Patent ID: 11928288
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  H  B | IPC B  G

Claim 4:
5. An operation input method comprising:
detecting a position at which, as a result of a user operation, a detection target is touching a detection surface of a detection section provided at an operating portion that is operable to steer a transportation device;
outputting, from the detection section, a first signal representing the position;
outputting a second signal, from an operation determination section, only in a case in which the operation determination section has determined, based on the first signal, that the detection target is touching the detection section surface and has moved a predetermined distance along the detection surface while touching the detection surface;
switching, by a switching control section, an operation control section to an operation enabled state in which control of an operation target by the operation control section is enabled in a case in which the second signal has been input to the switching control section; and
switching, by the switching control section, the operation control section to an operation prevented state in which control of the operation target by the operation control section is prevented in a case in which the second signal is not input to the switching control section,
wherein the switching control section measures an amount of time in which the first signal is not being received by the operation control section in the operation enabled state, and
the switching control section switches the operation control section to the operation prevented state in a case in which the amount of time has reached a predetermined un-operated time period, and
wherein the switching control section can change a length of the un-operated time period in accordance with a driving state of the transportation device.