JP2019053693A - Tactile presentation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tactile presentation device capable of suppressing a deviation of a tactile sensation depending on a direction of a tracing operation. SOLUTION: The tactile presentation device includes a touch pad 2 for detecting a tracing operation in a direction of pulling and pushing a fingertip 90 of an operating finger 9 with respect to an operating surface 20, and an actuator 4 for adding vibration to the operating surface 20. , A control unit 6 that controls the actuator 4 so as to generate different vibrations for the tracing operation in the pulling direction and the pushing direction to exhibit a tactile sensation. [Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a tactile sense presentation device.

  Conventional technologies include a touch sensor that detects touch input, a tactile sensation providing unit that vibrates the touch surface of the touch sensor, and driving the tactile sensation providing unit to present a tactile sensation to the touch target that is touching the touch surface. There is known an input device that includes a control unit that controls (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  When the touch target slides on the touch surface, the control unit of the input device controls driving of the tactile sensation providing unit so as to present the tactile sensation related to the slide with respect to the touch target.

JP 2011-48606 A

  It is known that an operator feels different tactile sensations depending on whether the finger is pulled forward or pushed out due to the difference in deformation of the skin of the operation finger. However, since the conventional input device does not change the vibration to be applied when it is pulled forward and when it is pushed out, the tactile sensation may differ depending on the direction of the tracing operation.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a tactile sensation presentation apparatus that can suppress a tactile deviation due to the direction of the tracing operation.

  One embodiment of the present invention is a touch pad that detects a tracing operation in a direction in which a fingertip of an operating finger is pulled and pushed out with respect to an operating surface, an actuator that adds vibration to the operating surface, and a tracing in a pulling direction and a pushing direction. There is provided a tactile sensation providing apparatus including a control unit that controls an actuator so as to generate different vibrations in response to an operation and present a tactile sensation.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress a shift in tactile sensation due to the direction of the tracing operation.

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram inside a vehicle on which an example of a tactile sensation presentation apparatus according to an embodiment is mounted, and FIG. 1B is an example of a block diagram of the haptic presentation apparatus. c) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a tactile sense presentation device. FIG. 2A is an example of the amplitude threshold curve of the Patini body and the Meissner body, and FIG. 2B is the direction of the tracing operation performed on the touchpad of the tactile display device according to the embodiment. FIG. 2C is a table for explaining an example of vibration applied in the operation in the A direction and the operation in the B direction. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the tactile sense presentation device according to the embodiment.

(Summary of embodiment)
The tactile sense presentation device according to the embodiment includes a touch pad that detects a drag operation in a direction in which the fingertip of the operation finger is pulled and pushed out of the operation surface, an actuator that adds vibration to the operation surface, and a pulling direction and push-out. And a control unit that controls the actuator so as to generate different vibrations in response to the direction tracing operation and present a tactile sensation.

  Since this tactile sensation presentation apparatus generates different vibrations for the drag operation in the pulling direction and the push-out direction, it is possible to suppress a shift in tactile sensation due to the direction of the stroking operation compared to the case where the same vibration is applied.

[Embodiment]
(Outline of the tactile presentation device 1)
FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram inside a vehicle on which an example of a tactile sensation presentation apparatus according to an embodiment is mounted, and FIG. 1B is an example of a block diagram of the haptic presentation apparatus. c) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a tactile sense presentation device. FIG. 2A is an example of the amplitude threshold curve of the Patini body and the Meissner body, and FIG. 2B is the direction of the tracing operation performed on the touchpad of the tactile display device according to the embodiment. FIG. 2C is a table for explaining an example of vibration applied in the operation in the A direction and the operation in the B direction. In FIG. 2A, the horizontal axis is the frequency f (Hz), and the vertical axis is the amplitude threshold value (μm). In each figure according to the embodiment described below, the ratio between figures may be different from the actual ratio. In FIG. 1B, main signals and information flow are indicated by arrows.

  As an example, the tactile sense presentation device 1 is disposed on a floor console 80 extending between a driver seat and a passenger seat of the vehicle 8 as shown in FIG. In addition, arrangement | positioning of the tactile sense presentation apparatus 1 is not limited to this, You may arrange | position to the spoke of a steering wheel.

  The tactile sensation providing apparatus 1 can instruct the connected electronic device to operate a cursor displayed on the display device 81 of the vehicle 8 or to scroll the screen based on the performed operation. The display device 81 functions as a display unit of the electronic device. The electronic device is, for example, a navigation device, an air conditioner, a music and video playback device, or the like.

  For example, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, the tactile sense presenting device detects a drag operation in which the fingertip 90 of the operation finger 9 is pulled and pushed in the operation surface 20. A pad 2, an actuator 4 that applies vibration to the operation surface 20, and a control unit 6 that controls the actuator 4 so as to generate different vibrations and present a tactile sensation in response to a tracing operation in a pulling direction and a pushing direction. In general, it is structured.

  The control unit 6 increases the vibration added to the tracing operation in the pushing direction rather than the vibration added to the tracing operation in the pulling direction so that the operator can recognize the tactile sense as substantially the same tactile sense. It is configured to present.

  In addition, the control unit 6 determines the drag operation in the pushing direction and the drag operation in the pulling direction based on the arrangement of the touch pad 2 or the shape of the operation finger 9 detected by the touch pad 2. In the present embodiment, since the touch pad 2 is disposed between the driver seat and the passenger seat, the push-out direction is the direction in which the push-out direction is operated toward the front of the vehicle 8 regardless of whether the touch pad 2 is operated by an operator seated in either seat. The pulling direction is the direction to operate backward. Therefore, the control unit 6 can uniquely determine the pushing direction and the pulling direction.

  Even if the touch pad 2 is disposed at a place other than the floor console 80, the operation is performed by an operator sitting on the passenger seat or the driver seat, and therefore the control unit 6 can uniquely determine the pushing direction and the pulling direction. .

  Further, the control unit 6 can also determine the tracing operation direction based on the shape of the operation finger 9 detected by the touch pad 2. In this case, the touch pad 2 is configured to detect a portion other than the fingertip by increasing the detection sensitivity of the operation finger 9 by, for example, lowering a predetermined threshold value to be described later. The control unit 6 can determine the operation direction from the portion other than the fingertip, that is, the distribution of capacitance exceeding a predetermined threshold value.

(Configuration of touchpad 2)
The touch pad 2 is, for example, a capacitive touch pad, but is not limited thereto, and may be any device that can detect the coordinates of the operation finger 9 that contacts the operation surface 20. The touch pad 2 is arranged below the operation surface 20 so that a plurality of drive electrodes and a plurality of detection electrodes intersect. The touch pad 2 reads out the capacitance generated between the operation finger 9 by all combinations of the plurality of drive electrodes and the plurality of detection electrodes, and operates based on the capacitance equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value. The coordinates of the finger 9 are calculated. The calculation of the coordinates of the operating finger 9 is performed by, for example, a weighted average.

Touch pad 2, for example, it outputs the detection information S ₁ for each cycle. The detection information S ₁ includes information on the coordinates of the detected operating finger 9. The coordinates of the operation finger 9 are, for example, coordinates in an xy orthogonal coordinate system set on the operation surface 20 as shown in FIG. The x axis of the xy coordinate system is an axis from left to right in the drawing of FIG. 2B, and the y axis is an axis from top to bottom. The origin of the xy coordinate system is the upper left of the operation surface 20 in the drawing of FIG. In FIG. 2A, the upper side is the front of the vehicle 8, and the lower side is the rear.

  Therefore, the pulling direction is a direction toward the positive direction of the y-axis. The pushing direction is a direction toward the negative direction of the y-axis.

(Configuration of actuator 4)
The actuator 4 includes, for example, a voice coil motor and a piezo element. As an example, the actuator 4 of the present embodiment is a voice coil motor.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1C, the actuator 4 is disposed between the support portion 10 and the touch pad 2, that is, in contact with the front surface 100 of the support portion 10 and the back surface 21 of the touch pad 2. . The touch pad 2 vibrates the operation surface 20 based on the drive signal S ₂ supplied vertically from the control unit 6.

  This vibration is presented, for example, as an answerback indicating that the operation has been accepted, that is, as tactile feedback indicating that the operation has been accepted.

(Configuration of control unit 6)
The control unit 6 is, for example, a microcomputer composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that performs operations and processes on acquired data according to a stored program, a RAM as a semiconductor memory, and a ROM (Read Only Memory). is there. In this ROM, for example, a program for operating the control unit 6 and vibration pattern information 60 are stored. For example, the RAM is used as a storage area for temporarily storing calculation results and the like.

  The control unit 6 presents vibration suitable for the sensitivity of the pachinko body for the drag operation in the pulling direction, and presents vibration suitable for the sensitivity of the pachini body and the Meissner body for the tracing operation in the pushing direction. Is configured to do.

  Specifically, the control unit 6 presents a vibration having a frequency of 100 Hz to 300 Hz for a tracing operation in the pulling direction, and 1 Hz to 100 Hz for a vibration having a frequency of 100 Hz to 300 Hz for the tracing operation in the pushing direction. Present with vibrations of less frequency.

  In addition, since vibration separates the nerve firing of the Pacini body and the Meissner body, the frequency for the Pacini body and the frequency for the Meissner body are preferably separated by about several tens of Hz.

  Here, when the operator performs a tracing operation on the touch pad 2, for example, as shown in FIG. 2B, an operation in the direction of pulling the operating finger 9 (A direction) and an operation in the pushing direction (B direction). When the tactile sensation based on the same vibration is presented, the operator feels weaker the tactile sensation presented during the operation in the B direction.

  This is because the skin deforms differently in the operation in the A direction and in the operation in the B direction due to the influence of the nail 91 of the operation finger 9, and as a result, the operation in the A direction is more preferable than the operation in the B direction. The friction coefficient with respect to the operation surface 20 is increased. Accordingly, the frictional force can be expressed by the product of the friction coefficient and the vertical drag (load). Therefore, when the load due to the tracing operation is constant, the operation in the A direction is larger than the operation in the B direction.

  Further, it is known that the Meissner body as a tactile receptor of the operation finger 9 is likely to ignite nerves when the frictional force increases. That is, it is considered that the operation in the B direction has a smaller frictional force than the operation in the A direction and the neural firing frequency of the Meissner body is low.

  On the other hand, for example, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the smallest amplitude threshold value, that is, the Pachiny body indicated by the solid line is susceptible to vibration stimulation. This amplitude threshold is the minimum amplitude at which the tactile receptor will fire a nerve if the amplitude of the added vibration is greater. This Patini body fires with a minimum amplitude at a frequency greater than 100 Hz.

  That is, for example, as shown by a solid line in FIG. 2A, the Pachiny body starts to feel a stimulus with vibration having the smallest amplitude around the frequency of vibration exceeding 100 Hz. The Meissner body begins to feel a stimulus with vibration having the smallest amplitude around the frequency of the vibration being smaller than 100 Hz, for example, as indicated by a dotted line in FIG.

As described above, the normal tactile sensation presents the frequency f ₁ (as an example, 100 Hz or more and 300 Hz or less) that has the lowest amplitude threshold value, that is, the pachinni body that feels the stimulation caused by the vibration even when weak vibration occurs. It is more efficient and effective to generate by vibration.

The tactile sensation in the operation in the B direction where the frictional force is small is that the vibration of the frequency f ₂ (for example, 1 Hz or more and less than 100 Hz) at which the Meissner body having an amplitude threshold different from that of the pachini body ignites is expressed by the frequency f. _By adding to the vibration of ₁ , the difference in stimulation received through the operation finger 9 between the operation in the A direction and the operation in the B direction is suppressed.

Specifically, as an example, as shown in the table of FIG. 2C, in the operation in the A direction, the frictional stimulus is α (> 0), and the vibration stimulus (f ₁ ) that the operator receives from the actuator 4 is If γ (> 0), the total stimulus for the operation in the A direction is α + γ.

Further, as described above, the stimulus by friction in the operation in the B direction is smaller than the stimulus α associated with the operation in the A direction. Therefore, it is assumed that α-β (> 0), assuming that the frictional stimulus in the operation in the B direction is smaller by β (> 0). Therefore, the total stimulus for the operation in the B direction is α−β + γ because the vibration stimulus (f ₁ ) received by the operator from the actuator 4 is γ.

  From the above, in order for the total stimulus (α + γ) based on the tactile presentation based on the operation in the A direction to be equal to the total stimulus (α−β + γ) based on the tactile presentation based on the operation in the B direction, You can see that it should be added.

Accordingly, the control unit 6, the B direction of the operation, by vibration is generated in the frequency f ₂ as a vibration stimulus received from the actuator 4 generates by adding stimulating beta to stimulation gamma, the stimulation sum α + γ (= α-β + γ + β ).

  That is, the control unit 6 adds a vibration to the vibration added to the tracing operation in the A direction to make the vibration added to the tracing operation in the B direction stronger than the A direction, and substantially the same tactile sense. The tactile sensation is presented so as to be recognized by the operator.

Vibration pattern information 60 is information relating to the drive signal S ₂ for generating a vibration of a frequency f ₁ and frequency f _2. For example, if the stroking operation is in the A direction, the control unit 6 outputs a drive signal S ₂ that generates vibration with the frequency f ₁ to the actuator 4. If the tracing operation is in the B direction, the control unit 6 vibrates with the frequency f ₁ + frequency f ₂ . a drive signal S ₂ to produce an output to the actuator 4.

The control unit 6, based on the detected information S ₁ acquired from the touch pad 2, and generates operation information S ₃ which is information on performed the operation, and outputs to the electronic device connected.

  Below, an example of operation | movement of the tactile sense presentation apparatus 1 of this Embodiment is demonstrated according to the flowchart of FIG.

(Operation)
Control unit 6 of the tactile display device 1 is, for example, when the power supply of the vehicle 8 is turned periodically acquiring detection information S ₁ from the touch pad 2, to monitor whether the stroking operation is performed. When “Yes” in Step 1 is established, that is, when the tracing operation is detected (Step 1: Yes), the control unit 6 determines the direction of the tracing operation.

Control unit 6, when the tracing operation direction was the B direction, i.e. pushing direction (Step2: Yes), the driving signal S to be added to the operation surface 20 of the vibration applying vibration frequency _{f 2} to the oscillation frequency _{f 1 2} is generated and output to the actuator 4, and a tactile sensation is presented for a predetermined period (Step 3).

Here, in step 2, when the tracing operation direction is other than the B direction (Step 2: No), the control unit 6 generates a drive signal S ₂ for adding the vibration of the frequency f ₁ to the operation surface 20 and outputs it to the actuator 4. Then, a tactile sensation is presented for a predetermined period (Step 4).

The tracing operation direction other than the B direction includes the A direction toward the negative direction of the y axis and the direction intersecting the A direction and the B direction. In addition, when the operation is performed in an oblique direction on the operation surface 20, the control unit 6 divides the component into an x-axis component and a y-axis component based on the tracing locus, and based on the ratio of the x-axis component and the y-axis component. configured to add a vibration of a frequency f ₁ and frequency f _2.

(Effect of embodiment)
The tactile sensation presentation apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment generates different vibrations for the drag operation in the pulling direction (A direction) and the pushing direction (B direction), and therefore, compared with the case where the same vibration is applied. It is possible to suppress a tactile sensation shift due to the direction.

  The tactile sensation presenting apparatus 1 employs this configuration because the tactile sensation presenting the tactile sensation associated with the tracing operation in the A direction and the B direction using the vibrations of frequencies such that the tactile receptors receiving the stimuli are different. Compared with the case where it does not, the shift | offset | difference of the tactile sense by the direction of a tracing operation can be suppressed more.

  As mentioned above, although some embodiment and modification of this invention were demonstrated, these embodiment and modification are only examples, and do not limit the invention based on a claim. These novel embodiments and modifications can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, changes, and the like can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition, not all combinations of features described in these embodiments and modifications are necessarily essential to the means for solving the problems of the invention. Further, these embodiments and modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Tactile presentation apparatus, 2 ... Touch pad, 4 ... Actuator, 6 ... Control part, 8 ... Vehicle, 9 ... Operation finger, 10 ... Support part, 20 ... Operation surface, 21 ... Back surface, 60 ... Vibration pattern information, 80 ... Floor console, 81 ... Display device, 90 ... Fingertip, 91 ... Nail, 100 ... Surface

Claims (5)

A touchpad for detecting a tracing operation in a direction of pulling the fingertip of the operation finger with respect to the operation surface and a direction of pushing out;
An actuator for applying vibration to the operation surface;
A controller that controls the actuator to generate different vibrations for the drag operation in the pulling direction and the pushing direction to present a tactile sense;
A tactile presentation device. The control unit increases the vibration applied to the tracing operation in the pushing direction than the vibration applied to the tracing operation in the pulling direction so that the operator can recognize the touch as substantially the same tactile sense. Presenting,
The tactile sense presentation device according to claim 1. The control unit presents vibration suitable for the sensitivity of the pachinko body with respect to the drag operation in the pulling direction, and exhibits vibration suitable for the sensitivity of the pachini body and the Meissner body with respect to the drag operation in the pushing direction. To present,
The tactile sense presentation device according to claim 1 or 2. The control unit presents a vibration having a frequency of 100 Hz to 300 Hz with respect to the tracing operation in the pulling direction, and a frequency of 1 Hz to less than 100 Hz in a vibration with a frequency of 100 Hz to 300 Hz with respect to the tracing operation in the pushing direction. Present with the vibration of
The tactile sense presentation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The control unit performs a determination of a tracing operation in the pushing direction and a tracing operation in the pulling direction based on the arrangement of the touchpad or the shape of the operation finger detected by the touchpad.
The tactile sense presentation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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