JP2015179311A - Input device, input control method, and computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an input device for preventing processing due to operation unexpected by a user.SOLUTION: An input device 101 includes: a touch panel 104 for receiving the operation of a user; an NFC(Near Field Communication) unit 107 for receiving the operation of the user; and a CPU 102. The CPU 102 waits in a predetermined time after the touch panel 104 receives the operation. The CPU 102 performs processing in accordance with the operation received by the touch panel 104 when the NFC unit 107 does not receive the operation while waiting. The CPU 102 performs processing in accordance with the operation received by the NFC unit 107 when the NFC unit 107 receives the operation while waiting, and invalidates the operation received by the touch panel 104.

Description

  The present invention relates to an input device used in an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral / Multi Function Printer) such as a multifunction machine in which a scanner, a printer, a facsimile, and the like are integrated.

  Smartphones and tablet PCs (Personal Computers) are equipped with a capacitive touch panel that has a good feeling of operation and enables a smooth touch operation as an input device. Also in MFPs, input devices are shifting from conventional resistive touch panels to capacitive touch panels. Since a capacitive touch panel can be input with a lighter touch operation than a resistive touch panel, even a light touch operation unintended by the user may be determined as an input. Therefore, the MFP needs to perform input control by accurately determining whether or not the touch operation is intended by the user. Patent Document 1 discloses an input device that prevents erroneous input by accepting a touch operation only when the type of touch operation of the user matches the type of touch operation assigned to the operation screen.

JP 2012-185703 A

  An input device of the MFP may include an authentication unit for reading authentication data from an authentication card for performing user authentication in the vicinity of the touch panel. The user may erroneously operate (touch) the touch panel when the authentication unit is brought close to the authentication unit and the authentication data is read. In the case of a capacitive touch panel, since the sensitivity is high, the possibility of erroneous operation is high. If the touch panel is erroneously operated prior to reading of the authentication data, processing related to the erroneous operation is performed first, and user authentication is postponed. In this case, even if the purpose is user authentication, an input unintended for the user is accepted first, and user authentication cannot be performed quickly. In addition, when screen transition is performed due to an unintended input, user authentication itself may not be performed. Therefore, the input device needs to reliably distinguish between reading authentication data from the authentication card and touch panel operation.

  In order to solve the above problems, it is a main object of the present invention to provide an input device that prevents processing due to an operation that is not intended by the user.

  An input device of the present invention that solves the above problems includes a first input interface that accepts a user operation, a second input interface that accepts a user operation, and is different from the first input interface, and the first input interface. The input interface waits for a predetermined time after accepting the operation, and if the second input interface does not accept the operation during standby, the first input interface performs processing according to the accepted operation, And processing means for performing processing in accordance with the operation received by the second input interface when the second input interface accepts the operation.

  According to the present invention, the first input interface waits for a predetermined time after accepting the operation, and processing according to the operation accepted by the first input interface or the second input interface by the operation accepted during the standby. I do. Therefore, even if the user performs an unintended operation on the first input interface, processing by this operation can be prevented.

The block diagram of an input device. The external view of an input device. The flowchart showing the input control process for preventing an erroneous operation. FIG. 4 is an exemplary diagram of an operation screen. FIG. 4 is an exemplary diagram of an operation screen. The flowchart showing the input control process for preventing an erroneous operation.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<Overall configuration>
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an input device of an MFP according to this embodiment. The input device 101 is connected to the MFP main body 108 and transmits an instruction corresponding to a user operation to the MFP main body 108. The MFP main body 108 includes hardware and software for realizing functions such as a scanner, a printer, and a facsimile, and performs processing according to an instruction transmitted from the input device 101.

  The input device 101 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 102 that controls the operation of the entire input device 101. The CPU 102 is, for example, a one-chip microcomputer or the like, and includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores a computer program and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that provides a work area when the computer program is executed. The CPU 102 can send and receive commands and data to and from the MFP body 108 via the communication line 109. The transmitted / received command is, for example, an operation instruction for the MFP main body 108 that the user inputs with the input device 101.

  The input device 101 includes an NFC (Near Field Communication) unit 107 in addition to the CPU 102. The NFC unit 107 is an example of an authentication unit, and reads data such as authentication data from an authentication card that is a non-contact IC card. The NFC unit 107 includes an antenna for reading data from the authentication card. When the user logs in to the MFP and brings the authentication card close to or touches the NFC unit 107, the NFC unit 107 acquires data such as authentication data from the authentication card. When the NFC unit 107 acquires data such as authentication data from the authentication card, the NFC unit 107 notifies the CPU 102 of an interrupt notification signal 111 indicating that the authentication data has been read.

  In addition, the input device 101 includes a touch panel controller 103, a touch panel 104, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) controller 105, an LCD 106, and a key unit 113. The NFC unit 107, the touch panel controller 103, and the LCD controller 105 are connected to the CPU 102 via the bus 114, and operations are controlled by the CPU 102.

  A touch panel 104 is connected to the touch panel controller 103. The touch panel 104 is, for example, a capacitive touch panel, and detects a touch position based on a change in electrostatic capacitance caused by contact (touch) of a user's fingertip. The capacitive touch panel can be operated by the user with a lighter touch than the resistive touch panel. The touch panel controller 103 detects the position coordinates of the touch position. The touch panel controller 103 that has detected the position coordinates notifies the CPU 102 of an interrupt notification signal 112 indicating that the touch position has been detected.

  An LCD 106 is connected to the LCD controller 105. The LCD controller 105 causes the LCD 106 to display an image transferred from the MFP body 108 via the video transfer line 110. The LCD controller 105 changes the image size of the image transferred from the MFP main body 108 in accordance with the resolution of the LCD 106. Further, the LCD controller 105 performs brightness adjustment and backlight control of the LCD 106 according to an instruction from the CPU 102.

  The key unit 113 includes a plurality of mechanical switches, and a numeric keypad for setting the number of copies, a start key, and the like are arranged. The user operates each key by pressing a switch of the key unit 113. The CPU 102 scans each switch of the key unit 113 and detects a switch pressed by the user.

  The NFC unit 107, the touch panel 104, and the key unit 113 are different input interfaces, and each accepts a user operation. For this purpose, the NFC unit 107, the touch panel 104, and the key unit 113 are provided at positions where the user can operate the input device 101. FIG. 2 is an external view of the input device 101. The touch panel 104 is overlaid on the LCD 106 on which an operation screen is displayed. Near the touch panel 104, an NFC unit 107 and a key unit 113 are arranged. The operation screen is generated by the MFP main body 108. The LCD controller 105 acquires an operation screen from the MFP main body 108 via the video transfer line 110 and displays it on the LCD 106. In FIG. 2, an operation screen including a selection button 205 is displayed on the LCD 106. The selection button 205 is associated with processing.

  When the user touches the selection button 205, the touch panel 104 detects the touched position coordinates. The touch panel 104 sends the detected position coordinates from the touch panel controller 103 to the CPU 102 via the bus 114. The CPU 102 sends the position coordinates to the MFP main body 108 via the communication line 109. The MFP main body 108 recognizes that the selection button 205 has been selected when the received position coordinates match the coordinates at which the selection button 205 is displayed, and executes processing associated with the selection button 205. .

  In FIG. 2, a selection button 205 is displayed near the NFC unit 107. In this case, when the user brings the authentication card 204 close to the NFC unit 107 for authentication processing, the touch panel 104 may detect the touched position coordinates before the NFC unit 107 reads data from the authentication card 204. is there. For example, the selection button 205 is touched before reading data from the authentication card 204. This is an operation not intended by the user. In order to prevent processing due to such an erroneous operation, the input device 101 performs the following processing.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an input control process for preventing an erroneous operation. When the touch panel 104 detects the position coordinates when the authentication card 204 is brought close to the NFC unit 107, interrupts are continuously generated for the CPU 102 in a short time. For that purpose, the CPU 102 acquires the interrupt notification signal 112 from the touch panel controller 103 and acquires the interrupt notification signal 111 from the NFC unit 107.

  The CPU 102 detects whether or not an interrupt has occurred (S301). If an interrupt has occurred (S301: Y), the CPU 102 checks whether or not the interrupt is from the NFC unit 107 (S302). The CPU 102 detects the occurrence of an interrupt by acquiring the interrupt notification signal 111 or the interrupt notification signal 112. The CPU 102 confirms whether or not the interrupt is from the NFC unit 107 based on whether or not the acquired interrupt notification signal is from the NFC unit 107 (interrupt notification signal 111).

  In the case of an interrupt from the NFC unit 107 (S302: Y), the CPU 102 performs NFC processing (S303). In the NFC process, the CPU 102 acquires data such as authentication data read from the authentication card 204 by the NFC unit 107 via the bus 114 and transmits the data to the MFP main body 108 via the communication line 109. The MFP body 108 performs user authentication processing using data such as authentication data transmitted from the CPU 102.

  When the interrupt is not from the NFC unit 107 but from the touch panel 104 (S302: N), the CPU 102 refers to the NFC wait flag (S304). The NFC wait flag is an on / off flag for determining execution of an erroneous detection countermeasure process, which will be described later, depending on the state, and is stored in a memory area such as a RAM in the CPU 102. The setting condition of the NFC wait flag will be described later.

  When the NFC wait flag is on (S305: Y), the CPU 102 starts a built-in wait timer (S306). The weight timer is set with a predetermined time during which the user does not feel waiting. For example, 10 milliseconds is set as the wait timer. The time set in the wait timer can be set in a user mode in which the user can set various processing parameters.

  After starting the wait timer, the CPU 102 detects whether or not a new interrupt has occurred (S307). If a new interrupt has occurred (S307: Y), the CPU 102 checks whether or not the interrupt is from the NFC unit 107 (S308). The processes in steps S307 and S308 are the same as the processes in steps S301 and S302.

  If no new interrupt has occurred (S307: N), or if it is not an interrupt from the NFC unit 107 (S308: N), it is confirmed whether or not the time set in the wait timer has elapsed (S309). . If the time set in the wait timer has not elapsed (S309: N), the CPU 102 again detects whether a new interrupt has occurred (S307). That is, the CPU 102 waits for the time set in the wait timer to generate an interrupt from the NFC unit 107 by the processing of steps S306 to S309. The NFC wait flag is a flag indicating whether or not to wait for the time set in the wait timer according to the state.

  If the time set in the wait timer has elapsed (S309: Y), the CPU 102 determines that the interrupt detected in step S301 is an interrupt by a formal input from the touch panel 104, and performs touch panel processing ( S310). In the touch panel processing, the CPU 102 acquires the position coordinates detected by the touch panel 104 via the bus 114 and transmits the position coordinates to the MFP main body 108 via the communication line 109. The MFP body 108 performs processing associated with an object (for example, the selection button 205 in FIG. 2) displayed at a position corresponding to the position coordinates transmitted from the CPU 102. Even when the NFC wait flag is off in step S305 (S305: N), the CPU 102 determines that the interrupt detected in step S301 is an interrupt due to a formal input from the touch panel 104, and performs touch panel processing ( S310). When the NFC wait flag is off, after confirming the NFC wait flag, the CPU 102 performs touch panel processing without waiting for the time set in the wait timer.

  When the new interrupt is an interrupt from the NFC unit 107 (S308: Y), the CPU 102 clears the interrupt from the touch panel 104 detected in step S301 (S311). That is, the CPU 102 determines that the interrupt from the touch panel 104 detected in step S301 is due to an erroneous operation, and invalidates this interrupt. Thereafter, the CPU 102 performs NFC processing by a new interrupt (S303).

  As described above, after detecting the interrupt from the touch panel 104, the CPU 102 waits for the time set in the wait timer, and when detecting the interrupt from the NFC unit 107 during standby, the CPU 102 detects the interrupt from the touch panel 104 detected first. To disable. Thereby, it is determined that the first interruption detected from the touch panel is an unintended operation by the user, and the process corresponding to the unintended operation is canceled. Such processing from the start of the wait timer to the determination of the next detected interrupt (steps S306 to S311) is the erroneous detection countermeasure processing.

  The NFC wait flag is a flag that can be switched between an on / off state as necessary. The setting condition of the NFC wait flag is as follows. For example, when the input device 101 does not include the NFC unit 107, the CPU 102 turns off the NFC wait flag. In addition, when the user sets the NFC unit 107 in an operating state or a stopped state in the user mode, the CPU 102 turns on / off the NFC wait flag.

  In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 4, an object associated with the process such as the selection button 205 may not be displayed in an area 401 on the touch panel 104 where an erroneous operation by the user may occur. Also in this case, the CPU 102 turns off the NFC wait flag because it is not necessary to perform the erroneous detection countermeasure process. When the object is displayed, the CPU 102 turns on the NFC wait flag.

  The operation screen is generated by the MFP main body 108. When the screen transitions to an operation screen in which an object associated with the process is not displayed in an area where there is a possibility of an erroneous operation, information indicating that there is no possibility of an erroneous operation from the MFP body 108 to the CPU 102 via the communication line 109. Be notified. In accordance with this information, the CPU 102 sets the NFC wait flag to OFF at the time of screen transition.

  As described above, it is possible to switch whether or not to perform the erroneous detection countermeasure process by switching the NFC wait flag as necessary.

Second Embodiment
In FIG. 4, the NFC wait flag is switched on / off depending on whether or not an object associated with the process is displayed in an area 401 on the touch panel 104 where an erroneous operation by the user may occur. When the object is displayed, the NFC wait flag is turned off. That is, when the object is displayed in the area 401, the erroneous detection countermeasure process is not executed. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, even when an object associated with the process is displayed in the area 401 on the touch panel 104 where an erroneous operation by the user may occur, the erroneous detection countermeasure process is executed as necessary. .

  FIG. 5 is an exemplary diagram of an operation screen when an object associated with the process such as the selection button 205 is displayed in an area 401 on the touch panel 104 where an erroneous operation by the user may occur. The MFP main unit 108 notifies the CPU 102 of information about coordinates that may cause an erroneous operation (hereinafter referred to as “erroneous operation coordinate information”) via the communication line 109 at the time of transition to the operation screen. The CPU 102 stores the notified erroneous operation coordinate information in a memory area such as a RAM. The erroneous operation coordinate information represents the region 401. The CPU 102 performs processing for preventing processing due to an erroneous operation based on the erroneous operation coordinate information.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an input control process for preventing an erroneous operation. The same step number is attached | subjected about the same process as the process (refer FIG. 3) for preventing the misoperation of 1st Embodiment. A description of the same process is omitted.

  If the detected interrupt is an interrupt from the touch panel 104 and the NFC wait flag is on (S305: Y), the CPU 102 acquires the touched position coordinates on the touch panel 104 from the touch panel controller 103 (S601). The CPU 102 refers to the erroneous operation coordinate information stored in the memory area (S602), and determines whether the acquired position coordinates on the touch panel 104 are included in the erroneous operation coordinate information (S603). When it is included in the erroneous operation coordinate information (S603: Y), the CPU 102 activates the wait timer and performs the process of step S306. If not included in the erroneous operation coordinate information (S603: N), the CPU 102 determines that the interrupt detected in step S301 is an interrupt due to a formal input from the touch panel 104, and performs touch panel processing (S310).

  By using the erroneous operation coordinate information, it is possible to immediately shift to the touch panel process in the case of a touch operation on an area other than the area 401, so that the touch panel process can be performed quickly. Further, in the case of a touch operation on the area 401, processing similar to that in the first embodiment is performed, so that processing due to an unintended operation on the touch panel 104 by the user can be prevented.

  Although the case where the NFC unit 107 is disposed in the vicinity of the touch panel 104 has been described in the present embodiment, the input interface disposed in the vicinity of the touch panel 104 is not limited to this. For example, even when the touch panel 104 is likely to be erroneously operated by the operation of the key unit 113, the above process can prevent a process due to an operation not intended by the user. In the present embodiment, the description has been given based on the configuration of the MFP, but the present invention is not limited to this as long as the information processing apparatus includes the input device 101 as an input device.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 ... Input device, 102 ... CPU, 103 ... Touch panel controller, 104 ... Touch panel, 105 ... LCD controller, 106 ... LCD, 107 ... NFC unit, 108 ... MFP main body

Claims (10)

A first input interface for accepting a user operation;
A second input interface different from the first input interface for accepting a user operation;
Waiting for a predetermined time after the first input interface accepts an operation, and if the second input interface does not accept an operation while waiting, performs processing according to the operation accepted by the first input interface; Processing means for performing processing in accordance with the operation accepted by the second input interface if the second input interface accepts an operation during standby,
Input device. If the second input interface accepts an operation during standby, the processing means invalidates the operation accepted by the first input interface.
The input device according to claim 1. A flag for determining whether to wait for the predetermined time,
The processing means waits for the predetermined time after the first input interface accepts an operation if the flag is in the first state, and waits for the predetermined input if the flag is in the second state. The process is performed according to the operation accepted by the interface.
The input device according to claim 1 or 2. The second input interface is provided with control means for switching the state of the flag when the second input interface is in an operating state or a stopped state.
The input device according to claim 3. The first input interface is a touch panel;
The control means sets the flag to the first state when an object associated with processing is displayed in an area where an erroneous operation of the touch panel may occur, and sets the flag when the object is not displayed. In the second state,
The input device according to claim 4. The first input interface is a touch panel;
The processing means waits for the predetermined time when a position where the touch panel accepts an operation is included in an area where an erroneous operation of the touch panel may occur.
The input device according to claim 1. The touch panel is a capacitive touch panel,
The input device according to claim 5 or 6. The second input interface is arranged in the vicinity of the capacitive touch panel that may touch the capacitive touch panel when a user operates the second input interface. And
The input device according to claim 7. A method executed by an input device comprising: a first input interface that accepts a user operation; and a second input interface that accepts a user operation and is different from the first input interface,
Waiting for a predetermined time after the first input interface accepts an operation;
If the second input interface does not accept an operation during standby, performing a process according to the operation accepted by the first input interface;
A step of performing processing according to an operation accepted by the second input interface if the second input interface accepts an operation during standby,
Input control method. A computer comprising a first input interface that accepts a user operation and a second input interface that accepts a user operation and is different from the first input interface.
Waiting for a predetermined time after the first input interface accepts an operation, and if the second input interface does not accept an operation while waiting, performs processing according to the operation accepted by the first input interface; Processing means for performing processing according to an operation received by the second input interface if the second input interface receives an operation during standby;
A computer program that functions as a computer program.

Images