JPH056211B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Background of the Invention) The present invention relates to an information processing device equipped with an X-Y direction input device for moving a cursor on a display screen of a computer, graphic display device, or other information processing device of this type. .

Conventionally, one type of X-Y direction input device is that when an operator tilts a lever in any direction, the direction and angle of the tilt,
There is a "Joystake" (registered trademark) that detects time and the like and generates each component in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction as an electric signal.

However, this input device called "JoyStake" (registered trademark) had drawbacks such as a limited rotation range of the lever and difficulty in accurately controlling the movement of the cursor.

In order to overcome these drawbacks, a device was developed in which the cursor was moved by rotating a sphere such as a synthetic resin ball or a steel ball. Rotate the sphere to X-Y
The input device for inputting the amount of movement in a direction is a so-called "mouse" that moves the entire X-Y direction input device that has a sphere to rotate the sphere, and a so-called "mouse" that rotates the sphere directly by hand. There is a so-called "track ball" in which the entire X-Y direction input device is fixed.

However, the "mouse" has the advantage of being easy to operate because all you have to do is move the entire X-Y direction input device to rotate the sphere, but on the other hand, it requires a large space to move and operate the X-Y direction input device. It has the disadvantage that it requires

On the other hand, "Trackball" directly hits the sphere.
Since it only needs to be rotated by hand, the entire X-Y direction input device including the sphere can be installed in a fixed location, and there is no need for an operating location. The disadvantage is that it is troublesome because the sphere must be rotated.

In this way, the "mouse" and the "trackball" have contradictory advantages and disadvantages.

X-Y direction input devices such as a "mouse" and a "trackball" are known for moving the cursor on the display screen of an information processing device in this manner.

(Objective of the Invention) The present invention was invented under these circumstances, and its first object is to compactly house an X-Y direction input device in a portable information processing device, making it convenient to carry. An object of the present invention is to provide a portable information processing device equipped with an X-Y direction input device.

The second purpose is to create an X-
An object of the present invention is to provide a portable information processing device equipped with a Y-direction input device.

(Summary of the Invention) The present invention provides a panel of a control console main body having an electric control section inside thereof, and a fitting section for a keyboard and an X-Y direction input device, and a thin display device is connected to the control console main body. It is characterized in that it is movably supported and is configured to cover a panel including the keyboard and the fitting portion of the XY direction input device when the display device is placed face down on the control console main body.

(Embodiments of the Invention) Next, an embodiment of the present invention shown in the drawings will be explained. FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the entire device.

The information processing device 6 shown in the illustrated example is a portable (handlap type) device having a computer function, and has an electric control section including a CPU, ROM, RAM, and other electric components in the control console main body 7. The panel 8 has a keyboard 9, a concave fitting part 10 for accommodating the X-Y direction input device 5, and a cassette tape storage part 11 for storing a cassette tape for an external storage device.
is provided.

The display device 12 has a thin liquid crystal display element and is rotatably supported on the control body 7.
When the display device 12 is placed face down on the control console body 7, the panel 8 including the keyboard 9 and the recessed fitting portion 10
It is configured to cover the

In FIG. 4, the X-Y direction input device 5 is taken out from the recessed fitting part 10 of the panel 8, and
The case where the cursor 2 displayed on the display screen 1 of the display device 12 is moved by moving the cursor 2 on the surface of the display device 12 is shown.

When the X-Y direction input device 5 is moved, the values of the X and Y components in the moving direction are transmitted to the control console main body 7 via the connection cord 14, and the cursor 2 displayed on the display device 12 is It moves in the same direction as the operating direction of the Y-direction input device 5.

Although the illustrated example shows a case where the connection cord 14 is used, moving components in the X-Y direction from the X-Y direction input device 5 using light, electromagnetic waves such as ultrahigh frequency waves, ultrasonic waves, etc. information may be transmitted to the information processing device 6.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the "mouse" and "trackball" input devices both rotate the sphere to perform X-Y
Focusing on the fact that the amount of movement of each component in the direction is input, if there is a large operation area such as a control panel or desk, use it by touching the sphere of the X-Y direction input device to the desk, etc. However, in places where there is no large operating space, the X-Y direction input device should be reversed in the vertical direction.
The sphere can be used by rotating it directly by hand.

Here, the X-Y direction input device using a sphere is simply reversed in the vertical direction, and the above-mentioned "mouse" is created.
The following disadvantages arise when a ball is used for both purposes, such as a "track ball."

When using the X-Y direction input device like a "mouse", the sphere is grounded and rolled, so the X-Y direction input device is used so that the sphere faces downward.

On the other hand, when the X-Y direction input device is used like a "track ball", the X-Y direction input device is installed so that the sphere faces upward.

In this way, when using an X-Y direction input device like a "mouse" and when using it like a "track ball," the X-Y direction input device is used in opposite directions in the vertical direction. When using either a "mouse" or a "trackball," there is a problem in that the direction of movement of the cursor is opposite to the direction of operation of the X-Y direction input device. To explain this with reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a display screen 1, in which a cursor 2 is moved in the direction of arrow A. FIG. 2 shows an explanatory view of the X-Y direction input device 5 having the sphere 4, and shows a state in which the X-Y direction input device 5 is used like a so-called "mouse".

To move the cursor 2 in the direction of arrow A on the display screen 1, the X-Y direction input device 5 is moved in the direction of arrow B.

When the X-Y direction input device 5 is moved in the direction of arrow B, the sphere 4 rotates in the direction of arrow a due to contact with the ground surface, and the cursor 2 moves in the direction of arrow A.

Next, a case where the X-Y direction input device 5 is used like a so-called "track ball" will be described.
FIG. 3 shows an overhead view showing the state where the X-Y direction input device 5 is reversed in the vertical direction. In order to move the cursor 2 in the direction of arrow A,
must be rotated by hand in the direction of arrow a.

Therefore, the moving direction of the cursor 2 and the operating direction for rotating the sphere 4 are opposite to each other.

That is, the X-Y direction input device 5 is a "mouse".
If you make the overall operation direction of the X-Y direction input device 5 and the moving direction of the cursor 2 the same when using it as in ``Track Ball'', you can move the sphere 4 in the vertical direction so that it faces upward. On the other hand, since the X-Y direction input device 5 is installed in an inverted state, the operating direction of the hand that rotates the sphere 4 by hand and the moving direction of the cursor are opposite to each other.

Therefore, in the present invention, even if the X-Y direction input device 5 using the sphere 4 is used in both directions with respect to the vertical direction, the operating direction of the X-Y direction input device 5 and the moving direction of the cursor 2 are made to match. In order to
comprising a notification means for notifying the processing device that the X-Y direction input device 5 is in the opposite direction with respect to the vertical direction;
The moving direction of the cursor 2 of the processing device is made to coincide with the direction of the hand rotating the sphere by the notification from the notification means.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are explanatory diagrams showing the main parts of the X-Y direction input device 5 used in the present invention.

A sphere 4 such as a steel ball or a synthetic resin ball is installed approximately in the center of the bottom plate 16 of the casing 15 of the X-Y direction input device 5.
A part of the casing 15 is disposed facing the outside of the casing 15. The sphere 4 has a contact hole 16' smaller in diameter than the sphere 4, and has a lid 17 fixed to the bottom plate 16 by screws or other appropriate means, and a casing 1.
It is held by a bowl-shaped support 18 fixed in the lid body 17, and is held by two ball pushers 19 and 20 in the direction of the access hole 16 of the lid body 17 and the driven roller 21.
and the driven roller 22 in the direction of the intermediate point O. The inner diameter of the bowl-shaped support 18 is set to be several millimeters (for example, 1 to 2 mm) larger than the diameter of the sphere 4, and the sphere 4 can freely rotate.

The driven rollers 21 and 22 that are in contact with the sphere 4 are arranged approximately at right angles when viewed from the spherical center point Q of the sphere 4, and one driven roller 21 detects the X component of the amount of rotation of the sphere 4, and the other driven roller 22 detects the Y component of the amount of rotation of the sphere 4; The detected X and Y components of the amount of rotation of the sphere 4 are transmitted as electrical signals by encoders 23 and 24, which are rotation amount detection means. The two ball pushers 19 and 20 are connected to the ball 4 by panels 25 and 26 fixed at one end to the casing 15.
, one of the ball pushing bodies 20 is arranged so that the force of pushing the sphere 4 acts on the intermediate point O between the driven rollers 21 and 22, and the driven rollers 21, 22
is constructed such that it is always in contact with the sphere 4 due to the bias of the sphere 4.

The other ball pusher 19 is arranged to push the ball 4 in the vertical direction, that is, into the access hole 16' of the lid 17, and the strength of the spring 25 is set so that the X-Y direction input device 5 is moved in the vertical direction. It is set to a value that produces a force that is at least greater than the weight of the sphere 4 when the sphere 4 is turned upward.

Therefore, when using the X-Y direction input device 5 with the sphere 4 facing upward in the vertical direction, the sphere 4 is moved from the bowl-shaped support 18 toward the lid 17 by the spring 25 of the ball pusher 19. The sphere 4 can be smoothly rotated by hand. Moreover, the contact of the hand causes the sphere 4 to fall slightly against the spring 25, reducing the frictional force between the sphere 4 and the lid 17, so that the sphere 4 can be rotated more smoothly.

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the ball pushers 19 and 20, in which a bowl-shaped holding part 28 is integrally formed at one end of a cylindrical support part 27, and a steel ball,
A push ball 29 such as a synthetic resin ball is fitted, and the push ball 29
A fitting frame 31 having a hole 30 smaller in diameter than the diameter of the push ball 29 is fitted into the push ball 29 and fixed to the holding portion 28 by adhesive or the like to hold the push ball 29. Since the inner diameter of the holding portion 28 is formed to be slightly larger than the diameter of the pusher ball 29 (for example, 0.1 to 0.3 mm), the pusher ball 29 is held rotatably.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the X-Y direction input device 5, showing the case where the sphere 4 is facing downward,
FIG. 9 shows a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line A--A in FIG. 8.
A push button type control switch 33 is provided substantially at the front of the upper plate 32 of the casing 15. The control switch 33 is used not only to switch the X-Y direction input device 5 itself, but also to control and switch various function displays displayed on the display screen 1, and to process various signals.

The control switch 33 is biased upwardly by a spring (not shown) so as to be able to move up and down in a concave groove 34 provided on the top plate 32 and whose bottom surface is circular. 32 upper casing surface 3
It is formed lower than 5. Reference numeral 36 in the figure is a connector connected to the connection cord 14 or the information processing device 6.

Next, a description will be given of the notification means when the XY direction input device 5 is reversed in the vertical direction and the sphere 4 is directly rotated by hand.

FIG. 10 shows a detection switch 37 as a notification means.
2 is a side schematic cross-sectional explanatory view of the case where the input device 5 is provided inside the X-Y direction input device 5. FIG.

The detection switch 37 has one end of a rotating piece 39 rotatably attached to a fixed shaft 38 fixed in the casing 15, and a magnet 40 is provided at the other end of the rotating piece 39. A magnetically sensitive element 41 such as a reed switch is provided in the sensitive range of the magnet 40 outside the rotation locus of the magnet 39. The rotating piece 39 always faces vertically downward due to gravity, and
A magnetic sensing element 41 is provided below the magnet 40 of the rotating piece 39 when the Y-direction input device 5 is reversed in the vertical direction and the sphere 4 is facing upward. Therefore, when the X-Y direction input device 5 is reversed in the vertical direction, the magnetically sensitive element 41 works.

In this way, the detection switch 37 in the illustrated example is capable of detecting in the vertical direction, and when the X-Y direction input device 5 is reversed in the vertical direction, it automatically operates to cause the information processing device 6 to detect the X-Y direction input device 5. It is notified as an electrical signal via the connection connector 36 that the direction has been reversed.

A push button type control switch 42 having the same function as the control switch 33 shown in FIG. ), and the head of the control switch 42 is formed lower than the lower casing surface 44 of the bottom plate 16.

FIGS. 11 and 12 are explanatory views when the X-Y direction input device 5 is fitted into the fitting portion 10 of the information processing device 6.

Finger insertion grooves 45, 45 into which fingers can be inserted are provided on both sides of the concave fitting portion 10 provided on the panel 8 of the control console body 7. When taking it off, insert the fingers from the insertion grooves 45, 45
- It is convenient to be able to grasp the casing 15 of the Y direction input device 5.

The front inner wall 46 of the concave fitting part 10 has an X-
An electrical connection part 47 is provided to connect to the connector 36 of the Y direction input device 5, and the connector 36 and the electrical connection part 47 are connected when the XY direction input device 5 is fitted into the recessed fitting part 10. do.

In this way, the X-Y direction input device 5 is fitted into the recessed fitting portion 10 by connecting the connector 36 and the electrical connection portion 4.
7, the length of the concave fitting part 10 in the longitudinal direction is longer than the length in the X-Y direction to facilitate fitting. It is shown by the difference.

The illustrated example above is an explanation of the case where the X-Y direction input device 5 is used with the sphere 4 facing downward in the vertical direction, and the notification means when the X-Y direction input device 5 is used with the sphere 4 facing downward in the vertical direction. An embodiment in which the detection switch 37 is provided in the XY direction input device 5 is shown.

Next, as another embodiment of the notification means, a case where the notification means is provided in an information processing apparatus will be described.

FIG. 13 shows a detection switch 48 as a notification means.
This is an explanatory diagram showing a case where the panel 8 is provided on the panel 8 of the control console main body 7.

The detection switch 48 is provided above and near the concave fitting part 10, and when the X-Y direction input device 5 is fitted in the concave fitting part 10, the operation lever of the detection switch 48 is Activate 49. In response to the notification from the detection switch 48, the information processing device 6 processes the cursor 2 so that it moves in the same direction as the rotation operation direction of the sphere 4 of the XY direction input device 5.

FIG. 14 shows a detection switch 50 as a notification means.
is provided in a concave fitting part 10 provided in the information processing device 6, and a part of the control console main body 7 is configured to work when the X-Y direction input device 5 is fitted in the concave fitting part 10. FIG.

The detection switch 50 is located at the bottom 5 of the recessed fitting part 10.
It is provided approximately in the center of 1. Detection switch 5
The operating rod 52 of 0 is the through hole 5 provided in the bottom part 51.
3 so as to be vertically movable, and is biased upward by a spring 54. A contact 55 is provided below the operating rod 52, and when the operating rod 52 is pushed downward, the contact 55 closes and the control console main body 7
The signal is transmitted as an electric signal to an electric control section 56 provided inside.

When the X-Y direction input device 5 is fitted into the concave fitting part 10 with the sphere 4 facing upward, the detection switch 50 is activated.
The operating rod 52 is pushed by the casing 15 of the X-Y direction input device 5 and closes the contact, so the detection switch 50 causes the information processing device 6 to detect the X-Y direction input device 5.
indicates that it is used in the opposite direction in the vertical direction.

As described above, the embodiment shown in FIG. 14 is convenient because when the X-Y direction input device 5 is used by fitting it into the fitting portion 10 of the information processing device 6, it can be automatically notified. be.

In addition, the detection switch may be constructed by providing a light emitting part on one inner wall of the recessed fitting part 10 and providing a light receiving part for receiving light from the light emitting part on the other corresponding inner wall. - By fitting the Y-direction input device 5, light is blocked by the device 5, the light receiving section detects that the light is blocked, and the X-Y direction input device 5 is used in the reverse direction. It is also possible to notify the

In the above illustrated example, an embodiment of the detection switch is shown as a notification means when the X-Y direction input device 5 is used upside down in the vertical direction. , input a "command" when using the X-Y direction input device 5 in the vertical direction, and use this "command" to change the moving direction of the cursor 2 to the - It is also possible to configure the Y-direction input device 5 to perform processing in the same direction as the direction in which the sphere 4 is rotated.

The embodiments of the notification means have been described above, but
Next, the control switch 42 (the first
Another embodiment of the control switch 57 having the same function as the control switch 57 (see FIG. 0) will now be described.

FIG. 15 shows an explanatory diagram thereof, and the control switch 57 is provided on the panel 8 instead of the XY direction input device 5.

This is because when the X-Y direction input device 5 is fitted into the recessed fitting portion 10 and used, the control switch 57 must be provided on the panel 8 and electrically connected to the electrical control portion of the information processing device 6. That's enough.

Since the control switch 57 is provided near the concave fitting part 10 and from the lower left side, for example, the user can rotate the sphere 4 of the X-Y direction input device 5 with the index finger and operate the control switch 57 with the thumb. It is convenient because it allows you to

(Effect of the invention) Since the present invention is configured as described above,
Since the Y-direction input device can be compactly housed in a portable information processing device, it is extremely convenient to carry and use.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figures illustratively show embodiments of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a display screen, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are X-
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the Y-direction input device. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an information processing device including an X-Y direction input system according to the present invention, FIGS. 5 and 6 are explanatory diagrams showing main parts of the X-Y direction input device, and FIG. 7 is a ball pusher. 8 is a perspective view of the X-Y direction input device, and FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line A--A in FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a schematic side cross-sectional view when the detection switch is provided inside the X-Y direction input device. FIGS. 11 and 12 are explanatory diagrams when the X-Y direction input device is used by fitting it into the fitting part of the information processing device. FIG. 13 shows another embodiment of the present invention, and is an explanatory diagram when a detection switch as a notification means is provided on the panel of the main body of the control console.
FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a part of the control console body in the case where a detection switch is provided in a recessed fitting portion provided on the panel. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram when the control switch is provided on the panel of the main body of the control console. 1... Display screen, 2... Cursor, 3... (missing number), 4... Sphere, 5... X-Y direction input device,
6... Information processing device, 7... Control console main body, 8...
Panel, 10... Concave fitting part, 12... Display device, 15... Casing, 21, 22... Driven roller, 23, 24... Encoder, 37, 48,
50...Detection switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A panel of a control console body having an electric control section inside thereof is provided with a fitting part for a keyboard and an X-Y direction input device, and a thin display device is rotatably attached to the control console body. When this display device is placed face down on the control console body, the keyboard and the X
- A portable information processing device equipped with an X-Y direction input device, characterized in that the device is configured to cover a panel including a fitting portion of the Y direction input device. 2. A portable information processing device equipped with an X-Y direction input device according to claim 1, further comprising a notification means when the X-Y direction input device is used upside down in the vertical direction. Device.