# US 12,001,759 B2 · Operation device comprising a housing arranged on a center cluster > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,001,759 B2 - Document ID: US12001759B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/189,034 - Filed: 2023-03-23 - Published: 2023-10-12 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-03-24 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho - Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho - Inventors: Itaru Watanabe; Takao Imai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12001759B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback} - B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor - B60K 35/26: using acoustic output - B60K 35/60: Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) - B60K 35/652: {for left- or right-hand drive} - B60K 35/654: {the user being the driver} - B60K 35/656: {the user being a passenger} - B60K 35/80: Arrangements for controlling instruments - G06F 3/02: Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials - G06F 3/044: by capacitive means - B60K 35/22: Display screens - B60K 2360/111: for controlling multiple devices - B60K 2360/143: Touch sensitive instrument input devices - B60K 2360/1434: Touch panels - B60K 2360/741: Instruments adapted for user detection - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES ## Abstract An operation device includes a housing arranged on a center cluster located diagonally in front of a driver seat and a passenger seat of a vehicle, a left-side operation unit and a right-side operation unit arranged on a right side and a left side, respectively, of a front surface of the housing to receive an operation, a left-side operation detection unit and a right-side operation detection unit to detect an operation performed on the left-side operation unit and the right-side operation unit, respectively, a substrate on which the left-side and right-side operation detection units are arranged, and an output unit that outputs a sound in response to a received operation and is arranged on the substrate so as to be located between the left-side operation detection unit and the right-side operation detection unit at a position to equalize distances from the driver seat and the passenger seat. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An operation device, comprising: a housing arranged on a center cluster located diagonally in front of a driver seat and a passenger seat of a vehicle; a left-side operation unit arranged on a left side of a front surface of the housing to receive an operation; a right-side operation unit arranged on a right side of the front surface to receive an operation; a left-side operation detection unit to detect an operation performed on the left-side operation unit; a right-side operation detection unit to detect an operation performed on the right-side operation unit; a substrate on which the left-side operation detection unit and the right-side operation detection unit are arranged; and an output unit that outputs a sound in response to a received operation and is fixedly arranged on the substrate so as to be located between the left-side operation detection unit and the right-side operation detection unit at a position to equalize distances from the driver seat and the passenger seat such that a difference in how the sound is heard by a passenger in the driver seat or the passenger seat is suppressed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The operation device according to claim 1, wherein a first transmission path electrically connecting the left-side operation unit to the left-side operation detection unit to transmit a signal and a second transmission path electrically connecting the right-side operation unit to the right-side operation detection unit to transmit a signal comprise paths equal to each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The operation device according to claim 1, wherein the left-side operation unit and the right-side operation unit receive a touch operation, and wherein the left-side operation detection unit and the right-side operation detection unit detect a touch operation performed on the left-side operation unit and the right-side operation unit using a capacitive sensing method. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The operation device according to claim 1, wherein the left-side operation detection unit and the right-side operation detection unit are provided on a left-side semiconductor element and a right-side semiconductor element, and wherein the output unit is arranged so that a center thereof coincides with a midpoint of a straight line connecting element centers of the left-side semiconductor element and the right-side semiconductor element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The operation device according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit that is arranged on the substrate, is electrically connected to the left-side operation detection unit and the right-side operation detection unit, and controls the output unit to output a sound in response to a touch operation detected by the left-side operation detection unit and the right-side operation detection unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The operation device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is electrically connected to an air conditioner of the vehicle and controls the air conditioner based on a received touch operation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The operation device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is disposed along a center line passing through a center of the vehicle so as to equalize the distances. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The operation device according to claim 1, wherein a center of the control unit is located on a center line passing through a center of the vehicle so as to equalize the distances. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The operation device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is disposed so as to equalize distances from the left-side semiconductor element and the right-side semiconductor element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The operation device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is disposed parallel to the front surface of the housing, and is elongated along a left-right axis. ### Claim 11 An operation device, comprising: a housing arranged on a center cluster located diagonally in front of a driver seat and a passenger seat of a vehicle; a left-side operation unit arranged on a left side of a front surface of the housing to receive an operation; a right-side operation unit arranged on a right side of the front surface to receive an operation; a left-side operation detection unit to detect an operation performed on the left-side operation unit; a right-side operation detection unit to detect an operation performed on the right-side operation unit; a substrate on which the left-side operation detection unit and the right-side operation detection unit are arranged; and an output unit that outputs a sound in response to a received operation and is fixedly arranged on the substrate so as to be located between the left-side operation detection unit and the right-side operation detection unit at a position to equalize distances from the driver seat and the passenger seat such that a difference in how the sound is heard by a passenger in the driver seat or the passenger seat is suppressed, wherein the left-side operation detection unit and the right-side operation detection unit are provided on a left-side semiconductor element and a right-side semiconductor element, and wherein the output unit is arranged so that a center thereof coincides with a midpoint of a straight line connecting element centers of the left-side semiconductor element and the right-side semiconductor element, and wherein the substrate has an elongated shape along a left-right axis.