JP2000259351A - Touch screen device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a touch screen device which can shorten time required for scanning all rows (or columns) even if the number of rows and the number of columns in a matrix constituted by a physical switch are increased. SOLUTION: A logic switch management table 21 where corresponding rows Y0, Y1... and columns X0, X1... are stored on logic switches that are set on a touch screen 5 and a row management table 22 storing the setting situations of the logic switches in the units of the respective rows Y0, Y1... of the touch screen 5 based on the stored content are installed. A control circuit 1 makes a selection circuit 3 collectively select the rows where the setting situations of the logic switches are similar in accordance with the storage content of the row management table 22.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a touch screen device (touch panel), and more particularly, to a touch screen device capable of shortening the time required for detecting a pointing position thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A touch screen device is a device for performing an external input by directly touching and pressing an area such as a button displayed on a display screen (screen) with a human finger or the like. However, generally, a resistive film method is often used. In this method, a transparent resistive film is superimposed on a screen, and a change in resistance when a finger or the like comes into contact with the resistive film and is pressed is detected.

In such a resistive touch screen device, individual areas divided in a matrix are configured as physical switches, and which part of the screen is pressed depending on which physical switch has changed resistance. A resistance matrix system configured to detect the temperature is used as various input devices and pointing devices.

[0004]

In the above-described resistance matrix type touch screen device, whether or not each physical switch arranged in a matrix is pressed is sequentially determined in units of rows (or columns) of the matrix. The pressed physical switch is specified by scanning and detecting whether or not the physical switch in the column (or row) at the time when a certain row (or column) is scanned is pressed. However, when the number of rows and columns of the matrix increases, the time required to sequentially scan all rows (or columns) becomes longer, and the response becomes slower from the viewpoint of the user. Occurs.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and even when the number of rows and columns of a matrix composed of physical switches is increased, all rows (or columns) are increased.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a touch screen device capable of shortening a time required for scanning an image.

[0006]

A touch screen device according to the present invention comprises: a touch screen in which physical switches for detecting a pressing force and outputting an ON signal are arranged in a matrix of a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; A selection circuit for selecting each row (or each column) of the screen, an ON signal detection circuit for detecting an ON signal output by a physical switch of each column (or each row) selected by the selection circuit, A physical switch that selects each row (or each column) of the touch screen and outputs an ON signal from the selected row (or column) and the column (or row) where the ON signal detection circuit has detected the ON signal. And a control circuit for specifying a logical switch associated with one or a plurality of physical switches continuous in a row direction and / or a column direction. Are, the control circuit is characterized in that setting status of the logical switch are no so as to select the selection circuit collectively the same row (or each column).

In such a touch screen device of the present invention, the selection circuit collectively selects the rows (or columns) having the same setting status of the logical switch set on the touch screen. The number of (or column) selections is reduced.

Further, in the touch screen device according to the present invention, in the above-mentioned invention, further, a first storage means for storing a row and a column corresponding to each of the logical switches, and a storage content of the first storage means. And a second storage unit for storing a setting state of a logical switch for each row (or each column) of the touch screen.

In such a touch screen device of the present invention, a row and a column corresponding to the logical switches set on the touch screen are stored in the first storage means, and the first storage means is provided. The setting status of the logical switch is stored in the second storage means for each row (or each column) of the touch screen based on the storage content of the touch screen, and the control circuit operates the logical switch in accordance with the storage content of the second storage means. Since the setting circuit makes the selection circuit collectively select the same row (or column), even if the logical switch is set arbitrarily, it is possible to cope with each setting.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings showing the embodiments. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a touch screen device according to the present invention.

The control circuit 1 is a control circuit such as a CPU for controlling the entire system, and is connected to a table memory 2. As will be described later, the table memory 2 stores two tables, a logical switch management table 21 as a first storage unit and a row management table 22 as a second storage unit.

The control circuit 1 also includes a row selection circuit 3 and a bus B1.
, And are connected to a column detection circuit 4 as an ON signal detection circuit via a bus B2. Reference numeral 5 denotes a touch screen. In the present embodiment, physical switches are arranged in a matrix of 9 rows × 16 columns. The screen of the display 6 exists below the touch screen 5.

The above-mentioned row selection circuit 3 is provided with a bus
This is a circuit for decoding the scan signal output to B1 by the decoder 31 and sequentially selecting and scanning each row of Y0 to Y8 of the touch screen 5. The column detection circuit 4 encodes the ON signal output from each of the columns X0 to X15 of the touch screen 5 by the encoder 41 and outputs the signal to the bus B2, so that the control circuit 1 can output the ON signal from any of the columns X0 to X15. Is a circuit for reading whether or not is output.
Therefore, a certain row, for example, the third row (Y
In the state where 2) is selected, when the column detection circuit 4 reads that a certain column, for example, the fourth column (X3) is in the ON state, the physical switches indicated by hatching in FIG. Is pressed to output an ON signal.

The table memory 2 stores two tables, a logical switch management table 21 and a row management table 22. The logical switch management table 21 stores physical switches arranged on the touch screen 5 and switches (hereinafter, referred to as logical switches) displayed on the screen of the display 6 located below the touch screen 5. This is a memory for storing the correspondence in the form of a table.

For example, assume that the logical switches LS1 to LS4 are displayed on the screen of the display 6 as shown in FIG. In this case, the correspondence between each logical switch LS1 to LS4 and the physical switch is such that the logical switch LS1 has the 11th column (X10) to the 11th column (X10) of the second row (Y1) to the fourth row (Y3) of the physical switch. Fourteen columns (X13) correspond, and the logical switch LS2 has the seventh row (Y6) and the eighth row (Y
7) correspond to the fourth column (X3) to the seventh column (X6), and the logical switch LS3 has the seventh row (Y6) and the eighth row (Y6) of the physical switch.
The tenth column (X9) and the eleventh column (X10) of (7) correspond to each other, and the logical switch LS4 has the seventh row (Y6) and the eighth row of the physical switch.
The 13th column (X12) and the 14th column (X13) of (Y7) correspond to each other.

Therefore, as shown in the schematic diagram of FIG.
Y1-Y3, X10-X13 corresponding to LS1, Y6-Y7, X3-X6 corresponding to logical switch LS2, and logical switch LS3 corresponding to LS2.
Y6-Y7, X9-X10 correspond to logical switch LS4,
X12-X13 are respectively stored.

When the correspondence between each of the logical switches LS1 to LS4 and each physical switch is stored in the logical switch management table 21, the control circuit 1 checks the arrangement state of the logical switches for each row of the touch screen 5. . In the example shown in FIG. 1, the first row (Y0) is LS0 (LS0
Indicates that there are no logical switches.)
But the second row (Y1) is LS1, the third row (Y2) is LS1,
(Y3) is LS1, 5th row (Y4) is LS0, 6th row (Y5) is LS0
However, the seventh row (Y6) is LS2, LS3, LS4, and the eighth row (Y7) is LS2, LS2, LS3, LS4.
LS3 and LS4 are arranged, and LS0 is arranged in the ninth row (Y8).

The control circuit 1 uses the row management table 22 whose contents are shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. Remember. That is, the first, fifth, sixth, and ninth rows in which no logical switch is disposed are defined as one row management unit U1, and the second, third, and fourth rows in which only the logical switch LS1 is disposed are defined as one row. A logical switch LS2, LS3, LS4 is arranged as one row management unit U2.
And the eighth row are managed as one row management unit U3.

The operation of the touch screen device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, as described above, the logical switch is set (step S11), and the logical switch management table is set.
21 is generated (Step S12), and a row management table 22 is generated (Step S13).

When the row management table 22 is generated in this way, the control circuit 1 firstly controls the first row management unit U1 of the row management unit U1 in which the logical switch is not arranged in the row selection circuit 3 according to the contents stored in the row management table 22. , 5th, 6th, and 9th rows are output to the bus B1 with a scan signal for collectively selecting the rows.
(Step S14) The ON signal is read by the column detection circuit 4, and the result is input from the bus B2 (Step S15).
When an ON signal is detected, processing corresponding to the logical switch set in the row and column is executed.
(Step S16).

Similarly, the control circuit 1 sets the row management table
According to the storage contents of 22, the logic switch LS is
A scan signal for collectively selecting the second, third and fourth rows of the row management unit U2 in which only
The signal is output to B1, the ON signal is read by the column detection circuit 4, and the result is input from the bus B2. Then, when an ON signal is detected, processing corresponding to the logical switch set in the row and column is executed. Next, the control circuit 1
Is the row selection circuit 3 according to the storage contents of the row management table 22.
A scan signal for collectively selecting the seventh and eighth rows of the row management unit U3 where the logical switches LS2, LS3, LS4 are arranged is output to the bus B1, and the ON signal is read by the column detection circuit 4. And input the result from the bus B2. Then, when an ON signal is detected, processing corresponding to the logical switch set in the row and column is executed.

One scan of the entire touch screen 5 is completed by the above three scans. In the present embodiment, nine rows necessary for sequentially scanning all rows are individually scanned. Only one third of the time is required.

In the above-described embodiment, the touch screen 5 is constituted by 9 rows × 16 columns, but this is only for convenience of explanation and is not limited to this. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the signal of each column is read after selecting the row of the touch screen 5, but it goes without saying that the signal of each row may be read after selecting the column. .

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the touch screen 5 is provided with a physical switch of a resistive film type. However, the present invention is similarly applicable to a case where a physical switch of a capacitance type is provided. Needless to say.

[0026]

As described above in detail, according to the touch screen device of the present invention, when scanning each row of the touch screen in which physical switches are arranged in a matrix, when the logical switches are not arranged, Since the same logical switch arrangement status is included, the same line is scanned all at once, so the time required for one scan is reduced compared to the conventional method in which all lines are scanned sequentially. The reaction speed is improved.

According to the touch screen device of the present invention, rows and columns corresponding to the logical switches set on the touch screen are stored in the first storage means. The setting status of the logical switch is stored in the second storage means for each row (or each column) of the touch screen based on the storage content of the touch screen, and the control circuit operates the logical switch in accordance with the storage content of the second storage means. Is set so that the selection circuit collectively selects the same row (or column), so that even if the logical switch is arbitrarily set, each setting can be handled.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a touch screen device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing contents of a logical switch management table of the touch screen device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of a row management table of the touch screen device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of the touch screen device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control circuit 21 Logical switch management table 22 Row management table 3 Row selection circuit 4 Column detection circuit 5 Touch screen 6 Display LS1, LS2, LS3, LS4 Logical switch Y0, Y1 ... Row X0, X1 ... Column

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A touch screen in which physical switches for detecting a pressing force and outputting an ON signal are arranged in a matrix of a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, and a selection circuit for selecting each row (or each column) of the touch screen. An ON signal detection circuit that detects an ON signal output by a physical switch of each column (or each row) selected by the selection circuit; and causes the selection circuit to select each row (or each column) of the touch screen. A touch screen device comprising: a control circuit that specifies a physical switch that outputs an ON signal from a selected row (or column) and a column (or row) where the ON signal detection circuit has detected an ON signal. A logical switch associated with one or a plurality of continuous physical switches in a row direction and / or a column direction is set in the touch screen; , A touch screen apparatus characterized by setting status of the logical switch are no so as to select the selection circuit collectively the same row (or each column). 2. A first storage unit storing a row and a column corresponding to each of the logical switches, and a unit of each row (or each column) of the touch screen based on the storage content of the first storage unit. 2. The touch screen device according to claim 1, further comprising a second storage unit configured to store a setting status of the logical switch.