JP2004206250A - Track ball system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a track ball system improved in operability by feeding back the attribute or state of electronic equipment to be operated as a tactile impression to an operator. <P>SOLUTION: This system comprises a track ball retained in a housing so as to be rotatable in all directions, a tactile responding means 3 having roller members 9A and 9B rotatably supported in contact with the track ball, motors 12A and 12B as driving force of the roller members, and transmitting members 16A and 16B for transmitting the driving force of the motors 12A and 12B to the roller members 9A and 9B, and a control means 4 for controlling the drive of the tactile responding means 3 according to the attribute or state of the object to be controlled. The drive of each motor 12A or 12B is controlled to change the rotating direction, torque and speed of each roller member 9A or 9B, and an operation tact is given to the track ball, whereby the attribute or state of the object of operation is fed back to the operator as the tactile impression. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a trackball device, and in particular, has a function as a selection input device for various devices such as a vehicle-mounted device, and also as a tactile response device that provides a tactile sensation to an operator according to an attribute or state of an operation target. It relates to a functioning trackball device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Recent automobiles are equipped with many electronic devices such as air conditioners, radios, televisions, CD players, navigation systems, electric seats, and electric mirrors. Attempting to operate such a large number of electronic devices individually may hinder the driving of the automobile.Therefore, while driving safely, the desired electronic devices can be switched on and off, the function selected, and the like. Conventionally, in order to facilitate adjustment of a selected function, an in-vehicle input device has been proposed in which all of these are operated by operating one manual operation unit.
[0003]
As the on-vehicle input device, for example, a trackball device having a control unit including a trackball and a determination button as the manual operation unit and a computer and the like connected thereto can be exemplified.
[0004]
This trackball device is provided in a console box provided between a driver's seat and a passenger's seat of a car, and performs a pointing operation of moving a cursor to a display coordinate of an operation target on a display screen while operating the trackball. Is performed, and the selection of the operation target is determined by clicking a determination button, whereby the operation target is operated. On the screen on the display, the control unit displays a selection screen that is sequentially required according to the attribute of the operation target to be selected.
[0005]
More specifically, for example, when it is desired to use an in-vehicle television, a television, an audio, an air conditioner, an operation target item such as a car navigation system, which is displayed on the display screen, By rotating the trackball with the upper cursor, the cursor is set to the display coordinates of the television, and the selection of the operation target is determined by pressing a determination button arranged near the trackball.
[0006]
When the television is selected in this manner, the control unit performs necessary operations such as a channel selection screen, a screen for adjusting a volume level and a screen display color, etc. in accordance with the attribute. Is controlled so as to be displayed on the display.
[0007]
Matching with the attribute means matching with the function of the operation target.
[0008]
For example, to operate the air conditioner, first, the air conditioner is selected from the display screen, and according to the attribute, the control unit causes the control unit to select a function selection screen for heating, cooling, dehumidification, ventilation, etc. A screen for performing necessary operations, such as a screen for selecting a temperature, a screen for selecting an air volume and a wind direction, is controlled to be displayed on the display. Similarly, for other operation targets, a screen for performing a necessary operation is controlled to be able to be displayed on the display in accordance with the attribute of the selected operation target.
[0009]
Then, in each of the display screens developed according to the attributes, from the displayed selection items of the operation target, rotate the trackball on the screen to rotate the trackball, and move the cursor to the display coordinates of the operation target, It goes without saying that the selection of the operation target is determined by pressing the determination button arranged near the trackball.
[0010]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2001-283683 A [Patent Document 2]
Registered Utility Model No. 2606985
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the case of using the in-vehicle input device as described above, since the operator must operate while looking at the screen of the display, there is room for improvement, particularly in the operability when the operator is driving. .
[0012]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a trackball apparatus in which the operability is improved by feeding back the attributes and states of the electronic device to be operated to the operator as tactile sensations.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above-described object, the feature of the trackball device of the present invention is that, in pointing operation on the screen, by rotating the trackball, a cursor on the screen is moved to a coordinate area indicating a desired operation target. A trackball device having a function of moving, a trackball held rotatably in all directions within a housing, a pair of roller members abutting on the trackball and rotatably supported by the shaft, and each of the roller members Tactile response means including a pair of motors for driving the motor, a transmission member for transmitting the driving force of each motor to the roller member, and control for controlling driving of the tactile response means in accordance with an attribute or state of the operation target. Means for controlling the driving of each of the motors to change the rotation direction, torque, and speed of each roller member, and By applying the operating feel Kuboru lies in that is fed back as a tactile attributes and state of the operation target to the operator.
[0014]
According to the trackball device of the present invention thus configured, the control means controls the driving of the motor connected via the transmission member to each of the roller members disposed in contact with the trackball. By controlling with, for example, such as applying a load to the operation displacement of the roller member to the operator, it is possible to impart an operation feeling to the trackball, the operator sensed by the tactile sense of the trackball displacement, It is possible to know that there is a trouble in the operation of the operation target or the operation itself without looking at the screen of the display or the like, and it is possible to respond by interrupting the operation of the operation target or performing the operation again.
[0015]
The trackball device of the present invention further includes a rotation amount detecting unit for detecting a rotation amount of the trackball in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and further includes dust adhering to a peripheral surface of the trackball. It is characterized by having a dust removal ring for removal.
[0016]
Equipped with a rotation amount detecting means such as a position sensor or an encoder, it is possible to immediately respond to the operation of the trackball by the operator and to feed back the attribute or state of the operation target as a touch, and the dust removal ring allows the A position sensor for smoothing the rotation of the trackball by removing dust, and for detecting the rotation amount by monitoring the fine pattern formed on the surface of the trackball by the rotation amount detecting means. In the case of, this contributes to improving the detection accuracy of the position sensor.
[0017]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a main part of the configuration of the trackball device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0018]
The trackball device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a tactile response unit 3 as a mechanism capable of feeding back an attribute or a state of an operation target as a tactile response in response to a trackball operation as an operator's selection input unit, and the tactile response. Control means 4 for controlling the driving of the means 3.
[0019]
The tactile response means 3 holds a spherical trackball 2 rotatably in all directions of 360 ° in a housing (not shown) having a housing 5 for the trackball 2 in a concave shape. The upper portion of the trackball 2 held by the housing 5 projects upward from a circular opening formed on the upper surface of the housing (not shown), and the operator touches the projected portion to rotate the trackball 2. By doing so, the trackball 2 can be easily rotated in a desired direction at normal times against the contact force of a roller member described later.
[0020]
In the present embodiment, a fine pattern formed on the peripheral surface of the trackball 2 is observed around the trackball 2 held by the container 5, and the rotation amount in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is observed. A position sensor 6 as rotation amount detecting means for detecting the position of the track ball 2 is disposed so as to position the sensor portion 6A in a sensor opening 7 formed in the container 5 of the trackball 2. In FIG. 1, the sensor opening 7 is formed so as to be able to sense near the center of the trackball 2 in the height direction (Z-axis direction). May be formed. In that case, the sensor section 6A of the position sensor 6 is disposed on the bottom side of the container 5.
[0021]
Further, around the trackball 2 held by the container 5, there are rotating shafts 8A and 8B in directions parallel to the radial direction perpendicular to the trackball 2, respectively. A substantially disk-shaped X-axis direction roller member (hereinafter, referred to as X roller) 9A and a Y-axis direction roller member (hereinafter, referred to as Y roller) 9B rotatably supported at one end of respective rotation shafts 8A, 8B. The X roller 9A and the Y roller 9B face the X roller opening 10A and the Y roller opening 10B formed in the container 5 of the trackball 2, respectively. The surface of the roller 9A and the surface of the Y roller 9B are arranged to be in contact with the trackball 2 held in the container 5.
[0022]
Pulleys 11A and 11B are formed at the other ends of the rotation shafts 8A and 8B, respectively, which rotatably support the X roller 9A and the Y roller 9B. It is formed on each drive shaft 13A, 13B of a drive motor for X-axis direction roller member (hereinafter, referred to as X motor) 12A and a drive motor for Y-axis direction roller (hereinafter, referred to as Y motor) 12B as drive sources. Endless belts 15A and 15B are stretched between the pulleys 14A and 14B, respectively. These pulleys 11A, 11B, 14A, 14B and belts 15A, 15B function as transmission members 16A, 16B for transmitting the driving force of the motors 12A, 12B to the roller members 9A, 9B. Instead of the pulleys 11A, 11B, 14A, 14B and the belts 15A, 15B, a gear mechanism can be disposed between the rollers 9A, 9B and the motors 12A, 12B.
[0023]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an electrical connection between the control means 4 of the trackball device 1 of the present embodiment, the X motor, the Y motor and the position sensor 6 constituting the tactile response means 2.
[0024]
As shown in the figure, the control means 4 has an A / D converter 17 and a D / A converter 18, and the A / D converter 17 and the D / A converter 18 are connected to a CPU 19. The CPU 19 further has a ROM 20 for storing a control table and the like for feeding back the attributes and states of the operation target as a feel.
[0025]
The CPU 19 of the control unit is connected to an external control device (not shown). When a drive control command (feeling command) for the control means 4 is received from the external control device, the CPU 19 stores the command in the ROM 20. Referring to the control table, data for controlling the driving of the X motor 12A and / or the Y motor 12B is converted through the D / A converter 18 to control the driving of the X motor 12A and / or the Y motor 12B. It is configured as follows.
[0026]
The position sensor 6 of the tactile response means 3 is connected to the A / D converter 17, and is selected by a pointing operation performed by rotating the trackball 2 by an operator, and the data of the coordinate area indicated by the A is converted to the A / D converter. The data is converted via the / D converter 17 and transmitted to the position data management unit of the external control device.
[0027]
Further, in the trackball device 1 of the present embodiment, an enter button (not shown) having a click function for confirming the operation target selected by operating the trackball 2, and slidingly contacting the peripheral surface of the trackball 2. A dust removing ring (not shown) is provided so as to be able to slide and contact the track ball 2 to remove dust and the like adhering to the peripheral surface of the track ball 2.
[0028]
Further, the trackball device 1 of the present embodiment includes, as an external device, a display that visually displays a pointing operation using the trackball device 1 in addition to the external control device.
[0029]
Next, the operation of the thus configured trackball device 1 will be described.
[0030]
When the external control device recognizes that a trouble has occurred in the operation of the operation target selected by the operator or the operation itself, and when a drive control command (feeling command) of the control means 4 is output, the external control device performs the control. In the means 4, the driving of the X motor 12A and / or the Y motor 12B is controlled with reference to a control table stored in the ROM 20, and the rotation direction, torque and speed of the X roller 9A and / or the Y roller 9B are controlled. The operation feeling is imparted to the trackball 2 operated by the operator by changing the operation.
[0031]
In this way, the operator who feels the displacement of the operation feeling imparted to the trackball 2 can know without any trouble from the operation of the operation target or the operation itself without looking at the display screen or the like, It is possible to respond by interrupting the operation of the operation target or performing the operation again.
[0032]
As a specific example, when a car has taken a direction away from the recommended route from the current position to the destination while using the car navigation system, the trackball 2 is guided to guide the car to the recommended route. The drive of the X motor 12A and / or the Y motor 12B is controlled to rotate the X roller 9A and / or the Y roller 9B so that a load is applied when the vehicle is rotated in a direction other than the correct direction as the traveling direction of the vehicle. A case is assumed. Further, the load resistance can be controlled so as to increase as the vehicle moves away from the destination or the recommended route. Further, the drive of the X motor 12A and / or the Y motor 12B is controlled so as to repeatedly generate a load resistance to the rotation of the trackball 2 and to impart a state like knocking to the rotation of the trackball 2. By making the operator feel a shock during the rotation operation of the trackball 2, it is also possible to notify that the operation of the operation target or the operation itself has a trouble.
[0033]
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the main components of a trackball device 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0034]
If only the configuration of the trackball device 1 of the present embodiment that is different from that of the trackball device 1 of the above-described first embodiment is described, the roller members 9A and 9B are respectively parallel to the radial direction orthogonal to the trackball 2. Roller member (hereinafter, referred to as X-axis roller) 21A having a large-diameter cylindrical roller 21 at one end of a rotating shaft disposed in a predetermined direction and a Y-axis direction roller The X-axis roller 21A and the Y-axis roller 21B are an X-axis roller opening 22A and a Y-axis roller 21B formed in the container 5 of the trackball 2, respectively. The shaft roller 21 is disposed so as to face the central portion in the axial direction of the shaft roller 21 to the roller opening 22 </ b> B so as to be in contact with the trackball 2 held in the housing 5. There.
[0035]
In the present embodiment, instead of the position sensor 6, in the present embodiment, each of the known rotary shafts 28 </ b> A and 28 </ b> B rotatably supports the X-axis roller 21 </ b> A and the Y-axis roller 21 </ b> B. The rotary encoders 23A and 23B having the configuration are provided, and are configured to function as rotation amount detecting means for detecting the rotation amounts of the trackball 2 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Note that the encoder 23 and the position sensor 6 can be provided side by side to detect the amount of rotation of the trackball 2 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.
[0036]
Further, gears 24A and 24B are provided at the other ends of the rotary shafts 28A and 28B, respectively, and serve as a drive source for the X-axis roller 21A and the Y-axis roller 21B. By meshing with pinion gears 27A, 27B formed on respective drive shafts 26A, 26B of a motor (hereinafter, referred to as an X-axis motor) 25A and a drive motor for a Y-axis direction roller (hereinafter, referred to as a Y-axis motor) 25B, It is configured to function as a transmission member 16 that transmits the driving force of each of the motors 25A and 26B to the X-axis roller 21A and the Y-axis roller 21B.
[0037]
Next, the operation of the thus configured trackball device 1 will be described.
[0038]
When the external control device recognizes that a trouble has occurred in the operation of the operation target selected by the operator or the operation itself, and the drive control command (feeling command) of the control means 4 is output, the encoder 23 By monitoring the amount of rotation of the trackball 2 operated by the operator in the X-axis direction and / or the Y-axis direction, the control means 4 refers to the control table stored in the ROM 20 and uses the X-axis motor The drive of the X roller 9A and / or the Y roller 9B is controlled so as to generate a load resistance against the rotation of the track ball 2 operated by the operator by controlling the drive of the 25A and / or the Y-axis motor 25B. I do.
[0039]
Even in the trackball device 1 having such a configuration, the operator who feels the displacement of the trackball 2 can see the trouble of the attribute of the operation target or the operation itself without looking at the display screen or the like. It is possible to know, and it is possible to respond by interrupting the operation of the operation target or re-executing the operation.
[0040]
As a specific example, when an electronic device to be operated now is selected from electronic devices that can be operated by operating the trackball device 1 such as an air conditioning system, a radio, a television, a CD player, and a navigation system, As a result of monitoring the rotation amount of the trackball 2 in the X-axis direction and / or the Y-axis direction by detecting the position of the trackball 2 by the encoder 23 and manually rotating the trackball 2 by an operator, Is selected (when the state where the cursor is positioned within the display coordinates of the air conditioning system is displayed on the screen), the load resistance to the rotation of the trackball 2 is changed at predetermined intervals. It is repeatedly generated in small increments, and the trackball 2 has a knock-like state (hereinafter referred to as “knocking”). (Referred to as an air conditioner selection sign) so that the operator can feel the attribute of the operation target that the currently selected operation target is the air conditioning system by the displacement of the trackball 2. Similarly, when the radio is selected (when the screen displays a state where the cursor is positioned within the display coordinates of the radio), the load resistance to the rotation of the trackball 2 is displayed. Is repeatedly generated in small increments at predetermined intervals different from the air-conditioner selection sign, so that the trackball 2 is controlled to give an operational feeling of a knocking state (radio selection sign). The attribute of the operation target that the currently selected operation target is a radio is tactilely sensed by the displacement of the trackball 2. If it is assumed, such as that that.
[0041]
Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes can be made as necessary.
[0042]
For example, for each of the roller members 9A, 9B, 21A, 21B, a material such as rubber, which has a large coefficient of friction with the trackball 2 and has appropriate elasticity, is suitable.
[0043]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the load acting on the rotation of the trackball and the vibration of the trackball allow the operator to sense the trouble of the operation of the operation target or the operation itself by tactile sensation. By providing feedback, the operator can know the operation result of the operation target without looking at the screen of the display or the like, and can significantly improve the operability of the trackball having the function as the input device. It has the effect of being able to do it.
[0044]
Therefore, when the trackball device is mounted on a vehicle, it is not necessary to view the display or the like even when the operator is driving, and the operation can be performed reliably.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a main part of the configuration of a trackball device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an X motor and a Y constituting control means of the trackball device of the first embodiment and the tactile response unit; FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing electric connection with a motor and a position sensor. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a main configuration of a track ball device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 track ball device 2 track ball 3 tactile response means 4 control means 5 container 6 position sensor 7 sensor opening 8A (X roller) rotation shaft 8B (Y roller) rotation shaft 9A X roller 9B Y roller 10A X roller Opening 10B for Y roller Opening 11A for roller 11A Pulley 11B (of rotating shaft of X roller) Pulley 12A (of rotating shaft of Y roller) X motor 12B Y motor 13A Drive shaft 13B (of X motor) Drive of Y motor Axis 14A Pulley 14B (of the drive shaft of the X motor) Pulley 15 (of the drive shaft of the Y motor) Belt 16 Transmission member 17 A / D converter 18 D / A converter 19 CPU
20 ROM
21A X-axis roller 21B Y-axis roller 22A X-axis roller opening 22B Y-axis roller opening 23A Encoder 23B (of Y-axis roller rotation axis) Encoder 24A (of X-axis roller rotation axis) Gear 24B (of the rotating shaft) Gear 25A (of the rotating shaft of the X-axis roller) X-axis motor 25B Y-axis motor 26A Drive shaft 26B (of the Y-axis motor) Drive shaft 27A Pinion (of the X-axis motor) Gear 27B Pinion gear 28A (of Y-axis motor) X-axis roller rotation axis 28B Y-axis roller rotation axis

Claims (3)

A pointing operation on a screen, a trackball apparatus having a function of moving a cursor on the screen to a coordinate area indicating a desired operation target by rotating a trackball,
A track ball rotatably held in all directions in a housing, a pair of roller members abutting on the track ball and rotatably supported, a pair of motors for driving the roller members, and driving of the motors A tactile response unit including a transmission member that transmits a force to the roller member;
Control means for controlling the driving of the tactile response means according to the attribute or state of the operation target,
By controlling the driving of each of the motors and changing the rotation direction, torque, and speed of each roller member to give an operation feeling to the trackball, an attribute or state of an operation target is fed back to the operator as a feeling. A trackball device characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. The trackball device according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation amount detection unit for detecting a rotation amount of the trackball in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. The trackball device according to claim 1, further comprising a dust removal ring configured to remove dust adhered to a peripheral surface of the trackball.

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