Abstract: A manipulation apparatus includes an image display device for displaying an image containing a command portion, an operation unit manually operable by a user, a pointer display unit for displaying a pointer at a position corresponding to an operation state of an operation unit on the image displayed on the image display unit, a vibration application unit for applying vibration to the operation unit, and a direction determination unit for, based on a positional relationship between the command portion and the pointer or based on contents of the command corresponding to the command portion, determining a direction of a force that is first applied to the operation unit as the vibration by the vibration application unit when the pointer is displayed on the command portion.

Abstract: A control device to control operations of a plurality of pieces of equipment used in a vehicle includes a search processing unit and an operation target guessing unit. The search processing unit searches, using a search term inputted by a user, for control contents associated with the search term among a plurality of control contents executable by the plurality of pieces of equipment used in the vehicle. The operation target guessing unit guesses, based on the state of the screen currently displayed on a display device, operation target equipment that the user intends to operate. The control device then sorts search results obtained by the searching processing unit in descending order of the degree of relevance to the operation target equipment and has the sorted search results displayed.

Abstract: An operation system includes: an operation device manually operated by a user and inputting a command of an operation content to a command target apparatus selected from multiple apparatuses; a selection device selecting one apparatus as the command target apparatus according to multiple visual line regions individually set in relation to the apparatuses and a visual line direction of the user detected by a visual line detection sensor, the one device relating to one visual line region disposed in the visual line direction; and a selection maintaining device maintaining a selection state of the command target apparatus even when the visual line direction is changed to another direction pointing to none of the visual line regions while the command target apparatus is selected.

Abstract: An input device includes: an operation surface, on which an operation body performs an input; a distance acquisition unit acquiring a distance between the operation surface and the operation body; an operation region setting unit setting a first operation region, in which the distance is less than a threshold value, and a second operation region, in which the distance is equal to or greater than the threshold value; a display screen switching unit detecting a moving operation of the operation body, and switching the display screen; a prohibition state setting unit setting a prohibition state that the display screen is not switched by the moving operation in the second operation region; a signal determination unit determining whether a signal from a switching operation unit is a prohibition state cancellation signal; and a prohibition state cancellation unit cancelling the prohibition state in case of the prohibition state cancellation signal.

Abstract: An operation system includes: an operation device that is manually operated by a user and inputs a command of an action content to a command target apparatus selected from a plurality of apparatuses; a plurality of display units that are individually arranged on the plurality of apparatuses and display information corresponding to the action content; and a selection device that selects one of the plurality of apparatuses as the command target apparatus according to a visual line direction of a user detected by a visual line detection sensor, the one of the plurality of apparatuses corresponding to one of the display units disposed in the visual line direction.

Abstract: An operation system includes: an operation device manually operated by a user; a control device that controls actions of a plurality of apparatuses according to a visual line direction of the user detected by a visual line detection sensor and an operation content of the operation device; and a contact detection device that detects that the user touches the operation device. The control device enables the visual line direction detected by the visual line detection sensor and reflects the visual line direction in a control of the control device when the contact detection device detects that the user touches the operation device.

Abstract: A display system that is configured to select one of multiple display regions as an active region and which can avoid complicated operations for selecting an icon is provided. In the display system, one of the display regions is selected as an active region by an input operation to an input screen, and an icon in the active region is selected by another input operation to the input screen. The display system stores a specific input operation in advance as a switching operation, and determines whether an input operation is the switching operation. When the input operation is determined as the switching operation, the display region corresponding to the switching operation is selected as the active region, and the icon in the active region is displayed in a selectable state.

Abstract: An input device including an operating portion and a palm rest is provided. The operation portion includes an operating surface for accepting an operating input from a fingertip. The palm rest is positioned forward of the operating surface as viewed from an operator who places a palm on the palm rest. A tangent plane of a palm-resting surface of the palm rest is disposed on a front surface side of the operating surface. A portion of the operating surface that is close to the palm rest is inclined so that the portion of the operating surface becomes closer to the palm-resting surface of the palm rest as the portion of the operating surface is closer to the palm rest, as compared with another portion of the operating surface that is apart from the palm rest.

Abstract: An operation system includes: an operation device manually operated by a user and inputting a command of an operation content to a command target apparatus selected from multiple apparatuses; a selection device selecting one apparatus as the command target apparatus according to multiple visual line regions individually set in relation to the apparatuses and a visual line direction of the user detected by a visual line detection sensor, the one device relating to one visual line region disposed in the visual line direction; and a selection maintaining device maintaining a selection state of the command target apparatus even when the visual line direction is changed to another direction pointing to none of the visual line regions while the command target apparatus is selected.

Abstract: A control device to control operations of a plurality of pieces of equipment used in a vehicle includes a search processing unit and an operation target guessing unit. The search processing unit searches, using a search term inputted by a user, for control contents associated with the search term among a plurality of control contents executable by the plurality of pieces of equipment used in the vehicle. The operation target guessing unit guesses, based on the state of the screen currently displayed on a display device, operation target equipment that the user intends to operate. The control device then sorts search results obtained by the searching processing unit in descending order of the degree of relevance to the operation target equipment and has the sorted search results displayed.

Abstract: A vehicular touch pad disposed in a vehicle compartment includes a design panel configuring an outer surface, a capacitive sensor panel disposed below the design panel and including at least two planes having different distances to the design panel, and an arithmetic device. The arithmetic device estimates a proximity degree between a manipulation body and the design panel and a position of the manipulation body relative to one plane having a shorter linear distance to the design panel based on an electric charge stored between the one plane and the manipulation body. The arithmetic device further determines whether the manipulation body touches the design panel based on an electric charge stored between a different plane having a longer linear distance to the design panel and the manipulation body.

Abstract: A manipulation apparatus includes a detection circuit and a manipulation control circuit to acquire a manipulation body distance from a manipulation surface to a finger of a manipulator. The manipulation in a first manipulation space having the manipulation body distance smaller than a first threshold distance is associated with movement of a pointer and distinguished from the manipulation in a second manipulation space having the manipulation body distance equal to or greater than the first threshold distance. A tactile pattern is formed to the manipulation surface, while a visual pattern is displayed around the point, the visual pattern having the shape corresponding to the tactile pattern. The combination of tactility and visuality teaches the manipulator the pointer being movable by contact manipulation onto the manipulation surface.

Abstract: An operation input device includes an operation body, a case holding the operation body, and at least three flexible bodies. The operation body includes an operation body movable part and a movable part driver. The operation body movable part has a touch surface having a predetermined touch surface region. The movable part driver causes the operation body movable part to move a touch surface position where the touch surface region is flush with a remaining region of the touch surface and a button position located above or below the touch surface position. Each flexible body is connected at one end to an outer edge of the operation body, connected at the other end to the case, and has a displacement-transmitting surface capable of being displaced according to a pressing operation force applied to the operation body by a pressing operation to the touch surface.

Abstract: A display operating system including a contact detector, a displacement detector, a region selector and a position specifier is provided. The contact detector detects a contact position where a user contacts an operation surface. The displacement detector includes a connection member connected to the contact detector and two dimensionally movable and detects a two dimensional coordinate point indicating displacement of the connection member. Using one of a contact detection result of the contact detector and a displacement detection result of the displacement detector, the region selector selects one of display regions configured on a display screen of a display device displaying an image. Using the other of the contact detection result and the displacement detection result, the position specifier specifies a position in the display region selected by the region selector.

Abstract: A display system includes a screen panel, an input unit, a switch section, and a resizing section. The screen panel switches a display mode between a window selection mode and a function selection mode. The input unit includes an input panel arranged apart from the screen panel, and defines an arrangement of input regions corresponding to an arrangement of display windows displayed in the window selection mode of the screen panel. When a target input region is manipulated, the switch section sets the target input region as a selected input region, and the resizing section enlarges a size of the selected input region and rearranges an enlarged selected input region on the input panel.

Abstract: An input device including an operating portion and a palm rest is provided. The operation portion includes an operating surface for accepting an operating input from a fingertip. The palm rest is positioned forward of the operating surface as viewed from an operator who places a palm on the palm rest. A tangent plane of a palm-resting surface of the palm rest is disposed on a front surface side of the operating surface. A portion of the operating surface that is close to the palm rest is inclined so that the portion of the operating surface becomes closer to the palm-resting surface of the palm rest as the portion of the operating surface is closer to the palm rest, as compared with another portion of the operating surface that is apart from the palm rest.

Abstract: A manipulation apparatus includes an image display device for displaying an image containing a command portion, an operation unit manually operable by a user, a pointer display unit for displaying a pointer at a position corresponding to an operation state of an operation unit on the image displayed on the image display unit, a vibration application unit for applying vibration to the operation unit, and a direction determination unit for, based on a positional relationship between the command portion and the pointer or based on contents of the command corresponding to the command portion, determining a direction of a force that is first applied to the operation unit as the vibration by the vibration application unit when the pointer is displayed on the command portion.

Abstract: An input device includes: an operation surface, on which an operation body performs an input; a distance acquisition unit acquiring a distance between the operation surface and the operation body; an operation region setting unit setting a first operation region, in which the distance is less than a threshold value, and a second operation region, in which the distance is equal to or greater than the threshold value; a display screen switching unit detecting a moving operation of the operation body, and switching the display screen; a prohibition state setting unit setting a prohibition state that the display screen is not switched by the moving operation in the second operation region; a signal determination unit determining whether a signal from a switching operation unit is a prohibition state cancellation signal; and a prohibition state cancellation unit cancelling the prohibition state in case of the prohibition state cancellation signal.