JP2015114682A - Touch panel device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a touch panel device that can correct the difference between images even when there are an unspecified number of input persons.SOLUTION: A calculation unit specifies an input person selecting position coordinates on an operation surface 17 from a plurality of persons in the vicinity of the operation surface 17 on the basis of an image photographed by an imaging unit 15, and corrects the correspondence between the position coordinates and calculation processing on the basis of the line of sight of the specified input person.

Description

  The present invention relates to a touch panel device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a touch panel in which a display (display) and an input device are integrated is known. For example, a transmissive input device is arranged so as to be stacked on or separated from a display device on which an operation icon screen or the like is displayed. The input device includes, for example, a transparent electrode that detects position coordinates touched by an operator's finger. In the storage unit of the touch panel, the process indicated by the icon image displayed on the display device is associated with the position coordinates on the input device through which the icon image passes when the icon image is viewed with a predetermined line of sight. . When the operator touches a predetermined position on the input device corresponding to the icon image, processing corresponding to the icon image is executed.

  The display device that displays the image and the operation surface (surface that the operator touches) of the input device through which the image is transmitted are provided apart from each other. When the display unit and the input unit are arranged with an interval, the interval is separated. When the input device is stacked on the display device, the display device and the operation surface are separated by the thickness of the input device. Due to this separation, according to the angle at which the display device is viewed, the line of sight of the operator toward the predetermined icon image displayed on the display device and the intersection on the input device (operation surface), that is, the operation surface that can be touched by the operator The upper position coordinate changes. As a result, the correspondence between the image on the operation surface and the position coordinates is deviated from the correspondence stored in advance according to the viewing angle of the display (and the icon image displayed thereon). As a result, when the operator touches the operation surface, a process different from the process indicated by the icon image visually recognized by the operator may be executed.

  Therefore, in Patent Document 1, regarding the input to the POS terminal used for the register of the retail store or the like, the height information of the input person is acquired in advance, and the screen when vertically projected on the operation surface from this height information The amount of deviation from the screen on the operation surface visible to the input person is obtained, and the amount of deviation is reflected in the position coordinates on the operation surface touched by the input person. Further, in Patent Document 2, the amount of deviation is obtained based on a pressure vector applied to the operation surface, and position correction is performed.

JP 2007-207008 A JP 2012-84049 A

  By the way, when the input person to the touch panel can be specified in advance, it is possible to obtain the deviation amount by reflecting the information of the input person in advance. When there are an unspecified number of persons, it is difficult to correct the deviation as described above. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel device capable of correcting deviation even when there are an unspecified number of input persons.

  The present invention relates to a touch panel device. The touch panel device includes a display device for displaying an image, an input device that transmits an image by the display device and includes an operation surface capable of detecting a position coordinate selected from within the surface, and the selected position coordinate. The position coordinates are selected from a plurality of people around the operation surface based on a storage unit storing arithmetic processing according to the image, an imager that captures the periphery of the operation surface, and an image captured by the imager And an arithmetic unit that corrects a correspondence relationship between the position coordinates and the arithmetic processing based on the identified line of sight of the input user.

  Further, in the above invention, the calculation unit specifies, as the input person, a holder of the input unit that is closest to the operation surface based on the captured image, and the input person based on the position of the input unit. It is preferable that the position coordinates to be selected are predicted before selecting the position coordinates according to, and the correspondence between the predicted position coordinates and the calculation process is corrected based on the line of sight of the input person. .

  In the above invention, the touch panel device is provided in front of a front seat of a vehicle, and the storage unit stores a line-of-sight angle from a driver seat or a passenger seat to the operation surface. It is preferable that the correspondence relationship between the position coordinates and the arithmetic processing is corrected using the stored line-of-sight angle based on the result of imaging by the instrument.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, even when an input person is an unspecified number, the shift | offset | difference correction at the time of input to a touch panel is attained.

It is a figure which illustrates the touch panel device concerning this embodiment. It is a figure explaining a touch panel main body. It is a figure explaining the imaging range of an imaging device. It is a figure explaining the correction of the position coordinate on an operation surface. It is a figure explaining the correction of the position coordinate on an operation surface. It is a figure which illustrates the control flow of a calculating part. It is a figure explaining how to obtain | require deviation | shift angle (beta).

  FIG. 1 illustrates a touch panel device 10 according to this embodiment. FIG. 1 illustrates the front seat front portion in the passenger compartment of the automobile. The touch panel device 10 includes a touch panel body 12, an imager 15, and a control unit 16.

  The touch panel body 12 performs image display and position detection on the operation surface. For example, the touch panel body 12 may be provided in front of the front seat of the vehicle, and may be provided in the center console 18 between the driver seat and the front passenger seat in the front of the front seat.

  FIG. 2 illustrates a plan view of the touch panel body 12. The touch panel body 12 includes a display 14 and an input device 13.

  The display device 14 is display means for displaying a predetermined image. The display device 14 displays, for example, an icon image 25 indicating operation buttons of the audio system and map information. The indicator 14 may be, for example, an LED display in which LEDs are arranged on a plane. The display device 14 may be arranged behind the input device 13 when viewed from the observer 23. By adopting such an arrangement relationship, the image displayed on the display device 14 is seen by the observer 23 through the operation surface 17 of the input device 13.

  The input device 13 includes an operation surface 17 and is a detection unit that can detect a position coordinate selected on the operation surface 17. The input device 13 is composed of a member that can transmit the image displayed on the display device 14, and may be a position detection sensor including a transparent electrode layer laminated on glass serving as the operation surface 17, for example. The position detection sensor may be any of a resistance film type, a surface acoustic wave type, a capacitance type, an optical type, and an electromagnetic induction type.

  The input device 13 may be formed so as to have a design that harmonizes with each member in the vehicle interior. For example, when each member of the center console 18 has a curved surface shape, the input device 13 may have a curved surface shape.

  Further, the input device 13 may be able to detect the position coordinates where the input means such as the finger 19 of the input person or the stylus 21 touches the operation surface 17. Further, even if the operation surface 17 is not touched, the position coordinates corresponding to this proximity position may be detectable when the input unit has approached the operation surface 17 up to a predetermined distance.

  The display device 14 and the input device 13 are arranged apart from each other. For example, when the display device 14 has a flat plate shape and the input device 13 has a curved surface shape, the display device 14 and the input device 13 are separated from each other. Based on this separation distance, depending on the angle at which the predetermined icon image 25 on the display 14 is viewed, the intersection of the line of sight toward the icon image 25 and the operation surface 17, that is, the position coordinates on the operation surface 17 touched by the operator. Shifts.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the imager 15 images the periphery of the touch panel body 12. The image pickup device 15 may be a digital camera such as a CCD camera or a CMOS camera. The image pickup device 15 is arranged at a position where the touch panel body 12 and the input person can take an image. For example, the imager 15 may be provided in the overhead console 20 in front of the front seat of the vehicle. That is, the image pickup device 15 may be provided above the touch panel body 12 in the vertical direction.

  FIG. 3 illustrates an imaging range of the imaging device 15 when the above arrangement is adopted. In the upper part of FIG. 3, a side view of the vehicle is illustrated. The imaging range of the imaging device 15 is indicated by a one-dot chain line. As shown in this imaging range, by being mounted on the overhead console 20, the imaging device 15 includes the touch panel body 12 and images to the driver seat 24 and the passenger seat 22 behind the passenger compartment. It becomes possible.

  The image pickup range of the image pickup device 15 includes an area around the touch panel body 12 (hereinafter referred to as a touch panel area) such as a hatched area in the middle of FIG. 22 (hereinafter referred to as the passenger area). As will be described later, an input person to the touch panel body 12 can be identified from the captured image in the touch panel area. Further, the line of sight of the input person can be specified from the captured image of the passenger area.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the control unit 16 performs arithmetic processing according to an input to the touch panel body 12 by an input person. The control unit 16 includes a calculation unit 26 and a storage unit 28.

  The storage unit 28 stores calculation processing according to the position coordinates selected on the operation surface 17 of the touch panel body 12. When the display device 14 can switch and display a plurality of types of images, the correspondence between the position coordinates of the operation surface 17 and the arithmetic processing may be stored in the storage unit 28 for each display content. The storage unit 28 may be, for example, a storage circuit such as a ROM, a RAM, an EPROM, a hard disk device, or a flash memory provided in the control unit 16.

  The correspondence between the position coordinates on the operation surface 17 and the arithmetic processing is determined as follows, for example. That is, when the image is transmitted through the operation surface 17 vertically from the display device 14 (perpendicular to the display surface 31 of the display device 14), the position coordinates of the icon image on the operation surface 17 and the calculation indicated by the icon image are displayed. The processing is associated with each other and stored in the storage unit 28.

  The calculation unit 26 performs calculations based on signals from the touch panel body 12, the image pickup device 15, and the storage unit 28, and sends the calculation results to these devices. The computing unit 26 may be an integrated circuit mounted on the substrate of the control unit 16, for example.

  First, the computing unit 26 specifies an input person who selects position coordinates from among a plurality of people around the operation surface 17 based on the image captured by the imager 15. Further, the correspondence relationship between the position coordinates and the calculation process stored in the storage unit 28 is corrected based on the identified line of sight of the input user.

  FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of the process of specifying the input person. The computing unit 26 analyzes the captured image of the touch panel area captured by the imager 15 and identifies the input means (finger 19 or stylus 21) closest to the operation surface 17. For example, the input unit closest to the operation surface 17 is specified by obtaining and comparing the distance from the operation surface 17 for each input unit. Further, the calculation unit 26 analyzes the captured image of the occupant area captured by the imager 15, and identifies the specified input means holder 30, that is, the input person.

  Next, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the calculation unit 26 obtains the line of sight of the specified input person. For example, image processing of the face of the input person 30 is performed to obtain a midpoint connecting the eyes, and a line connecting the midpoint and the center of the display surface 31 is set as the line of sight of the input person 30.

  The calculation unit 26 corrects the correspondence relationship between the position coordinates of the operation surface 17 and the calculation process stored in the storage unit 28 based on the identified line of sight of the input user. The correction is performed as follows, for example. The computing unit 26 obtains an angle (shift angle) α formed between the line of sight of the input person and a perpendicular to the display surface 31 of the display 14. Further, from the shape of the operation surface 17, a distance (deviation amount) L between the intersection P <b> 1 between the operation surface 17 and the perpendicular and the intersection P <b> 2 between the operation surface 17 and the line of sight is obtained. For example, when the operation surface 17 is elliptical, the distance L is obtained using a formula for obtaining the circumference of the ellipse. Further, the calculation unit 26 refers to the calculation process corresponding to the coordinate obtained by adding the distance L to the position coordinate selected by the input person 30 (subtracted depending on the coordinate system) from the storage unit 28 and executes the calculation process. .

  If the correction of the correspondence between the position coordinates and the calculation process is executed when the position coordinate is selected, such as when the input means touches the operation surface 17, the correction calculation process is performed. A time lag occurs between the contact with the operation surface 17 and the execution of the arithmetic processing for the time. Therefore, before the position coordinate of the operation surface 17 is selected, the selected coordinate may be predicted, and the correction process may be preceded based on this prediction.

  As described above, the calculation unit 26 specifies the input unit closest to the operation surface 17 and the holder (= input person) based on the captured images of the touch panel area and the passenger area. Further, the calculation unit 26 predicts and estimates position coordinates that the input person will select based on the position of the input means. For example, the calculation unit 26 estimates the position coordinates of the operation surface 17 closest to the input unit. Specifically, the intersection of the longitudinal axis of the input means and the operation surface 17 is obtained, and the position coordinates of this intersection are obtained.

  Further, the calculation unit 26 obtains the line of sight of the input person and the deviation angle (correction angle) α, and obtains the deviation amount L on the operation surface 17. Further, the calculation unit 26 corrects the correspondence relationship between the estimated (predicted) position coordinates and the calculation process based on the deviation amount L.

  FIG. 6 exemplifies the control flow of the arithmetic unit 26 described above. First, the computing unit 26 determines the presence or absence of an occupant from the captured image of the occupant area captured by the imager 15 (S10). When the occupant is further recognized, the captured image in the touch panel area is analyzed (S12). In this analysis, when it is determined that there is an input means around the operation surface 17 (S14), the holder (= input person) of the input means is specified using the captured image of the passenger area (S16). When there is no input means around the operation surface 17, the touch panel area is continuously monitored.

  After identifying the holder of the input means (= input person), the calculation unit 26 obtains the shift angle α from the face position of the input person (S18). Next, the calculation unit 26 estimates the position coordinates on the operation surface 17 to be selected from the position of the input means, the longitudinal direction, and the like, and obtains the deviation amount L (S20). When the position coordinate is selected such as when the input means touches the operation surface 17 (S22), the calculation unit 26 corrects the correspondence between the position coordinate and the calculation process based on the deviation L (S24). Further, the corrected calculation process is executed (S26).

  In the above-described embodiment, it is assumed that the image captured by the image capturing device 15 is clear enough to be analyzed, but analysis is difficult when the image captured by the image capturing device 15 is unclear, such as at night. It is also possible to become. Accordingly, the line of sight of the input person is stored in the storage unit 28 in advance, and the calculation unit 26 uses the stored line-of-sight data for the correspondence between the position coordinates and the calculation process in accordance with the image pickup result by the image pickup device 15. May be corrected.

  As shown in FIG. 7, using the distance d from the center of the display surface 31 of the display 14 to the back surface of the passenger seat (or driver's seat) and the midpoint c / 2 of the seat width c, the following formula (1 ) To obtain the reference line-of-sight angle β. The obtained β is stored in the storage unit 28.

  Next, the calculation unit 26 analyzes the image captured by the imager 15. At this time, when the captured image is unclear, for example, when the contrast (ratio between the maximum value and the minimum value of the luminance value) is less than the threshold value, the calculation unit 26 is selected by the reference gaze angle β and the input person. Based on the position coordinates on the operation surface 17, the correspondence between the position coordinates and the arithmetic processing is corrected.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Touch panel apparatus, 12 Touch panel main body, 13 Input device, 14 Display device, 15 Image pick-up device, 16 Control unit, 17 Operation surface, 26 Calculation part, 28 Storage part.

Claims (3)

A display for displaying images;
An input device having an operation surface that transmits an image by the display device and that can detect a position coordinate selected from within the surface;
A storage unit storing arithmetic processing according to the selected position coordinates;
An imager for imaging the periphery of the operation surface;
Based on the image captured by the imager, the input person who selects the position coordinate is specified from among a plurality of persons around the operation surface, and the position coordinate is determined based on the line of sight of the specified input person. An arithmetic unit for correcting the correspondence with the arithmetic processing;
A touch panel device comprising: The touch panel device according to claim 1,
The calculation unit specifies, as the input person, a holder of the input means that is closest to the operation surface based on the captured image, and selects the position coordinates by the input person based on the position of the input means. A touch panel device characterized by predicting the position coordinates to be selected before and correcting a correspondence relationship between the predicted position coordinates and calculation processing based on the line of sight of the input person. The touch panel device according to claim 1 or 2,
The touch panel device is provided in front of the front seat of the vehicle,
The storage unit stores a line-of-sight angle from the driver seat or the passenger seat to the operation surface,
The said calculating part corrects the correspondence of the said position coordinate and a calculation process using the memorize | stored line-of-sight angle based on the imaging result by the said image pick-up device, The touch panel apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.

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