JP2000231441A - Coordinate input instructing tool - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coordinate input instructing tool for instructing arbitrary input points on the coordinate input screen of a coordinate inputting device, and for inputting the coordinates of the input points which tool is suitable for inputting coordinates for instructing an arbitrary area on the coordinate input screen for deletion or the like. SOLUTION: Three input instructing members 51a, 52a, and 53a for instructing input points are arranged so as to lined up in a straight line, and the input instructing member 52a arranged in the middle in the line is arranged at a position deviating from the middle point of a segment connecting the input instructing members 51a and 53a at both the edges. The coordinates of the three input points under the instructions of those members 51a, 52, and 53a are simultaneously detected, and even when the number of coordinates obtained from the combination of the detected coordinate data in X-axial and Y-axial directions is nine, the coordinate of each input point can be specified according to the arrangement of the input instructing members 51a, 52a, and 53a.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coordinate input pointing device for designating an arbitrary input point on a coordinate input surface of a coordinate input device and inputting the coordinates of the input point. Therefore, the present invention relates to a coordinate input indicator suitable for inputting coordinates for designating an arbitrary area on a coordinate input surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the above-mentioned coordinate input device is often constituted integrally with display means such as a liquid crystal display, a CRT or a projector display, and has a built-in computer or an information device connected to the computer. Mounted on Then, by directly inputting coordinates with a coordinate input indicator on a coordinate input surface formed integrally with the display screen of the display means, the computer can be controlled, characters and figures can be input by hand,
Alternatively, it is used for erasing.

There are various types of coordinate input devices, and a so-called resistive film type (pressure-sensitive type) is widely used in small portable devices, and is used on a desktop of about 10 to 15 inches. The device employs a so-called capacitive coupling method or electromagnetic induction method. In addition, an electromagnetic induction type or optical type coordinate input device is adopted for a large device mounted on a projector display.

The operation of an information device equipped with such a coordinate input device will be described. The operator designates an arbitrary input point on the coordinate input surface integrally formed with the display screen with the coordinate input indicating tool (by moving the input indicating member close to or in contact with the input point) to thereby input the input point. Are detected and output to the computer. Based on the output result of the coordinates of the input point, a predetermined function
For example, a menu command is executed. The drive control means of the display means can display a point corresponding to the input point, or can display a cursor or the like at the position of the input point. Further, when the input by the coordinate input pointing device is performed continuously, the trajectory of the operation of the coordinate input pointing device can be displayed by connecting the input point group whose coordinates are detected at a predetermined sampling rate with a line. it can. Moreover,
By recognizing and determining this trajectory, it is possible to recognize a character or a figure or execute a gesture command.

[0005] By the way, there is a case where an erasing mode is set in the coordinate input indicator so that not only a character and a figure can be written but also the input character and a figure can be erased. However, there are the following drawbacks regarding erasing by the conventional coordinate input pointing device.

For example, in the case where a predetermined area is erased corresponding to one input point, the area is softened so as to be a circle or rectangle of a predetermined size centered on the input point. Is set to However, an instruction for a point or a line to be erased is usually performed by a coordinate input indicator configured in a pen shape, and the input indicating member at the tip end for performing the instruction is thin and much smaller than the size of the area. Therefore, it is difficult for the operator to grasp the size of the erasable area until an instruction is given once. Therefore, when the above-described erasing instruction is performed by directly abutting the coordinate input pointing tool on the coordinate input surface, there is a disadvantage that a point or a line that should be left may be erased.

An area surrounded by a trajectory of the coordinate input pointing device;
Alternatively, there is a method of deleting a rectangular area having a line segment connecting two input points as a diagonal line. However, this method requires a complicated operation for the operator to first select an input mode for erasing, then perform the above-described area instruction, and execute the erasure after confirming the area instruction. Disadvantage.

In order to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, there is a case where a coordinate input pointing device for erasing for erasing a character or a graphic is prepared. This coordinate input pointing device for erasing is used to realize a realistic operation familiar to the operator, such as writing with a chalk or a marker on a blackboard or whiteboard and erasing with a blackboard or an eraser, especially in a large device. ,used.

The above-mentioned coordinate input indicating tool for erasing has a so-called eraser shape, and based on the coordinates of an input point specified by an input indicating member located at the center of the shape, an area corresponding to the shape is determined. It is configured to be erasable. For this reason, since it is used only for erasing, there is no problem with the pen-shaped coordinate input pointing device as described above, and the device is easy to use.

[0010]

The erasable area of the coordinate input pointing device for erasing is set based on the coordinates of the position of the input pointing member located at the center as described above, and its shape is, for example, circular. It is said. Then, in order to realize a realistic operation that the operator is accustomed to, the size is set to a size equivalent to a so-called eraser. Therefore, there is a major drawback that a narrow (small) area cannot be erased. In addition, erasing of a narrow area must be performed with a pen-shaped input pointing tool despite the presence of a human-powered pointing tool for erasing, resulting in extremely poor operability.

In view of the above circumstances, the present applicant has disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 8-263212 a plurality of input instruction units for designating input points, and easily designates erasure areas different in size depending on the operation direction. A coordinate input pointing device and a coordinate input device that can be used are proposed.

However, in this apparatus, since a plurality of input indicating portions of the coordinate input indicating device are driven in a time-division manner, the sampling rate for detecting the coordinates of an input point is significantly reduced according to the number of input indicating portions. There was a disadvantage. When the sampling rate decreases, the processing of the coordinate input device, and thus the processing of the computer, cannot follow the operation of the operator, and the operability is extremely deteriorated.

A description will be given of the above-mentioned time-division driving, for example, in the case of an electromagnetic induction system. In this case, the coordinate input indicator includes a coil, an oscillation circuit for applying an alternating voltage having a predetermined frequency to the coil, and a battery. In addition, a sensor substrate provided with a loop-shaped antenna electrode for detecting an alternating magnetic field generated by a coil of the coordinate input indicator is provided on a main body side of the coordinate input device integrally formed with the display means. A plurality of antenna electrodes for X-axis and Y-axis are laid on the sensor substrate over the entire inputtable area of the coordinate input surface integrated with the display screen. Each antenna electrode group is connected to a scanning circuit and a receiving circuit.

When an alternating voltage is applied by the oscillation circuit and an alternating magnetic field is generated from the coil of the coordinate input pointing device, an induced voltage is generated at the loop-shaped antenna electrode corresponding to the position of the input point indicated by the pointing device. By scanning the antenna electrode group by the X-axis and Y-axis scanning circuits, the induced voltage is detected by the X-axis and Y-axis receiving circuits, and the amplitude of the induced voltage is compared to calculate the coordinates of the input point. Is detected.

In the case of the capacitive coupling method, the coupling capacitance between the sensor substrate and the coordinate input pointing device is used, and the electric field generated by the pointing device is used to lay the matrix on the sensor substrate at a predetermined pitch in a matrix. The charge generated on the electrode is detected.
Also in this case, similarly to the electromagnetic induction system, there are X-axis and Y-axis scanning circuits.

In the configuration for scanning the X-axis and the Y-axis as described above, if there are simultaneous inputs from a plurality of coordinate input indicating tools, for example, two input indicating sections, two types of X-coordinate X
1, X2 and two types of Y coordinates Y1, Y2 are detected,
Four points (X) determined by the combination of these four coordinate data
1, Y1), (X1, Y2), (X2, Y1), (X
It is not possible to specify which of (2, Y2) corresponds to the two input points specified by the two input instruction units, and time-division processing is essential. For this reason, as described above, operability deterioration due to a decrease in the sampling rate is inevitable.

The same can be said for an optical coordinate input device used for a large-sized device mounted on a projector display. As the coordinate input device, a CCD that can be configured with high accuracy and at low cost is a CCD.
Using a linear sensor, image the visible or infrared light spot from the input pointing tool illuminated on the screen and perform image processing such as using barycentric coordinates or pattern matching to obtain the light spot, that is, the coordinates of the input point. A device that calculates and outputs a value is known. In the case of this device, when a plurality of, for example, two light spots emitted from a plurality of light emitting units of the input pointing device are detected by the linear sensors corresponding to the X axis and the Y axis, any one of the four points is used as described above. Does not correspond to two input points.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is a coordinate input instruction suitable for inputting an arbitrary area on a coordinate input surface of a coordinate input device for erasing, for example. With a simple and inexpensive configuration, while realizing operability with a realistic feeling familiar to the operator,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a coordinate input pointing device which can indicate a narrow (small) area and has good operability without lowering the sampling rate for detecting coordinates.

[0019]

According to the present invention, there is provided, in accordance with the present invention, a method for designating an arbitrary input point on a coordinate input surface of a coordinate input device and inputting the coordinates of the input point. In the coordinate input indicating tool, at least three or more indicating means for indicating the input point are provided, arranged so as to be aligned in a straight line, and at least one of the indicating means arranged in the middle of the one line. At least two of the lines are arranged at positions deviated from the midpoint of the line connecting the indicating means at both ends of the row.

According to such a configuration, the coordinates of three or more input points are simultaneously detected by the instructions of the three or more instruction means, and the detected coordinates are combined with the coordinate data in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Even if the number of coordinates is larger than the number of the indicating means, the coordinates of each input point of the indicating means can be specified by the arrangement of the indicating means. For this reason, the coordinate detection is performed in a time-division manner for each instructing means, and the sampling rate does not decrease. The area designation for erasure or the like is performed by moving the coordinate input instructing tool and continuously inputting the coordinates. Operability is good. Further, by selecting the operation direction of the coordinate input pointing tool and selecting the pointing means used for specifying the area, it is possible to specify a large area to a small area.

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment> A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, FIG. 1 shows an eraser which is a coordinate input instruction tool for erasing in the present embodiment,
1 shows a configuration of an information device equipped with a coordinate input device using the same.

In FIG. 1, the information device 1 includes a digitizer 4 as a coordinate input device, a display 11 as display means, and a CPU 9 for controlling the entire information device 1 including these controls. The information device 1 is used for a presentation or a meeting at a conference or the like. For this reason, the display 11 is configured as a rear projection type projection display for enlarging and projecting a display image of a CRT or an LCD on a display screen having a screen size of an electronic blackboard.
0 is driven by the CPU 9. The coordinate input surface of the digitizer 4 is also constituted by an input plate 2 (see FIGS. 3 and 5) made of transparent glass or resin or the like, which also serves as a display screen (screen) of the display 11. Although the CPU 9 is built in the information device 1 here, a personal computer or the like connected to the outside can be used instead.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 3 denotes an input pen which is a pen input coordinate input tool for writing. Also,
Reference numeral 5 denotes an eraser which is a coordinate input pointing device for erasing which employs the present invention.

The configuration of the eraser 5 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the casing of the eraser 5 is formed in a slender, substantially rectangular parallelepiped rod shape. Surface 5 which is brought into contact with the coordinate input surface of digitizer 4 during coordinate input operation for erasing eraser 5
i has concave portions 5a, 5b, 5
In the center of each of the recesses 5a, 5b, 5c, a pin-shaped input indicating member 51a, which is an indicating means for indicating an arbitrary input point on the coordinate input surface of the digitizer 4 at the time of an input operation, is provided. 52a and 53a are protrudingly provided. These three input instruction members 51a, 52a, 53a
Are arranged so as to be arranged in a line in a straight line, and an input instruction member 52a arranged in the middle of the line is a midpoint of a line segment connecting the input instruction members 51a and 53a at both ends of the line, That is, the eraser 5 is arranged at a position shifted from the central point in the longitudinal direction of the casing of the eraser 5 toward the input instruction member 53a at one end.

Next, the input instruction members 51a, 52a, 53
The configuration of each peripheral portion of a will be described. The configuration is common. Here, the configuration of the peripheral portion of the input instruction member 51a will be described with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 3, the input instruction member 51a is perpendicular to the surface 5i of the eraser 5 (the surface facing the input plate 2 constituting the coordinate input surface of the digitizer 4 at the time of input operation) in the case of the eraser 5. It is provided movably in the vertical direction in the figure, and a tip end protrudes from a concave portion 5 a of the casing of the eraser 5. Further, the input instruction member 51a is urged in a direction protruding from the surface 5i by a spring 51h attached to a rear end portion (upper end portion in the drawing), and when the eraser 5 is separated from the input plate 2, The tip of the input instruction member 51a protrudes from the surface 5i by a predetermined length p.

An electrode 51 is provided at the rear end of the input instruction member 51a.
f, and an electrode 51g is provided on the inner surface of the casing of the eraser 5 so as to face the electrode f. This electrode 51f,
A tip switch 51c for detecting the contact of the input instruction member 51a with the input plate 2 is constituted by 51g and the spring 51h. When the input operation member 51a is brought into contact with the upper surface of the input plate 2, that is, the coordinate input surface, and the surface 5i of the eraser 5 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the input plate 2 as shown in FIG.
The input indicating member 51a has a length p against the bias of the spring 51h.
Of the electrodes 51f, 5
1 g comes in contact. That is, the tip switch 51c is turned on.

Further, an eraser coil 51b is provided so as to surround an intermediate portion of the input instruction member 51a in the casing of the eraser 5.

As described above, the input instruction members 52a, 53
The configuration of each of the peripheral portions of the input instruction member 51a is common to the configuration of the peripheral portion of
2b and a tip switch 52c are provided for the input instruction member 52a, and an eraser coil 53b and a tip switch 53c are provided.
c is provided for the input instruction member 53a.

The eraser 5 has a built-in eraser oscillation circuit 5d and a battery 5e. When all the switches 51c, 52c, 53c are turned on,
From the eraser oscillation circuit 5d to the eraser coils 51b and 52
Alternating voltages of several hundred kHz are simultaneously applied to b and 53b, and an alternating magnetic field, that is, an electromagnetic wave is generated from these coils.

Next, the configuration of the input pen 3 will be described. The input pen 3 has a pen-shaped housing, and has input end members 51a, 52a, 53 of the eraser 5 at its tip.
An input instruction member (not shown) similar to a is provided movably along the longitudinal direction of the housing, and is urged in a direction protruding from the housing by a spring (not shown). Also, the eraser coils 51b, 52
b, 53b and a pen coil 3a and a pen tip switch 3 having the same functions as the tip switches 51c, 52c, 53c.
b, a pen oscillation circuit 3c similar to the eraser oscillation circuit 5d, and a battery 3d. When the pen tip switch 3b is turned on by bringing the input instruction member of the input pen 3 into contact with the input plate 2, the pen oscillation circuit 3c outputs the pen coil 3a.
, An alternating voltage of several hundred kHz is applied to generate an alternating magnetic field.

The input pen 3 and the eraser 5 can be turned on / off by a power switch (not shown), respectively, and are configured as cordless coordinate input pointing devices that are not connected to the information device 1 by a cord or the like.

Next, the structure of the digitizer 4 will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described below. The input plate 2 constituting the coordinate input surface of the digitizer 4 shown in FIG. 5 is composed of a glass plate 2a as a base material, and has a loop-shaped coil group as an antenna electrode made of a transparent conductor such as ITO on both surfaces. Is provided. That is, the X-axis coil group 1 disposed on the surface at a predetermined pitch in the X-axis direction so as to be orthogonal to the X-axis.
3. On the back surface, there are provided Y-axis coil groups 14 arranged at a predetermined pitch in the Y-axis direction so as to be orthogonal to the Y-axis. The X-axis coil group 13 and the Y-axis coil group 14 are connected to an X-axis scanning circuit 15 and a Y-axis scanning circuit 16, respectively. X-axis scanning circuit 15 and Y-axis scanning circuit 16
Are the X-axis reception circuit 17 and the Y-axis reception circuit 18, respectively.
It is connected to the. If necessary, the surface of the glass plate 2a is subjected to an anti-reflection treatment or a diffusion treatment so that an operator or an observer can easily view the display screen.

Next, a coordinate input operation in the digitizer 4 having the above configuration will be described. First, a coordinate input operation for erasure by the eraser 5 will be described.

When the surface 5i of the eraser 5 is brought into contact with the input plate 2, the input indicating members 51a, 52a, 53a, which have been brought into contact with the input plate 2 immediately before, are moved by the length p in FIG. And the tip switches 51c, 52c, 53c for contact detection are turned on. When this switch is turned on, the eraser coils 51b, 52
An alternating voltage is simultaneously and continuously applied to b and 53b, and an alternating magnetic field is generated from these coils. With this alternating magnetic field, an induced voltage is generated in each of the coils corresponding to each position of the input indicating members 51a, 52a, 53a in the X-axis coil group 13 and the Y-axis coil group 14. Here, by scanning the X-axis coil group 13 and the Y-axis coil group 14 by the X-axis scanning circuit 15 and the Y-axis scanning circuit 16, each of the coils corresponding to the respective positions of the input indicating members 51a, 52a, 53a is scanned. The induced voltage is detected by the X-axis receiving circuit 17 and the Y-axis receiving circuit 18. Then, after performing various filtering processes, detection rectification processes, and the like on the induced voltages of the respective coils, the respective amplitudes are compared and calculated, whereby the designated positions (contact positions) of the input indicating members 51a, 52a, and 53a, that is, three The coordinates of the input point are detected.

In this coordinate detection, since the scanning is performed in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction of the coordinate input surface as described above, the line connecting the indicated positions of the input indicating members 51a, 52a, 53a is the X-axis direction and the Y-axis. In the case of being inclined with respect to the axial direction, as shown in FIG. 6, three coordinate values X1, X
2 and X3, three coordinate values Y1, Y2 and Y3 are detected on the Y axis. Here, the input instruction member 52a is disposed at a position shifted from the midpoint of the line connecting the input instruction members 51a and 53a, and the positional relationship (distance) between the input instruction members.
Are known, nine position coordinates determined by a combination of the coordinate values X1, X2, X3 and the coordinate values Y1, Y2, Y3, that is, three black points among the black points and the white points in FIG. It can be specified as the position coordinates of the input instruction members 51a, 52a, 53a, and it can be specified which of the three black points is the position coordinates of the input instruction members 51a, 52a, 53a.

The input instruction members 51a, 52a, 53
If the line segment connecting the indicated positions a is parallel to the X-axis direction, three coordinate values are detected on the X-axis and one coordinate value is detected on the Y-axis, and three position coordinates are determined by the combination. , Can be specified as the position coordinates of the input instruction members 51a, 52a, 53a, respectively. Further, the input instruction members 51a, 5
The same applies when the line segment connecting the designated positions 2a and 53a is parallel to the Y-axis direction.

Next, the coordinate input operation by the input pen 3 will be described. When the input indicating member at the tip of the input pen 3 is brought into contact with the input plate 2, the pen tip switch 3b is turned on, and the alternating voltage is continuously applied to the pen coil 3a from the pen oscillation circuit 3c, thereby generating an alternating magnetic field. As in the case of the eraser 5, the coordinates of the pointing position (contact position) of the input pointing member are detected. However, in this case, one coordinate value is detected for each of the X-axis and the Y-axis, and that is the position coordinate of the input pen 3 as it is. In other words, when the detected coordinate value is one for each of the X axis and the Y axis, the input has been made by the input pen 3, and when three coordinate values are detected for at least one of the X axis and the Y axis. Has an eraser 5
Is input, the digitizer control circuit 8
Is performed. This detection processing is performed by the CPU 9
May be performed by The coordinates of the position (input point) designated by the input pen 3 or the eraser 5 input in this manner are transmitted from the digitizer control circuit 8 to the CP.
Output to U9.

The display 11 displays a dot or a cursor at an input point corresponding to the position coordinates of the input pen 3 or a line connecting continuously detected input points. You can move the cursor, point, or write characters and graphics. Selection / execution of a menu command by pointing, character recognition of written information, graphic recognition, and the like can be realized by various software.

The coordinates of three input points are input by the eraser 5, and by moving the eraser 5,
An erasure area is designated, and characters or graphics written by the input pen 3 are erased. The erasing operation by the eraser 5 will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 7, the eraser 5 is moved in the direction of the line connecting the input instruction members 51a and 53a of the eraser 5, that is, in the direction inclined at a small angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the casing of the eraser 5. Thus, the input instruction member 5
The narrow area in which the line connecting 1a and 53a has moved is erased. Also, as shown in FIG. 8, by moving the eraser 5 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the casing of the eraser 5, a wide area where the line connecting the input indicating members 51a and 53a has moved is erased. .

This operation is the same as the operation of a long and thin eraser for a whiteboard. The operation is familiar to the operator and has a realistic feeling. Even a beginner can easily perform the operation.

As described above, the eraser coils 51b, 52b, 53b corresponding to the three input instruction members 51a, 52a, 53a of the eraser 5 are simultaneously driven to oscillate to simultaneously detect the coordinates of the three input points. Therefore, good operability that can follow a quick operation by the operator can be realized without lowering the sampling rate.

If the CPU 9 sets in advance which of the position coordinates of the input instructing members 51a, 52a, 53a of the eraser 5, the erasure range is designated, the operability can be further improved. Will be better. That is, for example, three input instruction members 51a, 52a, 53
a, the input indicating member 5 whose arrangement is closest
If it is set so as to erase the area where the line segment connecting 2a and 53a has moved, an extremely small area can be erased. It goes without saying that this setting can be switched.

The embodiment in which the present invention is applied to the eraser 5 of the large-sized information equipment 1 equipped with the coordinate input device has been described. As is clear from the present embodiment, by using an eraser having three input indicating members arranged in a straight line, the size of the erased area can be easily grasped only by looking at the eraser, and the user wants to erase. Since the eraser can be placed directly on the place and the width of the erase area can be selected according to the direction of the eraser movement, without erasing the points or lines that you want to keep,
Only the information to be erased can be easily and reliably erased. Further, by selectively using two position coordinates of the three input indicating members, an extremely small area can be erased. The operation of using the eraser is the same as the eraser for whiteboard or the eraser of the blackboard.
Since the three eraser coils can be driven simultaneously to detect the coordinates of three input points at the same time, a good operability can be realized without lowering the sampling rate.

Further, the ease of use of the eraser is extremely effective for conference information devices in which an unspecified number of users including beginners can be considered. That is, even a beginner can freely operate the information device without being bothered by how to use the information device, so that the information device can be effectively used for a meeting or a meeting.

<Second Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the number of input instruction members of the eraser is three. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Applicable. For example, as shown in FIG. 9 as a second embodiment, four input instruction members 61a,
62a, 63a and 64a may be provided and arranged so as to be arranged in a straight line. In this case, one of the input instruction members 62a, 63a in the middle of the row is used.
a is disposed at the midpoint of the line connecting the input indicating members 61a and 64a at both ends of the row, that is, at the center in the longitudinal direction of the rectangular rod-shaped housing of the eraser 6, and the other input indicating member 63 is provided.
“a” is a position shifted toward the input instruction member 64a from the midpoint, and is also arranged at a position shifted toward the input instruction member 64a from the midpoint of the line connecting the input instruction members 62a and 64a.

As a result, the input instructing members for designating the erasing area are changed to, for example, the input instructing members 61a, 64a and 62a.
And 64a, 62a and 63a, or 63a and 64a, it is possible to specify the erasure area from a large area to a small area in more steps.

By the way, the shape of the eraser is not limited to the above-mentioned rod shape, but may be any shape such as a shape having a handle for easy operation by an operator or a block shape. Of course, the size is not limited. In short, irrespective of the shape and size of the eraser, three or more input indicating members are provided, arranged so as to be arranged in a straight line, and at least one or more of the indicating means arranged in the middle of the one line May be arranged at a position deviated from the midpoint of the line connecting the indicating means at both ends of the row.

In the above, the embodiment of the eraser as a coordinate input indicator for designating an erasing area has been described. However, the erasing area is not limited to the erasing area. It goes without saying that the same configuration as that of the eraser according to the present invention can be applied to a coordinate input indicator for designating a certain area.

The present invention is applicable not only to the coordinate input pointing device of the electromagnetic induction type coordinate input device shown in the above embodiment, but also to the coordinate input pointing device of an electrostatic induction type or optical type coordinate input device. It goes without saying that it is applicable. In an optical coordinate input device, the position coordinates of a light spot illuminated on a coordinate input surface are detected by a CCD linear sensor or the like, and an arbitrary input point on the coordinate input surface is specified by the coordinate input indicator. A light emitting unit that irradiates the light spot is provided as an instruction unit. What is necessary is just to provide three or more light emitting parts, and to set arrangement as mentioned above.

The display 11 of the information device 1 in the above embodiment is not limited to a projector system,
It goes without saying that any method such as D, PDP, and CRT may be used, and the screen size is not limited.

[0054]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a coordinate input instruction for specifying an arbitrary input point on the coordinate input surface of the coordinate input device and inputting the coordinates of the input point. In the tool, at least three or more indicating means for indicating the input point are provided and arranged so as to be arranged in a straight line, and at least one or more of the indicating means arranged in the middle of the one line is provided. Since a configuration is adopted in which the position is shifted from the midpoint of the line connecting the indicating means at both ends of the row, the coordinate detection of three or more input points by the instructions of the three or more indicating means is performed. Even at the same time, the coordinates of each input point of the pointing means can be specified. For this reason, the sampling rate for coordinate detection does not decrease, and the area designation for, for example, erasing can be performed with good operability by moving the coordinate input indicator and performing coordinate input continuously. In addition, by selecting the operation direction of the coordinate input pointing device and selecting a combination of pointing means used for specifying the region, it is possible to specify from a large region to a small region, and it is possible to specify the realm that the operator is familiar with. It is possible to provide an excellent coordinate input pointing device that realizes a comfortable operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an eraser which is a coordinate input instruction tool for erasure according to a first embodiment of the present invention and an information device equipped with a coordinate input device using the eraser.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the eraser in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration and operation around one input instruction member of the eraser.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration and operation around the input instruction member.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of a digitizer which is a coordinate input device in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing three input points designated by an eraser and nine coordinates obtained from a combination of coordinate data in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of designating a narrow erasure area by the eraser.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an operation of designating a wide erase area by the eraser.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of an eraser according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Information equipment 2 Input board 3 Input pen 4 Digitizer 5, 6 Eraser 11 Display 13 X-axis coil group 14 Y-axis coil group 15 X-axis scanning circuit 16 Y-axis scanning circuit 51a, 52a, 53a Input instruction members 51b, 52b, 53b Eraser coils 51c, 52c, 53c Tip switches 61a, 62a, 63a, 64a Input indicating members

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Jun Tanaka 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Yuichiro Yoshimura 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon (72) Inventor Katsuyuki Kobayashi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Isamu 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. ( 72) Inventor Masaaki Kinpu 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo F-term in Canon Inc. (reference) 5B068 AA05 AA36 BD01 BD20 CC11 CC16 5B087 AA10 AB01 BB15 BC01 DD05

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A coordinate input pointing device for pointing an arbitrary input point on a coordinate input surface of a coordinate input device and inputting coordinates of the input point, wherein at least three indicating means for indicating the input point are provided. The at least one of the indicating means provided above and arranged in a line in a straight line and arranged in the middle of the line is provided.
A coordinate input pointing device characterized in that at least two of the one or more rows are arranged at positions deviated from the midpoint of a line connecting the pointing means at both ends of the row.