JP2001154795A - Input device and recording medium in which input program is recorded - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To quicken respond and to reduce manufacturing cost by reducing the quantity of information to be processed in an optical input device and a recording medium in which an input program is recorded. SOLUTION: One-dimensional video 3 in four directions is projected on a moving plane 1 (or the surface of a freely rotatable ball). The video 3 is detected as one-dimensional information by four detectors in which optical detection elements are provided in a row respectively. Detection information is processed by being compared with storage information detected and stored at the previous time, transfer of the video 3 on the moving plane 1 is judged and outputted as two-dimensional operation input information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an input device for outputting two-dimensional operation information as an input signal to a predetermined device, and a recording medium on which an input program is recorded.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A mouse, which is one of operation input devices for computer equipment, is configured such that when a ball mounted on a lower portion of a main body rotates, an output of a rotary encoder is input to a computer as operation input information of the mouse. Have been. For this reason, if the ball becomes dirty, smooth rotation cannot be obtained and the input cannot be made as desired.

An optical mouse does not have such a problem, but a dedicated mouse pad must be used to optically count parallel lines on the mouse pad. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-190277 discloses an optical input device that does not require a dedicated mouse pad by calculating the speed of a mouse by comparing image information captured by a CCD sensor with information stored a predetermined time ago. ing.

[0004]

However, since a large amount of image information captured by the CCD sensor is processed,
Response is slow. Therefore, by optically projecting the moving plane of the input device or the surface of the rotatable sphere as a one-dimensional image and detecting it as one-dimensional information, the amount of information to be processed is reduced and the response is made faster. To simplify.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to detect and process an optically projected image as one-dimensional information, thereby reducing the amount of information to be processed and speeding up response. Another object of the present invention is to provide an input device in which the device is simplified and a recording medium in which an input program is recorded.

For this purpose, one-dimensional images in two directions or four directions orthogonal to the operation input plane are optically detected as one-dimensional information, respectively, and the detected information is compared with stored information detected and stored at a previous time. By performing the processing, the movement determination is performed at high speed. In addition, reliability and operability can be improved by simplifying information processing.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the input device of the present invention and the input program of a recording medium recording the input program are movable on a moving plane such as a mouse pad or a table. , And a pattern due to dirt or the like is optically projected as a one-dimensional image in each of the x-axis and y-axis directions.

[0009] The projection image is provided with a semi-cylindrical lens, so that the projected image has a large magnification in one direction.
The magnification is small in the orthogonal direction. For this reason, a high resolution is projected in a direction to be detected by one detector, and a low resolution is projected in the orthogonal direction.

In the detector, a plurality of light detecting elements are arranged at regular intervals in a row for each projection direction of each image. The two projected one-dimensional images are respectively detected as one-dimensional information by photodetectors arranged one-dimensionally.

However, in order to detect one-dimensional information from the projected image, it is necessary to average the detector output in one direction even in the case of a two-dimensional image, in addition to detecting the one-dimensional information as described above. Can be detected as one-dimensional information.

The output signal of the detector is subjected to a required gain adjustment by an AGC circuit, and then converted by an A / D converter into digital data which is one-dimensionally arranged in monochrome or color with an appropriate gradation. The movement of the image is determined by comparing the two digitized detection information with the two stored information detected and stored at the previous time. At this time, the detection information used for the determination is stored as new storage information.

The result of the determination is output as operation input information of the input device in accordance with the moving direction and the moving amount on the plane according to the conditions such as the enlargement ratio of the image, the arrangement interval of the light detecting elements, and the like. As described above, since the process from the detection of the image to the determination of the movement of the image is processed as one-dimensional information, the amount of information to be processed can be reduced and high-speed processing can be performed.

The input device of the present invention and the input program of the recording medium which stores the input program preferably have an image in an x-axis direction, an x-axis 45 degree direction,
The four directions of the y-axis direction and the 135-degree direction of the x-axis are respectively projected as one-dimensional images, and four one-dimensional information is detected, stored, and determined.

Accordingly, even when the amount of movement in one of the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction is large, but the amount of movement in the other direction is small and it is difficult to make a determination, the x-axis direction is 45 degrees. Alternatively, since the movement amount is not small in any of the 135-degree directions, it is easy to determine the movement.

In this case, the square root of 2 of the amount of movement in two directions at 45 degrees to the x-axis and y-axis is the sum of the amounts of movement in the x-axis and y-axis directions. That is, the value obtained by multiplying the "movement amount in the direction forming 45 degrees on the x-axis" by the square root of 2 is converted into the sum of the "movement amount in the x-axis direction" and the "movement amount in the y-axis direction". The amount of movement in the direction of 135 degrees to the axis ”
Is converted to a value obtained by subtracting the "movement amount in the x-axis direction" from the "movement amount in the y-axis direction". For example, when the movement is determined in the x-axis direction and the direction at 45 degrees to the x-axis, the “movement amount in the y-axis direction” is the square root of 2 in the “movement amount in the direction at 45 degrees to the x-axis”. The value is obtained by subtracting the “movement amount in the x-axis direction” by multiplication.

According to a preferred embodiment of the input device and the recording medium recording the input program according to the present invention,
The moving plane may be replaced by a rotatable sphere. The pattern of the surface of the sphere, texture, dirt, etc. is projected, and when the sphere is rotated, the rotation direction and the rotation distance of the sphere are changed according to conditions such as the magnification of the image, the arrangement interval of the light detection elements, and the like. It is calculated and output as operation input information of the input device.

According to a preferred embodiment of the input device and the recording medium recording the input program according to the present invention,
Since the projected plane or spherical surface preferably has an irregular pattern, the image of the rotatable sphere can be determined regardless of the rotation direction. Therefore, by providing a pattern such as a grid, a mesh, and a spot on the entire surface of the sphere, the output of the detector can be easily adjusted, and A / D conversion and movement determination can be easily performed. Such an effect can be obtained by sticking a cloth on the surface of the mouse pad to clarify the shadow of the texture by lighting, and obtain the same effect.

According to a preferred embodiment of the input device and the recording medium recording the input program according to the present invention,
In the process of comparing the stored information detected and stored at the previous time and the detected information detected at the later time, the following processing is performed: Σ (M (i) −
D (i)) ＾ 2 / n is smaller than the criterion value, M
(I) and D (i) are considered to be the same, and M (i)
And D (i + 1), M (i + 1) and D (i)
Do not perform comparison processing with. Thus, the determination can be performed at high speed.

In the preferred embodiment, the input device and the input program of the recording medium storing the input program according to the present invention are stored information detected and stored at a previous time in each direction and detected at a later time in each direction. In the comparison processing with the detected information, n- | k | one-dimensional elements M (i) of the stored information and n- | k | one-dimensional elements D of the detected information
Root mean square of difference from (i + k) ｋ (M (i) −D (i +
k)) When ＾ 2 / (n− | k |) is smaller than the determination reference value, M (i) and D (i + k) are regarded as being the same, and a movement proportional to k is determined.

That is, if k is a positive integer of 1 or more, it means that the projected image has moved by k photodetector elements, and is operated and input in one direction in accordance with the projection magnification. When k is a negative integer equal to or less than -1 or -2, the projected image moves in the opposite direction by an interval of photodetector elements | k | That is, it is determined that an operation has been input in the reverse direction according to the projection magnification.

Here, assuming that the judgment processing cycle is sufficiently short, it is sufficient for the time interval of the judgment cycle to consider the movement of the photodetector by at most one interval of the photodetector. Therefore, the judgment processing cycle is 0.1 msec, the input operation surface resolution is 400 dpi, and the input operation speed is 250 mm / sec.
Then, it is sufficient to perform the comparison processing only in the case of k = 0, k = 1, and k = −1.

[0023]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In order to further clarify the preferred embodiments of the present invention described above, embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[Embodiment 1] This embodiment is an embodiment of a recording medium recording an input device and an input program according to the present invention, and will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. FIG.

In this embodiment, a one-dimensional image is projected on a moving plane in two directions orthogonal to each other, and the movement of the moving plane is determined to output operation input information. The optical system has two cells 10 for projecting a one-dimensional image in the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction, and a window 11 for receiving the reflected light from the mouse pad 1.

The pattern of the mouse pad 1 is projected as a one-dimensional image on the detector 8 by the projection lens 2 in the shape of a mouse in two directions. When the user moves the input device, the projected image 3 also changes.

The images 3 are detected as 16 pieces of one-dimensional element data by 16 light detecting elements arranged one-dimensionally in each detector 8. The output signal of the detector 8 is subjected to a required gain adjustment by the AGC circuit,
The digital data is converted into 16-tone monochrome digital data one-dimensionally arranged by the / D converter (however, in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pattern and the shadow image 3 of the input plane 1 are shown in two tones). The movement of the image is determined by comparing the detection information 4 with the stored information 5 already detected by the determiner.

From the result of the determination, the output device calculates the operation input information of the input device in accordance with conditions such as the enlargement ratio of the image and the arrangement interval of the photodetectors. At this time, the stored information 5
Is rewritten with new detection information 4 and stored for later comparison processing with the detection information. As described above, when the user moves the input device on the mouse pad 1, the input device is output as operation input information according to the amount and direction of the movement.

In FIG. 2, if the criterion is “2”, the 16 elements (14, 12, 7,...) Of the detection information 4
.3, 5) and 16 elements (13, 1
3, 12, 7,..., 4) is [(14-13) ＾ 2 + (12-13) ＾ 2 + (7-1)
2) {2 + ... + (5-4) {2] /16=24.9
Since it is not smaller than the criterion, it is not determined that the image has not moved.

Assuming that the output value of each element is shifted by one, the fifteen elements (14, 12, 7,..., 3) of the detection information 4 and the storage information 5 of 15
The mean square of the difference from the number of elements (13, 12, 7,..., 4) is [(14-13) ＋2+ (12-12) ＾ 2 +
(7-7) {2 + ... + (3-4)} 2] / (16-
1) = 0.6, which is smaller than the determination criterion, so that it is determined that each element is shifted by one, and the assumption is determined to be correct. In such a determination, when the contrast of the image 3 is appropriate and the signal noise or the drift of the detection information 4 is small, the correct answer rate of the determination is improved.

[Embodiment 2] This embodiment is an embodiment using four-direction images of a recording medium on which an input device and an input program according to the present invention are recorded, and will be described with reference to FIG.

The direction at every 45 degrees, ie, the x-axis direction and y
The mouse pad 1 is used to project a one-dimensional image in two directions at 45 degrees with respect to the axial direction and the x-axis and the y-axis.
Is a camo-shaped projection lens 2 in each of the four directions
Is projected as a one-dimensional image 3 on the detector 8.

[Embodiment 3] This embodiment is an embodiment in which the input device according to the present invention and a rotatable sphere of a recording medium on which an input program is recorded are described with reference to FIG.

The rotatable sphere 6 has a mottled pattern printed on its surface, and around the sphere 6 are arranged four cells 10 provided with a projection lens 2, an illuminator 7 and a detector 8. The one-dimensional image 3 projected in the inside projects the one-dimensional image 3 in each direction corresponding to the rotation in four directions every 45 degrees. When the user turns the ball 6 to determine the movement of the shadow image 3, the operation input information is calculated and output according to the turning amount and the turning direction of the ball 6.

[0035]

The input device and the recording medium on which the input program of the present invention is recorded have optical characteristics of a two-dimensional image of a moving plane, and determine the movement by optically detecting the image. It is not affected and there is no need to use a special mouse pad as in a conventional optical mouse. Further, since the image projected as the one-dimensional image is detected as one-dimensional information and the movement of the image is determined, the amount of information processing is small, the response is fast, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a recording medium on which an input device and an input program according to a first embodiment of the present invention are recorded, and is an overall block diagram. However, the pattern and the shadow image of two gradations in the figure have 16 gradations in the embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a recording medium on which an input device and an input program are recorded according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram illustrating a comparison process between storage information and detection information in one direction. . However, the pattern and the shadow image of two gradations in the figure have 16 gradations in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view for explaining a recording medium on which an input device and an input program are recorded according to the first embodiment of the present invention. However, an information processing system is omitted.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a recording medium on which an input device and an input program according to a second embodiment of the present invention are recorded, and is an explanatory diagram of a one-dimensional image in four directions.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view for explaining a recording medium on which an input device and an input program are recorded according to a third embodiment of the present invention. However, an information processing system is omitted.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 moving plane (mouse pad surface pattern) 2 projection lens 3 image 4 detection information 5 storage information 6 sphere (trackball) 7 illuminator 8 detector 9 housing 10 cell 11 window

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An input device controlled by a programmed computer, comprising: projection means for projecting a moving plane of the input device as a one-dimensional image in two directions orthogonal to each other; Detecting means for detecting each one-dimensional information, storage means for storing two detected information respectively, two stored information detected and stored at a previous time point, and two detected information detected at a later time point Determining means for determining the movement of the two images by comparison processing with
An output device configured to output the determined information as operation input information. 2. The projection means projects a one-dimensional image in each of the two directions and two directions orthogonal to each other at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the two directions, and the detection means projects the four projected images respectively. Detected as one-dimensional information, the storage means respectively stores the four detected information, and the determination means stores the four stored information detected and stored at the previous time and the four detected information detected at the later time. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the movement of the four images is determined by a comparison process with information, and the output unit outputs the determined determination information as operation input information. 3. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising a rotatable sphere, wherein the projection unit projects a surface of the sphere. 4. The input device according to claim 3, wherein the surface of the sphere has a planar or three-dimensional pattern over the entire surface. 5. A recording medium on which a program for inputting under the control of a computer is recorded, the program comprising: two images projected as two-dimensional images in two directions orthogonal to each other; The two detected information are respectively stored, and the two images are moved by the comparison processing between the two stored information detected and stored at the previous time and the two detected information detected at the later time. And outputting the determined information as operation input information. 6. The program causes the computer to detect, as one-dimensional information, four images projected as one-dimensional images in the two directions and two directions orthogonal to each other at 45 degrees to the two directions, respectively. Each of the four detected information detected is stored, and the movement of the four images is determined by comparing the four stored information detected and stored at the previous time and the four detected information detected at the later time,
The recording medium according to claim 5, wherein the determined information is output as operation input information. 7. A comparison process between stored information detected and stored at a previous time point in each direction and detected information detected at a later time point in each of the directions, the program comprising n one-dimensional elements of the stored information. When the mean square of the difference between M (i) and n one-dimensional elements D (i) of the detection information {(M (i) -D (i))} 2 / n is smaller than a predetermined determination reference value 7. The recording medium according to claim 5, wherein the movement of the image is not determined. 8. The program according to claim 1, wherein said program compares n- | k | number of said stored information in a comparison process between the stored information detected and stored at a previous time point and the detected information detected at a later time point in each direction.平均 (M (i) −D (i + k)) ＾ 2 / (n), which is the difference between the one-dimensional element M (i) and n− | k | one-dimensional elements D (i + k) of the detection information. If the value of − | k |) is smaller than a predetermined determination reference value, the movement of the image is regarded as being proportional to k, and the input program according to claim 5 is recorded. Recording medium.