JP2002244809A - Method and device for freely changing moving speed of pointer, and minimization of touch pad - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a comfortable pointing device capable of speedily executing two contradictory operations of a pointer, that is, a speedy movement for moving a pointer close to a target position on the screen and a precise and stable movement even though it is slow for resting the pointer still at the target position on the contrarsly. SOLUTION: The moving speed of the pointer can be freely changed without adding extra operation processes to the two contradictory operations by forming a changeable region around a touch panel for changing the moving speed of the pointer. Moreover, as a result, the size of the touch pad can be extremely reduced compared to a current one.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

2. Description of the Related Art In a portable personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a personal computer), a touch pad or the like is employed as a pointing device instead of a mouse. However, all portable computers must have a mouse connection terminal, and even for beginners who bring portable computers in computer classrooms,
First of all, as you can see from the teaching of how to use a mouse, although the touchpad has a performance as a substitute for a mouse for the time being, it is still not as comfortable as a mouse in terms of operation functions. It is a real feeling.

It is obvious that one of the major factors is that the operation area of the touch pad is very small compared to the operation area of the mouse pad. Since the operation performance from the movement of the pointer on the screen to the position determination on the screen does not have the same sense of speed as a mouse, I do not want to use it when a lot of work needs to be done on a personal computer .

For example, when trying to point a pointer on the screen to another target position on the screen by using a touch pad, the user touches the fingertip of the touch pad and slides in the target direction (hereinafter referred to as a stroke). However, even if it is attempted to execute this one pointing operation, the next A, B2
Type of operation. Operation A: One to several stroke operations are performed, and the pointer is brought close to the target position. Operation B: The finger performs a fine stroke operation near the target.
Rest precisely at the target position.

In operation A, it is preferable that the moving speed of the pointer with respect to the stroke amount of the finger is high, and in operation B, the moving speed of the pointer is low if the moving speed is low. However, this switching of the moving speed requires the user to open the control panel and start over on the setting screen of the mouse in the Windows (registered trademark) basic software. Not something. The reality is that there is no other choice but to compromise on setting an intermediate moving speed, and only moderate satisfaction can be obtained.

After all, in operation A, in most cases, the stroke is not determined by one stroke, and in operation B, the pointer moves more than desired, and in some cases, the pointer may even be felt on the screen. And when pointing to a fine position, a fine nerve is used for the fine movement operation, which results in neither speed nor comfort.

[0006] This problem remains even when a mouse is used. Patent application addressing this problem by providing a changeover switch on the mouse itself (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
3615), but I have never seen it as a product.

[0007]

However, if the moving speed of the pointer can be set high immediately before the operation A, the operation A can be performed quickly with a small stroke. In this case, if the moving speed of the pointer can be set small immediately before the operation B, the movement of the pointer is stabilized even with a somewhat rough stroke, and it is possible to accurately stop at the target position with a speedy stroke without using a nerve for the fine movement stroke. It becomes easier.

According to the present invention, the switching speed of the pointer can be freely changed, and as a result, the operation area of the touchpad can be made much smaller than the current state. What you want to do.

[0009]

The moving speed of the pointer is increased immediately before the operation A so that the pointer can be largely moved even with a small stroke, or the pointer can be accurately stopped at the target position even with a somewhat rough stroke. Immediately before the operation B, the moving speed is switched around the touch pad, around the pointing area of the touch pad, or at least one or more of the upper surface and the side surface of the keyboard so that the moving speed of the pointer can be reduced. Provide a switching device such as a switching touch panel, a switching touch area, a switching button, a switching switch, etc.
By first touching or operating the switching device with a finger immediately before the stroke, the moving speed of the pointer for the stroke operation to be performed can be freely switched.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 A switching touch panel 2 in which the moving speed of a pointer can be switched simply by touching it with a finger.
And a method of switching the moving speed of the pointer between two levels, large and small, will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, a switching touch panel 2 which is divided into two areas, a large switching area for the pointer moving speed and a small switching area for the moving speed of the pointer, is provided immediately near the four sides of the touch pad 1 which is the pointing area. .

In operation A, when the pointer on the screen is to be largely moved from left to right, the fingertip is first moved to the left touch panel 2 as indicated by the thick arrow in operation A in FIG.
By touching a large area of the image and then performing a stroke from left to right, the pointer on the screen can be largely moved from left to right with a small stroke amount.

Next, in the operation B, when it is desired to move the pointer slightly from left to right, first touch a small area of the left switching touch panel 2 as shown by the thin arrow of operation B in FIG. By stroking to the right,
Even a slightly rough finger movement can be accurately pointed to the target position, and a fine movement stroke using nerves is not required.

Furthermore, for the strokes of the operation A and the operation B from right to left, first, the switching touch panel 2 on the right side is used.
Similarly, the upper switching touch panel 2 may be touched for a stroke from top to bottom, and the lower switching touch panel 2 may be touched for a stroke from bottom to top. It is a translation.

Further, the large and small switching touch areas of the switching touch panel 2 are installed in the opposite directions as shown in FIG. 1 on the left and right, and on the upper and lower sides, so that large areas around the four corners of the touch pad 1 are provided. Area and a small area exist, so that a stroke in an oblique direction can be smoothly performed.

For example, in the operation A, when it is desired to move the pointer greatly from the lower left to the upper right, first touch a large area of the lower switching touch panel 2 as shown by the thick arrow of the operation A in FIG. Just stroke to the upper right.

Next, in the operation B, when it is desired to move the pointer from the lower left to the upper right by touching a small area of the switching touch panel 2 on the left as shown by a thin arrow of the operation B in FIG. Just stroke to the upper right.

The stroke from the upper left to the lower right, the upper right to the lower left, and the lower right to the upper left may be performed in the same manner.

By installing the switching touch panel 2 on the four sides in this way, no extra steps for the switching operation are required except for extending the stroke.
In both cases, the moving speed of the pointer can be freely switched in all stroke directions, and an extremely comfortable pointing device can be provided.

In the operation A, the fact that the pointer on the screen can be largely moved by a small stroke means that the size of the operation plane of the touch pad 1 can be extremely reduced, and the position of the left and right buttons can be reduced. By appropriately devising, it is also possible to perform the pointing operation with a stroke just by moving the fingertip as shown in FIG.

Although the moving speed of the pointer has been described in terms of only large and small, the moving speed of both large and small is naturally given a wide range, and the user sets it according to his / her preference. be able to.

[0022] Having adopted the switching method of installing a touch panel 2 around the Example 1 the touch pad 1, wherein instead of providing the switching panel 2 apart divides the use area of the touch pad 1 A method of performing the same operation as in the first embodiment will be described below.

On the operation plane of the touch pad 3 shown in FIG. 5, a changeover in which the moving speed of the pointer can be switched between a large speed and a small speed, as shown by a broken line, for example, in the peripheral portion of the center pointing area 4. By providing the touch area 5, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be achieved.

Embodiment 3 Embodiments 1 and 2 are characterized in that the switching touch panel 2 and the switching touch area 5 are provided around the pointing area. Here, however, the switching touch panel 2 and the switching touch area 2 are not limited to around the pointing area. Alternatively, a device capable of issuing a switching signal such as a switching button or a switching switch is provided on an upper surface or a side surface of the keyboard or other appropriate place.

FIG. 6 is an example of this. By operating the switching panel 2 with the left hand while performing the pointing operation with the right hand, the same effect as in the first and second embodiments can be realized.

If this method is adopted, there is an advantage that the method can be applied not only to a touchpad but also to a mouse and other pointing devices.

Alternatively, a method (not shown) in which one of the buttons on the keyboard is used as a switching button by programming so that a shortcut key can be assigned as the switching button.

Other Embodiments In normal operation, switching of the moving speed of the pointer is considered to provide considerable freedom in only two stages, large and small. However, if necessary, the switching touch areas 2 and 5 can be used. Can be divided into three stages of large, medium and small, and naturally four or more stages are possible, but the explanation is omitted.

In FIGS. 1 and 5, the moving speed of the pointing areas 1 and 4 is set to a medium level, and the switching between large and small is performed only when the switching touch panel 2 and the switching touch area 5 are touched. Even if it is designed in the above manner, three-stage switching of large, medium and small can be realized. Other methods may be set freely according to the user's preference.

[0030]

According to the present invention, it is possible to freely switch the movement speed of the pointer between the operation A and the operation B, which still remains as a problem even when a mouse is used, without increasing the number of additional operation steps. Therefore, it is possible to provide an extremely comfortable pointing device having a very fast feeling.

In particular, if the method of the first embodiment and the second embodiment is adopted in the touch pad, it is possible to instantaneously switch to a stable moving speed immediately before the operation B. Can be largely moved, and the pointing operation can be performed with a stroke just by moving the fingertip as shown in FIG. 4, and as a result, the size of the operation plane of the touchpads 1 and 3 can be extremely reduced.

Therefore, it is not necessary to operate with the arms or palms floating in the air as in the conventional case, and it is very easy to perform a long-time mass work.

Pointing is a basic operation that is indispensable in the operation and work of a personal computer. Improving and enhancing the pointing function itself can be expected to have more effects than imagined in terms of speeding up work, comfort, and eventually reducing fatigue.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a layout diagram of a switching touch panel according to the present invention. 1. Pointing area of a touch pad.

FIG. 2 is a lateral stroke diagram of an operation A and an operation B.

FIG. 3 is an oblique stroke diagram of an operation A and an operation B;

FIG. 4 shows an example of a miniaturized touchpad.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a touchpad of the present invention in which a switching touch area is divided and arranged. 3. Touchpad of the present invention 4. Touchpad pointing area of the present invention 5 ... Touchpad switching touch area of the present invention

FIG. 6 shows an example of a keyboard provided with a switching touch panel.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart.

Claims (2)

[Claims] A pointing area for performing an operation of touching a fingertip and sliding in a target direction in order to move a pointer on a screen to another target position on the screen.
And a switching touch panel provided around the pointing area and capable of switching the moving amount or moving speed and acceleration of the pointer on the screen with respect to the sliding amount of the fingertip (hereinafter referred to as the moving speed) by touching the fingertip. A method and apparatus for freely switching the moving speed of the pointer at a desired timing at any time without any need for an extra operation for switching, comprising 2) or a switching touch area (5). 2. The switching touch panel (2) according to claim 1, or a device capable of issuing a switching signal such as a switching button or a switching switch (not shown) is not limited to the periphery of the pointing area. A method and a device for providing a pointer on a side surface or another place and manipulating them to freely change the moving speed of the pointer at a desired timing at any time.