JP2014029712A - Touch tool system and program for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide means for causing an existing multi-touch pad to serve as a user-friendly man-machine interface without making particular modification to the multi-touch pad.SOLUTION: A touch tool system 1 includes input devices 12, a multi-touch panel 111 and a computer. The input devices 12 each display a different character among alphabets, hiragana, katakana and numerals, and have two or more contact parts on one surface. The positional relations between the contact parts are different from each other. The multi-touch panel 111 detects the position of each contact part of the input devices 12 touched. The computer executes processing corresponding to a word indicated by a character string displayed on the plural touched input devices 12 at the time of sequential or simultaneous touch to the multi-touch panel 111 using the plural input devices 12.

Description

  The present invention relates to a touch tool system that executes a predetermined process in response to a touch of an input device on a multi-touch pad, and a program therefor.

  A touch panel is a touch pad that detects the position of a display panel part of a display device such as a liquid crystal display and a pen-type input device called a finger or a stylus by pressing, touching, or approaching (hereinafter referred to as “touch”). This is a device in which a position input device is arranged in a layered manner.

According to the touch panel, the user can touch the displayed button to cause the computer to perform a process corresponding to the button, or to draw a line or a figure at the touched position. Input operation can be performed.

  In recent years, touch panels called multi-touch panels capable of simultaneously detecting multiple touches are becoming widespread. According to the multi-touch panel, for example, while the first finger and the second finger are simultaneously touched on the panel, the image displayed at the touched position can be enlarged by moving the fingers in the opening direction. Various input operations such as rotating and displaying an image displayed at a touched position by an operation of moving these fingers to rotate on the panel are possible.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, when a user performs a specific operation such as an operation of sliding on a panel in the shape of a hand holding a pen, input to the multi-touch panel by the specific operation. There has been proposed an apparatus that specifies what operation the user is performing from the positional relationship of the multiple points and the relationship of the magnitude of the pressing force, and performs processing according to the specified operation.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-242035

  As described above, a multi-touch pad (including a multi-touch panel which is a panel display provided with a multi-touch pad) has a variety of inputs compared to, for example, a single touch pad (a touch pad that detects only one touch position at a time). Since the operation can be transmitted to the computer, if an application program that instructs the computer to perform processing is displayed so that an appropriate response image is displayed for the data input by the user's operation, it functions as an extremely excellent man-machine interface. To do.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide means for causing a multi-touch pad to function as a more user-friendly man-machine interface without making any particular changes to such an existing multi-touch pad.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the first aspect of the touch tool system of the present invention touches a plurality of input devices having two or more contact portions on one surface and different positional relationships of the contact portions. A multi-touch pad that detects the position of each contact portion of the input device and a sequential or simultaneous touch of the plurality of input devices with respect to the multi-touch pad according to a combination of the touched input devices And a data processing device that executes processing.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the second aspect of the touch tool system of the present invention displays different letters, hiragana, katakana, or numbers, and has two or more contact portions on one side. A plurality of input devices each having a different positional relationship between the contact portions, a multi-touch pad for detecting a position of each contact portion of the touched input device, and a plurality of input devices sequentially or with respect to the multi-touch pad. And a data processing device that executes a process corresponding to a word indicated by a character array displayed on the plurality of touched input devices for simultaneous touch.

  As the processing, the data processing device may pronounce a word indicated by a character array displayed on the plurality of touched input devices.

Display of alphabet, hiragana, katakana or numbers for the input device
An aspect in which the shape of the input device represents the shape of the character, or printing of the character on the input device may be included.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a first aspect of the program of the present invention is a computer provided with a multi-touch pad, wherein a plurality of input devices each having a different positional relationship between two or more contact portions on one surface are the multi-touch pad. When the touch pad is touched sequentially or simultaneously, processing according to a combination of the touched input devices is executed.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a second aspect of the program of the present invention is a computer including a multi-touch pad, wherein each character of different alphabets, hiragana, katakana, or numbers is displayed, and two or more of them are on one side. When a plurality of input devices with different positional relations touch each other on the multi-touch pad sequentially or simultaneously, a process corresponding to the word indicated by the character array displayed on the touched input devices is executed. It is characterized by making it.

  The computer may be caused to pronounce the words indicated by the character arrangement displayed on the plurality of touched input devices as the process.

Display of alphabet, hiragana, katakana or numbers for the input device
An aspect in which the shape of the input device represents the shape of the character, or printing of the character on the input device may be included.

  According to the present invention, the multi-touch pad can be made to function as a more user-friendly man-machine interface without special changes to the existing multi-touch pad, and used as an educational material for language.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a touch tool system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an external view of an input device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the data structure of the processing DB stored in the storage unit of the computer according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing an image displayed on the multi-touch panel according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing an image displayed on the multi-touch panel according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an external view of an input device according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a touch tool system according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a touch tool system according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a touch tool system according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a touch tool system according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a touch tool system according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is an external view of an input device according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a touch tool system according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the structure of an input device according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 is an external view of an input device according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining a touch tool system according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining a touch tool system according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

[1. Embodiment]
A touch tool system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a system that realizes a pseudo microscope or the like. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of the touch tool system 1. The touch tool system 1 includes a tablet terminal 11 in which a multi-touch panel 111 and a computer 112 (not shown) connected to the multi-touch panel 111 are integrally housed in a flat housing, and a user inputs to the multi-touch panel 111. And an input device 12 which is a device for this purpose.

  As a multi-touch panel system, various systems such as a capacitive system, an optical sensor system, a resistive film system, an ultrasonic system, an infrared system, and a combination of them are put into practical use. As an example, the multi-touch panel 111 is assumed to employ a projected capacitive method.

  FIG. 2 is an external view of the input device 12 with the side facing the multi-touch panel 111 facing up when in use. The input device 12 has a predetermined shape on the cylindrical main body 121 and one end surface (upper surface in FIG. 2) perpendicular to the cylindrical axis of the main body 121 (that is, on the upper surface of the cylindrical wall of the main body 121). And three contact portions 122 arranged in a positional relationship.

At least the surfaces of the main body 121 and the contact portion 122 are made of a conductive material (for example, a conductive plastic such as metal or polyacetylene, a plastic mixed with metal fibers, or the like). Therefore, when the user holds the input device 12 with his bare hand and touches the multi-touch panel 111 on the side where the contact part 122 of the input device 12 is arranged, the contact part 122 among the transparent electrodes covering the surface of the multi-touch panel 111. A high-frequency current due to the capacitance of the finger (user's human body) flows through the electrode at the part touched by. The multi-touch panel 111 can identify which region on the multi-touch panel 111 is touched by each of the contact parts 122 by detecting the high-frequency current.

  The multi-touch panel 111 outputs touch area data indicating the specified touched area (hereinafter referred to as “touch area”) to the computer 112. At that time, a plurality of area data indicating the areas touched simultaneously are output in association with each other. When the computer 112 acquires the touch area data output from the multi-touch panel 111, the computer 112 performs a predetermined process (described later) according to the acquired touch area data.

  Note that the touch area data is a collection of coordinate data each indicating one or more points included in the touched area, for example. However, the format of the touch area data is not limited to the coordinate data group, and may be vector data, for example. The touch area data is an example of position data indicating at least one position.

  By the way, the input device 12 is prepared with a plurality of different positional relationships between the three contact portions 122 arranged. FIG. 2 illustrates an input device 12a for a microscope in FIG. 2 (a), and an input device 12b for a kaleidoscope in FIG. 2 (b). The input device 12a and the input device 12b have the same basic configuration, and only the positional relationship of the contact portion 122 is different.

A scope application that is a program according to the present invention is installed in the computer 112, and functions as a data processing apparatus including the following functional components by executing processing according to the scope application.
Storage unit: Stores various data.
Acquisition unit: Acquires touch area data output from the multi-touch panel 111.
Retrieval unit: retrieves data instructing the process to be executed by the process execution unit from the process DB (Database) stored in the storage unit based on the positional relationship of the three points indicated by the touch area data associated with each other. .
Process execution unit: executes a process according to the data searched by the search unit.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating the data structure of the processing DB stored in the storage unit of the computer 112. The processing DB is a collection of records corresponding to each of a plurality of input devices 12 having different arrangements of the contact parts 122, and each record includes data indicating the positional relationship of the three contact parts 122 of the corresponding input device 12. And a processing instruction field for storing a data group instructing a process to be executed by the computer 112 when the corresponding input device 12 is touched on the multi-touch panel 111.

  The operation of the touch tool system 1 will be described below. For example, when the user touches the multi-touch panel 111 with the input device 12a, the multi-touch panel 111 generates three touch area data respectively indicating areas where the three contact portions 122 of the input device 12a are touched, and generates the generated three touch areas. Data is output to the computer 112 in association with each other (to indicate that it indicates an area touched at the same time).

  When the acquisition unit of the computer 112 acquires the three touch area data associated with each other from the multi-touch panel 111, the acquisition unit hands it over to the search unit. The search unit calculates a representative point (for example, the center of gravity) of the area indicated by each of the transferred three touch area data according to a predetermined calculation formula, and uses the positional relationship specified by the calculated three representative points as a search key, A record including the data indicating the closest positional relationship from the processing DB in the positional relationship field is searched. In this case, it is assumed that the first record in the process DB shown in FIG. 3 is searched. The retrieval unit delivers the data group included in the processing instruction field of the retrieved record to the processing execution unit.

The process execution unit performs a process according to the instruction by the data group delivered from the search unit. In this case, the processing indicated by the data group is as follows.
(1) The sample list is displayed on the multi-touch panel 111.
(2) The same size image of the sample selected by the touch operation is displayed on the multi-touch panel 111.
(3) An enlarged image of a predetermined magnification (for example, 50 times) around the center of the circular area of the sample is displayed in a circular area (an area inside the main body 121) on the multi-touch panel 111 specified by the touch area data. .
(4-1) When new touch area data indicating that the touch area has moved in parallel is acquired, an enlarged image of the position of the sample after movement is displayed in the circular area specified by the touch area after movement.
(4-2) When new touch area data indicating that the touch area has been rotationally moved is acquired, an enlargement magnification is increased if rotated right, and an enlargement magnification is obtained if rotated left, according to the angle of rotation. An enlarged image with reduced is displayed in a circular area.

  As a result of the processing by the processing execution unit, the user can use the tablet terminal 11 as a pseudo microscope. That is, when the user touches the multi-touch panel 111 with the input device 12a, a list indicating the target samples that can be observed with a microscope is displayed on the multi-touch panel 111.

  When the user selects a sample to be observed from the list by touching with a finger or the like, the multi-touch panel 111 displays the same size image of the selected sample, and the circular area inside the input device 12a includes An enlarged image of the portion of the sample located in the circular area is displayed. By looking into the input device 12a, the user can see the same image as when the sample is observed with a microscope. 4 and 5 are diagrams schematically illustrating images displayed on the multi-touch panel 111 at that time.

  When the user slides the input device 12a while touching the multi-touch panel 111, or moves the input device 12a to another desired position of the sample by touching the input device 12a once again from the multi-touch panel 111, the input device after the movement An enlarged image of the sample at that position is displayed in the circular area inside 12a (FIG. 4).

  When the user rotates the input device 12a around a cylindrical axis while touching the multi-touch panel 111, or rotates the input device 12a once separated from the multi-touch panel 111 and then touches it again, the direction and angle of the rotation. An image of the sample enlarged or reduced to a magnification corresponding to is displayed in the inner region of the input device 12a (FIG. 5).

  Thus, the user can see the desired location of the sample to be observed at the desired magnification by touching the multi-touch panel 111 with the input device 12a and moving the input device 12a in parallel or rotating.

  Next, when the user touches the multi-touch panel 111 with the input device 12b instead of the input device 12a, the computer 112 follows the scope application and performs processing DB (FIG. 5) by a series of processes similar to those described above with respect to the input device 12a. The process according to the data group included in the process instruction field of the second record of 3) is executed.

  By touching the input device 12b, the user can use the tablet terminal 11 as a pseudo kaleidoscope. That is, when the user touches the multi-touch panel 111 with the input device 12 b, an image of a strip such as a bead or the like put in the barrel of the kaleidoscope is displayed on the multi-touch panel 111. When the user selects, with his / her finger, a desired number of strips to be placed in the lens barrel from those images, the strips are displayed in the circular area inside the input device 12b. An image that can be seen when looking through the kaleidoscope is displayed.

  Subsequently, when the user rotates the input device 12b to the right or left around the cylindrical axis, a kaleidoscope image that changes sequentially with the rolling movement of the strip in the lens barrel according to the direction and speed of the rotation is obtained. The video is displayed in a circular area inside the input device 12b.

In this way, the user touches the multi-touch panel 111 with the input device 12b, makes a pseudo kaleidoscope with a favorite strip, and then rotates the input device 12b to view the kaleidoscope. it can.

The above is the description of the configuration and operation of the touch tool system 1. In addition, although the touch tool system 1 mentioned above demonstrated as what implement | achieves a pseudo microscope and a kaleidoscope, the touch tool system 1 is made into various pseudo tools by changing the data stored in process DB variously. be able to. Examples of such pseudo tools include:
Telescope: An image seen through the night sky through the telescope is displayed in a circular area inside the input device 12. The observation location can be moved and the magnification can be changed in the same way as with a microscope.
Endoscope: An image when the inside of a human body is viewed with an endoscope is displayed in a circular area inside the input device 12. The observation location can be moved and the magnification can be changed in the same way as with a microscope. Alternatively, as the input device 12 rotates, the depth of observation in the human body (for example, when the chest is observed, which position is the chest to the back) may be changeable.

  In the touch tool system 1 described above, the input device 12 has a cylindrical shape. However, depending on the purpose, the input device 12 may have a cross-sectional shape other than the input device 12, such as a star-shaped cylindrical shape. It may be adopted as a shape.

[2. Modified example]
The above-described embodiments can be variously modified within the technical scope of the present invention. Some examples of these modifications are shown below. In the modification shown below, compared to the touch tool system 1 described above, the structure of the input device corresponding to the input device 12, the application program (hereinafter referred to as “app”) and processing corresponding to the scope app. The contents of the processing instruction data group read from the DB are different, and the other parts are common. Therefore, in the following description, the system of the modification will be described with a focus on differences from the touch tool system 1 described above. Moreover, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the thing which is common in the touch tool system 1 among the components with which the system of a modification is provided.

[2.1. First Modification]
In the touch tool system 2 according to the first modification, it is possible to electronically seal an electronic document. FIG. 6A is an external view of the input device 22 used in the touch tool system 2, and FIG. 6B is an example of the position of the contact portion 122 arranged on the touch surface of the input device 22. It is the figure shown by. The input device 22 has the shape of a seal as a whole, and a plurality of contact portions 122 arranged in the positional relationship shown in FIG. 6B are provided on the bottom surface (the surface pressed against the paper surface when used). It has been.

In the touch tool system 2, the tablet terminal 11 displays an image of the electronic document selected by the user on the multi-touch panel 111 according to the application. When the user touches the input device 22 at the position to be stamped on the image of the displayed electronic document, the computer 112 instructs the processing instruction corresponding to the positional relationship of the contact portion 122 of the input device 22 used for the stamping from the processing DB. For example, the following processing is performed according to the read processing instruction data group.
(1) The electronic document data is edited so that the seal impression image indicated by the image data included in the processing instruction data group is displayed at the position and direction where the input device 22 is touched on the image of the electronic document.
(2) A message digest of the data of the electronic document generated in (1) is generated using the encryption key included in the processing instruction data group.

  The data of the electronic document that has been subjected to the seal processing generated as described above is prohibited from being edited thereafter, and even if it is illegally edited, the illegal edit is detected based on the message digest. However, for example, a configuration in which the prohibition of editing is canceled by performing a touch operation with the input device 22 used again for the seal may be employed.

  According to the touch tool system 2, as shown in FIG. 7, the user can electronically seal an electronic document simply by touching the input device 22 to the multi-touch panel 111.

[2.2. Second Modification]
In the touch tool system 3 according to the second modification, for example, an input device 32 in which a miniature model imitating a famous building or ruins such as an Eiffel tower or a pyramid is attached on a pedestal is used. Instead of attaching the miniature model, images of buildings, ruins, and the like and characters indicating their names may be printed on the upper surface of the pedestal, for example. On the bottom surface of the pedestal, a plurality of contact portions 122 arranged in different positional relationships are provided in order to identify each of the same type of input devices 32.

In the touch tool system 3, the tablet terminal 11 displays, for example, a world map on the multi-touch panel 111 as a default image according to the application. For example, when the user places the input device 32 of the Eiffel Tower on the multi-touch panel 111, the computer 112 generates a processing instruction data group corresponding to the positional relationship of the contact portion 122 of the input device 32 placed on the multi-touch panel 111 from the processing DB. For example, the following processing is performed according to the read processing instruction data group.
(1) Coordinate data included in the processing instruction data group (in this case, the coordinates of the Eiffel Tower are indicated)
The aerial photograph data in the vicinity of is read, and the photographic image indicated by the read aerial photograph data is positioned and displayed with the touch position as the coordinates indicated by the coordinate data.
(2) The video data included in the processing instruction data group is reproduced, and guidance is provided with moving images / still images and audio.

  According to the touch tool system 3, as shown in FIG. 8, the user simply places the input device 32 of the famous spot on which the user wants to receive guidance on the multi-touch panel 111, and the geographical position of the famous spot and other information. Various information can be obtained.

  The touch tool system 3 described above can change its contents in various ways. For example, examples of such contents are described below.

  Cooking guide: By placing (or touching) the input device 32 to which a miniature model of food is attached on the multi-touch panel 111, guidance such as a cooking point of the food according to the input device 32 used can be obtained. When a plurality of different food input devices 32 are placed (or touched) on the multi-touch panel 111 sequentially or simultaneously, a list of dishes using the plurality of ingredients is displayed, and a list of dishes selected from the list is displayed. The recipe is guided.

  Language teaching materials: When the multi-touch panel 111 is touched with the input device 32 on which characters such as alphabets and “Aiueo” are printed, the pronunciation of the characters according to the input device 32 used and the display of words including the characters Is made. When a plurality of input devices 32 are touched sequentially or simultaneously, pronunciation and pronunciation of words including the plurality of characters are reproduced and displayed.

  Participatory story 1: According to the app, the story is played with a moving image with sound (such as animation or movie) or a still image with sound (such as a picture book or picture-story show). When the user touches the multi-touch panel 111 while the story is being played, for example, at the transition of the scene, the user touches the multi-touch panel 111 with any of the input devices 32 to which the figures of the characters are attached. A story with a character as a viewpoint is played back.

  Participatory story 2: When the input device 32 with the animated character figure attached is touched on the multi-touch panel 111 on which the background image of the story is displayed according to the application, the animated character appears in the screen at the touched position and moves. Talk and talk. When touching with a plurality of input devices 32, a plurality of animation characters corresponding to them appear on the screen, and a story corresponding to the combination of the animation characters is reproduced.

  Participatory game: When a user touches the multi-touch panel 111 with an input device 32 to which a character figure is attached while a game such as a role-playing game or a battle game is in progress according to the application, the input device 32 corresponds to the input device 32 used. The character becomes a character in the game. After that, the user slides or rotates his / her input device 32 on the multi-touch panel 111 so that his / her character in the game starts a technique (in the case of a competitive game), and various items. You can continue traveling (in the case of role-playing games) while obtaining the

  As an example of a participatory game, the present invention can also be used for a role-playing game or a battle-type game using a trading card popular with children in recent years. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the appearance of a trading card type input device 32 and how to play a battle-type game using it.

  For example, FIGS. 9A and 9B show the appearance of the front surface and the back surface of the input device 32A owned by the user A, and FIGS. 9C and 9D show the front surface of the input device 32B owned by the user B and The appearance of the back side is shown. As shown in FIGS. 9B and 9D, a plurality of contact portions 122 are arranged on the back surface of the input device 32, and their positional relationship differs between the input device 32A and the input device 32B. Yes. These positional relationships respectively indicate character identification information corresponding to the input device 32A and the input device 32B.

  The user A and the user B each place their own input device 32 on the screen of the competitive game being executed according to the application on the tablet terminal 11 (FIG. 9 (e)), and press lightly from above as necessary. . In accordance with the operation, the tablet terminal 11 reads the position of each contact portion 122 of the input device 32, and the character data corresponding to the input device 32A and the input device 32B is read based on the positional relationship between the contact portions 122. . As a result, as shown in FIG. 9F, the character is displayed in the battle field of the battle game, and the battle between the characters is started.

  Music video creation device: An animation video (for example, an animation video in which a geometric pattern continuously changes) selected by the user is displayed on the multi-touch panel 111 according to the application. When the user places the input device 32 on which images of various musical instruments are printed on the multi-touch panel 111 in the desired position and the desired direction, the timbre used for music reproduction and the spatial volume balance thereof are set. In this state, when the user places the input device 32 on which the jacket image of the music record is printed on the multi-touch panel 111, music corresponding to the placed input device 32 is reproduced. The user adjusts the spatial volume balance by changing the position and direction of the input device 32 on which the image of the instrument on the multi-touch panel 111 is printed, or changes the tone by replacing the input device 32. be able to. In addition, the user slides and rotates the input device 32 on which images of various controllers such as a slide fader and a rotary knob of the acoustic mixer are printed on the multi-touch panel 111, so that the music being played can be reproduced. You can change the volume and change the effect of the effect on the sound and video.

Virtual key: As schematically shown in FIG. 10, first, an image of a door with a keyhole is displayed on the multi-touch panel 111 according to an application. This application has a key shape as a whole, and an input device 32 provided with a contact portion 122 whose end surface on the side to be inserted into the key hole has a key hole shape is used. For example, when the user turns the input device 32 clockwise while pressing the end face of the input device 32 in the shape of a key against the keyhole displayed on the multi-touch panel 111, the input device 32 is displayed on the multi-touch panel 111 according to the operation. The door is open, characters appear from inside, and bonus videos can be seen.

  Guidance book: As schematically shown in FIG. 11, an input device 32 in which a plurality of contact parts 122 arranged in a positional relationship for identifying individual products is attached to the outside of a real product such as an eraser or a pencil. Be prepared. When the user presses these input devices 32 against the multi-touch panel 111 with the side on which the contact portion 122 is disposed facing down, the product guidance of the pressed input device 32 is displayed on the multi-touch panel 111.

  The tablet terminal 11 stores page data (that is, image data indicating an image of the entire page) for instructing display of each page of product guidance including a plurality of pages. Then, when the user presses the input device 32 against the multi-touch panel 111 and rotates it clockwise by a predetermined range, the page data of the next page of the currently displayed page is read, and the next page is Displayed on the touch panel 111. When the user rotates the input device 32 against the multi-touch panel 111 and rotates it counterclockwise by a predetermined range of angles, the page data of the previous page of the currently displayed page is read, and the previous page is Displayed on the touch panel 111.

  When moving the page, instead of moving in page units, a process of continuously scrolling the page in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction by an amount corresponding to the rotation angle of the input device 32 may be performed.

  Further, the product guidance may be a moving image. Since the moving image is realized by the process of sequentially displaying still images arranged in time series, in this case, if the user rotates the input device 32 against the multi-touch panel 11, the moving image is fast-forwarded according to the operation. Playback, reverse playback, etc. will be performed.

  Note that instead of rotating the input device 32 pressed against the multi-touch panel 111, an operation of sliding in a predetermined direction such as a horizontal direction or a vertical direction may be employed.

[2.3. Third Modification]
In the touch tool system 4 according to the third modification, an input device 42 having a shape that can be rolled by a user is used. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of such an input device 42. The input device 42 shown in FIG. 12 (a) has a cylindrical shape, and the user rolls the curved side surface while touching the multi-touch panel 111, so that a long and narrow bar-shaped region of a predetermined length is displayed on the tablet terminal. 11 and the area can be moved vertically in the longitudinal direction.

  In addition, the input device 42 shown in FIG. 12B has a conical shape, and the user rolls the curved side surface while touching the multi-touch panel 111, so that an elongated bar-shaped region having a predetermined length is formed. While inputting into the tablet terminal 11, the area | region can be rotationally moved centering | focusing on one edge part of a longitudinal direction.

  Further, the input device 42 shown in FIG. 12C has a shape obtained by cutting a sphere in a plane, and the user rolls while touching the multi-touch panel 111 with the curved side surface so that the upper surface of the input device 42 is touched. A line extending radially within a predetermined range in an arbitrary direction can be input to the tablet terminal 11 around a point on the multi-touch panel 111 positioned vertically below the center of the circle on the upper surface when horizontal. Note that a handle is provided on the center of the upper surface of the input device 42 shown in FIG. 12C so that the user can easily hold the input device 42 with a finger.

  Further, the input device 42 shown in FIG. 12D has a shape obtained by cutting a cylinder with a flat surface, and the user rolls the curved side surface while touching the multi-touch panel 111, so that the input device 42 has a predetermined length. A bar-shaped area can be input to the tablet terminal 11 and the area can be moved within a predetermined range perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Note that a handle is also provided on the center of the upper surface of the input device 42 shown in FIG. 12D so that the user can hold the input device 42 with his / her fingers.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the touch tool system 4 using the input device 42 having the shape as described above. In this example, according to the application, the tablet terminal 11 functions as a cooking game machine. The user touches, for example, a cylindrical input device 42 shown in FIG. 12A on an image of an elastic food such as noodle dough displayed on the multi-touch panel 111 and rolls it while pressing it. The noodle dough in the screen is stretched according to the rolling direction and the pressing strength.

  Note that in such image processing, the computer 112 sequentially performs image correction processing in accordance with the position of the line segment specified from the area input to the multi-touch panel 111 by the input device 42 and the strength of pressing on the multi-touch panel 111. Realized by going.

  In the tablet terminal 11 that functions as a cooking game machine as described above, for example, the input device 32 with a miniature model used in the touch tool system 3 can be used. Thus, for example, by touching the input device 32 with a miniature model of food, it is possible to place the food on the kitchen table or top the food on the finished dish.

  In the above description, the input device 42 functions as an input device that continuously and repeatedly inputs an area having the same shape, for example, an elongated bar-shaped area. On the other hand, the input device 42 illustrated in FIG. 14 has a structure that can be used as an input device that inputs different information depending on the touched position.

  On the curved side surface of the input device 42 shown in FIG. 14, the point where the input device 42 contacts the multi-touch panel 111 when the upper surface is horizontal as shown in FIG. The contact portion 122 is disposed so that the density of the contact portion 122 at the lower point) is the lowest and gradually increases toward the upper surface.

  When the input device 42 having such a structure is used, the user can input a parameter that continuously increases or decreases to the tablet terminal 11 by, for example, inputting a parameter having a larger numerical value as the user pushes the input device 42 on the multi-touch panel 111. You can enter it. That is, for example, the touch area in the state of FIG. 14A becomes a plurality of points with low density, and the touch area in the state of FIG. 14B becomes a plurality of points with high density. The computer 112 acquires parameters that change continuously by sequentially reading out parameters corresponding to each of the touch areas having different shapes as a whole from the processing DB.

  An input device 42 as shown in FIG. 14 can be used as a joystick, for example, in a music video creation device realized by the touch tool system 3 described above.

[2.4. Fourth Modification]
In the touch tool system 5 according to the fourth modified example, an input device 52 in the form of various writing tools such as a black pencil type, a red pencil type, and an eraser type is used. You can write and erase letters and pictures.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of the input device 52. 15A shows a black pen type input device 52, FIG. 15B shows a red pen type input device 52, and FIG. 15C shows an eraser type input device 52.

  A set of a plurality of contact portions 122 arranged in the same positional relationship is repeatedly arranged on the rounded surface near one end of these input devices 52. When the input device 52 is touched on the multi-touch panel 111 at an arbitrary angle, the density (the size of the set) in the arrangement of the contact portions 122 is set so that at least one of the plurality of sets is always included in the touch area. ) Is small enough.

  The positional relationship of the contact portion 122 included in the set is different for each input device 52, and the tablet terminal 11 specifies which input device 52 is performing writing or erasing operations based on the difference in the positional relationship. can do. For example, when the user performs a writing operation on the multi-touch panel 111 using the input device 52 of FIG. 15A, the computer 112 is included in the processing instruction data group read from the processing DB according to the positional relationship. According to the data indicating the line attribute such as “2 points of black pencil”, a line having a thickness of 2 points of shading as written with a black pencil is drawn at the handwriting position.

FIG. 15D shows a black / red combined pencil type input device 52. The rounded surface in the vicinity of one end of the input device 52 is divided into two regions shown generally on the left and right in FIG. 15D. For example, the left region is a contact portion 122 for a red pencil. A set of contact parts 122 for black pencils is arranged in the right region. Thereby, the user can selectively use the color used for writing only by rotating the input device 52 around the axis for the writing operation character.

[2.5. Fifth Modification]
In the touch tool system 6 according to the fifth modification, a finger suck type input device 62 attached to each finger of the user is used. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of the appearance of the input device 62 and the touch tool system 6 using the input device 62.

  As shown in FIG. 16A, the input device 62 includes a bag-shaped main body portion 621 that fits a finger made of, for example, thin conductive silicone rubber, and the input device 62 is attached to the finger. The main body 621 is configured with a large number of contact portions 122 provided on an area where the multi-touch panel 111 may be touched by a normal user touch operation using a finger.

  Similar to the contact portion 122 in the input device 52, the contact portion 122 in the input device 62 is obtained by repeatedly arranging a set of contact portions 122 arranged in a fixed positional relationship.

The user causes the tablet terminal 11 to identify which finger is touched at which position by attaching the input device 62 for each finger having a different positional relationship between the contact portions 122 in the set to the finger. Can do. That is, for example, when the user touches the multi-touch panel 111 with the right hand index finger, the computer 112 reads out the processing instruction data group corresponding to the positional relationship of the contact portion 122 of the input device 62 attached to the right hand index finger from the processing DB. According to the data included in the processing instruction data group, it is determined that the touch position is related to the right index finger.

  When the input device 62 is used, as shown in FIG. 16B, the tablet terminal 11 can be used as a piano practice tool, for example. In this piano practice tool, the tablet terminal 11 scrolls and displays the score image on the multi-touch panel 111 in the right direction according to the application, and displays the image of the piano keyboard. When the user performs a key-pressing operation on the piano keyboard with a hand with the input device 62 attached to each finger, the computer 112 specifies which key is pressed with which finger and at which strength, and the specified keyboard and The piano sound of the pitch and tone corresponding to the intensity is played immediately with the volume corresponding to the specified intensity.

  When the music is finished, the computer 112 determines whether or not the finger used for the keystroke is correct in addition to the timing of the keystroke and the strength of the keystroke by the user, and advises the user according to the determination result (for example, fingering Display the wrong part).

  In addition, in the input device 62, the arrangement | positioning of the contact part 122 from which the density changes continuously like the input device 42 shown in FIG. 14 may be employ | adopted. Further, in the input device 62, an arrangement of the contact portions 122 constituting a set having different positional relationships discontinuously as employed in the input device 52 shown in FIG. With these input devices 62, the user adjusts the angle of the finger to touch and makes different data with the same finger, for example by distinguishing between touching with a flat part of the finger or touching near the side. Can be input to the tablet terminal 11.

  In addition, the input device 62 described above includes a finger-sack-type main body that can be attached to each finger independently, but a main body that can be attached to two or more fingers, for example, all five fingers in one hand. A structure may be employed in which a glove-type main body portion that can be attached to the fingertip portion is provided, and contact portions arranged in different positional relationships are provided on the fingertip portions.

[2.6. Sixth Modification]
In the touch tool system 7 according to the sixth modification, a divider type input device 72 is used. The normal divider is mainly used to measure the length of the object, but the input device 72 is used when it is desired to repeatedly input a line segment having the same length, a circle having the same diameter, or the like at different positions. .

  FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of the appearance of the input device 72 and the touch tool system 7 using the input device 72. As shown in FIG. 17A, the input device 72 includes a main body 721 having a structure similar to that of a divider, and a contact portion 122 (one for each one) disposed at each of the two leg tip portions of the main body 721. ).

  As shown in FIG. 17B, when the user repeatedly draws a line segment of the same length, for example, at different positions on the drafting canvas displayed on the multi-touch panel 111 according to the application, the user selects the line segment. It is only necessary to touch the two leg tips of the input device 72 opened to the position where the line segment is to be drawn.

  In addition, in the input device 72, it is possible to identify which side of the leg tip is touching the tablet terminal 11 by arranging, for example, three contact portions 122 having different positional relationships with each leg tip. You can also. Then, for example, when an arrow is to be attached to one of the line segments having the same length, it is possible to input a line segment with an arrow in a desired direction by changing the direction in which the input device 72 is touched. At that time, the arrangement, angle, and shape of the three contact points 122 need to be adjusted so that the multi-touch panel 111 is always touched at the same time regardless of the opening / closing angle of the input device 72.

  Further, different input devices 72 such as line segment input device 72 and circle input device 72 may be used depending on the type of figure to be drawn. By arranging a plurality of contact portions 122 having different positional relations at the leg tips of the input devices 72, the individual input devices 72 can be identified by the tablet terminal 11.

[2.7. Seventh Modification]
In the touch tool system 8 according to the seventh modification, for example, the same input device as the input device 32 according to the second modification is used as the input device. However, each figure of a family member (eg, father, mother, brother, brother, sister, etc.) is attached to the input device used in the touch tool system 8.

  The tablet terminal 11 manages various data corresponding to each member separately as different accounts. Each member of the family can log in to the tablet terminal 11 with his / her account by touching the multi-touch panel 111 with the input device with his / her figure.

  Furthermore, the tablet terminal 11 can also manage a shared account of a plurality of members. For example, when the brother and brother bring their input devices and place them on the multi-touch panel 111 at the same time, it is possible to log in to the tablet terminal 11 using the brother and brother's shared account.

  In the touch tool system 8, for example, the personal data of individual members managed by each application can be called only by touching the input device.

  For example, if an older brother started a game from the beginning and played it halfway, then saved (saved) that state, and then the younger brother played the same game from the beginning, halfway, then saved (saved) that state. To do. After that, when the older brother wants to resume the game, the older brother touches his / her input device on the multi-touch panel 111 on the game start screen, and then saves his saved data (various parameter data for resuming the game) to the tablet terminal. 11, the game can be resumed from the state at the time of the previous save.

  As described above, in the touch tool system 8, the touch area data input by the touch operation of the input device is used as various types of personal authentication data.

[2.8. Other variations]
In addition to the above-described modifications, various modifications can be considered. For example, in many of the above-described embodiments and modifications, the touch area formed by each of the plurality of contact parts 122 is regarded as a point. Then, based on the shape (positional relationship) specified by these points, each input device is identified. Instead of this, a configuration in which each input device is identified based on the shape of the touch area itself by each of the contact portions 122 may be employed.

  For example, touch area data indicating these different shapes can be input to the tablet terminal 11 by changing the shape of the surface itself that the contact portion 122 contacts or approaches the multi-touch panel 111 to a different shape such as a triangle or a quadrangle. Can do. The tablet terminal 11 can execute various processes according to the input device used for the touch by reading out the instruction process data group from the process DB, for example, based on the shape indicated by the touch area data input as such. it can.

  In the above-described embodiment and modification, the multi-touch panel 111 is a projection capacitive method, but other methods may be adopted. In this case, it is necessary to select a material or the like corresponding to the adopted method as the material or the like of the input device. For example, in a method other than the capacitance method, the input device does not need to be made of a conductive material.

  In the embodiment and the modification described above, the multi-touch panel 111 in which the panel display and the touch pad are integrated is used. For example, the display device and the touch pad arranged in different housings are connected to a data communication cable or the like. A configuration connected to the computer 112 may be adopted. In that case, for example, the panel display may be integrated in the same housing as the computer 112.

  In the embodiment and the modification described above, the tablet terminal 11 in which the multi-touch panel 111 and the computer 112 are integrated is used. For example, the multi-touch panel display and the computer arranged in different housings are connected to the data communication cable. What is connected by may be used instead of the tablet terminal 11.

  In the embodiment and the modification described above, the tablet terminal 11 is changed to various tools by causing the computer 112 included in the tablet terminal 11 to execute processes according to various applications. A so-called dedicated machine that functions only as a specific tool according to an application written in advance in a ROM (Read Only Memory) or the like may be configured in hardware.

  In the description of the embodiment and the modification described above, the aspect in which the tablet terminal 11 performs data communication with an external communication device is not particularly described. However, the tablet terminal 11 includes a wireless or wired communication unit, for example, a mobile phone. It may be configured such that necessary data can be acquired from the outside via a communication network or the Internet. For example, by enabling data acquisition from the Internet such as world map information and recipe information, the tablet terminal 11 can function as a more convenient tool.

  As described above, according to the input device of the present invention, a plurality of positions or a predetermined shape having a predetermined positional relationship can be input to the multi-touch pad with one touch. In particular, by using the input device according to the present invention, it is possible to perform input impossible with a finger or a conventional stylus, such as a large number of minute points and complicated shapes in a predetermined positional relationship. It should be noted. Therefore, the input device according to the present invention can be widely used for applications that require some identification, such as personal authentication, designation of an application to be used, and calling of data to be used.

  Furthermore, according to the input device according to the present invention, in addition to designation of a position that can be performed by a conventional stylus or the like, information that cannot be input by a conventional stylus or the like such as a direction (direction of the input device) and rotation that is a change thereof Can be input. For this reason, for example, pasting images while specifying the direction, and simultaneously specifying the movement direction of the characters in the game scene and the direction of the face, which has been impossible or difficult in the past, is easy and natural. It can be carried out.

  Therefore, when the input device according to the present invention is used together with the program, data processing method or data processing apparatus according to the present invention, it functions as an extremely user-friendly input means.

[3. Summary]
A plurality of contact portions that allow the multi-touch pad to detect the contact or proximity position by contacting or approaching the multi-touch pad, and at least two of the plurality of contact portions have a predetermined positional relationship with each other. An input device is provided that is arranged to be in contact with or in close proximity to the multi-touch pad while maintaining (first embodiment).

  According to the input device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, since a plurality of points in a predetermined positional relationship can be simultaneously indicated to the multi-touch pad, the user simply touches the multi-touch pad with the input device. It is possible to cause the data processing apparatus to execute processing according to the predetermined positional relationship.

  In the first embodiment described above, a configuration may be adopted in which a cylindrical main body portion is provided, and the plurality of contact portions are arranged on one end surface perpendicular to the cylindrical axial direction of the main body portion. Good (second embodiment).

  According to the input device of the second embodiment of the present invention, for example, a predetermined image is displayed in an inner area of a line where the cylindrical main body and the multi-touch pad are in contact, thereby allowing the user to look into the cylinder. It becomes possible to experience the operation to insert.

  In the first embodiment described above, a configuration may be adopted in which a card-like main body portion is provided, and the plurality of contact portions are arranged on at least one of the front surface and the back surface of the main body portion. 3 embodiment).

  According to the input device of the third embodiment of the present invention, for example, by placing a contact portion of a positional relationship indicating the identification information of the trading card on the back surface of the trading card, the user can place it on the multi-touch pad. By placing a trading card, it is possible to use a trading card such as displaying an image of a character corresponding to the trading card on a display device.

  In the first to third embodiments described above, a configuration may be employed in which the predetermined positional relationship between the at least two contact portions can be changed by a predetermined operation on the input device by a user (fourth embodiment). Embodiment).

According to the input device of the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the user adjusts the distance between the two contact portions to a desired distance, and then touches the input device to the multi-touch pad so that the same length can be obtained. An operation of repeatedly inputting a straight line or a circle with the same diameter to different positions can be easily performed. In addition, when the user touches the multi-touch pad with the touch part of the input device, the user slides the position of a part of the touch part so that the instruction to continuously change the image displayed on the screen is displayed as data. This can be given to the processing device.

  In the first embodiment described above, the plurality of contact portions are disposed on a convexly curved surface in the use state, and the plurality of contact portions are disposed among the convexly curved surfaces in the use state. When an arbitrary part in a region is brought close to the multi-touch pad, at least two contact parts arranged in the predetermined positional relationship are always included in the contact parts that simultaneously or close to the multi-touch pad. Thus, the structure by which the said several contact part is arrange | positioned may be employ | adopted (5th embodiment).

  According to the input device of the fifth embodiment of the present invention, for example, the shape of the input device is a stylus shape, and the rounded pen tip of the input device in which the contact portion is arranged is touched to the multi-touch pad. Thus, two or more positions having a predetermined positional relationship can be input to the data processing apparatus. Therefore, for example, if the positional relationship between the contact portions arranged in each of the plurality of input devices is different, a different instruction can be given to the data processing apparatus depending on the input device to be used. Therefore, the user can perform an input operation such as, for example, drawing a red line in a pseudo manner using a red pen device and erasing it in a pseudo manner using an eraser input device.

  In the first embodiment described above, the plurality of contact portions are disposed on a convexly curved surface in the use state, and the plurality of contact portions are disposed among the convexly curved surfaces in the use state. Positions of at least two contact portions arranged in the predetermined positional relationship included in contact portions that simultaneously contact or approach the multi-touch pad when one part in the region is brought close to the multi-touch pad The multi-touch pad when another portion different from the one portion in the region where the plurality of contact portions are arranged is in proximity to the multi-touch pad. The plurality of contact portions are arranged so that the positional relationship of at least two contact portions arranged in the predetermined positional relationship included in the contact portions that are in contact with or close to the touch pad at the same time is different. Even Configurations are adopted good (sixth embodiment) of.

  According to the input device of the sixth embodiment of the present invention, for example, the shape of the input device is a stylus shape, and the rounded pen tip of the input device in which the contact portion is arranged is multi-touch pad at different angles. A different instruction can be given to the data processing device by touching. For this reason, the user can perform an input operation such as, for example, drawing a pseudo line using one side of the pen tip of one pen-type device and erasing the pseudo line using the other side. Become.

  In the fifth or sixth embodiment described above, a thin bag-shaped main body that can be attached to a fingertip is provided, and at least the fingertip on which the main body is attached to the outer surface of the main body is connected to the multi-touch pad. A configuration may be adopted in which the plurality of contact portions are arranged on a region that may come into contact with or be close to the multi-touch pad when being brought close to the touch panel (seventh embodiment).

  According to the input device of the seventh embodiment of the present invention, the user can instruct predetermined processing for the data processing device by touching the multi-touch pad with the input device attached to the fingertip. At that time, for example, by making the positional relationship of the contact portion of the input device worn on the first finger different from the positional relationship of the contact portion of the input device worn on the second finger, The data processing apparatus can recognize whether the operation is a finger. Also, by disposing contact portions with different positional relationships between one part and the other part of the input device worn on the same finger, for example, processing that differs depending on the operation that touches the flat of the finger and the operation that touches the edge Can be performed by the data processing apparatus.

  In the fifth or sixth embodiment described above, at least a part of the surface includes a main body having a shape of at least a part of a side surface of a cylinder, a side surface of a cone, and an outer surface of a sphere, and the plurality of contact portions are the main body The structure arrange | positioned on the part provided with the shape of at least one part of the side surface of the said cylinder, the side surface of a cone, and the outer surface of a sphere among the surfaces of a part may be employ | adopted (8th embodiment).

  According to the input device of the eighth embodiment of the present invention, by performing an operation of rolling the input device on the user multi-touch pad, it is possible to cause the data processing apparatus to perform processing in which the position and contents continuously change. Can do.

  In addition, the present invention includes a contact portion that causes the multi-touch pad to detect the contact or proximity position by contacting or approaching the multi-touch pad, and the contact portion is in contact with or in proximity to the multi-touch pad. In this case, an input device is provided in which the contact portion has a predetermined surface shape so that the position detected by the multi-touch pad by the contact portion indicates a line or a region having a predetermined shape as a whole (Ninth Embodiment) Embodiment).

  According to the input device according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention, since the predetermined shape can be instructed to the multi-touch pad, the user can touch the multi-touch pad according to the predetermined shape. The processing can be executed by the data processing device.

  In the ninth embodiment described above, the contact portion is composed of a plurality of contact portions having the same predetermined surface shape, and the plurality of contact portions are arranged on a convexly curved surface in use. , When an arbitrary portion in a region where the plurality of contact portions are arranged in a convexly curved surface in the use state is brought close to the multi-touch pad, at least one of the plurality of contact portions A configuration may be adopted in which the plurality of contact portions are arranged so that the contact portions always contact or approach the multi-touch pad (tenth embodiment).

  According to the input device of the tenth embodiment of the present invention, for example, the shape of the input device is a stylus shape, and the rounded pen tip of the input device in which the contact portion is arranged is touched to the multi-touch pad. Thus, a predetermined shape can be input to the data processing device. Therefore, for example, if the shape of the contact portion arranged in each of the plurality of input devices is different, a different instruction can be given to the data processing apparatus depending on the input device to be used. Therefore, the user can perform an input operation such as, for example, drawing a red line in a pseudo manner using a red pen device and erasing it in a pseudo manner using an eraser input device.

  In the above-mentioned ninth embodiment, the contact portion is composed of a plurality of contact portions having the predetermined surface shapes different from each other, and the plurality of contact portions are arranged on a convexly curved surface in a use state, When an arbitrary portion in the region where the plurality of contact portions are arranged in a convexly curved surface in the use state is brought close to the multi-touch pad, at least one contact among the plurality of contact portions. A configuration may be adopted in which the plurality of contact portions are arranged so that the portions always contact or approach the multi-touch pad (the eleventh embodiment).

  According to the input device of the eleventh embodiment of the present invention, for example, the shape of the input device is a stylus shape, and the rounded nib of the input device in which the contact portion is arranged is multi-touch pad at different angles. A different instruction can be given to the data processing device by touching. For this reason, the user can perform an input operation such as, for example, drawing a pseudo line using one side of the pen tip of one pen-type device and erasing the pseudo line using the other side. Become.

  In the tenth or eleventh embodiment described above, a thin bag-shaped main body portion that can be attached to a fingertip is provided, and at least the fingertip on which the main body portion is attached to the outer surface of the main body portion is the multi-touch pad. A configuration may be adopted in which the plurality of contact portions are arranged on a region that may come into contact with or be close to the multi-touch pad when close to the touch panel (a twelfth embodiment).

  According to the input device of the twelfth embodiment of the present invention, the user can instruct predetermined processing for the data processing device by touching the multi-touch pad with the input device attached to the fingertip. At that time, for example, by changing the shape of the contact portion of the input device to be worn on the first finger and the shape of the contact portion of the input device to be worn on the second finger, the operation of each of these fingers can be changed to any finger. The data processing apparatus can recognize whether the operation is performed. Also, by placing differently shaped contact parts on one part of the input device that is worn on the same finger and the other part, different processing is performed depending on, for example, the operation of touching the flat of the finger and the operation of touching the edge. The data processing apparatus can perform this.

  In the tenth or eleventh embodiment described above, at least a part of the surface includes a main body having a shape of at least a part of a side surface of a cylinder, a side surface of a cone, and an outer surface of a sphere, and the plurality of contact portions are the main body The structure arrange | positioned on the part provided with the shape of at least one part of the side surface of the said cylinder, the side surface of a cone, and the outer surface of a sphere among the surfaces of a part may be employ | adopted (13th embodiment).

  According to the input device of the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention, by performing an operation of rolling the input device on the user multi-touch pad, it is possible to cause the data processing apparatus to perform processing in which the position and contents continuously change. Can do.

  In any one of the above-described first to thirteenth embodiments, a configuration is adopted in which a display or a shape for enabling the user to identify the predetermined direction of the input device is formed so as to be visible to the user from the outside. (14th embodiment).

  According to the input device of the fourteenth embodiment of the present invention, since the user can easily recognize the direction of the input device, for example, when the input device is touched on the multi-touch pad, the direction of the input device is different. By doing so, it is possible to cause the data processing apparatus to perform different processes.

  In any one of the first to fourteenth embodiments described above, a display or a shape for enabling the user to distinguish the input device from other similar input devices is formed so as to be visible to the user from the outside. A configuration may be employed (fifteenth embodiment).

  According to the input device according to the fifteenth embodiment of the present invention, the user can easily identify each of the plurality of input devices of the same type. For example, by selecting an input device to touch the multi-touch pad, The data processing apparatus can perform different processing.

  The present invention also stores one or more positional relationship data indicating the positional relationship between two or more points in a computer connected to the multi-touch pad, and the positional relationship data for each of the one or more positional relationship data. A process of storing one or more data in association with each other, and a position data group composed of two or more position data associated with each other indicating the position of each of two or more points indicating an arbitrary positional relationship. A process for retrieving positional relation data indicating a positional relation indicated by a position data group obtained from the multi-touch pad from among one or more positional relation data stored in the process to be stored and acquired from the pad And one or more data stored in the storing process in association with the positional relationship data searched in the searching process A process of out seen, provides a program for executing the processing according to the read one or more data in the process the reading (16th embodiment).

  According to the program according to the sixteenth embodiment of the present invention, for example, the computer executes a predetermined process in response to a touch operation on the multi-touch pad of the input device according to the first or eighth embodiment of the present invention. be able to.

  In the sixteenth embodiment described above, the process of specifying an area having one or more positions or one or more shapes based on the positions of two or more points indicated by the position data group acquired in the acquisition process A configuration may be adopted in which the computer executes the process according to the one or more data, and causes the computer to execute a process corresponding to the region having the position or shape specified in the specifying process (17th). Embodiment).

  According to the program according to the seventeenth embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to cause the computer to execute different predetermined processes depending on the position of the input device that the user touches the multi-touch pad.

  In the sixteenth or seventeenth embodiment described above, the computer is caused to execute a process of specifying one or more directions based on the positions of two or more points indicated by the position data group acquired in the acquisition process, In the processing according to the above data, a configuration may be adopted in which the computer executes processing according to the direction specified in the specifying processing (eighteenth embodiment).

  According to the program according to the eighteenth embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to cause the computer to execute different predetermined processes depending on the direction of the input device that the user touches the multi-touch pad.

  In the eighteenth embodiment described above, image data determined in accordance with the specified direction from among a plurality of image data in a predetermined order as the process corresponding to the direction specified in the process of specifying the direction. Selecting or generating image data indicating a partial image obtained by cutting an image of a region of a predetermined size from an image indicated by one image data at a position determined according to the specified direction; A configuration may be employed in which the computer executes a process of outputting data to a display device that displays an image (a nineteenth embodiment).

  According to the program of the nineteenth embodiment of the present invention, for example, when the user turns the input device that touches the multi-touch pad clockwise, a series of pages is turned backward, and when turned counterclockwise, a series of pages is turned. It is possible to cause the computer to execute processes such as sequentially turning forward or scrolling.

  In the eighteenth embodiment described above, the computer connected to the multi-touch pad, which is a touch panel for displaying an image, is caused to execute a process of displaying an image showing an appearance of a predetermined object, and the direction is specified. As a process according to the direction specified in the process, the positions of two or more points indicated by the position data group acquired in the process to be acquired are within a predetermined range based on the position where the object is displayed, and Only when the direction specified in the process of specifying the direction is a predetermined direction, a configuration in which the computer executes the predetermined process may be employed (a twentieth embodiment).

  According to the program according to the twentieth embodiment of the present invention, for example, when the user presses an input device simulating a key shape on the keyhole image displayed on the touch panel and rotates it in a predetermined direction, the door opens. It is possible to cause a computer to execute a process that simulates such an operation.

  In the eighteenth embodiment described above, a process for displaying a predetermined image on the computer connected to the multi-touch pad, which is a touch panel for displaying an image, a process corresponding to the direction specified in the process for specifying the direction As a partial image displayed in an area specified by the position of two or more points indicated by the position data group acquired in the acquisition process among the predetermined images displayed in the display process, A configuration may be employed in which the computer executes a process of replacing and displaying a partial image changed according to a predetermined rule corresponding to the specified direction in the process of specifying the direction (a twenty-first embodiment).

  According to the program according to the twenty-first embodiment of the present invention, for example, when the user turns the ring-shaped input device on the touch panel in a predetermined direction while pressing the ring-shaped input device, it is displayed inside the ring-shaped input device. The image can be enlarged, reduced, or deformed, and the computer can be caused to perform a process of making a user experience looking into a microscope or kaleidoscope.

  In the eighteenth embodiment described above, the direction specified in the process of specifying the direction by causing the computer connected to the multi-touch pad, which is a touch panel that displays an image, to execute a process of reproducing a predetermined sound. As a process corresponding to the above, a configuration is adopted in which the computer executes a process of changing the volume of sound generated in the process of reproducing according to a predetermined rule corresponding to the direction specified in the process of specifying the direction. (Twenty-second embodiment).

  According to the program of the twenty-second embodiment of the present invention, for example, when the user presses the input device on the touch panel and rotates it in a predetermined direction or slides it in a predetermined direction, the volume of the sound to be reproduced Can be executed by the computer.

  In any of the above-described sixteenth to twenty-second embodiments, in the acquisition process, the computer is caused to execute a process for acquiring two or more position data groups, and the search process is acquired in the acquisition process. For each of the two or more positional data groups, the computer is caused to execute a search for the positional relationship data, and in the reading process, each of the two or more positional relationship data searched in the searching process is A configuration is adopted in which the computer is caused to read data, and in the process according to the read one or more data, the computer is caused to execute a process according to two or more sets of one or more data read in the read process. (23rd embodiment).

  According to the program according to the twenty-third embodiment of the present invention, when a user touches a multi-touch pad with a plurality of input devices, the computer executes predetermined processes that are different depending on the combination of the input devices. Can be made.

  Further, according to the present invention, the data processing device connected to the multi-touch pad stores one or more positional relationship data indicating the positional relationship between two or more points, and the position of each of the one or more positional relationship data. Storing one or more data in association with relational data, and the data processing device from two or more positional data associated with each other indicating the position of each of two or more points indicating an arbitrary positional relation A position data group acquired from the multi-touch pad from the one or more positional relationship data stored in the storing step by the data processing device. In the step of searching for positional relationship data indicating the positional relationship indicated by the data processing device in the step of searching A step of reading one or more data stored in the storing step in association with the searched positional relationship data, and the data processing device executes a process according to the one or more data read in the reading step A data processing method comprising: steps (a twenty-fourth embodiment).

  In addition, the present invention stores one or more positional relationship data indicating, and a storage unit that stores one or more data in association with the positional relationship data for each of the one or more positional relationship data, and an arbitrary position An acquisition means for acquiring, from the multi-touch pad, a position data group composed of two or more position data corresponding to each other indicating the position of each of two or more points indicating the relationship; and one or more stored in the storage means The position relation data indicating the position relation indicated by the position data group acquired by the acquisition means from among the position relation data, and the position relation data searched by the search means in association with the position relation data Reading means for reading one or more data stored in the storage means, and processing for executing processing according to the one or more data read by the reading means To provide a data processing apparatus comprising an execution means (25 embodiment).

  According to the data processing method according to the twenty-fourth embodiment of the present invention or the data processing apparatus according to the twenty-fifth embodiment of the present invention, for example, the user uses the input device according to the first or ninth embodiment of the present invention. By touching the multi-touch pad, a predetermined process is executed by the data processing device.

  An input device, a program, a data processing method, and a data processing apparatus can be widely used in a manufacturing industry, a service industry for manufacturing them, and a service industry for selling them.

1 ... Touch tool system, 2 ... Touch tool system, 3 ... Touch tool system,
... Touch tool system, 5 ... Touch tool system, 6 ... Touch tool system, 7
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Touch tool system, 8 ... Touch tool system, 11 ... Tablet terminal, 12 ... Input device, 22 ... Input device, 32 ... Input device, 42 ... Input device, 52 ... Input device, 62 ... Input device, 72 ... Input device 111 ... multi-touch panel, 112 ... computer, 121 ... main body part, 122 ... contact part, 621 ... main body part, 721 ... main body part.

Claims (8)

A plurality of input devices having two or more contact portions on one surface, each of which has a different positional relationship;
A multi-touch pad for detecting the position of each contact portion of the touched input device;
A data processing apparatus that executes processing according to a combination of the plurality of input devices touched with respect to sequential or simultaneous touch of the plurality of input devices with respect to the multi-touch pad;
Providing
Touch tool system characterized by A plurality of input devices each having different alphabets, hiragana, katakana or numbers, each having two or more contact portions on one side, and different positions of the contact portions;
A multi-touch pad for detecting the position of each contact portion of the touched input device;
A data processing device that executes processing corresponding to words indicated by character arrays displayed on the plurality of input devices touched with respect to sequential or simultaneous touch on the multi-touch pad of the plurality of input devices;
Providing
Touch tool system characterized by The data processing device includes:
As the process, pronunciation a word indicated by the character array displayed on the touched input devices,
The touch tool system according to claim 2. Display of alphabet, hiragana, katakana or numbers for the input device
An aspect in which the shape of the input device represents the shape of the character, or includes printing of the character on the input device;
The touch tool system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein To a computer with a multi-touch pad,
When a plurality of input devices having different positional relations between two or more contact portions on one surface touch the multi-touch pad sequentially or simultaneously, a process corresponding to the combination of the touched input devices is executed. about,
A program characterized by To a computer with a multi-touch pad,
When a plurality of input devices each displaying different alphabets, hiragana, katakana, or numbers, and having different positional relationships between two or more contact portions on one surface, touch the multi-touch pad sequentially or simultaneously, Executing a process that matches the word indicated by the character array displayed on the touched input devices;
A program characterized by In the computer,
As the processing, causing the words indicated by the character arrangement displayed on the touched input devices to be pronounced;
The program according to claim 6. Display of alphabet, hiragana, katakana or numbers for the input device
An aspect in which the shape of the input device represents the shape of the character, or includes printing of the character on the input device;
8. The program according to claim 6 or 7, wherein: