Input apparatus, remote controller and operating device for vehicle

Abstract

An input apparatus for a vehicle includes: an operation element operable by an occupant of the vehicle; a biological information acquisition element acquiring biological information of the occupant; an unawakened state detection element detecting an unawakened state of the occupant based on the biological information, wherein the unawakened state is defined by a predetermined state different from an awakened state; and an operation disabling element disabling an operation input from the operation element when the unawakened state detection element detects the unawakened state.

1 . An input apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
 an operation device operable by an operator in the vehicle;   a visual line detection element detecting a visual line of the operator who operates the operation device;   a releasing visual line determination element determining whether the visual line is disposed in a predetermined operation releasing visual line state; and   an input operation mode setup element setting an input operation enable mode and an input operation disable mode,   wherein the input operation enable mode allows the operation device to input an operation from the operator,   wherein the input operation disable mode prohibits the operation device from inputting an operation from the operator, and   wherein the input operation mode setup element switches the operation device from the input operation disable mode to the input operation enable mode when the releasing visual line determination element determines that the visual line is disposed in the predetermined operation releasing visual line state.   
     
     
         2 . The input apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the visual line detection element includes a face image capturing element for capturing a face image of the operator, and detects the visual line of the operator based on the face image.   
     
     
         3 . The input apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the operation releasing visual line state is defined by a state that the visual line is directed to at least a predetermined operation releasing visual line area.   
     
     
         4 . The input apparatus according to  claim 3   wherein the operation releasing visual line state is defined by a state that a movement speed of the visual line is equal to or smaller than a predetermined speed when the visual line enters in the operation releasing visual line area.   
     
     
         5 . The input apparatus according to  claim 3   wherein the operation releasing visual line state is defined by a state that the visual line is continuously directed to the operation releasing visual line area for a predetermined view time.   
     
     
         6 . The input apparatus according to  claim 3   wherein the operation releasing visual line area is defined by a layout area of the operation device, to which an input operation mode is set, and   wherein the input operation mode includes the input operation enable mode and the input operation disable mode.   
     
     
         7 . The input apparatus according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the operation device includes a plurality of operation elements,   wherein the input operation mode setup element sets the input operation mode to each operation element,   wherein the plurality of operation elements includes a part of the plurality of operation elements, which is defined as a predetermined operation element group,   wherein each operation element in the operation element group has a corresponding operation releasing visual line area,   wherein the releasing visual line determination element specifies the operation releasing visual line state corresponding to each operation element in the operation element group, and defines the operation element group as an operable operation element group when the visual line is disposed in the operation releasing visual line state and is directed to the operation element group,   wherein the input operation mode setup element switches each operation element in the operation element group from the input operation disable mode to the input operation enable mode when the releasing visual line determination element determines that the visual line is disposed in the operation releasing visual line state, and   wherein the input operation mode setup element maintains a remaining part of the plurality of operation elements to be in the input operation disable mode.   
     
     
         8 . The input apparatus according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein each operation element in the operation element group has the same operation object or the same operation function.   
     
     
         9 . The input apparatus according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein each operation element in the operation element group is disposed in a predetermined layout area.   
     
     
         10 . The input apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an operation disable mode recovery element switching the operation device from the operation enable mode to the operation disable mode after a predetermined operation enable time has elapsed since the operation mode setup element set the operation enable mode.   
     
     
         11 . The input apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the operation device includes a touch operation panel so that the occupant touches the panel to input operation.   
     
     
         12 . The input apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the operation device is arranged at a position where the occupant can operate the operation element even when the occupant sits down on a seat of the vehicle with leaning the occupant back on a backrest of the seat.   
     
     
         13 . The input apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the operation device is a remote operation element, which is arranged at a position nearer a predetermined seat of the vehicle than a main operation device,   wherein the remote operation element is separately disposed from the main operation device, and   wherein the remote operation element executes remote input into the main operation device.   
     
     
         14 . The input apparatus according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a display arranged on a front side of the vehicle and visible by the occupant, who sits down on a driver seat of the vehicle,   wherein the main operation device is a touch panel mounted on the display, and   wherein the remote operation element is arranged between a bottom of the driver seat and a bottom of the front passenger seat.   
     
     
         15 . The input apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a hand image capturing element capturing a hand image of an operator, who operates the remote operation element; and   a hand image display element specifying an indicating position on the display based on the hand image, and superimposing a position indication image at the indicating position on the display.   
     
     
         16 . An operating device for a vehicle comprising:
 an operation element disposed within a reach of an operator;   an operation determination element determining whether the operator operates the operation element;   a display displaying an image on a screen of the display when the operation determination element determines that the operator operates the operation element, the image corresponding to an input operation of the operator;   a visual line direction detection element detecting a direction of a visual line of the operator; and   an operation mode control element switching the operation element from a normal mode to a restriction mode when the direction of the visual line is not directed to the screen of the display,   wherein the normal mode does not restrict the input operation of the operation element, and   wherein the restriction mode restricts the input operation of the operation element.   
     
     
         17 . The operating device according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the operation element includes a haptic device for specifying a position on a two-dimensional operation plane having a predetermined operation range.   
     
     
         18 . The operating device according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein the haptic device is configured as a pointing device to be operated against a restoring force toward a neutral position,   wherein the haptic device has an operation axis, which is maintained at the neutral position when the haptic device is not operated,   wherein the operation axis slants from the neutral position toward a direction corresponding to the specified position on the screen when the haptic device is not operated, and   wherein the operation mode control applies the restoring force to the operation element in the restriction mode larger than the restoring force in the normal mode.   
     
     
         19 . The operating device according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein the operation mode control element sets the operation element in the restriction mode to be in a lock state so that the operation axis is maintained at a predetermined position.   
     
     
         20 . The operating device according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein the operation mode control element sets the operation element in the restriction mode to maintain the operation axis at a position just before the operation mode control element switches the operation element from the normal mode to the restriction mode.   
     
     
         21 . The operating device according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 an operation axis position storage element storing an operation axis position of the operation element as a return position just before the operation mode control element switches the operation element from the normal mode to the restriction mode,   wherein the operation mode control element returns the operation axis position to the return position when the operation mode control element switches the operation element from the restriction mode to the normal mode.   
     
     
         22 . The operating device according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 wherein the operation mode control element cancels the input operation of the operation element when the operation element is in the restriction mode.   
     
     
         23 . The operating device according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 wherein the display is arranged at a position deviated from a usual visual line of a driver who drives the vehicle.