JPH07114438A - Pressure sensing type pointing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain a thin profile and high environmental resistance by assembling a pointing device into an information device main body to be housed and to improve the operability suitable for each user. CONSTITUTION:Plural pressure sensing sensors 2-2 are arranged on the rear side of a plane instruction inputting section 2-1. When a cursor is desired to be moved to an upper left position, a point around midpoint between a leftward arrow and an upward arrow drawn on the instruction inputting section 2-1 is depressed by a finger. A depressing pressure received by the instruction inputting section 2-1 is sensed by each pressure sensing sensor 2-2, converted into each pulse signal P(i) and it is given to an arithmetic circuit 2-4. The arithmetic circuit 2-4 calculates the product of the signal P(i) and a predetermined unit vector V(i) and obtains the total sum of the products and obtains unit vector Vt representing a cursor moving direction and a movement quantity Pt based on the sum. And, a sensitivity constant (a) is multiplied with the quantity Pt to decide an actual moving quantity Pt'. A sensitivity constant (a) is adjusted by a depressing pressure sensitivity adjustment means 2-5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pressure-sensitive pointing device suitable for use in portable and thin information equipment such as electronic notebooks and notebook personal computers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are pointing devices as shown in FIGS. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a mouse operation type pointing device. By operating the mouse 70 on a stable plane 71 such as a desk, the cursor on the display screen of the information device can be moved. In this case, the mouse 70 and the information device body are physically separated, and the moving direction and the moving amount of the cursor are in accordance with the moving direction and the moving speed / moving amount of the mouse 70. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a joystick type pointing device. By tilting a stick 81, a part of which protrudes from the base 83, the cursor on the display screen of the information device can be moved. . In this case, the height h1 of the entire joystick 80 is equal to or greater than the length of the stick 81, and the moving direction and the moving amount of the cursor are in accordance with the tilting direction about the fulcrum 82 of the stick 81 and the tilting speed / tilt degree. Figure 9 shows the trackball pointing
It is a figure explaining a device, and the one part surface is the base 9
By rotating the ball 91 protruding from 2, the cursor on the display screen of the information device can be moved. In this case, the total height h2 of the trackball 90 is equal to or larger than the diameter of the ball 91, and the moving direction and the moving amount of the cursor depend on the rolling direction of the ball 91 and the rolling speed / rolling amount. The surface of the ball 91 serves both as an exposure as an operating body and as a contact with the rotation detection mechanism inside the base 92. In addition, the surface of the ball 91 and the base 92 are not in complete contact with each other but have a gap so that the ball 91 can be rotated. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a touch panel type pointing device, which is displayed discretely by directly touching the touch panel 100 integrally provided on the display screen 101 of the information device with a light pen 102 or a finger. The cursor on the screen 101 can be moved. Touch panel 10
The area of 0 and the number of detection points 103 are the touch panel 10
0 is integrated with display screen 101, so display screen 1
01 is individually designed according to the area and resolution.

[0003]

However, according to such a conventional pointing device, in the mouse operation method, since the mouse 70 is operated to move, the built-in storage in the information equipment main body cannot be realized. The joystick system and the trackball system have a shape in which the surfaces of the stick 81 and the ball 91 partially project, although the built-in storage is realized. Further, the overall heights h1 and h2 are the length of the stick 81 and the ball 91 within a range that does not hinder the user's operation from an ergonomic point of view.
Securing the diameter is a constraint, and there is a limit to thinning. Furthermore, in the trackball system, the ball 91
The structure is such that water, dust, human fat, etc. can enter the inside of the trackball 90 from the surface of the
Lack of environmental resistance. In addition, the touch panel pointing device has a mouse operation method, a joystick method, and a trackball method, which move the cursor continuously from the current position while providing direction and speed, but discretely at a specified position. The cursor is moved to, and the method is different. Further, the touch panel type pointing device has a display screen 101.
This is only achieved as a single unit, and the occupied area for inputting an instruction is large, resulting in high cost. Further, none of the pointing devices has a means for improving the operability according to the individual user when the user points a minute point on the display screen.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such problems, and its purpose is to be able to be built in and housed in an information equipment body, to be made thin, and to be waterproof, dustproof, etc. It is an object of the present invention to provide a pressure-sensitive pointing device that is highly environmentally friendly, can occupy a small area for inputting instructions, and can also improve operability according to individual users.

[0005]

In order to achieve such an object, the present invention intersperses the instruction input means for receiving a pressing force given by specifying a position and the pressing force received by the instruction input means. On the display screen based on each signal output by the pressure detecting means, which outputs each signal according to the pressure detected by each pressure sensitive sensor Calculating means for obtaining the moving direction and the moving amount of the cursor, multiplying means for multiplying the moving amount obtained by the calculating means by a sensitivity constant, and pressing sensitivity adjustment for adjusting the sensitivity constant of the multiplying means as necessary. And means.

[0006]

According to the present invention, therefore, when a position is designated and a pressing force is applied to the instruction input means, the pressing force received by the instruction input means is detected by a plurality of pressure sensitive sensors arranged in a scattered manner. , The moving direction and the moving amount of the cursor on the display screen are calculated based on each signal output according to the pressure detected by each pressure sensitive sensor, and the sensitivity constant arbitrarily set by the user to the calculated moving amount. Is multiplied by to obtain the actual amount of cursor movement.

[0007]

EXAMPLES The present invention will now be described in detail based on examples. FIG. 2 is a front view of a portable information device incorporating the pressure-sensitive pointing device according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a portable information device, 2 is a pressure-sensitive pointing device, 3 is a display screen, and 4 is a keyboard.

In this embodiment, the pressure-sensitive pointing device 2 is incorporated in the upper portion of the keyboard 4, and as shown in FIG. 3, a circular flat plate-shaped instruction input section 2-1 having a flat surface. , A plurality of (three in the present embodiment) pressure-sensitive sensors (detection points) 2-2 (2-21, 22-2, 2) arranged on the back side of the instruction input unit 2-1.
-23), a pressure detecting means 2-3 having the pressure sensitive sensor 2-2 as its constituent elements, an arithmetic circuit 2-4, and a pressing sensitivity adjusting means 2-5.

As shown in FIG. 4, on the surface of the instruction input unit 2-1, arrows 2-11 to 2-in the directions of up, down, left and right around a point P (the center point of the instruction input unit 2-1). 14 is drawn. Further, in the pressure detecting means 2-3, the pressure-sensitive sensors 2-21 to 2-23 are set at the point P as shown in FIG.
Are arranged at equal intervals on a circle centered on a point opposite to, and are in direct contact with the back surface of the instruction input unit 2-1.

FIG. 1 shows a pressure-sensitive pointing device 2
3 is a block circuit configuration diagram of FIG. The pressure detecting means 2-3 is
Pressure-sensitive sensors 2-21 to 2-2n (in the present embodiment,
n = 3) and a pressure-pulse signal conversion circuit 2-31. Further, the arithmetic circuit 2-4 includes the pressure-sensitive sensors 2-21 to 21-.
Unit vector V that is predetermined according to 2-2n
(1) to V (n) holding unit vector value storage table 2-41, multiplier 2-42, adder 2-43,
And a multiplier 2-44. The multiplier 2-44 has
The sensitivity constant a is given by the pressure sensitivity adjusting means 2-5 so that it can be adjusted as needed by switching the switch.

Next, the pressure-sensitive pointing device 2
The cursor movement operation using will be described together with the functions of each unit. When the user wants to move the cursor 3-1 on the display screen 3 to the upper left, for example, the user inputs the instruction input unit 2-
1 is pressed with a finger or the like in the middle of the left arrow 2-14 and the up arrow 2-11 (step 60 shown in FIG. 6).
1). The pressing force received by the instruction input unit 2-1 is detected by the pressure sensitive sensors 2-21 to 2-2n (step 60).
1-1 to 601-n). This pressure-sensitive sensor 2-21 to 2-
The pressing force detected by 2n is the pressure-pulse signal conversion circuit 2-
Is given to 31. Pressure-pulse signal conversion circuit 2-31
Converts the pressure detected by the pressure-sensitive sensors 2-21 to 2-2n into pulse signals P (1) to P (n) according to their magnitudes in a time-divisional manner (steps 602-1 to 602).
-N), and this is given to the arithmetic circuit 2-4.

In the arithmetic circuit 2-4, the multiplier 2-42 is provided.
In the above, the pressure-sensitive sensor 2-21 referred to from the values of the pulse signals P (1) to P (n) and the unit vector value storage table 2-41 which are constantly input by dividing into minute unit time t
The product (P (i) · V (i): i = 1 to n) with unit vectors V (1) to V (n) unique to 2-2n is sequentially calculated by time division processing (step 603). -1 to 603-
n). The calculated product (P (i) · V (i)) is given to the adder 2-43. The adder 2-43 calculates the sum of the products (P (i) · V (i) provided (step 60).
4). This total is represented by the following equation (1), and thereby the unit vector Vt, which is the cursor movement direction for each unit time t, and the movement amount Pt are uniquely determined.

[0013]

[Equation 1]

The adder 2-43 outputs the unit vector Vt and the movement amount Pt determined by the above equation (1). The unit vector Vt is directly output from the arithmetic circuit 2-4, but the movement amount Pt is given to the multiplier 2-44. The multiplier 2-44 multiplies the moving amount Pt by the sensitivity constant a given by the pressing sensitivity adjusting means 2-5, and determines the actual moving amount Pt 'as shown in the following equation (2) (step 60).
5). Then, the movement amount Pt ′ is output from the arithmetic circuit 2-4.

[0015]

[Equation 2]

Here, the sensitivity constant a in the multiplier 2-44
Can be adjusted arbitrarily by the user by switching the switch at the pressing sensitivity adjusting means 2-5. As a result, it is possible to cope with individual differences in pressing force of individual users, and it is possible to improve operability according to individual users.

In this embodiment, the pressure sensor 2
Although the number of -2 is three, the number is not limited to three. That is, it is sufficient that the unit vector Vt, which is the moving direction of the cursor 3-1, is omnidirectional, and the minimum number is 3 or more.

[0018]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, when a position is designated and a pressing force is applied to the instruction input means, the pressing force received by the instruction input means is scattered. The moving direction and moving amount of the cursor on the display screen are calculated based on the signals detected by the multiple pressure-sensitive sensors and output according to the pressure detected by each pressure-sensitive sensor. Is multiplied by a sensitivity constant arbitrarily set by the user to obtain the actual amount of cursor movement. As a result, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. That is, it becomes possible to incorporate and store it in a portable information device body such as an electronic notebook or a notebook computer. It is possible to reduce the thickness by making the instruction input means flat. By coating the surface of the instruction input means with a vinyl cover or the like, it is possible to easily realize waterproofness, dustproofness, and other environmental resistance, and it is also possible to use it in a factory environment. By arranging the instruction input means separately from the display screen, it is possible to reduce the occupied area for inputting the instruction and reduce the cost. By adjusting the sensitivity constant, it is possible to deal with the individual difference in the pressing force of each user, and it is possible to improve the operability according to each user.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block circuit configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a pressure-sensitive pointing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a portable information device incorporating the pressure-sensitive pointing device.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the configuration of this pressure-sensitive pointing device.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an instruction input unit in this pressure-sensitive pointing device.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the arrangement of pressure-sensitive sensors in this pressure-sensitive pointing device.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart for explaining a cursor moving operation using this pressure-sensitive pointing device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a mouse operation type pointing device.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a joystick type pointing device.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a trackball type pointing device.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a touch panel type pointing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Pointing device 2-1 Instruction input unit 2-2 Pressure sensor (detection point) 2-3 Pressure detection means 2-31 Pressure-pulse signal conversion circuit 2-4 Operation circuit 2-41 Unit vector value storage table 2- 42 Multiplier 2-43 Adder 2-44 Multiplier 2-5 Press sensitivity adjusting means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An instruction input means for receiving a pressing force given by designating a position, and a plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors arranged in a scattered manner to detect the pressing force received by the instruction input means. Pressure detecting means for outputting each signal according to the pressure detected by the sensor, calculating means for obtaining the moving direction and moving amount of the cursor on the display screen based on each signal output by the pressure detecting means, A pressure-sensitive pointing device comprising: a multiplying unit that multiplies the obtained movement amount by a sensitivity constant; and a pressing sensitivity adjusting unit that can adjust the sensitivity constant of the multiplying unit as necessary. 2. A flat plate-shaped instruction input means for receiving a pressing force given by designating a position on the plane, and a pressing force received by the instruction input means of the instruction input means. Detected by a plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors scattered on the back surface side, each signal (P (1)) corresponding to the pressure detected by each pressure-sensitive sensor is detected.
To P (n)) and the respective signals (P (1) to P (P) output from the pressure detecting means).
The product (P (i) · V (i)) of the value of (n)) and each unit vector (V (1) to V (n)) predetermined according to the pressure-sensitive sensor is calculated. Then, the total sum is obtained, and the unit vector (Vt) which is the moving direction of the cursor on the display screen and the moving amount (Pt) are calculated from this total, and the moving amount (Pt) obtained by this calculating unit is sensitive to Constant (a)
A pressure-sensitive pointing device comprising: a multiplying unit that multiplies by and a pressure sensitivity adjusting unit that can adjust the sensitivity constant (a) in the multiplying unit as needed.