JP2000267810A - Optical touch panel device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify a device and also to make its operation quick by performing drastic reduction that avoids the drop of position detection resolution of the needed number of array light emitting and receiving elements in an optical touch panel device. SOLUTION: One group of three light emitting and receiving elements, e.g. one light emitting element 4V-1 and two light receiving elements 5V-1A and 5V-1B are plurally arranged with a formation optical path interval maintained to a horizontal and vertical set of one set of peripheral directions of a touch panel substrate 3 on which a coordinate position detection surface 2 as the touch control surface of an optical touch panel device is arranged, optical path changing bodies (6V-1 to 6V-M and 6H-1 to 6H-N) are respectively arranged at the opposite peripheries of a touch panel to perform two branch 180 deg. optical path change of transmission light, three optical paths are generated in every array unit, and an optical path matrix crossed by the entire array units and the optical path changing bodies is secured.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical touch panel device, and more particularly to an optical touch panel device, in which an arbitrary key of a keyboard displayed on a touch panel is pressed by a touch operation to input information corresponding to the coordinate position of the key. Belongs to an optical touch panel device as an input device of an information device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An optical touch panel device that functions as an input device of an information device by performing an input operation corresponding to the key by touching an arbitrary key on a keyboard displayed on the touch panel has been widely used. It is heavily used. This optical touch panel device has a light path spatially spaced by a predetermined distance based on the transmission and reception of light between a plurality of light emitting elements and light receiving elements below a touch panel substrate having a rectangular touch panel as a manual touch operation surface. Based on the light receiving state of the light receiving element when the optical path matrix that is generated in the vertical and horizontal directions and expresses the rectangular coordinate system is formed, and the portion corresponding to the vertical and horizontal intersections of this optical path matrix is pressed by touch operation to interrupt the optical path It functions so that input information specified by the coordinates of the touch operation point is input to a system control unit or the like of the information device.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the entire structure of a conventional optical touch panel device. As shown in FIG. 6, a conventional optical touch panel device includes an image display device 10 of an information device using a liquid crystal, a CRT, or the like as a display medium, and a coordinate position detection device disposed on the image display device 10 as a touch panel. A touch panel substrate 20 having a surface 30; and a coordinate position detection surface 30 as a touch panel on which a manual touch operation is performed to detect coordinate information of a touch operation position
In order to form an optical path matrix near the lower part of the coordinate position detection surface 30, one pair of the upper and lower sides and the right and left orthogonal surroundings of the touch panel substrate 20 are horizontally and vertically respectively set using a printed board or the like. Light-emitting elements 4 such as LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes)
0H-1, 40H-2, ..., 40H-8 and 40V-
1, 40V-2,..., 40V-6 and other orthogonal peripheral sets of the touch panel substrate 20 facing each of the light emitting elements so as to receive the light emitted from these light emitting elements and secure an optical path. Light-receiving elements 50H-1, 50H-2,..., 50H-, such as phototransistors, arranged at equal intervals in the horizontal and vertical directions using a printed circuit board or the like.
8 and 50V-1, 50V-2,..., 50V-6. The number of these light emitting and receiving elements is arbitrarily determined based on the operation purpose of the apparatus, the coordinate position detection resolution described later, and the like.

Next, the operation of the conventional optical touch panel device shown in FIG. 6 will be described. Light emitting element 40V-1, 40
, 40V-6, output light is sequentially emitted and emitted in a predetermined sequence as shown by arrows, and this output light is output from the opposing light receiving elements 50V-1,.
At 50V-2,..., 50V-6, the light is received as input light, and a plurality of light paths in the horizontal direction of the rectangular coordinate system are formed. On the other hand, the light emitting elements 40H-1, 40H-2,.
The respective output lights of 40H-8 are sequentially emitted in a predetermined sequence as shown by the double arrows, and received by the opposing light receiving elements 50H-1, 50H-2,... A plurality of optical paths in the vertical direction of the coordinate system are formed, thus spatially forming an optical path matrix.

[0005] In this manner, the optical path matrix constituting the orthogonal coordinate system is spatially formed, and the coordinate position detection surface 3
When the user presses a position represented as an intersection of the light path matrix by a manual touch operation on a desired key displayed on the coordinate position detection surface 30 as a touch panel, the light path of the light path matrix is interrupted. Detection of coordinates corresponding to the coordinates of the position is performed, and as a result, input information corresponding to the detected position is input to the system control unit, and thus a function as an input device is executed.

In the above-described conventional optical touch panel device, the detection resolution in the coordinate position detection secured by a manual touch operation on the coordinate position detection surface is determined by the light emitting elements and the light receiving elements arranged in the horizontal and vertical directions. It is determined depending on the interval between the optical paths formed by the pairs, that is, the arrangement interval between the opposing light emitting element and light receiving element pairs.

[0007]

The detection resolution on the coordinate position detection surface of the conventional optical touch panel device depends on the arrangement interval between the opposing light emitting element and light receiving element pairs. The shorter the arrangement interval, the higher the detection resolution. improves. Therefore,
In order to increase the detection resolution, it is necessary to increase the logarithm of the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element in accordance with the desired detection resolution. However, there is a problem in that the reliability of the device is reduced due to the increase in the cost, and the price of the device is also increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems, to reduce the total number of light emitting and receiving elements to be used to one half of the conventional device without lowering the detection resolution, and to reduce the number of the touch panel substrates by two. There is no need to arrange light receiving elements for the other of the horizontal and vertical peripheral sets, so that there is no need to dispose a printed circuit board for the light emitting and receiving element arrangement, so that the structure can be significantly simplified and the operating speed can be increased rapidly. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical touch panel device having an inexpensive configuration that can secure the structure.

[0009]

To achieve the above-mentioned object, the optical touch panel device of the present invention has the following means configuration. That is, the configuration of the first invention of the present invention relating to the optical touch panel device is that the light transmission and reception between the light emitting element and the light receiving element is performed between the opposing horizontal and vertical directions around the touch panel substrate on which the touch panel is provided. An optical touch panel device that forms an optical path matrix that expresses an orthogonal coordinate system based on, and detects coordinate information of a position where a touch operation is performed by interrupting an optical path of the optical path matrix by a touch operation on the touch panel. One set of light emitting and receiving elements, each including two light emitting elements and two light receiving elements arranged on both sides of the light emitting element at an arrangement interval corresponding to the detection resolution of the coordinate information, is defined as an array unit. A plurality of light emitting and receiving elements arranged in a pair of orthogonal directions around the touch panel substrate in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction with a plurality of the arrangement intervals. The array means and the output light of the light emitting element for each array unit of the light emitting and receiving element array means are received in the other set of orthogonal directions around the touch panel substrate in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. 90 ° in opposite directions to each other
The optical path is changed twice, and the input light and the light are received by the two light receiving elements in each of the array units while traveling in parallel and in opposite directions while maintaining the arrangement interval. And a light path changing means for forming the light path matrix while generating three light paths parallel to each other while maintaining the arrangement interval.

[0010] A second aspect of the present invention relating to an optical touch panel device is that a light emitting element and a light receiving element are provided between a horizontal direction and a vertical direction around a touch panel substrate on which a touch panel is provided. An optical touch panel device that forms an optical path matrix that expresses a rectangular coordinate system based on transmission and reception of light, and detects coordinate information of a position where a touch operation is performed by interrupting an optical path of the optical path matrix by a touch operation on the touch panel. A set of a light emitting and receiving element composed of one light receiving element and two light emitting elements arranged on both sides of the light receiving element at an arrangement interval set in accordance with the detection resolution of the coordinate information, and A plurality of the array units are arranged in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction of one of the sets orthogonal to the touch panel substrate while maintaining the arrangement interval. Optical element arrangement means, and respective optical paths for receiving two output lights from two light emitting elements for each arrangement unit of the light emitting and receiving element arrangement means in the other set of orthogonal and horizontal directions around the touch panel substrate. The optical path change of 90 ° is performed twice in the opposite direction to each other, and the light is condensed in the center direction of the two output lights and is made to travel in the opposite direction to the two output lights so that the light receiving element for each array unit is formed. An optical path changing unit for forming the optical path matrix while generating three parallel optical paths while maintaining the arrangement interval from each other in the light emitting / receiving element array unit by receiving light is provided.

[0011] A third aspect of the present invention relating to an optical touch panel device is characterized in that a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element are arranged between the opposing horizontal and vertical directions around the touch panel substrate on which the touch panel is provided. An optical touch panel device that forms an optical path matrix that expresses a rectangular coordinate system based on transmission and reception of light, and detects coordinate information of a position where a touch operation is performed by interrupting an optical path of the optical path matrix by a touch operation on the touch panel. And two light-emitting elements arranged at an arrangement interval set in accordance with the detection resolution of the coordinate information, and one light-receiving element adjacent to one of these light-emitting elements and arranged at the arrangement interval. One set of light emitting and receiving elements is an array unit,
A plurality of light emitting and receiving element array means for arranging a plurality of the array units in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction of one of the sets orthogonal to the periphery of the touch panel substrate while maintaining the array interval, and for each array unit of the light emitting and receiving element array means The output light of the two light-emitting elements is received in the other set of horizontal and vertical directions around the touch panel substrate in the horizontal and vertical directions, and the optical paths of the two input lights are changed by 90 ° in the same direction. After the light is directed and focused, the light path of this light collection is changed by 90 ° to be received by the light receiving elements in each of the array units. And an optical path changing means for forming the optical path matrix while generating three parallel optical paths while maintaining the optical path.

Further, the configuration of the optical touch panel device according to the first invention of the present invention is characterized in that two branches of the input light by the optical path changing means and a two-degree 90 ° optical path change of the spectrum by the two branches are performed on a plurality of planes. Based on either the change of the optical path by the combined reflection of the reflecting mirror, the change of the optical path by the total reflection of a plurality of right angle prisms formed of a light guide medium such as acrylic resin, or the change of the optical path by setting the shape of the optical fiber It has a configuration to secure.

Further, in the configuration of the optical touch panel device according to the second invention of the present invention, the two input lights are condensed by the optical path changing means and the parallel light is transmitted in the opposite direction to the two condensed input lights. The change of the optical path by the combined reflection of a plurality of plane reflecting mirrors, the change of the optical path by the total reflection of a plurality of right angle prisms formed of a light guide medium such as an acrylic resin, or the change of the optical path by the shape setting of an optical fiber Has a configuration to secure based on any of the above.

Further, the configuration of the optical touch panel device according to the third invention of the present invention is that the optical path changing means converges two input lights and transmits parallel light in the opposite direction to the condensed input light. Change of the optical path by reflection and combination reflection of a plurality of plane reflecting mirrors and semi-transmissive mirrors, or change of the optical path by total reflection of a plurality of right-angle prisms formed of a light conducting medium such as acrylic resin, or shape setting of an optical fiber and It has a configuration to secure based on any of multiple uses.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A conventional optical touch panel device which detects rectangular coordinates of a touch position by a manual touch operation on a touch panel and enables input of information corresponding to the detected coordinate position is provided below a touch panel on which a keyboard is displayed. An optical path matrix is spatially formed, and a portion serving as an intersection of the optical path matrix is interrupted by a touch operation so that the coordinate position can be detected. The above-mentioned optical path matrix is formed by arranging a plurality of pairs of a light emitting element and a light receiving element pair facing each other with a touch panel (coordinate position detecting surface) interposed therebetween and transmitting and receiving the light emitting element and the light receiving element. Is determined by the arrangement interval between the light emitting element and the light receiving element pair. Therefore, in order to improve the detection resolution in accordance with the operating conditions such as the purpose of use and the device configuration conditions, it is premised that the arrangement interval is shortened.

Therefore, when it is desired to increase the detection resolution of the optical touch panel device, it is necessary to increase the number of opposing arrays of light emitting elements and light receiving elements in accordance with the resolution. However, improving the detection resolution depending on such an arrangement condition causes an increase in the size of the device, an increase in the number of light emitting and receiving elements causes a decrease in operation speed and quality, and also increases the cost of the device. There is a problem that.

The present invention has been made in order to provide an optical touch panel device which has solved the above-mentioned problems. If the detection resolution is the same, the arrangement logarithm of the light emitting and receiving elements and the arrangement substrate are reduced by 1 / of the conventional device. It is an object of the present invention to reduce the size of the apparatus to two, to suppress an increase in the size and cost of the apparatus, and to ensure that the operation speed is increased.

As an embodiment for achieving this object,
In the first invention of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the conventional optical touch panel device is configured such that the opposing pair of the light emitting element and the light receiving element is arranged in an array unit. , One light emitting element and two light receiving elements, for example, the light emitting element 4H-1 and the light receiving element 5
A set of light emitting and receiving elements of H-1A and 5H-1B is used as an array unit, while a set of light emitting and receiving elements of light emitting element 4V-1 and light receiving elements 5V-1A and 5V-1B is arranged in the vertical direction. A plurality of these horizontal and vertical array units are arranged as a unit, and are arranged at predetermined equal intervals for determining the resolution within the array unit and between the array units.

On the other hand, on the touch panel substrate 3, there are other orthogonal horizontal and vertical opposing peripheral portions corresponding to the arrangement units of the light emitting and receiving elements in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, respectively. The optical path changer 6H-1, which receives the output light of the element, branches the optical path into two, and makes the light forward-redirected.
6H-2, ..., 6H-N and 6V-1, 6V-2, ...
, 6V-M are arranged in place of the conventional light receiving element arrangement.

Based on the arrangement unit of the light emitting and receiving elements and the arrangement facing the optical path changing body, the output light of the light emitting element included in the array unit of the light emitting and receiving elements is projected to the center of the optical path changing body,
This light is divided into two parts by an optical path changing body.
90 ° reflection, parallel to the output light of the light emitting element,
In addition, three parallel optical paths are formed in the horizontal or vertical direction on the position detection surface by reflecting the light in the opposite direction and receiving the light by the light receiving elements of the light emitting and receiving elements in the array unit.

In order to form such three parallel optical paths, in a conventional optical touch panel device, the number of opposing pairs of the light emitting element and the light receiving element is three, ie, three light emitting elements And three light receiving elements, it is necessary to form one light emitting element, two light receiving elements and one optical path changing body using a plane reflecting mirror in the first invention of the present invention. Can be formed and the total number of light emitting and receiving elements required is 1
The optical touch panel has a simple configuration that can be reduced to ２ and the number of array substrates required for the arrangement of the light emitting and receiving elements is also 、. This allows the optical path matrix to be secured without lowering the detection resolution. Realizing the apparatus is a basic embodiment of the invention.

In the case of FIG. 1, as a unit for arranging the light emitting and receiving elements, one light emitting element and a set of two light emitting and receiving elements arranged adjacent to both sides of the light emitting element are used. However, in order to secure the formation of an optical path matrix by combining other light emitting and receiving elements for securing the same number of optical paths, as shown in FIG. 3, one light receiving element is arranged adjacent to both sides of this light receiving element. 2
A configuration using a set of two light emitting elements may be used. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, one light receiving element is arranged adjacent to one of the two light emitting elements arranged adjacent to each other to form an array unit. May be configured, in either case,
By considering the configuration of the corresponding optical path changing body, the same number of three optical paths can be formed for each array unit, and the total number of required light emitting and receiving elements can be reduced to half to form an optical path matrix. is there.

[0023]

Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of the first embodiment of the present invention. The configuration of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes an image display device 1 for displaying an image on a display medium such as a liquid crystal display or a CRT display, and a coordinate position detection surface 2 acting as a coordinate position detection sensor surface in response to a manual touch operation. And a touch panel substrate 3 on which the coordinate position detection surface 2 is provided. In addition, a light emitting / receiving element array unit formed of a plurality of N array units arranged in the horizontal direction for each array unit using a printed circuit board (not shown) is formed in one of a pair of peripheral areas orthogonal to the touch panel substrate 3. Element 4H-
1, light receiving element 5H-1A, 5H-1B, light emitting element 4H-
2, light-receiving elements 5H-2A, 5H-2B,..., Light-emitting elements 4H-N, light-receiving elements 5H-NA, and 5H-NB, and a plurality of M light-emitting and light-receiving element array means arranged in a vertical direction. Light emitting element 4V-1 and light receiving element 5V-1 forming
A, 5V-1B, light emitting element 4V-2, light receiving element 5V-2
A, 5V-2B,..., Light emitting element 4V-M, light receiving element 5
V-MA and 5V-MB are provided. Further, corresponding to each of the arrangement units of the respective light emitting and receiving elements, the other set at the other side of the touch panel substrate 3 orthogonal to the touch panel substrate 3 includes N as optical path changing means arranged in a horizontal direction so as to form a desired optical path.
6H-1, 6H-2,..., 6H-N
, And 6V-M as optical path changing means arranged in the vertical direction.

The numbers N and M for designating the number of light emitting and receiving elements arranged in the horizontal and vertical directions and the number of optical path changing bodies may be different from each other or may be the same. Can be set arbitrarily in accordance with the contents of the configuration.
In an actual optical touch panel device, the content of a keyboard for performing a manual touch operation is displayed on a coordinate position detection surface 2 as a touch panel.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of FIG. 1 will be described. The output light transmitted from each light emitting element of each of a plurality of array units constituting the light emitting and receiving element array means arranged in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction of one of the sets of one of the surroundings of the touch panel substrate 3 orthogonal to each other, Each of a plurality of optical path changing bodies as an optical path changing body array constituting an optical path changing means, which goes straight and is arranged and arranged in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction of the other set of the surroundings orthogonal to the touch panel substrate 3. After being projected and split into two by these optical path changing bodies, each of the light beams undergoes two 90 ° reflections, and is received by two light receiving elements arranged adjacent to both sides of the light emitting element, thereby receiving a horizontal light. Alternatively, three optical paths are formed in the vertical direction.

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view showing the structure of the first embodiment. The above-described three optical path forming operations will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 shows one light-emitting element 4V-1 and a light-emitting element 4V-
2 light receiving elements 5V-1A arranged adjacent to each other
5V-1B and an optical path changing body 6V-1 opposed to the arrangement unit of the light emitting and receiving elements and opposed to the periphery of the touch panel substrate 3 with the coordinate position detection surface 2 interposed therebetween. The light emitting element 4V-1 emits output light forming the optical path C2 using, for example, an LED or the like. This output light is emitted as an optical signal having predetermined characteristics through the optical system of the light emitting element 4V-1, and is emitted to the central portion including the central ridge line of the optical path changing body 6V-1, and is left and right ( 2)
It is branched and receives 90 ° reflection. It is divided into two right and left and 9
The branched lights reflected by 0 ° are further added to the optical path changing body 6 respectively.
V-1 is reflected at 90 ° to form optical paths C1 and C3.
-1A, 5V-1B, so that three optical paths C1, C2, C3 are formed parallel to each other at equal intervals that determine the detection resolution.

The optical path changing body 6V-1 makes each of the split light beams of one incident light change the optical path twice by 90 °, and can form three optical paths as parallel and inverted light incident light. 1 and 2, two unit optical reflectors, each of which has a plane reflecting mirror as a reflector that is orthogonally coupled so as to have two orthogonal plane openings, are provided with one opening of each other. The cross section connecting the end and the other open end is formed as an integrated reflector having a substantially W-shaped cross section, and the incident light projected on the central ridge line, which is a connecting portion of the integrated reflector, is extremely one-dimensional. Although the part is reflected on the central ridge line, most of the light is projected on the two 45 ° inclined opening surfaces on the left and right of the central ridge line, and 90 ° reflection is given to the left and right,
A two-branch 90 ° optical path change of the incident light is performed. after this,
At the two opening surfaces on the left and right of the central ridge, the light path is further changed by 90 ° reflection, and the light receiving element 5V-1
A, received at 5V-1B to form optical paths C1, C2. For convenience of explanation, the optical path C2 is exaggerated and thick.

The optical path changing body shown in FIGS.
By using a plane reflecting mirror having a configuration in which the ends are coupled to each other on the left and right with the opening surface facing the front, two splitting of the incident light and two 90 ° optical path changes are performed. Instead of such an optical path changing body having a reflecting mirror configuration, it is possible to easily implement two 90 ° optical path changing bodies using a light-guiding medium such as acrylic or optical fiber.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing another example of the configuration of the optical path changing body in the first embodiment of the present invention. 1 and 2
In (2), an optical path changing means having a pair of right and left (up and down) 180 ° reflectors formed by a combination of plane reflecting mirrors is used as an optical path changing means for making a 90 ° optical path change twice with respect to the input light. By receiving the input light, an optical path can be formed by two-branch 180 ° inversion of the input light. However, such an optical path change can be achieved by using two light-guiding media made of a light-transmitting medium that is transparent to the input light. The same can be achieved by combining right-angle prisms.

FIG. 5A shows two rectangular prisms using acrylic resin as a light-guiding medium, that is, acrylic resin prisms 101 and 102, one end of one rectangular prism and the other rectangular prism. In the state where the other end of the prism is joined to the other end, the input light of the optical path C2 is received by the joined portion,
After the input light is split into two, the reflected light of the optical paths C1 and C2 is secured based on the total reflection by the two right-angle prisms. FIG. 5B shows an example in which an optical fiber is used as a light-guiding medium and the input light is divided into two branches, each of which is changed twice by 90 ° in optical path. Utilizes the fact that the optical path can be set in any manner according to the shape given to the optical fiber.

That is, a pair of optical fibers 103 and 104, whose light-receiving end and light-transmitting end are terminally processed so that the input light can be received as efficiently as possible and can be emitted, are connected at one end to the left and right (up and down). To form a light receiving end, and the light receiving end receives the input light of the optical path C2. The input light of the optical path C2 is split into two optical fibers 103 and 104, respectively.
And transmitted as output light forming the optical paths C1 and C2. In this case, a pair of optical fibers is positioned between a light receiving end positioned so as to collectively receive input light and a light transmitting end positioned so as to form optical paths C1 and C3 while maintaining an arrangement interval. By properly setting only the other fiber, the setting shape of the other fiber can be arbitrarily selected.

In this manner, with the total number of light emitting and receiving elements being halved from the conventional one, the two-branch splitting of the input light and the 90 ° optical path change of two times of each of the split two splits are performed. The formation of three optical paths including the input light and the output light is ensured for each array unit of the horizontal and vertical light emitting and receiving element arrays, thus forming an optical path matrix below the coordinate position detection plane. When the optical path matrix is formed in this manner, the light levels of the individual optical paths do not need to be the same, and the point is that the optical level is formed so that an optical path matrix that enables coordinate position detection by touch operation is formed. It is enough to achieve the purpose if is secured.

If the optical paths of the optical path matrix thus formed are interrupted by a manual touch operation, the interrupted optical path can be specified by the difference in the light receiving state of the light receiving element for each array unit, and the touch operation point can be specified. A coordinate position is detected. In the first embodiment, since the light-emitting elements are separated by three times the optical path interval, the detection time is significantly shortened compared with the conventional optical touch panel device in which adjacent light-emitting elements are sequentially emitted by sequential emission scanning. It is possible to detect the coordinate position without interfering with each other even with simultaneous light emission, and it is also possible to shorten the detection time.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a partial plan view showing the configuration of the second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, one set of light emitting / receiving element array means to be arranged in one of the horizontal and vertical directions of one set of peripheral parts of the touch panel substrate 3 which are orthogonal to each other is 1 unit. Light-receiving elements 5 and one-to-two light-emitting elements 4-A and 4-B arranged on both sides of the light-receiving elements 5 at arrangement intervals corresponding to the optical path intervals. 2 is an optical path changing body 6 having a combination of substantially the same plane reflecting mirrors as in the first embodiment shown in FIG.
Is provided corresponding to the arrangement unit of the light emitting and receiving element arrangement means.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described. Output light emitted from the two light-emitting elements 4-A and 4-B for each arrangement unit is emitted to the optical path changing body 6 while forming the optical paths C4 and C5, respectively. The optical path changing member 6 forms the optical paths C4 and C5 and gives the input light projected two times a 90 ° optical path change in directions opposite to each other. 6, the reflected light of the two input lights is condensed and sent out as reflected light forming an optical path C6, and the reflected light is received by the light receiving element 5, and thus three parallel optical paths are provided for each array unit. Is formed. In FIG. 3, the optical path C6 formed by focusing along the optical paths C4 and C5 is exaggerated and thicker than the actual one for convenience of explanation.

From a different point of view, the second embodiment described above may be considered to secure the formation of three optical paths based on the reversibility of light traveling in the optical system in the first embodiment. it can. That is, in the second embodiment,
It is clear that, besides the above-mentioned combination of the plane reflecting mirrors, the optical path changing means shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B can be reversibly used in the reverse optical path as the optical path changing means. Thus, also in the second embodiment, the coordinate position detection can be performed without deteriorating the detection resolution by setting the total number of light emitting and receiving elements to be arranged to half the conventional number.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 4A is a partial plan view showing the configuration of the third embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 4A, two light emitting elements 4-C and 4-D forming one of a plurality of array units constituting light emitting / receiving element array means, and 1
The two output lights of the two light receiving elements 5X and the light emitting elements in the array unit are received, these two output lights are condensed, and a third optical path parallel to the two output lights is formed by reflection to form a third optical path together with the output lights. An optical path changing unit 6X as an optical path changing unit that enables three optical paths to be formed for each arrangement unit.

Next, the operation of the third embodiment will be described. Two light emitting elements 4-C and 4-
D and the light receiving element 5X are arranged with an arrangement interval corresponding to the optical path interval. Two light emitting elements 4-C,
The 4-D output light is projected parallel to the optical path changing member 6X while securing the optical paths C7 and C8, respectively. Light path changing body 6X
Is 45 ° with respect to the input light as shown in FIG.
Mirror 61X using a plane reflecting mirror having a tilt angle of 半, a semi-transmissive mirror 62X as a half mirror arranged in parallel with the mirror 61X while maintaining an optical path interval, and a semi-transmissive mirror 62X
And a mirror 63X that is coupled while maintaining a vertical angle of 90 °. Output lights from the light emitting elements 4-C and 4-D form optical paths C7 and C8, respectively, and are emitted to the mirror 61X and the semi-transmissive mirror 62X. The output light of the light emitting element 4-C, which has been formed on the optical path C7 and projected on the mirror 61X, undergoes a 90 ° optical path change by the mirror 61X, and the transflective mirror 62C.
X is received.

Further, the optical path C8 is formed so that the semi-transmissive mirror 6 is formed.
The output light of the light emitting element 4-D that has been projected to 2X is received by the mirror 63X after undergoing an optical path change of 90 ° by the semi-transmissive mirror. The 90 ° optical path changing light by the mirror 61X passes through the semi-transmissive mirror 62X, forms an optical path C8, is received by the semi-transmissive mirror 62X, and is condensed in the same direction as the reflected light that has undergone the 90 ° optical path change, The light is reflected by the mirror 63X at 90 ° to form an optical path C9, which is received by the light receiving element 5X. Thus, three parallel optical paths of C7, C8, and C9 are formed for each array unit. Such optical path shaping
It is ensured between the corresponding combination of all the light emitting and receiving element array means and all the light path changing bodies of the light path changing means, and the conventional optical path matrix with half the number of light emitting and receiving elements lowers the detection resolution. Formed without.

In the third embodiment described above, the optical path changing member constituting the optical path changing means is formed based on an appropriate combination of a plane reflecting mirror including a semi-transmissive mirror. It can also be easily implemented to be replaced by an appropriate combination of light-guiding media such as fibers and optical fibers. That is, in FIG. 4, for example, 90 ° reflection of the input light in the optical path C7 is secured by using the total reflection of the right-angle prism made of an acrylic resin, and furthermore, the semi-transmissive mirror 62 is used.
A similar optical path can be formed by replacing the optical system formed by X and the mirror 63X with another acrylic resin right-angle prism.

Further, the light transmitted through the two optical paths C7 and C8 is received by the two optical fibers adjacently arranged in parallel, and the light is received by another optical fiber and collected. Obviously, it is easy to form a third parallel optical path which is transmitted in parallel with the two light receiving optical paths.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, in an optical touch panel device, light is emitted in one set of horizontal and vertical directions with respect to the opposing horizontal and vertical directions around the touch panel substrate. Instead of arranging the elements and the light receiving elements for the other set in the horizontal and vertical directions to face the light emitting elements to form an optical path matrix, Is an arrangement in which one light-emitting element and two light-receiving elements or a combination of two light-emitting elements and one light-receiving element are appropriately arranged with an arrangement interval corresponding to an interval of an optical path to be formed, as an arrangement unit. For the other set in the horizontal and vertical directions, an optical path changing body that changes the optical path of the light emitting element in opposition to the array unit and forms three parallel optical paths for each array unit together with the light emitting optical path is arranged. By doing so, the total number of light emitting and receiving elements required can be reduced to half without lowering the detection resolution, and the arrangement substrate for the light emitting and receiving elements can be reduced by half, greatly simplifying the device configuration. In addition, there is an effect that an optical touch panel device having an inexpensive configuration that can be remarkably speeded up in accordance with the number of light emitting elements and the detection operation can be remarkably speeded up.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an overall configuration of an optical touch panel device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view showing the configuration of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view showing a configuration of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are a partial plan view showing a configuration of a third embodiment of the present invention and a plan view showing a configuration of an optical path changing body, respectively.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing another example of the configuration of the optical path changing body according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an overall configuration of a conventional optical touch panel device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image display apparatus 2 Coordinate position detection surface 3 Touch panel substrate 4-A-4D, 4V-1-4V-M, 4H-1-4H
-N light emitting element 5,5X, 5V-1A, 1B-5V-MA, MB light receiving element 5H-1A, 1B-5H-NA, NB light receiving element 6,6X, 6V-1-6V-M, 6H-1 6H-N
Light path changing body 10 Image display device 20 Touch panel substrate 30 Coordinate position detection surface 40V-1 to 40V-6, 40H-1 to 40H-8 Light emitting element 50V-1 to 50V-6, 50H-1 to 50H-8 Light receiving element 61X , 63X mirror 62X transflective mirror 101, 102 Acrylic resin prism 103, 104 Optical fiber

Claims (6)

[Claims] An optical path matrix that expresses an orthogonal coordinate system based on transmission and reception between a light emitting element and a light receiving element is formed between opposed horizontal and vertical directions around a touch panel substrate on which a touch panel is provided. An optical touch panel device that detects coordinate information of a position where a touch operation is performed by interrupting an optical path of an optical path matrix by a touch operation on the touch panel, wherein one light emitting element and the coordinates are provided on both sides of the light emitting element. One set of light emitting and receiving elements composed of two light receiving elements arranged at an array interval set in accordance with the information detection resolution is defined as an array unit, and this array unit is defined as a horizontal set of one orthogonal set around the touch panel substrate. A plurality of light emitting and receiving element array means arranged in the direction and the vertical direction with a plurality of the arrangement intervals, and a light emitting and receiving element for each array unit of the light emitting and receiving element array means The output light of the optical element is received in the other set of orthogonal directions around the touch panel substrate in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, and is branched into two. By making a change twice and proceeding in parallel and in opposite directions while maintaining the arrangement interval with the input light and allowing the light to be received by the two light-receiving elements of each of the array units, each of the array units of the light-emitting and light-receiving element array means is mutually reciprocated. An optical touch panel device comprising: an optical path changing unit that forms the optical path matrix while generating three parallel optical paths while maintaining the arrangement interval. 2. An optical path matrix expressing an orthogonal coordinate system based on transmission and reception between a light emitting element and a light receiving element between opposing horizontal and vertical directions around a touch panel substrate on which a touch panel is provided. An optical touch panel device that detects coordinate information of a position where a touch operation has been performed by interrupting an optical path of an optical path matrix by a touch operation on the touch panel, wherein one light receiving element and the coordinates are provided on both sides of the light receiving element. One set of light emitting and receiving elements composed of two light emitting elements arranged at an arrangement interval set in accordance with the information detection resolution is defined as an array unit, and this array unit is defined as the horizontal direction of one orthogonal set of the touch panel substrate. A light emitting and receiving element array means for arranging a plurality of the light emitting and receiving element arrays in a direction perpendicular to each other; The optical path change of 90 ° is performed twice in opposite directions to the respective optical paths of the two sets of orthogonal light around the touch panel substrate that are received in the other set of horizontal and vertical directions around the touch panel substrate. By condensing the two output lights in the center direction and proceeding in the opposite direction to the two output lights and causing the light to be received by the light receiving elements for each of the array units, the array is mutually arranged for each of the array units of the light emitting and receiving element array means. An optical touch panel device comprising: an optical path changing unit that forms the optical path matrix while generating three parallel optical paths while maintaining an interval. 3. An optical path matrix for expressing a rectangular coordinate system based on transmission and reception between a light emitting element and a light receiving element between opposed horizontal and vertical directions around a touch panel substrate on which a touch panel is provided. An optical touch panel device that detects coordinate information of a position where a touch operation is performed by interrupting an optical path of an optical path matrix by a touch operation on the touch panel, wherein an arrangement interval set in accordance with a detection resolution of the coordinate information. A set of light emitting and receiving elements composed of two light emitting elements arranged in the following manner and one light receiving element arranged adjacent to one of the light emitting elements and maintaining the arrangement interval is referred to as an array unit. A plurality of light emitting and receiving elements arranged with a plurality of the arrangement intervals in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction of one set orthogonal to the periphery of the touch panel substrate Arranging means, receiving output lights of two light emitting elements for each arrangement unit of the light emitting and receiving element arranging means in the other set of orthogonal and horizontal directions around the touch panel substrate in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. By making a 90 ° light path change to the light path and directing the light in the same direction and condensing, by making a 90 ° light path change to the light path of this light collection and making the light receiving element for each array unit receive light, An optical touch panel device comprising: an optical path changing unit that forms the optical path matrix while generating three parallel optical paths while maintaining the arrangement interval with respect to each array unit of the light emitting and receiving element array unit. 4. The optical touch panel device according to claim 1, wherein the two-branch of the input light by the optical path changing means and the two-degree 90 ° optical path change of the spectrum by the two branches are performed.
Changing the optical path by combining multiple plane reflectors,
Or a configuration in which the optical path is changed by total reflection of a plurality of right-angle prisms formed of a light-guiding medium such as an acrylic resin, or the optical path is changed by setting the shape of an optical fiber. Optical touch panel device. 5. The optical touch panel device according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of light beams condensed by the optical path changing means and a plurality of parallel light beams transmitted in opposite directions to the two light beams condensed by the light path changing means. The change of the optical path by the combined reflection of the plane reflecting mirrors of the above, the change of the optical path by the total reflection of a plurality of right-angle prisms formed of a light guide medium such as acrylic resin, or the change of the optical path by setting the shape of the optical fiber An optical touch panel device characterized by comprising a configuration for securing the touch panel based on the information. 6. The optical touch panel device according to claim 3, wherein the condensing of the two input lights by the optical path changing means and the parallel light transmission in the opposite direction to the condensed input light are performed.
Change of the optical path by reflection and combination reflection of a plurality of plane reflecting mirrors and semi-transmissive mirrors, or change of the optical path by total reflection of a plurality of right-angle prisms formed of a light conducting medium such as acrylic resin, or shape setting of an optical fiber and An optical touch panel device characterized by comprising a configuration for securing based on one of a plurality of uses.