Development of Remote Control Unit for Car Navigation System

We developed a remote control unit (Hereinafter referred to as the controller) employing mainly an eight-directional joystick with push-button function. And it has good operational feeling. As previous joysticks generated operator feeling via springs, so the click sensation could not be felt. We thought that a good click feeling can be obtained by applying rubber contacts to the switch element of the joystick. Additionally, in order to include the push-button functions, we supported the operant unit with biaxial bearing and employed a sliding-knob structure penetrating this operant unit.

Also in order to obtain a uniform operator feeling for all eight directions, we applied eight rubber contacts and gave the switches eight contacts. In order to restrain the rise in IC costs with the increase to eight contacts, we introduced an eight-contact four- output switch matrix and a one-contact three-electrode pattern. In this matrix, by allocating the code for simultaneous pushing code of adjacent contacts to one side, the device functions smoothly in all directions. On the other hand, there is the drawback that operant area of each direction are not uniform, but by adjusting the operant areas with the stroke differentials, uniform operant area in eight directions was achieved.