JP5284924B2 - Touch panel type input device and object leaving detection method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an input device including a touch panel, and more particularly to a technique for detecting that an object is left on the touch panel of the input device.

  In recent years, a terminal device including a touch panel such as a touch panel has been used in many places. The touch panel detects position coordinates pressed by the user by various methods. One of the touch panel position coordinate detection methods is an infrared method.

  In a touch panel that uses an infrared method, the user has operated the touch panel when a beam emitted from a light emitting element (LED, Light Emitting Diode) cannot be detected by the light receiving element or when the detection level decreases. recognize.

  According to the infrared method, even when an object is left on the touch panel, the beam is blocked in the same manner as when the operation is performed. It is necessary to distinguish that an object is left on the top. In view of this, a touch panel having an object leaving detection function for determining that an object is left on the touch panel when the shielding of the beam continues for a predetermined period or longer is provided.

  As a well-known technique related to a touch panel, for example, a technique of disposing a touch panel that detects distortion caused by pressing of a paper display is provided below a paper display (for example, Patent Document 1).

  Moreover, the technique which measures the distortion | strain by pressing down a touch panel using a strain gauge is also provided (for example, patent document 2).

JP 2003-280812 A JP 2006-252093 A

  According to the object leaving detection function of the touch panel according to the above-described prior art, it is determined that the object is left even when the beam is blocked due to an element defect on either the light emitting side or the light receiving side.

  Conventionally, even when an object is left unintentionally detected due to an element failure, the user of the touch panel is notified by voice or display to request removal of the left object. If it is possible to discriminate between leaving an object and an element defect on the light emitting side or the light receiving side, it is not necessary to perform such erroneous notification to the user.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of detecting an object leaving more accurately in a touch panel type input device using an optical touch panel such as an infrared touch panel.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a touch panel type input device according to the present invention includes a light emitting element that emits light and a light receiving element that receives light emitted from the light emitting element, and a plurality of the pairs are arranged, and the light emission is performed. A touch panel type input device that detects a position coordinate of a touch panel from a light shielding region of light emitted from the element, wherein the light emitting element emits light in a state where there is no object that shields light emitted from the light emitting element on the touch panel. A storage unit for storing a reference arrival time from when the light receiving element detects the light to the light receiving element, and when the light shielding of the pair is detected, the light emitting element and the light receiving element that detect the light shielding of the pair A calculation unit that calculates an arrival time from when another pair of light emitting elements different from the pair emits light until the light receiving element detects the other pair of light; and the arrival time calculated by the calculation unit; Previous The comparison unit that compares the reference arrival time stored in the storage unit and the comparison unit compare the arrival time and the reference arrival time, and if a mismatch is detected, an object is displayed on the touch panel. And an abandonment detection unit that determines that is left unattended.

  Alternatively, the touch panel detects a position coordinate of the touch panel from a light-shielding region of the light emitted from the light emitting element, the light emitting element emitting light and the light receiving element receiving the light emitted from the light emitting element as a pair. A light-emitting element that emits light from one light-emitting element selected from the plurality of light-emitting elements and forms a pair with the light-emitting element, and a light-receiving element that forms a pair with the selected light-emitting element Whether or not the selected light emitting element is defective depends on whether or not light is detected in any one of the light receiving elements arranged at positions where the light emitted from the selected light emitting element can be received. A first determination unit for determining; a light-emitting element paired with one light-receiving element selected from the plurality of light-receiving elements; and a light-emitting element other than the light-emitting element, wherein light is emitted from the selected light-receiving element. Inspection A second determination unit that determines whether the selected light receiving element is defective according to whether or not the selected light receiving element detects light emitted from the light emitting element arranged at a position where An abandonment detection unit that determines that an object is left on the touch panel when light shielding is detected for the light emitting element and the light receiving element determined to be free of defects in the first and second determination units; It is set as the structure provided.

  According to the touch panel type input device of the present invention, when light shielding is detected, it is possible to determine whether it is due to leaving an object or whether it is due to a defective light emitting element or light receiving element. Therefore, it is possible to detect the object leaving more accurately.

It is a block diagram of the touchscreen type input device which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the change of the arrival time by the object leaving to a touch panel. It is a figure which shows the structure of an initial arrival time table. It is the flowchart which showed the process which detects the object leaving according to 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram of the touchscreen type input device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the method to detect object leaving using the spreading | diffusion of an infrared beam. It is the flowchart which showed the process which detects the object leaving according to 2nd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a touch panel type input device according to the first embodiment. A touch panel type input device 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a panel unit 2 and a controller unit 3, and the controller unit 3 processes information input by the user by pressing the panel unit 2. In FIG. 1, only the configuration related to the object detection processing according to the present embodiment is shown, and the description of other configurations is omitted.

The panel unit 2 includes a touch panel 4, a light emitting unit 5, and a light receiving unit 6.
The touch panel 4 is provided for the user of the touch panel type input device 1 to perform various operations and information input by pressing the touch surface. A material such as acrylic is used for the touch surface of the touch panel 4.

  The light emitting unit 5 and the light receiving unit 6 include a plurality of light emitting elements 50 and light receiving elements 60, respectively. The light emitting element 50 and the light receiving element 60 are provided so as to form the same number of pairs, the light emitting element 50 emits light in a predetermined wavelength region, and the light receiving element 60 emits light emitted from the paired light emitting elements 50. Is received. In the embodiment, the light emitting element 50 uses light having a wavelength in the infrared region. Each pair is desirably arranged such that the optical paths of the respective pairs are substantially parallel.

  The pair of the light emitting element 50 and the light receiving element 60 is disposed on the outer edge portion of the touch panel 4 at positions facing each other so that the optical axis is in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction of the touch surface of the touch panel 4. In FIG. 1, only a pair of a light emitting element 50 and a light receiving element 60 with the optical axis in the horizontal direction is shown for the sake of simplicity.

  The controller unit 3 of the touch panel input device 1 includes a calculation unit 31, a comparison unit 32, a storage unit 33, and an abandonment detection unit 35. In FIG. 1, only the configuration related to the detection of object leaving according to the present embodiment is shown, and the description of other configurations is omitted, but the controller unit 3 includes the light emitting unit 5 and the light receiving unit 6 of the panel unit 2. When the shielding of the infrared beam is detected by the input signal, it is recognized that there is a shielding object between the light emitting unit 5 and the light receiving unit 6, that is, on the touch panel 4. The position where the user presses the touch panel 4 is recognized by the pair of the light emitting element 50 and the light receiving element 60 where the infrared beam emitted from the light emitting element 50 is shielded. Since the position detection technique of an optical touch panel such as an infrared touch panel is a known technique, a detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The calculation unit 31 obtains the time from when the light emitting element 50 emits light until the light receiving element 60 receives light based on signals input from the light emitting unit 5 and the light receiving unit 6 of the panel unit 2. The time until the light emitted from the light emitting element 50 reaches the light receiving element 60 is referred to as “arrival time” in the following description.

  The comparison unit 32 compares the arrival time obtained by the calculation unit 31 with a reference arrival time on the table 34 stored in the storage unit 33. The reference arrival time refers to the arrival time when no object is placed on the touch panel 4 and is referred to as “reference arrival time” in the following description.

The control unit 36 controls at least the light emission timing of the light emitting element 50 of the light emitting unit 5 and the light reception timing of the light receiving element 60 of the light receiving unit 6.
In the present embodiment, the arrival time in the initial state of the touch panel input device 1 is used as the reference arrival time. This is based on the assumption that it is guaranteed that nothing is placed on the touch panel 4 in an initial state such as when the touch panel type input device 1 is activated. The reference arrival time at the initial time is hereinafter referred to as “initial arrival time”. The operations of the calculation unit 31 and the comparison unit 32 will be described in detail later.

The abandonment detection unit 35 determines and detects whether or not an object is left on the touch panel 4 based on the comparison result in the comparison unit 32.
When the touch panel type input device 1 shown in FIG. 1 recognizes that the touch panel 4 is pressed for a predetermined period or more or a predetermined number of times, the touch panel type input device 1 determines that it is not an operation of the touch panel 4 by the user. Then, an arrival time until the light emitted from the light emitting element 50 of the light emitting unit 5 reaches the light receiving element 60 of the light receiving unit 6 is obtained, and an object is left on the touch panel 4 using the obtained arrival time. Or whether a failure has occurred on the light emitting element 50 or light receiving element 60 side.

Next, with reference to FIG. 2, a method for detecting object leaving using the arrival time will be specifically described.
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a change in arrival time due to leaving an object on the touch panel 4, and is a view of the touch panel 4 as seen from a cross section (side surface). When nothing is placed on the touch panel 4 (FIG. 2A), the light receiving / emitting distance between the light emitting element 50 and the light receiving element 60 is L0, the arrival time is T0, and the object 10 is left on the touch panel 4. In this case (FIG. 2 (2)), the light emitting / receiving distance is Lx, and the arrival time is Tx.

  As shown in FIG. 2 (2), when the object 10 is placed on the touch panel 4, the touch panel 4 is distorted downward due to the weight of the object 10, and the relationship between the light emitting / receiving distances L0 and Lx is: L0 ≧ Lx is satisfied. Regardless of the presence or absence of the object 10 on the touch panel 4, the speed of the infrared beam does not change, so that the relationship between the arrival times T0 and Tx also satisfies T0 ≧ Tx. Thus, in the present embodiment, when the touch panel 4 is pressed for a predetermined period or longer, the arrival time is obtained, and the arrival time (reference arrival time) T0 when the object 10 is not placed is obtained. Make a comparison. If the condition “the determined arrival time is less than the reference arrival time T0” is satisfied, it is determined that the object is left, and if the condition is not satisfied, the object 10 blocks the infrared beam. Instead, it is determined that the light emitting element 50 or the light receiving element 60 is defective.

  In the embodiment, when the arrival time is less than the reference arrival time, it is determined that the beam shielding is due to the object being left, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, since the arrival time cannot be measured for a pair in which beam shielding is detected, the arrival time is measured for another pair.

  In the above embodiment, when the arrival time is measured by selecting a pair that is relatively close to the detected pair of beam shields, whether the arrival time is less than the reference arrival time or not. )), It is not limited to this. For example, a configuration is also possible in which it is determined whether or not the arrival time is equal to the reference arrival time.

  The reference arrival time is stored in the table of the storage unit 33 in FIG. As described above, in the embodiment, the initial arrival time which is the arrival time in the initial state such as when the touch panel type input device 1 is activated is stored.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the structure of the initial arrival time table 34. In the table shown in FIG. 3, each row represents a light emitting element 50 of the light emitting unit 5 (E ₁ , E _N, etc., N is a natural number in FIG. 3), and each column represents a light receiving element of the light receiving unit 6 (in FIG. 3). Represents R ₁ , R _n, etc., where n is a natural number) 60, and the initial arrival time between the corresponding light emitting element 50 and light receiving element 60 is stored at the intersection. In the following description, the light emitting element 50 and the light receiving element 60 that are paired with each other are expressed by uppercase letters and lowercase letters of the alphabet, respectively. For example, the relationship paired each other with the N-th light-emitting element E _N and n th light receiving element R _n. In the present embodiment, the relationship of N = n is described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the configuration of another touch panel may not satisfy the relationship of N = n.

  Among the plurality of light emitting elements 50 provided in the light emitting unit 5, the beam emitted from a certain light emitting element 50 is not only a pair of the light receiving elements 60 that form a pair by diffusion, as also schematically shown in FIG. The other light receiving elements 60 in the vicinity are also reached. Of the pairs of the light emitting element 50 and the light receiving element 60, the pair that cannot transmit and receive the beam cannot be measured in the initial arrival time table 34 because the initial arrival time cannot be measured. In FIG. 3, a portion indicated by shading corresponds to this. For pairs other than those indicated by hatching, it is possible to transmit and receive beams, to measure the initial arrival time, and to store values.

  The initial arrival time T0 may be measured and stored in the initial arrival time table 34 at the time of initialization such as when the touch panel type input device 1 is started, or set at the time of shipment of the touch panel type input device 1 or the like. It is good also as a structure. Or it is good also as a structure which starts the utility software etc. of the touchscreen type input device 1, measures initial arrival time, and stores a measured value in the initial arrival time table 34. FIG.

Next, a method for detecting object leaving using the initial arrival time stored in the initial arrival time table 34 shown in FIG. 3 will be described with reference to a flowchart.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process for detecting object leaving according to the present embodiment. The touch panel type input device 1 is activated and the process shown in FIG. 4 is started when the user starts using the touch panel type input device 1. When the process shown in FIG. 4 is started, it is assumed that the initial arrival time T0 is stored in the initial arrival time table 34 and the table is created as described above.

First, in step S1, the shielding of the infrared beam is detected. That is, it is detected that none of the light receiving elements 60 of the light receiving unit 6 among the infrared beams emitted from the light emitting elements 50 of the light emitting unit 5 is received. A pair of the light emitting element 50 and the light receiving element 60 that detects the shielding of the infrared beam is defined as (E _N , R _n ). Pair (E _{N, R n),} for example represents N-th and n-th light emitting element 50 and the pair of light receiving elements 60 from each of the drawing in FIG. 1, a light receiving element R _n could not be received infrared beam, a light emitting element E _N forming a pair therewith.

  In step S2, it is determined whether or not the shielding of the infrared beam continues for a predetermined time or more or a predetermined number of times. When the state where the infrared beam is shielded ends within a predetermined time or within a predetermined number of times, the process proceeds to step S6, where it is determined that the beam shielding is due to the operation of the touch panel 4 by the user, and the object leaving detection process is performed. finish.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S2 that the shielding of the infrared beam has continued for a predetermined time or more or a predetermined number of times, the process proceeds to step S3, where the arrival time is compared with the initial arrival time T0. Specifically, the arrival time immediately before beam shielding is detected for a pair other than the pair (E _N , R _n ) that has detected the shielding of the infrared beam, and the corresponding initial arrival time T 0 read from the initial arrival time table 34. And compare.

  As described above, in the embodiment, whether or not the shielding of the infrared beam is due to the user's operation of the touch panel 4 or the like based on whether or not the shielding of the beam is continued for a predetermined time or more or a predetermined number of times or more. Judgment. This is because in the case of touch by operation, the beam shielding state is normally released within a certain period of time to release the finger after touching the touch surface, but in the case of leaving the object, it is blocked until it is removed. It takes advantage of the difference that the state continues.

  In order to improve the S / N ratio (signal-noise ratio), in the touch panel type input device, in general, the state of each element of the light emitting unit 5 and the light receiving unit 6 is set for the projection and shielding of the infrared beam. The state of the beam (whether it is a light projecting state or a light shielding state) is periodically monitored and the light projecting / shielding state continues for a predetermined time or more or a predetermined number of times of monitoring. Judging.

A pair used for comparison in step S2 is (E _N-A , R _n-a ). (E _N-A , R _n-a ) is close to the pair (E _N , R _n ) where the shielding of the infrared beam is detected, and when an object is placed on the touch panel 4, the touch panel 4 A pair that does not cause beam shielding is used, although it is located at a position where the distortion generated in can affect the arrival time.

In the above example, the arrival time T1 for one pair (E _N-A , R _n-a ) is compared with the initial arrival time T0 in step S3, but the present invention is not limited to this. The arrival time T1 is obtained for each of a larger number of pairs that satisfy the above conditions, and the comparison with each initial arrival time T0 makes it possible to determine whether the object is left alone and the light emitting element 50 or the light receiving element 60 is defective. Can be further improved.

Pair _{(E N-A, R n} -a) read from the arrival time measured for the T1 (N-A, n- a) and pair _{(E N-A, R n} -a) initial arrival time table 34 for If the magnitude relationship with T0 (NA, na) is compared, it will progress to step S4.

In step S4, as a result of comparing the arrival time T1 with the initial arrival time T0, it is determined whether or not the measured arrival time T1 is less than the initial arrival time T0. If the arrival time T1 is greater than or equal to the initial arrival time T0, the process proceeds to step S7. Then, it is determined that the beam shielding is an element failure on either the light emitting side or the light receiving side of the detected pair (E _N , R _n ) of the beam shielding, and the processing is terminated.

On the other hand, if the arrival time T1 is less than the initial arrival time T0, the process proceeds from step S4 to step S5, where it is determined that the beam shielding of the pair (E _N , R _n ) is due to object leaving, and object leaving is detected. Then, the process ends.

  In the above-described step S5, when it is detected that the object is left, it is desirable to notify the user that the object is left on the touch panel 4 by voice or display.

It should be noted that the distortion is smaller as the pair is located farther from the pair (E _N , R _n ) _where the beam shielding is detected, and the difference between the initial arrival time T0 and the measured arrival time T1 becomes smaller. The S / N ratio can be further improved by taking a method such as making a judgment by taking this tendency into consideration in the judgment condition of step S4.

  As described above, according to the touch panel type input device 1 according to the present embodiment, whether or not the touch panel 4 is distorted when the beam shielding is detected for a predetermined time or more, The time (arrival time) until the beam reaches the light receiving element 60 from the light emitting element 50 is measured and compared with the time required when the object is not left (reference arrival time, initial arrival time). If the measured time is less than the compared time, for example, it is determined that the touch panel 4 is distorted by leaving the object unattended. It is possible to determine whether the beam shielding is due to object leaving or due to a defect on the element side, and it is possible to detect object leaving more accurately.

<Second Embodiment>
In the touch panel type input device 1 according to the above-described embodiment, in the case of leaving an object, the leaving of the object is detected by utilizing the fact that distortion occurs in the place where the object is placed on the touch panel 4. That is, by comparing the time required for the infrared beam emitted from the light emitting element 50 to reach the light receiving element 60 with the time required when no object is placed, the object leaving and the element defect are separated. Yes.

  On the other hand, in the touch panel type input device according to the present embodiment, it is determined in advance whether the element is defective on the light emitting side or the light receiving side by utilizing the diffusion of the infrared beam emitted from the light emitting unit 5. Thus, when the shielding of the infrared beam is detected, it is different in that it is determined whether the object is left or due to an element failure.

Hereinafter, a method for detecting object leaving in the touch panel input device according to the present embodiment will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of the touch panel type input device according to the second embodiment. Detailed description of the same configuration as that of the touch panel type input device 1 according to the above embodiment will be omitted, and different points will be mainly described.

  In the touch panel type input device 1A shown in FIG. 5, the configuration of the panel unit 2 is the same as the configuration shown in FIG. The controller unit 7 includes a failure determination unit 71, an abandonment detection unit 74, and a storage unit 75.

  The failure determination unit 71 includes a light emission side failure determination unit 72 and a light reception side failure determination unit 73, and determines whether or not there is a failure in an element that receives and emits an infrared beam. The light emission side failure determination unit 72 and the light reception side failure determination unit 73 determine whether or not the elements of the light emission unit 5 and the light reception unit 6 are defective, respectively.

The storage unit 75 stores information that identifies the light emitting element 50 and the light receiving element 60 that are determined to be defective by the failure determination unit 71.
The abandonment detection unit 74 detects that an object is left on the touch panel 4 based on the determination result of the failure determination unit 71.

  When the infrared beam emitted from the light emitting element 50 with the light emitting unit 5 can be received by any one of the plurality of light receiving elements 60 of the light receiving unit 6, the touch panel type input device 1 shown in FIG. It is judged that there is no defect. Further, when any of the infrared beams emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements 50 of the light emitting unit 5 can be received with respect to the light receiving element 60 with the light receiving unit 6, it is determined that the light receiving element 60 has no defect. In this way, by discriminating an element defect in advance, it is possible to discriminate between leaving an object and an element defect.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a method for detecting object leaving using infrared beam diffusion.
The optical axis of the Nth pair among the plurality of pairs of the light emitting element 50 and the light receiving element 60 will be described. The infrared beam emitted from the _Nth light emitting element (E _N ) 50 is received by an _nth light receiving element (Rn) 60 that forms a pair with the infrared beam. Here, the beam is emitted from the light-emitting element E _N due to its diffusion, not only the corresponding light receiving element (R _n) 60, is also received at the other light-receiving element 60 in the vicinity of R _n.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, the infrared beam emitted from the _Nth light emitting element (E _N ) 50 is diffused to cause a pair of light receiving elements (R _n ) 60 or a light receiving element (R _n ) located near R _{n. (n−m to} R _{n + m} ) 60 can be received.

Here, the light receiving element 60 that can detect an infrared beam emitted from a certain light emitting element 50 includes the light receiving element 60 that forms a pair of light emitting elements 50 that emit the beam, and ± m (m is a positive value) counted from the light receiving element 60. It is assumed that the total number of light receiving elements 60 is 2m + 1. In this case, the infrared beam emitted from the NM _- th light emitting element E _N-M can be received by the light receiving elements R _{n-2m to} R _n .

The object 10 placed on the touch panel 4, if not be received in the light receiving element R _n of the beam emitted from the light emitting element E _N pairs, other light emitting elements in R _n (e.g. E _N-M in FIG. 6) if it can receive the beam emitted from the element is not defective in R _n, and can be determined. Further, when the beam emitted from the light emitting element E _N is even not received in the light-receiving elements E _n pairs, which can be received in other light-receiving elements (e.g. R _n-m in FIG. ₆₎ is defective elements of E _N It can be judged that it is not.

  The touch panel type input device 1 </ b> A according to the present embodiment uses this fact to determine whether or not a defective element is included in the light emitting element 50 or the light receiving element 60 in advance. Then, it is possible to determine the beam shielding detected due to the element defect and to detect the beam shielding caused by leaving the object more accurately. Note that this defective element determination is not limited to the start-up, but may be a process performed in a timely manner. As a result, it is possible to increase the accuracy of the defective element determination.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing processing for detecting object leaving according to the present embodiment. The process shown in FIG. 7 is started when the touch panel type input device 1 is activated.
First, in step S11, an infrared beam is emitted from a light emitting element (E _N ), and in step S12, a light receiving element (R _{n−m to} R _{n + m} ) 60 that can receive the beam emitted from E _N. Monitor whether light is received. In step S13, as a result of monitoring in step S12, it is determined whether light reception is detected in any of the (n−m) th to n + mth light receiving elements 60.

If any of the light receiving elements 60 of R _{n−m to} R _{n + m} fails to detect the beam from the light emitting element E _N 50, the process proceeds to step S14. In step S14, it determines that the device of the N-th light-emitting element E _N defect, when storing the E _N as a light emitting device of device failure in the memory unit 75, the process proceeds to step S15.

If the beam from the light emitting element E _N 50 can be detected by at least one of the light receiving elements 60 of R _{n−m to} R _{n + m} , the process proceeds to step S15 without performing any particular processing.
In step S15, an infrared beam is emitted from a light emitting element (E _{N−M to} E _{N + M} ) capable of receiving a beam in a certain light receiving element (R _n ), and in step S16, E _{N−M to} E _{N + M} is emitted. the beam emitted from the element 50 to monitor whether the light-receiving element R _n. The judges, in step S17, the result of monitoring in step S16, for each one of N + M-th light-emitting element 50 from the N-M th, emitted beam is whether it is received in the light-receiving element R _n.

If none of the beams emitted from the light emitting elements 50 of E _{N−M to} E _{N + M} can be detected in the light receiving element R _n , the process proceeds to step S18. In step S18, determines that the n-th defective elements of the light receiving element R _n, when storing the R _n as the light receiving element of the defective elements in the memory unit 75, the process proceeds to step S19.
In the light receiving element R _n , when a beam emitted from at least one of the light emitting elements 50 of E _{N−M to} E _{N + M} can be detected, the process proceeds to step S19 without performing any particular process.

When the processes from step S11 to step S18 are executed for all the light emitting elements 50 and light receiving elements 60 included in the light emitting unit 5 and the light receiving unit 6, the process waits for blocking of the infrared beam in step S19. When the shielding of the beam is detected, the process proceeds to step S20.
Here, after the processing from step S11 to step S18 is completed, it is assumed in step S19 that the infrared beam is blocked. However, in step S19, the process from step S11 to step S18 is performed while waiting for the infrared beam to be blocked. It is also possible to update the element state to the latest state by periodically performing and to detect the object leaving more accurately.

In addition, about the method of detecting shielding of an infrared beam in the touch panel type input device 1A according to the present embodiment, it is the same as that in the above embodiment. Here, the pair of the light-emitting element 50 and the light-receiving element 60 that detected the shielding of the beam in step S19 is (E _N , R _n ).

In step S20, with reference to the information stored in the storage unit 75, it is determined whether or not the pair (E _N , R _n ) in which the shielding of the beam is detected is determined to be an element failure in step S14 and step S18. To do. If either E _N or R _n is determined to be an element failure, the process proceeds to step S23. Then, it is determined that the beam shielding is due to an element defect on the light emitting side or the light receiving side, and the process is terminated.

On the other hand, either when the each of the light-emitting elements E _N and the light receiving element R _n even that was not determined as defective elements, the process proceeds to step S21, the infrared beam shielding is equal to or greater than a predetermined time (or a predetermined number of times or more) continues not Determine whether.

  When the state in which the infrared beam is shielded ends within a predetermined time (or within a predetermined number of times), the process proceeds to step S24, where it is determined that the beam shielding is due to the user's operation on the touch panel 4, and the process ends. .

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S21 that the shielding of the infrared beam has continued for a predetermined time or more or a predetermined number of times, the process proceeds to step S22, and the beam shielding of the pair (E _N , R _n ) is caused by leaving the object. It is determined that it is a thing, and the process is terminated. When the object leaving is detected, it is desirable to notify the user by voice or display of a notification that the object is left on the touch panel 4 as in the above embodiment.

  As described above, according to the touch panel type input device 1A according to the present embodiment, the presence or absence of a failure is determined in advance on the light emitting side or light receiving side element by utilizing the property of beam diffusion. Specifically, an element defect on the light emitting side is determined based on whether or not a beam emitted from the light emitting element 50 is detected in any of the plurality of light receiving elements 60, and the light receiving element 60 determines that the plurality of light emitting elements 50. The element defect on the light receiving side is determined based on whether or not one of the beams emitted from each of these can be detected. When the beam shielding is detected for a predetermined time or more, the information about the presence / absence of the element defect determined in advance is referred to. When the element is not defective, it is determined that the object is left unattended. It is possible to determine whether the beam shielding is due to object leaving or due to a defect on the element side, and it is possible to detect object leaving more accurately.

<Third Embodiment>
The touch panel type input device according to this embodiment is a method of using strain in the touch panel type input device 1 according to the first embodiment and the beam diffusion in the touch panel type input device 1A according to the second embodiment. It is characterized in that it is detected that an object is left on the touch panel 4 by combining with a method in which an element defect is determined in advance by using the method.

  The touch panel type input device according to the present embodiment has a configuration in which the configuration of the controller unit 3 shown in FIG. 1 and the configuration of the controller unit 7 shown in FIG. 5 are combined. That is, a signal from the panel unit 2 is given to the calculation unit 31 and the failure determination unit 71. Then, the calculation unit 31 passes the calculation result to the comparison unit 32, and the comparison unit 32 compares the arrival time T1 input from the calculation unit 31 with the initial arrival time T0 read from the storage unit 33. The abandonment detection unit detects the abandonment of the object using the comparison result in the comparison unit 32 and the determination result in the failure determination unit 71.

  The object abandonment detection method according to the present embodiment is the process from step S19 to step S24 in FIG. 7 (the process indicated by * in FIG. 7) of the method according to the second embodiment, that is, the method using beam diffusion. ) Is replaced with and executed by a series of processes shown in FIG. 4 (processes from step S1 to step S7 in FIG. 4).

  For example, in the case where the distance between the light emitting element 50 or the light receiving element 60 and the place where the object is placed is short, it is difficult to isolate the element defect using the beam diffusion. Even in such a case, it is possible to improve the accuracy of the discrimination between the element failure and the object leaving by using the distortion generated in the touch panel 4 to determine the object leaving. Further, depending on the mass or the like of an object left on the touch panel 4, the amount of strain generated may be relatively small. In such a case, it is possible to detect the object leaving more accurately by determining in advance whether the element is defective by using beam diffusion.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1A Touch panel type input device 2 Panel part 3 Controller part 4 Touch panel 5 Light-emitting part 6 Light-receiving part 7 Controller part 10 Object 31 Calculation part 32 Comparison part 33 Storage part 34 Initial arrival time table 35 Abandonment detection part 36 Control part 71 Fault judgment 72 Light-emitting side failure determination unit (first determination unit)
73 Light-receiving-side failure determination unit (second determination unit)
74 Abandonment detection unit 75 Storage unit

Claims (3)

A touch panel type input in which a light emitting element that emits light and a light receiving element that receives light emitted from the light emitting element are paired, and a plurality of the pairs are arranged to detect a position coordinate of the touch panel from a light shielding region of the light emitted from the light emitting element A device,
A storage unit that stores a reference arrival time from when the light emitting element emits light to when the light receiving element detects the light in a state where there is no object that blocks light emitted from the light emitting element on the touch panel;
When the light shielding of the pair is detected, the light emitting element of the other pair different from the pair of the light emitting element and the light receiving element that senses the light shielding of the pair emits light, and then the light receiving element is the other light emitting element. A calculation unit for calculating the arrival time until the pair of lights is detected;
A comparison unit that compares the arrival time calculated in the calculation unit with a reference arrival time stored in the storage unit;
In the comparison unit, the arrival time and the reference arrival time are compared, and when a mismatch is detected, an abandonment detection unit that determines that an object is left on the touch panel;
A touch panel type input device comprising: A light receiving element that emits light from one light emitting element selected from the plurality of light emitting elements and makes a pair with the light emitting element, and a light receiving element other than the light receiving element that makes a pair with the selected light emitting element, the selection A first determination unit that determines whether or not the selected light emitting element is defective depending on whether light is detected in any one of the light receiving elements arranged at a position capable of receiving light emitted by the light emitting element. When,
A light emitting element paired with one light receiving element selected from the plurality of light receiving elements, and a light emitting element other than the light emitting element, wherein the selected light receiving element is disposed at a position where light can be detected. A second determination unit that determines whether the selected light receiving element is defective according to whether the selected light receiving element receives light emitted from the selected light emitting element;
Further comprising
In the abandonment detection unit, a mismatch between the arrival time and the reference arrival time is detected by the comparison unit, and a light emitting element and a light receiving element that detect light shielding are defective in the first and second determination units, respectively. The touch panel type input device according to claim 1, wherein if it is determined that there is no object, it is determined that an object is left on the touch panel. A touch panel type input in which a light emitting element that emits light and a light receiving element that receives light emitted from the light emitting element are paired, and a plurality of the pairs are arranged to detect a position coordinate of the touch panel from a light shielding region of the light emitted from the light emitting element In the apparatus, an object leaving detection method for detecting that an object is left on the touch panel,
When the light shielding of the pair is detected, the light emitting element that has detected the light shielding of the pair and the other light emitting element different from the light receiving pair emit light, and then the light receiving element is the other light emitting element. Calculate the arrival time until the pair of lights is detected,
The calculated arrival time and the reference arrival read from the storage unit until the light receiving element detects the light after the light emitting element emits light in the state where there is no light shielding object on the touch panel Compare with time,
The object arrival detection method, wherein the arrival time and the reference arrival time are compared, and if a mismatch is detected, it is determined that the object is left on the touch panel.