JP2853047B2 - Airbrush input device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Summary] The present invention relates to an airbrush-type input device that realizes the same function as an airbrush device for coloring or drawing by spray painting as a screen coloring or drawing input device of an information processing device. By combining the device and the flat light receiver,
It has the same function as an airbrush for spraying paint, is easy to operate, and aims to realize an input device with high working efficiency.It has operation buttons, and it diffuses at a certain angle by operating the buttons. A light emitting device that emits light, a light receiving plane in which a large number of minute light receiving elements are evenly distributed on a plane, and an analog signal from the light receiving element provided in the light receiving plane is converted into a digital signal, and a maximum illuminance position is obtained. And a control device for detecting the coordinates of the contact area with the circumscribed quadrilateral with respect to the irradiation range and transmitting the obtained data to the connected computer main body.

[Industrial applications]

The present invention relates to an airbrush-type input device that realizes a function similar to that of an airbrush device for coloring or drawing by spray painting as an input device for screen coloring or drawing of an information processing apparatus.

[Conventional technology]

In drawing using a conventional information processing apparatus, as shown in FIG. 7, paint is sprayed onto a drawing surface 1 by high-pressure air from an air pump (or air compressor) 2 by a paint sprayer 3, and the paint is atomized. There is an input device as shown in FIG. 8 which draws in the same manner as an airbrush which draws by spraying and applying the ink.

As the input device, a pointing device 5 used on a plane, a data input device such as a tablet or a mouse, and a variable input device 6 such as a numerical input device such as a keyboard or a dial are provided on the information processing device main body 4. Have.

In the case of an airbrush input device equipped with a tablet and control dial, input the brush shape and color as commands in advance, and
Input the information on the thickness and shade of the drawing unit by inputting numerical values from 6a, generate a brush pattern indicating the weight of the mixing ratio, and point at tablet 5b by inputting data from tablet 5b used on plane 5a The colors are mixed with the original image in accordance with the generated brush pattern, centering on the selected point.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the above-described conventional airbrush input device, the operation is complicated because the data from the pointing device 5 and the numerical data from the variable input device 6 are combined to input the thickness, shading, designated range, and the like of the brush. In addition, the drawing work takes too much time and the work efficiency is not improved. In recent years, a pen pressure tablet has appeared, and the width of a specified range can be easily adjusted by button operation, such as opening and closing of a nozzle in the paint sprayer 3, but the distance between the flat surface 5a and the tablet 5b and the like have been improved. The input of the angle still has to be input from the variable input device 6, and the working efficiency is not improved.

As described above, with the input device conventionally used, it is not possible to easily draw by one-handed operation like the paint sprayer 3 for spraying paint, and furthermore, drawing such as spraying paint, that is, thickness or There is a problem that it is not easy to express the range or the shading.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems,
The technical problem set for the purpose of solving the problem is to provide an input device that has the same function as an airbrush that sprays paint by combining a light emitting device and a flat light receiving device, is easy to operate, and has high work efficiency. That can be realized,
An object of the present invention is to provide an airbrush input device.

[Means for solving the problem]

The present invention, as a specific means for solving the above-mentioned problem, has an operation button 11a as shown in FIG. 1 when configuring the airbrush type input device 10, and operates at a fixed angle by operating the button. A light emitting device 11 that emits diffused light, a light receiving plane 12 in which a number of minute light receiving elements are evenly distributed on a plane, and an analog signal from the light receiving element provided on the light receiving plane 12 is converted into a digital signal. And a controller 13 for detecting coordinates indicating the maximum irradiation position and contact coordinates with the circumscribed quadrilateral for the irradiation range, and transmitting the obtained data to the connected computer main body.

(Operation)

According to the present invention, when the operation button 11a is operated to emit light and is projected on the light receiving plane 12, the element at the irradiation position of the light receiving plane 12 performs photoelectric conversion according to the illuminance and outputs an analog signal. Upon receiving the analog signal, the control device 13 converts the signal into a digital signal, determines coordinates indicating the maximum illuminance position of the irradiation position, contact coordinates with the circumscribed quadrilateral with respect to the irradiation range, etc., specifies the irradiation range, and determines the thickness of the brush. Basic data for calculating the color tone, the irradiation angle, the distance from the airbrush, and the like can be transmitted to the computer.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, as an embodiment of the present invention, a case where a light emitting device is formed in a light pen shape and a light receiving plane and a control device main body are integrated will be illustrated and described.

As shown in FIG. 2, the input device 20 is formed as a light pen type, and has a light emitting device 21 having an operation button 21a protruding on an outer surface thereof, and a box-shaped housing having an upper surface wide as a light receiving plane 22a. And a light receiving device 22 having the same.

The light emitting device 21 is energized by pressing the operation button 21a, emits light, and outputs a light emission start signal together with the light emission.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the light receiving device 22 has a light receiving plane 22a in which light receiving elements 22b are arranged on the upper surface of the housing, and an analog signal from the light receiving element is digitally provided inside the housing. AD conversion means 23a for converting into a signal, detection means 23b for detecting coordinates indicating the maximum illuminance position and contact coordinates with a circumscribed quadrilateral for the irradiation range, and transmission control for transmitting the obtained data to the connected computer main body side A control device 22c having means 23c is incorporated.

The light receiving plane 22a uses, as the light receiving element 22b, an element such as a phototransistor or a CCD (charge-coupled device) in which an analog amount such as a current or a voltage changes according to the light amount, and a light receiving unit having a display resolution equal to or larger than the display resolution of the monitor. And outputs an electromotive force corresponding to the amount of light received by each light receiving element 22b.

The detection means 23b updates the coordinates with a sampling start detection circuit 31 that detects a signal output from the light emitting device 21 when starting to sample the input signal, and a sampling start signal output from the sampling start detection circuit 31. , Photodetector 22b that performs photoelectric conversion and outputs an analog signal
Scan control circuit 32 that sequentially changes the position of the coordinates, and the coordinates and AD conversion means 23a defined by the scan control circuit 32.
The register 33 storing the output of the light receiving plane 22a, the maximum illuminance obtained from the position where the light is actually received, the coordinates indicating the position of the maximum illuminance, the maximum value of the X coordinate of the position contacting the circumscribed rectangle with respect to the light receiving range, A comparison circuit 34 that compares the current value with the previous value, such as the minimum value, the maximum value and the minimum value of the Y coordinate, and outputs a more appropriate value, and the maximum illuminance output from the comparison circuit 34 Maximum illuminance register 35 to be stored and comparison circuit
A maximum illuminance coordinate register 36 for storing the maximum illuminance coordinate output from the comparator 34; an X minimum coordinate register 37 for storing the minimum value of the X coordinate output from the comparator 34; A Y minimum coordinate register 38 for storing the minimum value, an X maximum coordinate register 39 for storing the maximum value of the X coordinate output from the comparison circuit 34, and a Y for storing the maximum value of the Y coordinate output from the comparison circuit 34 It comprises a maximum coordinate register 40.

The transmission control device 23c is an input interface for transmitting data to the computer main body.

When the light emitting device 21 irradiates the light receiving plane 22a using the embodiment having the above-described configuration, the following processing is executed.

1) Hold the light pen type light emitting device 21 in one hand, press the operation button with a finger to emit light, adjust the distance between the light emitting device 21 and the light receiving plane 22a, change the inclination, and draw, place it on the light receiving plane 22a An electromotive force corresponding to the amount of light is generated in the light receiving element 22b, and the sampling start detection circuit 31 detects a sampling start signal output from the light emitting device 21 and inputs data.

2) When the sampling start detection circuit 31 detects the sampling start signal, the scan control circuit 32 and the comparison circuit 34
, A processing start signal is output.

3) Upon receiving the processing start signal, the scan control circuit 32 sequentially outputs the XY coordinates specifying the position of the light receiving element 22b to the light receiving plane 22a and the register 33.

4) Light receiving element 22b arranged on light receiving plane 22a for receiving light
Outputs an analog signal of a voltage generated by an electromotive force corresponding to the amount of received light, and outputs the output from the light receiving element 22b corresponding to the XY coordinates designated by the scan control circuit 32 to the AD Convert to a signal.

5) The digital signal output from the AD converter 23a is stored in the register 33 together with the XY coordinates of the position where the signal was obtained.

6) The data stored in the register 33 is read by the comparison circuit 34, and the maximum illuminance register 35, the maximum illuminance coordinate register 36, the X minimum coordinate register 37, and the Y minimum coordinate register
38, X maximum coordinate register 39, and Y maximum coordinate register
It is compared with each of the data stored in 40. If the result indicates that the data in the register 33 is more appropriate, the data is output to the registers 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, or 40 whose storage contents are to be changed, and the storage contents are exchanged.

7) When the sampling of the data output from the light receiving element 22b is completed and a frame end signal is output from the scan control circuit 32, the transmission control means 23c controls the maximum irradiation register 3
5, maximum illuminance coordinate register 36, X minimum coordinate register 37,
The data stored in the Y minimum coordinate register 38, the X maximum coordinate register 39, and the Y maximum coordinate register 40 are transmitted to the computer main body.

8) After completion of transmission, each of the registers 35, 36, 3
7, 38, 39, and 40 are initialized and prepared for processing for the next frame.

The computer main body, which has input data generated by the light received on the light receiving plane 22a via the transmission control means 23c, executes processing for obtaining the intensity, range, and shape, which are information necessary for realizing an airbrush.

The intensity is determined by the mixing ratio of the color of the airbrush and the original image, and is determined in proportion to the maximum illuminance.

The range is the size affected by the airbrush, X minimum coordinate,
The size of the rectangle is obtained from the data of the X maximum coordinate, the Y minimum coordinate, and the Y maximum coordinate, and the shape is determined by scaling.

The shape is influenced by the airbrush, and the maximum illuminance coordinates are X minimum coordinates, X maximum coordinates, and Y minimum coordinates from the data of the maximum illuminance coordinates, X minimum coordinates, X maximum coordinates, Y minimum coordinates, and Y maximum coordinates. , And which position in the rectangle is determined by the Y maximum coordinate.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the actual light receiving area on the light receiving plane 22a is 41, the rectangle circumscribing the light receiving area 41 is 42, and the contacts are (x ₀ , y ₀ ), (x ₁ ,
y ₁ ), (x ₂ , y ₂ ), (x ₃ , y ₃ ), and the position where the illuminance is maximum in the light receiving range 41 is the maximum illuminance coordinate (x _max ,
When y _max), if the circumscribed rectangle is a square, as shown in FIG. 5, the maximum illuminance coordinates small section 42a located in the right upper end of the small section was subdivided into rectangular 42 (x _max, y _max) Is located, the drawing shape based on this input data becomes a deformed ellipse 43 at the upper right, and as shown in FIG. Coordinates (x
_max , _ymax ), the drawing shape based on this input data is a circle.

As described above, in the embodiment, by holding the light pen type light emitting device 21 in one hand and pressing the operation button with a finger to emit light and input data, the drawing operation becomes extremely simple, The light emitting device 21 is connected to the light receiving plane 22a
The drawing range and the shading can be adjusted by moving the light-emitting device 21 closer to and away from the light-emitting device 21, and the drawing shape can be changed by changing the inclination angle of the light emitting device 21 with respect to the light receiving plane 22a. Thus, the same drawing as that in the case of spraying paints can be easily expressed in computer graphics, and the work efficiency of the drawing operation can be greatly improved.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, in the present invention, the light emitting device 11 irradiates light to the light receiving plane 12 on which the photoelectric conversion element is arranged, and forms an input device that generates input data from different electromotive forces generated by the light irradiation range and illuminance. The light emitting device
Differences due to the mutual distance and inclination angle of the 11 with respect to the light receiving plane 12 can be input as differences in thickness or range or shade, and drawing equivalent to paint sprayed in mist can be performed by one hand operation of the light emitting device 11 Can be easily realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle configuration of an airbrush type input device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an airbrush type input device according to an embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a control device of the airbrush type input device according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a light irradiation range and its circumscribed quadrilateral, FIG. 5 is a shape explanatory diagram showing a delineated elliptical image based on the circumscribed quadrilateral and the maximum illuminance position, and FIG. The figure is a shape explanatory view showing a drawing image of a shape close to a circle by a circumscribed quadrilateral and the maximum illuminance position, FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a conventional airbrush for spraying paint, and FIG. 8 is a conventional tablet 5b. And control dial
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an input device provided with 6a. 10 Input device 11 Light emitting device 11a Operation button 12 Light receiving plane 13 Control device

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A light emitting device (11) having an operation button (11a) and emitting light diffused at a certain angle by operating the button, and a number of minute light receiving elements are evenly distributed on a plane. An analog signal from a light receiving plane (12) and a light receiving element provided on the light receiving plane is converted into a digital signal, and coordinates indicating a maximum illuminance position and contact coordinates with a circumscribed quadrilateral with respect to an irradiation range are detected. An air brush type input device, comprising: a control device (13) for transmitting data to a connected computer main body.