JP2017010375A - Input device, processing device, and operation determination method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an input device, a processing device, and an operation determination method that can determine the operation of a user to capacitance switches more than the number of electrodes included in the input device.SOLUTION: An input device comprises: a switch unit including a plurality of electrodes arranged in isolation from each other; a detection unit that detects self-capacitance values corresponding to the respective electrodes by self-capacity method, and detects a mutual capacitance value corresponding to each of a pair of adjacent electrodes among the plurality of electrodes by mutual capacity method; and a processing unit that performs a process to determine the operation of a user to the switch unit on the basis of the detected self-capacity values and mutual capacity values.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to an input device, a processing device, and an operation determination method.

  A technique related to an input device capable of detecting a user operation using a capacitance method that detects a user operation using a change in capacitance has been developed. As a technique related to an input device capable of detecting a user operation by both the self-capacitance method and the mutual capacitance method, for example, a technique described in Patent Document 1 can be cited.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2015-46363

  In an input device that can detect a user's operation using a capacitance method, such as a touch panel that functions as a capacitance switch (a so-called touch sensor), the number of electrodes is reduced, for example, to reduce cost. There is a need to realize a greater number of capacitance switches.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to determine a user's operation on a capacitance switch more than the number of electrodes of the input device. Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved input device, processing device, and operation determination method.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a switch unit having a plurality of electrodes arranged separately from each other, and a self-capacitance value corresponding to each of the plurality of electrodes by a self-capacitance method are provided. Detecting, based on the detected self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value, a detection unit that detects a mutual capacitance value corresponding to each of a pair of adjacent electrodes among the plurality of electrodes by a mutual capacitance method, An input device is provided that includes a processing unit that performs a process of determining a user operation on the switch unit.

  With this configuration, it is possible to determine a user's operation on the switch unit of the input device based on the self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value detected by the detection unit of the input device. Therefore, with this configuration, it is possible to determine the user's operation on the capacitance switch that is larger than the number of electrodes included in the input device.

  Further, the processing unit may determine a capacitance switch on which a user operation is performed based on each of the detected self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value.

  In addition, the processing unit is operated by a user with respect to one or both of the first capacitance switch corresponding to the self-capacitance value and the second capacitance switch corresponding to the mutual capacitance value. Alternatively, it may be determined as a capacitance switch.

  The processing unit may include a capacitance value of the first capacitance switch corresponding to the detected self-capacitance value, and a capacitance value of the second capacitance switch corresponding to the detected mutual capacitance value. The user's operation is performed by comparing the capacitance value of the first capacitance switch and the capacitance value of the second capacitance switch with a predetermined threshold value set. An electrostatic capacitance switch may be determined.

  The processing unit may include a capacitance value corresponding to a capacitance value of the first capacitance switch that is greater than the threshold value, or a capacitance value of the first capacitance switch that is greater than or equal to the threshold value. The capacitance switch is determined as a user-operated capacitance switch, and the capacitance value of the second capacitance switch is greater than the threshold value, or the capacitance value of the second capacitance switch is greater than or equal to the threshold value. The corresponding capacitance switch may be determined as a capacitance switch that has been operated by the user.

  The processing unit may further perform processing according to a determination result of a user operation on the switch unit.

  The detection unit may detect the self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value by switching between the self-capacitance method and the mutual capacitance method.

  Further, the processing unit may further perform processing for controlling switching between the self-capacitance method and the mutual capacitance method in the detection unit.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to a second aspect of the present invention, a switch unit having a plurality of electrodes arranged apart from each other, and a self-capacitance corresponding to each of the plurality of electrodes by a self-capacitance method A user operation on the switch unit in the input device including a detection unit that detects a value and a mutual capacitance value corresponding to each of a pair of adjacent electrodes among the plurality of electrodes by a mutual capacitance method A processing device is provided that includes a processing unit that performs a process of determining a user operation on the switch unit based on the detected self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value.

  With this configuration, it is possible to determine a user operation on the switch unit of the input device based on each of the self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value detected in the input device. Therefore, with this configuration, it is possible to determine the user's operation on the capacitance switch that is larger than the number of electrodes included in the input device.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operation determination method for determining a user operation in an input device including a switch unit having a plurality of electrodes arranged apart from each other. Detecting a self-capacitance value corresponding to each of the plurality of electrodes by a self-capacitance method, and detecting a mutual capacitance value corresponding to each of a pair of adjacent electrodes among the plurality of electrodes by a mutual capacitance method; And a process of determining a user operation on the switch unit based on the detected self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value.

  By using such a method, it becomes possible to determine a user's operation on the input device based on each of the self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value detected in the input device. Therefore, with this configuration, it is possible to determine the user's operation on the capacitance switch that is larger than the number of electrodes included in the input device.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the user's operation with respect to a capacitance switch more than the number of the electrodes which an input device has can be determined.

It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the outline | summary of the operation determination method which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating one method for increasing the number of electrostatic capacitance switches rather than the number of the electrodes provided in the input device. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating one method for increasing the number of electrostatic capacitance switches rather than the number of the electrodes provided in the input device. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the operation determination method which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the operation determination method which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of the input device which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the present specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  Hereinafter, an input device capable of detecting a user operation using a capacitance method such as a touch panel is simply referred to as an “input device”.

  Also, in the following, for example, “operation in which the user touches the input device using an operation body such as a finger” or “operation in which the user brings an operation body such as a finger close to the input device” is performed on the input device. The user's operation may be indicated as “touch operation” or “touch”.

  Further, in the following, “connecting one constituent element and another constituent element” means “the one constituent element and the other constituent element do not pass through another additional constituent element. “It is electrically connected” or “the one component and the other component are electrically connected via another component”.

(Operation determination method according to an embodiment of the present invention)
First, an operation determination method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Below, the case where the input device which concerns on embodiment of this invention performs the process which concerns on the operation determination method which concerns on embodiment of this invention is mentioned as an example.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an overview of an operation determination method according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a part of the configuration of an input device capable of detecting a user operation using a capacitance method.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the input device, a plurality of electrodes are provided on a panel made of, for example, resin. FIG. 1 shows an example in which five electrodes E1, E2,..., E5 are provided in the input device.

  FIG. 1A shows an example of a detection position of the capacitance switch when the input device is configured to detect a user operation by the self-capacitance method. FIG. 1B shows an example of the detection position of the capacitance switch desired in the input device.

  Here, the detection position of the capacitance switch according to the embodiment of the present invention corresponds to the position of the capacitance switch provided in the input device.

  For example, when the input device is configured to detect a user operation by the self-capacitance method, as shown in FIG. 1A, the same number of capacitance switches as the number of electrodes are provided.

  Note that an input device using the mutual capacitance method has a configuration in which a touch operation is detected by a change in an electric field generated between a pair of electrodes of a transmission electrode and a reception electrode. Therefore, when the mutual capacitance method is used in the input device having five electrodes shown in FIG. 1, the number of detection positions of the capacitance switch is four, which is the number of pairs of electrodes. That is, in the input device using the mutual capacitance method, the number of capacitance switches is smaller than the number of electrodes. Therefore, a self-capacitance method is often used in an input device such as a touch panel that functions as a capacitance switch.

  Here, the self-capacitance method detects an increase in capacitance caused by a user performing a touch operation (an increase in capacitance from a capacitance during a non-touch operation to a capacitance during a touch operation). This is a method of detecting the touch operation of the user by detecting the approach of the operating body such as the user's finger to the electrode.

  The mutual capacitance method is a method of detecting a touch operation based on a change in electric field generated between a pair of electrodes such as a transmission electrode and a reception electrode. When an operating body such as a user's finger approaches the pair of electrodes, the electric field generated between the pair of electrodes decreases. In other words, the mutual capacitance method detects the approach of an operating body such as a user's finger to a pair of electrodes by detecting a decrease in electric charge due to a decrease in an electric field caused by a user performing a touch operation, and the user's touch. This is a method for detecting an operation.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, even if the self-capacitance method is simply used, the number of capacitance switches cannot be made larger than the number of electrodes as shown in FIG. 1B. Further, as described above, when the mutual capacitance method is simply used, the number of capacitance switches is smaller than the number of electrodes, so even if the mutual capacitance method is simply used, as shown in FIG. It is impossible to increase the number of capacitance switches more than the number of electrodes.

  Therefore, even if the self-capacitance method or the mutual capacitance method is simply used, as shown in FIG. 1B, the number of capacitance switches is made larger than the number of electrodes, that is, the electrodes provided in the input device It is impossible to increase the number of capacitance switches without changing the number of switches.

[I] One Method for Increasing the Number of Capacitance Switches Than the Number of Electrodes Provided in the Input Device Increasing the Number of Capacitance Switches Than the Number of Electrodes Provided in the Input Device As one method for the above (hereinafter, referred to as “one method” in some cases), for example, “based on the distribution of the self-capacitance value corresponding to each detected electrode for each electrode, A “method of determining the capacitance switch performed” is conceivable. The above-mentioned one method is, for example, a method of determining the position where the user's touch operation is performed based on the distribution of the self-capacitance value corresponding to each electrode and determining the capacitance switch where the user's operation is performed. . The position where the user's touch operation is performed is represented by, for example, coordinate values.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining one method for increasing the number of capacitance switches more than the number of electrodes provided in the input device.

  2A shows an example of the configuration of an input device in which five electrodes E1, E2,..., E5 are provided separately on a panel made of resin or the like, as in FIG. ing.

FIG. 2B shows a case where the user performs a touch operation on an area on the electrode E3 in the panel (corresponding to “touch E3” shown in FIG. 2B), and the user performs the electrode E3 on the panel and The simulation result in the case where a touch operation is performed on the region between the electrodes E4 (corresponding to “touch between E3 and E4” shown in FIG. 2B) is shown. Here, the simulation conditions shown in FIG. 2B are as follows.
-Electrode: Size 13 [mm] x 6 [mm], spacing between electrodes 3 [mm]
・ Panel: Material Polycarbonate, Thickness 3 [mm]
・ Operating body: Conductor bar with a diameter of 10 [mm]

  In the input device shown in FIG. 2A, when nine capacitive switches are realized by five electrodes that are spaced apart from each other (five capacitive switches corresponding to each electrode and corresponding between each electrode) Assume that four electrostatic capacity switches are realized).

  The input device using the above-described one method, for example, obtains the gravity center position of the distribution of the self-capacitance value corresponding to each electrode, and specifies the capacitance switch on which the user's touch operation is performed from the gravity center position, The capacitance switch that has been touched by the user is determined.

  For example, when the user performs a touch operation on an area on the electrode E3 on the panel (corresponding to “touch E3” shown in FIG. 2B), the position corresponding to the electrode E3 in B of FIG. It is calculated as the position of the center of gravity. Therefore, when the user performs a touch operation on the area on the electrode E3 on the panel, the input device using the above-described one method allows the user's touch operation on the capacitance switch corresponding to the electrode E3. Is determined to have been performed.

  For example, when the user performs a touch operation on the area between the electrode E3 and the electrode E4 on the panel (corresponding to “touch between E3 and E4” shown in FIG. 2B), FIG. An intermediate position between the B electrode E3 and the electrode E4 is obtained as the center of gravity position. Therefore, when the user performs a touch operation on the region between the electrode E3 and the electrode E4 on the panel, the input device using the above-described method is a static device corresponding to the electrode between the electrode E3 and the electrode E4. It is determined that the user's touch operation has been performed on the capacitance switch.

  As shown in FIG. 2, by using the above one method, it is possible to increase the number of capacitance switches without changing the number of electrodes provided in the input device.

  However, when the above one method is used, the user has performed a touch operation on the capacitance switch corresponding to the electrodes or the touch operation on the capacitance switch corresponding to the gap between the electrodes. It may be difficult to determine whether it has occurred.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining one method for increasing the number of capacitance switches rather than the number of electrodes provided in the input device.

  3A shows a part of the input device shown in FIG. 2A, that is, a portion where the electrodes E3 and E4 of the input device shown in FIG. 2A are provided. FIG. 3B shows a simulation result when the user performs a touch operation on the area near the boundary of the electrode E3 on the panel (corresponding to “touch near the boundary of E3” shown in FIG. 3B). Show. The simulation conditions shown in FIG. 3B are the same as the simulation conditions shown in FIG.

  For example, when the user performs a touch operation on the area near the boundary of the electrode E3 on the panel (corresponding to “touch near the boundary of E3” shown in FIG. 3B), the gap between the electrode E3 and the electrode E4 A position closer to the electrode E3 than an intermediate position between the electrode E3 and the electrode E4 is obtained as the position of the center of gravity.

  When the position of the center of gravity is obtained as described above, the user has performed a touch operation on the electrostatic capacity switch corresponding to the electrode E3, or the electrostatic capacity corresponding to the electrode between the electrode E3 and the electrode E4. It is necessary to determine whether a touch operation has been performed on the capacitance switch. Therefore, for example, a discriminant for performing the above discrimination is required.

  Here, the discriminant can vary depending on, for example, the shape and arrangement of the electrodes provided in the input device, and thus must be derived for each input device. Therefore, when the one method is used, it is not always easy to increase the number of capacitance switches without changing the number of electrodes provided in the input device.

[II] Operation Determination Method According to the Embodiment of the Present Invention Therefore, the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention determines the user's operation on the input device by calculation using the capacitance value detected in the input device. The input device according to the embodiment of the present invention determines a user's operation on the input device by calculation using a self-capacitance value detected by the self-capacitance method and a mutual capacitance value detected by the mutual capacitance method.

  Hereinafter, in the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of electrodes that are spaced apart from each other include a capacitance switch corresponding to each electrode and a capacitance switch corresponding to each electrode. The case where it is realized will be described as an example. Specifically, as exemplified in the description of the one method above, in the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention, nine capacitance switches are realized by five electrodes that are spaced apart from each other. (When five electrostatic capacity switches corresponding to each electrode and four electrostatic capacity switches corresponding to each electrode are realized).

  Note that the number of electrodes included in the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to five, and the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention has a configuration having a plurality of electrodes arranged separately. Is possible.

  In the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention, a configuration in which a plurality of electrodes are arranged in various forms, such as a configuration in which a plurality of electrodes are arranged on a straight line or a configuration in which a plurality of electrodes are arranged in a matrix. It is possible to take. Hereinafter, in the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention, a case where a plurality of electrodes are arranged on a straight line will be mainly described as an example.

  More specifically, the operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention includes, for example, the following (1) detection step and (2) operation determination step.

(1) Detection Step An input device according to an embodiment of the present invention detects a self-capacitance value corresponding to each of a plurality of electrodes by a self-capacitance method, and also detects a pair of adjacent ones of a plurality of electrodes by a mutual capacitance method. A mutual capacitance value corresponding to each electrode is detected.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention. 4A shows an outline of detection of the self-capacitance value by the self-capacitance method, and FIG. 4B shows an outline of detection of the mutual capacitance value by the mutual capacitance method.

  As described above, in the self-capacitance method, the self-capacitance value is detected by detecting an increase in capacitance due to the user performing a touch operation. In the mutual capacitance method, the mutual capacitance value is detected by detecting a decrease in charge accompanying a decrease in electric field generated between a pair of electrodes.

In the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the self-capacitance value is detected by driving the electrode corresponding to the self-capacitance value to be detected. The self-capacitance value of the k-th electrode (k is a positive integer) is C _{k, k} . Here, “k” is a number assigned to the electrode. The number assigned to the electrode is, for example, 1 for a predetermined electrode of the panel of the input device, and the adjacent electrode is numbered in ascending order with reference to the number of the predetermined electrode.

In the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the mutual capacitance value is detected by applying a voltage signal to one of the pair of electrodes and generating an electric field between the pair of electrodes to drive the pair of electrodes. The The mutual capacitance value between the kth electrode and the (k + 1) th electrode adjacent to the kth electrode is set to C _{k, k + 1} .

  In the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the self-capacitance method and the mutual capacitance value are detected by switching between the self-capacitance method and the mutual capacitance method. An example of the configuration of the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention capable of switching between the self-capacitance method and the mutual capacitance method will be described later.

(2) Operation Determination Step The input device according to the embodiment of the present invention determines a user operation on the input device based on the detected self-capacitance value C _{k, k} and mutual capacitance value C _{k, k + 1} .

  The input device according to the embodiment of the present invention determines the user's operation on the capacitance switch, for example, by performing the following processes (2-1) to (2-3).

Here, the capacitance switch in the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a capacitance switch corresponding to the self-capacitance value C _{k, k} and a capacitance corresponding to the mutual capacitance value C _{k, k + 1.} And a switch. Since the self-capacitance value C _{k, k} is a capacitance value corresponding to the electrode, the capacitance switch corresponding to the self-capacitance value C _{k, k} corresponds to the capacitance switch corresponding to the electrode. Further, since the mutual capacitance value C _{k, k + 1} is a capacitance value corresponding to between the electrodes, the capacitance switch corresponding to the mutual capacitance value C _{k, k + 1} corresponds to the capacitance switch corresponding to between the electrodes. . Hereinafter, the capacitance switch corresponding to the self-capacitance value C _{k, k} will be referred to as a “first capacitance switch”, and the capacitance switch corresponding to the mutual capacitance value C _{k, k + 1} will be referred to as a “second capacitance switch”. It may be indicated as “capacitance switch”.

  The input device according to the embodiment of the present invention can perform the following process (2-1) and the following process (2-2) independently. Therefore, the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention may perform the other processing after performing one of the following processing (2-1) and the following processing (2-2). Both processes may be performed in parallel.

(2-1) Acquisition of capacitance value of first capacitance switch corresponding to self-capacitance value C _{k, k} (capacitance value of capacitance switch corresponding to electrode) The input device according to the embodiment of the present invention Based on the detected self-capacitance value C _{k, k} , the capacitance value of the first capacitance switch is obtained.

Here, since the self-capacitance value C _{k, k} is a capacitance value corresponding to the electrode, the capacitance value of the first capacitance switch corresponds to the capacitance value of the capacitance switch corresponding to the electrode. The input device according to the embodiment of the present invention obtains a capacitance value of the first capacitance switch in order to determine a user operation on the capacitance switch corresponding to the electrode. Hereinafter, the capacitance value of the first capacitance switch may be indicated as “the capacitance value C _{k of the} capacitance switch corresponding to the electrode”.

The input device according to the embodiment of the present invention obtains the capacitance value C _k of the capacitance switch corresponding to the electrode, for example, by the following formula 1.

C _k = C _{k, k}
... (Formula 1)

(2-2) Acquisition of Capacitance Value of Second Capacitance Switch Corresponding to Mutual Capacitance Value C _{k, k + 1} (Capacitance Value of Capacitance Switch Corresponding Between Electrodes) Input Device according to Embodiment of Present Invention Obtains the capacitance value of the second capacitance switch based on the detected mutual capacitance value C _{k, k + 1} .

Here, since the mutual capacitance value C _{k, k + 1} is a capacitance value corresponding to between the electrodes, the capacitance value of the second capacitance switch corresponds to the capacitance value of the capacitance switch corresponding to between the electrodes. The input device according to the embodiment of the present invention obtains the capacitance value of the second capacitance switch in order to determine the user's operation on the capacitance switch corresponding to between the electrodes. Hereinafter, the capacitance value of the second capacitance switch may be indicated as “capacitance value C _{k, 0.5 of the} capacitance switch corresponding to between the electrodes”.

The input device according to the embodiment of the present invention obtains the capacitance value C _{k, 0.5} of the capacitance switch corresponding to the gap between the electrodes, for example, by the following formula 2.

C _{k, 0.5} = V × C _{k, k + 1}
... (Formula 2)

Here, “V” shown in Equation 2 is a constant corresponding to the sensitivity ratio between the self-capacitance value C _{k, k} and the mutual capacitance value C _{k, k + 1} . “V” serves to adjust the capacitance value C _{k of the} capacitance switch corresponding to the electrode and the capacitance value C _{k, 0.5 of the} capacitance switch to take similar values. “V” is experimentally obtained for each configuration of the input device, such as the spacing between electrodes, and is set in advance according to the spacing between electrodes of the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

(2-3) Determination of User's Operation The input device according to the embodiment of the present invention has a capacitance value C _k (first electrostatic capacitance) of the capacitance switch corresponding to the electrode obtained in (2-1) above. Capacitance value of the capacitance switch) and capacitance value C _{k, 0.5} (capacitance value of the second capacitance switch) of the capacitance switch corresponding to the gap between the electrodes obtained in (2-2) above. Based on each, the electrostatic capacity switch with which the user's operation was performed is determined.

The input device according to the embodiment of the present invention sets, for example, the capacitance value C _{k of} the capacitance switch corresponding to the electrodes and the capacitance values C _{k and 0.5 of the} capacitance switch corresponding to the electrodes _, respectively. The capacitance switch on which the user's operation has been performed is determined by comparing with a predetermined threshold value.

  Here, the predetermined threshold value according to the embodiment of the present invention may be, for example, a fixed value set in advance, or a variable value that can be changed based on a user setting operation or the like.

Specifically, the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention, for example, allows a user to operate a capacitance switch corresponding to “capacitance value C _{k of the} capacitance switch corresponding to an electrode larger than a threshold”. It is determined that the capacitance switch has been performed. In the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention, for example, a user's operation is performed on the capacitance switch corresponding to the capacitance value C _{k of the} capacitance switch corresponding to the electrode that is equal to or greater than the threshold value. It may be determined as a capacitance switch.

In addition, the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention may be configured such that, for example, a capacitance switch corresponding to “capacitance value C _{k, 0.5 of the} capacitance switch corresponding to an electrode larger than the threshold value” is set by the user. It is determined that the capacitance switch has been operated. In addition, the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention may be configured such that, for example, a capacitance switch corresponding to “capacitance value C _{k, 0.5 of the} capacitance switch corresponding to between electrodes that is equal to or greater than the threshold value” is You may determine as the electrostatic capacity switch by which operation was performed.

  The input device according to the embodiment of the present invention determines a capacitance switch that has been operated by a user, for example, by threshold processing using a predetermined threshold as described above.

  For example, by performing the threshold processing using the predetermined threshold as described above, between the capacitance switch corresponding to the electrode that is the first capacitance switch and the electrode that is the second capacitance switch. One or both of the corresponding capacitive switches are determined as the capacitive switches that have been operated by the user.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  5A is an input device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which five electrodes E1, E2,..., E5 are provided separately from a panel made of resin or the like as in FIG. An example of the configuration is shown.

  FIG. 5B shows a case where the user performs a touch operation on an area on the electrode E3 on the panel (corresponding to “touch E3” shown in FIG. 5B), and the user performs the operation on the electrode E3 and the electrode E3 on the panel. When the touch operation is performed on the area between the electrodes E4 (corresponding to “touch between E3 and E4” shown in FIG. 5B), the user operates the area near the boundary of the electrode E3 on the panel. The simulation result in the case where the touch operation is performed (corresponding to “touch near the boundary of E3” shown in FIG. 5B) is shown.

  Here, the simulation conditions shown in FIG. 5B are the same as the simulation conditions shown in FIG. 2B and the simulation conditions shown in FIG. 3B. In the simulation shown in FIG. 5B, the value of “V” is set to V = 2.7.

  As shown in B of FIG. 5, when the operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention is used, peak values appear in all three types of user operations that have been simulated. Therefore, when the operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention is used, for example, by performing threshold processing using a predetermined threshold such as 0.4 [pF], the three types of users who performed the simulation In each operation, it is possible to uniquely determine the capacitance switch on which the user's operation has been performed.

  For example, the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention may be difficult to determine when the above one method is used by using the operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention. Even when a touch operation is performed on an area near the boundary of the electrode E3 on the panel, it can be determined that the touch operation is performed on the capacitance switch corresponding to the electrode E3 and the electrode E4. .

  Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 5C, the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention uses the operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention, thereby providing five first electrostatics corresponding to the respective electrodes. It is possible to determine a user's operation on nine capacitance switches, that is, a capacitance switch and four second capacitance switches corresponding to each electrode.

  Therefore, the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention uses the operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention to determine the user's operation on the capacitance switch more than the number of electrodes included in the input device. be able to.

  In addition, in the operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention, the capacitance switch that has been operated by the user is processed by the process related to the capacitance value based on each of the self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value detected in the input device. judge. Here, the processing related to the capacitance value according to the operation determination method is, for example, the calculation of Formula 1 above, the calculation of Formula 2 above, and threshold processing using a predetermined threshold, so the load on the processing is not high.

  Therefore, the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention realizes a capacitance switch more than the number of electrodes by a simple calculation using the capacitance value by using the operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention. can do.

(Apparatus capable of applying the operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention)
Next, an apparatus capable of applying the operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[1] Input Device According to the Embodiment of the Present Invention FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the input device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The input device 100 includes, for example, a switch unit 102, a detection unit 104, and a processing unit 106.

  The input device 100 includes, for example, a control unit (not shown), a ROM (Read Only Memory) (not shown), a RAM (Random Access Memory) (not shown), a storage unit (not shown), and the like. It may be. For example, the input device 100 connects the above-described components by a bus as a data transmission path.

  The control unit (not shown) is configured by one or two or more processors configured by arithmetic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), various processing circuits, and the like, and controls the entire input device 100. In addition, the control unit (not shown) may serve as the processing unit 106 in the input device 100, for example. Note that the processing unit 106 can also be configured by a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose circuit (for example, a processor separate from the control unit (not shown)) that can realize the processing in the processing unit 106. .

  The ROM (not shown) stores data such as programs and calculation parameters used by the control unit (not shown) and the processing unit 106. The RAM (not shown) temporarily stores programs executed by a control unit (not shown) and the processing unit 106, processing data, and the like.

  The storage unit (not shown) is a storage unit included in the input device 100. In the storage unit (not shown), for example, various data such as a table (or database) in which a capacitance switch number described later is associated with a process to be executed are stored.

  Here, examples of the storage unit (not shown) include a magnetic recording medium such as a hard disk, a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, and the like. The storage unit (not shown) may be detachable from the input device 100.

[1-1] Switch unit 102
The switch unit 102 has a plurality of electrodes that are spaced apart. FIG. 6 shows two electrodes, that is, the electrode En and the electrode En + 1 adjacent to the electrode En among the plurality of electrodes constituting the switch unit 102. Here, the electrode En and the electrode En + 1 correspond to a pair of adjacent electrodes among the plurality of electrodes.

  Further, in the switch unit 102, a plurality of electrodes are provided on a panel made of resin or the like as shown in FIG. The plurality of electrodes provided on the panel are arranged in various forms such as a straight line and a matrix. That is, as a pair of adjacent electrodes in the switch unit 102, for example, a pair of electrodes that are separated in any direction such as a horizontal direction, a vertical direction, and a tanning direction are adjacent.

[1-2] Detection unit 104
The detection unit 104 plays a role of performing the step (1) (detection step) in the operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention. The detection unit 104 switches between the self-capacitance method and the mutual capacitance method, and detects the self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value, respectively.

  The detection unit 104 includes, for example, a voltage source P, a measurement circuit M, switching circuits SW1, SW2, SW3, SW4,..., And grounding capacitors C1, C2.

  The voltage source P outputs a voltage signal for driving the electrodes. Note that the voltage source P may be a voltage source external to the input device 100.

  The measurement circuit M detects a capacitance value (self-capacitance value or mutual capacitance value), for example, by measuring the charging time of the capacitance. The measurement circuit M measures the capacity charging time using, for example, one or two or more comparators, and obtains the capacity value from the measured charging time.

  The measurement circuit M is not limited to the example shown above. The measurement circuit M can take a configuration corresponding to an arbitrary method capable of measuring the capacitance value.

  The switching circuits SW1, SW2, SW3, SW4,... Are composed of switching transistors, for example, and are turned on (conductive state) or off (non-conductive state) depending on the signal level (voltage level) of the applied signal. Become.

  Examples of the switching transistor include bipolar transistors, and FETs (Field-Effect Transistors) such as TFTs (Thin Film Transistors) and MOSFETs (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors).

  Switching of each of the switching circuits SW1, SW2, SW3, SW4,... Is performed by the processing unit 106, for example. Moreover, switching of each of the switching circuits SW1, SW2, SW3, SW4,... May be performed by an external controller connected to the input device 100 or the like.

  Note that the switching circuits SW1, SW2, SW3, SW4,... Are not limited to switching transistors, and may be any elements (or circuits) that can be switched between an on state and an off state.

  Taking detection of the respective self-capacitance values of the electrodes En and En + 1 and the mutual capacitance value between the electrodes En and En + 1 as an example, the detection unit 104 shows, for example, the following (a) to (c): As described above, the switching circuit SW1, SW2, SW3, SW4 is switched between the on state and the off state, whereby the self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value are detected in the measurement circuit M, respectively. The switching circuit SW4 is a switching circuit for initializing the measurement of the capacitance value, and the capacitance value is initialized when the switching circuit SW4 is turned on.

(A) When detecting the self-capacitance value of the electrode En (detection of the capacitance value by the self-capacitance method)
・ Switch SW1, SW3: ON state ・ Switch SW2, SW4: OFF state

(B) When detecting the self-capacitance value of the electrode En + 1 (detection of the capacitance value by the self-capacitance method)
・ Switch SW2, SW3: ON state ・ Switch SW1, SW4: OFF state

(C) When detecting the mutual capacitance value between the electrode En and the electrode En + 1 (detection of the capacitance value by the mutual capacitance method)
・ Switch SW1, SW2: ON state ・ Switch SW3, SW4: OFF state

  The ground capacitor C1 is connected between the electrode En and the switching circuit SW1. The ground capacitor C2 is connected between the electrode En + 1 and the switching circuit SW2. Each of the grounded capacitors C1 and C2 may be a parasitic capacitor or a circuit element such as a capacitor.

  The detection unit 104 detects the self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value by switching between the self-capacitance method and the mutual capacitance method, for example, with the configuration shown in FIG.

  The configuration of the detection unit 104 is not limited to the example illustrated in FIG.

  For example, the detection unit 104 may have a configuration including a plurality of measurement circuits M.

  In addition, the detection unit 104 detects the self-capacitance value by the self-capacitance method and the mutual capacitance value by the mutual-capacitance method, such as a configuration according to the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. It is possible to adopt any configuration that can perform each of the above.

[1-3] Processing unit 106
The processing unit 106 is connected to the detection unit 104 and plays a role of performing the step (2) (operation determination step) in the operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention. The processing unit 106 performs processing for determining a user operation on the switch unit 102 based on the detected self-capacitance value and mutual capacitance value.

  Examples of the processing unit 106 include a processor such as a CPU and a microcontroller.

  Based on the self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value detected by the detection unit 104, the processing unit 106 determines the capacitance switch that has been operated by the user.

  Specifically, as described above, the processing unit 106 has the capacitance value of the first capacitance switch corresponding to the detected self-capacitance value and the second capacitance value corresponding to the detected mutual capacitance value. Obtain the capacitance value of the capacitance switch. The processing unit 106 performs a user operation by performing threshold processing based on each of the capacitance value of the first capacitance switch and the capacitance value of the second capacitance switch and a predetermined threshold value. Determine the capacitance switch.

  Therefore, the processing unit 106 can determine the user's operation on the capacitance switch more than the number of electrodes included in the switch unit 102 of the input device 100.

  In addition, the process in the process part 106 which concerns on embodiment of this invention is not restricted to the process which concerns on the step (operation determination step) of said (2).

  For example, the processing unit 106 can further perform one or both of (i) execution processing and (ii) switching control processing described below.

(I) Execution Processing The processing unit 106 performs processing according to the determination result of the user operation on the switch unit 102, for example. The processing unit 106 performs processing associated with the capacitance switch determined to have been operated by the user as processing according to the determination result of the user's operation.

  The processing unit 106 is, for example, a table (or a storage unit (not shown), an external recording medium connected to the storage unit, etc.) in which a capacitance switch number is associated with a process to be executed (or By referring to the database, a process associated with the capacitance switch determined to have been operated by the user is specified. The combination of the capacitance switch number associated with the table and the processing to be executed is set in advance, for example, when the input device 100 is manufactured. In addition, the combination of the capacitance switch number associated with the table and the process to be executed may be updated by, for example, communication with an external device of the input device 100.

  Then, the processing unit 106 executes the specified process.

  The processing unit 106 may cause the external controller or the like to perform the specified process by causing a control signal including a control command for performing the specified process to be transmitted to an external controller or the like. The control signal is transmitted by arbitrary wired communication or wireless communication, for example, by a communication device (not shown) included in the input device 100 or an external communication device connected to the input device 100.

(Ii) Switching Control Processing The processing unit 106 performs processing for controlling switching between the self-capacitance method and the mutual capacity method in the detection unit 104.

  For example, the processing unit 106 transmits a signal for controlling the on state and the off state to each of the switching circuits SW1, SW2, SW3, SW4,. Controls switching between and. For example, as shown in the above (a) to (c), the processing unit 106 switches the ON state and the OFF state of each of the switching circuits SW1, SW2, SW3, and SW4, so that the self-capacitance electrode En. The detection of the capacitance value of each of the electrodes En + 1 and the detection of the capacitance value between the electrodes En and En + 1 by the mutual capacitance method are controlled.

  The input device 100 determines the user's operation on the switch unit 102 using the operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention, for example, with the configuration shown in FIG. Therefore, for example, the input device 100 can determine the user's operation with respect to a larger number of capacitance switches than the number of electrodes of the input device 100 with the configuration illustrated in FIG. 6.

  The configuration of the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. For example, as described above, the detection unit 104 in the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention can detect any self-capacitance value using the self-capacitance method and any mutual capacitance value based on the mutual-capacitance method. You may have a structure.

[2] Processing Device According to the Embodiment of the Present Invention The device to which the operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention can be applied is not limited to the input device as shown in FIG. For example, the operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention can also be applied to a processing apparatus having the same function as the processing unit 106 illustrated in FIG.

  The processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention includes, for example, data indicating the detection result of the capacitance value in the input device from the input device having the same functions as the switch unit 102 and the detection unit 104 illustrated in FIG. It is acquired by any wired communication or wireless communication via a communication device or a connected external communication device.

  Here, examples of the data indicating the detection result of the capacitance value according to the embodiment of the present invention include data indicating the electrode number and the self-capacitance value, and the pair electrode number and the mutual capacitance value, respectively. Further, the data indicating the detection result of the capacitance value according to the embodiment of the present invention may include data indicating the arrangement of the electrodes in the input device.

  The processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is based on the acquired data indicating the detection result of the capacitance value, as in the processing unit 106 illustrated in FIG. 6, in the operation determination method according to the embodiment of the present invention ( Processing related to step 2 (operation determination step) is performed.

  Therefore, the processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention performs a user operation on the capacitance switch more than the number of electrodes included in the switch unit of the input device corresponding to the data indicating the acquired capacitance value detection result. Can be determined.

  Further, the processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is similar to the processing unit 106 shown in FIG. 6 in that the processing (execution processing) shown in (i) and the processing (switching control processing) shown in (ii) are performed. One or both may be further performed.

  For example, the processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention and the input device having the same functions as those of the switch unit 102 and the detection unit 104 illustrated in FIG. A system having the same function as that of (including) is realized.

  As mentioned above, although the input device has been described as an embodiment of the present invention, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above. Embodiments of the present invention include, for example, a vehicle such as a car (or a part of a vehicle system such as a UI (User Interface) part constituting a vehicle system), a communication device such as a mobile phone or a smartphone, a tablet-type device, The present invention can be applied to various systems and devices such as a television receiver and a computer such as a PC (Personal Computer).

  Moreover, although the processing apparatus was mentioned and demonstrated as embodiment of this invention, embodiment of this invention is not restricted above. The embodiment of the present invention can be applied to an IC (Integrated Circuit) such as a microcontroller. ICs such as the above microcontrollers can be used in various systems and devices such as vehicles such as cars, communication devices such as mobile phones and smartphones, tablet devices, television receivers, computers such as PCs, etc. It is.

(Program according to an embodiment of the present invention)
A program for causing a computer to function as a processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention (for example, a program capable of executing “processing related to step (operation determining step) in (2) above)” By being executed by a processor or the like, it is possible to determine the user's operation on the capacitance switch more than the number of electrodes included in the input device.

  Moreover, the program for making it function as a processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention is the process (execution process) shown to said (i) in addition to the process which concerns on the step (operation determination step) of said (2), for example. And a program capable of further executing one or both of the processing (switching control processing) shown in (ii) above.

  As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment of this invention was described referring an accompanying drawing, it cannot be overemphasized that this invention is not limited to the example which concerns. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the claims, and these are naturally within the technical scope of the present invention. Understood.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Input device 102 Switch part 104 Detection part 106 Processing part

Claims (10)

A switch unit having a plurality of electrodes arranged apart from each other;
Detecting a self-capacitance value corresponding to each of the plurality of electrodes by a self-capacitance method, and detecting a mutual capacitance value corresponding to each of a pair of adjacent electrodes among the plurality of electrodes by a mutual capacitance method;
A processing unit that performs a process of determining a user operation on the switch unit based on the detected self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value;
An input device comprising:   The said processing part determines the electrostatic capacity switch by which the user's operation was performed based on each of the detected said self-capacitance value and the said mutual capacitance value, The characterized by the above-mentioned. Input device.   The processing unit is configured to operate one or both of a first capacitance switch corresponding to the self-capacitance value and a second capacitance switch corresponding to the mutual capacitance value. The input device according to claim 2, wherein the input device is determined as a capacitance switch. The processor is
Obtaining a capacitance value of the first capacitance switch corresponding to the detected self-capacitance value and a capacitance value of the second capacitance switch corresponding to the detected mutual capacitance value;
The capacitance value of the first capacitance switch and the capacitance value of the second capacitance switch are respectively compared with the predetermined threshold value, and the electrostatic force that has been operated by the user is compared. The input device according to claim 2, wherein a capacity switch is determined. The processor is
The user has operated the capacitance switch corresponding to the capacitance value of the first capacitance switch that is larger than the threshold value or the capacitance value of the first capacitance switch that is greater than or equal to the threshold value. Judge as a capacitance switch,
The user has operated the capacitance switch corresponding to the capacitance value of the second capacitance switch that is greater than the threshold value or the capacitance value of the second capacitance switch that is greater than or equal to the threshold value. The input device according to claim 4, wherein the input device is determined as a capacitance switch.   The input device according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit further performs processing according to a determination result of a user operation on the switch unit.   The detection unit according to claim 1, wherein the self-capacitance method and the mutual capacitance method are switched to detect the self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value, respectively. The input device described.   The input device according to claim 7, wherein the processing unit further performs a process of controlling switching between the self-capacitance method and the mutual capacitance method in the detection unit. A switch unit having a plurality of electrodes arranged apart from each other, a self-capacitance value detection corresponding to each of the plurality of electrodes by a self-capacitance method, and a pair of adjacent electrodes among the plurality of electrodes by a mutual capacitance method A processing device for determining a user operation on the switch unit in an input device including a detection unit that detects a mutual capacitance value corresponding to each of the detection units,
A processing apparatus comprising: a processing unit that performs a process of determining a user operation on the switch unit based on the detected self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value. An operation determination method for determining a user operation in an input device including a switch unit having a plurality of electrodes that are spaced apart from each other,
Detecting a self-capacitance value corresponding to each of the plurality of electrodes by a self-capacitance method, and detecting a mutual capacitance value corresponding to each of a pair of adjacent electrodes among the plurality of electrodes by a mutual capacitance method;
Performing a process of determining a user operation on the switch unit based on the detected self-capacitance value and the mutual capacitance value;
An operation determination method characterized by comprising:

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