JP2009134408A - Optical touch-panel input device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical touch-panel input device capable of neglecting input indicated by an object other than a finger (e.g., shirt sleeve) as an input error. <P>SOLUTION: In the optical touch-panel input device, X and Y scanning optical paths 106, 107 are formed in a matrix shape. The optical touch-panel input device has an indicated position detection means for detecting an indicated input position indicated by a finger or the like on an optical touch panel 1 as a control unit 3 drives and scans a light emission element array 11 and a light receiving element 12 along an X-axis and a light emission element array 13 and a light receiving element array 15 along a Y-axis, and a light blocking position storage means for storing, in a RAM 33 according to the detection output of the indicated position detection means, the light-blocking position information of the X and Y scanning optical paths 106, 107 where light is continuously blocked. The control unit 3 counts the number of the blocked X and Y scanning optical paths 106, 107 and determines whether or not at least one of the counts is not less than a specified number K (e.g., K=4); if it is determined to be not less than the specified number, the light blocking position information stored in the RAM 33 is cleared by the light blocking position storage means, a determination is made that there has been an input made with a foreign material, and the input is neglected. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical touch panel input device used as an input device for an automatic teller machine at a financial institution or an input device for a ticket vending machine at a station, particularly for foreign matters other than fingers (for example, shirt sleeves). The present invention relates to an input device in which when an input is instructed, this is ignored (or invalidated) as an erroneous input.

Conventionally, this type of optical touch panel input device has been disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-82419 (Patent Document 1, page 2, FIG. 1), touch input determination circuit, touch control circuit, X axis, A Y-axis light emitting element array, an X-axis, a Y-bearing optical element array, and an X-axis and Y-axis coordinate determination circuit were provided and operated as follows.
That is, the X-axis and Y-axis coordinate determination circuit determines whether a plurality of lights are continuously blocked by touch input of a finger or the like based on the output of the X-axis and Y-bearing optical element arrays, or there is no touch input. If the touch control circuit decodes the coordinate data in the X-axis and Y-axis directions based on the determination of the X-axis and Y-axis coordinate determination circuit, and touch input is performed with a finger or the like, touch the finger or the like Detect input coordinates. At this time, the touch input determination circuit determines whether or not a finger or the like has once left after the touch input until the next touch input based on the X-axis coordinate data from the X-axis coordinate determination circuit. And the like, the next touch input is invalidated, and the touch control circuit invalidates the next touch input coordinate based on the determination of the touch input determination circuit.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-82419

However, in the above-described conventional example, the X-axis and Y-axis coordinate determination circuit determines whether a plurality of lights are continuously blocked by a touch input such as a finger based on the output of the X-axis and Y-bearing optical element arrays, The touch input determination circuit does not invalidate the touch input coordinates when the finger or the like is once separated between the touch input and the next touch input. When a plurality of lights are continuously interrupted, there is a possibility that the input becomes effective and malfunctions.
That is, in the above-described conventional example, the coordinates of the center are output as a touch input if the object is continuously shielded regardless of the size of the shield, so as shown in FIG. When the X scanning optical path 106 of five consecutive light receiving elements among the plurality of (for example, 45) light receiving elements 102 arranged in the X-axis direction of the touch panel 1 is shielded by 101, Since the X coordinate information corresponding to the light receiving element 102 was output, there was a risk of malfunction.

  In addition, there is a problem that an input error occurs in the case of two-point touch such as when one of a shirt sleeve and a finger is in a touch input state and the other is touch input.

  3, reference numeral 103 denotes a plurality of (for example, 34) light receiving elements arranged along the Y-axis direction of the touch panel 1, and 104 and 105 denote a plurality of (for example, 45) along the X-axis and Y-axis directions of the touch panel 1, respectively. 34), each pair of the light emitting element 104 and the light receiving element 102, each pair of the light emitting element 105 and the light receiving element 103 is directed to the X scanning optical path 106 directed in the X axis direction, and directed to the Y axis direction. A Y scanning optical path 107 is formed. Reference numeral 108 denotes a finger shielding one X, Y scanning optical path.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and when an input is instructed by a foreign object other than a finger (for example, a shirt sleeve), this is ignored (or invalidated) as an erroneous input, and as necessary. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical touch panel input device that can notify that there is a foreign object.

  The invention according to claim 1 includes a touch panel disposed on the display unit and a control unit that controls the touch panel, and the touch panel forms a plurality of X scanning optical paths at predetermined intervals in the X-axis direction. An X-axis light-emitting element array and an X-bearing optical element array; and a Y-axis light-emitting element array and a Y-bearing optical element array that form a plurality of Y-scanning optical paths at predetermined intervals in the Y-axis direction, An indication position detection means for sequentially driving and scanning the X-axis light emitting element row and the X-bearing optical element row and the Y-axis light emitting element row and the Y-bearing optical element row to detect an instruction input position by a finger or the like to the touch panel; An optical system comprising light shielding position storage means for recording information on the start and end positions of the X and Y scanning optical paths that are continuously shielded by an instruction input by a finger or the like to the touch panel based on the detection output of the designated position detection means. With touch panel A light-blocking optical path number counting unit that counts the number of X and Y scanning optical paths that are continuously shielded based on the light-shielding position information stored in the light-shielding position storage unit; Determining means for determining whether at least one of the number of X and Y scanning light paths by the number of light-shielding optical path counts is greater than or equal to a predetermined number K (K is an integer equal to or greater than 2); And clearing means for clearing the light shielding position information stored in the light shielding position storage means when it is determined that at least one of the number of Y scanning optical paths is a specified number K or more.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, when the control unit clears the light-shielding position information stored in the light-shielding position storage unit, the foreign matter input that outputs information indicating the presence of foreign matter input. An information output means is provided.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the control unit includes a light shielding optical path number counting unit, a determination unit, and a clearing unit, and clears when at least one of the number of X and Y scanning optical paths by the light shielding optical path number counting unit is a specified number K or more. Since the light-shielding position information stored in the light-shielding position storage means is cleared by the means, it corresponds to the number of scanning light paths (for example, 4 or 5 or more) that are continuously shielded by foreign substances other than fingers (for example, shirt sleeves). Thus, by setting the prescribed number K (for example, K = 4 or 5), it is possible to prevent the indication position information from a foreign substance other than the finger from being output to the information processing apparatus (for example, the host computer), that is, to the information processing apparatus. Erroneous input can be prevented.
Also, in the case of two-point touch, such as when one of the fingers and one of the foreign objects other than the fingers (for example, shirt sleeve) is in the touched state, the input by the foreign object other than the fingers can be output as coordinates. Can be ignored and only the input by the finger can be output as coordinates.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, when the control unit includes foreign matter input information output means and the light shielding position information stored in the light shielding position storage means is cleared by the clearing means, the foreign matter input is performed. Since the presence information is output, it can be output to the information processing apparatus and the operator of the apparatus can be notified of the presence of foreign matter input.

  1 to 3 show an embodiment of an optical touch panel input device according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is an optical touch panel, 2 is a liquid crystal display panel as an example of a display unit, and 3 is a control unit. is there.

The optical touch panel 1 is disposed on a liquid crystal display panel 2 (for example, a 15-inch liquid crystal display panel) through a transparent protective plate (not shown), and the input operation area faces the display area of the liquid crystal display panel 2. It is positioned and accommodated in (not shown).
As shown in FIG. 3, the optical touch panel 1 has a plurality (for example, 45) arranged at equal intervals (for example, 6.6 mm intervals) along the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction orthogonal to each other around the input operation area. A plurality of light emitting elements 104 and light receiving elements 102, and a plurality of (for example, 34) light emitting elements 105 and light receiving elements 103. The pair of light emitting elements 104 and light receiving elements 102 form an X scanning optical path 106, The light emitting element 105 and the light receiving element 103 forming a pair form a Y scanning optical path 107.
The light emitting elements 104 and 105 shown in FIG. 3 are formed of LEDs (light emitting diodes), and the light receiving elements 102 and 103 are formed of Ptr (phototransistor).
As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of light emitting elements 104 and light receiving elements 102 form an LED X axis 11 as an X axis light emitting element array and a Ptr X axis 12 as an X bearing optical element array, respectively. The light emitting element 105 and the light receiving element 103 form an LED Y axis 13 as a Y axis light emitting element array and a Ptr Y axis 15 as a Y bearing optical element array, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 3 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 31, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 32 coupled to the CPU 31, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 33, and a Ptr multiplexer 35. LED multiplexer 36, D / A (digital / analog) converter 37, A / D (analog / digital) converter 38 and driver / receiver 39, constant current circuit 41, integrating circuit 42 and E ² PROM (electrically) -An erasable programmable ROM) 43.
The driver / receiver 39 is coupled to the host computer 6 via a serial I / F (interface) 5.

The CPU 31, ROM 32, RAM 33, D / A converter 37 and A / D converter 38 are constituted by a microprocessor 45, and an E ² PROM 43 is coupled to the microprocessor 45.
In the ROM 32, the CPU 31 sequentially drives and scans the LED X-axis 11, the Ptr X-axis 12, the LED Y-axis 13, and the Ptr Y-axis 15 at a predetermined scanning speed (for example, 25 ms / frame). Of the input position of the scanning optical path that is continuously shielded by the instruction input by the finger or the like to the optical touch panel 1 based on the detection output. A program for performing processing for storing information in a predetermined area of the RAM 33 (light shielding position storage processing) is stored.

  In the ROM 32, the CPU 31 further counts the number of X and Y scanning optical paths that are continuously shielded based on the start position and end position information (that is, the light shielding position information) stored in the RAM 33 in the light shielding position storage process. (Light-shielding optical path number counting process), a process for determining whether at least one of the counted X, Y scanning optical path numbers is equal to or greater than a predetermined number (when K = 4), A process of clearing the light shielding position information stored in the RAM 33 by the light shielding position storage means when at least one of the number of X, Y scanning optical paths continuously shielded in the judgment process is determined to be 4 or more; Based on the light shielding position information stored in the RAM 33 in the light shielding position storage process when it is determined that the number of X and Y scanning light paths continuously shielded in the judgment process is less than the prescribed number 4. When the light shielding position information stored in the RAM 33 is cleared by the process of calculating and outputting the designated position information (designated position output process) and the light shielding position storage process by the clearing process, A program for performing processing (foreign matter input information output processing) to be output to the host computer 6 via the receiver 39 and the serial I / F 5 is stored.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation, which is repeatedly performed for each scan during the power-on period.
First, in step S1, the CPU 31 sets a pair of the light-emitting element 104 of the LED X-axis 11 and the light-receiving element 102 of the Ptr X-axis 12 and the pair of the LED Y-axis 13 based on the program in the ROM 32. The light emitting element 105 and the light receiving element 103 of the Ptr Y axis 15 are sequentially driven and scanned to emit and receive light.

In the light emission / light reception by the sequential drive scanning, the CPU 31 outputs a scanning signal for sequentially operating the light emitting element 104 of the LED X axis 11 and the light emitting element 105 of the LED Y axis 13 via the LED multiplexer 36 and the constant current circuit 41. The CPU 31 outputs a scanning signal for sequentially operating the light receiving element 102 of the Ptr X axis 12 and the light receiving element 103 of the Ptr Y axis 15 through the Ptr multiplexer 35.
At this time, the drive current that sequentially flows through the light emitting element 104 of the LED X axis 11 and the light emitting element 105 of the LED Y axis 13 is controlled by a control signal input from the CPU 31 to the constant current circuit 41 via the D / A converter 37. Is controlled.
In addition, since the light receiving signals (voltages) sequentially output from the light receiving element 102 of the Ptr X axis 12 and the light receiving element 103 of the Ptr Y axis 15 are input to the CPU 31 via the integration circuit 42 and the A / D converter 38, In step S2, the CPU 31 determines whether or not the X scanning optical path 106 and the Y scanning optical path 107 are shielded by an instruction input with a finger or the like based on the sequentially received light reception signals. The X and Y coordinate position information shown is temporarily stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 33, the instruction input position is detected, the process proceeds to step S3, and if there is no light shielding, the process returns to step S1.

  In step S3, the CPU 31 is continuously shielded from light by the instruction input by the finger or the like to the optical touch panel 1 based on the position information of the X and Y coordinates temporarily stored in the RAM 33 in step S2. Information on the start and end positions of the scanning optical paths 106 and 107 is stored in the corresponding area of the RAM 33, and the process proceeds to step S4.

  In step S4, the CPU 31 is continuously shielded from light by an instruction input by a finger or the like to the optical touch panel 1 based on the start position and end position information (that is, the light shielding position information) stored in the RAM 33 in step S3. The number of X, Y scanning optical paths 106 and 107 is calculated and stored in the corresponding area of the RAM 33, and the process proceeds to step S5.

In step S5, the CPU 31 determines whether or not at least one of the numbers of X and Y light-shielding scanning optical paths stored in the RAM 33 in step S4 is equal to or greater than a specified value 4 (when K = 4).
When the five consecutive X scanning optical paths 106 are blocked by a foreign substance other than a finger, such as a shirt sleeve 101, as indicated by reference numeral 101 in FIG. 3, the number of light shielding optical paths in the X-axis direction is a specified number. Since the number is 4 or more, the “specified number K or more?” Becomes “YES”, and the process proceeds to step S6.
When one X-scanning optical path 106 and Y-scanning optical path 107 are shielded by a finger 108 as indicated by reference numeral 108 in FIG. 3, the number of shielded optical paths in the X and Y axis directions is both less than the prescribed number 4. Therefore, “No more than the specified number K?” Becomes “NO”, and the process proceeds to the normal process of step S7.

  In step S6, the CPU 31 determines that a foreign object is input, clears the information on the light shielding start position and the light shielding end position (light shielding position information) stored in the RAM 33, ignores the input as having a foreign object input, and has the foreign object input. Is output to the host computer 6 via the driver / receiver 39 and the serious I / F 5 to notify the presence of a foreign object, and the process returns to step S1.

    In step S7, the CPU 31 indicates the light shielding position information (position information corresponding to one X scanning light path 106 and Y scanning light path 107 shielded by the finger 108 in FIG. 3) stored in the RAM 33. Information is output to the host computer 6 via the driver / receiver 39 and the serious I / F 5, and the process returns to step S1.

  In addition, as described above, since the input of a foreign object other than a finger is ignored, in the case of two-point touch where the finger and the shirt sleeve are in a touch state almost simultaneously, one of the finger and the shirt sleeve is in a touch state. In the case of a two-point touch such as when the other inputs at a certain time (limited to the case where the time interval from one input to the other is one scanning period (for example, 25 milliseconds) or more) The input by the sleeve of the shirt can be ignored and the input by the finger can be validated.

  The host computer 6 controls the display of the liquid crystal display panel 2 by outputting a predetermined display control signal to a display driver (not shown). When the instruction position information indicating the instruction input position is input from the CPU 31 to the host computer 6, the host computer 6 displays a cursor in a display area corresponding to the instruction input position of the liquid crystal display panel 2 and detects the instruction input to the operator. Tell the detected input position

  In the above embodiment, the case where the specified number K for distinguishing between the finger and the foreign object is set to 4 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the specified number K is an integer other than 4 (2 or more). (Integer integer) can also be used. The prescribed number K is the distance between the light emitting elements 104 and 105 of the LED X axis 11 and the LED Y axis 13, the distance between the light receiving elements 102 and 103 of the Ptr X axis 12 and the Ptr Y axis 15, and the size of the finger and foreign matter. Is set to an integer equal to or greater than 2.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the control unit 3 of the optical touch panel input device and the host computer 6 are coupled via the driver / receiver 39 and the serial I / F 5 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1, the control unit 3 of the optical touch panel input device and the host computer 6 are also used when they are coupled via a USB (Universal Serial Bus) I / F 7. be able to.

  In the embodiment, the control unit 3 of the optical touch panel input device outputs the foreign matter input information output when the clearing means clears the light shielding position information stored in the RAM 33 by the light shielding position storage means. Although the case where the means is provided has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and can also be used in the case where the foreign matter input information output means is not provided.

It is a block diagram which shows one Example of the optical touch panel input device by this invention. It is a flowchart explaining operation | movement of the Example of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the optical touch panel 1 in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Optical touch panel 11 ... LED X-axis (an example of an X-axis light emitting element row | line | column)
12 ... Ptr X-axis (an example of an X-bearing optical element array)
13 ... LED Y-axis (an example of a Y-axis light emitting element array)
15 ... Ptr Y axis (an example of a Y-bearing optical element array)
101 ... Shirt sleeve (an example of a foreign object)
102, 103 ... light receiving element 104, 105 ... light emitting element 108 ... finger 2 ... liquid crystal display panel (an example of a display unit)
3 ... Control unit 31 ... CPU
32 ... ROM
33 ... RAM
5 ... Serial I / F
6 ... Host computer 7 ... USB I / F

Claims (2)

  A touch panel (1) disposed on the display unit (2) and a control unit (3) for controlling the touch panel (1) are provided, and the touch panel (1) has a plurality of X at predetermined intervals in the X-axis direction. An X-axis light emitting element array (11) and an X-bearing optical element array (12) that form a scanning optical path (106), and a Y-axis light emitting element that forms a plurality of Y scanning optical paths (107) at predetermined intervals in the Y-axis direction The control unit (3) includes an X-axis light-emitting element array (11), an X-bearing optical element array (12), a Y-axis light-emitting element array, and a Y-bearing. To the touch panel (1) based on the detection position detection means for detecting the instruction input position by the finger or the like to the touch panel (1) by sequentially driving and scanning the optical element array (15), and the detection output of the indication position detection means. X, Y scanning optical path (1 6, 107) is an optical touch panel input device comprising a light shielding position storage means for storing information on the start position and end position, and the control unit (3) stores the light shielding position information stored in the light shielding position storage means. Based on the above, at least one of the number of X, Y scanning optical paths by the light shielding optical path number counting means for counting the number of X, Y scanning optical paths (106, 107) that are continuously shielded is previously determined A determination unit that determines whether or not the set number K is equal to or greater than a specified number K (K is an integer equal to or greater than 2), and the determination unit determines that at least one of the number of light shielding X and Y scanning light paths is equal to or greater than the predetermined number K. An optical touch panel input device comprising: clearing means for clearing the light shielding position information stored in the light shielding position storage means when it is performed. The control unit (3) includes foreign matter input information output means for outputting information indicating the presence of foreign matter input when the clearing means clears the light shielding position information stored in the light shielding position storage means. Item 4. The optical touch panel input device according to Item 1.

Images