JP2728128B2 - Information input device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information input device for inputting information to an information processing device, and more particularly to inputting information to the information processing device by, for example, touching an input surface with a finger or the like. The present invention relates to an information input device for performing the following. [Prior Art] A touch panel device is known as this type of information processing device. Such a touch panel device is incorporated in a computer system or an information processing system of a computer application, and is used by overlapping a transparent input unit on a display surface of a display device in the information processing system. The operator can make an input by touching pointing means such as a pen or a finger on the input surface of the input unit of the touch panel device while watching the display on the display device or the like via the transparent input unit of the touch panel device. In general, the power of the touch panel device is supplied from, for example, the information processing apparatus main body, and the touch panel device is generally configured such that the power cannot be turned on / off by itself. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the touch panel device, an input is performed by bringing a pen, a finger, or the like into contact with the input surface, so that the input surface causes dirt to adhere to the input surface. When cleaning the dirt, if the information input device is powered on, that is, if the input is enabled, the input surface is contacted at random in the cleaning operation, and an erroneous input is performed. As a result, the device malfunctions. Therefore, when performing cleaning, it is necessary to turn off the power of the touch panel device by turning off the power of the information processing apparatus main body. However, when the power of the information processing apparatus is turned off, the stored information in the memory or the like is erased. Therefore, a troublesome operation such as saving the stored information in the nonvolatile memory in advance is required. Further, when the information processing apparatus operates 24 hours a day and the power supply of the apparatus cannot be cut off, there is a problem that the input surface cannot be cleaned. The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional example, in a state in which an input valid area and an input invalid area are set on the input surface and are displayed so as to be identifiable, regardless of contact with the input surface, An information input device capable of moving an effective input area at a predetermined speed in a display screen and displaying the same, and changing the invalid input area to an effective input area according to contact with the effective input area. Aim. [Means for Solving the Problems] To achieve the above object, the information input device of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, in an information input device for inputting information to an information processing device by touching an input surface provided on a display screen, an input invalid area in which information input by touching the input surface is invalid and an input invalid region to the input surface. Setting means for setting each of the input valid areas in which information input by contact is valid on the input surface; display means for displaying the input invalid area and the input valid area set by the setting means in a distinguishable manner; Irrespective of contact with the input surface, control means for controlling the input effective area to move and display at a predetermined speed in the display screen, and the input invalid area in response to the contact with the input effective area. And changing means for changing the input effective area. [Operation] In the above configuration, an input invalid area in which information input by contact with the input surface is invalid and an input valid area in which information input by contact with the input surface is valid are set on the input surface, and the setting is performed. The input invalid area and the input valid area are displayed in a distinguishable manner, regardless of contact with the input surface, the input valid area is moved and displayed at a predetermined speed in the display screen, and the input valid area is displayed. An operation is performed to change the input invalid area to an input valid area in response to a touch. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the information input device in the embodiment described below is configured as a touch panel, and detects a coordinate position touched by a known method to input information.
The description of the details of the input method is omitted. [Description of Configuration of Information Input Device (FIG. 1)] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information input device configured as a touch panel device of the embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a CRT display unit, on which a transparent pressure-sensitive touch panel 2 is provided. Operator is CRT
Touch the touch panel 2 while watching the display on the display unit 1,
The touch is detected by the touch detection circuit 4 of the control unit 3, and a detection signal corresponding to the position of the touched input point is output. The detection signal of the touch detection circuit 4 is input to an XY detection circuit 5, which processes the input signal and performs an operation or the like to obtain (x) of the touched input point of the touch panel 2. , y) The coordinates are detected and output to the CPU 6. The control unit 3 includes the touch panel detection circuit 4 and the XY
A detection circuit 5 and the like are provided, and a CPU 6 such as a microprocessor for controlling the entire apparatus is provided. The control is performed according to a control program stored in a program ROM 8 of a memory 7. The ROM section of the memory 7 stores a program ROM 8 storing a control program of the CPU 6, a character pattern 9 storing image data for a cleaning mode, which will be described later, and a pattern data area or dictionary for storing various character patterns. Etc. are included. In addition, RA in memory 7
The M section 10 includes a RAM area used as a work area of the CPU 6, a character position data area 11 for storing a display position of a character pattern, and the like. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state of a touch input from the touch panel 2. The operator touches the corresponding item position or the like on the touch panel 2 with a finger or the like while watching the CRT display screen, and thereby can specify the item or input coordinates. [Setting and Operation of Cleaning Mode (FIGS. 3 to 6)] FIG. 3 shows a CRT screen 1 when the information processing apparatus is turned on.
Shows the main menu display displayed on the screen. Here, each function of the device is displayed as an icon,
The operation is started when the operator touches the icon from the touch panel 2. Reference numeral 30 denotes an icon for designating a cleaning mode. When the icon 30 is touched, the cleaning mode is set. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a cleaning state of the operator in the cleaning mode. In the figure, reference numeral 21 denotes a character pattern indicating the cleaning mode. This pattern data is stored in a character pattern area 9 of the memory 7, and is displayed by moving left and right on the CRT screen 1. Reference numeral 20 denotes a cloth used for cleaning by an operator. Here, the input-capable portion of the touch panel 2 is only the portion where the character pattern 21 is displayed, so that there is no concern that the other portions are input even if they are touched for cleaning. When a character pattern is displayed in the cleaning area and gets in the way, touch the pattern 21 and then touch another position on the screen to move the pattern 21 to that position. Thus, the character pattern can be moved out of the portion to be cleaned, and the screen of the CRT 1 can be cleaned. To release the cleaning mode, the character pattern 21 is once touched to stop the movement of the character pattern 21, and then the character pattern 21 is touched again to release the cleaning mode. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of starting the cleaning mode in the apparatus of the embodiment. The control program shown in this flowchart is stored in the program ROM 8. A main menu as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed in step S1, and when the cleaning mode designation icon 30 is touched here, the process proceeds to step S2, and the cleaning mode of the touch panel 2 shown by the flowchart in FIG. 6 is started. Is done. Step
When another icon is touched in S3, execution of the function program corresponding to the icon touched in step S4 is started. FIG. 6 is a schematic flowchart of the touch panel cleaning function shown in step S2 of FIG. In step S10, delete all displays such as function menus,
The character pattern (backward-facing pattern) indicated by the icon 21 in FIG. 4 is displayed on the screen of the CRT 1 as a start screen. In step S11, the character icon is slightly
In the direction (right or left). At this time memory 7
The character position data 11 is similarly updated. For example, when the icon moves rightward and reaches the right end of the screen, the icon is displayed to move leftward. In step S12, it is checked whether the character icon 21 has been touched. This compares the input coordinate value from the XY detection circuit 5 with the character position data 11 to see if they match. When they match (when the touch is made), the process proceeds to step S13, where the character icon 21 is looked back and waits for about one second. Then, it is determined whether the character icon 21 has been touched again in step S14. If the character icon 21 is touched, the process proceeds to step S15, where the end screen of the cleaning mode is displayed. Cancel the cleaning mode. If the character icon 21 is not touched in step S14, the process proceeds to step S16 to check whether another position on the screen is touched. If another position on the screen is touched, the process proceeds to step S17, and the character icon 21 is moved to that position and displayed. During this cleaning mode, the back ground music may be flown. [Explanation of Second Embodiment (FIGS. 7 to 9)] FIGS. 7 and 8 are diagrams for explaining the operation of the second embodiment. FIG. 7 shows a cleaning surface 70 for almost the right half of the main menu screen.
, The input on the cleaning surface 70 is all prohibited, and the input can be performed while the menu is displayed on the left half of the screen. Reference numeral 71 denotes a cleaning surface switching designation unit. By touching this, the cleaning surface 70 is switched so as to come to the left side of the screen as shown in FIG. Reference numeral 72 denotes a cleaning function termination instructing unit. By touching here, termination of the cleaning function can be instructed. FIG. 8 shows a case where the cleaning surface 70 comes to the right side of the screen by switching the cleaning surface. As is clear from comparison with FIG. 7, the screen switching instruction section 71 and the cleaning function end instruction section 72 are displayed with their positions changed as the cleaning surface 70 moves. FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the cleaning operation process according to the second embodiment. When this mode is started by touching the icon 30 in the main menu display, a step S20 is executed.
Clears almost 60% of the right side of the screen and displays "cleaning surface" on the top. Then, in step S21, the cleaning surface 7
Do not accept touch signals within 0. In step S22, it is checked whether or not the cleaning mode end instruction unit 72 has been touched. If touched, the process proceeds to step S23, where the screen display returns to the original main menu, and the input from the touch panel 2 can be accepted. In step S24, when the switch to the cleaning surface is instructed, the screen display is returned to the original state (main menu display) once in step S25, and the right screen is the cleaning surface in the immediately preceding state in step S26. See if it's warm. At this time, the process proceeds to step S27, in which almost 60% of the screen is cleared to the cleaning surface 70 as shown in FIG. 8, and the left side of the touch panel 2 corresponding to the cleaning surface 70 is prohibited in step S28. If the right screen has not been cleaned immediately before in step S26, the process proceeds to step S29, where the right screen is moved to approximately 60 right as shown in FIG.
% To be the cleaning surface 70, and in step S30 the cleaning surface 70
Input of the part corresponding to is prohibited. In this embodiment, the screen is described as being divided into left and right parts. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the screen may be divided into upper and lower parts. . Also, for example, an icon indicating an input enabled area is displayed in a corner of the screen, and a portion where the icon is not displayed is firstly cleaned, and when cleaning the vicinity of the icon, the icon is touched and the other corner is touched. May be moved. At this time, if this icon is continuously touched, the cleaning mode may be canceled. As described above, according to the present embodiment, the surface of the touch panel can be cleaned without turning off the power of the apparatus, and there is an effect that erroneous input due to contact with the touch panel during this cleaning is eliminated. Further, even during the cleaning mode, the user can set and cancel the cleaning mode on the screen, so that the operation is simplified. [Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, an input valid area and an input invalid area are set on an input surface and are displayed so as to be identifiable, regardless of contact with the input surface. In the display screen, the input valid area is moved at a predetermined speed and displayed, and in response to contact with the input valid area during the moving display at the predetermined speed and contact with the input valid area following the contact, Since the input invalid area is changed to the input valid area, even when the power of the information input device is turned on, the user can work by touching the input surface corresponding to the input invalid area without worrying about malfunction. Since the input valid area is moved and displayed at a predetermined speed instead of being fixed on the screen, the input is ignored even if the user touches any part of the entire screen not including the input valid area. Thus, there is an effect that, for example, screen cleaning can be performed without worrying about malfunction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information input device of this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a use form of a touch panel, and FIG. 3 is a main menu screen of the device of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a cleaning state of the touch panel surface of the first embodiment, FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a process of calling a cleaning mode, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the first embodiment. 7 and 8 are views showing a cleaning state of the second embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a schematic flowchart of the cleaning process of the second embodiment. In the drawing, 1 ... CRT, 2 ... Pressure-sensitive touch panel, 3 ... Control unit, 4 ... Touch panel detection circuit, 5 ... XY detection circuit,
6 ... CPU, 7 ... Memory, 8 ... Program ROM, 9 ... Character pattern, 10 ... RAM, 11 ... Character position data, 2
0: cloth, 21: cleaning character icon, 30: cleaning icon, 70: cleaning surface.

Continuation of front page    (56) References JP-A-58-184644 (JP, A)                 JP-A-57-152036 (JP, A)                 JP-A-58-84339 (JP, A)                 JP-A-60-51932 (JP, A)                 JP-A-64-58011 (JP, A)                 JP-A-63-279313 (JP, A)                 JP-A-63-271628 (JP, A)                 61-65544 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An information input device for inputting information to an information processing device by touching an input surface provided on a display screen, comprising: an input invalid area where information input by touching the input surface is invalid; Setting means for setting each of the input valid areas in which information input is valid on the input surface; display means for identifiably displaying the input invalid area and the input valid area set by the previous setting means; and the input surface Control means for controlling the input effective area to move and display at a predetermined speed in the display screen regardless of contact with the input screen; and inputting the input invalid area in response to the contact with the input effective area. An information input device, comprising: changing means for changing to an effective area. 2. The change unit changes the invalid input area to the valid input area in accordance with contact with the valid input area during the moving display at the predetermined speed and contact with the valid input area following the contact. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein 3. The change unit may further include, after touching the input valid area that is being moved and displayed at the predetermined speed, moving the input valid area to a contact position of the input invalid area by touching the input invalid area and displaying the input valid area. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein: