JPH0319566B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a touch panel input device, and more specifically, a touch panel input device, which is arranged in front of a display surface and configured to detect the coordinate position of a point pressed with a fingertip, pen, etc. This invention relates to a transparent touch panel type coordinate input device.

[Background of the invention]

The transparent touch panel type coordinate input device is CRT.
It is placed in front of the display surface of a display, LCD (liquid crystal display), etc., and various operations can be performed by pressing the screen while visually checking the screen. Since it is suitable for simple input, it is showing signs of becoming popular as an input device for computers.

This touch panel input device includes resistive film type, capacitive type, acoustic type using surface acoustic waves,
Various methods have been proposed, such as a photoelectric method that uses a light beam, but the photoelectric method has the advantage that the photoelectric element is housed at the edge of the display surface, so there is less risk of the user touching it, and the display Unlike other methods, there is no input panel on the front of the screen, so there is no risk of damage to the input panel due to scratches or adhesion of liquid, and there are advantages such as high operational reliability. ing.

Among these photoelectric methods, light-emitting diodes (hereinafter referred to as
A large number of pairs of light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements are arranged at each X and Y coordinate, and the light-emitting elements are sequentially driven one at a time for each coordinate to display light on the display screen. The method of scanning the light beam has advantages such as being relatively inexpensive compared to the method using a laser beam and having a long lifespan because the photoelectric element is a solid component, but it requires continuous scanning of the light beam. Therefore, power consumption increases, and there is a problem in terms of battery consumption, especially when used for portable use (so-called handheld use). In addition, a drawback of the entire photoelectric method is that when you slide your fingers, etc. on the display surface, unnecessary coordinate values that are not needed during this time are input, and when inputting continuously, it is necessary to pull your fingers away from the display surface. However, the user had to take aim again and hit the target point with a finger or the like, resulting in poor operability.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and in a touch panel input device that scans a light beam by sequentially driving light emitting elements, scanning is performed only when necessary to perform scanning detection control operation. The purpose is to reduce power consumption and provide a product with good and reliable operability for continuous input.

[Summary of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a display surface that can be viewed visually by an operator, a plurality of light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements arranged on four sides of the display surface to form a coordinate detection optical path, and The light-receiving elements are sequentially put into an operating state to sequentially form a coordinate detection optical path, and output as detected coordinate data indicating the position of a coordinate in the coordinate detection optical path that is blocked by an operation light shield operated by the operator. a detection control means for performing a scan detection control operation; a transparent panel disposed between the display surface and the coordinate detection optical path and receiving a pressing force generated in conjunction with a light shielding operation of shielding light with the scanning light shield; The apparatus further includes switching means for putting the detection control means into a scan detection control operating state by supplying a pressing operation detection signal generated in response to pressure to the detection control means.

[Illustrative example of the invention]

The drawings all relate to one embodiment of the present invention, and in the drawings, 1 is a casing, 2 is a display device arranged on the front side of the casing 1, and in the illustrated example,
LCD is used, but CRT display,
A plasma display, an EL (electroluminescence) display, an ECD (electrochromic display), a display using PLZT, etc. can be used, and a display capable of color display is selected as necessary. This display device 2 is
For example, it is used in conjunction with a handheld computer to display symbols, areas, patterns, etc. using dots. 2a is display device 2
A hard transparent panel 3, which is slightly wider than the display surface 2a, is disposed in front of the display surface 2a, which has a substantially rectangular shape. This transparent panel 3 is made of synthetic resin, glass, etc., and has its surface polarized, or has a mesh built in, or is colored to prevent eye fatigue by eliminating reflections or flickering on the display surface. The functions for
It is held so as to be able to freely slide (press) on the casing 1 by a predetermined amount. Reference numeral 4 denotes push button switches (switching means) with a click feel, which are disposed in an appropriate number on the outside of the display surface 2a.
That is, in this embodiment, four push button switches 3 are arranged at four outer corners of the display surface 2a, but two
It does not matter whether it is individual or singular, as long as it is at a position that can be pressed on the transparent panel 3 and that the switch is turned on when any part of the transparent panel 2 is pressed down.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a touch-type coordinate input device, which is attached to the front surface of the display device 2 through the transparent panel 3. This coordinate input device 5 has a framework 5a corresponding to the outer shape of the display surface 2a, and on each of the four opposite sides of the framework 5a, a light emitting element 5b made of an LED,
A large number of light-receiving elements 5c are arranged in pairs, and the light-emitting elements 5b are made to emit light one by one from each end at the X and Y coordinates, so that the light rays pass on the display surface 2a.
Scanning is performed one by one on the Y coordinate.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a drive circuit which causes the coordinate input device 2 to perform the above-described scanning only once by operating the push button switch 4. 7 is a detection circuit that detects the position (light emitting element 5
The position of the light-receiving element 5c which the light from b does not reach) is detected, the coordinate position indicated by a finger, a pen, etc. is detected, and this coordinate data is sent to a processing circuit via a buffer circuit or the like. It's becoming like that.
Further, when the detection circuit 7 detects a coordinate value for each of the X and Y coordinates, it supplies a signal to the drive circuit 6 in order to stop further scanning in each direction.

In the above configuration, the display surface 2 of the display device 2 is now
Position the tip of your finger, pen tip, etc. at the desired position of a, confirm visually that this position is accurate, and press the transparent panel 3 with your finger tip, pen tip, etc. to indicate this coordinate value. The push button switch 4 is operated with a click sensation, and the drive circuit 6 causes the coordinate input device 2 to start scanning and performs a scanning detection control operation, whereby the designated coordinates are detected by the detection circuit 7. As a result, appropriate processing is performed on the computer, and on the display screen 2a,
The cursor moves, the desired value is written,
The display screen is designed to switch. When one input is completed, by releasing the pressing force from the fingertip, pen tip, etc., the transparent panel 3 is restored to its original state by the spring force built into the push button switch 4, and the push button switch 4 is turned off. is now in the OFF state. Therefore, after this, place your fingertips etc. on the transparent panel 3.
The next coordinate value can be input by sliding the transparent panel 3 at the desired position, making continuous input easy, and checking the accuracy of the indicated location visually before inputting the coordinates. Therefore, the input coordinates are accurate.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the push button switch 4 is shown as the switching element, but it can be replaced with other appropriate means, and the coordinate input device 5 and the transparent panel 3 may be integrated. In such a case, it may be possible to operate a switch to perform scanning only for an appropriate number of seconds.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, in a photoelectric touch panel input device that has various advantages, it is possible to position a pointer such as a fingertip at a desired coordinate value, and then confirm this position and input coordinates. Therefore, input operations are reliable and easy, and since scanning is performed only when necessary, power consumption can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, by repeating the movement and pressing of the fingertip, etc., input can be made only at the necessary points without removing the fingertip from the transparent panel, which has great effects such as making continuous input easier and more reliable.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings all relate to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a main part, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A--A in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram. 1...Casing, 2...Display device, 2a...
Display surface, 3...Transparent panel, 4...Push button switch (switching means), 5...Coordinate input device, 5b
...Light emitting element, 5c... Light receiving element, 6... Drive circuit, 7... Detection circuit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A display surface that is visually viewed by an operator; a plurality of light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements arranged on four sides of the display surface to form a coordinate detection optical path; and the light-emitting element and light-receiving element. Scanning detection control that sequentially puts into operation state and sequentially forms coordinate detection optical paths, and outputs detected coordinate data indicating the position of the coordinates of the coordinate detection optical paths that are blocked by the operation light shielding object operated by the operator. a detection control means for performing an operation; a transparent panel disposed between the display surface and the coordinate detection optical path and receiving a pressing force generated in conjunction with a light shielding operation of blocking light with the scanning light shield; 1. A touch panel input device comprising: switching means for setting the detection control means in a scan detection control operating state by supplying a pressing operation detection signal generated by the touch to the detection control means. 2. In the touch panel input device according to claim 1, the scanning detection control operation sequentially operates the light emitting element and the light receiving element in accordance with a pressing operation detection signal from the switching means to perform scanning control. A touch panel input device configured to initiate a touch panel input device. 3. The touch panel input device according to claim 1, wherein the transparent panel is made of a translucent material for preventing eye fatigue.