that causes the image display means to switch back to the first image based on the command signal output from the image return switch. The device is a multi-operation switch device for a vehicle, characterized in that it is equipped with an image restoration means for outputting a switching signal. Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. First, the configuration will be described. Reference numeral 10 denotes an operation panel, which is disposed in front of the display screen 20a of the cathode ray tube 20 of the television receiver. As shown in FIG. 2, this embodiment of the operation panel 10 has a light emitting diode or the like that emits light other than visible light such as infrared light in the upper horizontal frame and left vertical frame of the cathode ray tube display screen 20a. Element 12a, 1
2b,...12d, 12e, 12f,...12h are arranged, and each of the light emitting elements 12a to 12h is provided with a lens 1 made of glass or acrylic resin, etc. in order to irradiate the emitted light as a parallel beam bundle.
3a,...13d, 13e,...13h are provided,
A light matrix is formed on the cathode ray tube display screen 20a. On the other hand, each light emitting element 12a
In the lower horizontal frame and the right vertical frame of the cathode ray tube display screen 20a facing 12d and 12e to 12f, there are light receiving elements 14a, 14b, . . . which receive light beams from light emitting elements and convert them into electrical signals. 14d
and 14e, 14f,..., 14h are arranged, and the outputs of the light receiving elements 14a to 14d are sent to the row latch circuit 15.
In addition, the outputs of the light receiving elements 14e to 14h are input to a column latch circuit 15b. Each of the row latch circuit 15a and the column latch circuit 15b includes each of the light receiving elements 14a to 14d, 14e.
This is a circuit that latches and outputs the light reception output when the incidence of the light beam to ~14h is cut off.Based on the latch outputs of the latch circuits 15a and 15b, the operation portion 11, which becomes the intersection portion of the optical matrix, is
An operation part detection circuit 16 is provided which detects the points a, 11b, . . . , 11p (16 points) and outputs an operation part signal. Referring again to FIG. 1, the configuration will be described. Output from the operation panel 10 having the configuration shown in FIG. 2,
That is, the operation part detection circuit 16 (see FIG. 2)
The operation part signal from is output to the encoder circuit 30. In addition to the signal line from the operation panel 10, a page designation signal line 61 is connected to the encoder circuit 30, and the signal of this page designation signal line 61 is a signal corresponding to the display image displayed on the cathode ray tube 20. Therefore, encoder circuit 3
0 outputs a pulse encoded signal corresponding to page information and an operation part detection signal. The decoder circuit 40 decodes the pulse encoded signal from the encoder circuit 30, determines the type of load based on the page information, and selects one of the multiple operation items of the load determined based on the operation part detection signal. It then outputs a drive signal. For this reason, a drive circuit 50 is provided on the output side of the decoder circuit 40 in accordance with a plurality of operation items for each load to be operated, such as an air conditioner, a car radio, a fender mirror, etc., and is activated by the output of the decoder circuit 40. Then, the corresponding predetermined load is driven so as to operate the display item of the switch part. Further, a part of the output signal of the decoder circuit 40 is
Outputted via the display page switching signal line 41,
This display page switching signal is used to switch the display image on the cathode ray tube 20. On the other hand, as a circuit section for displaying predetermined operation items corresponding to the type of load on the cathode ray tube 20 on the display screen 20a corresponding to the operation sections 11a to 11p (see Fig. 2), which are the intersection sections of the optical matrix. , a microcomputer 60 is provided, and the microcomputer 60 includes a clock signal generator 10.
0 is connected, and arithmetic processing for displaying a predetermined image on the cathode ray tube 20 is executed based on this clock signal. To explain in detail the configuration of display processing by the microcomputer 60, the microcomputer 60 includes a CPU (central processing unit) with a program calculation function, a random access memory (RAM) for data storage, and a read-only memory that stores processing programs. It consists of memory (ROM), input/output interfaces (INPUT, OUTPUT), etc. Furthermore, 70 is a buffer memory with a capacity of 4 Kbytes, and its memory area is divided into four page memory areas 70a, 70b, 70b, 0, 1, 2, 3 pages, for example, depending on the type of image displayed on the cathode ray tube 20.
For example, in the 0 page memory area 70a, image data representing the type of load is stored corresponding to the display address on the display screen, and the remaining 1 to 3 page memory areas 70b to 70d are divided into 70c and 70d.
0d stores image data of operation items predetermined for each load in correspondence with display addresses. 71 is a selector circuit, which controls the "display mode" for outputting the page information of the buffer memory 70 for display on the cathode ray tube 20;
"CPU mode" for writing/reading from 0
This circuit switches at a predetermined cycle, and this switching cycle sets the horizontal sweep time of the cathode ray tube 20 to the "display mode" and sets the blanking time, which is the horizontal and vertical line erasing period, to the "CPU mode". . 72 is a display address counter that sequentially specifies the address of the cathode ray tube screen to be displayed in the display mode; 74 is a display control circuit that receives horizontal and vertical synchronization signals generated by the television timing generator 77 and a clock generation circuit 78; The X and Y addresses of the cathode ray tube display screen 20a are controlled by timing pulses generated according to the minimum pixel. Further, 75 is a shift register that converts the image data output in parallel from the buffer memory 70 into serial data, 76 is a high frequency modulation circuit, and 21 is a high frequency modulation circuit that inputs the image signal high frequency converted by the high frequency modulation circuit 76 from the antenna input terminal to the cathode ray tube. This is a television receiver circuit for displaying on the screen 20a of 20. On the other hand, 73 is a cursor address counter that specifies an address to be written to or read from buffer memory 70 by microcomputer 60 in CPU mode. Note that the cursor address is the microcomputer 60 address.
A memory address that can be written to or read from. Further, 79 is a gate circuit, which is used by the microcomputer 60 to read data from the buffer memory 70. In the display device used in the present invention, in the display mode, the display address counter 7
2, the data written in the buffer memory 70 is sequentially sent to the shift register 75, converted into serial data, and displayed on the cathode ray tube 20. On the other hand, in the CPU mode, the microcomputer 60 X from,
Data can be written to or read from any address in the buffer memory 70 using the cursor address designated by each Y address. Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained. First, it is assumed that image data for displaying display images as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6 is written in each of the page memory areas 70a to 70d of the buffer memory 70, for example. . That is, the 0 page memory area 70a in FIG.
The image data displays the type of load,
Divide the display screen 20a into four equal parts and select "AIR CON"
It displays three types of loads: ``RADIO'' and ``MIRROR,'' and the remaining area is used to display the time. Therefore, this display screen is used when selecting the type of load, and is displayed in the initial state or after the operation of a specific load is completed. FIG. 4 shows a display screen for operating the car radio. Image data corresponding to this display image is written in the 1-page memory area of the buffer memory 70, and becomes the intersection site of the optical matrix. Predetermined operation items related to the car radio are displayed on the operation parts 11a to 11p (see FIG. 2).
Note that "RETURN" shown in the operation parts 11a and 11e represents an operation part for returning to the image display of the 0 page memory area shown in FIG. 3. Further, FIG. 5 shows a display screen for operating the air conditioner, and the image data for this display is stored in the 2-page memory area 7 of the buffer memory 70.
Further, FIG. 6 shows a display screen for changing the direction of the mirror surface of the fender mirror by motor drive, and the image data for this is stored in the 3-page memory area 70d of the buffer memory 70. is written in. In addition, in Figures 5 and 6, there is an operation part where no operation item is displayed, but this operation part has no function as a switch operation part and is left as a space or margin for mere display. has been done. On the other hand, when the light beam is interrupted by placing a fingertip on the operating parts 11a to 11b of the operating panel 10 shown in FIG. It is defined as follows.

[Table] Furthermore, the page designation signal input from the microcomputer 60 to the encoder circuit 30 via the page designation signal line 61 based on the type of display screen, that is, the signal from the display switching signal line 41, is as follows:
It consists of the code bits shown in Table 2 below.

[Table] Therefore, the encoder circuit 30 is as shown in Tables 1 and 2 above.
It outputs a pulse encoded signal that combines the code bits of . In the embodiment of the present invention, the operation part is determined by a 5-bit information code and the page by a 2-bit information code, but the number of bits m of the operation part detection signal is
By increasing the number of bits n of the page designation signal, pulse encoded signals up to 2 ^m+n can be output. Therefore, to specifically explain the operation of the above embodiment, first, in a steady state, as shown in FIG. A page designation signal for page 0 is output to each of the display address counter 72 and the encoder circuit 30. The image in FIG. 3 is generated by outputting image data from the buffer memory 70 when the selector circuit 71 selects the display mode, and in the CPU mode, the image data is output from the 0 page memory corresponding to the time display section of the display screen. The time data is updated from the microcomputer 60 by specifying the address of the area 70a with the cursor address counter 73. In this state, for example, in order to operate a car radio, if a fingertip is inserted into the operation part 11c shown by diagonal lines, the light emitting element 1 will be inserted as shown in FIG.
The light beams from 2a and 12g are blocked, the light receiving output of the light receiving elements 14a and 14g decreases, the row latch circuit 15a and the column latch circuit 15b latch, and the operation part detection circuit 16 becomes the code bit "00011". Encoder circuit 3 for operation part signal
Output to 0. Then, the encoder circuit 30 outputs a pulse encoded signal "0000011" based on the page designation signal "00" input via the page designation signal line 61 at that time and the operation part signal "00011".
As shown in Fig. 7, the transmission code S of this pulse encoded signal consists of a start signal S1 consisting of a _3t mark and a 2t space, a 1t mark and a 2t space, a "0" mark, and a 2t mark. The information code string S ₂ is transmitted as "0000011" which becomes "1" in a space of 1t. The transmission signal S from this encoder circuit 30 is
The signal is decoded into "0000011" by the decoder circuit 40, and a signal for switching the display page to page 1 is output to the microcomputer 60 via the display page switching signal line 41 based on the operation part signal "00011". When microcomputer 60 receives this page switching signal, it outputs a signal specifying one page memory area 70a of buffer memory 70 to display address counter 72 and encoder circuit 30 in CPU mode. Therefore, the display address counter 72
is the 1 page memory area 7 of the buffer memory 70
By sequentially specifying the address 0a, the image data written in the area 70a is output to the shift register 75, and the high frequency modulation circuit 76 and the television receiver circuit 2
1, an image for radio control shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the cathode ray tube 20. Next, in order to turn on the radio, if you put your fingertip on the display part "ON" displayed on the operation part 11m of the operation panel 10, the light beam passes through the operation part 11m in the same way as described above. is blocked, and the operation area 11m from the operation panel 10 is
An operation part signal “01101” corresponding to the operation part signal “01101” is input to the encoder circuit 30. At this time, since the 1 page designation signal "01" is input from the microcomputer 60 via the page designation signal line 61, the encoder circuit 30
has a transmission code as shown in Figure 7,
“0101101” is transmitted to the decoder circuit 40. The decoder circuit 40 receives "0101101" from the transmission signal.
The assigned drive selects the drive load using the page designation code "01" and outputs a signal through a predetermined output line corresponding to the operation code "01101" to turn on the radio switch. The circuit 50 is activated, so that the input terminal of the electronic tuner or the like becomes ground potential, and the car radio enters the receiving state. In addition, in this state, in order to return the image display to the original 0 page display, by interposing a fingertip on the operation part 11e where "RETURN" is displayed, the encoder circuit 30 sends a transmission signal that becomes "0100101". is output and decoded by the decoder circuit 40. In this case, the display page switching signal line 41
The microcomputer 60 is instructed to switch to page 0 display via
Return to page display. This kind of operation is the same for the image display for air conditioner operation in Figure 5 and the image display for fender mirror operation in Figure 6.The load is selected on the 0 page display and the cathode ray tube display is switched, and the display is changed by switching. The load can be directly actuated by pressing the operation part of the selected operation item. In addition, although the above embodiment uses a television receiver as a means for displaying image data, other devices such as LCD (liquid crystal), EL (electroluminescence), EC (electrochromic), PDP (plasma display), etc. A dot matrix panel or the like may also be used. In this case, the display method is different from the raster scan method as in this embodiment, but it is equipped with a buffer memory 70, and the buffer memory 70 is divided into a plurality of pages to display predetermined image data. interrupt,
There is no change in the control method for switching display images based on page designation. FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the operation panel 10 used in the present invention. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged in rows and columns as light sources for forming a light matrix. , in this example,
A light guiding member 17 made of acrylic resin, U polymer, polycarbonate, etc. is arranged along the upper horizontal frame and the left vertical frame of the display screen 20a of the cathode ray tube 20, and a light emitting element 12 is disposed at the right end of the light guiding member 17.
is buried. The light guide member 17 includes light receiving elements 14a to 14d and 14e to 14h arranged in a horizontal frame on the lower side and a vertical frame on the right side of the cathode ray tube display screen 20a.
Reflective surfaces 17a to 17d and 17e to 17h are formed at positions on the back face facing the light emitting element 12, which are wedge-shaped and whose depth increases stepwise as they move away from the light emitting element 12.
a to 17h and the corner parts of the light guide member 17,
The light-emitting element 1 is coated with white paint with high reflectance and plating vapor-deposited with silver, aluminum, etc.
Reflecting surfaces 17a to 17d and 17e to
17h to form a light matrix on the cathode ray tube display screen 20a. On the other hand, light receiving elements 14a to 14d and 14e arranged opposite to each of the reflective surfaces 17a to 17h
- 14h are provided with light-shielding slits 18a-18h so that only the parallel light beams of the light beams reflected on each of the reflecting surfaces 17a-17h of the light guide member 17 are incident thereon. This prevents false detection even when the incident light is blocked. The other row latch circuits 15a, column latch circuits 15b, and operation part detection circuit 16 are the same as those in the embodiment shown in FIG. By using the light guide member 17 as a means for forming a light matrix in this way, the number of light emitting elements can be reduced, power consumption can be reduced, and the structure of the operation panel 10 can be further simplified. As described above, according to the present invention, the configuration includes a display device that displays a plurality of on-vehicle loads to be operated, and displays a plurality of predetermined operation items when the display load is selected. An optical matrix is formed on the display surface with intersection points of light beams corresponding to the display position of the operation item, and when the fingertip is placed at the display position of the operation item, the blockage of light is detected and the operation area is displayed. Since the load is driven by outputting operation signals according to the items, it is possible to centrally operate multiple types of on-vehicle loads using a single operation panel for multiple operation items predetermined for each load. can. Therefore, it is sufficient to install the switch device according to the present invention in one place where the driver can easily operate the switch even when the driver has fastened his seat belt, so it is possible to easily operate the switches on various in-vehicle devices. Therefore, the operability is not impaired and the driving operation is also favorable. Furthermore, since the present invention includes a switch for returning the display screen from the second image to the first image, the second image will be retained unless the switch is operated. As a result, the display screen can be changed, for example, when using the in-vehicle door mirror device to back into the garage, or when the air conditioner is activated until the temperature inside the vehicle has stabilized. This is extremely effective when it is necessary to operate the switch continuously for a relatively long period of time. The switch signal is obtained by blocking the light matrix, so
Unlike conventional touch switch panels, there is no need to provide a special switch structure on the display surface, making the structure extremely simple.In addition, the signal from the operation panel is directly output as a load activation signal, making it easy to operate the operation part. Since there is no need to decipher the data using arithmetic processing by a microcomputer, the system structure can be simplified, and information other than the on-vehicle load operation items can also be displayed by using the margins of the operation items or by switching the screen. You can get the effect that you can.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of the operation panel used in Fig. 1, and Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are diagrams of display images. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example, FIG. 7 is a waveform diagram showing a transmission signal of operation part detection information, and FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing another embodiment of the operation panel used in the present invention. 10...Operation panel, 11a-11p...Operation site, 12, 12a-12h...Light emitting element, 13a-
13h...lens, 14a-14h...light receiving element, 1
5a...Row latch circuit, 15b...Column latch circuit, 1
6... Operation site detection circuit, 17... Light guide member, 17a
~17h...Reflecting surface, 18a~18h...Shading slit, 20...Cathode ray tube, 20a...Display screen, 21
...TV receiver circuit, 30...Encoder circuit, 40
...Decoder circuit, 41...Display page switching signal line, 50...Drive circuit, 60...Microcomputer, 61...Page designation signal line, 70...Buffer memory, 70a-70d...Page memory area, 71
...Selector circuit, 72...Display address counter, 73...Cursor address counter, 74
...Display control circuit, 75...Shift register, 76...High frequency modulation circuit, 77...Television timing generator, 78...Clock generation circuit, 79...Gate circuit, 100...Clock signal generation device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Switching and displaying a first image that shows the distinction between in-vehicle devices including an in-vehicle air conditioner and a radio receiver on one screen, and a second image that shows their operation items on one screen. an image display means; an optical cross point forming device that forms a plurality of optical cross points on the front surface of the screen of the image display means; and selects one type of display part of the first image and corresponds to the part. image switching means for outputting a switching command signal to the display means for switching to the second image representing the selected type of operation item when the light passing through the optical intersection point is blocked; Operation control that outputs an operation command signal according to the operation item to the corresponding in-vehicle device when one of the display parts related to the in-vehicle device is selected and light passing through the optical intersection point corresponding to that part is blocked. means; an image return switch set on the screen capable of issuing a command signal for switching and returning the display image from the second image to the first image; and a command signal output from the image return switch. A multi-operation switch device for a vehicle, comprising: an image restoration means for outputting a switching signal to the first image to the image display means based on the image display means.