Patent ID: 7292228

Claim:
A screen operating device for a vehicle comprising: a case provided within a vehicle cabin, and provided as a separate body from an outputting means which displays an image; position detecting means having, at a reverse surface of a sheet-shaped operation surface which is provided at the case in a state in which an obverse of the operation surface is exposed from the case and whose obverse is a flat surface or a curved surface, a plurality of first line terminals disposed parallel to one another and a plurality of second line terminals disposed parallel to one another along a direction orthogonal to the plurality of first line terminals in a state of being separated from the plurality of first line terminals in a direction of thickness of the operation surface, and when the operation surface is pressed, the position detecting means outputs a position detection signal corresponding to a pressed region on the press surface only when the operating surface is positively depressed a distance necessary to create contact between one of the plurality of first line terminals and one of the plurality of second line terminals; pressing force detecting means provided within the case at a side of the second line terminals opposite the operation surface, and in a state in which one of the plurality of first line terminals contacts one of the plurality of second line terminals due to a pressing force with respect to the operation surface, when the pressing force is a predetermined value or more, and results in said operation surface being pushed a greater distance in a thickness direction than said distance necessary to output a position detection signal, a continuous state arises, and the pressing force detecting means outputs a pressing force detection signal which is different than the position detection signal; and control means provided as a separate body from the outputting means and the case, and displaying an image at the outputting means, and switching or maintaining the image displayed at the outputting means on the basis of a detection signal corresponding to at least one of a presence/absence of the operating body on the operation surface, a position of the operating body on the operating surface, and a locus of movement on the operation surface, among the position detection signal and the pressing force detection signal, wherein said control means carries out a specific processing other than the outputting of a predetermined screen upon the sequential receipt of a position detection signal followed by the receipt of a pressing force signal in less than a predetermined time.