JP3387708B2 - Input device such as computer and computer equipment using the same - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an input device for moving a cursor on a display screen of a computer device such as a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a personal computer) or a computer game machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A pointing device such as a mouse, a trackball or a joystick is used as an input device for moving a cursor and an icon for designating a position on a screen of a display device such as a personal computer. For example, the mouse includes, as shown in FIG. 10, a confirmation switch 2 for confirming the position of the cursor on the mouse body 1 and a switch 3 for causing the personal computer to start the process selected by the cursor. Then, when the mouse is placed on a flat table and the ball placed on the bottom of the mouse body 1 is manually moved so as to roll while contacting the table on the table, the display device screen is displayed according to this movement. The cursor is moved to an arbitrary position to specify the position. When specifying a function or inputting data, the cursor is moved to a predetermined position and the cursor is set at that position. Then, when selecting a predetermined function on the screen, the cursor is moved to the display position of the function and the switch 2 is clicked (pressed the switch) to confirm. At this time, the cursor position information and the on / off information of the switches 2 and 3 are transmitted to the main body of the personal computer at any time in a predetermined format of the mouse interface unique to the personal computer.

[0003]

In the conventional input device,
When moving the cursor to the desired position, the operation must be continued until the cursor reaches that position. Therefore, if the cursor is frequently set to a certain position, it is necessary to manually operate the input device each time to move the cursor to the predetermined position, which takes a lot of time to operate and is very inefficient. there were.

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an input device, such as a computer, which can move a cursor to a predetermined position once moved by a simple operation in a short time.

[0005]

The problem solving means according to the present invention is provided with a storage means for storing the position of the cursor and a calling means for moving the cursor to the position stored in the storage means. The storage means has a memory for storing the position of the cursor and a storage switch for storing the position of the cursor in the memory, and the calling means has a calling switch for moving the cursor to the position stored in the memory. It has a function of storing a plurality of positions and moving the cursor to any of the positions according to the input order at the time of storage or in any order.

Thus, the position of the cursor can be sequentially stored in the memory by operating the memory switch, and the cursor can be instantaneously moved to a desired position by operating the call switch.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an input device of the present invention includes an operation unit 13 for moving a cursor 12 on a display device of a personal computer 11 on an input device body 10.
And a confirmation switch 14 for confirming the position of the cursor 12.
A start switch 15 for causing the personal computer 11 to start a function such as a function which is designated by the cursor 12 and fixed, and a control unit 16 for performing an input process in accordance with outputs from the operation unit 13 and the switches 14 and 15. Further, there is provided storage means for storing the position of the cursor 12, and calling means for moving the cursor 12 to the stored position.

The operating portion 13 is a three-dimensional operation button 13a which is displaced three-dimensionally in each direction, a light emitting diode LED1 which is a light emitting element, and the operation button 13a which is optically coupled to the LED1 and is displaced. Is integrally provided with four-division photodiodes PD1 to PD4, which are light receiving elements that receive an image of light that moves in conjunction with, and are arranged in a convex shape so that the upper portion thereof projects from the upper surface of the input device body 10. ing.

The operation button 13a is formed in a cylindrical shape whose upper surface is closed by an elastic body, and is integrally formed with a rigid fixing member, and the fixing member is fixed to the input device body 10 so that the operation button 13a can be operated. Can be displaced three-dimensionally. A recess 13b is provided on the upper surface of the operation button 13a for easy operation.

The LED 1 and the photodiode PD
1 to PD4 constitute a reflection type optical sensor together with an imaging lens, and this optical sensor is mounted on a fixed member and faces a reflection plate 17 formed on the top surface inside the operation button 13a.

The control unit 16 is a one-chip microcomputer, and an A-D converter 20 for converting an analog voltage output from the optical sensor into a digital code.
23, RAM 24 and ROM 25, and an LED drive circuit for driving the LED 1 are built in, and communicate with the personal computer 11 via a cable in a predetermined format of an interface unique to the personal computer. Further, each switch 14, 15 is connected to the control unit 16, and the switch 14,
The on / off information of 15 is constantly transmitted to the personal computer 11.
It should be noted that the communication means between the input device and the personal computer generally uses an interface unique to each personal computer, but is not limited to this.

The storage means has a RAM 24 which is a memory for storing the cursor position, and a storage switch 26 for storing in the RAM 24, and the calling means is the RAM.
A call switch 27 for moving the cursor 12 to the position stored in 24 is provided, and both switches 26, 27 are connected to the control unit 16. The cursor position is stored as an absolute address on the display device.
The movement of the cursor 12 is grasped by the control unit 16 as an absolute address based on the data of the cursor position transmitted from the computer or based on the constant initial position of the cursor 12 when the personal computer 11 is started.

The control unit 16 has a function of storing the absolute address of the cursor position at that time in the RAM 24 by the ON signal of the memory switch 26 and moving to the cursor position stored in the RAM 24 by the ON signal of the calling switch 27. As described above, a function of calculating the movement amount of the cursor 12 from the current cursor position is provided, and only the data of the movement amount from the previous cursor position is transmitted to the personal computer 11.

An input processing method for moving the cursor 12 will be described. As shown in FIG.
The light P emitted from the ED1 and focused by the lens is reflected by the reflection plate 1.
It is reflected by 7, and is applied to each of the photodiodes PD1 to PD4 arranged in a square shape. When the operation button 13a is not operated, the reflected light P is applied to substantially the center of the light receiving element and is evenly applied to the photodiodes PD1 to PD4. When the operation button 13a is pushed down as shown in FIG. 4, the light P from the LED 1 changes to the photodiode P.
A large amount of light is emitted to D1, and the amount of light received by the photodiode PD1 becomes maximum. On the contrary, the amount of light received by the photodiode PD4 is the smallest. At this time, each photodiode PD
1 to PD4 output current values Id1 to Id4 change,
The output current value Id1 of the photodiode PD1 becomes maximum, and the output current value Id4 of the photodiode PD4 becomes minimum.

These output current values Id1 to Id4 are converted by the current-voltage converters 30 to 33 into analog output voltages V _PD1 to V _PD1 .
Converted to V _PD4 , and the output voltages V _{PD1 to} V _PD4 are AD
It is converted into a digital code by the converters 20 to 23. The control unit 16 divides the digitally coded output voltages V _{PD1 to} V _PD4 into X component and Y component as the displacement amount of the operation button 13a by the processing by software. Here, the voltage V _X indicating the amount of displacement in the X direction and the voltage V _Y indicating the amount of displacement in the Y direction are: V _X = (V _PD1 + V _PD2 ) − (V _PD3 + V _PD4 ) V _Y = (V _PD1 + V _PD3 )-(V _PD2 + V _PD4 ).

The values of the voltages V _X and V _Y are RO shown in FIG.
It is compared with the table of the movement amount of the cursor 12 corresponding to the output voltage of each component written in M25.
Is determined and transmitted to the personal computer 11. In addition, when the operation button 13a is not operated, that is, when the displacement amount is 0, the output voltage V _PD1
The A / D conversion result of V _PD4 is stored in the RAM 24 as a reference value.

The cursor 1 to be sent to the personal computer 11
As the movement amount data of 2, relative position data is transmitted here. That is, only the data of the movement amount from the front cursor position is transmitted. The input processing method can be processed by a circuit configuration, that is, hardware.

Therefore, when the output voltages V _X and V _Y corresponding to the operation of the operation button 13a are input to the personal computer 11, the moving direction and the moving amount are determined based on these data, and the cursor 12 is displayed on the screen of the display device. As shown in FIG. 6, it moves two-dimensionally as follows: A position → B position → C position → D position. At this time, when the confirmation switch 14 is clicked, the position of the cursor 12 is confirmed.

When the memory switch 26 is clicked, the control unit 16 causes the current position of the cursor 12 to be the RAM.
It is stored in 24 with an absolute address on the display screen. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the position of the cursor 12 is fixed at the position A, and the memory switch 26 is clicked to store the position. After that, the cursor 12 is moved to the B position, the C position, and the D position. Then, when the call switch 27 is clicked at the D position, the cursor 12 instantly moves to the A position.

In the above case, only one cursor position is stored, but it is also possible to store a plurality of cursor positions. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, every time the cursor position is determined to be the E position and the F position, each cursor position is sequentially stored by operating the storage switch 26.
After moving the cursor 12 to the G position, call switch 2
When 7 is clicked, the cursor 12 moves to the F position, which is the latest data, and when the call switch 27 is clicked, the cursor 12 moves to the E stored immediately before the F position.
Move to position in order.

As described above, the memory switch 26 is clicked to bring the call switch 2 to the predetermined position stored in the RAM 24.
Since the cursor 12 can be moved in a short time by a simple operation of clicking 7, it is very efficient and easy to use.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and it goes without saying that many modifications and changes can be made to the above embodiment within the scope of the present invention. The present invention can be applied to a mouse, trackball, or stick type input device. Further, it is naturally useful in similar input devices such as game machines, word processors, and other computer equipment.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the input device 30 of the present invention can be arranged in a keyboard 32 connected to a personal computer 31. Also, as shown in FIG.
The case 40 may be equipped with a switch 41 that also serves as a storage switch and a call switch, switches such as an operation unit 42, a confirmation switch 43, and an activation switch 44 in the same shape as the keys of the keyboard. It is also possible to arrange this on the keyboard 32 shown in FIG. At this time, the function of storing and the function of calling each time the switch 41 is clicked are alternately operated. As a result, the size of the input device can be reduced.

Further, the storage position in the memory is designated by the number of times the memory switch is clicked, the desired position is stored, and the call switch is clicked the number of times the cursor is clicked, whereby the cursor moves to the desired position in no particular order. By doing so, it is not necessary to provide a plurality of switches, and it becomes functional in a small space. Furthermore, if the structure is such that the operation button can be clicked, the function as a memory switch can be obtained by clicking once, and the function as a call switch can be obtained by double-clicking.
The input device can be downsized.

[0025]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the storage means for storing the position of the cursor and the calling means for moving the cursor to the position stored in the storage means are provided. The cursor can be moved instantly by operation. Therefore, when the cursor is frequently set at the same position, the operation becomes easy and very efficient.
Further, by making it possible to correspond to a plurality of positions, it is more efficient and the function as an input device can be enhanced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an input device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state before operating an operation unit of the input device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state when the operation unit of the input device is operated.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a ROM table showing the amount of movement of the cursor with respect to the amount of displacement of the operation unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a moving state of a cursor.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a moving state of a cursor according to another embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an embodiment of another input device.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an embodiment of another input device.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a mouse

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Input device body 12 cursor 13 Operation part 16 Control unit 24 RAM 26 memory switch 27 Call switch

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Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A input device for moving a cursor on the display device screen of a computer or the like to an arbitrary position, the confirmation switch for determining the position of the cursor, a memory for storing the position of the cursor, the number of clicks the
Specifying a storage location in memory, a storage switch for storing the cursor position in the memory, the chestnut
Stored in the memory location according to the number of clicks
An input device such as a computer provided with a call switch for moving the cursor to the cursor position . Wherein in order to move the cursor on the display screen, the computer equipment, characterized in that an input device according to claim 1 Symbol placement.