JP2005227834A - Electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow easy operation of an electronic apparatus having a touch panel serving as an operation input means without any visual observation. <P>SOLUTION: This electronic apparatus is provided with the touch panel 20 having a plurality of operation areas and a guide frame 17 surrounding the touch panel 20. A slant face 17a is arranged on the outer circumference face of the guide frame 17, and projecting parts 310a-310c, through which respective operation areas can be identified, are arranged on the slant face 17a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device including a touch panel as operation input means.

For example, a car audio device is known as an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile. Car audio devices are also commonly called car stereos, and are used to send sound output from AM or FM tuners, cassette tape decks, CD players, autochangers, etc., into the vehicle using amplifiers or in-vehicle speakers. . In recent years, a car audio device has been proposed in which a touch panel as an operation input unit is provided on a display device so that the operation can be performed by a touch operation (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 63-34635 A

  However, in the case where a plurality of operation areas are provided on the touch panel, in order to identify each area, the operator needs to perform an operation while visually checking the touch panel every time an operation is performed. The operation was inconvenient.

  In particular, when operating the touch panel provided on the in-vehicle device, the operator cannot observe the touch panel while traveling and keeps the vehicle stopped while traveling in order to maintain safe driving of the vehicle. There is a problem that operability is bad, such as having to operate.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic apparatus that can be operated without visual observation in an electronic apparatus that includes a touch panel as an operation input unit.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a touch panel having a plurality of operation areas and a frame surrounding the touch panel, an inclined surface is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the frame, and each of the operation areas is provided on the inclined surface. There is provided an electronic apparatus characterized in that an area identifying unit capable of identifying the above is provided.

  In addition, the present invention includes a touch panel having a plurality of operation areas in which one operation area is in contact with at least one of the other operation areas, and has a boundary identifying unit capable of identifying the boundary of the operation area around the touch panel. Provided is an electronic device characterized in that it is enclosed in a frame and provided with an area identification unit capable of identifying each of the operation areas.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that, in the above invention, an inclined surface is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the frame, and the region identifying portion is provided on the inclined surface.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned invention, the region identification section has a protrusion.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, in the electronic device provided with the touchscreen as an operation input means, it becomes possible to operate easily, without visually recognizing.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a front view of a car audio device main body 1 as an aspect of the electronic apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a detachable control panel (hereinafter referred to as DCP (Detachable) attached to the front of the car audio device main body 1. 15 is a front view of the control panel 15).

  As shown in FIG. 1, a CD (Compact Disc) insertion slot 2a and a memory card (flash memory card or compact memory card: hereinafter simply referred to as “memory”) insertion slot 2b are provided on the front of the car audio apparatus body 1. Is formed. A DCP 15 that functions as an operation unit and a display unit is detachably attached to the front surface of the car audio device body 1.

  The DCP 15 mounting structure will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 3, two engaging projections 3a and 3b are vertically arranged on the back side of the DCP 15 on the right side of the drawing, and on the left side of the drawing. One engagement receiver 4 is formed, and a connector contact 5 is formed in the back surface. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, a support plate 9 for attaching the DCP 15 is provided on the front surface of the car audio apparatus main body 1, and two engagement receivers 6a and 6b and one support plate 9 are provided on the support plate 9. An engagement protrusion 7 is formed and a connector contact 8 is formed. Under such a configuration, after the engagement receiver 4 on the back surface of the DCP 15 is pushed into the engagement protrusion 7 on the support plate 9 of the car audio device main body 1 and one end side of the DCP 15 is engaged with the car audio device main body 1, the DCP 15 The DCP 15 is attached to the front surface of the car audio device main body 1 by pushing the engagement protrusions 3a, 3b and the connector contact 5 on the rear surface of the car audio device main body 1 into the engagement receivers 6a, 6b and the connector contact 8 of the car audio device main body 1.

  When the DCP 15 is attached to the car audio device body 1, in order to display a command signal by a button operation between the DCP 15 side and the car audio device body 1 through the connector contacts 5 and 8 and various information on the display unit. Signals etc. are sent and received.

  Further, when the DCP 15 is attached to the front surface of the car audio apparatus main body 1, the DCP 15 covers the insertion port 2 for a CD or the like. In this state, when the open key 21a disposed at the upper left end of the DCP 15 is pressed deeply, the support plate 9 and the DCP 15 are tilted by an arm (not shown) as shown in FIG. And the insertion openings 2a and 2b are exposed, and a CD or a memory can be inserted into the insertion openings 2a and 2b.

  As described above, since the DCP 15 as the operation unit and the display unit is detachable from the car audio device main body 1, if the user (driver or the like) removes the DCP 15 and carries it when getting off the vehicle, the thief The anti-theft effect of giving up stealing by realizing that the car audio device main body 1 cannot be used or resold by seeing that there is no essential display part or operation part when the car audio device main body 1 is colored Play.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the DCP 15 includes a DCP case 16, a guide frame 17 provided in front of the DCP case 16, a liquid crystal panel 19 provided inside the guide frame 17 and functioning as a display unit, The touch panel 20 is provided on the surface of the liquid crystal panel 19 and functions as an operation input unit. The DCP case 16 is provided with various operators such as the open key 21a and the power key 21b for turning on the main power of the car audio device body 1. The power key 21b is configured as a button-type rotary operator, and the pressing operation of the power key 21b is interlocked with power on / off, and the rotary operation is interlocked with the volume adjustment of the reproduced sound.

  As the touch panel 20, a resistive film type touch panel is used, and the transparency (light transmittance) of the touch panel 20 is high. As shown in FIG. 5, various displays of the liquid crystal panel 19 disposed below can be visually recognized through the touch panel 20. It has become.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the car audio apparatus main body 1 and the DCP 15. As shown in the figure, the car audio apparatus main body 1 includes a master microcomputer 100, a radio receiver 110, a reproducing unit 120, and a recording medium reading unit 130, when roughly classified. The master microcomputer 100 executes control of each part of the car audio apparatus main body 1 and the DCP 15, and includes storage means such as a ROM that stores a control program and the like, and a RAM that temporarily stores calculation data and the like. Is built-in. In addition, although illustration is abbreviate | omitted, the master microcomputer 100 is electrically connected with the backup power source directly connected with the battery of the vehicle other than the ACC power source connected with the battery via the key switch, and the ACC While the power supply is off, power is supplied from the backup power supply and operation is possible.

  The radio receiver 110 receives AM / FM radio waves, and includes an antenna 111 and a tuner circuit 112. The tuner circuit 112 receives radio waves based on a command from the master microcomputer 100, and The data is output to the playback unit 120.

  The reproduction unit 120 reproduces sound based on output signals from the master microcomputer 100, the radio reception unit 110, and the recording medium reading unit 120, and includes an electronic volume circuit 121, a mute circuit 122, and an amplifier 123. And. The electronic volume circuit 121 adjusts the signal level after D / A conversion of the input signal and outputs it to the mute circuit 122 in order to adjust the reproduction volume based on the command of the master microcomputer 100. The mute circuit 122 cuts off the output signal of the reproduced sound from the amplifier 123 based on a command from the master microcomputer 100 when the external sound device 160 is connected to the car audio device body 1. The amplifier 123 amplifies the output signal from the electronic volume circuit 121 with a predetermined amplification ratio and outputs it to the external speaker SP to reproduce the sound.

  For example, an external surround decoder 161 of an external sound device 160 is connected to the electronic volume circuit 121 via an RCA connector made of, for example, a two-wire coaxial cable, and the external volume decoder 161 is connected to the electronic volume circuit 121. In this case, the signal is output to the external surround decoder 161 together with the signal output to the mute circuit 122.

  The external surround decoder 161 receives the analog signal output from the electronic volume circuit 121, adds an acoustic effect (for example, reverberation sound) in order to enhance the surround effect, and outputs it to the external amplifier unit 162. The external amplifier unit 162 includes a number of amplifier circuits (not shown) corresponding to the number of external speakers SP ', amplifies the output signal from the external surround decoder 161, and outputs the amplified signal to the external speaker SP'. The external surround decoder 161 is connected to the electronic volume circuit 121 with a digital optical cable or the like, and is configured to receive a digital signal from the electronic volume circuit 121. The digital signal includes a surround signal such as a Dolby digital signal. If so, the analog signal is output to the external amplifier unit 162 after decoding the signal.

  When the external sound device 160 is connected to the car audio device main body 1, in addition to the connection between the electronic volume circuit 121 and the external surround decoder 161, a bus connection between the external surround decoder 161 and the master microcomputer 100 is also made. . Similar to the connection between the display microcomputer 152 and the master microcomputer 100, this bus connection is performed by coupling connector contacts (not shown), and various connections are made between the master microcomputer 100 and the external surround decoder 161 via this bus connection. Signals are exchanged.

  The recording medium reading unit 130 reads a CD and reads / writes a memory (memory card or the like), and includes a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) 131 and a mechanical microcomputer 132. The DSP 131 decodes music data read from the CD and the memory and outputs the decoded data to the reproducing unit 120, and at the time of writing to the memory, the encoded data is written to the memory. The mechanical microcomputer 132 executes CD disk rotation speed control, tracking control, and the like by a pulse signal synchronized with rotation of a disk rotation motor (not shown) and signal feedback control from an optical pickup (not shown).

  As described above, the DCP 15 includes the liquid crystal panel 19, the touch panel 20, and the operation keys 21, and further includes a display microcomputer 152 that controls each part of the DCP 15, and various types of liquid crystal panel 19 based on instructions from the display microcomputer 152. And an LCD driver 151 for displaying information. When the DCP 15 is mounted on the car audio device body 1, the display microcomputer 152 of the DCP 15 and the master microcomputer 100 of the car audio device body 1 are electrically connected by the connector contacts 5 and 8 to exchange various signals. Do.

  For example, when the power key 21b (see FIG. 2), which is one of the operation keys 21, is rotated and the volume is adjusted by the user, the rotation operation amount is detected by an encoder (not shown) and displayed on the display microcomputer 152. To the master microcomputer 100. As a result, the electronic microcomputer circuit 121 is controlled by the master microcomputer 100 so that the reproduction volume becomes a volume corresponding to the rotation operation amount of the power key 21b.

  Further, for example, when the surface of the touch panel 20 is touched by a user's hand, a voltage signal corresponding to the position coordinate of the contact point is output from the touch panel 20, and the contact point coordinate is specified by the display microcomputer 152 based on this signal. And output to the master microcomputer 100.

The touch panel 20 will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 7, the touch panel 20 has a rectangular shape having a larger area than the display area of the liquid crystal panel 19, and one substantially transparent touch panel 20 is formed in five adjacent areas. The first to fifth regions R1 to R5 are formed by being divided. Each of these first to fifth regions R1 to R5 functions as one independent operation region. Each of the first to fifth regions R1 to R5 is set by virtually dividing one touch panel 20 as follows. In the present embodiment, the upper left corner of the touch panel 20 in the drawing is defined as XY. When the origin is (0, 0) and the XY coordinates of the lower right corner are (255, 255),
First region R1: 0 ≦ X <80 and 0 ≦ Y ≦ 255
Second region R2: 80 ≦ X <150 and 0 ≦ Y ≦ 255
Third region R3: 150 ≦ X <220 and 0 ≦ Y ≦ 255
Fourth region R4: 220 ≦ X <255 and 0 ≦ Y <128
Fifth region R5: 220 ≦ X <255 and 128 ≦ Y ≦ 256
The settings (coordinate values) of the first to fifth regions R1 to R5 are stored in advance in the ROM of the master microcomputer 100.

  When the user touches the touch panel 20 with a hand or the like and presses it down, the display microcomputer 152 of the DCP 15 detects the pressed point as an XY coordinate, and the pressed point coordinate is output to the master microcomputer 100 of the car audio apparatus body 1. The Then, based on the output from the display microcomputer 152, the master microcomputer 100 determines which of the first to fifth areas the operation location belongs to. As a result, it is assumed that the area including the pressed point coordinates has been operated by the master microcomputer 100, and a function associated with the operation in this area is executed in advance.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the liquid crystal panel 19 displays an operation target of each of the first to fifth regions R1 to R5 of the touch panel 20. For example, during the CD reproduction, the fourth display is performed. In the area R4, “MODE” indicating that the fourth area R4 is a call operation area for calling various setting modes such as a volume adjustment screen and a setting screen for the speaker SP is displayed. In the fifth area R5, Then, “DISC UP” is displayed to indicate that the fifth area R5 is a CD switching operation area.

  When the display on the liquid crystal panel 19 is performed, when the user presses a location where “DISC UP” is displayed, the coordinates of the pressed point at this time are output from the display microcomputer 152 to the master microcomputer 100. Then, the master microcomputer 100 specifies that the pressed point coordinates belong to the fifth region R5 based on the coordinate settings of the first to fifth regions R1 to R5, and gives an instruction to the CD changer, etc. The switching control is executed.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, dead zones Za to Zd are set on the boundaries of the first to fifth regions R1 to R5 on the touch panel 20, and the portions pressed by the user are dead zones Za to Zd. In some cases, the operation itself is regarded as invalid, and it is possible to prevent an unintended operation from being performed when the user accidentally presses an adjacent area.

  By the way, in the present embodiment, as a frame surrounding the touch panel 20 in order to make it possible to recognize the approximate positions of the first to fifth regions R1 to R5 without visually observing the following, A guide frame 17 having a guide function is used.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the guide frame 17 is formed in a deformed annular shape having constricted portions 300 a to 300 g (boundary identifying portions) confined on the boundaries A to C of the respective regions. Therefore, if the user slides a finger or the like along the circumference of the guide frame 17, the shape of the guide frame 17 guides the finger to sequentially move around the first to fifth regions R1 to R5. By the constricted portions 300a to 300g, the divided portions of the first to fifth regions R1 to R5 can be recognized, and the approximate operation position of the touch panel 20 can be grasped. A groove for guiding the user's finger around the first to fifth regions R1 to R5 in order is formed on the periphery of the guide frame 17, and at the boundary portion between the first to fifth regions R1 to R5. For example, the groove shape may be changed from the groove shape at other places by changing the groove width, and the boundary portions of the first to fifth regions R1 to R5 may be recognized.

  Here, when the user slides his / her finger along the circumference of the guide frame 17, although the divided portions of the first to fifth regions R1 to R5 can be recognized by the constricted portions 300a to 300g, the divided portions are , It may be difficult to grasp which area is to be divided, and a desired operation position and an incorrect position may be operated.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, convex portions 310a to 310c (region identification portions) that can identify each of the circumferences of the guide frame 17 at locations corresponding to the first to third regions R1 to R3 are provided, Each of the first to third regions R1 to R3 can be identified by tactile sensation. Specifically, each of the protrusions 310a to 310c is provided with a different number of protrusions, and the user identifies each of the first to third regions R1 to R3 based on the difference in the number of protrusions. It becomes possible. In the present embodiment, the convex portions 310a to 310c for identifying each of the first to third regions R1 to R3 are provided on the circumference of the guide frame 17, but the fourth region R4 and the fifth region It is good also as a structure which further provides the convex part for identifying area | region R5.

  In the present embodiment, when the user touches the convex portions 310a to 310c of the guide frame 17 with a finger or the like in order to recognize the locations of the first to third regions R1 to R3 by groping, The touch panel 20 on the inner side of the guide 17 is touched and erroneous operation is prevented.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing a cross section taken along the line A-A ′ of FIG. 2. As shown in this figure, among the outer peripheral surfaces on the periphery of the guide frame 17 that surrounds the touch panel 20, the side positioned below the touch panel 20, that is, the outer peripheral surface on the side where the convex portions 310 a to 310 c are provided, An inclined surface 17a facing the surface is provided, and convex portions 310a to 310c are provided on the inclined surface 17a. That is, the inclined surface 17a is inclined so that its height gradually decreases from the upper side in the figure (the inner peripheral side of the guide frame 17) to the lower side in the figure (the outer peripheral side of the guide frame 17). When the convex portions 310 a to 310 c are touched with a finger, the inner peripheral side of the guide frame 17 is high, so that the fingertip is prevented from entering the touch panel 20 inside the guide frame 17.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the guide frame 17 surrounding the touch panel 20 having the plurality of operable first to fifth regions R1 to R5 is provided, and the guide frame 17 is provided with the first to third. Since the convex portions 310a to 310c (for each region consciousness) for enabling identification of each of the regions R1 to R3 are provided, the user can visually recognize the convex portion 310a provided on the guide frame 17 without looking at the touch panel 20. The position of the first to third regions R1 to R3 can be recognized and operated by touching .about.310c.

  Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the inclined surface 17a is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the guide frame 17, and the convex portions 310a to 310c are provided on the inclined surface 17a. When 310 c is touched, the fingertip is prevented from entering the touch panel 20 inside the guide frame 17.

  Moreover, according to this Embodiment, the guide frame 17 becomes a structure which has the narrow part 300a-300g (boundary identification part) so that the boundary of 1st-5th area | region R1-R5 of the touch panel 20 can be identified. Therefore, the user can recognize the boundary portions of the first to fifth regions R1 to R5 of the touch panel 20 without visually observing each boundary portion.

  The above-described embodiments merely show one aspect of the present invention, and can be arbitrarily modified within the scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the car audio device that is a vehicle-mounted device is illustrated as an example of the electronic device. However, the present invention is not limited to the vehicle-mounted device, and may be any electronic device that uses a touch panel as an operation unit. It is possible to apply. Of course, the present invention may be applied to, for example, a car navigation device as another in-vehicle device.

It is a front view of the car audio apparatus main body which is an electronic device concerning this Embodiment. It is a front view of DCP. It is a rear view of DCP. It is a figure for demonstrating tilting of DCP. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of a liquid crystal panel. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of a car audio apparatus main body and DCP. It is a figure for demonstrating the operation area | region of a touchscreen. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of a touchscreen and the guide frame surrounding this touchscreen.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Car audio apparatus main body 17 Guide frame 17a Inclined surface 19 Liquid crystal panel 20 Touch panel R1-R5 area | region (operation area | region)

Claims (4)

A touch panel having a plurality of operation areas;
A frame surrounding the touch panel,
An electronic device, wherein an inclined surface is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the frame, and an area identifying unit capable of identifying each of the operation areas is provided on the inclined surface. A touch panel having a plurality of operation areas in which one operation area is in contact with at least one of the other operation areas;
An electronic apparatus, wherein the touch panel is surrounded by a frame having a boundary identifying unit capable of identifying a boundary of the operation region, and an area identifying unit capable of identifying each of the operation regions is provided in the frame.   The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an inclined surface is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the frame, and the region identification unit is provided on the inclined surface. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the region identification unit has a protrusion.

Images