JP2005215818A - Input device and input processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an input device for enabling a four limbs paralyzed person or four limbs impaired person or the like to input characters without moving his or her limbs just like an existing input device. <P>SOLUTION: This input device is provided with an occlusion sensor for detecting an occlusion operation or anastomosis operation by teeth or mouth and one or more tongue sensors for detecting an operation by tongue. The occlusion sensor outputs an output signal corresponding to the size or strength of the occlusion operation or the anastomosis operation by teeth or mouth. Then, one of a plurality of choices is selected according to the output signal, and the selection is decided by one of the tongue sensors. Thus, it is possible to provide the input device for enabling a four limbs paralyzed person or four limbs impaired person to input characters or the like with little labor. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an input device and an input processing device for inputting characters and the like when a paralyzed person or a physically handicapped person uses a mobile phone, a personal information terminal (PDA) or the like, and in particular, inputs with the mouth and tongue. The present invention relates to an input device and an input processing device. In addition, the present invention is an input device and an input processing device that can also be used for operating electronic devices.

In existing input devices and welfare input devices, it is usually essential to move the limbs. As an input device and an input processing device that can be used by a limb paralyzed person or a limb handicapped person without using limbs, an apparatus that detects a line of sight and enables electronic voting (see, for example, Patent Document 1), A device for inputting a telephone number according to the length of exhalation (for example, see Patent Document 2), a device for performing computer input by a combination of eye gaze detection or blink detection (for example, see Patent Document 3), installed on a desk An input device that realizes a position indication and button selection function performed by a normal person using a mouse of a computer by moving a joystick-shaped stick in the mouth and blowing exhalation into the tip of the stick (see, for example, Patent Document 4) ) Etc. are known.
JP 2002-236957 A (first page, FIG. 1 etc.) Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-101698 (first page, FIG. 1 etc.) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-073273 (first page, FIG. 1 etc.) Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 06-139011 (first page, FIG. 1 etc.)

  As an input device for a limb paralyzed person or a physically handicapped person to operate various devices, it is not necessary to attach a head mount or the like, and an input device that can be used while lying on a bed and capable of various inputs is desired. ing.

In order to solve the above problems, the input device and the input processing device of the present invention employ the following means.
(1) An input device including an occlusal sensor for detecting an occlusal movement or anastomosis movement by teeth or lips and one or more tongue sensors for detecting an operation by a tongue.

  (2) an occlusal sensor for detecting an occlusal movement or anastomosis movement by teeth or lips, and one or more tongue sensors for detecting an operation by a tongue, and selecting one of a plurality of selection targets by an output of the occlusal sensor; An input device, wherein the selected selection object is selected and determined by one output of the tongue sensor.

(3) An occlusal sensor for detecting an occlusal movement or anastomosis movement by teeth or lips and one or more tongue sensors for detecting an operation by a tongue are provided, and the occlusal sensor is located at a position operated by the occlusal movement or anastomosis movement. An input device, wherein the tongue sensor is arranged at a position operated by a tongue movement.
(4) The input device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein one of the tongue sensors is a switch for selecting and determining the selected selection target.

  (5) The occlusal sensor outputs an output signal corresponding to the magnitude or strength of the occlusal movement or anastomosis movement by teeth or lips, selects one from a plurality of options according to the output signal, and selects one of the tongue sensors. The input device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the selection is determined by:

(6) The occlusal sensor is a first switch for detecting an occlusal movement or anastomosis movement by teeth or lips, and selects one from a plurality of options, and one of the tongue sensors is a second switch. The input device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the selection made by the first switch is determined.
(7) The input device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the selected information is cleared by the output of any one of the sensors.
(8) The input device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein a clearing switch is provided, and the state before the operation is cleared by operating the clearing switch.

  (9) The occlusion sensor is a first switch, and one of the tongue sensors is a sensor that detects an up / down / left / right instruction operation by the tongue, and a selection target is changed by any of the up / down / left / right instruction operations, The input device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the changed selection target is selected and determined by the first switch.

  (10) The occlusion sensor is a first switch, and one of the tongue sensors is a joystick-shaped sensor that detects an up / down / left / right instruction operation by the tongue, and a selection target is selected by any of the up / down / left / right instruction operations. The input device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the input device is changed, and the changed selection target is selected and determined by the first switch.

(11) The occlusal sensor is a first switch, and one of the tongue sensors is a sensor having four switches for detecting an up / down / left / right instruction operation by the tongue, and is selected by any of the up / down / left / right instruction operations The input device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein a target is changed, and the changed selection target is selected and determined by the first switch.
(12) It is provided with n switches (n is 2 or more), wherein a first switch among the n switches is operated by a tooth or a lip, and the remaining switches are operated by a tongue. Input device.

  (13) It is provided with n switches (n is 2 or more), and a first switch among the n switches selects one from a plurality of options, and a second switch among the n switches. An input device operated by mouth, wherein the switch determines the selection made by the first switch.

(14) It is provided with n switches (n is 2 or more), the first switch among the n switches is disposed at a position operated by teeth or lips, and the remaining switches are disposed at positions operated by a tongue. An input device that is arranged and has a shape including all or part of the mouth.
(15) The input device according to any one of (13) to (14), wherein the first switch is operated by an occlusal movement of upper and lower teeth.
(16) The input device according to any one of (12) to (15), further including a third switch, wherein the state before the operation is cleared by the operation of the third switch.

  (17) An input unit, an input detection unit, a determination unit, a control unit, and a display unit are provided, and the input unit detects an occlusal sensor for detecting an occlusal operation or anastomosis operation by teeth or lips and an operation by a tongue. 1 or more tongue sensors are provided, the said input detection part detects the output signal of the said occlusion sensor and the said tongue sensor, and the said determination part is displayed on the said display part based on the output information of the said input detection part The operation of selecting a figure or a character is determined and a determination result is output. Based on the determination result, the control unit performs a predetermined process corresponding to the determination result and displays the graphic or character. The input processing device is characterized in that control is performed, and the display unit performs display based on an instruction from the control unit.

(18) An input unit, an input detection unit, an operation / coordinate determination unit, a character / process determination unit, a control unit, and a display unit, and the input unit detects an occlusion operation or an anastomosis operation by teeth or lips. A sensor and at least one tongue sensor for detecting an operation by the tongue, wherein the input detection unit detects output signals of the occlusion sensor and the tongue sensor, and the motion / coordinate determination unit includes: Based on the output information, the operation determination of the input unit and the generation of coordinate information based on the determination, the determination result and the coordinate information is output, the character / processing determination unit, based on the determination result and the coordinate information, The character displayed on the display unit is determined for selection of processing, and the control unit is configured to control display of the character and processing based on output information of the operation / coordinate determination unit and the character / processing determination unit. The selected And display control of the selected character, and the display unit displays a predetermined screen including the display of the character and process, and the selected character based on an instruction from the control unit. An input processing device characterized by displaying.
(19) The input processing device according to any one of (17) and (18), wherein the occlusion sensor is operated by the occlusion operation or anastomosis operation, and the tongue sensor is operated by an operation of the tongue.

  (20) One of a plurality of selection objects is selected by the output of the occlusion sensor, and the selected selection object is selected and determined by one output of the tongue sensor (17), (18) Any of the input processing devices.

(21) The occlusal sensor is arranged at a position operated by the occlusal movement or anastomosis movement, and the tongue sensor is arranged at a position operated by an operation of the tongue (17), (18 ) Any of the input processing devices.
(22) The input processing device according to any one of (17) and (18), wherein one of the tongue sensors is a switch for selecting and determining the selected selection target.

  (23) The occlusal sensor outputs an output signal corresponding to the magnitude or strength of the occlusal movement or anastomosis movement by teeth or lips, and selects one of a plurality of options according to the output signal. The input processing device according to any one of (17) and (18), wherein the selection is determined by:

(24) The occlusion sensor is a first switch for detecting an occlusal movement or anastomosis movement by teeth or lips, and selects one from a plurality of options, and one of the tongue sensors is a second switch. The input processing device according to any one of (17) and (18), wherein the selection made by the first switch is determined.
(25) The input processing device according to any one of (17) and (18), wherein the selected information is cleared by the output of any one of the sensors.
(26) The input processing device according to any one of (17) and (18), wherein a clearing switch is provided and a state before the operation is cleared by operating the clearing switch.

  (27) The occlusion sensor is a first switch, and one of the tongue sensors is a sensor that detects an up / down / left / right instruction operation by a tongue, and a selection target is changed by any of the up / down / left / right instruction operations, The input processing device according to any one of (17) and (18), wherein the changed selection target is selected and determined by the first switch.

  (28) The occlusion sensor is a first switch, and one of the tongue sensors is a joystick-shaped sensor that detects an up / down / left / right instruction operation by the tongue, and a selection target is selected by any of the up / down / left / right instruction operations. The input processing device according to any one of (17) and (18), wherein the input is changed and the changed selection target is selected and determined by the first switch.

  (29) The occlusion sensor is a first switch, and one of the tongue sensors is a sensor having four switches for detecting an up / down / left / right instruction operation by the tongue, and is selected by any of the up / down / left / right instruction operations The input processing device according to any one of (17) and (18), wherein an object is changed, and the changed selection object is selected and determined by the first switch.

(30) An input unit, an input detection unit, a determination unit, a control unit, and a display unit are provided, the input unit includes a sensor, and the input detection unit detects an output signal based on an operation on the sensor. The determination unit determines from the output signal whether the operation is within a predetermined time or whether the operation is longer than the predetermined time, or whether the operation is within a predetermined threshold or whether the operation is greater than the predetermined threshold. If the operation is within the predetermined time or the determination is within the predetermined threshold, the coordinate information for moving the coordinate marker by one unit is output, the operation for the predetermined time or more, or the predetermined threshold or more. In the case of the determination, the coordinate information for moving the coordinate marker by a plurality of units is output, the control unit performs display control of the coordinate marker based on the coordinate information, and the display unit To instructions Input processing apparatus characterized by Hazuki performing display of the coordinate marker.
(31) The input processing device according to (30), wherein the sensor is an occlusion sensor or a tongue sensor.

  According to the input device and the input processing device of the present invention, the mouthpiece, which is the input device, includes a sensor for detecting the occlusal force and a sensor for detecting the operation of the tongue. Starting with input, complicated inputs and operations can be performed, and complicated inputs and operations can be performed without using limbs.

  The input device and the input processing device of the present invention are provided with a sensor for detecting an occlusal force and a sensor for detecting the operation of the tongue on the mouthpiece, so that complicated input can be performed by operating with the teeth or lips and the tongue. It is a thing. The mouthpiece is used by including all or part of the mouthpiece in the mouth. The mouthpiece, which is an input device, includes an occlusion sensor that detects an occlusion or anastomosis by a tooth or a lip, and one or more tongue sensors that detect an operation by a tongue. The selection object is selected and determined by one output of the tongue sensor. Note that the occlusion sensor refers to a sensor that detects an occlusal movement by teeth or an anastomosis movement by lips. As the occlusion sensor and tongue sensor, various types can be used such as a sensor that can obtain an input amount by measuring an operation or an operation, or a sensor that can detect ON and OFF like a switch.

First, an embodiment will be described in which characters are selected one by one by repeatedly applying an occlusal force by teeth, and in the latter half, characters to be selected according to the amount of input corresponding to the strength of the occlusal force by teeth. An embodiment in which input is performed while selecting is described.
Hereinafter, embodiments of an input device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, when the component which attached | subjected the same code | symbol performed in embodiment performs the same operation | movement, description may be abbreviate | omitted again.
(Embodiment 1)

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an input device of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1A, the user holds a mouthpiece 10 as an input device in his / her mouth. The mouthpiece 10 has a structure shown in FIG. In FIG. 1B, a shift switch 12 is provided as a first switch on the upper surface of a column 13 provided on the substrate 11. A determination switch 14 is provided as a second switch on the auxiliary substrate 15 attached obliquely to the lower surface of the column 11. The user can turn on the shift switch 12 by sandwiching the support 11 and the shift switch 12 between the upper and lower teeth 1 and 2 and biting them. Further, the determination switch 14 can be turned on by pressing the determination switch 14 with the tongue 3. The first switch operates as an occlusal sensor and the second switch operates as a tongue sensor.

  FIG. 2 is an example of an input processing device that inputs text using the mouthpiece 10. The shift switch 12 of the mouthpiece 10 is coupled to the shift switch ON detection unit 21, and the determination switch 14 is coupled to the determination switch ON detection unit 22. The shift switch ON detection unit 21 and the decision switch ON detection unit 22 constitute an input detection unit 30. Output information as detection results of the shift switch ON detection unit 21 and the decision switch ON detection unit 22 is supplied to the determination unit 20. Based on the output information of the input detection unit 30, the determination unit 20 determines what is the operation of selecting a graphic or character of a processing button displayed on the display unit 26 to be described later, and the determination result is transmitted to the control unit. To 25. More specifically, the determination unit 20 includes an operation / coordinate determination unit 23 and a character / process determination unit 24. Based on the output information of the input detection unit 30, the movement / coordinate determination unit 23 determines the movement of the mouthpiece 10 that is the input unit or the input device and generates coordinate information based on the determination, and obtains the determination result and the coordinate information. Output. Based on the determination result and the coordinate information, the character / process determination unit 24 determines the selection of either a character displayed on the display unit 26, which will be described later, or a processing button, and outputs information on the determination result. The character / process determination unit 24 stores the coordinate information of characters and processing buttons, and compares the coordinate information supplied from the operation / coordinate determination unit 23 with the stored coordinate information, thereby A decision can be made.

  The control unit 25 controls the graphic display control of the kana / kanji area 33, the kana area 32, and the kana / process selection area 31, which will be described later, the character display control in the sub-area, the display of coordinate markers and prompts, and the control of the movement thereof. Information processing and display control such as kana character display control, kana-kanji conversion unit 27 control, and kanji display control are performed according to the output information supplied from the determination unit 20.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of the display surface of the display unit 26. The display unit 26 includes a liquid crystal display unit, and a kana / processing selection area 31, a kana area 32, and a kana / kanji area 33 are provided on the display surface. The kana / process selection area 31 has a plurality of sub-areas arranged in a grid in the X direction and the Y direction. Then, in the sub-area of the kana / process selection area 31, the kana characters constituting 50 sounds, the lowercase letters “ya”, “yu”, “yo” for stuttering, the lowercase letters “tsu” for the prompting sound, the diacritic symbol, the halftone Turbid symbols, punctuation symbols, and other necessary characters and symbols are displayed according to a predetermined arrangement. On the top line, "clear", "conversion", and "new line" processing buttons are displayed. In the leftmost vertical column, characters are not displayed.

  The kana area 32 is an area for displaying the input kana character string. The prompt indicating the position of the next kana character blinks to the right of the input kana character string. The prompt is a square symbol in FIG. 3, but is not limited thereto. The kana-kanji area 33 is an area for displaying a character string after the kana-kanji conversion. The prompt for the next Kana-Kanji character flashes to the right of the entered Kana-Kanji character string.

  The kana / process selection area 31 includes 14 rows and 6 columns in the case of FIG. The blank subarea in the upper left is called the initial position. A coordinate marker is displayed to indicate the position of the selected sub-area. As will be described later, the coordinate marker is movable in the X direction and the Y direction.

  Next, the operation procedure for inputting the kana will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In FIG. 4, the input processing apparatus is set to the kana / process selection mode. The kana / process selection mode is a mode for selecting a kana character displayed on the kana / process selection area 31 or a process button. First, in (S400), the motion / coordinate determination unit 23 sets the coordinate position to the initial position, passes the initial position coordinate information to the control unit 25, and the control unit 25 follows the instruction to set the initial position of the display unit 26. Display coordinate markers. Next, the process proceeds to (S401), and the loop of (S401) and (S402) is repeated to wait until the shift switch 12 or the decision switch 14 is turned on. When the user turns on the shift switch 12 and the output signal of the shift switch ON detection unit 21 is turned on, YES is obtained in (S401), and the process proceeds to (S402). In (S <b> 402), the operation / coordinate determination unit 23 passes the coordinate information of the coordinate marker to the control unit 25, and instructs the coordinate marker to be displayed one line down in the Y direction, and then the shift switch 12 is turned off. The process returns to (S401) and repeats the loop of (S401) and (S403). Accordingly, the coordinate marker can be moved down in the Y direction on the leftmost column of the sub-area according to the number of times the shift switch 12 is turned on until YES in (S403).

  When the coordinate marker has reached the “NA” line and the user pushes the decision switch 14 with the tongue 3 to turn it ON, the decision switch ON detection unit 22 detects ON and sends the ON signal to the operation / coordinate determination unit 23. Supply. In the determination of (S403) in the motion / coordinate determination unit 23, the determination is YES, and the process proceeds to (S404). In (S <b> 404), the movement / coordinate determination unit 23 determines the Y coordinate as a “na” line. Thereafter, when the OFF signal of the determination switch ON detection unit 22 is detected, the process proceeds to (S405), and the loop of (S407) is repeated until the shift switch 12 or the determination switch 14 is turned ON (S405).

  When the user turns on the shift switch 12, the answer is YES in (S405), and the process proceeds to (S406). In (S406), the operation / coordinate determination unit 23 instructs the control unit 25 to display the coordinate marker by moving one column rightward in the X direction, and then waits for the shift switch 12 to turn off. Returning to (S405), the loop of (S405) and (S407) is repeated. Therefore, the coordinate marker can be moved in the X right direction in the “NA” row of the sub area according to the number of times the shift switch 12 is turned ON until YES in (S407).

  When the user presses the decision switch 14 with the tongue 3 and turns on while the coordinate marker has reached the character “NO”, the decision switch ON detection unit 22 detects ON and the ON signal is sent to the operation / coordinate determination unit 23. To supply. In the determination of (S407) in the operation / coordinate determination unit 23, the determination is YES, and the process proceeds to (S408). In (S <b> 408), the movement / coordinate determination unit 23 determines the X coordinate as the “o” column. Thereafter, when the OFF signal of the determination switch ON detection unit 22 is detected in (S408), the operation / coordinate determination unit 23 uses the determined coordinate information (“NA” row, “O” column) as the character / process determination unit 24. To (S409).

In (S409), the character / process determination unit 24 determines whether the sub-area selected and determined is “clear”, “conversion”, “edit” process selection, kana character, or symbol. That is, in the case of NO, the process proceeds to (S410). The character / process determination unit 24 passes the information of the kana character “NO” corresponding to the coordinate information “NA” row and “O” column, displays the information at the prompt position in the KANA area 32, and prompts one character to the right. The control unit 25 is instructed to move and display, and the process returns to (S400). In (S400), the coordinate marker returns to the initial position. By repeating (S400) to (S410), a kana character string can be input to the kana area 32.
Alternatively, the kana character at the position of the coordinate marker may be displayed at the prompt position in a state where the kana character has not yet been determined, and the kana character may be determined after confirmation.

  Next, processing selection and determination of “clear”, “conversion”, and “edit” will be described. Select and determine the coordinate position of these three movements, ("Clear" row, "A" column), ("Clear" row, "I" column), ("Clear" row, "U" column) coordinates Can be performed by the same procedure as the determination of kana character coordinates from (S400) to (S408). If “Clear”, “Conversion”, or “Edit” is selected, YES is returned in (S409). In (S411), (S412), and (S413), it is determined whether it is “clear”, “conversion”, or “edit”, and the mode state is changed from the kana / process selection mode to the clear mode, the conversion mode, and the edit mode. Change the setting to one of the modes, and proceed to the processing for each mode. Otherwise, NO is determined in (S413), the kana / process selection mode is maintained, and the process returns to (S400). These processes are also performed by the operation / coordinate determination unit 23 and the character / process determination unit 24. Information on the selected processing mode is passed to the control unit 25. In order to display the name of the selected processing mode or to change the character color of “clear”, “conversion”, and “edit”, the instruction may be given to the control unit 25.

The processing procedures in the clear mode, the conversion mode, and the edit mode are shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C, respectively. When shifting from the kana / process selection mode to the clear mode, the loop of (S500) and (S502) in FIG. 5A is repeated to wait for the shift switch 12 or the decision switch 14 to turn on. When the shift switch 12 is turned on, the answer is YES in (S500), and the process proceeds to (S501), where one character on the left side of the prompt in the kana area 32 is erased and the prompt is moved to that position. This process is performed by the operation / coordinate determination unit 23 giving an instruction to the control unit 25. The process returns to (S500) after waiting for the shift switch 12 to be turned off, and the loop of (S500) and (S502) is repeated. Therefore, the kana characters can be erased one by one according to the number of times the shift switch 12 is turned on until YES in (S502). When the desired kana character can be erased, the user turns on the determination switch 14. Since YES is obtained in (S502), the clear mode is ended, the mode is changed to the kana / process selection mode, and the process returns to (S400) in FIG. Thereafter, a prompt is displayed on the right side of the kana characters left without being erased, and it becomes possible to continue to input new kana characters.
After detecting all the kana characters in the kana area 32 and then detecting that the shift switch 12 is turned on, the operation / coordinate determination unit 23 outputs a warning sound indicating that the erasure cannot be performed to a sounding unit (not shown). You may make it inform.

The conversion mode is a function of converting the kana characters displayed in the kana area 32 into kanji and moving them to the kana / kanji area 33. In the kana / process selection mode, when one or more kana characters are displayed in the kana area 32, “conversion” is selected, and if “YES” in (S412) of FIG. 4, the conversion mode is set. The process proceeds to (S510) in FIG. That is, if the motion / coordinate determination unit 23 determines YES in (S412) of FIG. 4, the process proceeds to (S510), and the motion / coordinate determination unit 23 instructs the control unit 25 to convert the kana characters in the kana area into kanji. Instruct. The control unit 25 passes the information of the kana character string in the kana area 32 to the kana / kanji conversion unit 27, searches for kanji candidates, receives the first candidate, and displays the candidates in the kana area 32. Next, the process proceeds to (S511), and the loop of (S511) and (S513) is repeated to wait until the shift switch 12 or the decision switch 14 is turned on. When the shift switch 12 is turned on, the answer is YES in (S511), and the process proceeds to (S512), the next candidate is searched and displayed in the kana area 32, and the process waits for the shift switch 12 to be turned off. Return. When the desired kanji is displayed as a candidate, the user turns on the determination switch 14. In the loop of (S511) and (S513), (S513) becomes YES, and the process proceeds to (S514). In (S514), the selected candidate kanji character is moved and displayed at the prompt position in the kana / kanji area 33, the kanji character in the kana area 32 is deleted, the prompt in the kana area 32 is at the left end, and the kana / kanji area 33 is displayed. Move to the right of the displayed kanji. Further, after the determination switch 14 is turned off, the processing mode is changed from the conversion mode to the kana / processing selection mode, and the process returns to (S400) in FIG.
A plurality of candidate kanji characters may be displayed in the margin of the kana / kanji area 33 and selected by the shift switch 12.

  When “conversion” is selected when there is no kana character in the kana area 32, the operation / coordinate determination unit 23 instructs the control unit 25 to output a warning sound indicating that conversion is impossible to the sounding unit (not shown). You may make it notify a user. If the candidate kanji shifts once, returning to the display of the first candidate, even if the most preferred kanji is overlooked, it can be searched again and selected.

  Next, the editing operation will be described. The editing operation has a function of erasing an arbitrary character of the kana-kanji mixed text displayed in the kana-kanji area 33. If “edit” is selected in the kana / process selection mode described with reference to FIG. 4, YES is obtained in (S413). The processing mode is changed from the kana / processing selection mode to the editing mode, and the process proceeds to (S520) in FIG. Here, the moving direction of the prompt in the kana / kanji area 33 is selected. When changing the mode to the edit mode, the moving direction is set to the left as the initial state, and the prompt shape is changed from a square to a left arrow shape so that the user can recognize the moving direction of the prompt (see figure). 5 (C)). The arrow shape of the prompt may be as shown in the flowchart. Proceeding to (S520), the loop of (S520) and (S522) is repeated, and the process waits for the shift switch 12 or the decision switch 14 to turn on. When the shift switch 12 is turned on, the result is YES in (S520), the process proceeds to (S521), the prompt arrow direction is reversed and displayed, and the subsequent prompt movement directions are also reversed left and right. The process waits for the shift switch 12 to turn off, returns to (S520), repeats the loop of (S520) and (S522), and waits for the shift switch 12 or the decision switch 14 to turn on. When the desired moving direction can be selected, the user turns on the determination switch 14. It becomes YES in (S522), waits for the shift switch 12 to be turned OFF, and proceeds to (S523).

  Next, the user performs an operation of moving the prompt to the left or right according to the set direction. The loop of (S523) and (S525) is repeated to wait for the shift switch 12 or the decision switch 14 to be turned on. When the shift switch 12 is turned ON, YES is obtained in (S523), and the process proceeds to (S524), and the prompt is moved by one character according to the arrow direction of the prompt. The process waits for the shift switch 12 to turn off, returns to (S523), repeats the loop of (S523) and (S525), and waits for the shift switch 12 or the decision switch 14 to turn on. By repeating ON / OFF of the shift switch 12, the prompt can be moved as much as necessary. When the user moves to the desired position, the user turns on the determination switch 14 to determine the position of the prompt. In (S525), it becomes YES and waits for the shift switch 12 to turn off, and then proceeds to the kanji erasing process of the kana / kanji area 33. Since the prompt overlaps with the character, the character may be displayed in black and white reversed inside the arrow prompt.

  In the kanji erasing process, the loop of (S526) and (S528) is repeated to wait for the shift switch 12 or the decision switch 14 to be turned on. When the shift switch 12 is turned ON, the answer is YES in (S526), and the process proceeds to (S527), where one character is erased according to the direction of the arrow of the prompt, the created space is filled, and the prompt is moved by one character. The process waits for the shift switch 12 to turn off, returns to (S526), repeats the loop of (S526) and (S528), and waits for the shift switch 12 or the decision switch 14 to turn on. By repeating ON / OFF of the shift switch 12, characters can be deleted as much as necessary. When the erasing of the desired character is completed, the user turns on the determination switch 14 to instruct the end of the editing mode. In step S528, the answer is YES, wait for the shift switch 12 to turn OFF, change the mode from the edit mode to the kana / process selection mode, and return to step S400 in FIG.

  At this time, the prompt is returned from the arrow shape to a square (see FIG. 5C). The position of the prompt is left as it is. Thus, the prompt may remain in the middle of the sentence. Next, in this state, a kana character is input in the kana / process selection mode, and the process proceeds to the conversion mode. When the character after kana-kanji conversion is displayed at the prompt position in the kana-kanji area 33 in (S514), a new You can insert simple characters in the middle of the sentence. If it is desired to continue a new character from the end of the sentence after erasing the character in the middle of the sentence, after (S528), the screen returns to the kana / process selection mode, selects "Edit" again and enters the edit mode (S520). ) To (S525), the prompt is moved to the end of the sentence. In (S526) to (S528), it is necessary to return to the kana / process selection mode without deleting characters.

  In the kana / process selection mode, when the coordinate marker is further shifted downward in the bottom line in the Y direction, the initial position is restored. Even when the coordinate marker is in the right end row in the X direction and the shift switch 12 is turned on, it is returned to the initial position. When returning to the initial position, a sound for calling attention may be generated. The row may be moved from the right end to the left end in the X direction, and the row may be shifted again to be selectable. When nothing is selected, the coordinate marker may be returned to the initial position when the determination switch 14 is turned on in the leftmost blank. In the shift in the X direction, the coordinate marker may be returned to the initial position even when a blank subarea with no characters is selected and determined.

  Line breaks may be performed in the kana / process selection area 31 or the edit mode. For this purpose, a “line feed” button is provided in the sub-area so that it can be selected in the kana / process selection area 31 or the edit mode so that a line break can be made at the prompt position. When a line feed is selected in the kana / process selection mode, the line break may be executed in the kana / kanji area 33 after the kana / kanji conversion.

  In the series of procedures described in FIGS. 5A, 5 </ b> B, and 5 </ b> C, the control unit 25 also performs the display unit 26 and the kana in accordance with the determination and determination performed by the motion / coordinate determination unit 23 and the character / process determination unit 24. This can be done by controlling the kanji conversion unit 27.

  Needless to say, the control unit 25 includes a storage unit that stores character string information to be displayed on the kana area 32 or the kana / kanji area 33. The input character string and the character string after the kana-kanji conversion are stored in this storage unit. Information necessary for display, such as display frames of the kana / process selection area 31, the kana area 32, and the kana / kanji area 33, characters on the kana / process selection area 31, graphic information of processing buttons, graphic information of coordinate markers, and the like. Needless to say, it is also used for display control.

  After completing the input, when e-mailing the completed kana-kanji mixed text, the completed text data may be passed to an e-mail section (not shown). An e-mail function, a transmission function, and the like may be prepared as a process button in a sub-area of the kana / process selection area 31, and an e-mail may be transmitted and received by selecting the e-mail process button.

  In the above description, kana-kanji conversion can be performed. However, it can be used to substitute for voice generation for persons with disabilities who have difficulty in generating voices. In the case of only such a use form, the kana / kanji area 33, the kana / kanji conversion unit 27, the conversion button, the edit button, and the like may be omitted. When a “sounding” button is provided and this button is selected, the character in the kana area 32 may be converted into sound signal data by the control unit 25 and may be sounded by a sounding unit (not shown).

  As described above, the operation performed by the user in the present invention is to temporarily select one of a plurality of selection targets by the first switch and to select and determine the temporarily selected selection target by the second switch. It is characterized by that. The operation of the second switch may be turned on by the lips, but turning on by the occlusal movement of the teeth seems to be suitable for many operations.

  In the above description, each time the shift switch 12 is turned on, the coordinate marker is moved to the next coordinate by one subarea. However, when the switch is left on for a predetermined time or more. The coordinate marker may be moved continuously in the Y direction or the X direction. When the coordinate marker has moved to the desired position, the movement is stopped when the switch is turned OFF. Then, the decision switch is turned on. In this way, the number of occlusion operations can be reduced. However, it is preferable that the moving speed of the coordinate marker is within a speed range in which the user can recognize the movement. If the shift switch 12 is kept on, the coordinate marker may reciprocate in the Y direction or the X direction, or return to the initial position and circulate.

For this purpose, the input detection unit 30 detects an output signal by an occlusion operation on the shift switch 12 that is an occlusion sensor, and the determination unit 20 determines whether the occlusion operation is an operation within a predetermined time or an operation longer than a predetermined time. In the case of an operation within a predetermined time, the coordinate marker is output by one unit, that is, the coordinate information for moving to the next is output. That is, coordinate information that moves beyond the neighbor via the neighbor is output, the control unit 25 performs display control of the coordinate marker based on the coordinate information, and the display unit 26 performs coordinate control based on an instruction from the controller 25. Markers may be displayed. The coordinate information may be information for moving the coordinate marker, and the structure thereof is not limited. The coordinate information is, for example, (X coordinate value, Y coordinate value), information indicating movement target data, and the like.
(Embodiment 2)

The blank at the left end of the kana / process selection area 31 shown in FIG. 3 of the first embodiment is eliminated, the initial position is set to the “clear” column, and the coordinate marker shifts the “a” column in the Y direction. Also good. When shifting to the right beyond the “O” column in the X direction, the coordinate marker may be returned to the “Clear” column that is the initial position. The display column can be reduced and the number of shifts can be reduced.
(Embodiment 3)

  The sub-area immediately to the right of the “edit” column in FIG. 3 of the first embodiment is a selection mode column of “kana”, “alphabet”, “number”, “katakana”, and “kana”, “english”, “ You can select either “number” or “kana”, and select and set the input character mode. In the column below the “a” line, in addition to kana characters, alphabets and numbers “1” to “1” “0” and katakana characters may be assigned so that English, numbers, and katakana can be input. The alphabet has 26 characters. Since there are 65 columns from the “a” line to the bottom “ya” line, uppercase and lowercase letters can be arranged. Instead, if you place 26 English characters from the “A” line to the “HA” line, select one English character, and then add the process of selecting uppercase and lowercase, you can save the character field, and Reduce the number of shifts. The process of selecting uppercase letters and lowercase letters can be performed by a method similar to the procedure for reversing the prompt moving direction in (S520) to (S522) in FIG. (S521) may be a process of switching between uppercase letters and lowercase letters. After the switching selection, final determination processing of English characters is performed. If the previous input is capitalized, the current input is also given priority to uppercase letters, and if the previous input is lowercase, the current input is also given priority to lowercase letters, this is effective in reducing the number of shifts. In English letters, it is rare to alternate between uppercase and lowercase letters, and only uppercase letters or lowercase letters often follow.

Depending on the selected input character mode, the current input character mode can be confirmed by displaying “Kana”, “English”, or “Number” in the input character mode field on the right of the “Edit” field. I can do it. The display characters in each column from the “a” line to the bottom “ya” line may be switched to kana, alphabetic characters, and numbers according to the setting of the input character mode. You can see at a glance what the current input character mode is.
(Embodiment 4)

FIG. 6A shows an example of display that can reduce the area of the kana / process selection area 31. In the kana / process selection area 31A of FIG. 6A, a sub-area of 2 rows in the Y direction and 6 columns in the X direction is provided. In the lower row, first, kana characters “a” to “o” in the “a” row are displayed. In a state where the coordinate marker can be shifted in the Y direction, the shift switch 12 is turned ON once, the coordinate marker is moved to the lower stage, and the decision switch 14 is turned ON. Select one of “A” to “O”. If the decision switch 14 is not turned on and the shift switch 12 is further turned on, the characters in the “ka” line are displayed instead of the characters in the “a” line. When the determination switch 14 is turned on, the kana characters “ka” to “ko” can be selected after moving in the X direction. After the “ka” line is selected, if the decision switch 14 is not turned on and the shift switch 12 is further turned on, characters in a desired line appear. By turning ON the decision switch 14, it is possible to move in the X direction and select a desired character on a desired line.
(Embodiment 5)

FIG. 6B shows an example in which uppercase and lowercase letters are selected by a pull-down menu method. In the kana / process selection area 31B of FIG. 6B, a sub-area of 2 rows and 6 columns is provided as in FIG. When “alphabet” is selected as the input character mode, “English” is displayed in the input character mode field, and English characters “A” to “E” are initially displayed in the lower row. When the uppercase letter “D” is selected and determined, the lowercase letter “d” is displayed below “D”. When the shift switch 12 is turned on, the coordinate marker moves downward and the lowercase letter “d” can be selected. By turning ON the decision switch 14, the lowercase letter “d” can be selected. Each time the shift switch 12 is pressed, the coordinate marker moves between the uppercase letter “D” and the lowercase letter “d” to prompt the decision.
When the lowercase letter was selected last time, lowercase letters are given priority in the lower line. When the uppercase letter was selected last time, uppercase letters are displayed. Is less.
(Embodiment 6)

FIG. 6C shows an example in which selection can be made with a more hierarchical type of types such as more detailed modes in the conversion mode by a pull-down menu method. In FIG. 6C, when “Conversion” is selected and determined, options from “Mode 1” to “Mode 5” are displayed under “Conversion”. When the shift switch 12 is turned on, the coordinate marker moves downward and “mode 1” to “mode 5” can be selected. When the shift switch 12 is turned on three times to move to “mode 3”, and the decision switch 14 is turned on to select and decide, the options from “setting 1” to “setting 3” are displayed on the right side of “mode 3”. Is displayed. When the shift switch 12 is turned on, the coordinate marker moves to the right and “setting 1” to “setting 3” can be selected.
When “Setting 2” is selected and confirmed, the pull-down menu is deleted, the name of “Setting 2” is displayed in the “Conversion” field, and the conversion setting contents can be known without being memorized by the user. Also good.

When this embodiment is applied, it is possible to select and execute a complicated process by only two operations of the shift switch 12 and the determination switch 14. Not only the content setting of the conversion mode but also various settings and selections can be performed by two operations of the shift switch 12 and the decision switch 14.
(Embodiment 7)

  Only two switches, the shift switch 12 and the decision switch 14 shown in FIG. 1, increase the number of times the switches are turned on and off. FIG. 7 shows an example of a mouthpiece that can reduce the number of operations somewhat in response to this problem. In FIG. 7, three switches 72, 74, and 76 are provided. The switches 72 and 74 have functions similar to those of the shift switch 12 and the decision switch 14, respectively. As a third switch, the switch 76 has a clear function and is called a clear switch 76. When the clear switch 76 is pressed in the kana / process selection mode, the prompt in the kana area 32 moves to the left and erases one kana character. The operation to select the clear mode is not necessary, and when the character is corrected by mistake or when changing to a different sentence, the correction work can be immediately performed. In the conversion mode and the edit mode, when the clear switch 76 is pressed, it is operated so as to return to the previous operation state. When an operation is mistaken, it is possible to reduce the number of operations when the operation is performed again.

In order to realize the function of the clear switch 76, a clear switch ON detection unit is provided to detect the ON of the clear switch 76 so that the operation / coordinate determination unit 23 receives an ON signal of the clear switch 76. The control unit 25 is provided with a storage unit for storing the state of each part of the input processing device including the operation contents so far and the display contents at that time, and the operation / coordinate determination unit 23 receives the ON signal of the clear switch 76. Then, the control unit 25 is notified, the previous state is read from the storage unit, and the display unit 26 is displayed according to the state information.
(Embodiment 8)

  FIG. 8 is an example of a mouthpiece with an increased degree of freedom of operation. In FIG. 8, three switches 82, 84 and 86 are provided. The switch 82 that is the occlusion sensor and the first switch and the switch 84 that is one of the tongue sensors and the second switch have the same functions as the shift switch 12 and the determination switch 14, respectively. The switch 86, which is the third switch, is provided with a clear function as described in the seventh embodiment.

  In FIG. 8, a switch 87 that can be used as a joystick is provided at one end of the support column 13 as one of tongue sensors. The switch 87 has an operating rod 88, and by tilting it up, down, left and right, one of four contacts provided on the top, bottom, left and right inside the switch 87 can be turned on. A joystick ON detection unit is provided, joystick information indicating which of the upper, lower, left, and right switches is turned on is supplied to the operation / coordinate determination unit 23, and the ON / OFF determination information is passed to the control unit 25. As one of the tongue sensors, the switch 87 detects the up / down / left / right instruction operation by the tip of the tongue, changes the selection object by any of the up / down / left / right instruction operation, and the switch 84 selects the changed selection object. decide.

  In the kana / process selection mode, the coordinate marker is moved up, down, left, and right by moving the operation bar 88 up, down, left, and right with the tongue. When the determination switch 84 is turned ON, the character at the sub-area position or the processing button can be selected and determined. The operation / coordinate determination unit 23 and the control unit 25 do not perform the process of returning the coordinate marker to the initial position, and move the coordinate marker up / down / left / right according to the ON / OFF determination information of the up / down / left / right of the joystick. The number of coordinate marker movement operations can be reduced.

  In the conversion mode and edit mode, the prompt may be freely moved to the left and right. In the conversion mode, a plurality of conversion candidates may be displayed in the vertical direction in a pull-down menu format, and may be used to select one of the conversion candidates by moving the joystick in the vertical direction.

  In the case of the joystick, when the operation bar 88 is tilted for a predetermined time or longer, the coordinate marker may be continuously moved in that direction, and the movement may be stopped when the operation bar 88 is returned to the neutral position. If the coordinate marker has moved too much, the operation bar is tilted in the reverse direction for a short time to return the coordinate marker by one coordinate. In this way, the number of times of pressing with the tongue can be reduced. The moving speed of the coordinate marker is preferably set to a speed that is not too slow and not too fast in a range in which the user can recognize the movement.

For this purpose, the input detection unit 30 detects an output signal based on a left / right / up / down operation of a joystick that is a tongue sensor, and the determination unit 20 performs an operation within a predetermined time or an operation of a predetermined time or more from the output signal. If the operation is within the predetermined time, the coordinate information for moving the coordinate marker by one unit is output. If the operation is for the predetermined time or more, the coordinate information for moving the coordinate marker by a plurality of units is output. The control unit 25 may perform display control of the coordinate marker based on the coordinate information, and the display unit 26 may display the coordinate marker based on an instruction from the control unit 25.
(Embodiment 9)

  In the mouthpiece shown in FIG. 8, the switches 84 and 86 may be omitted. In this case, the switch 82 which is the occlusion sensor and is the first switch is used as the determination switch. The coordinate marker is moved by the joystick-shaped switch 87, and one of the processing modes is first selected and determined by the switch 82.

  In the kana / process selection mode, the coordinate marker is moved vertically and horizontally. When the switch 82 is turned on, it is possible to select and determine the character in the sub-area where the coordinate marker is located or the processing button. The operation / coordinate determination unit 23 and the control unit 25 do not perform the process of returning the coordinate marker to the initial position, and move the coordinate marker up / down / left / right according to the ON / OFF determination information of the up / down / left / right of the joystick. The number of coordinate marker movement operations can be reduced.

  In the conversion mode and edit mode, the prompt may be freely moved to the left and right. In the conversion mode, a plurality of conversion candidates may be displayed in the vertical direction, and used to select one of the conversion candidates by moving the joystick in the vertical direction.

  A clear mode is provided, and in this mode, the prompt can be moved up, down, left and right, and used to erase characters and kanji. If the joystick is operated and moved in response to the prompt in the kana / kanji area 33, it becomes easy to move the prompt to a desired line even during multi-line input.

  The operation of the mouthpiece of the present embodiment can be similar to the operation of a computer mouse. The number of operations can be further reduced by enabling the switch 89 to detect that the operation bar 88 is pushed not only vertically and horizontally but also diagonally so that the coordinate markers and prompts can be moved obliquely.

As the switch 87, four knobs are arranged in a cross shape on the top, bottom, left and right, a switch linked to the knob is arranged, and even if one of the four knobs is pressed with a tongue, the same input as the operation bar 88 is performed. Yes. Fewer protrusions in the mouth. Such a tongue sensor is a sensor having four switches for detecting up / down / left / right instruction operations by the tongue, and the selection target is changed by any of the up / down / left / right instruction operations.
(Embodiment 10)

The display unit 26 displays a commonly used computer keyboard figure and coordinate markers, uses the mouthpiece 10 to move the coordinate markers in the X and Y directions, and selects each key on the keyboard figure. If you do, you will be able to operate your computer.
(Embodiment 11)
The mouthpiece shown in FIGS. 1, 7, and 8 can be used to operate home appliances, information devices, musical instruments, and the like.

  FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of an input processing device for operating a device. The mouthpiece 90 is the mouthpiece described above. The input detection unit 91 detects ON of each switch of the mouthpiece 90. The determination unit 92 includes an operation determination unit 93 and an operation determination unit 94. The operation determination unit 93 determines the input instruction content based on the ON / OFF state and ON / OFF operation of each switch, and passes the determination information to the operation determination unit 94. The operation determination unit 93 passes the determination result to the control unit 95 as necessary. The operation determining unit 94 passes the determined operation content information to the control unit 95. The control unit 95 displays the control content on the display unit 96 according to the received information. The control unit 95 controls the controlled device according to the information received from the operation determination unit 93 and the operation determination unit 94. If necessary, the control unit 95 refers to the database 97 to obtain information necessary for control.

The control unit 95 displays device operations, processing buttons, necessary characters, coordinate markers, and the like for the user to select on the display unit 96 as in the case of the above embodiments. To perform TV channel selection and volume control, display the same operation panel diagram and coordinate marker as the operation panel of the TV remote control on the display unit 96, move the coordinate marker, and select a button on the operation panel. By doing so, the TV can be operated even when the caregiver is absent.
(Embodiment 12)

  Instead of the shift switches 12, 72, and 82 in each of the above embodiments, as an occlusal sensor, an output signal corresponding to the magnitude or strength of the occlusal operation or anastomosis operation by teeth or lips is output as an input amount, and a plurality of input signals are output depending on the input amount. One of the options may be selected, and the selection may be determined by one of the tongue sensors. A signal corresponding to the magnitude of the occlusal force is detected as an input amount, and coordinate information is generated according to the input amount. FIG. 10 shows an example of a mouthpiece 110 that is a form of an input device, in which a variable resistor is provided as a sensor for detecting an occlusal force. An example of the variable resistor is a bridge resistor.

  In FIG. 10, the variable resistor substrate 101 and the slider 103 are fitted together to constitute a slide type variable resistor in which the slider 103 can move in the long side direction of the variable resistor substrate 101. The resistance value of the variable resistor changes depending on the position of the slider 103. The operation plate 102 is formed by bending a rectangular leaf spring material into a semicircular shape with a diameter of 15 mm in the middle, screwing one end of the leaf spring material to the variable resistor substrate 101, and the other end of the slider 103. It is attached to. As shown by the thick arrows, when the biting force is applied to the operation plate 102 by biting with the upper and lower teeth, the slider 103 moves downward. When the occlusal force is loosened, the operation plate 102 returns to the position shown in the figure. A variable resistor acts as an occlusal sensor. The decision switch 104, which is a tongue sensor, has the same function as the decision switch 14 shown in FIG.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram in which the input processing device described in FIG. 2 is configured to correspond to the mouthpiece 110 in FIG. 10. The mouthpiece 110, the operation detection unit 21 a, and the motion / coordinate determination unit 23 a It is different from the case of. The operation detection unit 21a and the determination switch ON detection unit 22 constitute an input detection unit 30a, receive a signal from the mouthpiece 110, detect an input amount and input content information by an operation, and output as operation information. The other parts are the same as in FIG. In FIG. 11, a bridge circuit is constituted by the variable resistor of the mouthpiece 110 and the resistor inside the operation detection unit 21a, and a voltage corresponding to the occlusal force is detected as an input amount. The input amount is converted into a digital amount and supplied to the operation / coordinate determination unit 23a. The operation / coordinate determination unit 23a generates coordinate information of a coordinate marker according to the input amount. First, the Y coordinate value of the coordinate information of the coordinate marker is changed according to the input amount. When the determination switch ON detection unit 22 detects that the determination switch 104 is ON, a line corresponding to the coordinate information of the coordinate marker determined by the input amount at that time is selected and determined. Next, the movement / coordinate determination unit 23a changes the X coordinate value of the coordinate information of the coordinate marker according to the input amount. When the determination switch ON detection unit 22 detects that the determination switch 104 is ON, a column corresponding to the coordinate information of the coordinate marker determined by the input amount at that time is selected and determined. The display position of the coordinate marker is changed according to the coordinate information of the coordinate marker as in the case of FIG. While viewing the coordinate marker, the user applies an occlusal force to move the coordinate marker. When the coordinate marker moves to a desired line, the decision switch 104 is turned on to determine the line. While seeing, the occlusal force is changed, the coordinate marker is moved to a desired row, the decision switch 104 is turned on and the row is decided, and the character and the processing button can be selected and decided.

  For this purpose, the operation of the determination unit 20a including the operation / coordinate determination unit 23a is detected by detecting the magnitude of the input amount in (S401) of the flowchart of FIG. In this case, the process proceeds to (S402), the coordinate information of the coordinate marker is shifted in the Y direction according to the input amount, and in (S405), if the input amount changes by a certain value or more, the process proceeds to (S406). What is necessary is just to change so that the process which shifts the coordinate information of a coordinate marker to a X direction according to an input amount may be performed. In (S500), (S511), and (S522) of FIG. 5, when the value of the input amount exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the same determination as that of the shift switch may be performed.

When the occlusal force is increased or decreased, the coordinate marker moves up and down in the Y direction and left and right in the X direction, so by applying the optimal occlusal force, the desired line is immediately selected and determined. Then, the desired column can be selected and determined.
According to the present embodiment, it is not necessary to turn on the shift switches 12 and 72 many times, and fatigue can be reduced.
(Embodiment 13)

  In the thirteenth embodiment, the movement / coordinate determination unit 23a generates coordinate information of the coordinate marker according to the input amount and the increase / decrease pattern thereof. First, the Y coordinate value of the coordinate information of the coordinate marker is changed according to the input amount. The movement / coordinate determination unit 23a determines increase / decrease of the input amount. When the biting force is weakened and the input amount is decreased, the position of the coordinate marker is not returned and the coordinate information is left as it is. When the input amount increases, the coordinate marker is moved in the Y direction from the position of the coordinate marker at that time. When the determination switch ON detection unit 22 detects that the determination switch 104 is ON, a line corresponding to the coordinate information of the coordinate marker at that time is selected and determined.

  Next, the movement / coordinate determination unit 23a changes the X coordinate value of the coordinate information of the coordinate marker according to the input amount. The operation / coordinate determination unit 23a determines increase / decrease of the input amount. If the input / decrease is decreased, the operation / coordinate determination unit 23a does not return the position of the coordinate marker and leaves the coordinate information as it is. When the input amount increases, the coordinate marker is moved in the X direction from the position of the coordinate marker at that time. When the determination switch ON detection unit 22 detects that the determination switch 104 is ON, a column corresponding to the coordinate information of the coordinate marker at that time is selected and determined. The display position of the coordinate marker is changed according to the coordinate information of the coordinate marker as in the case of FIG.

  While looking at the coordinate marker, the user applies an occlusal force to move the coordinate marker to the vicinity of the desired line, relaxes the occlusal force once, applies a short occlusal force, and coordinates the marker one sub-area at a time. When the coordinate marker has moved to a desired line, the determination switch 104 can be turned on to determine the line. The same applies to selection of rows in the X direction. When the decision switch 104 is turned on, the occlusal force does not need to be maintained and may be weakened, so that the decision operation becomes easy.

  For this purpose, the input detection unit 30a detects an output signal based on an operation on the occlusion sensor, and the determination unit 20a determines whether the operation is within a predetermined time or an operation over a predetermined time, or within a predetermined threshold. Or at least one of a determination of whether the operation is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, and in the case of determination of an operation within a predetermined time or an operation within a predetermined threshold, coordinate information for moving the coordinate marker by one unit is output, In the case of a determination of an operation for a predetermined time or more, or an operation for a predetermined threshold or more, coordinate information for moving the coordinate marker by a plurality of units is output, and the control unit 25 performs display control of the coordinate marker based on the coordinate information, The display unit 26 may display coordinate markers based on instructions from the front control unit 25.

  Moreover, what is necessary is just to perform operation | movement of the determination part 20a containing the operation | movement / coordinate determination part 23a as follows in the flowchart of FIG. In (S401), it is determined whether or not the magnitude of the input amount is a certain value or more and an increase for a certain time or more. If YES, the process proceeds to (S402), and the coordinate information of the coordinate marker is set as the input amount. Shift in the Y direction according to the increment. When the occlusal force is applied for a short time, the coordinate information for one subarea is increased. If the input amount decreases, the determination is NO and the process proceeds to (S403). In (S405), it is determined whether or not the magnitude of the input amount is a certain value or more and an increase for a certain time or more. If YES, the process proceeds to (S406), and the coordinate information of the coordinate marker is changed to the input amount. A process of shifting in the X direction according to the increment is performed. When the occlusal force is applied for a short time, the coordinate information for one subarea is increased. If the input amount decreases, the determination becomes NO and the process proceeds to (S407). In (S500), (S511), and (S522) of FIG. 5, when the value of the input amount exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the same determination as that of the shift switch may be performed.

Increasing the occlusal force quickly moves the coordinate marker downwards in the Y direction and to the right in the X direction, so applying the optimal occlusal force will instantly move the desired line. Selection and determination, and then the desired column can be selected and determined. When performing the determination operation, the occlusal force may be weakened. When it is difficult to increase the occlusal force accurately, it is possible to move in units of one sub-area by operating quickly before the desired coordinate position and then applying the occlusal force in pulses. If the coordinate marker is moved too much, if the occlusal force is increased, the coordinate marker can be returned to the initial position in a short time and then to the position before the desired coordinate position.
(Embodiment 14)
FIG. 12 is another example of a mouthpiece 110 that is an input device provided with an occlusal sensor.

  In FIG. 12, the substrate 121 and the operation plate 122 are fitted together, and the operation plate 122 can move in the long side direction of the substrate 121. A resistor is applied to the substrate 121, and a variable resistor is formed using the operation plate 122 as a movable slider. The lower end of the substrate 121 and the operation plate 122 are coupled by a spring 123. As shown by thick arrows, when the upper and lower teeth are bitten and the biting force is applied to the auxiliary board 125 and the operation board 122, the operation board 121 moves upward. When the occlusal force is loosened, the operation plate 121 returns to the position shown in the figure by the spring 123. A determination switch 124 and a clear switch 126 are provided on the auxiliary substrate 125.

  The variable resistor generates an output signal corresponding to the occlusal force, and the operation detection unit 21a converts it into an input amount and supplies it to the movement / coordinate determination unit 23a. The decision switch 124 operates in the same manner as in the twelfth embodiment. The operation of the operation / coordinate determination unit 23a may be the same as described in the twelfth and thirteenth embodiments. The clear switch 126 is used similarly to the clear switch 76 described in the seventh embodiment.

  The occlusal force may be detected by a strain gauge instead of the variable resistor. This will be described with reference to FIG. The substrate 121 and the operation plate 122 are fitted together, and the operation plate 122 can move in the long side direction of the substrate 121. A strain gauge 123 is attached as a sensor at the position of the spring 123. As indicated by the thick arrows, when the bite is applied with the upper and lower teeth and the biting force is applied to the auxiliary board 125 and the operation board 122, the operation board 121 moves slightly upward. When the occlusal force is loosened, the operation plate 121 returns to the position shown in the figure. A determination switch 124 and a clear switch 126 are provided on the auxiliary substrate 125.

The strain gauge 123 generates an output signal corresponding to the occlusal force, and the operation detection unit 21a converts it into an input amount and supplies it to the movement / coordinate determination unit 23a. The decision switch 124 operates in the same manner as in the twelfth embodiment. The operation of the operation / coordinate determination unit 23a may be the same as described in the twelfth and thirteenth embodiments. The clear switch 126 is used similarly to the clear switch 76 described in the seventh embodiment.
(Other embodiments and supplements)

  In the case of having a switch function like the input device described in FIG. 1 (B), FIG. 7, and FIG. 8, if the switch is left in the ON state for a predetermined time or more, the coordinates are set in the Y direction or the X direction. As described above, the marker may be moved continuously. Even in the case of the clear function, during the time when the switch is turned on, character clear may be sequentially advanced instead of only one character.

The dimensions of the input device shown in FIGS. 1B, 7 and 8 and the position of the switch need to be designed appropriately with respect to the size of the mouth and the position of the tongue. If the substrate 11 is too large, it will not enter the mouth, and if it is too small, it will be difficult to stabilize. The length of one side is preferably about 15 to 25 mm. In the case of a structure in which the substrate 11 is brought out of the lips, the size is not limited to this. If the column 13 is too long, it will enter the back of the mouth and obstruct the operation of the tongue. The dimensions with which the shift switches 12, 72, 82 are placed are sufficient. In the case of a structure in which the substrate 11 is placed in front of the teeth, the length is preferably about 5 mm to 10 mm. In the case of a structure in which the substrate 11 is placed in front of the lips, it is better to be a little longer. The thickness of the column 13 is preferably about 5 mm to 10 mm. If the vertical thickness of the support column 13 is too large, the mouth will be greatly opened over a long period of time, and fatigue may easily occur. The auxiliary board 15 is preferably small as long as switches such as the decision switches 14 and 74 can be mounted. The angle between the auxiliary substrate 15 and the substrate 11 may be set to an angle at which the force suppressed by the tongue is easy to work. It may be in the range of 0 degrees to 30 degrees. It is preferable that the shift switches 12, 72, and 82 have dimensions and shapes that can be easily pressed by teeth. The upper surface that contacts the teeth of the shift switches 12, 72, and 82 has a depth of about 5 mm to 10 mm and a width of about 10 mm. You may provide the groove | channel where a tooth | gear contacts on an upper surface. In addition, a slightly soft material may be used to reduce the burden on the teeth. The upper surface of the switches such as the decision switches 14 and 74 on the auxiliary substrate 15 is preferably sized and shaped so that the tongue can easily touch. The diameter should be about 5 to 7 mm and not more than 10 mm. When a joystick shape is used as shown in FIG. 8, the tip of the operating rod is preferably within 15 mm to 20 mm from the substrate 11. In addition, the above dimension is a standard. There are individual differences in the size and shape of the mouth, and since it differs between adults and children, it is most preferable to adapt to the individual.
The dimensions of each part in the case of the mouthpiece 110 of FIGS. 10 and 13 are shown in the drawings for reference.
In the description of the above embodiment, the shift switches 12, 72, and 82 are operated by being sandwiched between teeth, but may be configured to be operated by being sandwiched by lips.

  The first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the joystick include not only a switch of a mechanism in which an operation by a tooth or a tongue directly moves a contact point of the switch, but also includes the following. In other words, the operation using the teeth and tongue may move the contact via a transmission mechanism such as a lever or lever. Also for the joystick in the above-described eighth embodiment, the movement of the operation by the tongue may be transmitted to the contact of the switch for detecting the vertical and horizontal movement via a transmission mechanism such as a lever or lever.

  In addition, the first switch, second switch, third switch and joystick use the conductive rubber, strain detection element, pressure sensitive element, etc. to detect the degree of movement of the teeth and tongue and the applied pressure. However, it may be an operator configured to detect that the switch is ON or OFF when the detected value exceeds a predetermined threshold. Further, as in the case of the mouthpiece 110 described in the twelfth and thirteenth embodiments, the above-described conductive rubber, strain detection element, etc. are used to cope with the movement speed of the teeth and tongue, the pressure speed, and the strength level. An output signal or output information to be generated may be generated and supplied to the operation / coordinate determination unit 23a, and the coordinate marker may be moved in the Y direction or the X direction to select and determine characters and processing buttons. In this case, the shift switch ON detection unit 21 in FIG. 2 and the input detection unit 91 in FIG. 9 detect the degree of movement and pressurization of teeth and tongue as in the input detection unit 30a in FIG. do it. When the joystick is operated with the tongue, the input amount corresponding to the two-dimensional operation in the vertical and horizontal directions may be detected.

  When moving the coordinate marker continuously according to the occlusal force, if the occlusal force is loosened once moved, the coordinate marker is stopped at that position, and then the occlusal force is applied for a very short time, and the coordinate marker is moved to one coordinate. You may make it move for every minute. After the coordinate marker is roughly moved to the vicinity of the desired row or column, the target character can be accurately selected and easy to operate. At the moment when the decision switches 14 and 74 are turned ON, it is not necessary to apply an occlusal force, and erroneous selection can be reduced.

  For this purpose, the input detection unit 30 detects an output signal based on an operation on the occlusion sensor and the tongue sensor, and the determination unit 20 determines whether the operation is within a predetermined time or an operation over a predetermined time based on the output signal. Or at least one of an operation within a predetermined threshold or an operation over a predetermined threshold, and in the case of an operation within a predetermined time or an operation within a predetermined threshold, the coordinate marker is moved by one unit. Coordinate information for moving a plurality of units of the coordinate marker is output in the case of an operation for a predetermined time or more or a determination of an operation for a predetermined threshold value or more, and the control unit 25 outputs coordinate information based on the coordinate information. Marker display control is performed, and the display unit 26 may display coordinate markers based on instructions from the control unit 25.

The switches such as the shift switch and the decision switch described in the above embodiments are mechanical switches that open and close contacts, circuits that detect opening and closing of contacts and output ON and OFF signals, and contactless ON / OFF identification Needless to say, a sensor may be used.
In the kana / process selection area 31 of the display screen of FIG. 3, characters and process buttons are printed, a light emitting diode is arranged beside them, and a coordinate marker is displayed by blinking of the light emitting diode. .

  The operation, coordinate determination, character, processing determination, and various control procedures described in the above embodiments may be executed using a dedicated processing circuit, but can be executed by a computer program. The determination unit 23, the character / process determination unit 24, the control unit 25, and the kana / kanji conversion unit 27 can be configured on a computer system such as a personal computer.

  The processing procedure of the input processing device of the present invention in each of the above embodiments can be realized by program software. Then, this software may be distributed by software download or the like. Further, this program may be recorded and distributed on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The input device according to the present invention is useful for a limb paralyzed person or a physically handicapped person to input text, and the input processing device can be realized on various information devices. It is also possible to use an input device and an input processing device to be used. It can also be used for e-mail, word processing, etc.

The figure of one embodiment of the input device of the present invention The block diagram of the input processing apparatus by the input device of this invention The figure of an example of the display screen of the input processing apparatus by the input device of this invention An example of a flowchart of a processing procedure of the input processing apparatus of the present invention An example of a flowchart of a processing procedure of the input processing apparatus of the present invention The figure of the other example of the display screen of the input processing apparatus by the input device of this invention The figure of one embodiment of the input device of the present invention The figure of one embodiment of the input device of the present invention The block diagram of the input processing apparatus for apparatus operation by the input device of this invention The figure of one embodiment of the input device of the present invention The block diagram of one embodiment of the input processing device of the present invention The figure of one embodiment of the input device of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

1, 2 teeth 3 tongue 10 mouthpiece 11 substrate 12 occlusion sensor, shift switch 13 post 14 tongue sensor, determination switch 15 auxiliary substrate 21 shift switch ON detection unit 22 determination switch ON detection unit 23 operation / coordinate determination unit 24 character / processing Determination unit 25 Control unit 26 Display unit 27 Kana-kanji conversion unit 30 Input detection unit 31 Kana / process selection area 32 Kana area 33 Kana-kanji area

Claims (31)

An input device including an occlusal sensor for detecting an occlusal motion or an anastomosis motion by teeth or lips and one or more tongue sensors for detecting an operation by a tongue. An occlusal sensor for detecting an occlusal motion or an anastomosis by a tooth or a lip; and at least one tongue sensor for detecting an operation by a tongue; and selecting one of a plurality of selection targets based on an output of the occlusal sensor; An input device characterized in that the selected selection object is selected and determined by one output. An occlusal sensor for detecting an occlusal action or an anastomosis action by teeth or lips, and one or more tongue sensors for detecting an operation by a tongue, wherein the occlusal sensor is disposed at a position operated by the occlusal action or anastomosis action; The input device, wherein the tongue sensor is disposed at a position operated by a tongue movement. The input device according to claim 1, wherein one of the tongue sensors is a switch for selecting and determining the selected selection target. The occlusion sensor outputs an output signal corresponding to the magnitude or strength of the occlusal movement or anastomosis movement by teeth or lips, and selects one of a plurality of options according to the output signal, and the selection is performed by one of the tongue sensors. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the input device is determined. The occlusion sensor is a first switch for detecting an occlusal movement or anastomosis movement by teeth or lips, and selects one from a plurality of options, and one of the tongue sensors is a second switch, and the first switch The input device according to claim 1, wherein the selection made by one switch is determined. 4. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the selected information is cleared by the output of any one of the sensors. 4. The input device according to claim 1, wherein a clearing switch is provided, and the state before the operation is cleared by operating the clearing switch. The occlusion sensor is a first switch, and one of the tongue sensors is a sensor that detects an up / down / left / right instruction operation by the tongue, and a selection target is changed by any of the up / down / left / right instruction operations, The input device according to claim 1, wherein the changed selection target is selected and determined by a switch. The occlusal sensor is a first switch, and one of the tongue sensors is a joystick-shaped sensor that detects an up / down / left / right instruction operation by the tongue, and a selection target is changed by any of the up / down / left / right instruction operations, The input device according to claim 1, wherein the changed selection target is selected and determined by the first switch. The occlusal sensor is a first switch, and one of the tongue sensors is a sensor having four switches for detecting an up / down / left / right instruction operation by the tongue, and the selection target is changed by any of the up / down / left / right instruction operations. 4. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the changed selection target is selected and determined by the first switch. An input device comprising n switches (n is 2 or more), wherein a first switch among the n switches is operated by a tooth or a lip, and the remaining switches are operated by a tongue. n switches (n is 2 or more), the first switch among the n switches selects one from a plurality of options, and the second switch among the n switches is A mouth operated input device, characterized in that the selection made by the first switch is determined. n switches (where n is 2 or more), the first switch among the n switches is disposed at a position operated by teeth or lips, and the remaining switches are disposed at positions operated by a tongue, An input device having a shape including all or part of the mouth. The input device according to claim 12, wherein the first switch is operated by an occlusal movement of upper and lower teeth. 16. The input device according to claim 12, further comprising a third switch, wherein the state before the operation is cleared by operating the third switch. An input unit, an input detection unit, a determination unit, a control unit, and a display unit,
The input unit includes an occlusion sensor that detects an occlusal movement or anastomosis movement by teeth or lips, and one or more tongue sensors that detect an operation by a tongue,
The input detection unit detects output signals of the occlusal sensor and the tongue sensor,
The determination unit outputs a determination result by determining an operation of selecting a figure or a character displayed on the display unit based on output information of the input detection unit,
The control unit performs predetermined processing corresponding to the determination result and display control of the graphic or character based on the determination result,
The input processing apparatus, wherein the display unit performs display based on an instruction from the control unit. An input unit, an input detection unit, an operation / coordinate determination unit, a character / process determination unit, a control unit, and a display unit,
The input unit includes an occlusion sensor that detects an occlusal movement or anastomosis movement by teeth or lips, and one or more tongue sensors that detect an operation by a tongue,
The input detection unit detects output signals of the occlusal sensor and the tongue sensor,
The motion / coordinate determination unit performs the operation determination of the input unit based on the output information of the input detection unit and generates coordinate information based on the determination, and outputs a determination result and coordinate information.
The character / process determination unit determines whether to select a character displayed on the display unit or a process based on the determination result and coordinate information,
The control unit is configured to control display of the character and process, perform the selected process, and display control of the selected character based on output information of the motion / coordinate determination unit and the character / process determination unit. And
The display unit is configured to display a predetermined screen including display of the character and process and display the selected character based on an instruction from the control unit. The input processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the occlusion sensor is operated by the occlusion operation or anastomosis operation, and the tongue sensor is operated by a tongue operation. 19. The input according to claim 17, wherein one of a plurality of selection targets is selected based on an output of the occlusal sensor, and the selected selection target is selected and determined based on one output of the tongue sensor. Processing equipment. The said occlusion sensor is arrange | positioned in the position operated by the said occlusion operation | movement or anastomosis operation | movement, The said tongue sensor is arrange | positioned in the position operated by operation | movement of a tongue, The one of Claim 17 and 18 characterized by the above-mentioned. Input processing device. The input processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein one of the tongue sensors is a switch for selecting and determining the selected selection target. The occlusion sensor outputs an output signal corresponding to the magnitude or strength of the occlusal movement or anastomosis movement by teeth or lips, and selects one of a plurality of options according to the output signal, and the selection is performed by one of the tongue sensors. The input processing device according to claim 17, wherein the input processing device is determined. The occlusion sensor is a first switch for detecting an occlusal movement or anastomosis movement by teeth or lips, and selects one from a plurality of options, and one of the tongue sensors is a second switch, and the first switch The input processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the selection made by one switch is determined. The input processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the selected information is cleared by the output of any one of the sensors. 19. The input processing device according to claim 17, wherein a clearing switch is provided, and the state before the operation is cleared by operating the clearing switch. The occlusal sensor is a first switch, and one of the tongue sensors is a sensor that detects an up / down / left / right instruction operation by the tongue, and a selection target is changed by any of the up / down / left / right instruction operations, 19. The input processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the changed selection target is selected and determined by a switch. The occlusal sensor is a first switch, and one of the tongue sensors is a joystick-shaped sensor that detects an up / down / left / right instruction operation by the tongue, and a selection target is changed by any of the up / down / left / right instruction operations, The input processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the changed selection target is selected and determined by the first switch. The occlusal sensor is a first switch, and one of the tongue sensors is a sensor having four switches for detecting an up / down / left / right instruction operation by the tongue, and a selection target is changed by any of the up / down / left / right instruction operations. The input processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the changed selection target is selected and determined by the first switch. An input unit, an input detection unit, a determination unit, a control unit, and a display unit,
The input unit has a sensor,
The input detection unit detects an output signal based on an operation on the sensor,
The determination unit determines, based on the output signal, at least one of an operation within a predetermined time or an operation over the predetermined time, or an operation within a predetermined threshold or an operation over the predetermined threshold. If it is determined that the operation is within the predetermined time or the operation within the predetermined threshold, the coordinate information for moving the coordinate marker by one unit is output, and the operation for the predetermined time or more, or the operation for the predetermined threshold or more. In the case of an operation, the coordinate information for moving the coordinate marker by multiple units is output.
The control unit performs display control of the coordinate marker based on the coordinate information,
The display unit displays the coordinate marker based on an instruction from the control unit. 31. The input processing apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the sensor is an occlusion sensor or a tongue sensor.

Images