JP2000172408A - Input device for equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable even a visually handicapped person to input through a touch panel. SOLUTION: When the touch panel 1 is pressed with a finger cap 7 put on a finger tip 8, the coordinate signal of the pressed key 2 is inputted to an input conversion part 3 and converted into an operation kind signal according to operation kind information on the key stored in an information storage part 4. This operation kind signal is converted by a Braille conversion part 5 into a Braille matrix signal, which is transmitted by radio from a radio transfer part 6. The finger cap 8 receives this Braille matrix signal and forms a three-dimensional pattern in itself. The operator traces the Braille pattern with the finger tip 8 to sense the operation kind of the key 2. Consequently, even a visually handicapped person is able to input through the touch panel.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine, a multimedia information terminal, and a service terminal (C) of a financial institution.
D, ATM), and more particularly to an input device provided for the visually impaired.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A touch panel is widely used as an input device for the above-mentioned applications. However, a normal touch panel requires key selection by visual confirmation. Therefore, in order to enable such a touch panel to be operated even by a visually impaired person, a Braille forming unit is provided corresponding to a key position on the surface of the touch panel (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 8-221205).
Set a braille plate (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-329314).
No.) is proposed.

[0003]

On the other hand, recently, a lot of research on virtual reality (VR, virtual reality) has been conducted, and attention has been paid to a simulator using a virtual environment formed by the virtual environment and a human-machine interface. ing. An object of the present invention is to configure an input device that enables a visually handicapped person to obtain a more convenient and realistic operation feeling.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for performing an operation input using a touch panel, wherein an operation type corresponding to each key of the touch panel is provided inside a finger cap attached to a fingertip of an operator or on a surface of the touch panel. By generating a three-dimensional Braille pattern on the upper surface of a slidably provided slider and reading the operation type from the tactile sensation of the Braille pattern, even a visually impaired person can operate the touch panel.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention according to claim 1. In FIG. 1, when an arbitrary key 2 of a touch panel 1 serving as an input unit of a device main body (not shown) is touched, a coordinate signal of the key 2 is output from the touch panel 1, and the coordinate signal is input to an input conversion unit 3. You. When the coordinate signal is input, the input conversion unit 3 determines, based on the operation type (what kind of key) information of the key 2 stored in the information storage unit 4 in advance corresponding to the coordinate position of the key 2. The coordinate signal is converted into an operation type signal and output.
This operation type signal is further input to the Braille conversion unit 5, where it is converted into a character signal (Braille matrix signal) for displaying the operation type in a braille pattern.

[0006] The Braille matrix signal is transmitted to the radio transfer unit 6.
Is sent to the finger cap 7 wirelessly from here.
Here, the finger cap 7 is an actuator mounted on the fingertip 8 of the operator, and the touch panel 1 is
While the finger cap 7 is in contact with the wireless transfer unit 6
, And generates an operation type of the key 2 in a three-dimensional braille pattern inside the matrix signal. Therefore, the operator can feel the Braille pattern with the fingertip 8 and recognize the operation type as if the fingertip 8 reads the virtual Braille pattern of the key 2.
Then, when the target key 2 is reached, the user can specify the key 2 and perform an input operation by pressing, for example, a push button (not shown) with another hand. The braille pattern can be kanji, kana, or pictograms in addition to normal braille.

FIG. 2 shows a main part of the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a slider 9 is provided in place of the finger cap 7 so that the surface of the touch panel 1 can be slid forward, backward, left and right. This slider 9
Receives a Braille matrix signal corresponding to the key 2 of the touch panel 1 pressed on the bottom surface thereof from the wireless transfer unit 6 (FIG. 1), and generates a three-dimensional Braille pattern 9a on the top surface thereof, which indicates the type of key operation. I do. The braille pattern 9a is generated by, for example, vertically moving a pin by a piezoelectric element. The operator traces the braille pattern 9 a with the fingertip 8 to recognize the operation type of the key 2. When the individual carries the above-mentioned finger cap 7 and slider 9 with a dedicated one, and the operation type of the key 2 is used for a normal touch panel 1 displayed with characters or images, the touch panel 1 becomes invisible. It can be shared by free and healthy people. Of course, a touch panel for a healthy person may be separately provided side by side, and in any case, the visually impaired person and the healthy person can operate the same device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, while the screen operation information of the personal computer 10A having the touch panel 1A on the screen is generated on the finger cap 7A as a braille pattern,
The operation information is transmitted to another personal computer 10B connected to a network such as a LAN or a WAN. Thus, one personal computer 10A having the finger cap 7A is used as an encoder, and the other personal computer 10B having the finger cap 7B is used as an encoder.
As a decoder, transmits the information obtained by the finger cap 7A to the remote finger cap 7B, regardless of whether it is synchronous or asynchronous,
You can treat a remote PC as if you were operating it remotely.

[0009]

As described above, according to the present invention, the operation information corresponding to the coordinate position of the touch panel is touched to the fingertip of the operator, so that even the visually impaired can operate the input device using the touch panel. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a different embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Touch panel 2 key 7 Finger cap 8 Fingertip 9 Slider 10A PC 10B PC

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Atsuyuki Ota 1-1, Tanabe Nitta, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture F-term in Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. 5B020 BB10 DD04 DD30 FF51 GG01 GG11 KK14 5B087 AA10 AB02 AB12 AE00 BC06 BC12 CC01 CC15 CC17 DG02 DJ01

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for performing an operation input using a touch panel, comprising: an information storage unit storing operation type information of each key corresponding to a coordinate position of each key of the touch panel; An input conversion unit that converts a coordinate signal into an operation type signal based on operation type information in the information storage unit; a braille conversion unit that converts the operation type signal from the input conversion unit into a braille matrix signal; A wireless transfer unit that wirelessly transmits the Braille matrix signal from the unit; and a key operation type attached to the fingertip of an operator of the touch panel, receiving the Braille matrix signal from the wireless transfer unit and sending the Braille matrix signal to the fingertip. And a finger cap for generating a three-dimensional braille pattern for touching the device. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a slider capable of sliding back and forth and left and right on the surface of the touch panel in place of the finger cap. 2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the input device generates a three-dimensional braille pattern indicating an operation type. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the touch panel is installed on a personal computer screen, and the Braille matrix signal is transmitted to another personal computer connected via a network. Input device. 4. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the finger cap or the slider is provided exclusively for each individual. 5. A touch panel according to claim 1, wherein another touch panel displaying the type of operation of the key as characters or images is provided at each key position.
An input device for an apparatus according to claim 1.