JP2013020344A - Input device and input detection method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To avoid an incorrect input operation which may occur when display for performing an input operation is hidden by a finger or the like in the case of performing the input operation by bringing a finger or the like into contact or vicinity according to display for performing the input operation.SOLUTION: The input device includes: an input detection part 1 for detecting contact or vicinity; and a display part 2 for performing display for performing an input operation according to the contact with the input detection part 1 or the vicinity thereof, and for recognizing the input operation according to the contact with the input detection part 1 or the vicinity thereof. The input detection part 1 and the display part 2 are arranged such that their relative positions are displaceable to a state that they are almost overlapped with each other and a state that at least a part of them is not overlapped with each other. The display part 2 is configured to recognize the input operation by using the display of the position opposite to the position where the contact or vicinity has been detected by the input detection part 1 in the state that the input detection part 1 and the display part 2 are almost overlapped with each other.

Description

  The present invention relates to an input device and an input detection method for recognizing an input operation by detecting contact or proximity.

  Currently, mobile phones are becoming an indispensable tool in daily life from the viewpoint of information exchange and information collection. At the time when mobile phones appeared in the world, most of them had only a call function, but recently, like ordinary personal computers, they send e-mails and connect to the Internet. Be able to.

  In such a mobile phone market, smartphones are rapidly spreading in recent years. A smartphone has a touchpad that detects contact on the display screen. When contact is detected on the touchpad, the detected position coordinates can be read, and the same location on the display screen as the position coordinates can be selected and operated. It becomes. And the input device having such a touchpad is adopted not only for smartphones but also for portable game machines, etc., selection of application icons and browser links on the display screen, key for character input, Scrolling and enlarging / reducing the display screen are intuitive and easy to operate.

  However, in the input device in which information is input by detecting contact as described above, when trying to select a character input key when creating an e-mail, a link when browsing a browser, or an icon for starting an application, The display screen may be hidden by a finger touching the touch pad, and the target location may not be selected.

  For this reason, there is a case where a character input error occurs when an e-mail is created, an application different from the purpose is started, and a link destination that is not the purpose is connected when browsing the browser.

  Here, in a small portable device having two casings, in a state where the two casings overlap each other, only a part of the information displayed on one casing is visible through the other casing. Patent Document 1 discloses that information displayed on one housing is designated by a touch-sensitive input device provided on the other housing when the two housings are displaced from each other.

JP 2009-530905 A

  However, what is disclosed in Patent Document 1 is that when two housings overlap each other, only part of the information displayed on one housing is visible through the other housing. Like the smartphone described above, the information displayed on the display screen cannot be specified by contact, and the above problem cannot be solved.

  The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the above-described technology, and performs an input operation when an input operation is performed with a finger or the like touching or approaching according to a display for performing the input operation. An object of the present invention is to provide an input device and an input detection method capable of avoiding that the display for the purpose is hidden by a finger or the like and the input operation is mistaken.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides:
Input detection means for detecting contact or proximity;
Display for performing an input operation by contact or proximity to the input detection means, and display means for recognizing an input operation by contact or proximity to the input detection means,
The input detection means and the display means are arranged so that their relative positions are displaceable between a state where they substantially overlap each other and a state where at least some of them do not overlap each other,
The display means recognizes the input operation using a display of a position where the input detection means and the display means face each other at a position where contact or proximity is detected by the input detection means.

In addition, a display process for performing a display for performing an input operation,
First detection processing for detecting contact or proximity to the input detection means in a state where the input detection means for detecting contact or proximity substantially overlaps the display as an input operation corresponding to display of a position facing the contact or proximity. When,
Contact or proximity to the input detection means in a state where the input detection means does not overlap at least a part of the display, and display of a position facing the contact or proximity in a state where the input detection means substantially overlaps the display. And a second detection process that is detected as an input operation.

  According to the present invention, if an input operation is performed by touching or approaching the input detection unit with the relative position between the input detection unit and the display unit being in a state in which at least a part thereof does not overlap with each other, the display according to the display for performing the input operation is performed. When an input operation is performed with a finger or the like in contact or in proximity, it is possible to avoid an error in the input operation due to a display for performing the input operation being hidden by the finger or the like.

It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the input device of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the small electronic device used as one Embodiment of the input device shown in FIG. 1, (a) is an external appearance perspective view, (b) is the touchpad and display unit which were shown to (a). The figure which shows a connection state, (c) is the external appearance perspective view which looked at the display unit shown to (a) from the surface side, (d) is the external appearance perspective view which looked at the touchpad shown to (a) from the back surface side, (E) is a functional block diagram. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a method of changing the relative position between the touch pad and the display unit in the small electronic device shown in FIG. 2, (a) is an external perspective view in a state where the touch pad and the display unit are overlaid; (B) is a diagram showing an engagement state between the upper claw and the upper groove in a state where the touch pad and the display unit are superposed, (c) is an external perspective view showing a state where the touch pad is displaced from the display unit, FIG. 6D is a diagram showing an engagement state between the upper claw and the upper groove when the touch pad is displaced from the display unit. FIG. 5E is a diagram illustrating the touch pad and the display unit when the touch pad is displaced from the display unit. It is a figure which shows a connection state. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an operation when an input operation is performed by touching or approaching the touch pad in the small electronic device illustrated in FIG. 2, and (a) is a state in which the touch pad and the display unit are overlapped with each other. Fig. 4B is an external view when a display for performing an input operation is performed at (b), and (b) is an input operation performed by touching or approaching the touch pad in a state where the touch pad is displaced from the display unit. FIG. It is a figure which shows the other example of the small electronic device used as one Embodiment of the input device shown in FIG. 1, (a) is an external appearance perspective view in the state with which the touchpad and the display unit were overlapped, (b). FIG. 4 is an external perspective view showing a state where the touch pad is displaced from the display unit. It is a figure which shows the other example of the small electronic device used as one Embodiment of the input device shown in FIG. 1, (a) is an external appearance perspective view in the state with which the touchpad and the display unit were overlapped, (b). FIG. 4 is an external perspective view showing a state where the touch pad is displaced from the display unit. It is a figure which shows the other example of the small electronic device used as one Embodiment of the input device shown in FIG. 1, (a) is an external appearance perspective view in the state with which the touchpad and the display unit were overlapped, (b). FIG. 3 is an external perspective view showing a state where a display unit and a touch pad are separated.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of an input device of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the input device of the present invention comprises an input detection unit 1 serving as input detection means and a display unit 2 serving as display means.

  In the input device configured as described above, the input detection unit 1 and the display unit 2 are arranged so that their relative positions can be displaced between a state where they substantially overlap each other and a state where at least some of them do not overlap each other. ing. In the display unit 2, display for performing an input operation by contact or proximity to the input detection unit 1 is performed. When the contact or proximity is detected by the input detection unit 1, the input detection unit 1 is displayed in the display unit 2. The input operation is recognized by using the display of the position where the input detection unit 1 and the display unit 2 face each other at the position where contact or proximity is detected.

  Hereinafter, the input device configured as described above will be described with a specific example.

  2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating an example of a small electronic device that is an embodiment of the input device illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2A is an external perspective view, and FIG. 2B is a touch pad 10 illustrated in FIG. The figure which shows the connection state of and the display unit 20, (c) is the external appearance perspective view which looked at the display unit 20 shown to (a) from the surface side, (d) is the touchpad 10 shown to (a) on the back surface An external perspective view seen from the side, (e) is a functional block diagram.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a touch pad 10 serving as an input detection unit 1 and a display unit 20 serving as a display unit 2 are overlapped, and the touch pad 10 and the display unit 20 are folded into an S shape. It is configured to be electrically connected via the flexible sheet 30.

  The touch pad 10 has a touch part 11 for a finger or the like to contact or approach using a capacitance or the like, and an upper nail 12a and a lower part are formed at two corners in the area outside the touch part 11 on the back surface. A claw 12b is provided. Then, the position detection unit 13 detects the position where the finger or the like touches or approaches the touch unit 11.

  The display unit 20 has a display screen portion 21 that performs display in order to perform an input operation by touching or approaching the touch panel 10 on the surface, and an upper groove 22a and a lower groove 22b are formed along two opposite sides. ing. On the side where the lower groove 22b of the display screen section 21 is formed, an open / close switch 23 serving as an overlapping state detecting means is provided. The display unit 20 includes a CPU (not shown), and the CPU functions as a position recognition unit 24, an operation recognition unit 25, a display control unit 26, and an operation control unit 27. In addition, as the display screen part 21, what consists of a liquid crystal, organic EL, etc. can be considered.

  The position recognition unit 24 recognizes the position detected by the position detection unit 13 of the touch pad 10. The display control unit 26 performs a display for performing an input operation by touching or approaching the touch pad 10 on the display screen unit 21, and performs a display according to the control of the operation control unit 27 on the display screen unit 21. . The operation recognition unit 25 recognizes an input operation by contact or proximity to the touch pad 10 based on the position recognized by the position recognition unit 24 and the display on the display screen unit 21 controlled by the display control unit 26. To do. The operation control unit 27 controls the display control unit 26 to perform display on the display screen unit 21 in accordance with the input operation recognized by the operation recognition unit 25.

  Below, the usage method of the small electronic device comprised as mentioned above is demonstrated.

  First, a method for changing the relative position between the touch pad 10 and the display unit 20 will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a method of changing the relative position of the touch pad 10 and the display unit 20 in the small electronic device shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 3A is a diagram in which the touch pad 10 and the display unit 20 are overlapped. FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing the appearance of the upper nail 12a and the upper groove 22a when the touch pad 10 and the display unit 20 are overlapped with each other, and FIG. FIG. 4D is an external perspective view showing a state in which the touch pad 10 is displaced. FIG. 4D is a diagram showing an engagement state between the upper claw 12a and the upper groove 22a in a state in which the touch pad 10 is displaced from the display unit 20. These are figures which show the connection state of the touchpad 10 and the display unit 20 in the state which the touchpad 10 shifted from the display unit 20. FIG.

  The small portable electronic device shown in FIG. 2 is normally in a state in which the touch pad 10 and the display unit 20 are overlapped as shown in FIG. Even in this state, when a finger is brought into contact with or in close proximity to the touch unit 11, the touch unit 11 detects the contact or proximity, and the display unit 20 contacts the touch unit 11 in the display screen unit 21. Alternatively, an operation or display corresponding to the display of the position facing the position where proximity is detected is performed. In addition, the upper nail | claw 12a and the lower nail | claw 12b provided in the touchpad 10 are each engaging with the upper groove | channel 22a and the lower groove | channel 22b provided in the display unit 20, as shown in FIG.3 (b). The open / close switch 23 provided in the display unit 20 is pressed by the touch pad 10 and is in an ON state.

  From this state, as shown in FIG. 3C, the touch pad 10 can be slid along the upper groove 22 a and the lower groove 22 b, and the touch pad 10 can be shifted from the display unit 20. At this time, the upper nail 12 a and the lower nail 12 b provided on the touch pad 10 are engaged with the upper groove 22 a and the lower groove 22 b provided on the display unit 20, respectively. And the display unit 20 are displaced from a state where they overlap each other to a state where some do not overlap each other. And as shown in FIG.3 (d), the upper nail | claw 12a and the lower nail | claw 12b contact | abut to the edge part of the upper groove | channel 22a and the lower groove | channel 22b, respectively, and the touch pad 10 is fixed in the position which does not slide any more. Thus, the relative position between the touch pad 10 and the display unit 20 from the upper claw 12a and the lower claw 12b provided on the touch pad 10 and the upper groove 22a and the lower groove 22b provided on the display unit 20 The holding means for holding the touch pad 10 and the display unit 20 is configured such that the touch pad 10 and the display unit 20 can be displaced between a state where the touch pad 10 and the display unit 20 overlap and a state where a part of the touch pad 10 and the display unit 20 do not overlap. Is done. The open / close switch 23 provided in the display unit 20 is not pressed by the touch pad 10 and is turned off.

  Further, even if the touch pad 10 slides to the state shown in FIG. 3C, the touch pad 10 and the display unit 20 are electrically connected via the flexible sheet 30 as shown in FIG. The state connected to is maintained.

  The touch pad 10 thus displaced from the display unit 20 is slid on the upper claw 12a and the lower claw 12b while engaging the upper groove 22a and the lower groove 22b, respectively, so that the touch pad 10 is superimposed on the display unit 20. Can be returned.

  In this embodiment, the touch pad 10 is provided with the upper nail 12a and the lower nail 12b, and the display unit 20 is formed with the upper groove 22a and the lower groove 22b. It can also be considered that the display unit 20 is provided with the upper claws 12a and the lower claws 12b.

  Next, an operation when an input operation by touching or approaching the touch pad 10 is performed will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an operation when an input operation is performed by touching or approaching the touch pad 10 in the small electronic device shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating the touch pad 10 and the display unit. 20B is an external view when a display for performing an input operation is performed in a state where the touch pad 10 is superimposed on the touch pad 10, and FIG. FIG. 6 is an external view when an input operation by contact or proximity is performed.

  The small portable electronic device shown in FIG. 2 is normally in a state where the touch pad 10 and the display unit 20 are overlaid as shown in FIG. 4A, and in this state, the display unit 20 is used as a display process. When the operation information 4 is displayed on the display screen unit 21, the operation information 4 can be visually recognized via the touch unit 11. Even in this state, when the finger is brought into contact with or brought close to the display position of the desired operation information 4 in the touch unit 11, the touch unit 11 detects the contact or proximity as the first detection process. Then, the display unit 20 performs an operation or display according to the operation information 4 at a position facing the position where contact or proximity is detected by the touch unit 11 in the display screen unit 21. Note that the operation information 4 displayed on the display screen unit 21 may be a character input key, a browser browsing link, an application activation icon, or the like.

  From this state, when the touch pad 10 is slid along the upper groove 22a and the lower groove 22b and the touch pad 10 is displaced from the display unit 20, the display is displayed on the display screen unit 21 as shown in FIG. The operated operation information 4 can be visually recognized without using the touch unit 11. In addition, when the open / close switch 23 provided in the display unit 20 is not pressed by the touch pad 10 and is turned off, the display control unit 26 of the display unit 20 displays a pointer serving as position specifying information on the display screen unit 21. 5 is displayed. When the position detection unit 13 of the touch pad 10 detects the position coordinate of the finger 3 that is in contact with or close to the touch unit 11, the pointer 5 is recognized by the position recognition unit 24 of the display unit 20, and display control is performed. The unit 26 displays on the display screen unit 21 based on the position coordinates. That is, the pointer 5 moves in conjunction with the movement of the finger 3 that is in contact with or close to the touch unit 11. As a result, the user can accurately select target information at the position of the pointer 5.

  Thereafter, when the position recognizing unit 24 recognizes contact or proximity again at that position, the operation recognizing unit 25 performs an input operation corresponding to the operation information 4 displayed at the position as the second detection processing. Recognize that. Then, the operation control unit 27 controls the display control unit 26 so that the display screen unit 21 performs display according to the input operation recognized by the operation recognition unit 25. For example, when the finger 3 touches or approaches a position where an application activation icon is displayed, the application is activated and displayed on the display screen unit 21.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the touch pad 10 and the display unit 20 are arranged so that the relative positions thereof can be displaced between a state where they overlap each other and a state where some of them do not overlap each other. A configuration for recognizing an input operation due to contact or proximity to the touch pad 10 by using a display at a position where the touch pad 10 and the display unit 20 face each other at a position where contact or proximity is detected on the touch pad 10. Therefore, if an input operation is performed by touching or approaching the touch pad 10 with the relative positions of the touch pad 10 and the display unit 20 not overlapping each other, a finger or the like is displayed according to the display for performing the input operation. When performing an input operation while touching or in close proximity, the display for performing the input operation is hidden by a finger or the like. It can be avoided that erroneous operation.

  In this embodiment, the open / close switch 23 is pressed by the touch pad 10 when the touch pad 10 is overlaid on the display unit 20, and is turned off when the touch pad 10 is not pushed. However, it may be one that is turned on / off by detecting light.

(Other embodiments)
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating another example of a small electronic device that is an embodiment of the input device illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5A is an external view in a state where the touch pad 110 and the display unit 120 are overlaid. FIG. 4B is an external perspective view showing a state in which the touch pad 110 is displaced from the display unit 120.

  In this example, as shown in FIG. 5, in a configuration in which the display unit 120 and the information input unit 140 are connected, the touch pad 110 is configured to be movable between the display unit 120 and the information input unit 140. Yes.

  The touch pad 110 has the same configuration as the touch pad 10 described above. The information input unit 140 is provided with a plurality of key buttons 141 for inputting and selecting information, and the position recognition unit 24, the operation recognition unit 25, and the display control unit shown in FIG. 26 and a CPU functioning as an operation control unit 27 are incorporated. That is, in the present embodiment, the display means of the present invention includes the display unit 120 and the information input unit 140.

  In the small electronic device configured as described above, when a key such as browsing a browser or using an application (game) is not used, the touch pad 110 is shifted from the display unit 120 to the information input unit 140 and in that state. When the finger 103 is brought into contact with or close to the touch unit 111, the pointer 105 is displayed on the display screen unit 121 in the same manner as described above, and the input operation for the information displayed at that position is recognized.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating another example of a small electronic device that is an embodiment of the input device illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6A is an external view in a state where the touch pad 310 and the display unit 320 are overlaid. FIG. 7B is an external perspective view showing a state in which the touch pad 310 is displaced from the display unit 320. FIG.

  In this example, as shown in FIG. 6, in the configuration in which the display unit 320 and the information input unit 340 are connected, the touch pad 310 is configured to be movable in the horizontal direction from the display unit 320.

  The touch pad 310 has the same configuration as the touch pad 10 described above. The information input unit 340 is provided with a plurality of key buttons 341 for inputting and selecting information, and the position recognition unit 24, the operation recognition unit 25, and the display control unit shown in FIG. 26 and a CPU functioning as an operation control unit 27 are incorporated. In other words, in the present embodiment, the display means of the present invention includes the display unit 320 and the information input unit 340.

  In the small electronic device configured as described above, when the touch pad 310 is shifted laterally from the display unit 320 and the finger 303 is brought into contact with or brought close to the touch unit 311 in this state, the display screen unit 321 is displayed. Similarly to the above, the pointer 305 is displayed, and the input operation for the information displayed at the position is recognized. At this time, since the touch pad 310 is not overlaid on the information input unit 340, an operation can be performed on the key buttons 341 of the information input unit 340.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating another example of a small electronic device that is an embodiment of the input device illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 7A is an external view in a state where the touch pad 210 and the display unit 220 are overlaid. FIG. 4B is an external perspective view showing a state where the display unit 220 and the touch pad 210 are separated.

  As shown in FIG. 7, this example is a small electronic device including a touch pad 210 and a display unit 220, in which Bluetooth is mounted on the touch pad 210.

  In the small electronic device configured as described above, when the touch pad 210 is not overlapped on the display unit 220 and the finger 203 is brought into contact with or close to the touch unit 211, the touch pad 210 changes its position coordinates. The data is sent to the display unit 220 via Bluetooth, and the pointer 205 is displayed on the display screen unit 221 in the same manner as described above, and the input operation for the information displayed at that position is recognized.

  In the above-described embodiment, the touchpads 10, 110, 210, and 310 and the display units 20, 120, 220, and 320 are displaceable between a state where they overlap each other and a state where some do not overlap. The touch pads 10, 110, 210, and 310 and the display units 20, 120, 220, and 320 do not completely overlap each other, and at least a part of them does not overlap, including a substantially overlapping state and a state that does not overlap at all. What is necessary is just to be able to be displaced to the state.

  The input device used in the present invention is not limited to a portable terminal or a smartphone, but may be a portable music player, a portable game machine, a tablet PC, a notebook PC, or the like.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Input detection part 2 Display part 3,103,203,303 Finger 4 Operation information 5,105,205,305 Pointer 10,110,210,310 Touchpad 11,111,211 and 311 Touch part 12a Upper nail 12b Below Claw 13 Position detection unit 20, 120, 220, 320 Display unit 21, 121, 221, 321 Display screen unit 22a Upper groove 22b Lower groove 23 Open / close switch 24 Position recognition unit 25 Operation recognition unit 26 Display control unit 27 Operation control unit 30 Flexible sheet 140,340 Information input part 141,341 Key buttons

Claims (5)

Input detection means for detecting contact or proximity;
Display for performing an input operation by contact or proximity to the input detection means, and display means for recognizing an input operation by contact or proximity to the input detection means,
The input detection means and the display means are arranged so that their relative positions are displaceable between a state where they substantially overlap each other and a state where at least some of them do not overlap each other,
The display unit recognizes the input operation by using a display of a position where the input detection unit and the display unit are opposed to each other at a position where contact or proximity is detected by the input detection unit. . The input device according to claim 1,
Having an overlapping state detecting means for detecting that at least a part of the input detecting means and the display means is in a non-overlapping state,
The display means is in contact or proximity with the input detection means when the overlap state detection means detects that at least a part of the input detection means and the display means are not overlapped. An input device for displaying position specifying information at a position where the input detecting means and the display means are opposed to each other at a position where the input is detected. The input device according to claim 1 or 2,
The relative position of the input detection means and the display means is displaced between a state in which the input detection means and the display means are substantially overlapped and a state in which at least a part of the input detection means and the display means is not overlapped. An input device having holding means for holding the input detection means and the display means so as to be possible. The input device according to claim 3,
The holding means is
A groove provided in one of the input detection means and the display means;
It consists of a claw provided on the other of the input detection means and the display means,
An input device that is displaced from a state in which the input detection unit and the display unit substantially overlap with each other while at least a part of the input detection unit and the display unit do not overlap with each other while the claw is engaged with the groove. Display processing to display for input operation;
First detection processing for detecting contact or proximity to the input detection means in a state where the input detection means for detecting contact or proximity substantially overlaps the display as an input operation corresponding to display of a position facing the contact or proximity. When,
Contact or proximity to the input detection means in a state where the input detection means does not overlap at least a part of the display, and display of a position facing the contact or proximity in a state where the input detection means substantially overlaps the display. An input detection method comprising: a second detection process for detecting as an input operation.

Images