JP3897018B2 - Pen pointing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a pen-type pointing device in which a part of an apparatus develops color with a selected color.

  A device for directly inputting the coordinate position of a figure to a computer includes a coordinate position detection device such as a touch panel or a tablet, which is used in combination with an input pen that is held and operated by a user. In particular, the tablet has high position detection accuracy, and can be operated with the fingertip of the input pen. There has also been proposed a color display device with a pen input function that combines a tablet and a flat color display panel such as a color LCD and can input color figures and the like as if drawing directly (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  When drawing a color figure or the like with an input pen, it is necessary to select in advance which color to use. In this selection method, as described in the prior art section of Patent Document 1, a color selection switch corresponding to each color is arranged on the tablet side, and the color selection switch corresponding to the color to be used is operated with an input pen. There is. However, with this method, the drawing space on the tablet is reduced by the space for arranging the color selection switch. In addition, it is difficult for beginners to understand the color selection operation if the selection palette is opened only during color selection as in a commercially available drawing program.

  Therefore, Patent Document 1 proposes an input pen having a color selection function in order to solve such problems. Specifically, a color selection switch corresponding to each color is arranged on the input pen side, and when the user operates one of the color selection switches, the color data corresponding to the switch is transferred from the input pen to the tablet side through a signal line. I'm trying to notify you.

On the other hand, as another technique capable of selecting functions on the input pen side, there is a pen-type pointing device described in Patent Document 2. In this device, a rotary changeover switch, a display unit, and a selection switch are mounted on the pen side, and one of a plurality of functions prepared in advance can be selected by rotating the changeover switch. The name of the currently selected function can be displayed on the display in real time. It is stated that the selected function can be executed by operating the selection switch. Patent Document 2 does not mention the color selection function, but it can be applied to color selection. In this case, one of a plurality of colors prepared in advance is selected by rotating the changeover switch, the name of the selected color is displayed on the display unit, and the selected color is validated when the selection switch is operated. It becomes a composition.
JP-A-4-177518 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-40933

  As described above, input pens having a color selection function have been proposed in the past, but it is not easy to intuitively understand what color is currently selected. For example, in Patent Document 1, since the user needs to remember which color was selected immediately before, when the work is resumed after leaving the seat for some purpose, the color selected immediately before is selected. If you forget it, you can't confirm it without drawing it. Further, when the technique described in Patent Document 2 is applied to the color selection function, it can be seen which color is selected by the name of the color displayed on the display unit, but it is popular such as black, red, blue, and green. In the case of a special color other than a color, it is difficult to imagine the actual color from the name of the color. In such a case, if a part of the pen can be colored with the selected color, it can be intuitively recognized which color is actually selected.

The present invention has been proposed in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a pen-type pointing device in which a part of the apparatus is colored with a selected color .

A first pen-type pointing device according to the present invention is a pen-type pointing device in which a part of a pen develops color with a selected color, and a color former that emits light of a specified color, and the output of the color former. The incident light is incident from the side surface and propagates, and the back surface includes a translucent body having a black color.

The second pen-type pointing device of the present invention is characterized in that in the first pen-type pointing device , an optical system for guiding the emitted light of the color former to the side surface of the translucent body is provided.

The third pen-type pointing device of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first pen-type pointing device , the color former includes a plurality of light-emitting elements that emit different colors of light.

A fourth pen-type pointing device according to the present invention is the third pen-type pointing device , wherein one or a plurality of optical fibers, one end of which is connected to a side surface of the translucent body, and the output of the plurality of light-emitting elements. An optical system including an optical lens that enters incident light on the other end of the optical fiber is provided.

A fifth pen-type pointing device according to the present invention includes a coloring control circuit that controls the degree of light of the plurality of light-emitting elements based on color information given from the outside in the third pen-type pointing device . Features.

The sixth pen-type pointing device of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first to fifth pen-type pointing devices, at least a part of the surface of the translucent body is exposed to the outer surface of the device .

According to the pen-type pointing device of the present invention, it is possible to develop a translucent body with the same color as that of the colored body by developing the colored body. If the colored body is turned off, it is translucent to the eyes of the user. Since black on the back side of the body is recognized, the translucent body can be recognized as a black display.

  Next, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, a pen-type pointing device (hereinafter also referred to as an input pen) 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a color selection switch 2, a color selector 3, a color generator 4, a communication device 5, and a power source 6. The power switch 7 is a main component and is used in combination with a pen input type information terminal device 8.

  The power source 6 is composed of a primary battery or a secondary battery. The power switch 7 is a switch that can be manually turned on and off by the user. When the power switch 7 is turned on, operating power is supplied from the power source 6 to the color selector 3, the color generator 4 and the communication device 5 through the power line 9, so that each unit can be operated.

  The color selection switch 2 is a manual switch for selecting in advance a display color of an image to be pen-inputted to the information terminal device 8, and includes at least one switch. The output of the color selection switch 2 is guided to the color selector 3 by the signal line 10.

  The color selector 3 is a circuit for selecting a color according to the user's operation of the color selection switch 2 from a plurality of preset colors. The color generator 4 is connected to the communication device 5 by a signal line 11. Are connected to each other by a signal line 12. When a certain color is selected, the color selector 3 instructs the communication device 5 through the signal line 12 that the selected terminal color should be notified to the information terminal device 8, and also indicates that the color should be developed. Instructs the device 4 through the signal line 11.

  The color development device 4 is a portion that illuminates a part of the input pen with the color designated by the color selector 3. Which part of the input pen is colored is arbitrary and may be any part that can be recognized by the user.

  The communication device 5 is a circuit that notifies the information terminal device 8 of the color instructed from the color selector 3. The communication device 5 and the information terminal device 8 may be wired by a cable or the like, or may be wirelessly connected. In the case of wireless connection, the communication device 5 converts the color data into a radio signal or an infrared signal and transmits it to the information terminal device 8. In the case of wired connection, the communication device 5 transmits color data to the information terminal device 8 via a cable or the like. In the case of wired connection, a power supply cable is drawn between the input pen 1 and the information terminal device 8 separately from the signal transmission cable and supplied from the information terminal device 8 through the power supply cable instead of the power supply 6. It is also possible to supply the power to each unit through the power line 9. In this case, the power switch 7 may be omitted.

  If the input pen 1 according to the present embodiment configured as described above is used, color selection can be performed on the pen side, and a part of the pen shines with the selected color. Can be recognized intuitively.

  Next, the information terminal device 8 will be described. The information terminal device 8 includes a coordinate position detection device that detects a coordinate position indicated by the input pen 1, a color display device, and a processing device that executes a drawing program that displays a color image at the detected coordinate position. An example of the configuration is shown in FIG.

  Referring to FIG. 2, an example of the information terminal device 8 includes a CPU 801 that controls the entire terminal device, and a ROM 803, a RAM 804, an LCD controller 805, a tablet controller 806, a keyboard controller 807, and a communication unit 808 are connected to the bus 802. Has been. The ROM 803 stores various programs such as a drawing program to be executed by the CPU 801. The RAM 804 is used as a work area. The keyboard controller 807 is a circuit that detects a key operation from a keyboard 811 having various keys and outputs it to the CPU 801. The LCD controller 805 controls the color LCD 809 and displays an image of a specified color at a display position specified by the CPU 801. The tablet controller 806 controls the tablet 810 and outputs coordinate data corresponding to the contact position of the input pen 1 detected by the tablet 810 to the CPU 801.

  The communication unit 808 receives the color data notified from the communication device 5 of the input pen 1 and performs an operation of storing it in the color data storage area in the RAM 804. When the communication unit 808 is connected to the communication device 5 by wire, the communication unit 808 receives color data from the communication unit 5 via a cable or the like, and overwrites the color data storage area of the RAM 804. In the case of wireless connection, the color data obtained by decoding the radio signal or infrared signal received from the communication device 5 is overwritten in the color data storage area of the RAM 804.

  This information terminal device 8 operates in the following manner in relation to the input pen 1. When the pen tip of the input pen 1 contacts the tablet 810 and moves on the surface thereof, the tablet 810 sequentially outputs coordinate data corresponding to each contact position, and this coordinate data is input to the CPU 801 through the tablet controller 806. The drawing program executed on the CPU 801 recognizes the display position of the image from each coordinate data, recognizes the current drawing color from the color data held in the color data storage area of the RAM 804, and sets the recognized display position. In order to display the recognized color image, display position data and color data are sequentially designated on the LCD controller 805. The LCD controller 805 controls the color LCD 809 according to these specifications, and displays an image of a specified color at a specified position on the display surface of the LCD.

  The tablet 810 may be integrated with the color LCD 809 so as to cover the display surface of the color LCD 809, or may be separated from the color LCD 809 and placed independently on the desk. Further, in this example, the tablet 810 is used as the coordinate position detection device, but other types such as a touch panel may be used. Similarly, a color LCD is used as the color display device, but other types may be used.

Before describing in detail with reference to the drawings then a pen-type pointing device according to a real施例of the present invention, an example of a pen-type pointing device which is a premise of the present invention with reference to several drawings.

  Referring to FIG. 3, the input pen 101 according to the first premise example has a coloring surface 103 on the head of the pen-shaped casing 102, and one color selection switch lever 104 is provided near the top of the casing 102. And a power switch 7 on the lower side. In addition, a transmission antenna 105 for performing wireless transmission with the information terminal device 8 is provided on the peripheral surface of the head of the housing 102. Furthermore, the housing | casing 102 is comprised by the upper housing | casing 102-1 and the lower housing | casing 102-2 which are separable mutually, for example with a screwing system.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the pen-shaped housing 102 includes a color LCD 401 whose display surface is the color development surface 103, a backlight 402 thereof, and an LCD controller 403 connected to the color LCD 401 and a signal line 404. Built in. These constitute the color former 4. For example, the color LCD 401 is obtained by coloring each dot by adding red, green, and blue fine filters on the inner surface of the monochrome display LCD, and the LCD controller 403 controls the three primary color dots independently. However, in this premise example, since all display dots of the color LCD 401 are colored in the same color, it is not necessary to specify the display position for the color LCD 401, and it is only necessary to specify which color is to be colored. In the case of this premise example, the color is specified by color information that is a combination of red information, green information, and blue information each having a value of 0 or 1. If red information is R, green information is G, and blue information B, for example, color information (RGB) specifying red is (100), color information (RGB) specifying black is (000), and color specifying white. Information (RGB) is expressed by (111).

  The color selection switch lever 104 is an automatic return lever that is pivotally supported about a shaft 104a and is urged by a spring 104b, and a micro switch 104c that is turned on and off by the lever. Is provided. These constitute the color selection switch 2.

  Further, the color selector 301 connected by the LCD controller 403 and the signal line 11 by the micro switch 104c and the signal line 10, the signal line 12 connected to the color selector 301, and the signal line 502 connected to the transmission antenna 105. The wireless communication device 501 and the power source 6 that supplies power to each unit through the power switch 7 and the power line 9 are housed in the housing 102. The power source 6 can be taken out by separating the upper housing 102-1 and the lower housing 102-2, and can be exchanged or charged with a new one. The transmission antenna 105, the signal line 502, and the wireless communication device 501 constitute the communication device 5.

  Referring to FIG. 5, the color selector 301 inputs a counter 302 connected to the micro switch 104 c through the signal line 10 and the count value of the counter 302, and displays color information corresponding to the count value through the signal line 11 on the LCD. The color information table 303 is transmitted to the controller 403 and transmitted to the wireless communication device 501 through the signal line 12. The counter 302 is initialized to a count value of 1 when the power is turned on. Thereafter, each time the micro switch 104c is turned on once, the counter 302 is incremented by 1 in order of 2, 3,. When the switch 104c is turned on, the cyclic counter returns to the count value 1 again.

  Referring to FIG. 6, the color information table 303 holds color information for each count value from 1 to 5. In FIG. 6, set colors corresponding to each color information are added. In the case of FIG. 6, the set color is black when the count value is 1, red when 2 is, green when 3 is blue, when 4 is blue, and when 5 is white, each color information is red information, green information, It is specified as a combination of blue information.

  The wireless communication device 501 includes an amplifier, a modulator, and the like, converts the color information transmitted from the color selector 301 through the signal line 12 into a wireless signal, and transmits the wireless signal to the information terminal device 8 from the transmission antenna 105. When receiving the color information, the communication unit 808 on the information terminal device 8 side overwrites the color data storage area of the RAM 804 as described above. The drawing program recognizes the current set color from the color information held in the color data storage area.

  Next, the operation of the input pen 101 of this premise example will be described. When the user turns on the power switch 7, the counter 302 of the color selector 301 is initialized to the count value 1, and the color information (RGB) = (000) is transferred from the color information table 303 to the LCD controller 403 and the wireless communication device 501. Be notified. The LCD controller 403 controls the color LCD 401 in accordance with the color information, and changes the color of the display surface, that is, the coloring surface 103 on the head of the input pen 1 to black. On the other hand, since the wireless communication device 501 transmits color information (RGB) = (000) to the information terminal device 8 by a wireless signal, the setting color on the information terminal device 8 side is also black.

  Thereafter, when the user turns on the micro switch 104c by pressing the color selection switch lever 104 once, the counter 302 of the color selector 301 counts up to a count value of 2, and the LCD controller 403 and the wireless information from the color information table 303 are counted. The communication device 501 is notified of color information (RGB) = (100). The LCD controller 403 controls the color LCD 401 in accordance with the color information, thereby causing the coloring surface 103 on the head of the input pen 1 to develop red. In addition, the wireless communication device 501 transmits color information (RGB) = (100) to the information terminal device 8 by a wireless signal, and the setting color on the information terminal device 8 side is also red. Similarly, every time the user operates the color selection switch lever 104, the color of the coloring surface 103 changes to green, blue, white, black, red,... The setting color also changes.

  In the above description, five types of colors, black, red, green, blue, and white, are set, but there are a total of 8 color information by red information, green information, and blue information expressed by 1 and 0, respectively. Up to eight colors can be set. If a color LCD that can finely adjust the degree of red, green, and blue light is used, it is possible to set more than eight types of colors. For example, when the degree of light can be adjusted in 16 steps, the color information (RGB) can set up to 16 × 16 × 16 colors from (000) to (161616). FIG. 7 shows an example of the color information table 303 when 10 types of black, red, light red, purple, blue, cyan, yellow, yellow-green, green, and white are set. Here, the numerical values corresponding to red information, green information, and blue information indicate that the greater the value, the greater the degree of light emission. For example, a value of 15 indicates the highest degree of light, a value of 7 indicates that the light is about half that value, and a value of 0 indicates no light at all.

  In the premise example described above, since the selected color is cyclically changed every time the color selection switch lever 104 is operated, it is necessary to make a round to select the immediately preceding color. For this reason, when the number of selectable colors increases, it takes time to select a desired color. In the following, two premise examples will be described in which a desired color can be quickly selected even when the number of selectable colors increases.

  Referring to FIG. 8, the input pen 110 according to the second premise example is provided with two color selection switch levers, a color selection switch lever 104 and a color selection switch lever 111, near the upper part of the pen-shaped housing 102. This is different from the first premise example. As shown in FIG. 9, the newly provided color selection switch lever 111 is automatically supported by a spring 111b while being pivotally supported about a shaft 111a, similarly to the color selection switch lever 104. It is a return-type lever. Further, a micro switch 111c that is turned on and off by the lever is provided. The output of the micro switch 111c is input to the color selector 310 through the signal line 10a. As shown in FIG. 10, the color selector 310 uses a reversible counter as the counter 311 and counts up by 1 each time the microswitch 104c is turned on and counts down by 1 every time the microswitch 111c is turned on. Other configurations are the same as those of the first premise example.

  According to this example, every time one of the color selection switch levers 104 is operated, for example, in the configuration using the color information table 303 of FIG. 7, black → red → light red → purple → blue → cyan → Each time the other color selection switch lever 111 is operated, black → white → green → yellow green → yellow → cyan → blue → purple changes from yellow to yellow green → green → white → black. → Pale red → Red → Black changes. Thereby, even when the number of selectable colors increases, a desired color can be selected quickly.

  Referring to FIG. 11, the input pen 120 according to the third premise example is different from the first premise example in that a slide switch 121 having a knob 121 a is provided in the vicinity of the top of the pen-shaped housing 102. . A knob 121 a of the slide switch 121 is connected to a sliding contact 122 a of a variable resistor 122 provided in the housing 102 as shown in FIG. 6 is applied, and a voltage corresponding to the position of the sliding contact 122 a is supplied to the color selector 320 through the signal line 10. As shown in FIG. 13, the color selector 320 includes an A / D converter 321 that converts an analog voltage applied through the signal line 10 into a digital value instead of the counter 302 of FIG. The output value of the A / D converter 321 is output to the color information table 303 as a count value. Other configurations are the same as those of the first premise example.

  According to this example, if the knob 121a of the slide switch 121 is slid in one direction, for example, in the configuration using the color information table 303 of FIG. 7, black → red → light red → purple → blue → Change from cyan → yellow → yellow-green → green → white → black, slide in the other direction, black → white → green → yellow-green → yellow → cyan → blue → purple → light red → Red → Black changes. Thereby, even when the number of selectable colors increases, a desired color can be selected quickly.

  In this example, the slide switch 121 is used, but a rotary switch can also be used. In this case, the sliding contact 122a of the variable resistor 122 is configured to be interlocked with the rotation of the rotary switch.

  In each of the above premise examples, the coloring surface 103 is provided on the head of the input pen, but other portions of the input pen can be colored. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, the pen tip portion of the pen-shaped housing 102 is processed into a polyhedron, and a color LCD 131 is attached to each surface, so that the pen tip portion can be a coloring surface. Further, as shown in FIG. 15, the color selection switch lever 104 can be made to be a coloring surface by attaching a color LCD 132 to one or both sides of the color selection switch lever 104.

Next pen pointing device according to a real施例of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 16.

  Referring to FIG. 16, the color former 410 used in the pen-type pointing device according to the embodiment of the present invention includes three types of LEDs, a red LED 411, a green LED 412, and a blue LED 413 as color formers, and color selection through the signal line 11. A color control circuit 414 that controls the degree of light of the red LED 411, the green LED 412, and the blue LED 413 according to red information, green information, and blue information in the color information transmitted from the device 3, and attached to the color surface of the input pen A translucent body 415 and an optical system 416 that guides the light emitted from the LEDs 411, 412, and 413 to the translucent body 415. The optical system 416 includes one or a plurality of optical fibers 417 having one end connected to the translucent body 415, and an optical lens 418 that emits light emitted from the LEDs 411, 412, and 413 to the other end of the optical fiber 417. Composed.

  For example, in the premise example using the color information table 303 of FIG. 6 described above, the color control circuit 414 turns on the corresponding LED when the color information is 1, and turns off the corresponding LED when the color information is 0. For example, when the color information (RGB) is red (100), only the red LED 411 is turned on. Then, only red light emitted from the red LED 411 propagates to the semitransparent body 415 through the optical system 416, and the semitransparent body 415 glows red. When the color information (RGB) is (111) white, all the LEDs are turned on. Then, red, green, and blue light are additively mixed in the optical system 416 and the translucent body 415, and the translucent body 415 shines white. Of course, the present invention can also be applied to the premise example using the color information table 303 of FIG. 7 described above, in which case the degree of light of the corresponding LED is controlled according to the numerical value of the color information. For example, when the color information (RGB) is light red with (15, 8, 8), the degree of light of the red LED 411 is maximized, and the green LED 412 and the blue LED 413 are made to emit about half of the light.

  Further, when all the red, green, and blue LEDs are turned off, the translucent body 415 does not shine in any number of colors. Therefore, the color of the object behind the translucent body 415 is visible to the user's eyes. It is recognized as the color. Therefore, if a black film or the like is stretched on the back of the translucent body 415, black display is possible. A configuration example of the translucent body 415 in that case is shown in FIG. FIG. 17A is an external perspective view showing a configuration suitable when the head or switch portion of the input pen is used as a coloring surface, and a black film 419 is pasted on the back surface of the flat translucent body 415. is there. FIG. 17B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the outer shape of the translucent body 415 is processed into the shape of a pen tip and the black film 419 is pasted with the inside being hollow. In addition, in order to make the back surface of the translucent body 415 black, arbitrary methods, such as painting the back surface in black other than sticking a black film, can be used.

1 is a block diagram of a pen-type pointing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. An example of the configuration of an information terminal device used in combination with a pen-type pointing device in accordance with implementation of the embodiment of the present invention is a block diagram showing. 1 is an external perspective view of a pen-type pointing device according to a first premise example of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram of a pen-type pointing device according to a first premise example of the present invention. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the color selector used with the pen-type pointing device concerning the 1st premise example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a color information table. It is a figure which shows another structural example of a color information table. It is an external appearance perspective view of the pen-type pointing device concerning the 2nd example of the present invention. It is a block diagram of the pen-type pointing device concerning the 2nd example of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the color selector used with the pen-type pointing device concerning the 2nd example of this invention. It is an external appearance perspective view of the pen type pointing device concerning the 3rd example of the present invention. It is a block diagram of the pen-type pointing device concerning the 3rd example of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the color selector used with the pen-type pointing device concerning the 3rd example of this invention. It is a principal part external appearance perspective view of the pen-type pointing device concerning the premise example which colors a nib. It is a principal part external appearance perspective view of the pen-type pointing device concerning the example of a premise which colors a switch. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the color developing device in the pen-type pointing device concerning the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the specific structural example of a translucent body.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... Pen-type pointing device (input pen)
2 ... Color selection switch 3 ... Color selector 4 ... Color generator 5 ... Communication device 6 ... Power supply 7 ... Power switch 8 ... Information terminal device 9 ... Power supply lines 10, 11, 12 ... Signal lines

Claims (6)

A pen-type pointing device in which a part of a pen develops a color with a selected color, a color body that emits light of a specified color, and the light emitted from the color body is incident and propagated from a side surface and the back surface is A pen-type pointing device comprising a black translucent body. The pen-type pointing device according to claim 1, further comprising an optical system that guides the emitted light of the color former to a side surface of the translucent body. The pen-type pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the color former includes a plurality of light emitting elements that emit different colors of monochromatic light. An optical system including one or a plurality of optical fibers, one end of which is connected to a side surface of the translucent body, and an optical lens that emits light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements to the other end of the optical fiber; The pen-type pointing device according to claim 3. 4. The pen-type pointing device according to claim 3, further comprising a color development control circuit that controls a degree of light of the plurality of light emitting elements based on color information given from outside. Pen-type pointing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 at least part of the surface of the pre-Symbol translucent body is characterized by being exposed to the device outer surface.

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