JP2001117686A - Pen-inputting device and pointing processing method for the device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pointing processing method for a pen inputting device realizing pen operability by recognizing a gesture input which only a pen is capable of inputting operation, and converting it into an event indicating that an input is performed by a mouse or the like. SOLUTION: This pointing processing method is for a pen inputting operation in which a touch panel for detecting a pointing input with a pen is mounted on the surface, and software using a mouse is operated. This pen inputting device is provided with a switching button 104 for switching the input mode of a pen 103, and a pointing input with the pen 103 inputted, when the switching button is depressed is converted into an event indicating that the right button of a mouse 106 is depressed, and a pointing input with the pen 103 inputted, when the switching button 104 is not depressed is converted into an event indicating that the left button of the mouse 106 is depressed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pen input device and a pointing processing method of the pen input device, and more particularly to a user interface technology of a personal information device by pen input.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional pen input computer, which is a data processing apparatus capable of instructing pen input, includes an operating system (hereinafter, referred to as OS) and an application program on a display screen with a graphic user interface (hereinafter, referred to as GUI). The object (icon, menu, etc.) that is an image of the object is displayed, the cursor is moved to the object by an operator's instruction input from the touch panel, and a tap or a double tap operation is performed on the object to perform the object. Is configured to be processed by the data processing device.

The tap and double tap operations of the touch panel type pointing device correspond to the click and double click operations of a mouse which is a typical pointing device. Was configured to be able to.

[0004]

However, many of the conventional pen input devices for a normal PC having a keyboard and a mouse in the OS are diverted, and the pen functions only as a substitute for the mouse. . For this reason, the operability of the pen PC is much worse than that of a normal PC because there are no buttons such as a keyboard and a mouse. For example, a pre-designated area or icon in a window displayed on the display screen has a small area, and it is difficult to accurately apply the pen tip to the target area when performing a tap or double-tap operation. Sometimes occurred frequently. As described above, in the conventional pen PC, the pen input can perform the same input as the mouse, but there is an operational problem that the same operation as the mouse having a plurality of buttons cannot be performed comfortably. .

The present invention has been made to solve the above problem, and recognizes a gesture input which is an input operation unique to a pen, and converts the event into an event indicating that an input has been performed by a mouse or a keyboard. A pen input device and a pen input device capable of realizing good operability unique to a pen even when an OS premised on operating on a regular PC equipped with a keyboard and mouse is used by the pen PC It is an object of the present invention to provide a pointing processing method.

[0006]

In the pen input device according to the first aspect of the present invention, a touch panel for detecting a pointing input by a pen is mounted on a surface, and software for using a mouse operates. In the pen input device, a switching button for switching an input mode of the pen, first conversion means for converting a pointing input by the pen input when the switching button is pressed into an event by pressing a right button of the mouse, Second conversion means for converting a pointing input by the pen, which is input when the switching button is not pressed, into an event by pressing the left button of the mouse;
And an event control means for controlling each of the events converted by the conversion means.

According to such a configuration, the GUI of a normal pen input device having a keyboard and a mouse is replaced with a pen PC.
When an operation is performed by using the pen PC, a button for switching between the left button mode and the right button mode is provided on the pen PC, so that an operation with the left and right mouse buttons can be simulated by an input with one pen.

[0008] The pen input device according to claim 2 of the present invention comprises:
A touch panel for detecting a pointing input by a pen is mounted on the surface, and a pen input device on which software intended for using a mouse operates, a switching button for switching the input mode of the pen, and when the switching button is pressed, It is characterized by comprising recognition means for recognizing the shape of the input trajectory as at least one or more types of gestures, and event generation means for generating an event according to the recognition result of the recognition means.

According to such a configuration, the GUI of a normal pen input device having a keyboard and a mouse is replaced with a pen PC.
When operating with, the pen PC is provided with a button for switching between the mouse mode and the gesture mode, and the shape of the input trajectory input in the gesture mode is recognized as at least one or more gestures, and an event corresponding to the recognition result is generated. Thereby, the operability of the pen PC can be improved.

[0010] The pen input device according to claim 3 of the present invention comprises:
A touch panel for detecting a pointing input by a pen is mounted on the surface, and a pen input device on which software intended for using a mouse operates, a switching button for switching the input mode of the pen, and when the switching button is pressed, Recognition means for recognizing the shape of the input trajectory as at least one or more types of gestures, gesture determination means for determining whether or not the pointing input by the pen input when the switching button is pressed is a gesture input; When the gesture input is determined by the determination unit, a first conversion unit that converts the event into an event corresponding to the gesture recognized by the recognition unit; and when the determination unit determines that the input is not a gesture input, a mouse is used. Event when the right button is pressed Second conversion means for converting the bets,
An event control means for controlling each of the events converted by the first and second conversion means.

According to such a configuration, by providing means for determining whether or not the trajectory inputted by the pen is a gesture, a function of switching between the left and right buttons of the mouse by the switching button and a gesture input Since the functions to be performed can be compatible, the operability of pen input can be further improved.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a pen input type personal computer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] Pen input type personal computer 101
An LCD panel 102 having a touch panel affixed to the surface thereof is provided on a main body (hereinafter referred to as a pen PC). By pressing an input pen 103 on the LCD panel, the pressed coordinate point can be acquired. A gesture button 104 for switching the input mode of pen input is provided on the left part of the pen PC main body. A keyboard 105 and a mouse 106 can be separately attached to the pen PC main body.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the software structure of the pen PC. In the following description, Win PC which is most widely used as the OS of the pen PC and the OS of the PC is described.
Let's take dows as an example.

In the pen PC of FIG. 1, a touch panel 10 is used as an input device provided in the pen PC 101.
2. There is a gesture button 104 and Windows
It is possible to mount a mouse 106 and a keyboard 105 as ws standard input devices. The device driver of the input device reads data from hardware of each device and notifies the OS. For example, mouse 2
In the case of 07, the mouse driver 206 monitors the movement of the mouse 207 at regular intervals, and when detecting that the mouse has been moved, converts the amount of mouse movement into a cursor on the screen,
A MouseMove event is transmitted to the OS 201. OS2 that received this MouseMove event
01 is displayed on the currently displayed window 210 as Mou.
Forward the seMove event. In the window 210, a predetermined operation is performed according to this event. Mouse 2
The event generated from 07 is MouseMo
In addition to the ve event, LB when the left mouse button is pressed
upDown event, right button pressed RB
There are a buttonDown event, an LBButtonUP event where each button is released, and an RBButtonUP event.

On the other hand, the input pen 1
03, the touch panel 203 detects the coordinate value on the panel, and detects it by the touch panel driver 2.
01 is converted to the Windows coordinate system, and the OS 201
In the form of mouse events. After the OS receives the event, the same processing as the event from the mouse 207 is performed. That is, the touch panel driver 20
A function 2 converts an input operation detected on the touch panel 203 as if an event occurred with the mouse 207 and transmits the converted operation to the OS 201. At this time,
Since the input pen 103 does not have a right button, a left button, and the like like a mouse, the touch panel driver 202
The input operation with the input pen is converted into a mouse event when the left mouse button is pressed. However, since the pen does not have a function of simulating the operation of the right button, inconvenience occurs in the operation of Windows.

Here, the gesture button 10 shown in FIG.
A method of simulating the operation by the right button by using No. 4 will be described. When the user operates the GUI of the pen PC 101 by performing an operation using the left mouse button,
Simply tap on the screen. On the other hand, when the user wants to perform an operation using the right button, the user taps on the screen with a pen while holding down the gesture button 104 with the left hand.
The gesture button 104 may be arranged anywhere on the pen PC, for example, may be arranged on the right side for a left-handed user.

FIG. 3 shows the touch panel driver 2 at this time.
12 is a flowchart showing the flow of the operation of the second embodiment. First, when the user taps on the touch panel with a pen (Y in step 301), the touch panel driver 202
The tapped coordinate position is detected (step 303).
Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the gesture button 104 has been pressed, and if it has not been pressed (step 305).
N), and sends it to the OS as a mouse left button event (step 307). If the button has been pressed (Y in step 305), O
It transmits to S (step 309). Then, the OS performs normal processing using the received events as inputs from the mouse.

As described above, when operating a normal computer GUI having a keyboard and a mouse with the pen PC, the input of the pen is converted into a mouse event, and a button is pressed.
You can switch the left and right mouse button by not pressing,
With one pen input, the left and right mouse buttons can be operated.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 4 shows a gesture operation of “check” on an icon on the screen.

As shown in this figure, when the icon 403 is displayed on the LCD touch panel provided in the pen PC main body, the gesture of “check (check point)” is performed on the object (icon 403) to be double-clicked. By recognizing this, it replaces the double-click input with the mouse. When inputting a gesture, the user presses the gesture button 402 and then writes the gesture on the screen with the input pen 401.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the operation of the touch panel driver at the time of gesture input. First, when an input operation is performed on the touch panel by the user (Y in step 501), the touch panel driver 202 detects the input coordinate position (step 503). Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the gesture button 402 has been pressed. If not, the gesture button 402 is transmitted to the OS as a mouse left button event (step 507). If the button is pressed (Y in step 505), a gesture determination process is performed. This gesture determination processing is to determine whether the input is one tap, and if the input is one tap, it is regarded as a non-gesture, and if it is not one tap, it is regarded as a gesture. Here, the touch panel driver 202
When the input is determined to be a gesture (Y in step 509), a gesture input process of acquiring and recognizing the trajectory of the input is performed (step 51).
3). A detailed description of this gesture input processing will be described later.

When the gesture recognition is completed, an event corresponding to the recognition result is transmitted to the OS (step 51).
7). For example, in the case of the gesture of “check (check point)” as shown in FIG. 4, a double-click event by the left mouse button is transmitted to the OS. on the other hand,
If it is determined in the gesture determination processing that the input is not a gesture (N in step 509), an operation event by the right button of the mouse is transmitted to the OS (step 515). The OS performs normal processing using the received events as inputs from the mouse.

Next, the process of drawing the locus of the pen on the LCD panel (the above-described gesture input process) will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of the gesture input processing.

The touch panel driver 202 acquires a coordinate value pressed by a pen from the touch panel (step 701). It is determined whether or not this value is the first point of the stroke (the trajectory from when the pen is placed on the touch panel to when it is released).
03, Y), this coordinate value is stored as the previous position, and the process returns to the first step processing (step 705). When it is not the first point (N in step 703), that is, when the next coordinate position is obtained, a straight line is drawn between the current coordinate value and the previous position, and the current coordinate value is stored again as the previous position. (Steps 707 and 709). Thus, the locus of the pen is drawn on the LCD until the end of the stroke.
Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the stroke has ended. If the stroke has not ended (N in step 711), the process returns to the first step. If it has been completed (step 711)
Y), a gesture input confirmation process described later is performed (step 713). If the gesture has not been determined, the process returns to the first step process. If the gesture has been determined, the drawn locus is deleted (step 7).
15).

The erasing of the drawn locus described above is performed by
The gesture input determination process (step 713), which is performed after the gesture input is determined and determines when the gesture input has ended, will be described with reference to FIG.

In the case of the mode in which the gesture to be recognized consists of only one stroke (step 801)
Y) At the end of one stroke, that is, when the pen is raised, it is considered that the gesture input has been determined (step 807). On the other hand, in the mode in which the gesture is composed of a plurality of strokes (N in step 801), the gesture input cannot be determined only by raising the pen, so that the next stroke is input within a predetermined time after the pen is released. If not (Y in step 803), the gesture input is regarded as determined. If the next stroke is input within a predetermined time after the pen is released (N in step 803), and if the gesture button is released after the pen is released (Y in step 805), The gesture input is regarded as confirmed. If it is not released (N in step 805), the gesture input is determined to be unconfirmed, and pen input data collection is continued (step 809).

As described above, in the second embodiment, the GUI for a normal computer having a keyboard and a mouse is
By providing a button for switching between the mouse mode and the gesture mode on the pen PC when operating with C, a command that is difficult to input with the pen, such as double-clicking of the mouse, is represented by a gesture, and the operability of the pen PC can be improved.

(Third Embodiment) Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Here, a method of making the function of the first embodiment in which the left and right buttons of the mouse are switched by the buttons compatible with the function of the second embodiment in which the gesture input is performed will be described.

The mechanism for making these two functions compatible is performed by the gesture determination process (step 509) in FIG. In this gesture determination processing, it is determined whether or not the pen data input at the time of pressing the button is a gesture, and if it is determined to be a gesture, the gesture is transmitted to the OS as an event corresponding to the gesture. If it is determined that the gesture is not a gesture, it is transmitted to the OS as a mouse drag event when the right mouse button is pressed.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the gesture determination process. A determination process is performed to determine whether or not the pen data input when the gesture button is pressed is a gesture. At this time, when the gesture button is pressed, if it is released within a predetermined time after being pressed by the pen on the touch panel (Y in step 601), it is determined that the gesture is not a gesture, and an operation event by the right mouse button is transmitted to the OS. Transmit (proceed to step 515).

If the user has not been released within a certain period of time (N in step 601), and if the user has been dragged within a certain period of time (Y in step 603), it is regarded as a gesture and a gesture input process (step 511). )
Proceed to. Then, in step processing 511, processing is performed according to the procedure of the gesture input processing described above. On the other hand, if it is not dragged within a certain time (step 6
(N of 03), it is determined that the gesture is not a gesture, and an operation event by the right button of the mouse is transmitted to the OS (proceed to step 515).

That is, in this embodiment, the mouse is right-clicked if released immediately after the touch panel is pressed by the user's pen operation, and the pen is stopped for a while after the touch panel is pressed, and if the mouse is moved thereafter, it is regarded as a drag by the mouse right-click. Gestures and non-gestures are distinguished by these two conditions. That is, when the gesture button is pressed, all operations written with the pen on the touch panel are determined to be gestures. Conversely, when tapping is performed only once on the touch panel, the right button is clicked. On the touch panel, the pen is pressed with a pen to stand still for a while, and when moved thereafter, it is determined that the drag input is performed by the right button.

According to the above-described method, both the functions of the first embodiment and the functions of the second embodiment can be achieved by one button. Of course, a method of arranging a plurality of buttons such as a right button simulation button and a gesture button on the pen PC and pressing a button according to the mode is also conceivable.

As described above, the input by the pen is
When the button is not pressed, it is handled as an event by the left mouse button, and when the button is pressed, it is handled as an event by the right mouse button or a gesture input. That is, the operation mode of the pen is switched by pressing / non-pressing the button. It is desirable from the viewpoint of the user interface to display this on the screen and feed back the difference in the mode to the user from the viewpoint of the user interface. Therefore, the first
Like the cursor 107 (cursor when the gesture button is not pressed) in the figure and the cursor 405 (cursor when the gesture button is pressed) in FIG. 4, by changing the shape and color of the cursor between when the button is pressed and when it is not pressed. Alternatively, the user may be fed back the difference between the modes. As described above, by incorporating the gesture recognition function into the pen input type computer, a computer having operability unique to the pen can be realized.

[0036]

As described in detail above, according to the pen input device of the present invention, a gesture input, which is an input operation unique to a pen, is recognized and converted into an event indicating that an input has been performed by a mouse or a keyboard. By doing so, good operability unique to the pen can be realized even when the pen PC uses an OS that is supposed to operate on a regular PC equipped with a keyboard and mouse.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a pen input type personal computer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a software structure of a pen PC according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of an operation of the touch panel driver 202.

FIG. 4 shows a gesture operation of “check” on an icon on a screen of a pen input type computer.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of operation of the touch panel driver at the time of gesture input.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a gesture determination process of a pen PC according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a pen PC according to the second and third embodiments of the present invention.
5 is a flowchart showing a flow of a gesture input process of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a gesture input confirmation process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 Pen input type personal computer 102 LCD panel with built-in touch panel 103, 401 Input pen 104, 402 Gesture button 105 Keyboard 106, 405 Cursor 403 Icon 404 Gesture locus

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A pen input device in which a touch panel for detecting a pointing input by a pen is mounted on a surface and software for a mouse is operated, a switch button for switching an input mode of the pen, First conversion means for converting a pointing input by the pen input when the switching button is pressed into an event by pressing the right button of the mouse; and a pointing input by the pen input when the switching button is not pressed. A pen input device comprising: a second conversion means for converting the event into an event by pressing a left button of the user; and an event control means for controlling each of the events converted by the first and second conversion means. . 2. A pen input device in which a touch panel for detecting a pointing input by a pen is mounted on a surface and software for a mouse is operated, a switch button for switching an input mode of the pen, A recognition unit configured to recognize a shape of an input trajectory input when the switching button is pressed as at least one type of gesture; and an event generation unit configured to generate an event according to a recognition result of the recognition unit. Pen input device. 3. A pen input device in which a touch panel for detecting a pointing input by a pen is mounted on a surface and software for a mouse is operated, a switch button for switching an input mode of the pen, Recognition means for recognizing the shape of the input trajectory input when the switch button is pressed as at least one type of gesture, and determining whether or not the pointing input by the pen input when the switch button is pressed is a gesture input Gesture determination means; first conversion means for converting to an event corresponding to the gesture recognized by the recognition means when the gesture input is determined by the determination means; determination that the input is not a gesture input by the determination means The right mouse button Second conversion means for converting the event into an event at the time of pressing the button, and event control means for controlling each of the events converted by the first and second conversion means. A pen input device characterized by the above-mentioned. 4. The pen according to claim 3, wherein the gesture determination unit determines that the gesture input is not performed when the pen is pressed to a certain point on the touch panel and released within a predetermined time. Input device. 5. The gesture determining unit determines that the gesture input is not performed when the pen is pressed at a certain point on a touch panel and is moved while being pressed after a predetermined time has elapsed. The pen input device according to claim 3, wherein 6. A pointing processing method for a pen input device in which a touch panel for detecting a pointing input by a pen is mounted on a surface and software intended for using a mouse is operated, wherein the input mode of the pen is switched. A pointing input by the pen input when the switching button is pressed is converted into an event by pressing the right button of the mouse, and the pointing input by the pen input when the switching button is not pressed is a mouse input. A pointing processing method for a pen input device, comprising converting the events into events by pressing a left button and controlling each of the converted events. 7. A pointing processing method for a pen input device in which a touch panel for detecting a pointing input by a pen is mounted on a surface and software intended for using a mouse is operated, wherein the input mode of the pen is switched. A pointing processing method for a pen input device, comprising: recognizing a shape of an input trajectory input when the switching button is pressed as at least one type of gesture, and generating an event in accordance with the recognition result. . 8. A pointing processing method for a pen input device in which a touch panel for detecting a pointing input by a pen is mounted on a surface and software intended for using a mouse is operated, wherein the input mode of the pen is switched. A button, and recognizes the shape of the input trajectory input when the switching button is pressed as at least one type of gesture, and determines whether the pointing input by the pen input when the switching button is pressed is a gesture input. If the gesture input is determined based on the determination result, the event is converted to an event corresponding to the recognized gesture. If the determination result indicates that the gesture input is not performed, the event when the right mouse button is pressed is determined. And convert them into events A pen input device for controlling each of the events.