JP2009276959A - Electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain satisfactory operability while increasing operable processing without increasing the number of operators. <P>SOLUTION: This electronic device includes: at least two slide operation part 30 allowing slide operation; and a control part 40 for, when the slide operation parts 30 are operated, executing processing preliminarily associated with the operated slide operation. The control part 40 is configured to detect that at least two slide operation parts 30 whose slide operation has been almost simultaneously executed, and to execute prescribed processing when detecting that at least two slide operation parts 30 are slid almost simultaneously. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device including an operation element that can be slid.

In general, an electronic device such as a car stereo is provided with an operation unit for adjusting the sound volume. The operation unit includes a slide-type operation element in which the knob unit slides linearly and a rotation in which the knob unit rotates. Expression operators are widely used. However, these operators need to be operated by holding the knob portion with two fingers, which is troublesome.
Therefore, a plurality of non-contact sensors are arranged in a row, a slide operation element that detects a slide operation based on the detection value of each non-contact sensor is configured, and the volume is adjusted according to the slide operation on the slide operation element. Such electronic devices have been proposed. According to this electronic device, the volume can be adjusted in a non-contact manner with one finger without picking the knob (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-1-243710

By the way, in the above conventional technique, when the number of processes that can be operated by the user increases, it is necessary to provide a separate operation element for each process, resulting in an increase in the number of parts and an increase in cost.
In addition, a switching operation element for switching the correspondence between the operation element and the process is provided separately, and the process assigned in advance to each operation element can be switched according to the operation state of the switching operation element. Thus, it is possible to increase the number of processes assigned to each operation element while suppressing an increase in operation elements. However, when the user performs an operation corresponding to a desired process, it is necessary to operate the operation element after associating the desired operation with the operation element by operating the switching operator. There was a problem.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device that can solve the problems of the conventional techniques described above and can obtain good operability while increasing the number of processes that can be operated without increasing the number of operators. There is.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the electronic device of the present invention executes at least two operators that can be slid and a process that is associated with the operated slide operation in advance when the operator is operated. An execution means, wherein the execution means is configured to be able to detect that at least two of the operators are slid substantially simultaneously, and detects that at least two of the operators are slid substantially simultaneously. In this case, a predetermined process is executed.

  According to the present invention, in the above electronic device, at least two of the operating elements are arranged apart from each other within a predetermined distance that can be operated with one hand.

  According to the present invention, in the above electronic device, at least two of the operating elements are arranged so that the sliding directions during the sliding operation are substantially parallel to each other.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an electronic apparatus according to the present invention includes a plurality of sensors arranged in a line, and a plurality of operators that detect a slide operation based on a change in the detection amount of each sensor. When the slide operation is performed, a process associated with the operated operation element is executed in advance, and an operation for changing the detection amount of the sensor substantially simultaneously is performed across at least two or more operation elements. In such a case, a predetermined process corresponding to the operation is executed.

  According to the present invention, it is configured to be able to detect that at least two operators are simultaneously slid, and to execute predetermined processing when it is detected that at least two operators are simultaneously slid. Therefore, it is possible to execute processing different from that when each operation element is individually operated, and it is possible to obtain good operability while increasing the number of processes that can be operated without increasing the number of operation elements. .

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a car stereo as an example of an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The car stereo 1 has a stereo main body 2 attached to an instrument panel (not shown) of a car.
An operation panel 3 is provided on the front surface of the stereo main body 2, and a pair of left and right slide operation units 30 as operation elements and a liquid crystal panel 5 as a display unit are disposed on the operation panel 3. The liquid crystal panel 5 displays, for example, music information such as the title of the music being played, performance time, artist name, and the current volume, and an operation screen for switching menus.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the slide operation unit 30.
The slide operation unit 30 includes a panel substrate 31 provided inside the operation panel 3, and two or more (three in the present embodiment) arranged on the panel substrate 31 in a straight line at substantially equal intervals. The operation panel 3 is provided with a detection window 33 extending vertically at a position opposite to the non-contact sensors 32A to 32C.
Each of the non-contact sensors 32 </ b> A to 32 </ b> C is a distance sensor that detects the distance to the operation finger that has approached the detection window 33, and the car stereo 1 detects the operation finger detected by each of the non-contact sensors 32 </ b> A to 32 </ b> C. Based on the distances A, B, and C (detection values), a slide operation due to the vertical movement of the operation finger is detected.
In the present embodiment, the two slide operation units 30 are arranged so that the slide operation directions are substantially parallel, and each slide operation unit 30 is operated by a finger operating one slide operation unit 30 on the other slide operation. It is not detected by the portion 30 (see FIG. 4), and is disposed so as to be separated by a distance that allows both slide operation portions 30 to be covered with one palm (see FIG. 5). The slide operation direction of the pair of slide operation units 30 may be left and right.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a main part related to the slide operation unit 30 in the functional configuration of the car stereo 1.
As shown in this figure, the car stereo 1 includes the above-described pair of slide operation units 30, a control unit 40, and the liquid crystal panel 5.
The control unit 40 centrally controls each part of the car stereo 1, and the detection signal of each of the non-contact sensors 32 </ b> A to 32 </ b> C included in the slide operation unit 30 is input to the control unit 40. The control unit 40 is configured to be able to detect a slide operation with an operating finger based on these detection signals.
More specifically, the control unit 40 determines the distances A to C (see FIG. 2) from the non-contact sensors 32A to 32C to the operating finger based on the detection signals of the non-contact sensors 32A to 32C. The finger position is specified, and the slide amount (movement amount) and slide direction of the operation finger are calculated based on the subsequent changes in distances A to C.

Each slide operation unit 30 is assigned a predetermined process in advance. In this embodiment, the left slide operation unit 30 has a volume adjustment process corresponding to the slide amount and slide direction, and a right slide. The operation unit 30 is assigned with fast-forward / rewind processing of the reproduced music according to the slide amount and the slide direction.
As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, when the user slides his / her finger on the slide operation unit 30, such an operation is detected as a slide operation, and volume adjustment and fast-forward / rewind of the reproduced music are performed.

  In the present embodiment, when the control unit 40 detects a slide operation on each of the pair of slide operation units 30 at the same time, the control unit 40 does not execute each of the processes individually assigned to each slide operation unit 30. A predetermined process assigned in advance to the simultaneous slide operation of the pair of slide operation units 30 is executed. In this embodiment, power on / off processing is assigned as the predetermined processing.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, when the car stereo 1 is powered on, the user spreads his palm and holds both the pair of slide operation units 30 at the same time and slides them up or down. Then, it is detected that both of the pair of slide operation units 30 have been slid substantially simultaneously, and the car stereo 1 is turned off.
On the contrary, in the state where the power is off, the power is turned on when the palm is slid down or up by holding both of the pair of slide operation units 30 simultaneously.

  Such a simultaneous slide operation is not detected only when the pair of slide operation units 30 are operated at exactly the same timing, but the control unit 40 is fixed after one slide operation unit 30 is operated. It is determined whether or not the other is operated during a time (for example, within several milliseconds), and when the other slide operation unit 30 is operated, it is determined that the simultaneous operation is performed. When the other slide operation unit 30 has not been operated for a certain time, the control unit 40 executes a process associated with the operated slide operation unit 30 in advance.

  Further, in the present embodiment, in addition to the simultaneous slide operation on both of the pair of slide operation units 30, both slides such that both the pair of slide operation units 30 are simultaneously covered with a palm for a certain time (several seconds), for example. Even when an operation for changing the detection amounts of the non-contact sensors 32 </ b> A to 32 </ b> C included in the operation unit 30 is detected substantially simultaneously, a predetermined process such as a mute process is assigned to the operation.

  Similarly to the detection of the simultaneous slide operation described above, the detection of such an operation is not detected only when the detection values of the non-contact sensors 32A to 32C of the pair of slide operation units 30 change at exactly the same timing. In addition, the control unit 40 does not change the detection value of the other slide operation unit 30 within a certain time (for example, within several milliseconds) after the detection value of any one of the non-contact sensors 32A to 32C of the one slide operation unit 30 changes. It is determined whether or not the detection value of any of the non-contact sensors 32A to 32C has changed, and when the detection value of the non-contact sensors 32A to 32C of the other slide operation unit 30 has changed, a certain time (for example, several seconds) ) Over a period of time) (ie, when the two slide operation units 30 continue to be covered with one palm for a certain period of time) Performing a predetermined process chute treatment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation reception process of the control unit 40 when the slide operation unit 30 is slid.
When any one of the pair of slide operation units 30 is operated (step S1: Y), the control unit 40 performs the slide operation of the other slide operation unit 30 within a certain time (for example, several ms) from the operation. Based on whether or not it is a simultaneous slide operation for both slide operation units 30, it is determined (step S2).
As a result of the determination, in the case of simultaneous slide operation (step S2: Y), the control unit 40 determines whether or not the slide direction is downward (step S3). When the slide direction is downward (step S3: Y), the control unit 40 determines whether or not the car stereo 1 is powered on (step S4).

When the power source of the car stereo 1 is ON (step S4: Y), the control unit 40 turns off the power source of the car stereo 1 (step S5) and shifts the processing step to step S1. When the power source of the car stereo 1 is OFF (step S4: N), the control unit 40 shifts the processing step to step S1.
When the sliding direction is upward (step S3: N), the control unit determines whether or not the car stereo 1 is powered off (step S6). When the power source of the car stereo 1 is OFF (step S6: Y), the control unit turns on the power source of the car stereo 1 (step S7), and the process proceeds to step S1.

  On the other hand, if the result of determination in step S2 is that the slide operation is not a simultaneous operation on the pair of slide operation units 30 (step S2: N), the control unit 40 determines whether or not the slide operation is an operation on the right slide operation unit 30. Determine (step 8). When the slide operation is an operation of the right slide operation unit 30 (step S8: Y), the control unit 40 executes a process corresponding to the right slide operation unit 30 (fast forward / rewind music in this embodiment). (Step S9), the processing step proceeds to Step S1. When the slide operation is an operation of the left slide operation unit 30 (step S8: N), the control unit 40 executes a process corresponding to the left slide operation unit 30 (volume adjustment process in the present embodiment) (step S10). ), The process proceeds to step S1.

  In step S <b> 2, the control unit 40 operates for a certain period of time after the detection values of any of the non-contact sensors 32 </ b> A to 32 </ b> C of the slide operation unit 30 change due to an operation on the pair of slide operation units 30 (for example, The detected value of any one of the non-contact sensors 32A to 32C of the other slide operation unit 30 changes for a certain period of time (for example, several seconds). (That is, when the two slide operation units 30 continue to be covered with one palm for a certain period of time), a predetermined process such as the mute process is executed.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when it is detected that the pair of slide operation units 30 serving as the slide-controlling operators are operated to slide at substantially the same time, for example, a predetermined power on / off or the like is performed. Since the process is configured to be executed, it is possible to execute a process different from that when each slide operation unit 30 is individually operated, and it is possible to increase the number of processes that can be operated without increasing the number of operation elements. Operability can be obtained.

  In particular, according to the present embodiment, both of the two slide operation units 30 are arranged within a distance that can be operated at once with the palm of one hand, so that simultaneous operation can be performed without using both hands. Is improved.

  Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, since the two slide operation units 30 are arranged so that the slide directions during the slide operation are substantially parallel to each other, the palm held over the two slide operation units 30 is moved up and down. For example, the simultaneous slide operation can be easily performed, and a very good operability is realized.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the slide operation unit 30 includes a plurality of non-contact sensors 32A to 32C arranged in a row, and a slide operation is detected based on a detection amount change of each of the non-contact sensors 32A to 32C. Therefore, it is not necessary to pick and operate the operation knob and the operation is simplified.
In particular, in the case of a slide operation unit having an operation knob, it is necessary to confirm the position of each operation knob when operating both slide operation units 30, but the slide operation unit 30 is operated by a sensor. Since it is configured to detect, it is not necessary to check the state of the slide operation unit 30, and the operation can be easily performed by simply holding one palm over the pair of slide operation units 30.

In addition, embodiment mentioned above shows the one aspect | mode of this invention to the last, and a deformation | transformation and application are arbitrarily possible within the scope of the present invention.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the process when the slide operation is simultaneously performed on the two slide operation units 30 is the power on / off process, but is not limited thereto. It can be assigned to light dimming / light-increasing processing (particularly during dimmer when the luminance of the backlight is dimmed in accordance with the surrounding brightness) and arbitrary processing for turning mute on / off.
Furthermore, the slide operation is simultaneously performed on the two slide operation units 30 according to the operation state and operation mode of the car stereo 1 at the time of music playback operation, menu screen display, or power-off. Needless to say, the processing to be executed at the time may be switched.

  In the above-described embodiment, the sensors provided in the slide operation unit 30 for detecting the slide operation are the non-contact sensors 32A to 32C. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the slide operation is performed using a contact type sensor such as a touch panel. You may make it detect.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a car stereo is illustrated. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention may be applied to any on-vehicle device such as a car navigation device or a hands-free call device. it can. Further, the present invention can be applied not only to an in-vehicle device but also to a portable electronic device such as a mobile phone, a PDA, a notebook personal computer, or a stationary electronic device such as a stationary stereo or a television. it can.

1 is a perspective view showing a car stereo according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a slide operation part. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure which concerns on the slide operation of a car stereo. It is a figure which shows the operation mode which operates a slide operation part with a finger | toe. It is a figure which shows the operation aspect which slide-operates a pair of slide operation part substantially simultaneously. It is a flowchart of the operation reception process with respect to a slide operation part.

Explanation of symbols

1 Car stereo (electronic equipment)
30 Slide operation part (operator)
32A-32C non-contact sensor 40 control part (execution means)

Claims (4)

At least two controls that can be slid; and
Execution means for executing a process associated in advance with the operated slide operation when the operation element is operated,
The execution means is configured to be able to detect that at least two of the operators are slid at substantially the same time, and execute predetermined processing when it is detected that at least two of the operators are slid at approximately the same time. An electronic device characterized by The electronic device according to claim 1,
An electronic apparatus, wherein at least two of the operating elements are spaced apart from each other within a predetermined distance that can be operated with one hand. The electronic device according to claim 1 or 2,
An electronic apparatus, wherein at least two of the operating elements are arranged such that sliding directions during a sliding operation are substantially parallel to each other. A plurality of sensors are arranged in a line, and a plurality of operation elements for detecting a slide operation are provided based on a change in detection amount of each sensor.
When each operator is individually slid, the process associated with the operated operator is executed in advance.
When an operation is performed to change the detection amount of the sensor substantially simultaneously over at least two or more of the operators, a predetermined process corresponding to the operation is executed.

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