JP2003099201A - Optical touch panel device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a touch panel operate normally wherever and in whatever direction the touch panel is installed. SOLUTION: The touch panel is fitted with light emitting elements 11A and 11B and light receiving elements 12A and 12B alternately on both sides of a display 15 in the directions of the lateral and longitudinal axes and then equipped with a driving circuit 14 which selects the signal of a light receiving element on a side where external light is not made incident between light receiving elements fitted on both sides in one of the longitudinal and lateral axis directions of the display by comparing the quantities of infrared rays as the external light made incident on the light receiving elements when the light receiving elements receives infrared rays IR1 and IR2 emitted by the light emitting elements to detect a place where the infrared rays are not received because of an obstacle such as a finger, and then the position of the obstacle can be detected without being influenced by incident light such as external light.

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 capable of preventing a malfunction due to infrared rays of sunlight in the morning and evening entering from a low angle with respect to the horizon and enabling a reliable detection operation. Regarding the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of optical touch panel device, an optical touch panel device as shown in FIG. 5 has been proposed. The optical touch panel device shown in the figure has a light emitting element 31A on one end side in the vertical axis direction of the display 150 and a light receiving element 32A on the other end side, and a light emitting element 31B on the one end side in the horizontal axis direction and another end side in the other end side. Light receiving element 32B
Are attached to each.

The light emitting elements 31A and 31B of such a display 150 are driven by a drive circuit 44, emit infrared rays IR10 and IR20, respectively, and receive light.
2A and 32B receive the infrared rays IR10 and IR20, convert them into electric signals, and output them to the drive circuit 44. The drive circuit 44 constantly controls the drive of the light emitting elements 31A and 31B so that the infrared rays IR10 and IR20 emit light. Therefore, when the screen of the display 150 is touched with a finger or the like, the infrared rays IR10 and IR2 at the touched position are detected.
The optical signal level of the light receiving elements 32A and 32B that cannot receive the infrared rays IR10 and IR20 fluctuates because the optical path of 0 is blocked, so that the touch position information can be obtained from the electric signals of the light receiving elements 32A and 32B. .

[0004]

However, in such a conventional optical touch panel system, the light receiving element 32 is used.
When infrared rays such as sunlight enter A and 32B,
There is a difficulty in that the touch position on the screen of the display 150 cannot be specified due to a malfunction.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical touch panel device in which a touch panel operates normally regardless of the place and direction of installation. To do.

[0006]

In the optical touch panel device of the present invention which achieves the above object, a light emitting element and a light receiving element are alternately mounted on both sides in the vertical and horizontal axis directions of a display, and infrared rays emitted from the light emitting element are emitted. An optical touch panel device that receives light from a light-receiving element and detects a location where infrared rays are not received due to obstacles such as fingers.When infrared rays of external light enter the light-receiving section, the light amount comparison shows that
The influence of the incident light of the outside light is provided by including a drive circuit that selects the signal of the light receiving element on the side where the outside light is not received among the light receiving elements mounted on either side of the vertical and horizontal axes of the display. The position of an obstacle can be detected without receiving it.

According to the above-described optical touch panel device, the vertical and horizontal directions of the display are set before the light emitting elements attached to both sides of the vertical and horizontal axes of the display are made to emit light to detect the position of an obstacle such as a finger. Among the light receiving elements mounted on either side of the axial direction, by comparing the light amounts thereof, the signal of the light receiving element on the side where the external light is not incident is selected by the drive circuit, and the light receiving element and its The light receiving element can be driven with a light emitting element that emits infrared rays. As a result, malfunction of the light receiving element due to external light can be prevented.

Further, in the optical touch panel device of the present invention, the light emitting element and the light receiving element are alternately mounted on both sides in the vertical and horizontal axis directions of the display, the infrared ray emitted from the light emitting element is received by the light receiving element, and a finger or the like is received. An optical touch panel device that detects a place where infrared rays are not received due to an obstacle, etc., and in a place where the morning sun and the western sun enter, depending on the time zone, either side of the vertical and horizontal axes of the display can be displayed. By installing a drive circuit that selects the signal of the light receiving element of the attached light receiving element on the side where sunlight does not enter, the position of the obstacle can be detected without being affected by the light input of the morning sun and the western sun. It was done like this.

Further, in the optical touch panel device of the present invention, the light emitting element and the light receiving element are mounted on both sides of the display in the vertical and horizontal axis directions, and the light emitting element and the light receiving element mounted on both sides of the vertical axis are alternately arranged. An optical touch panel device which is attached and receives infrared rays emitted from a light emitting element by a light receiving element, and detects a location where infrared rays are not received due to obstacles such as fingers, such as the sunrise and the sun. At the place, depending on the time of day,
The drive circuit that selects the signal of the light receiving element on the side where the sunlight is not received among the light receiving elements mounted on both sides of the vertical axis of the display is not affected by the light of the rising sun and the sun. The position of the obstacle can be detected by.

Further, in the optical touch panel device of the present invention, the light emitting element and the light receiving element are attached to both sides in the vertical and horizontal axis directions of the display, and the light emitting element and the light receiving element attached to both sides in the horizontal axis direction are alternately arranged. An optical touch panel device that is mounted and receives infrared rays emitted from a light emitting element by a light receiving element, and detects a location where infrared rays are not received due to obstacles such as fingers, such as the sunrise or the sun. Depending on the time of day, a drive circuit that selects the signal of the light receiving element on the side where the sunlight is not received among the light receiving elements mounted on both sides of the horizontal axis of the display is provided in the place by the morning sun or the western sun. The position of the obstacle can be detected without being affected by the incident light.

According to the above-mentioned three types of optical touch panel devices, the drive circuit receives the sunlight among the light receiving elements attached to either side of the display in the vertical and horizontal axis directions depending on the time of day. It is possible to select the signal of the light receiving element on the other side and drive the light receiving element and the light emitting element that emits infrared light.
As a result, malfunction of the light receiving element due to the rising sun and / or the western sun can be prevented.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the optical touch panel device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

The optical touch panel device according to the first embodiment of the present invention has a display 1 as shown in FIG.
5, a plurality of light emitting elements 11A and 11B on both sides in the vertical and horizontal axis directions.
The light receiving elements 12A and 12B are alternately mounted. The light emitting elements 11A and 11B are, for example, light emitting diodes that emit infrared rays IR1 and IR2.
2A and 12B are infrared sensors capable of detecting the infrared rays IR1 and IR2 emitted from the light emitting elements 11A and 11B. Light emitting elements 11A and 11B and light receiving elements 12A and 12 which are alternately mounted on both sides in the vertical and horizontal axis directions.
B is divided into four sides of the display 15 and connected to the drive circuit 14 for each side. This drive circuit 1
A light quantity comparator 13 for comparing the quantity of outside light received by the respective light receiving elements 12A mounted on both sides of the display 15 in the vertical direction, for example, with the infrared rays IR1 is connected to the display 4.

The operation of the optical touch panel device 1 thus constructed will be described below.

The optical touch panel device 1 emits external light before it enters a position detection mode in which the light emitting elements 11A and 11B mounted on both sides in the vertical and horizontal axes are made to emit light to detect the position of an obstacle such as a finger. For example, the operation of confirming the light incident direction is performed so as not to be affected by the light incident of sunlight. This confirmation operation may be automatic or manual, and outputs each light reception signal by the light receiving elements 12A on both sides in the vertical axis direction to the drive circuit 14, and the drive circuit 14 outputs each light reception signal to the light quantity comparator 13. The light quantity comparator 13 compares the quantity of light received by the light receiving element 12A on the side where sunlight is received with the quantity of light received by the light receiving element 12A on the side where sunlight is not received, and In order to select the light receiving signal of the light receiving element 12A on the side where the light is not incident and to drive the light receiving element 12A on the side where the sunlight is not incident and the light emitting element 11A which emits infrared rays IR1 to the light receiving element 12A. Output the switching signal to the drive circuit 14.

Based on this switching signal, the drive circuit 14 drives the light receiving element 12A on the side where sunlight does not enter, and the light receiving element 12A which drives the light emitting element 11A which emits infrared rays IR1, and further, the horizontal axis direction. Since all the light-receiving elements 12B and the light-emitting elements 11B attached to both sides of are driven, the optical touch panel device 1 can shift to the position detection mode. As a result, malfunction of the light receiving element due to sunlight can be prevented, so that the optical touch panel device 1 can detect a location where infrared rays IR1 and IR2 are not received due to obstacles such as fingers without being affected by sunlight. become.

In the above-described embodiment, the operation of confirming the sunlight incident direction is performed so as not to be affected by the sunlight in the vertical axis direction. However, depending on the sunlight incident direction and incident angle, In some cases, the horizontal axis direction is preferable to the vertical axis direction, so it is preferable to change the axial direction for performing the operation of confirming the sunlight incident direction according to the installation situation of the touch panel device.

Next, a second embodiment of the optical touch panel device of the present invention will be described.

In the optical touch panel device according to the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of light emitting elements 21A and 21B and light receiving elements 22A and 22B are alternately mounted on both sides of the display 15 in the vertical and horizontal axis directions. Has been. The light emitting elements 21 that are alternately mounted on both sides of the vertical and horizontal axes
A, 21B and light receiving elements 22A, 22B are divided into four sides of the display 15, respectively, and the drive circuit 2 is divided by each side.
4 is connected. The drive circuit 24 includes a clock circuit 2
3 is connected, and the drive circuit 24 is, for example, one of the light receiving elements 22A attached to both sides of the display 15 in the vertical axis direction, depending on the time zone set by the clock circuit 23. The light reception signal of 22A can be selected.

The operation of the optical touch panel device 2 thus constructed will be described below.

The optical touch panel device 2 has the morning sun and the western sun before the position detection mode in which the light emitting elements 21A and 21B mounted on both sides of the vertical and horizontal axes are made to emit light to detect the position of an obstacle such as a finger. The selection operation is performed so as not to be affected by the incident light. This selection operation may be automatic or manual, and when the time zone set by the clock circuit 23 comes, the clock circuit 23, for example, detects the light receiving element 22A and the light receiving element 22A on the side where sunlight is not incident in the vertical axis direction. A switching signal for driving the light emitting element 21A that emits the infrared ray IR1 is output to the drive circuit 24.

Based on this switching signal, the drive circuit 24 drives the light receiving element 22A on the side where sunlight does not enter, and the light receiving element 22A that drives the light emitting element 21A that emits infrared rays IR1, and further, in the horizontal axis direction. Since all the light receiving elements 22B and the light emitting elements 21B attached to both sides of the optical touch panel device 2 are driven, the optical touch panel device 2 can shift to the position detection mode. As a result, it is possible to prevent malfunction of the light receiving element due to the rising sun or the rising sun. , IR2
It becomes possible to detect the place where is not received.

In the above-described embodiment, the operation of selecting the sunlight incident direction is performed so as not to be influenced by the sunlight in the vertical axis direction. In some cases, the horizontal axis direction is preferable to the vertical axis direction, so it is preferable to change the axial direction for performing the operation of selecting the sunlight incident direction according to the installation situation of the touch panel device.

Further, in the optical touch panel device 2 according to the second embodiment, the light emitting elements 21A and 21B and the light receiving elements 22A and 22B are alternately mounted on both sides of the display 15 in the vertical and horizontal axis directions. However, the display 15 as shown in FIG. 3 is not limited to this.
The light emitting elements 21A and 21B and the light receiving elements 22A and 22B are attached to both sides in the vertical and horizontal axis directions of the light emitting element 21A and the light receiving element 2 which are attached to both sides in the vertical axis direction.
Optical touch panel device 3 in which 2A are alternately mounted, or light emitting elements 21A and 21B and light receiving element 2 on both sides of the display 15 as shown in FIG.
The optical touch panel device 4 in which 2A and 22B are attached and the light emitting elements 21B and the light receiving elements 22B that are attached to both sides in the horizontal axis direction are alternately attached may be used.

These optical touch panel devices 3,
4 has a clock circuit 23 and a drive circuit 24,
Since the configuration is similar to that of the optical touch panel device 2 shown in FIG. 2, description of the configuration is omitted.

The optical touch panel device 3 according to the third embodiment as described above detects the position of an obstacle such as a finger by causing the light emitting elements 21A and 21B mounted on both sides in the vertical and horizontal axes to emit light. Before entering the position detection mode, a selection operation is performed so as not to be affected by the light rays of the rising sun and the rising sun. This selection operation may be automatic or manual.
When the time zone set in 3 is reached, the clock circuit 23 drives the light receiving element 22A on the side where no sunlight is incident in the vertical axis direction and the light emitting element 21A that emits infrared rays IR1 to the light receiving element 22A. The switching signal is output to the drive circuit 24.

Based on this switching signal, the drive circuit 24 drives the light receiving element 22A on the side where sunlight does not enter and the light receiving element 22A which emits infrared rays IR1 to the light receiving element 22A, and further, in the horizontal axis direction. Since all the light receiving elements 22B and the light emitting elements 21B attached to both sides of the optical touch panel device 3 are driven, the optical touch panel device 3 can shift to the position detection mode. As a result, it is possible to prevent malfunction of the light receiving element due to the rising sun or the rising sun, so that the optical touch panel device 3 causes the infrared ray IR1 to be affected by obstacles such as fingers regardless of the direction of the rising sun or the direction of the rising sun. , IR2
It becomes possible to detect the place where is not received.

Further, in the optical touch panel device 4 of the fourth embodiment, the light emitting elements 21A and 21B mounted on both sides of the vertical and horizontal axes are caused to emit light to detect the position of an obstacle such as a finger. Before entering the detection mode, a selection operation is performed so as not to be affected by the light of the sun or the sun. This selection operation may be automatic or manual.
When the time zone set in 3 is reached, the clock circuit 23 drives the light receiving element 22B on the side of the horizontal axis where sunlight is not received and the light emitting element 21B that emits infrared rays IR2 to the light receiving element 22B. The switching signal is output to the drive circuit 24.

Based on this switching signal, the drive circuit 24 drives the light receiving element 22B on the side where sunlight does not enter, and the light receiving element 22B which emits infrared rays IR2 to the light receiving element 22B. Since all the light receiving elements 22A and the light emitting elements 21A mounted on both sides of the optical touch panel device 4 are driven, the optical touch panel device 4 can shift to the position detection mode. As a result, it is possible to prevent malfunction of the light receiving element due to the morning sun or the western sun, so that the optical touch panel device 4 is operated by the infrared ray IR1 due to obstacles such as fingers regardless of the incident direction and the incident angle of the sunrise. ,
It becomes possible to detect a place where IR2 is not received.

When the optical touch panel devices 1, 2, 3 and 4 are installed in a place exposed to rain, a rainproof hood may be provided above the optical touch panel device. In addition to being able to prevent direct exposure to rain, it is possible to prevent sunlight from entering. For example, even if sunlight enters from directly above the optical touch panel device, it is blocked by the rainproof hood, so the malfunction of the light receiving element arranged below the horizontal axis of the display should be prevented by the rainproof hood. Will be possible.

[0031]

As is clear from the above description, according to the optical touch panel device of the present invention, the light receiving element by the infrared rays of the sunlight that enters from a low angle with respect to the horizon, such as the morning sun and the western sun, in particular. Since it is possible to prevent the malfunction of the touch panel, a reliable detection operation can be performed with the light receiving element regardless of the incident direction and incident angle of sunlight, so that the touch panel operates normally regardless of the location or direction. be able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a preferred first embodiment of an optical touch panel device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a second preferred embodiment of the optical touch panel device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a third preferred embodiment of the optical touch panel device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a preferred fourth embodiment of the optical touch panel device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a conventional optical touch panel device.

[Explanation of symbols]

IR1, IR2 ... Infrared 11A, 11B, 21A, 21B ... Light emitting element 12A, 12B, 22A, 22B ... Light receiving element 14, 24 ... Driving circuit 15 ... Display

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A light emitting element (11A, 11B) and a light receiving element (12A, 12A, 11B) on both sides of a display (15) in the vertical and horizontal axis directions.
12B) are alternately attached, and the infrared ray (IR1, IR2) emitted from the light emitting element is received by the light receiving element, and the optical touch panel device detects a location where the infrared ray is not received due to an obstacle such as a finger. Then, when infrared rays of external light enter the light receiving element, the external light of the light receiving elements attached to either side in the vertical and horizontal axis directions of the display is incident on the basis of the light amount comparison. An optical system characterized in that the position of the obstacle can be detected without being affected by the incident light of the outside light by providing a drive circuit (14) for selecting the signal of the light receiving element on the non-exposed side. Touch panel device. 2. A light emitting element (21A, 21B) and a light receiving element (22A, 22A) on both sides of the display (15) in the vertical and horizontal axis directions.
22B) are alternately attached, and the infrared ray (IR1, IR2) emitted from the light emitting element is received by the light receiving element, and an optical touch panel device that detects a location where the infrared ray is not received by an obstacle such as a finger is provided. Therefore, in a place where the morning sun and the western sun enter, depending on the time of day, the sunlight is not received among the light receiving elements mounted on either side of the vertical and horizontal axes of the display. An optical system characterized in that the position of the obstacle can be detected without being affected by the incident light of the morning sun and the western sun by providing a drive circuit (24) for selecting the signal of the light receiving element on the side. Touch panel device. 3. A light emitting element (21A, 21B) and a light receiving element (22A, 22A, 21A, 21B) on both sides of the display (15) in the vertical and horizontal axis directions.
22B), of which the light-emitting element (21A) and the light-receiving element (22A) are attached on both sides in the vertical direction.
A) is an optical touch panel device which is attached alternately and detects infrared rays (IR1, IR2) emitted from the light emitting element by the light receiving element and detects a place where the infrared ray is not received by an obstacle such as a finger. Therefore, in a place where the morning sun and the western sun enter, depending on the time zone, among the light-receiving elements mounted on both sides in the vertical axis direction of the display, the light-receiving elements on the side where the sunlight does not enter. The optical touch panel device characterized in that it is possible to detect the position of the obstacle without being affected by the incoming light of the morning sun and the western sun by providing a drive circuit (25) for selecting the signal of (1). 4. A light emitting element (21A, 21B) and a light receiving element (22A, 22A, 21B) on both sides of the display (15) in the vertical and horizontal axis directions.
22B), of which the light-emitting element (21A) and the light-receiving element (22A) are attached on both sides in the horizontal axis direction.
A) is an optical touch panel device which is attached alternately and detects infrared rays (IR1, IR2) emitted from the light emitting element by the light receiving element and detects a place where the infrared ray is not received by an obstacle such as a finger. Therefore, in a place where the morning sun or the western sun is incident, depending on the time zone, among the light-receiving elements mounted on both sides in the horizontal axis direction of the display, the light-receiving elements on the side where the sunlight does not enter are displayed. An optical touch panel device characterized in that the position of the obstacle can be detected without being affected by the incident light of the morning sun or the western sun by including a drive circuit (26) for selecting the signal.