JP2000250681A - Information input device and image input method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the operability of information input with fingers and to shorten operating time. SOLUTION: A touch position detected by touching a touch panel 1 with a finger is calculated as coordinate information by an input coordinate calculating means 2. When an area of an image to be expanded and displayed is detected from this coordinate information by an image area detecting means 3, the image in that area is expanded with a prescribed magnification by an expanded image generating means 4. That expanded image is controlled so as to be displayed at a position, which is not overlapped with an original picture, by an image position control means 5. When there is a finger input to the displayed expanded image, the coordinate information thereof is transformed to the correspondent coordinate information of the original picture and outputted by a coordinate transforming means 8. Since the expanded image is displayed at the position different from the original picture by designating one part of the original picture or all the areas, input operation can be immediately performed by using the expanded image and operating time can be shortened.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information input device and an information input method, and more particularly, to an enlargement display by partially or entirely enlarging a display window portion and pointing an enlarged display area with a finger. The present invention relates to an information input device and an information input method for inputting a corresponding area of a display window.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an information input device which can be input by touching a finger or the like, for example, a device using a resistive film system, a capacitance system, an ultrasonic system, an infrared system or the like is known.

In the resistive film system, two resistive films are overlapped with a slight gap therebetween, and they are brought into contact and energized by pressing a finger or the like, and the potential at the contact point is detected to detect a reference surface. The resistance value from the contact point to the contact point is detected, and the position coordinates of the contact point where a finger or the like is pressed are detected.

In the capacitance method, electrodes are provided at four corners of a panel, a low alternating voltage is applied to a conductive thin film coated on the surface of the panel, and a finger touches the panel, so that the distance from the four corners to the finger is increased. A current proportional to the current flows, and by measuring the ratio of this current, the position coordinates of the contact point where the finger or the like has come into contact are detected.

In the ultrasonic method, ultrasonic waves emitted from ultrasonic transducers for X direction and Y direction at the corners of the panel are scanned over the input area as surface acoustic waves,
The position coordinates of a finger or the like placed in the input area are detected from the time required for reception by the X-direction and Y-direction receivers and the propagation speed.

In the infrared method, an infrared light beam is spread over a panel surface like a mesh, and the light beam is blocked by placing a finger or the like on the panel surface. By detecting whether light is blocked,
It detects the position coordinates where a finger or the like is placed.

[0007] An information device in which the above-described information input device is integrated with a display device such as a liquid crystal panel by superimposing the information input device directly on a displayed window, button, icon, scroll bar, or the like using a hand or a finger. Operability can be improved, and operability can be improved.

[0008] However, the information input device of each of the above-mentioned methods allows direct input by a finger or the like. However, when operating windows, buttons, icons, and the like, the size is usually easy to operate with a mouse cursor. Therefore, the display size may be too small to be operated by hand or finger. For example, in a portable information device, if all windows, buttons, icons, and the like are displayed on a small display device, the display size thereof becomes small, and operability is poor for operating these with a hand or a finger. There was a problem. In other words, using only the above-mentioned current method,
When an attempt is made to perform an input with a finger or the like, an erroneous operation is likely to occur, and the operation time cannot be reduced.

In order to solve such a problem, a method of enlarging a display screen to improve input accuracy has been used. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-136914, by touching the screen of the touch input keyboard device, the screen enlargement control unit enlarges the image of the touched keyboard unit, thereby enlarging the keyboard screen. Can be entered.

However, when a partially enlarged image is generated and overlapped with the entire image, the partially enlarged image or the entire image must be moved to a desired position with a finger or the like, and the position specification is troublesome. There was a point.

Regarding this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-67803 discloses
As disclosed in the official gazette, the entire image is reduced by the image reduction control unit, and the designated position determination unit arranges the partial image so as not to overlap with the partial image, thereby performing the image synthesis. Can be improved.

[0012]

However, when a plurality of partial enlarged images are generated for the entire image in order to perform a plurality of button inputs, for example, the plurality of partially enlarged images and the entire image occupy the display screen. In such a case, the user has to move a plurality of partially enlarged images or the whole image to a desired position by using a finger or the like, and there is a problem in that the trouble of specifying the position remains. In other words, there has been a problem that operability is reduced by moving a plurality of partially enlarged images or the entire image to a desired position with a finger or the like, and that the operation time increases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has improved input accuracy and operability using a finger or the like.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information input device that reduces operation time.

[0014]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in an information input device for inputting information by touching a display screen with a finger, a position where the finger is in contact with the display screen of the display is touched. A touch panel for detecting the position, an input coordinate calculating unit for calculating coordinate information from a contact position detected by the touch panel, an image area detecting unit for detecting an area of an image to be enlarged and displayed from the calculated coordinate information, Enlarged image generating means for generating an enlarged image from the image of the image area, image position control means for displaying the enlarged image at a position that does not overlap the original image,
When the coordinate information calculated by the input coordinate calculation means is the coordinates of the enlarged image, the coordinate information is converted into coordinates of the original image corresponding to the coordinates of the enlarged image and output. An information input device is provided.

According to such an information input device, when the image area detecting means detects the area of the image to be enlarged and displayed from the coordinate information detected by the touch panel and calculated by the input coordinate calculating means, the image of the area is displayed. Is enlarged by the enlarged image generation means, and the enlarged image is displayed by the image position control means at a position which does not overlap the original image. When a finger is input to the enlarged image displayed in this manner, the coordinate information is converted into corresponding coordinates of the original image by the coordinate conversion means and output. By performing the input with the finger on the enlarged image, even if the operation buttons or the like of the original image are small, the input can be reliably performed. In addition, since the enlarged image is displayed at a position different from the original image by specifying the area to be enlarged, the input operation can be performed immediately without moving the enlarged image to a position where it is easy to operate, Operation time can be reduced.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of the information input device of the present invention. The information input device is
A touch panel 1 provided on a display surface of a display;
Input coordinate calculating means 2 for calculating a position touched by a finger from the output of the touch panel 1, image area detecting means 3 for detecting an area of an image to be enlarged and displayed from the calculated designated coordinates, and a detected image area An enlarged image generating means 4 for generating an enlarged image from the image, an image position control means 5 for displaying the enlarged image at a position not overlapping with the original image, and an enlarged image generating means from the designated coordinates calculated by the input coordinate calculating means 2 An enlargement / reduction instruction detecting unit 6 for detecting an enlargement / reduction instruction of the enlarged image generated by the input unit 4 and notifying the enlargement ratio to the enlarged image generation unit 4, and an enlarged image from the designated coordinates calculated by the input coordinate calculation unit 2. And a combination / separation instruction detecting means 7 for detecting the combination / separation instruction of the image and notifying the same to the image position control means 5 and a coordinate position of the enlarged image based on the designated coordinates calculated by the input coordinate calculation means 2. And a coordinate transforming means 8 which converts the coordinates of the image.

In the information input device having the above-described configuration, by touching the touch panel 1 with a finger, the input coordinate calculating means 2 calculates coordinates at the contact point. When the information of the calculated coordinates represents an image area, the image area is detected by the image area detecting means 3, and the enlarged image generating means 4 generates an enlarged image of the image area. The image position control means 5 causes the generated enlarged image to be displayed at another display position that does not overlap the original image. For example,
When the original image is a window of the application software and the image area detected by the image area detecting unit 3 is a part or all of the window, the image position control unit 5 sets the enlarged image outside the window frame. It is controlled to be displayed near. When the input coordinate calculation means 2 outputs the coordinates of the display position of the enlarged image, the coordinate conversion means 8 converts the coordinates to the coordinates of the original image corresponding to the coordinates of the enlarged image and outputs the converted coordinates.

Thus, the enlarged image of the image area designated by the finger is displayed near the original image, so that the finger can be input to the enlarged and displayed image. The information input in this manner is subjected to coordinate conversion, and can be handled as an input for an image before being enlarged.

When the enlargement / reduction instruction detecting means 6 detects an instruction to change the enlargement ratio for the enlarged image, the enlarged image generation unit 4 enlarges the image in the image area at the designated enlargement ratio. Thereby, the enlarged image can be changed to an arbitrary size suitable for finger operation.

Further, when the combining / separating instruction detecting means 7 detects the combining / separating instruction, the image position control means 5 displays the enlarged image in a state where it is combined with or separated from the window frame, or displays the enlarged image. When there are a plurality of windows, the window and the enlarged image can be displayed in a combined state or separated from each other.

Next, a case where a resistive film type coordinate detecting device is used as a device for inputting information using a finger will be described as an example. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of mounting a touch panel. The coordinate detection device 10 of the resistive film type is mounted on the screen display surface side of the liquid crystal display 20, and a protective insulating layer 11 is provided on the outer surface of the liquid crystal display 20, which is in direct contact with a finger. The coordinate detecting device 10 can detect the coordinate position of the point when receiving a pressing force by a finger through the protective insulating layer 11.
0 will be described.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a resistive film type coordinate detecting device. The coordinate detecting device is composed of two resistive films 1
2, 13 are superposed with a slight gap. Electrodes 14 are provided on both ends of the resistance film 12 in the X direction.
15 are provided on both ends of the resistance film 13 in the Y direction.
6, 17 are provided. The electrodes 14 and 15 and the electrodes 16 and 17 of the resistance films 12 and 13 are alternately connected to the power supply 1.
When a voltage gradient of 8 is applied to the resistive films 12 and 13 to form a potential gradient, and the resistive films 12 and 13 are pressed down with a finger in this state, the resistive films 12 and 13 contact each other at the pressed point. Therefore, the contact position is detected by detecting the potential of the contact portion from the electrode of the resistive film to which the voltage of the power supply 18 is not applied.

For example, as shown in FIG.
When a voltage of the power supply 18 is applied to the second electrodes 14 and 15 to form a potential gradient on the resistance film 12 and a portion indicated by a black circle is pressed by a finger, the potential at the contact portion is determined. Is read through the electrode 17 of the lower resistive film 13 and the output terminal 19 via the contact point, and the position in the X direction is detected. Next, a voltage is applied to the electrodes 16 and 17 of the lower resistive film 13 to form a potential gradient in the resistive film 13, and through the upper resistive film 12 and its electrodes,
The position in the Y direction is detected by reading the potential of the contact portion between the resistive films 12 and 13. The coordinates of the pressed point are detected by alternately detecting the axes orthogonal to XY in a time-division manner.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the information input device. In this figure, two resistive films 12 and 13 constituting a resistive film type coordinate detecting device are provided, an electrode 14 of the resistive film 12 for detecting a coordinate position in the X direction and a resistor for detecting a coordinate position in the Y direction. The electrode 17 of the membrane 13 is the switch 3
The electrodes 15 of the resistive film 12 are connected to the fixed contacts 1, 32.
The electrode 16 of the resistance film 13 is connected to a fixed contact of the switch 33. The movable contacts of the switches 32 and 33 are connected to the power supply 18, and the movable contact of the switch 31 is connected to the measurement input of the potential measurement unit 41. This potential measuring section 4
1 is connected to the coordinate calculator 42. The coordinate calculation section 42 is connected to a partial enlargement processing section 43, and the partial enlargement processing section 43 is connected to a liquid crystal display 45 via a display control section 44.

Here, when the resistive films 12 and 13 are pressed by a finger, the potential at the pressed portions is measured in both the X and Y directions, and the obtained output potential is measured by the potential measuring unit 41. . Next, the coordinate position is sequentially calculated by the coordinate calculation unit 42 and passed to the corresponding application software. On the other hand, the calculated coordinate position is processed by the partial enlargement processing unit 43, and the processing result is passed to the application software via the coordinate calculation unit 42 while the display control unit 44 controls the liquid crystal display 45. .

Next, the details of the partial enlargement processing section will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing menu of the partial enlargement processing unit. The processing menu 50 includes a “region designation start / cancel” button 51, a “merge / separation” button 52,
An “enlarge” button 53, a “reduce” button 54, an “erase” button 55, and an “environment setting” button 56 are provided.

The "region designation start / cancel" button 51 is used to designate a region of the image region of the displayed window to be partially enlarged with a finger. "Start / Cancel" button 51
Press to start. When the area is specified at a plurality of locations, the above operation is repeated. To cancel the area specified immediately before, the “area specification start / cancel” button 51 may be pressed again. "Join / separate" button 52
Indicates whether the enlarged image is combined with the window or separated from the window. When there are a plurality of enlarged images, the plurality of enlarged images are combined / separated together. "Enlarge" button 53 and "Reduce" button 54
Performs enlargement / reduction processing on the displayed enlarged image. The “delete” button 55 deletes the displayed enlarged image. The enlarged image is automatically erased when the partially enlarged window is closed. The “environment setting” button 56 is used to set various operating environments. For example, the method of specifying an area may be such that the starting point and the ending point when a drag operation is performed with a finger are set as diagonal coordinates of the rectangular area, or the rectangular area is set. Set whether to specify diagonal coordinates by specifying points or absolute coordinates,
When combining / separating, set where in the window the enlarged image should be combined, how far apart it should be in the case of separation, and in the case of enlargement / reduction, enlarge when each button is pressed It is possible to set the ratio of reduction / reduction, and to set whether or not to display the same enlarged image when the target window on which the partially enlarged image has been displayed is reopened.

Next, the enlarged image display processing for starting / cancelling the area designation, the combining / separating processing, and the enlarging / reducing processing will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of the enlarged image display processing. This enlarged image display processing
“Start / cancel area specification” button 51 in processing menu 50
It is started by pressing. First, an area to be enlarged is input (step S1). This is performed according to the input method set by the environment setting. For example, if a method of performing a drag operation with a diagonal finger on a rectangular area is set, the area is input by dragging with a finger. Is done. Next, a window including the area is detected (step S2),
An enlarged image of the image of the rectangular area is generated (step S
3). This enlarged image is generated at the enlargement ratio set by the environment setting. Next, the generated enlarged image is displayed outside the window frame (step S4). The display position is determined according to the setting in the environment setting. For example, if the default value is set to the separate display, the display position is displayed at a position separated by a predetermined distance from the window. Since the designated area and the enlarged image are associated with each other by the coordinate calculation unit 42, an input to the enlarged image is made possible (step S5). Here, it is determined whether or not the “area designation start / cancel” button 51 of the processing menu 50 has been pressed (step S6). When the “area designation start / cancel” button 51 is pressed,
It is determined that the designation of the area has been canceled, the display of the enlarged image displayed immediately before is deleted (step S7), and the process returns to step S1. If the “area designation start / cancel” button 51 is not pressed, it is next determined whether or not an input to the enlarged image has been made (step S8). If there is an input to the enlarged image, this processing ends. If not, the process returns to step S1 to proceed to a new next area designation. When an input is made to the enlarged image, the coordinates of the input are converted by the coordinate calculation unit 42 and then passed to the application software of the window.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of area designation, and FIG. 8 is a view showing a state in which the designated area is enlarged and displayed. As an example of the screen display of the liquid crystal display 45, it is assumed that a browser 61 for browsing a web page on the Internet is displayed as shown in FIG. 7, for example. Here, in order to scroll the page of the browser 61, it is necessary to operate the upward scroll button 62, the downward scroll button 63, or the scroll bar 64. It is assumed that the display of the button 62, the downward scroll button 63, or the scroll bar 64 is too small. In this case, the area to be operated is enlarged and displayed. Here, assuming that a designation by a drag operation is set as a designation method of the region, the region 67 to be enlarged and displayed is input by dragging a finger 65 between the diagonals.

When the area 67 is input as described above,
The image of the area 67 is enlarged at a predetermined magnification, and the enlarged image is displayed at a predetermined position. According to the example of FIG.
The enlarged image 68 is displayed on the right side of the window of the browser 61 at a predetermined interval from the window.
This complies with the conditions set in the environment settings. In other words, in this example, the enlarged image is displayed in a state separated from the window, and the display position is outside the window closer to the designated area among the four sides of the window, and if the left and right sides are the windows. The upper and lower sides of the enlarged image are set at the same position as the lower and upper sides of the window, and the upper and lower sides of the window are set so that the left and right sides of the enlarged image are at the same positions as the left and right sides of the window.

As described above, when an area is designated by a finger, an enlarged image 68 of the image of the area is displayed at a predetermined position, and input using the enlarged image 68 can be performed immediately. Become.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of the combining / separating process. This combining / separating process is started by pressing a “merge / separate” button 52 of the processing menu 50. First, two adjacent images are selected (step S11). First, a window and an enlarged image adjacent to the window are selected as the image. Next, it is determined whether the two images are in a separated state (step S12). If it is in the separated state, the coordinates of the display position of the separated enlarged image are calculated (step S13),
The coordinates of the joint to be joined are calculated (step S1).
4). If the images are in the combined state, the coordinates of the combined portion are calculated (step S15), and the coordinates of the position to be separated and displayed are calculated (step S16). Next, the display position of the enlarged image is changed based on the coordinates calculated as described above (step S17). Next, it is determined whether there is an image that has not been combined / separated (step S1).
8). Here, if there is an image that has not been combined / separated, the process returns to step S11. If all images have been combined / separated, this processing ends.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state where the enlarged images are separated, and FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a state where the enlarged images are combined. According to FIG. 10, a browser 61, an enlarged image 68 obtained by enlarging a portion where the scroll operation of the browser 61 is performed, and an enlarged image 69 obtained by enlarging a portion of the browser operation button are shown. If the default value of the environment setting is such that the enlarged image is displayed in a separated state, the enlarged images 68 and 69 are displayed at the positions shown in the drawing at the stage where the scroll operation portion and the browser operation button portion are designated. Are displayed separately from the window of the browser 61, and the enlarged images 68 and 69 are also displayed separated from each other.

When the combining / separating process is performed on the image displayed in the separated state, as shown in FIG.
The enlarged images 68 and 69 are displayed on the window of the browser 61 in a connected and connected state.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the flow of the enlargement / reduction processing. This enlargement / reduction processing is performed by the “enlargement” button 53 or the “reduction” button 54 of the processing menu 50.
It is started by pressing. First, it is determined whether the pressed button is the “enlarge” button 53 (step S21). When the "enlarge" button 53 is pressed, the enlargement ratio is increased (step S22), and when the "reduce" button 54 is pressed, the enlargement ratio is decreased (step S23). The increase / decrease of the enlargement ratio is performed in a stepwise manner. For example, it is assumed that the enlargement / reduction ratio is increased / decreased by ± several% relative to the original image of the first designated area stored in advance. Next, an image is generated by enlarging / reducing the image of the first designated area with the increased / decreased magnification (step S2).
4) Recalculate the position to be displayed according to the size of the generated image (step S25). For example, an enlarged image 68
In the case where there is one as shown in FIG. 8, the origin at the upper left is set to be the same, and when there are a plurality of enlarged images, the display position is determined according to the size of each of the regenerated enlarged images. Is changed. Then, each enlarged image is displayed again at the changed display position (step S26).

[0036]

As described above, in the present invention, when an area is designated by a finger, an image of the area is enlarged and displayed, and an enlarged image is displayed near a window in which the area is designated. It was configured so that a finger could be input through the enlarged image. Thus, coordinate input can be performed for the combined partial enlarged images and for a plurality of partial enlarged images combined with the entire image, so that input operations that had to be set in various places can be collectively performed in one place. One operation is required, greatly improving operability.
Operation time can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of an information input device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of mounting a touch panel.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a resistive film type coordinate detecting device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an information input device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing menu of a partial enlargement processing unit.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of an enlarged image display process.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of area designation.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state where a designated area is enlarged and displayed.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a combining / separating process.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state where an enlarged image is separated.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a state in which enlarged images are combined.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of an enlargement / reduction process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Touch panel 2 Input coordinate calculation means 3 Image area detection means 4 Enlarged image generation means 5 Image position control means 6 Magnification / reduction instruction detection means 7 Coupling / separation instruction detection means 8 Coordinate conversion means 10 Coordinate detection device 11 Protective insulating layer 12, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13 Resistive film 14, 15, 16, 17 Electrode 18 Power supply 19 Output terminal 20 Liquid crystal display 31, 32, 33 Switch 41 Potential measurement unit 42 Coordinate calculation unit 43 Partial enlargement processing unit 44 Display control unit 45 Liquid crystal display 50 Processing menu 61 Browser 62, 63 Scroll button 64 Scroll bar 65 Finger 67 Area 68, 69 Enlarged image

Continued on the front page F-term (reference)

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. An information input device for inputting information by touching a finger on a display screen, comprising: a touch panel mounted on the display screen of the display to detect a position touched by the finger; and a coordinate based on the touch position detected by the touch panel. Input coordinate calculation means for calculating information; image area detection means for detecting an area of an image to be enlarged and displayed from the calculated coordinate information; and enlarged image generation means for generating an enlarged image from an image of the detected image area Image position control means for displaying the enlarged image at a position not overlapping with the original image; and an original image corresponding to the coordinates of the enlarged image when the coordinate information calculated by the input coordinate calculating means is the coordinates of the enlarged image. An information input device, comprising: coordinate conversion means for converting the coordinates into coordinates and outputting the coordinates. 2. An image combining / separating instruction for the enlarged image is detected from the coordinate information calculated by the input coordinate calculating means, and the original image and the enlarged image are combined or separated with respect to the image position control means. 2. The information input device according to claim 1, further comprising a combining / separating instruction detecting unit for notifying the adjustment of the image position. 3. The image position control means collectively collects the original image and all the enlarged images generated by the enlarged image generation means in response to a combination / separation instruction from the combination / separation instruction detection means. 3. The information input device according to claim 2, wherein the image position is adjusted so as to be combined or separated. 4. An enlargement / reduction instruction for detecting an enlargement / reduction instruction of an enlarged image generated by the enlarged image generation unit from the coordinate information calculated by the input coordinate calculation unit and notifying the enlargement ratio to the enlarged image generation unit. 2. The information input device according to claim 1, further comprising a reduction instruction detecting unit. 5. An information input method for inputting information by operating a display panel with a finger, wherein a region to be enlarged and displayed on a display image is designated by a finger, and an image of the designated region is enlarged. Generating an image, displaying the generated enlarged image at a display position different from the display area of the display image, and causing the coordinates of the enlarged image to correspond to the coordinates of the area to be enlarged and displayed by a finger on the enlarged image. An information input method, comprising: receiving an operation input. 6. The step of displaying the enlarged image,
6. The information input method according to claim 5, wherein when the designated area is a part or all of the window, the enlarged image is displayed outside the window. 7. The information input method according to claim 5, wherein the enlarged image is displayed by being combined with an outer frame of the window. 8. A method of reducing / displaying the displayed enlarged image.
The information input method according to claim 5, further comprising a step of enlarging. 9. The information input method according to claim 5, further comprising a step of combining a plurality of enlarged images displayed.