JP2007226840A - Three-dimensional pointing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a three-dimensional pointing device with which three-dimensional position information of a cursor is easily input by an operation method similar to that of the conventional touch pad etc. <P>SOLUTION: The three-dimensional pointing device includes: gel-like resin inside which a fingertip or a nib is three-dimensionally moved; a spatial position detection part which detects a position of the fingertip or the nib which spatially moves inside the resin; and a cursor control means for three-dimensionally moving the cursor based on data from the spatial position detection part. In addition, at least one of pressurized position detection sheets is provided with: a pressurization force detection part which detects magnitude of pressurization force applied to a pressurized position; and a cursor moving velocity control means for controlling, when two or more pressurized position detection sheets among the stacked pressurized position detection sheets simultaneously detect the pressurized position, three-dimensional moving velocity of the cursor according to the magnitude of the pressurization force detected by the pressurization force detection part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a three-dimensional pointing device that allows a user to move a cursor three-dimensionally with respect to a three-dimensional image displayed on a display screen of a computer.

  Conventionally, an apparatus for moving a cursor moving on a computer screen three-dimensionally has been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-60502 proposes a three-dimensional position designation device that inputs a three-dimensional position of the light emitter to a computer by detecting a pen having a light emitter at the tip with a light receiving element. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-3133 proposes a point device in which a three-dimensional element (three-dimensional data) is input in a lump by providing an angle sensor for inputting an inclination angle in an instruction section. Further, in JP-A-8-255053, the light emitted from the LED is reflected by the reflector and enters the one-dimensional PSD and the two-dimensional PSD, and the tilt state of the operation unit and the vertical position are detected from the output current. There has been proposed a computer input device that outputs three-dimensional position information to a computer body.

  By the way, in a recent mobile information terminal such as a notebook personal computer or a portable information terminal (personal data assistance PDA), a “touch pad” indicated by 101 in FIG. "Pad", "glide point", etc.). This touch pad controls a cursor by touching with a fingertip or a pen tip. As a method for detecting the position of the fingertip or pen tip, a capacitance type, a pressure sensitive type, or the like is known. The “pressure-sensitive” touch pad is described in detail in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-15816 (“pressure-sensitive coordinate input device”). These “touchpads” are not equipped with a special place like a mouse, and unlike trackballs and joysticks, they have no moving parts and are maintenance-free. It is what.

  However, conventionally, regarding the “touch pad”, an apparatus for inputting the three-dimensional position information of the cursor for moving the cursor three-dimensionally with respect to the stereoscopic image displayed on the screen has been proposed. Not. Therefore, in order to solve the problems of the conventional technology, the present invention has an object to provide a three-dimensional pointing device that can easily input the three-dimensional position information of a cursor by an operation method similar to that of a conventional touch pad or the like. And

The present invention for solving the problems of the prior art as described above is as follows.
1. A three-dimensional pointing device for moving a cursor three-dimensionally with respect to a displayed three-dimensional image, a gel-like resin body capable of moving a fingertip or a pen tip three-dimensionally inside the resin, and this resin Spatial position detection unit for detecting the position of a fingertip or pen tip moving spatially inside the body, and cursor control means for moving the cursor three-dimensionally based on data from the spatial position detection unit And a three-dimensional pointing device.
2. A three-dimensional pointing device for moving a cursor three-dimensionally with respect to a displayed three-dimensional image, and at least two pressing position detection sheets for detecting a pressing position from a fingertip or a pen tip A three-dimensional pointing device characterized by being laminated as described above.
3. 3. The three-dimensional pointing device as described in 2 above, wherein the pressing position detection sheets are stacked on each other via an elastic sheet.
4). In 2 or 3 above, when only one pressing position detection sheet on the surface layer side of the stacked pressing position detection sheets detects the pressing position, the cursor is moved only two-dimensionally. And a cursor movement control means for moving the cursor three-dimensionally when two or more of the stacked pressing position detection sheets detect the pressing position at the same time. 3D pointing device.
5). In 4 above, when the cursor movement control means detects the pressing position at the same time when two or more pressing position detection sheets in the stacked pressing position detection sheets detect the pressing position, A three-dimensional pointing device that obtains the pressing direction of the fingertip or the pen tip and moves the cursor three-dimensionally according to the obtained pressing direction.
6). In the above 2 to 5, further, the at least one pressing position detecting sheet is provided with a pressing force detecting unit for detecting the magnitude of the pressing force applied to the pressing position, and the stacked layers are stacked. When two or more pressing position detection sheets in the pressing position detection sheet simultaneously detect the pressing position, the three-dimensional movement of the cursor according to the magnitude of the pressing force detected by the pressing force detection unit. A three-dimensional pointing device comprising cursor movement speed control means for controlling the speed of the display.

1. In the present invention, a soft clay-like or gel-like resin body that can move a fingertip or a nib three-dimensionally inside the space, and a spatial position for detecting the position of the fingertip or the nib that moves spatially inside the resin body. By providing a cursor control means for moving the cursor three-dimensionally based on the position detection unit and the data from the spatial position detection unit, the user can arbitrarily place a fingertip or a pen tip in the resin body. When moved, the cursor can be moved on the stereoscopic image on the screen accordingly. In particular, in the present invention, since the resin body has a soft clay-like or gel-like property, when the user moves a fingertip or a pen tip in the resin body, the resin body gives the user “a certain degree”. For example, when the inside of the human body is displayed as a stereoscopic image, when the user searches the inside of the human body with the virtual image with the virtual reality technology (VR technology), for example, The user can obtain “a more realistic sensation as if he / she is really searching for the human body with his / her fingertip” by the sensation of receiving “a certain amount of resistance” from the resin body.
2. Since at least two or more pressing position detection sheets for detecting the pressing position from the fingertip or the pen tip are stacked, not only the planar (two-dimensional) movement of the fingertip and the pen tip but also three-dimensional (3 Dimensional movement can be detected. Therefore, the cursor can be moved three-dimensionally based on the detection of the three-dimensional movement.
3. In 2 above, the pressing “direction” of the fingertip or pen tip can be detected more accurately by stacking the pressing position detection sheets on each other via an elastic sheet.
4). In the above 2 or 3, the cursor movement control means is further configured to move the cursor three-dimensionally only when two or more pressing position detection sheets in the stacked pressing position detection sheets simultaneously detect the pressing position. By configuring to move, when the user wants to move the cursor only in a plane, it can be surely moved only in a plane, and the user can move the cursor three-dimensionally. When you want to, you can be surely moved in three dimensions.
5). In 4 above, when the cursor movement control means detects the pressing position at the same time when two or more pressing position detection sheets of the stacked pressing position detection sheets detect the pressing position, the pressing positions detected by the sheets are detected. From this, the pressing direction of the fingertip or the nib is determined, and the cursor is moved in a three-dimensional manner in accordance with the determined pressing direction. It can be detected accurately and the cursor can be moved more accurately.
6). In the above 2 to 5, further, the at least one pressing position detection sheet is provided with a pressing force detection unit for detecting the magnitude of the pressing force applied to the pressing position, and the stacked pressing position When two or more pressing position detection sheets in the detection sheet detect the pressing position at the same time, the speed of the three-dimensional movement of the cursor according to the magnitude of the pressing force detected by the pressing force detection unit. Therefore, the user can freely control the three-dimensional “movement speed” of the cursor by controlling the pressing force of the fingertip or the pen tip.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention is a mode as described in Example 1 below.

  Next, Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the three-dimensional pointing device according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 1, 11 is a container, and 12 is a gel-like resin body accommodated in the container 11. The resin body 12 is a soft clay-like or gel-like substance. That is, the resin body 12 has a property that the user can easily push the fingertip or the pen tip into the resin body 12 and can freely move the position of the fingertip or the pen tip freely in the pushed state. Have. Further, the resin body 12 has a property that it does not adhere to the fingertip even if it is touched with the fingertip or the pen tip. That is, the resin body 12 has a property that the resin body 12 does not adhere (or hardly) to the fingertip or the nib when the user pulls up the fingertip or the nib after the fingertip or the nib is pushed. Yes. In addition, when the user tries to move the fingertip or the pen tip into the resin body 12, the resin body 12 provides “a certain amount of resistance” (due to frictional resistance) like the conventional soft clay or gel. It has the property given to.

  Next, in the first embodiment, the container 11 has a three-dimensional position detector (not shown) for three-dimensionally detecting the spatial position of the fingertip or the pen tip in the resin body 12. Is provided. As one configuration of the three-dimensional position detection unit, for example, X-rays are emitted from the three directions of the XY plane, the XZ plane, and the YZ plane in FIG. 6 toward the fingertip and the pen tip, respectively. By doing so, an X-ray detector that can three-dimensionally detect the spatial position of the fingertip or the pen tip is configured. As another configuration of the three-dimensional position detection unit, for example, ultrasonic waves are directed toward the fingertip and the pen tip from three directions of the XY plane, the XZ plane, and the YZ plane in FIG. And an ultrasonic detector capable of three-dimensionally detecting the spatial position of the fingertip or the pen tip by detecting a state in which the ultrasonic wave is reflected from the fingertip or the pen tip. Good.

  The three-dimensional position data of the fingertip and pen tip detected by the three-dimensional position detection unit is sent to the cursor position control device 6. That is, for example, the position data of the fingertip or pen tip detected by the X-ray emission from the XY plane of FIG. 6 is sent to the cursor position control device 6 by the data line 15 and from the XZ plane of FIG. The fingertip and pen tip position data detected by the X-ray emission is sent to the cursor position control device 6 by the data line 16, and the fingertip and pen detected by the X-ray emission from the YZ plane in FIG. The previous position data is sent to the cursor position control device 6 through the data line 17.

  The cursor position control device 6 generates cursor position control data (data for controlling the cursor movement direction, movement rejection, and movement speed) based on the three-dimensional position data, and this control data is used as the computer body 7. Send to. In the computer main body 7, the cursor is controlled to move three-dimensionally on the three-dimensional image on the computer screen based on the transmitted control data.

  In the first embodiment, since the resin body 12 has “a certain degree of resistance (hardness)” as described above, the user can place a fingertip or a pen tip on the surface of the resin body 12. If it is moved so that it can be traced lightly, the first embodiment can be used as a device for detecting only a two-dimensional movement of a fingertip or a pen tip, similarly to a conventional touch pad. it can.

  In the first embodiment, the spatial position of the fingertip or the pen tip is detected three-dimensionally by X-rays or ultrasonic waves. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various methods are used. Is possible. For example, the resin body 12 is formed of a transparent resin, and a light emitter is attached to a user's fingertip or pen tip, and light emitted from the light emitter is changed to the XY plane, the XZ plane of the container 11, It is also possible to detect the spatial position of the fingertip or the nib in a three-dimensional manner by detecting with a large number of light receiving elements arranged in a vertical and horizontal grid pattern on the YZ plane.

  FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the touch pad according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, reference numerals 1, 2, and 3 denote pressing position detection sheets placed at positions closest to the surface side of the touch pad. Each of these pressed position detection sheets 1, 2, 3 detects the pressed position by pressing with a fingertip or a pen tip. The configuration of each of the pressed position detection sheets 1, 2, 3 is, for example, that a large number of piezoelectric elements 1a, 2a, 3a are arranged on a single sheet in a planar (vertical and horizontal lattice pattern), and each piezoelectric element 1a is arranged. , 2a, 3a are each provided with an electrode (not shown).

  When a pressing force is applied to a portion (point) of each of these pressed position detection sheets 1, 2, 3 with a fingertip or a pen tip, the piezoelectric element 1 a of the portion (point) to which the pressing force is applied Piezoelectricity is generated in 2a and 3a. As a result, from each of the pressing position detection sheets 1, 2 and 3, the piezoelectric elements 1a, 2a and 3a arranged in the vertical and horizontal grids are shown to which the pressing force is applied. A signal (that is, data indicating a pressed position indicating which position (point) on the sheet is pressed) is output.

  Moreover, in FIG. 2, 4 and 5 are elastic sheets, such as rubber | gum. In the touch pad according to the second embodiment, an elastic sheet 4 is interposed between the pressing position detection sheet 1 and the pressing position detection sheet 2, and elastic between the pressing position detection sheet 2 and the pressing position detection sheet 3. Sheets 5 are interposed, and are formed by laminating them in the order shown in FIG.

  In the second embodiment, the pressing position data from the pressing position detection sheets 1, 2, 3 is sent to the cursor position control device 6. As a result of the weak force of pressing the fingertip or the pen tip of the user, the cursor position control device 6 is pressed only by the pressing position detection sheet 1 on the surface side among the stacked pressing position detection sheets 1, 2, 3. When the position is detected, control is performed so that the cursor is moved only two-dimensionally. The cursor position control device 6 detects two or more pressed positions in the stacked pressed position detection sheets 1, 2, and 3 as a result of a certain amount of force pressing the user's fingertip and pen tip. When the sheet detects the pressed position at the same time, control is performed so that the cursor is moved three-dimensionally.

  The operation of the cursor position control device 6 when moving the cursor three-dimensionally is as follows. When the cursor position control device 6 detects two or more pressing position detection sheets of the stacked pressing position detection sheets 1, 2, 3 and simultaneously detects the pressing position and outputs predetermined position information. First, the “pressing direction” of the fingertip or pen tip is obtained based on the pressing position information output from each of the sheets. Then, the cursor position control device 6 obtains the “movement direction” of the cursor when moving the cursor three-dimensionally according to the obtained pressing direction, and sends control data indicating the movement direction to the computer main body 7. Output to. The method of obtaining the “pressing direction” will be described later with reference to FIGS.

  Further, the “movement distance” of the cursor in the “movement direction” obtained in this way is obtained as follows. The pressing position data from the respective pressing position detection sheets 1, 2, and 3 is continuously output to the cursor position control device 6 while the user presses the touch pad with the fingertip or the pen tip. The cursor position control device 6 measures the time during which the pressing position data is continuously input. Then, the cursor position control device 6 obtains the data of the “movement distance” of the cursor so as to move the cursor by a distance (for example, a proportional distance) according to the length of the input time thus measured. 7 is output. Specifically, the cursor position control device 6 is in a state where the pressing position data from each of the pressing position detection sheets 1, 2, 3 is being output (while the user is pressing the fingertip or the pen tip). The cursor is continuously moved based on the “movement speed” described later.

  In the second embodiment, each of the pressing position detection sheets 1, 2, and 3 is also provided with a pressing force detection unit that detects the magnitude of the pressing force applied to the pressing position. Specifically, since the magnitude of the piezoelectricity generated in each of the piezoelectric elements 1a, 2a, 3a varies depending on the magnitude of the pressing force, the fingertip or the pen tip is detected by detecting the magnitude of the piezoelectricity. The magnitude of the pressing force can be detected. Data indicating the magnitude of the detected pressing force is output from each pressing position detection sheet 1, 2, 3 to the cursor position control device 6. In the cursor position control device 6, for example, from each of the pressing position detection sheets 1, 2, 3, based on the “data indicating the magnitude of the pressing force” from each of the pressing position detection sheets 1, 2, 3, for example. The total sum of the “data indicating the magnitude of the pressing force” is obtained, and the magnitude of the pressing force to the entire touch pad is obtained based on the value of the sum (in the present invention, as described above, The magnitude of the pressing force to the entire touch pad is calculated based not only on the total sum of each data from the position detection sheet but only on the data indicating the pressing force from any one pressing position detection sheet. Also good). The cursor position control device 6 outputs data for controlling the three-dimensional “moving speed” of the cursor according to the obtained magnitude of the pressing force to the computer main body 7.

  Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a touch pad according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a plan view showing pressing position detection sheets 1, 2, and 3 constituting the touch pad of FIG. Now, it is assumed that the user presses the touch pad with the fingertip or the pen tip from the direction of arrow A in the figure. Then, when the pressing force is considerably large, the pressing force is not limited to the pressing position detection sheet 1 positioned most on the surface layer, but also the elastic sheet 4 below it, further the pressing position detection sheet 2 below it, and further below it. The elastic sheet 5 and the pressing position detection sheet 3 below the elastic sheet 5 can be reached.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 3, when the touch pad is pressed with the fingertip or the pen tip from the direction A in FIG. 3, the piezoelectric element 1aa of the pressed position detection sheet 1 and the sheet 2 Predetermined voltages (piezoelectricity) are generated from the piezoelectric element 2aa and the piezoelectric element 3aa of the sheet 3 respectively. When this is shown in a plan view, as shown in FIG. 4, a pressing force is applied to the piezoelectric element 1aa of the pressed position detection sheet 1, the piezoelectric element 2aa of the same sheet 2, and the piezoelectric element 3aa of the same sheet 3. A predetermined voltage is generated from each of the piezoelectric elements 1aa, 2aa, 3aa. Then, data indicating the “position (pressing position) in each sheet” of each piezoelectric element 1aa, 2aa, 3aa is output from the respective sheets 1, 2, 3 to the cursor position control device 6. In addition, as described above, the voltage from each piezoelectric element 1aa, 2aa, 3aa varies depending on the “size of the pressing force” applied to the piezoelectric elements 1aa, 2aa, 3aa. It is output to the cursor position control device 6.

  The cursor position control device 6 determines the “pressing direction” (in this case, the A direction) based on the data indicating the “pressing position” sent from each of the pressing position detection sheets 1, 2, 3. Ask for. That is, the “pressing direction” (direction A in FIG. 3) of the fingertip or the pen tip can be obtained from the position data (pressing position data) of each piezoelectric element 1aa, 2aa, 3aa in FIGS. Then, the cursor position control device 6 obtains the “movement direction” of the cursor based on the obtained “pressing direction”.

  Next, the cursor position control device 6 determines the “movement speed” of the cursor based on the data indicating “the magnitude of the pressing force” sent from each of the pressing position detection sheets 1, 2, 3. Ask for.

  Further, the cursor position control device 6 obtains the “movement time” of the cursor based on the time when the “pressing position information” is continuously sent from the respective pressing position detection sheets 1, 2, 3 respectively. Further, the “movement distance (movement amount)” is obtained (the movement distance is obtained from the movement speed and the movement time). Actually, while the “pressing position information” is continuously sent from the respective pressing position detection sheets 1, 2, and 3, the control is performed so that the cursor continuously moves.

  As described above, the cursor position control device 6 determines the three-dimensional movement direction, movement speed, and movement distance (movement amount) of the cursor.

  Next, another operation of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are for explaining the operation when the user presses the touch pad of the second embodiment with the fingertip or the pen tip in the direction of arrow B in FIG. When the user presses the touch pad with the fingertip or the pen tip in the direction of arrow B, as shown in FIG. 5, the pressing position detection sheets 1, 2, and 3 each have the piezoelectric elements 1 ab, The largest pressing force is applied to 2ab and 3ab. That is, the pressing force (force pressed by the user) applied to the position of the piezoelectric element 1ab of the pressing position detection sheet 1 located on the most surface layer is applied to the piezoelectric element 2ab of the pressing position detection sheet 2 via the elastic sheet 4. Is transmitted to the position (the largest pressing force is transmitted to the position of the piezoelectric element 2ab in the pressing position detection sheet 2), and further transmitted to the position of the piezoelectric element 3ab of the pressing position detection sheet via the elastic sheet 5. (The maximum pressing force is transmitted to the position of the piezoelectric element 3ab in the pressing position detection sheet 3). FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the state described above with reference to FIG. 5 for each of the pressed position detection sheets 1, 2, and 3.

  As described above, when a pressing force is applied in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 5, a voltage is generated from each of the piezoelectric elements 1ab, 2ab, 3ab, and each pressing position detection sheet 1, 2, 3 is pressed. Data indicating the position is obtained. Data indicating these pressed positions is sent to the cursor position control device 6, respectively.

  In the above-described second embodiment, the piezoelectric elements 1a, 2a, 3a that generate piezoelectricity by pressing are used as elements for detecting the pressing position, but the present invention is not limited to this, For example, the pressure position may be detected using a pressure sensitive body whose resistance value changes with the pressing force. Further, in the present invention, the pressed position detection using the piezoelectric element 1a described in the second embodiment as a member for detecting a planar (two-dimensional) position on the fingertip or the pen tip touch pad. A sheet is used, but in addition to this, as a member for detecting a planar (two-dimensional) position on the fingertip or the touch pad of the pen tip, a conventional capacitance-type pressing position (contact position) ) A detection sheet may be used.

It is a perspective view for demonstrating the structure of Example 1 of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the structure of the touchpad by Example 2 of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the present Example 2. FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the present Example 2. FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the present Example 2. FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the present Example 2. FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the conventional notebook type personal computer and the touchpad with which it was equipped.

Explanation of symbols

1, 2, 3 Pressed position detection sheet 1a, 1aa, 1ab. 2a, 2aa, 2ab, 3a, 3aa, 3ab Piezoelectric element 4, 5 Elastic sheet 6 Cursor position control device 7 Computer body

Claims (6)

A three-dimensional pointing device for moving a cursor three-dimensionally with respect to a displayed three-dimensional image,
A gel-like resin body that can move a fingertip or a nib in a three-dimensional manner;
A spatial position detection unit for detecting the position of a fingertip or a pen tip that spatially moves inside the resin body; and
Cursor control means for moving the cursor three-dimensionally based on the data from the spatial position detector,
A three-dimensional pointing device. A three-dimensional pointing device for moving a cursor three-dimensionally with respect to a displayed three-dimensional image,
A three-dimensional pointing device, wherein at least two pressing position detection sheets for detecting a pressing position from a fingertip or a pen tip are stacked. 3. The three-dimensional pointing device according to claim 2, wherein the pressed position detection sheets are stacked on each other via an elastic sheet. In claim 2 or 3, further
When only one pressing position detection sheet on the surface layer side in the stacked pressing position detection sheet detects the pressing position, the cursor is moved only two-dimensionally and the stacked pressing position is A three-dimensional pointing device comprising cursor movement control means for moving a cursor three-dimensionally when two or more pressed-position detection sheets in the detection sheet simultaneously detect a pressed position. In claim 4,
When the cursor movement control means detects a pressing position at the same time when two or more pressing position detection sheets in the stacked pressing position detection sheets detect the pressing position at the same time, from the pressing positions detected by those sheets, the fingertip Alternatively, a three-dimensional pointing device that obtains the pressing direction of the pen tip and moves the cursor three-dimensionally according to the obtained pressing direction. In any of claims 2 to 5, further
The at least one pressing position detection sheet is provided with a pressing force detection unit that detects the magnitude of the pressing force applied to the pressing position,
When two or more pressing position detection sheets in the stacked pressing position detection sheets detect the pressing position at the same time, according to the magnitude of the pressing force detected by the pressing force detection unit, A three-dimensional pointing device comprising cursor movement speed control means for controlling a three-dimensional movement speed.

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