DD270395A1 - ROLLBALL CONTROL DEVICE FOR MANIPULATING SPATIAL IMAGE DISPLAYS, ESPECIALLY THEIR ROTATION, ON COMPUTER-CONTROLLED SCREEN DEVICES - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a Eingangsegeraet for computer workstations, which is known as a trackball, trackball, etc. for the two-dimensional use. The object of the invention is to provide such devices for three-dimensional input, in particular for the control of the rotation of three-dimensional objects on screens, using known or new principles of action and the exploitation of the possibilities of modern computing. Areas of application are elementary particle physics in the investigation of complicated spatial decay structures, but also molecular biology, medicine, construction (CAD). Since the friction wheels conventionally used to obtain measured values in rolling balls are in principle limited to 2 degrees of freedom and are therefore unsuitable, in part new magnetic, acoustic and optical solutions for non-contact measured value acquisition are indicated in conjunction with a microprocessor for the control with 3 degrees of freedom. Fig. 1

Description

field of use

The field of application of the invention are screen workstations with spatial image representation, wherein the control of the objects shown - for example, a rotation about an arbitrary spatial axis - is achieved by a proportional rotation of a trackball.

Characteristic of the known state of the art

Trackball control devices have been known for over 20 years as controls (speedball, trackball) for manual tracking and for measuring particle traces e.g. B. in elementary particle physics / 1 / and in radar technology. Here, as well as in the more recent for the control of points on screens serving so-called "computer mouse" is a two-dimensional input device.Roll balls are mostly air-bearing, the measurement of the rolling ball rotation but via 2 follower friction wheels, in direct engagement with When turning the track ball, the friction wheels are moved more or less according to the directional components, but constructively prevents the case that at the point of contact, the direction of movement of the ball surface and friction wheel is exactly vertical, as this Thus, the principle of a trackball input device with friction wheel for 3 degrees of freedom is not feasible.With the "computer mouse", which is rolled by hand over a surface, there are methods of non-contact measurement via optical elements, d he reflected certain patterns on the sphere differently, or magnetic field strength measurement by means of Hall probes (field probes), in which the ball interspersed with magnetic patterns or the surface of a ferromagnetic layer is designed accordingly / 2,3,4.

With the development of ever faster calculating machines, it is now also possible to produce spatial representations on screens. In the field of elementary particle physics, the investigation of spatial decay structures requires a rotation of these structures around arbitrary spatial axes. The same may be necessary for medical diagnostics in molecular biology, in design drafts (CAD), in manipulators, in robot programming (acquisition of data).

An xy input device / 5 / has a trackball, the rotation of which is scanned by friction wheels, but serving for the storage of the rolling ball housing is additionally rotatable, so that one can set a direction of travel and the rotation angle of the trackball would correspond to the distance , The second direction of rotation of the trackball could thus be used for the input of the third coordinate, but this is not claimed.

For programming robots sticks are known for the adjustment of any spatial point, in which a hollow ball at the end is arranged for the control of rotation in 3 axes of rotation; In this case, the applied force is measured by means of rotation measuring strips in the interior, which is proportional to the desired angle of rotation / 6 /. In / 7 / is protected a movable mouse, which can be driven on a table and should have sensors in x, у and ζ, whereby the generation of the digital values should be done via electrostatic effects.

Furthermore, input devices for x, y, ζ are still known in which either a trackball for the x-y input and a slider for the z-input and also 3 sliders for the x, y, z input are used.

Finally, a trackball input device for χ and у is protected under the name, Cursor Control Device '/ e /, in which by means of a key the switching of the accuracy of the input can be changed in the ratio 1:15. The shortcomings of the described, only for x-y coordinates provided input devices / 1,2,3,4,5 / exist in the missing third degree of freedom. The shortcomings of the devices referred to as "Computer Mouse" also exist in the need to guide them over a flat plate, which in some cases must be equipped with special patterns and / or magnetic, which is not optimal for reasons of space and pollution. With / 6 / again, a force must constantly be maintained in achieving a coordinate or an angular excursion, which is unfavorable for the intended application.

Object of the invention

The object of the invention is to provide a smooth, small, stationary control device, in particular for rotational movements with 3 degrees of freedom for a three-dimensional screen display.

Explanation of the essence of the invention

The object of the invention is the o. G. To eliminate deficiencies of existing input devices and to make use of other physical quantities and effects including the computing technology for the spatial control in 3 degrees of freedom, in particular the rotational movement to provide advantageous new solutions.

According to the invention this is achieved in that a stationary track ball made of glass, plastic and / or metal and non-contact transmitter and receiver, the number of the latter must be at least 3, are used. By means of downstream amplifiers, analogue digital converters and a preferably associated microprocessor or other computer, the measured values of the receivers are compared with already stored calibration data and, using interpolation methods, spatial control variables for a computer generating the image are generated, so that the direction of movement or movement is determined the angle of rotation of the displayed object on the screen becomes largely proportional to the direction of movement and the angle of rotation of the hand-operated trackball. A technical solution according to the invention for the encoders and receivers according to claim 2 represent two bar magnets accommodated in the trackball and 3 Hall generators arranged outside the same. The electrical voltages arising in the conversion of the magnetic field strength values in the Hall generators are computationally converted into values for the spatial rotation angle u.a. further processed.

In a further technical solution according to the magnetic principle is provided according to claim 3, in the rolling ball housing

or to arrange more electromagnets, each with a pair of poles near the trackball, with DC or staggered

Pulses or are fed with alternating voltage of different frequency or phase and in the magnetic circuits

also magnetic field measuring devices to accommodate, wherein the trackball is a part of magnetically conductive material. This ensures that for each solid angle of the trackball different amplitudes to the

Resulting measuring devices that can be further processed by computer. Furthermore, according to the invention a novel for the trackball measuring method using an ultrasonic generator and

at least three ultrasound receivers outside and one or more reflectors inside the trackball indicated, wherein the further processing of the measured values is carried out analogously to the first-mentioned method.

Further arrangements according to the invention are possible by utilizing optical effects. According to claim 4 is a Trackball control device protected in which the trackball is made of a crystal-clear material and diffused inside

contains reflective surfaces. There are several Lichtgeber- and -empfängerpaare in the housing outside of the trackball, which operate at different wavelengths or in pulse mode operation and a wavelength staggered in time. The measured values at the light receivers are dependent on the angular position of the trackball and can be found in the

Claim 1 described further processed. Finally, according to the invention, a translucent trackball is protected by an optical reflector in which a

Outside the sphere mounted transmitter emits polarized light and at least 3 light receivers are needed.

Again, the further processing of the measured data is carried out in an analogous manner as in the previous method. It is further provided according to the invention, by switching connected to the computer switching to a transition

to allow control with 1 or 2 of 3 degrees of freedom.

Thus, the control of a point in the x-y plane or in the Z direction is achieved by means of trackball. embodiments

The invention will be explained in more detail below by exemplary embodiments. The accompanying drawings show schematically rolling ball control devices, namely

Fig. 1: in the overall arrangement with microprocessor, screen computer and screen, where as Meßwertempfänger Hall probes and serve as donors permanent magnets in the trackball,

Fig. 2: with electromagnetic encoders and measured value receivers in the housing of the trackball, Fig. 3: with ultrasonic transducer, reflector and receivers, Figure 4: with optical encoders, reflector and receivers.

A trackball control device for the spatial image representation according to claim 1 and 2 comprises a trackball 1, which is mounted in a housing 2 on balls or compressed air friction. As donors are located inside the trackball according to claim 2, two bar magnets whose lines of force pass through the non-contact transducers 3,4 and 5 type Hall probe and voltages arise there, which are proportional to the magnetic induction B and sent through the Hall probes currents I. , The subsequent amplifiers 6, 7, 8 and analogue-to-digital converters 9, 10, 11 are used to transmit the measured values preferably to a separate microprocessor 12, which compares them with the calibration data stored in an extra ROM 13 in tabular form, taking advantage of the interaction calculates the solid angles, which are forwarded to the screen computer 14 and a manipulation, for. B. Rotation of the displayed object on the screen 15 about the 3 axes proportional to the rotation of the trackball, causes. A trackball control device according to claim 3 (FIG. 2) is characterized by a ferromagnetic body of a certain geometrical shape 16 housed inside the trackball 1, which rotates when the ball is rotated in the magnetic circuits 17,18,19 and the magnetic flux probes (see FIG. Förster probe, Hall probe) 20, 21,22 leads to different magnetic flux and thus voltages, from which by means of the connected circuits of FIG. 1, the solid angle can be obtained.

A roller ball control device according to claim 4 using an ultrasonic generator 23 in Figure 3 has an ultrasonic reflector 24 in the interior of the trackball 1, which reflects the sound in different strength and phase position on the ultrasonic receiver 25,26,27. From these measurements, it is again possible to deduce the spatial values using a similar circuit arrangement as in FIG. 1.

A trackball control device according to claim 5 consists according to Rg. 4 of a trackball 1 made of crystal clear material, in the interior of diffuse scattering apexes, for. are arranged in the form of a hexahedron 28. Spatially distributed are 3 Lichtgeber-Lichtempfängerpaare 29-30,31-32,33-34, which are advantageously clocked staggered or operated at different wavelengths in order to simplify the evaluation of the amplitude values as a function of the rotation angle of the trackball. A trackball control device also on optical principle according to claim 6, as in Fig. 4 on a trackball 1 made of crystal clear material, but instead of the diffusely scattering hexahedron 28, a reflective arrangement of triple mirror is used. Before the light emitters 29,31,33 polarizing filters are inserted with such orientation that also results in a change in amplitude of the light as a function of the solid angle of the trackball. According to claim 7, preferably for spatial manipulation, in particular rotation, suitable trackball control device is switched by additional equipment or use of key switches to one or 2 of 3 degrees of freedom, as in the positioning of a point (cursor) in space, z. B. on a characteristic point of the illustrated object, and may be required in other manipulations. The key switches are electrically connected to the computer.

Claims (7)

1. trackball control device for the manipulation of spatial image representations, in particular their rotation on computer-controlled screen devices, the direction and rotation angle of the hand-operated trackball are proportional to the direction and angle of rotation of the object shown on a screen, characterized by the use of a known per se ball of glass, Plastic and / or metal and non-contact encoders and receivers, the number of latter is to be increased to at least 3, and downstream amplifiers, analog-digital converters and a preferably separate microprocessor or other computer for converting the measured values into the spatial control variables for the image-generating computer below Use of already stored calibration data and interpolation method. 2. Trackball control device according to claim 1, characterized in that arranged as a transmitter in the trackball 2 bar magnets and as a receiver outside the trackball at least 3 Hall generators, which cause a conversion of the magnetic field strength values into electrical voltages, wherein computationally from the voltage values and the Voltage ratios of the individual Hall generators on the direction of rotation and the change in the angle of rotation can be concluded. 3. Trackball control device according to claim 1, characterized in that - That are arranged as donors in the trackball housing at least three electromagnets, each with a pair of poles distributed spatially near the trackball, which are energized with DC or time-shifted pulses or with different frequencies or phases, - That are in the magnetic circuit of the electromagnet magnetic field and - That the trackball is partially made of a magnetically conductive material of certain geometric shape, so that set for each solid angle of the trackball other values of the magnetic flux in the three magnetic circuits, which is computationally determined from the voltages at the receivers of the solid angle. 4. trackball control device according to claim 1, characterized in that are arranged as donors outside the trackball ultrasonic transmitter and receiver as ultrasonic receiver and in the trackball ultrasonic reflectors are, computationally from the amplitudes or phases and their relationships to each other in the direction of rotation and from the Changes to the rotation angle can be concluded. 5. Trackball control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the trackball is made of a crystal clear material and contains inside diffuse reflective surfaces, - That several üchtgeber and Uchtempfängerpaare are spatially distributed in the Rollkugelgehäuse, wherein depending on the angular position of the ball different and weiterverarbeitbare brightness values at the light receivers occur and - That the Lichtgeber- and receiver pairs are tuned to different wavelengths or times of light pulses, which is computationally determined from the voltages at the receivers of the solid angle. 6. Trackball control device according to claim 1, characterized in that - That the trackball is made of crystal clear material and is provided in the interior with an optical reflector and - That at least 3 pairs of light emitters and light receivers are arranged outside the trackball and the light emitters are equipped with polarizing filters, which is computationally determined from the voltages at the receivers of the solid angle. 7. trackball control device according to claim 1 to 6, characterized in that by means of switching means, which are connected to the computer, a transition to the controller with one or two of three degrees of freedom is made possible. For this 4 pages drawings