JP2001075740A - Coordinate input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coordinate input device capable of unnecessitating a coordinate indication means having specific configuration with a simple means and excellent in input operability without restricting a coordinate input operation area and without degrading image quality. SOLUTION: In this coordinate input device for detecting the absolute position coordinates of a coordinate point to which load is applied from the surface of a plate-like member 2A or a flat display device 8 and the level of the load, plural pressure sensitive sensors SA to SD respectively provided with pressure sensitive conductive rubber are arranged on four corners of one face of the member 2A or the bottom of the device 8 to constitute the device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coordinate input device frequently used in recent years, and more particularly to a coordinate input device which does not require a specially designed coordinate indicating means such as a cursor and a stylus pen.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a well-known coordinate input device, there are known ones of an electromagnetic induction type, an electromagnetic transfer type, an electrostatic coupling type, a resistive film type, a light (laser light) type, and an ultrasonic type. There is. Further, in these coordinate input devices, it is necessary to input a coordinate position by using a coordinate detecting device having a special structure in addition to a coordinate detecting element corresponding to each method. Most of the coordinate detecting elements are disposed on a liquid crystal display, on a display screen of a CRT display device or the like, or on the back side of the liquid crystal display, that is, inside the liquid crystal display device.

Now, a specific description will be given of an example of an electromagnetic induction type coordinate input device as shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 13 denotes a transparent insulating layer made of a fixing agent such as an ultraviolet curable adhesive, and reference numerals 14X and 14Y denote insulating sensor wires made of insulated wires such as magnet wires embedded in the transparent insulating layer 13 in a predetermined shape. The insulation sensor wires 14X are arranged in a meandering manner at a predetermined pitch in the X-axis direction on the surface of a plate member 2A such as a transparent glass plate that functions as an insulation plate or a protection plate. They are arranged in a meandering manner at the same pitch in the Y-axis direction on 2A.

[0004] These insulation sensor wires 14X, 1
4Y is wired in a predetermined shape on the plate-like member 2A, and is sandwiched and fixed between the plate-like member 2A and another plate-like member 2B constituting a coordinate input work surface via a bonding agent.
To form a coordinate input device 1A.

[0005] The coordinate input device 1A configured as described above.
Is used, for example, mounted on a display screen of a liquid crystal display. Then, in a coordinate input operation area on a plate-like member 2B such as a transparent glass plate forming a coordinate detection surface, the coordinate position is designated by a coordinate designation means such as a cursor or a stylus pen having a magnetic flux generation means. Have been. The coordinate input device 1A is connected to a control circuit (not shown) having an arithmetic processing circuit and the like, and when a specific coordinate position is designated by a coordinate designating means such as a cursor or a stylus pen, these components are insulated. Sensor wires 14X, 14Y
Then, a voltage corresponding to the coordinate position designated by the controller is induced, the voltage induced from the insulation sensor wires 14X and 14Y is processed in the control circuit, and the coordinate position designated by the coordinate designating means is detected.

[0006]

However, in the coordinate input device as described above, (1) it is necessary to use a dedicated pen or cursor as the coordinate indicating means, which is inconvenient. Poor handling of cables connecting the circuit side. (2) Most of the coordinate detecting elements are used by being mounted on a display screen of an image display device. However, for example, in an electromagnetic induction type coordinate input device, an area where a coordinate input operation can be performed is limited. The detection element cannot be used effectively. (3) Since the thickness of the coordinate detecting element is increased and parallax is generated, it hinders the coordinate input operation. (4) Thick sensor lines are seen and image quality is degraded. In the case where the coordinate detecting element is provided in the image display device, (5) a special design for arranging the coordinate detecting element in the image display device is required. And so on.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an absolute coordinate input device for detecting the absolute position coordinates of a coordinate point to which a load is applied and the magnitude of the load using a pressure-sensitive sensor. Another object of the present invention is to provide a coordinate input device which does not require a coordinate designating means, does not limit a coordinate input work area, and has improved input workability without deteriorating image quality.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, the absolute position coordinates and the magnitude of the load of a coordinate point to which a load is applied from the surface of the plate-like member 2A or the flat display device 8 are detected. A pressure-sensitive conductive rubber 1 on one side of the plate-like member 2A or on the four corners on the bottom of the flat display device 8.
2, a plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors SA, SB,
Provided is a coordinate input device characterized by arranging SC and SD. According to the first aspect, the pressure-sensitive sensor has a simple structure including the pressure-sensitive conductive rubbers 12 and has improved handleability. Further, since the coordinate input device is constituted by a plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors SA, SB, SC, and SD having the pressure-sensitive conductive rubber 12, a dedicated coordinate indicating means is not required.
An inexpensive coordinate input device excellent in input workability can be obtained. Further, the plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors SA, SB, SC, and SD are arranged at the four corners outside the coordinate input work area on the surface of the plate-like member 2A or the bottom of the flat display device 8, so that the display image is not obstructed. And a coordinate input device with improved image quality can be obtained.

Further, according to a second aspect of the present invention, the first aspect
The coordinate input device composed of the plate-like member 2A according to the above aspect is disposed on another plate-like member 2B, and a plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors S
A coordinate input device configured to sandwich A, SB, SC, and SD between the two plate members 2A and 2B is obtained.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the first aspect
The flat display device 8 is disposed on the coordinate input device 1 composed of the plate-like member 2A according to the above aspect, and one of the images displayed on the display screen 9 of the flat display device 8 is selectively input. A possible coordinate input device is obtained.

Further, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the first
The coordinate input device composed of the plate-shaped member 2A according to the above aspect is disposed on the flat display device 8, and one of the images displayed on the display screen 9 of the flat display device 8 can be selectively input. A coordinate input device is obtained.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited by this.

First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a coordinate input device according to a first aspect of the present invention. FIG. 1A shows a coordinate input device comprising a plate-like member 2A. FIG. 2B shows a coordinate input device including the flat display device 8. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a coordinate input by the coordinate input device of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a pressure-sensitive sensor used in the coordinate input device of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 2A denotes a plate-like member made of a transparent glass plate having a thickness of 5 mm, a width of 200 mm, and a length of 300 mm, which constitutes the coordinate input device 1. The plate-like member 2A is an input work for inputting a coordinate position. Make up the surface. Needless to say, the plate member 2A is not limited to a transparent glass plate. Reference numeral 8 denotes a flat display device, and a display screen 9 serves as an input work surface. SA, SB, SC, and SD are pressure-sensitive sensors each including a pressure-sensitive conductive rubber 12, and are provided at four corners on the back side of the plate-like member 2A or four corners on the bottom side of the flat display device 8 with two surfaces. The coordinate detecting element is constituted by being adhesively fixed by an adhesive tape or the like. Note that the pressure sensor S
Although not shown, lead wires are connected to the control circuit 4 from A, SB, SC and SD. As shown in FIG. 3, the pressure-sensitive sensors SA, SB, SC, and SD each include two electrodes 10 formed of a conductive pattern formed in a spiral and non-contact state on the surface of an insulating substrate 11.
a, pressure-sensitive conductive rubber 1 fixed on a 10b with an adhesive or the like
2 and has a simple structure and excellent handleability. Then, the pressure-sensitive sensors SA, SB, SC, SD
The variation of the electric resistance value or the capacitance value with respect to the load shows uniformity and good characteristics can be obtained.

The coordinate input device 1 configured as described above is
It is connected to the control circuit 4 having the configuration shown in FIG. 2, and the coordinate input by the coordinate input device 1 is performed as follows. Here, each of the pressure sensors SA, SB, SC,
The coordinate position in the plate member 2A of each SD is represented by A (Xa,
Ya), B (Xb, Yb), C (Xc, Yc), D (X
d, Yd), and assuming that the forces vertically applied to the pressure-sensitive sensors SA, SB, SC, and SD by the load F applied to the load point P are fa, fb, fc, and fd, the load of the coordinate input device 1 is obtained. Absolute position coordinates P when load F is applied to point P
It is known that (x, y) is obtained as follows. x = (Xa · fa + Xb · fb + Xc · fc + Xd · fd) / (fa + fb + fc + fd) ─── (1) y = (Ya · fa + Yb · fb + Yc · fc + Yd · fd) / (fa + fb + fc + fd) ─── (2) When a load F is applied to the load point P from the vertical direction of the plate-shaped member 2A, the four pressure-sensitive sensors SA, SB, SC, and SD disposed at the four corners on the back surface side of the plate-shaped member 2A are pressure-sensitive sensors S.
A force corresponding to a moment determined by the distance between A, SB, SC, SD and the load point P is applied. Then, in the pressure sensors SA, SB, SC, and SD, the pressure sensors SA,
Forces fa and f applied vertically to SB, SC and SD respectively
A change occurs in the resistance value or the capacitance value according to b, fc, fd, and the change in each resistance value is output as a sensor signal. The change in the resistance value or the capacitance value is output as an electric signal of an analog signal, and is amplified to a required level by the amplifier circuit 3. The output of the amplifier circuit 3 is A
The data signal converted into a digital signal by the / D converter 4A is converted into the digital signal by the above equation (1),
Based on (2), the coordinate value is converted by the arithmetic processing circuit 4B, transmitted to the personal computer 7, and displayed as a coordinate position.

In the D / A converter 5, the resistance value and operation of each of the pressure-sensitive sensors SA, SB, SC, and SD are measured in a state where no load is applied to the plate-like member 2A or a state where a constant load is applied. A voltage for eliminating variations in conditions and the like is fed back to the amplifier circuit 3 so that a required accurate sensor signal can be obtained. In addition, the EEPROM 6 stores in advance initial values and the like necessary for normal operation of each of the pressure sensors SA, SB, SC, and SD. Rewriting is also possible.

Second Embodiment FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an embodiment according to a second aspect of the present invention. This coordinate input device 1 is characterized in that the respective pressure-sensitive sensors SA, SB, SC, SD of the coordinate input device of the first embodiment are disposed on another plate-like member 2B made of a transparent glass plate. This is a coordinate input device. Needless to say, the plate member 2B is not limited to a transparent glass plate.

Third Embodiment FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an embodiment according to a third aspect of the present invention. The coordinate input device 1 is a coordinate input device in which a liquid crystal display 8 is provided as a flat display device on the coordinate input device of the first embodiment, and is provided on a display screen 9 of the liquid crystal display 8. It becomes possible to select and input one of the displayed images. Needless to say, the plate member 2A is not limited to a transparent glass plate.

-Fourth Embodiment- FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an embodiment according to a fourth aspect of the present invention. The coordinate input device 1 can select one of a plurality of images displayed on the display screen 9 of the liquid crystal display 8 as in the coordinate input device of the third embodiment.

In the coordinate input device configured as described above,
A plurality of pressure sensors SA, SB,
Since SC and SD are arranged at the four corners of the plate-like member 2A made of a transparent glass plate or the like constituting the coordinate input work surface, or are arranged at the four corners of the display screen 9 of the flat display device 8, It is excellent in input workability without disturbing the image or deteriorating the image quality. Further, the coordinate indicating means may be any finger or the like as long as it can apply a load, and the coordinate indicating means of a special configuration is not required.

[0021]

The coordinate input device according to the present invention has a simple structure because only a plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors are disposed on the surface of the plate-like member or on the bottom side of the flat display device. can get. Further, since the plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors are disposed outside the coordinate input work area at the four corners of the plate member or the flat display device, the display image is not disturbed, and the image quality is improved. In addition, a coordinate designating means having a special structure required conventionally is not required, and a coordinate input device excellent in coordinate input workability can be obtained. Further, the pressure-sensitive sensor using the pressure-sensitive conductive rubber has a simple structure and is excellent in handleability, so that the manufacturing workability of the coordinate input device is improved. The practical effect is large.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a coordinate input device according to a first aspect of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1 (a) is a coordinate input device comprising a plate-like member, and FIG. 1 (b) is a flat display device. Is a coordinate input device.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a coordinate input by the coordinate input device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a pressure-sensitive sensor used in the coordinate input device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an embodiment according to the second aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an embodiment according to a third aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an embodiment according to a fourth aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a coordinate input device of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1A Coordinate input device 2A, 2B Plate member 3 Amplifier circuit 4 Control circuit 4A A / D converter 4B Operation processing circuit 5 D / A converter 6 EEPROM 7 Personal computer 8 Flat display device 9 Display screen SA, SB, SC, SD Pressure-sensitive sensor 10a, 10b Electrode 11 Substrate 12 Pressure-sensitive conductive rubber 13 Transparent insulating layer 14X, 14Y Insulated sensor wire

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A coordinate input device for detecting an absolute position coordinate and a magnitude of a load at a coordinate point to which a load is applied from a surface of a plate-like member 2A or a flat display device 8, wherein the plate-like member 2A has one surface. Alternatively, a coordinate input device comprising a plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors SA, SB, SC and SD each provided with a pressure-sensitive conductive rubber 12 at four corners on the bottom surface of the flat display device 8. 2. The pressure-sensitive sensors SA, SB,
The plate-like member 2A on which SC and SD are arranged is separated from another plate-like member 2B
And a plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors SA, SB, SC, S
A coordinate input device wherein D is sandwiched between two plate members 2A and 2B. 3. A coordinate input device comprising a flat display device 8 arranged on the coordinate input device according to claim 1, comprising a plate-like member 2A. 4. A coordinate input device according to claim 1, wherein the coordinate input device according to claim 1 comprising a plate-like member is disposed on a flat display device.