A user interface apparatus for a vehicle including a touch screen; a gesture input unit configured to detect a gesture of a user; and a processor configured to in response to the gesture detected by the gesture input unit being applied from a driver seat of the vehicle, display a preset first screen on the touch screen corresponding to driver operations of the vehicle, and in response to the gesture detected by the gesture input unit being applied from a front passenger seat of the vehicle, display a preset third screen on the touch screen corresponding to passenger operations of the vehicle excluding vehicle driving operations.

A roof console for a vehicle has at least one touch-slide operating element for controlling functional elements of the vehicle. A touch-slide operating element in the sense of this application is a touch-sensitive operating element with a one-dimensional extent. As a result of the one-dimensional extent, the operating elements can beneficially recognize gestures in the form of tapping and swiping which permits excellent blind operation. The swiping movements can also be detected in both directions of the one-dimensional extent.

An input device mounted in a vehicle, separated from a display unit and configured to input a finger operation to an operation surface to operate an image of the display unit is provided. The input device includes a detector that detects presence and absence of a finger in a groove, and controller that prohibits an input of a finger operation to an operation surface when a finger operation to the operation surface has not been performed for a predetermined time or longer and that cancels the prohibition of the input when determining the presence of sliding of the finger in the groove based on detection of the finger in the groove by the detector.

A number of objects simultaneously touching a touch-sensitive operator control unit of an operator control apparatus are detected and a trigger position at which one of the number of objects detected touches the touch-sensitive operator control unit is determined. When more than one object touches the touch-sensitive operator control unit, a touch pressure with which the touch-sensitive operator control unit is acted on overall by the number of objects detected is compared to a predefined pressure threshold value. A function of the motor vehicle, assigned to the trigger position, is triggered if the touch pressure is higher than the predefined pressure threshold value. The predefined pressure threshold value is defined in a manner dependent on the number of objects detected.

The invention relates to the controlling of functions of an information and communication system in a vehicle by means of physical keys. A control unit for an information and communication system of a vehicle is equipped for receiving a sequence of sensor signals of different proximity sensors of corresponding different mechanical function keys, to which corresponding first functions are assigned. The control unit is further equipped for detecting a swiping event over the mechanical function keys, wherein a swiping event comprises the fact that the sequence of sensor signals corresponds to the sensor signals of proximity sensors of corresponding adjacent mechanical function keys. The control unit is further equipped for assigning corresponding second functions to the mechanical function keys when a swiping event is detected.

A steering wheel that includes optoelectronic components, each specific optoelectronic component including a light projector projecting light out of the steering wheel at two different angles, denoted a1 and a2, a light sensor detecting reflections of the light projected by neighboring optoelectronic components by an object above the steering wheel, a lens oriented relative to the light sensor such that the light sensor receives maximum intensity when light enters the lens at either of two particular angles, specifically, when light enters the lens at a particular angle b1, and at a particular angle b2 different than b1, wherein angle b1 views reflections of light projected at angle a1 by the optoelectronic component neighboring the specific optoelectronic component on one side, and angle b2 views reflections of light projected at angle a2 by the optoelectronic component neighboring the specific optoelectronic component on the side opposite the one side.

A steering wheel that includes optoelectronic components, each specific optoelectronic component including a light projector projecting light out of the steering wheel at two different angles, denoted a1 and a2, a light sensor detecting reflections of the light projected by neighboring optoelectronic components by an object above the steering wheel, a lens oriented relative to the light sensor such that the light sensor receives maximum intensity when light enters the lens at either of two particular angles, specifically, when light enters the lens at a particular angle b1, and at a particular angle b2 different than b1, wherein angle b1 views reflections of light projected at angle a1 by the optoelectronic component neighboring the specific optoelectronic component on one side, and angle b2 views reflections of light projected at angle a2 by the optoelectronic component neighboring the specific optoelectronic component on the side opposite the one side.

An operation input device including: a first detection section including a first detection surface that detects a position at which a detection target is touching or within a predetermined distance, the first detection section outputting a first signal representing the position; an operation control section that controls a first operation target based on the first signal; an operation determination section that outputs a second signal only when it has determined that the detection target has moved along the first detection surface; and a switching control section that switches the operation control section between an operation enabled state in which control of the first operation target is enabled, and an operation prevented state in which control of the first operation target is prevented, the switching control section switching from the operation prevented state to the operation enabled state in a case in which the second signal has been received.

In a driving support device, an image output unit outputs an image including a vehicle object representing a vehicle and a peripheral situation of the vehicle, to a display unit. An operation signal input unit receives a gesture operation by a user that involves moving of the vehicle object in the image displayed on the display unit. A command output unit outputs a command according to the gesture operation, to an automatic driving control unit that controls automatic driving.

An input device according to the present embodiment includes a detection unit, a vibration unit, and a vibration control unit. The detection unit detects a touch position on an operation surface. The vibration unit vibrates the operation surface. The vibration control unit controls the vibration unit to provide different vibration modes between a case where a direction of movement of the touch position is a first direction defined on the operation surface and a case where the direction of movement is a second direction different from the first direction.