JP2010165293A - Touch panel input device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a "touch panel input device" that detects an accurate input position even when a housing, on which a display unit having a touch panel function is arranged, moves in a depression direction. <P>SOLUTION: The touch panel input device 10 includes: the display unit arranged on a movable nose; a touch panel 11 mounted on the front of the display unit; a movable nose inclination detecting part 12a that detects an inclination angle of the movable nose; a memory unit 14 that stores a reference signal value corresponding to the inclination angle; a comparing section 13 that compares the reference signal value with a signal output according to a touch panel depression; and a controller 15 that obtains an inclination angle from the movable nose inclination detecting part 12a, extracts the reference signal value corresponding to the inclination angle from the memory unit 14, and sets the reference signal value to the comparing section 13. The reference signal value may be a signal value output when the touch panel 11 is depressed at each inclination angle with a pressure of depressing the touch panel 11 while the movable nose is closed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an analog touch panel input device that detects coordinates of a pressed position.

  In recent years, touch panels have been used as input devices for various electronic devices. There are touch panels that use resistive films and those that use electrostatic capacity. Touch panels that use resistive films have a position where two uniform resistive films spaced apart by a small spacer are in contact by pressing. The structure is such that the voltage is read by the other resistance film by the voltage gradient applied to one resistance film.

  The touch panel may not be able to correctly recognize the pressed position depending on the usage situation. For example, when the pressing pressure is weak or the pressing area is wide, it is determined that a position different from the pressed position is pressed, and the detection position becomes inaccurate.

  Various techniques have been studied in order to prevent such inaccurate position detection. Patent Document 1 describes a touch panel device that automatically lowers the sensitivity to prevent malfunction when there is a risk of the surface becoming wet in a capacitive touch panel.

  Patent Document 2 describes a touch panel input device capable of measuring a pressing time or pressure of a touch panel and setting a threshold for determining the pressing for each user.

JP 2008-030646 A JP 2007-109082 A

  As described above, the detection accuracy of the pressed position is improved by considering the pressing time of the touch panel, the pressing pressure, or the environment in which the touch panel is used.

  On the other hand, in a vehicle-mounted electronic device, a movable nose-type panel device that allows opening and closing of a front surface portion on the main body device side having a media insertion / extraction port with a movable nose having a display screen such as a liquid crystal monitor has become widespread. . In such a panel device, normally, the movable nose is held in a closed position in a standing posture so that a display screen on which map information or the like is displayed is easy to see. To expose the media insertion / extraction port.

  When the touch panel arranged on such a display screen is used with the movable nose tilted forward, the movable nose itself moves in the pressing direction, so compared to using the touch panel with the movable nose closed. Therefore, it is required to increase the pressing pressure. As described above, the detection of the pressed position of the touch panel becomes unstable due to the movement of the casing itself in which the touch panel is installed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the related art, and can detect a correct input position even when a casing in which a display unit having a touch panel function is arranged moves in the direction of pressing the touch panel. An object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel input device that can be used.

  In order to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, according to one aspect of the present invention, a display unit disposed on a movable nose, a touch panel installed on the front surface of the display unit, and an inclination angle of the movable nose are detected. A movable nose tilt detection unit, a storage unit that stores a reference signal value corresponding to the tilt angle, a comparison unit that compares the reference signal value and a signal output when the touch panel is pressed, A control unit that acquires a tilt angle from the movable nose tilt detection unit, extracts a reference signal value corresponding to the tilt angle from the storage unit, and sets a reference signal value of the comparison unit. A touch panel input device is provided.

  In the touch panel input device according to the above aspect, the reference signal value is determined for each inclination angle of the movable nose, and the touch panel at each inclination angle is pressed with a pressure for pressing the touch panel with the movable nose closed. The reference signal value may be a signal value that is output when the touch panel is divided into a central region and a peripheral region, and the touch panel having the inclination angle for each region. It may be a signal value output when is pressed.

  In the touch panel input device according to the above aspect, the control unit detects a position where the touch panel is pressed, and when the detected position exists in the central area, the detected position is set as a touch panel pressed position. The control unit may detect a position where the touch panel is pressed, and when the detected position exists in the peripheral area, reset the reference signal value corresponding to the area. The touch panel pressing position may be detected.

  According to the touch panel input device of the present invention, the reference value of the signal for detecting whether or not the touch panel is pressed is adjusted according to the open / close state of the movable nose where the touch panel is arranged. As a result, even when the movable nose moves in the pressing direction when the touch panel is pressed, it is possible to detect pressing of the touch panel with a light input load, and it is not necessary to apply a force corresponding to the escape of the movable nose. .

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the touchscreen input device which concerns on this embodiment. 2A is a circuit diagram of the main part of the touch panel input device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a view of the touch panel as viewed from the side. It is a figure which shows the movable nose which has a display screen. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process which detects the touch position of a touch panel.

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

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a touch panel input device 10 according to the present invention in the form of a block diagram, and FIG. 2 shows a circuit diagram of a main part of the touch panel input device.

  The touch panel input device 10 according to the present embodiment includes a touch panel 11, a movable nose drive mechanism unit 12, a pressed output comparison unit 13, a storage unit 14, and a control unit 15 as a basic configuration.

  The touch panel 11 is a resistive film type touch panel, for example, and is installed on the front surface of a display screen arranged on a movable nose.

  The movable nose drive mechanism unit 12 drives the movable nose so as to open and close the movable nose by operating a movable nose opening / closing button (not shown), and includes an inclination angle detection unit 12a for detecting the inclination angle of the movable nose. Have.

  The pressing output comparison unit 13 compares a pressing signal indicating pressing from the touch panel 11 with a preset reference signal value that is considered to be pressed, and outputs a pressing signal when the pressing signal is determined to be pressed.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the pressed output comparison unit 13 includes a comparator 21 that compares a signal output from the touch panel 11 with a reference signal. The reference signal is supplied to the comparator 21 with the voltage adjusted by an electronic volume R3 provided between the voltage Vcc and the ground.

  The control unit 15 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer, detects the tilt angle of the movable nose, extracts a reference signal value corresponding to the tilt angle from the storage unit 14, controls the electronic volume R3, and controls the reference of the comparator 21 Set the signal value. Further, control such as resetting the reference signal value supplied to the comparator 21 according to the detected position of the touch panel 11 is performed.

  The storage unit 14 is configured by, for example, a semiconductor memory such as a flash memory or a hard disk (HDD), and stores a reference signal value corresponding to the inclination angle of the movable nose on which the touch panel 11 is disposed.

  In the touch panel input device 10 configured as described above, the control unit 15 acquires the inclination angle of the movable nose where the touch panel 11 is installed, and the reference signal value of the signal for detecting the touch panel input position according to the inclination angle. Are extracted from the storage unit 14. The electronic volume R3 is adjusted according to the reference signal value, and the position where the touch panel 11 is touched is detected. Further, when the detected position is a predetermined position such as a peripheral portion of the touch panel 11, the reference signal value is reset and more accurate position detection is performed.

(Touch panel position detection operation)
FIG. 2A is a diagram showing a circuit diagram of a main part of the touch panel input device of FIG. 1, and includes an equivalent circuit of a resistive touch panel. FIG. 2B is a view of the touch panel 11 as viewed from the side. As shown in FIG. 2B, the touch panel 11 is provided with electrodes 23 and 24 on an upper resistive film 21 in the X direction and a lower resistive film 22 in the Y direction, respectively. There is a slight gap between the upper resistive film 21 and the lower resistive film 22 so that a portion touched with a touch pen, a finger, or the like is in contact.

  In the equivalent circuit of the touch panel 11 in FIG. 2A, the dotted line portion TPR1 represents the resistance between the X0 and X1 terminals, and the dotted line portion TPR2 represents the resistance between the Y0 and Y1 terminals. Detection of the position touched on the touch panel 11 is performed as follows. A voltage is applied to the upper resistive film 21 and the lower resistive film 22, and a voltage value proportional to the position where the resistors TPR1 and TPR2 are in contact is taken out from the electrode of the other resistive film. By repeating this alternately for the upper resistive film 21 and the lower resistive film 22, the input coordinates are captured.

  For example, in order to capture the X coordinate, the switch Q1 and the switch Q4 are turned on, a voltage is applied between the X0 and X1 terminals, and the voltage value is read from the Y0 or Y1 terminal. It is possible to detect which point on the X-axis is pressed by the read voltage value. To capture the Y coordinate, the switch Q2 and the switch Q3 are turned on, a voltage is applied between the Y0 and Y1 terminals, and the voltage value is read from the X0 or X1 terminal. Based on the read voltage value, it is possible to detect which point on the Y axis is pressed.

  At this time, if the pressing force is strong, the detected voltage becomes a rectangular shape, but if the pressing force is weak, the detected voltage waveform is a rounded waveform, and the output value is different and the pressed position is accurately detected. I can't. This occurs due to an increase in contact resistance generated between the upper resistive film 21 and the lower resistive film 22 and a relationship with a capacitance component existing in the resistive film or the wiring pattern.

(Example of using a touch panel on the movable nose display screen)
Next, a case where the touch panel 11 is used on a display screen arranged on a movable nose will be described.

  3 is an example of an in-vehicle device having a movable nose. FIG. 3A is a side view thereof, FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the movable nose being closed, and FIG. The perspective view of the state which opened the movable nose is shown.

  The movable nose 31 is disposed in front of a front panel (escussion) 35 on the front surface of the main body 34 in which a drive device such as a CD or DVD is accommodated. The movable nose 31 can select a standing posture and a tilting posture. The front panel 35 is provided with a media insertion slot (not shown) for inserting and ejecting media such as CDs and DVDs. A display unit 32 and operation keys are provided on the front surface of the movable nose 31, and the display unit 32 is a touch panel display. The movable nose 31 is connected to the slider 33 and enters a standing posture or a tilted posture according to the position of the slider 33.

  FIG. 3B shows a state in which the slider 33 is pulled into the retracted position inside the main body 34, and the movable nose 31 is held in a standing posture. Therefore, the media insertion opening of the front panel 35 is covered with the movable nose 31. In this state, when an input operation of the touch panel type display unit 32 installed on the movable nose 31 or an operation key pressing operation is performed, the movable nose 31 does not sink in the pressing direction (backward), and these operations are performed. Can be performed without a sense of incongruity.

  The slider 33 is advanced from the standing state of the movable nose 31 as shown in FIG. 3B, the lower part of the movable nose 31 is advanced together with the slider 33, the upper part of the movable nose 31 is lowered, and the movable nose 31 gradually tilts as a whole. I will do it.

  FIG. 3C shows a state where the movable nose 31 is tilted to the maximum angle. When tilted to this state, the media insertion slot of the front panel 35 is exposed, and media such as CDs and DVDs can be inserted into and ejected from this insertion slot.

  When the movable nose 31 is held in the tilted posture as described above, when the input operation or the operation key pressing operation of the touch panel type display unit installed on the movable nose 31 is performed, the movable nose 31 is pressed down (see FIG. 3 (c) below), the touch is not detected unless the movable nose 31 is depressed more strongly than the movable nose 31 is held in the standing posture.

  In addition, when touching with the same pressing pressure as when held in the standing posture, even when it is detected that the touch has been detected, there is a case where the accurate touch position is not detected.

  Therefore, a reference signal value for detecting the depression is determined in advance according to the tilt angle of the movable nose, and stored in the storage unit in association with the tilt angle.

(Measurement of reference signal value)
Next, measurement of a reference signal value for detecting that the button has been pressed will be described.

  In the measurement of the reference signal value, first, an output voltage (pressed output voltage) when a predetermined position of the touch panel 11 is pressed with the movable nose open is measured. The pressing pressure at this time is, for example, the pressing pressure when the movable nose is closed.

  When the movable nose is open, there is a fluctuation that escapes in the pressing direction, so when pressing with the same pressing pressure as when the movable nose is closed, the contact resistance at the contact position between the upper and lower resistive films Becomes larger. For this reason, the pressed output voltage is smaller than the voltage detected when the movable nose is closed. The value of the pressed output voltage is set as a reference signal value when the movable nose is opened. Thereby, in the input operation of the touch panel 11, a load necessary for determining that the button is pressed can be reduced, and the touch panel 11 can be operated with the same pressing feeling as when the button is closed.

  The above-described measurement of the reference signal value is performed for each tilt angle at which the movable nose can be fixed.

  Note that these press output voltages are preferably within a range in which the detection position is correctly detected. Therefore, the minimum voltage at which an accurate position is detected is detected by changing the pressure to be pressed. For example, the pressing pressure at which an accurate position is detected is gradually decreased, and the pressing output voltage immediately before an error occurs in position detection is used as the boundary signal value. That is, it is desirable that the pressed output voltage value as the reference signal value is a voltage larger than the boundary signal value.

  In addition, even when the movable nose has the same inclination angle, the pressure determined to be pressed may vary depending on the area on the touch panel 11. Due to the structure of the touch panel 11, there are members for bonding the upper resistive film 21 and the lower resistive film 22 around and at the four corners. Therefore, compared with the area | region of the center part of the touch panel 11, when pressing the position of a peripheral part and four corner parts, stronger pressing pressure is requested | required than when pressing down a center part area | region. If the central area or the peripheral area is pressed with the same pressing pressure, there may occur a case where accurate position detection cannot be performed in the peripheral area even if accurate position detection can be performed in the central area. That is, the minimum voltage at which an accurate position is detected is higher in the peripheral area and the four corner areas than in the central area of the touch panel.

  Therefore, the inside of the touch panel 11 is divided into two areas (four corners and the peripheral area and other areas), and the reference signal value and the boundary signal value are measured in each area so as to correspond to the inclination angle of the movable nose. In addition, the reference signal value and the boundary signal value are recorded in the correspondence table and stored in the storage unit 14.

  Note that the inside of the touch panel may be divided into three regions or smaller regions instead of two regions. In that case, more accurate touch position detection can be performed.

  Further, the measurement of the reference signal value and the boundary signal value for touch position detection may be performed for each specific user. In this case, a reference signal value corresponding to the user can be adopted, and a reference signal value including a tendency of the user to operate the touch panel can be used. For example, when the pressing pressure of the user is different for each region in the touch panel, accurate position detection can be performed by setting a reference value corresponding to the region.

(Touch panel input position detection method)
Hereinafter, touch panel input position detection processing in the touch panel input device 10 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 4 showing an example of the processing flow.

  First, in step S11, the inclination angle of the movable nose where the touch panel 11 is disposed is detected. This inclination angle is taken from the movable nose drive device 12a.

  In the next step S <b> 12, a reference signal value set in the push-down output comparison unit 13 corresponding to the captured tilt angle of the movable nose is acquired from the correspondence table stored in the storage unit 14. Here, the reference signal value corresponding to the center area of the touch panel is acquired.

  In the next step S13, the reference signal value of the pressed output comparison unit 13 is set by adjusting the electronic volume R3. Specifically, the resistance value of the electronic volume R3 is adjusted so that the voltage value at the point A of the comparison unit becomes the reference signal value.

  The touch panel input is prepared by the processing from step S11 to step S13.

  In the next step S14, a position where the touch panel 11 is pressed is detected. In a state where the touch panel 11 is pressed, a voltage corresponding to the position information is output according to the inclination angle of the movable nose even when the pressing pressure is light.

  In the next step S15, it is detected which region in the touch panel 11 is the pressed detection position acquired in step S14. It is detected whether or not the pressed detection position is a predetermined position such as a peripheral portion of the touch panel 11. If it is a predetermined area such as a peripheral part, the process proceeds to step S16, and if it is any other area, the pressed detection position is set as the pressed position, and this process ends.

  In step S <b> 16, the reference signal value set in the pressed output comparison unit 13 is reset. For example, when the pressing detection position detected in step S14 is the peripheral part of the touch panel, a stronger pressing pressure is required than when the central part of the touch panel 11 is pressed. Since it is determined whether or not the center portion has been pressed based on a reference signal value that determines that the center portion has been pressed, it may be considered that the button has been pressed at a pressure that is weaker than a necessary pressure. In that case, the contact resistance at the contact position increases, and there is a possibility that an accurate position cannot be detected. For this reason, an accurate pressing position can be determined by resetting a reference signal value specialized for the peripheral portion.

  In the next step S17, it is detected that a predetermined position such as a peripheral portion has been pressed with reference to the reference signal value reset in step S16, and an accurate pressed position is acquired.

  As described above, in the touch panel input device according to the present embodiment, the reference signal value for detecting the touch state is changed according to the inclination angle of the movable nose on which the touch panel is arranged. As a result, even when the movable nose is opened and the touch panel is touched, the touch position can be detected with a light pressing pressure even when the moving nose is rattling or moving in the pressing direction.

10 ... Touch panel input device,
11 ... Touch panel,
12 ... movable nose drive mechanism,
12a ... inclination angle detector,
13 ... Press output comparison unit,
14 ... storage part,
15 ... control unit,
21 ... Comparator,
R3: Electronic volume.

Claims (5)

A display unit arranged on a movable nose;
A touch panel installed in front of the display unit;
A movable nose inclination detector for detecting an inclination angle of the movable nose;
A storage unit storing a reference signal value corresponding to the tilt angle;
A comparison unit that compares the reference signal value with a signal output when the touch panel is pressed;
A control unit that acquires a tilt angle from the movable nose tilt detection unit, extracts a reference signal value corresponding to the tilt angle from the storage unit, and sets a reference signal value in the comparison unit;
A touch panel input device comprising:   The reference signal value is determined for each inclination angle of the movable nose, and is a signal value that is output when the touch panel at each inclination angle is pressed with a pressure for pressing the touch panel with the movable nose closed. The touch panel input device according to claim 1, wherein the touch panel input device is provided.   The reference signal value is a signal value that is output when the touch panel at each inclination angle is pressed for each region when the touch panel region is divided into a central region and a peripheral region. The touch panel input device according to claim 2.   The said control part detects the position where the said touch panel was pressed, and when the detected position exists in the said center part area | region, the said detected position is made into a touch panel pressed position. Touch panel input device.   The control unit detects a position where the touch panel is pressed, and when the detected position exists in the peripheral area, resets a reference signal value corresponding to the area and detects a touch panel pressed position. The touch panel input device according to claim 4.

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