JP2000031809A - Incorrect detection preventing system for touchless switch unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an incorrect detection preventing system for touchless switch unit with which a downside switch does not accept input when an operator is to operate the key of an upside switch at vertically arranged touchless switch units of two or more. SOLUTION: When a signal showing the operation of an upside key 1a is first outputted from an upside touchless switch 1, any input to a downside key 2a is not permitted for prescribed time A and when a signal showing the operation of a downside key 2a is first outputted from a downside touchless switch 2 and there is the signal indicating the operation of the upside key 1a within prescribed time B, on the other hand, it is judged that the upside key 1a is operated but when there is no signal showing the operation of the upside key 1a within the prescribed time B, it is judged that the downside key 2a is first operated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for preventing erroneous detection of a touchless switch unit when two or more units arranged in a vertical direction are regarded as a set of input units.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A set of reflection-type photoelectric sensors, that is, light (infrared rays) emitted from a light-emitting element is reflected on an object (for example, an operator's finger) on a key displayed in the air. 2. Description of the Related Art Touchless switches using a photoelectric switch of a type in which reflected light (infrared rays) is received by a light receiving element as detection means are known. If such one-key touchless switches are arranged side by side adjacent to or close to each other in the vertical direction, an erroneous detection (detection interference of the sensor) will occur.
May cause In particular, when trying to touch a key floating in the air of the upper touchless switch with your finger,
It is easy for the lower key to be input.

When the key of the upper switch is to be touched with, for example, the belly of the forefinger, the light from the photoelectric switch provided in the lower switch is applied to the thumb of the hand, etc. due to the shape of the hand at that time. Is reflected and the lower switch reacts first before the upper switch becomes an input.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional touchless switch unit, and an object thereof is to arrange two or more vertically. In the touchless switch unit, when the operator tries to operate the key of the upper switch, the lower switch does not accept the input, and provides a method of preventing erroneous detection of a pair of upper and lower touchless switch units. Is to do.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A touchless switch unit according to the present invention includes a reflection type photoelectric switch, and two or more touchless switches capable of displaying one key in the air are vertically arranged. In such a case, two adjacent touchless switches are regarded as a pair of input units, and the input means is accepted and determined by a control means or a control device, which is as follows. .

Considering that a pair of upper and lower touchless switches try to operate a key displayed in the air, a signal is first output from an upper key, that is, an upper touchless switch, and a signal is output from an upper key. Key, that is, a signal is output from the lower touchless switch. In each case, an input acceptance determination method, that is, an input confirmation method will be described.

First, when a signal indicating that the upper key has been operated is output from the upper touchless switch, a signal indicating that the lower key has been operated is issued within a predetermined time A. When output is performed from the lower touchless switch, the operation performed on the lower key is suspended, and it is determined that the operation on the first upper key has been performed. Similarly, when a signal indicating that the lower key has been operated is not output from the lower touchless switch, it is also determined that the first upper key has been operated. On the other hand, first, when a signal indicating that the lower key has been operated is output from the lower touchless switch, within a predetermined time B,
When a signal indicating that the upper key has been operated is output from the upper touchless switch, the operation performed on the first lower key is suspended, and the operation on the upper key is performed. When the signal indicating that the upper key has been operated is not output from the upper touchless switch within the predetermined time B, it is determined that the input to the lower key has been made. to decide.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Input of a signal output from a pair of touchless switch units and determination and determination of an input based on the signal are performed by a sequencer (PC) or a controller (a control device such as a microcomputer system). Just do it. For these PCs and controllers, those according to the prior art are sufficient.

The present invention can be applied to a case where three or more touchless switches are installed vertically. Even in such a case, for any touchless switch, at least one combination of the top and bottom can be considered. Therefore, the following description in this specification is referred to as vertical (vertical) when viewed from above.
The operation is performed assuming that two touchless switches are installed in the directions.

[0010] When trying to touch the midair key of the lower touchless switch with the finger of the hand (for example, the belly of the index finger), there is almost no danger of touching the upper key. Conversely, when trying to touch the upper key, it is necessary to consider that a hand or finger enters the detection range of the lower touchless switch. The present invention is a method for preventing erroneous detection in this case.

[0011] Suppose that the operator tries to touch the upper key. If the upper key is operated normally,
The upper touchless switch outputs a signal (detection signal) indicating that an input has been made. However, following this, the lower touchless switch may detect the operator's hand or finger. That is, the lower key following the upper key may be erroneously input against the operator's intention.

Therefore, it is confirmed whether or not a signal indicating that the lower key is operated is output from the lower touchless switch within a predetermined time A after the upper input is recognized. Thus, it is finally confirmed that the operation is for the upper key. If an input to the lower key is accepted (by the control device) after the predetermined time A or after the predetermined time A, it is regarded as an independent key operation. That is, the operator determines that the user has operated the upper key and then tried to operate the lower key. Unless otherwise, that is, the detection signal from the lower touch switch within the predetermined time A is ignored.

On the other hand, there is a possibility that the lower key is input first while the operator attempts to operate the upper key. The present invention provides an input determination method that can cope with such a case. That is, even if a signal indicating that the lower key has been operated is first output from the lower touchless switch, it indicates that the upper key has been operated within the predetermined time B. When the signal is output from the upper touchless switch,
The operation performed on the first lower key is suspended, that is, ignored, and it is determined that the operation on the upper key has been performed.

Of course, first, the input to the lower key is recognized,
Thereafter, if the signal indicating that the upper key has been operated is not output from the upper touchless switch within the predetermined time B, it can be determined that the input to the lower key has been made simply. Needless to say,

[0015]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a system for preventing erroneous detection of a touchless switch unit according to the present invention. The upper touchless switch 1 and the lower touchless switch 2 constitute a pair of upper and lower touchless switch units. The words “up” and “down” enclosed in quotation marks in the figure are
It means the upper touchless switch or the key above it, and the lower touchless switch or the key below it.

Each of the touchless switches (1, 2) includes a light-emitting element (not shown) and a light-receiving element (1b, 2b), and displays keys (1a, 2a) based on a real image in the air. . The operator operates these aerial keys (1
If a finger is touched while looking at a and 2a), the infrared light projected by a light emitting element such as an infrared light emitting diode is reflected by the finger and enters the appropriate light receiving element (1b or 2b). . As the light receiving elements (1b, 2b), for example, a phototransistor or the like can be used. Each touchless switch (1, 2) has a key (1a or 2).
A detection signal indicating that a) has been operated is output to the control device 3 at the subsequent stage, and the control device 3 inputs (receives) the signal.

The control device 3 is means for judging and fixing which key (1a, 2a) has been operated based on the detection signals received from the respective touchless switches (1, 2). When first receiving the output signal from the upper touchless switch 1, the controller 3 monitors the output from the lower touchless switch 2 for a predetermined time (for example, A seconds). When first receiving the output signal from the lower touchless switch 2, the controller 3 monitors the output from the upper touchless switch 1 for a predetermined time (for example, B seconds). It is configured as such.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a process up to a determination that the control device determines the input when a signal indicating an input to the upper key is first output. Upon receiving the output from “up”, the control device 3 monitors for an output from “down” for A seconds. The A second is appropriately determined by those skilled in the art according to the application of the touchless switch, and may be, for example, about 0.5 to 1 second. Of course, if there is no output from “below” within A seconds (or less than A seconds), it means that an input operation to “up” has been performed, and the output from “below” within A seconds Yes, if the control device 3 receives the output, the output from “below” is invalidated, and it is also determined that there is an input to “over”.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a process in which the control device determines to determine the input when a signal indicating an input to the lower key is first output. Control device 3
When receiving an output from "lower", that is, inputting a signal from "lower" and recognizing that, it monitors for a predetermined time whether a detection signal is output from "upper". This predetermined time is, for example, B seconds. This B second is a design choice for those skilled in the art, but can be, for example, about one second.

If there is an output from "up" within the B seconds or less than B seconds, the output from "lower" is invalidated and the output from "up" is valid. Said B
By properly adjusting, it is possible to prevent a situation in which a finger or a hand accidentally touches the lower key 2a by mistake before attempting to operate the upper key 1a. This is because the input to “down” is not valid only for the predetermined time B seconds, and the input to “up” is likely to be valid.

Of course, if the control unit 3 does not receive the output from "up" within the predetermined time B seconds, the first input to "down" is valid. That is, it can be considered that the operator has tried to operate the lower key 2a.

[0022]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects. Focusing on two touchless switches adjacent to each other in two or more rows in the vertical direction when viewed from above, when the operator considers two touchless switches as a pair of touchless switch units, the operator touches the upper touch panel. Key 1 of wrestling switch 1
When the lower key 2a is input after the upper key 1a is input when the user attempts to operate the upper key 1a,
Even if the lower key 2a is input earlier than before, the output of one key is always monitored after a predetermined time, and based on the result, which key is input is determined. When the key 1a is operated, the lower touchless switch 2 does not receive an input by mistake.
An erroneous detection prevention method for a pair of upper and lower touchless switch units can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a system for preventing erroneous detection of a touchless switch unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a process from when a signal indicating an input to an upper key is first output until the control device determines to determine the input;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process from when a signal indicating an input to a lower key is first output until the control device determines to determine the input;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Upper touchless switch 1a Upper key 1b Light receiving element 2 Lower touchless switch 2a Lower key 2b Light receiving element 3 Control device A, B Predetermined time N No Y Yes

Claims (1)

[Claims] When two or more touchless switches including a reflection type photoelectric switch and capable of displaying one key in the air are arranged vertically, two touches arranged adjacent to each other are provided. This is a method in which the input switch is regarded as a pair of input units and the control means receives and determines an input. First, a signal indicating that the upper key is operated is output from the upper touchless switch. If the signal indicating that the lower key has been operated is output from the lower touchless switch within the predetermined time A,
The operation performed on the lower key is suspended, and it is determined that the operation on the first upper key has been performed, and that the lower key has been operated within the predetermined time A. When no signal is output from the lower touchless switch, it is also determined that the first upper key has been operated, while the lower key has been operated first. When the signal indicating that the upper key has been operated is output from the upper touchless switch within the predetermined time B when the signal indicating The operation performed on the lower key is suspended, and it is determined that the operation on the upper key has been performed. A signal indicating that the upper key has been operated within the predetermined time B is output. Output from the upper touchless switch. Tinged the case, erroneous detection prevention method of touchless switch unit, characterized in that it is determined that the operation to the first lower key has been made.