Patent ID: 9102244
Filing Date: 2015-08-11
Classification: B60N

Abstract:
1. An operation apparatus for operating a seat mounted in a vehicle, the seat having a plurality of movable portions, the operation apparatus comprising: a display; a touch panel that detects a touch position, on a screen of the display, having been touched by a user, and generates an operation signal which represents a position, on the screen, corresponding to the touch position; and an electronic control unit including logic that, when executed, performs the steps of: displaying, on the screen, only one seat shape image representing an outer profile of the seat having the plurality of movable portions which represent all movable portions included in the seat mounted in the vehicle and which are each a part of the seat, together with adjustable item text images, each of which (1) corresponds to, (2) includes a name of, and (3) forms an area allowing the user to select via the touch panel, one of the plurality of movable portions of the seat, such that the movable portions on the seat shape image are connected to the respective corresponding adjustable item text images with lines; selecting, upon the touch panel generating a first signal as the operation signal, one of the plurality of movable portions corresponding to one of the adjustable item text images displayed on the screen, the one of the adjustable item text images being displayed at a position, on the screen, represented by the first signal, while having the seat shape image displayed together with the adjustable item text images; starting display, after one of the plurality of movable portions is selected, of arrow icons representing directions, respectively, in which the selected one of the plurality of movable portions is movable, and displaying the arrow icons, so as not to intersect the lines, together with the adjustable item text images and the seat shape image, which are displayed together, on the screen; and outputting, upon the touch panel generating a second signal as the operation signal, an instruction signal for moving the selected one of the plurality of movable portions in one of the directions which corresponds to one of the arrow icons displayed on the screen, the one of the arrow icons being displayed at a position, on the screen, represented by the second signal.