JP2000099263A - Mouse system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the occurrence of erroneous input or erroneous processing caused by unexpected touch by providing a touch sensor for detecting pressure and temperature at a holding section on the outer surface of a mouse system or pressure sensor at the section corresponding to the ball of the mouse system. SOLUTION: The touch sensor is provided at the section predicted to be touched with a finger, and used while combining a pressure sensor for detecting an electrostatic capacitance change and a thermistor for temperature detection. Based on the information of a touch sensor detecting part 7 for detecting a signal generated from the touch sensor, the transmission of signal generated by signal detecting parts 5 and 6 is controlled by a newly provided signal transmission control part 8. Concerning a signal for picture operation caused by the activation of the mouse system, it is controlled whether detecting data can be sent to an information processor or not by discriminating information showing the presence/absence of touch obtained by the touch sensor detecting part 7 through the signal transmission control part 8. Thus, when an operator does not touch the mouse system even while the mouse system is activated, the malfunction may not occur.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a mouse device,
More specifically, the present invention relates to an input control technique for an information processing device including a mouse device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an input control method of an information processing apparatus having a conventional pointing device, for example, a technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-305492 is known. This technique has good operability, but aims to eliminate the drawbacks of a pointing device that easily moves when touched carelessly and that easily causes erroneous input and erroneous operation. A prohibition switch for prohibiting data input is provided. Further, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-230356, in order to achieve the same object, the data relating to the mouse device is made effective only when the light is blocked by using an optical sensor. A mouse device has been proposed.

[0003]

Generally, a computer, a word processor (word processor), a CAD (Compute)
In rAided Design and other information processing devices, a mouse device (pointing device) is used as one of the input devices. By using this mouse device, the position of the cursor on the information processing device screen can be freely controlled, and specific processing can be easily executed / stopped using buttons. However, as described in the above-mentioned publication, there is one aspect of the mouse device in that the mouse device reacts even with a slight touch. In other words, when a document on the desk touches the mouse device, the cursor position on the screen moves, or when an object is placed on the mouse device, an erroneous input is performed and erroneous processing is performed. There is a problem that it can happen. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a mouse device that solves the above-described problems in the conventional technology and prevents erroneous input and erroneous processing.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in a mouse device used as an input device of an information processing device, a tactile sensor or a tactile sensor for detecting pressure and temperature is provided on a holding portion on the outer surface of the mouse device. At least one of a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure applied from above is provided on a portion of the mouse device that contacts the ball. With this configuration, it is possible to detect that a human is actually touching the mouse, that the human is holding the mouse device, and that pressure is applied to the mouse device main body, or both. Also, based on one or both of the detection signal from the tactile sensor and the detection signal from the pressure sensor, a screen operation signal by the mouse device main body is transmitted to the information processing device connected to the mouse device. It is characterized in that means for controlling whether or not to send is further provided. With this configuration, the screen operation obtained with the mouse device only when the human is actually touching the mouse, when the human holds the mouse device and pressure is applied to the mouse device main body, or only when both are used The use signal can be transmitted to the information processing device.

Further, one or both of the detection signal from the tactile sensor and the detection signal from the pressure sensor, and the screen operation signal from the mouse device body are processed by the information processing device connected to the mouse device. The apparatus further comprises means for sending to the device. With this configuration, the information processing device can control the screen operation signal from the mouse device using either one of the detection signals from the tactile sensor or the detection signal from the pressure sensor, or both of them.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in FIGS. FIG. 1 is a top view of a mouse device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view thereof. In the figure, 1 is a housing of a mouse device, 2 is a mouse button used for performing a specific process, 3 is a tactile sensor for detecting that a human has touched the mouse device, and 4 is a control of cursor movement. For the ball. Here, the tactile sensor 3 is equivalent to that used in recent years for a touch pad as a built-in pointing device such as a notebook personal computer, and can detect whether or not human skin is touching. . The tactile sensor 3 is provided on a portion that is expected to be touched by a finger when using a normal mouse device (in the present embodiment, a button portion and a mouse housing side surface portion as illustrated).

Here, as the tactile sensor 3, those based on various operating principles can be used. For example, a combination of a sensor that converts a pressure change into a resistance change and a temperature detection sensor, a combination of a sensor that converts a pressure change into a capacitance change and a temperature detection sensor, a sensor that converts a pressure change into a voltage change, and a temperature detection sensor , Combinations of converting a pressure change into a magnetic change and a temperature detection sensor can be used. For temperature detection, a metal resistance temperature sensor,
Various sensors such as semiconductor temperature sensors and thermocouples are available. Here, a combination of a pressure sensor that detects a change in capacitance and a thermistor that is a type of semiconductor temperature sensor is used. In addition, among the tactile sensors 3,
The thing provided on the side surface of the mouse device is preferably formed into a shape depressed in the shape of a finger.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal structure of the mouse device according to the above embodiment. Generally, inside the mouse device, there are a part 5 for detecting a signal of a moving amount and a moving direction of the cursor generated by rotation of the ball, and a part 6 for detecting a signal generated by a switch of the button 2.
In general, signals (screen operation signals) detected by these detection portions are directly transmitted to an information processing device to which a mouse device is connected. In the present embodiment, a portion 7 for detecting a signal generated by the tactile sensor 3 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and a signal detecting portion 5 based on the information.
A portion 8 for controlling the transmission of the signal generated at 6 is newly provided.

The processing of this part is described as an operation flow when a screen operation signal such as a designation of a movement amount / movement direction by mouse operation or a switch signal of a mouse button (cursor position designation) is actually detected. This will be described with reference to FIG. When the mouse device is activated (step 21) and a screen operation signal is detected by operating the mouse device (step 2).
2), the screen operation signal is obtained by the signal transmission control unit 8 in FIG. 3 determining the information “whether or not the hand is touching the mouse device” obtained by the tactile sensor detection unit 7 ( Step 23), whether or not to transmit the detection data to the information processing device to which the mouse device is connected (Step 24,
25) is controlled.

According to the above embodiment, the use of the tactile sensor provided in the mouse device controls the designation of the movement amount / movement direction and the transmission of the screen operation signal such as the mouse button signal. Malfunction and erroneous processing can be eliminated. That is, even if the mouse device is activated, no malfunction occurs if the operator does not touch the mouse device. In the above embodiment, the tactile sensor 3 is a combination of a pressure sensor that detects a change in capacitance and a thermistor that is a type of semiconductor temperature sensor. It goes without saying that the combination may be used as appropriate.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, the data detected by the tactile sensor detection unit 7 shown in FIG. 3 is sent to an information processing device to which a mouse device is connected. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a main part of the mouse device according to the present embodiment. On the information processing device side,
A screen operation signal, that is, a cursor information signal (9 in FIG. 5) and a cursor information signal (9 in FIG. 5) are based on detection data (11 in FIG. 5) of a portion (tactile sensor detection unit) 7 that detects a signal generated by the tactile sensor 3. , Mouse button signals (10 in FIG. 5).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control method of the above-mentioned tactile sensor detecting section 7. On the information processing device side, the detection data 1 previously transmitted from the tactile sensor
When the value of 1 becomes equal to or more than one, a screen operation signal (a cursor information signal 9, a mouse button signal 1)
A value (threshold value) for determining whether or not 0) is valid is determined (step 31). The detection data 11 from the tactile sensor detection unit 7 is always transmitted from the mouse device (step 32), and the detected data is compared with the previous threshold value (step 33), and the detected data is thresholded. If the value is equal to or more than the value, processing of a screen operation signal (cursor information signal 9 and mouse button signal 10) is performed (step 34).

On the other hand, if the detected data is less than the threshold value, these screen operation signals (cursor information signal 9 and mouse button signal 10) are discarded (step 3).
5). Further, the above-described threshold value determined on the information processing device side can be changed, whereby the screen operation signals (cursor information signal 9 and mouse button signal 10) from the mouse device according to the degree of tactile sensation can be changed. Control can be performed. According to the above embodiment, by providing a means for transmitting detection data of the tactile sensor provided in the mouse device to the information processing device side, detailed processing of the detection data on the information processing device side, for example, for each individual Settings, and different settings for each application. Further, even if the mouse device is activated, no malfunction occurs if the operator does not touch the mouse device.

Next, still another embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 7 is a top view of the mouse device according to the present embodiment.
Is a side view thereof. In the figure, 1 is a mouse housing, 2 is a mouse button used for performing a specific process, and 12 is a part provided with a pressure detecting function, which is a new part in the present embodiment. Here, the function is provided in the ball portion of the mouse device. In this case, in addition to the function of controlling the movement of the cursor at the portion in contact with the ball, a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure applied to the ball portion is provided.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the internal structure of the mouse device according to the above embodiment. In this block diagram, the tactile sensor detection section 7 in the previously described figure (FIG. 3) is replaced with a ball pressure detection section 13. That is, based on the detection data obtained by the ball pressure detection unit 13, the signal transmission control unit 8 outputs signals 9, 10 to the information processing device.
Is controlled. FIG. 10 shows a processing flow of this embodiment. In this figure, as in the block diagram, only the determination part of the flow chart 4 shown above is changed.

The mouse device is activated (step 41),
When a signal (screen operation signal) due to the operation of the mouse device is detected (step 42), the detection data includes information of “whether or not the mouse device is touched by hand” obtained by the ball pressure detection unit 13. When the signal transmission control unit 8 in FIG. 9 determines (step 43), whether the signal is transmitted to the information processing device to which the mouse device is connected (step 4).
4, 45) is controlled. According to the above embodiment, by controlling the transmission of the mouse device operation state signal using the pressure sensor provided in the mouse device, it is possible to eliminate the malfunction and the erroneous processing of the mouse device. That is, even if the mouse device is activated, no malfunction occurs if the operator does not touch the mouse device.

Hereinafter, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, data detected by the ball pressure detection unit 13 shown in FIG. 9 is sent to an information processing device to which a mouse device is connected. FIG. 11 shows a block diagram. In this embodiment, the tactile sensor detector 7 in the block diagram shown in FIG. 5 is replaced with a ball pressure detector 13. That is, the information processing apparatus controls whether or not to transmit the screen operation signals (the cursor information signal 9 and the mouse button signal 10) transmitted from the mouse device based on the pressure detection data 14 transmitted from the mouse device. Is what you do. The operation flow is shown in FIG. This operation flow diagram also differs from the block diagram only in the determination part in FIG.

That is, on the information processing apparatus side, the detection data 14 previously transmitted from the ball pressure detecting section 13
Is greater than or equal to the number of screen operation signals from the mouse device (the cursor information signal 9 and the mouse button signal 1).
A value (threshold value) for determining whether or not 0) is valid is determined (step 51). The detection data 14 from the ball pressure detector 13 is always sent from the mouse device (step 52), and the detection data is compared with the previous threshold value (step 53), and the detection data is thresholded. If the value is equal to or more than the value, processing of a screen operation signal (cursor information signal 9 and mouse button signal 10) is performed (step 54).

On the other hand, if the detected data is less than the threshold value, these screen operation signals (cursor information signal 9 and mouse button signal 10) are discarded (step 5).
5). Further, as described above, the threshold value determined on the information processing device side can be changed, whereby the screen operation signal (cursor information signal 9 and mouse button signal) from the mouse device based on the degree of ball pressure can be changed. It is possible to control the signal 10). According to the above embodiment, by providing the means for transmitting the detection data of the pressure sensor provided in the mouse device to the information processing device side, detailed processing of the detection data on the information processing device side, for example, for each individual Settings, and different settings for each application. Further, even if the mouse device is activated, no malfunction occurs if the operator does not touch the mouse device.

Each of the above embodiments is merely an example of the present invention, and it is needless to say that the present invention should not be limited to these embodiments. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, in addition to the portion 12 having the pressure detecting function, the touch sensor 3 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is also provided, and AND or OR of the detection information is provided.
The output can be used to control the output signal. Further, the idea of the present invention is also applicable to a control method of an information processing apparatus having a keyboard device.

[0021]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, a remarkable effect can be achieved that a mouse device in which erroneous input and erroneous processing are prevented from occurring can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a top view of a mouse device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the mouse device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the mouse device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a signal transmission control flow diagram in the mouse device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a mouse device according to another embodiment.

6 is a signal processing control flow chart on the information processing device side for the mouse device shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top view of a mouse device according to another embodiment.

8 is a side view of the mouse device shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the mouse device shown in FIGS. 7 and 8;

FIG. 10 is a control flow chart of signal transmission in the mouse device shown in FIGS. 7 and 8;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a mouse device according to another embodiment.

12 is a signal processing control flow chart on the information processing device side for the mouse device shown in FIG. 11;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Mouse housing 2 Mouse button 3 Tactile sensor 4 Ball 5 Cursor movement amount / moving direction signal detection unit 6 Mouse button / switch detection unit 7 Tactile sensor detection unit 8 Signal transmission control unit 9 Cursor information signal 10 Mouse button signal 11 Tactile sensor Detection data 12 Ball with pressure detection function 13 Ball pressure detection unit 14 Pressure detection data

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A mouse device used as an input device of an information processing device, wherein a tactile sensor for detecting pressure and temperature on a holding portion on an outer surface of the mouse device or a pressure applied from above to a portion of the mouse device that contacts a ball. A mouse device provided with at least one of a pressure sensor to perform a mouse operation. 2. A screen operation signal by a mouse device main body based on one or both of a detection signal from the tactile sensor and a detection signal from the pressure sensor, the information being connected to the mouse device. The mouse device according to claim 1, further comprising means for controlling whether or not to send to the processing device. 3. An information processing device connected to the mouse device, wherein the detection signal of one or both of the detection signal by the tactile sensor and the detection signal by the pressure sensor and the screen operation signal by the mouse device main body are connected to the mouse device. The mouse device according to claim 1, further comprising means for sending to the device. 4. The method of detecting pressure in the tactile sensor,
The mouse device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein pressure is detected as a change in capacitance.