JP2951664B2 - Touch panel device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a touch panel device, and in particular, includes a display unit and a transparent touch panel disposed on a display surface thereof, and touches a predetermined key area on the touch panel. The present invention relates to a touch panel device capable of performing key input by performing a key operation.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, there has been known a touch panel device capable of inputting data by pointing at a screen from a transparent touch panel arranged on a screen display. The touch panel has strip-shaped transparent electrodes arranged vertically and horizontally at a small interval, and the electrodes at the positions touched by the fingers are brought into contact with each other and the position information is output. I have.

11A and 11B are key arrangement diagrams of a conventional touch panel device. In FIG. 11A, the contents of the ten keys are displayed on the display 30, and an area 50 of the touch panel 40 corresponding to the display area functions as the ten keys. In the conventional touch panel device, the key area on the touch panel, the key format, and the display content displayed as the background are programmed on the application program for each display screen. For this reason,
When using a numeric keypad whose position is different from that of FIG. 11A as shown in FIG. 11B, it was necessary to perform programming of the key area, key format and display contents separately from the numeric keypad shown in FIG. 11A. .

Also, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, although the same numeric keypad is used, even if the same key is touched, different positional information is output, so that the positional information is converted into a code corresponding to the key. Table had to be provided individually.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, in the conventional touch panel device, the key area, the key format, and the display data of the key contents are programmed in the application program, so that the key layout cannot be easily changed. could not. Further, when changing the position of the key, it is necessary to newly set a correspondence table between the position information and the key code on the application program, which causes a problem that the program becomes large and that programming is extremely complicated. There was a problem.

Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel device capable of freely and easily changing a key layout. Another object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel device that requires a small storage capacity by modularizing a key area, a key format, and display data of key contents.

[Means for Solving the Problems] According to claim 1 of the present invention, a touch panel device including a display unit and a transparent touch panel arranged on a display surface of the display unit has a key area displayed on the display unit. A storage table that stores the reference position information and key format information such as key size in correspondence with the touch panel for each processing screen, and when a key area of the touch panel is touched,
Absolute position information output means for outputting absolute position information indicating a touch position on the touch panel, and reference position information and key format information of a key area corresponding to a processing screen displayed on the display unit are read from a storage table. A position information conversion unit for converting an output of the absolute position information output unit into relative position information starting from a reference position of the key area based on the read information; and a relative information converted by the position information conversion unit. Code conversion means for converting the position information into a code required for processing.

In the touch panel device according to claim 2, the touch panel device according to claim 1 further includes rewriting means for rewriting the reference position information and the key format information of the key area of the storage table.

In the touch panel device according to claim 3, claim 1 is provided.
Alternatively, in the touch panel device according to claim 2, the code conversion unit includes a storage unit storing relative position information and a code required for the corresponding process, and the code required for the process stored in the storage unit is rewritable. .

[Operation] In the touch panel device according to the present invention, the reference position information and the key format information of the key area displayed on the display unit are stored as a table for each processing screen, and the absolute position information on the touch panel is stored. It is automatically converted into relative position information starting from the reference position of the key area stored in the table. Therefore, information for creating a key area can be stored compactly.

In the touch panel device according to the second aspect, since the reference position information and the key format information of the key area of the storage table can be rewritten, the key content can be changed as needed, so that the touch panel is extremely easy to use. Become.

In the touch panel device according to the third aspect, the key content and the key area are stored for each processing screen, and when the screen changes and the key area moves, the display of the key content moves together with the key area. Therefore, since it is not necessary to create an application program for moving the key area, the load required for programming can be reduced.

[Embodiment of the Invention] FIG. 2 is a view showing an input display device applied to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of one key of the input display device shown in FIG. . Next, FIG. 2 and FIG.
The configuration of the input display device will be described with reference to the drawings.
The input display device 1 includes a touch panel 11 and a liquid crystal display unit 12. The touch panel 11 has, for example, a 20 × 10 matrix configuration. The liquid crystal display unit 12 is for displaying a key display pattern representing key contents in an area corresponding to the key area on the display surface. As shown in FIG. 3, the touch panel 11 is
The liquid crystal display section 12 includes a sheet of transparent conductive film 14, and includes a liquid crystal display 15 and a transparent plastic plate 16 for protecting the liquid crystal display 15. When one key on the touch panel 11 is touched, absolute position information indicating the touched position is output. This absolute position information is converted into a hard code defined based on the start position of the key area as described later, and then into a soft code used in an application program.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing an electrical configuration of one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, the touch panel device
10 is provided with a master CPU 2. The LCD display controller 3, video RAM 4, slave CPU
5 and 6, the interface 7, the ROM 8, the RAM 9, and the calendar clock 17 are connected.

Master CPU 2 is an arithmetic unit that controls the entire system. The liquid crystal display controller 3 drives and controls the liquid crystal display 15. Video RA
M4 is a refresh memory for storing screen information of the liquid crystal display 15. The slave CPUs 5 and 6 perform various functions and perform multiplex processing of peripheral devices.

Touch panel 11, low voltage detection circuit 1
9, numeric keypad / function key 20, buzzer 21, peripheral device
22 is connected, and a printer 23 is connected to the slave CPU 6. The interface 7 performs data transmission between the external host computer and the master CPU 2. The ROM 8 stores programs for operating the master CPU 2 and the slave CPUs 5 and 6. RAM9
Indicates the data handled by this device and the input display device 1 described above.
Is used to store key display patterns and the like used in. The calendar clock 17 measures the current date and time. The touch panel device 10 is provided with a battery 18 for backup in addition to the above-described configuration.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the function of one embodiment of the present invention. Next, the function of one embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. The touch panel 11 is configured in a matrix, and has, for example, 200 keys of 20 × 10 fixedly formed. Various key formats can be configured by allocating the 200 keys as needed. In this embodiment, up to three key formats can be defined for one processing screen displayed on the liquid crystal display 15. The key format a shown in FIG. 1 is composed of 2 × 2 keys as one unit key, and 5 × 5 keys are assigned. In the key format b, a 4 × 2 key is configured as one unit key, and 2 × 2 keys are assigned. Key format c is 2 × 2 key 1
It is configured as one unit key, and 4 × 2 keys are assigned. The key formats a to c are stored in the RAM 9.

Each key display pattern corresponding to each key format can also be set arbitrarily. In this embodiment, the key display patterns p and q are used for the key format a.
Are set, key display patterns r and s are set for the key format b, and a key display pattern t is set for the key format c. The key display patterns pt are stored in a screen memory included in the RAM 9.

On the liquid crystal display 15, a key display pattern stored in the screen memory or a processing screen configured by combining the key display patterns is displayed. Processing screen A has key display patterns p and r
The processing screen B includes a key display pattern q, and the processing screen C includes a key display pattern s
Consists of In this embodiment, eight processing screens can be set. Also, as is clear from the above description,
The key format is not fixed for each processing screen, but can be shared by a plurality of processing screens.

5 to 7 are diagrams for explaining the storage area of the RAM 9. In particular, FIG. 5 shows a hard code table, FIG. 6 shows a soft code table, and FIG. 7 shows a screen memory. Show. Next, each storage area will be described with reference to FIG. 5 to FIG.

The hard code table 91 shown in FIG. 5 is partitioned for each processing screen (screen number), and the start position of the key area, the key area size, the key size, and the key area number can be defined for each processing screen. Has become. Three key areas can be set in one processing screen, and up to eight processing screens can be set. Each numerical value of the key area start position, the key area size, and the one key size is defined using a minimum unit key arranged on the touch panel 11, that is, one of the 20 × 10 200 keys as a unit. The key area start position is the position coordinate of the upper left corner of the key area, and as shown in FIG. 5A, one of the numerical values (X coordinate) of 1 to 27 given in the X direction.
And one of the numbers 1 to 10 given in the Y direction (Y
(Coordinates). The key area size indicates the size of the key area in the X direction and the Y direction, and one key size indicates the X of the minimum unit key constituting one key.
The numbers of arrays in the direction and the Y direction are shown. For example, in the case of key area number 1 in screen number 1, X = 1 to 1
This means that a key area is set in an area defined by 0, Y = 1 to 10, and a key layout having 5 × 5 keys is set in this key area. In the case of key area number 2 in screen number 1, X = 13 to 2
This means that a key area is set in an area defined by 0, Y = 1 to 4, and a key layout having 2 × 2 keys is set in this key area. Further, in the case of key area number 3 in screen number 1, X = 13 to
This means setting a key area in an area defined by 20, Y = 7 to 10, and setting a key layout having 4 × 2 keys in this key area. Screen number 2 is defined by moving the area of key area number 1 in screen number 1 in parallel in the X direction. Since this key format is the same as that of the key area number 1 in the screen number 1, 1 is used as the key area number. The key area number serves as selection information for the soft code table shown in FIG. The hard code table 91
When the key area defined by is touched, an X coordinate and a Y coordinate indicating an absolute position are output from the touch panel 11, and the positional information is used to start the key area using the hard code table 91 as described later. It is converted to a position-based hard code.

The soft code table 92 shown in FIG. 6 is a correspondence table between the above-described hard codes and soft codes used in each application program. Soft code table
The 92 stores a hard code and a soft code set for each key area number. In this embodiment, the data processing is performed by each user program. However, since it is necessary to be able to arbitrarily set the key code corresponding to the hard code from the commonality of the program, the above-mentioned correspondence table is provided, and the setting is arbitrarily performed. Soft codes are output in response to touch keys.

The screen memory 93 shown in FIG. 7 stores code data representing characters, symbols, figures, and the like assigned to keys for each screen number and key area number. Hard code table
The contents stored in the software code table 91, the soft code table 92 and the screen memory 93 can be arbitrarily set and changed by operating the ten-key / function key 20, for example. For example, when changing the key area start position of the hard code table 91, the target key area is displayed on the liquid crystal display 15, the cursor is moved to a desired change position, and then a predetermined command is input. As a result, the cursor position is taken as the key area start position, and the hard code table 91 is rewritten.

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are flowcharts for explaining the operation of one embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 8 shows the operation from the initial state to the start of the program. Shows a hard code output operation, and FIG. 10 shows a soft code output operation. Next, the operation of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

(I) The operation from the initial state to the start of the program (No. 8
Hereinafter, a case where a touch panel is used to select one processing program from a plurality of processing programs will be described.

In step S1 (abbreviated as S1 in the figure), a screen number is set. The screen number may be set by operating the numeric keypad / function key 20 to give a specific key signal, or by writing the screen number on a program in advance and saving it. Is also good. Next, in step S2, all display data corresponding to the set screen number is read from the screen memory 93 and loaded into the video RAM 4. In response to this, a key area displaying the name of each processing program appears on the liquid crystal display 15. In step S3, it is detected whether or not the key area has been touched. If the key area is touched, a hard code corresponding to the key position is output in step S4.
Output a soft code corresponding to the hard code. The output operation of the hard code will be described later with reference to FIG. 9, and the output operation of the soft code will be described later with reference to FIG. Next, in step S6, a processing program corresponding to the soft code is started, and the process returns to step S3.

(II) Hard code output operation (FIG. 9) The operation shown in FIG. 9 will be briefly described. It is determined whether or not the touch position is one by one from the start position of the key area to the end position of the key area. In this routine, the hard code is incremented by one to generate a hard code based on the key area start position. When a key touch is performed on the key area, an X coordinate and a Y coordinate are obtained. Hereinafter, for simplicity, the processing of the X coordinate will be described using an example shown in FIG. 9A. It should be understood that similar processing is performed for the Y coordinate.

In the example shown in FIG. 9A, area W is a key area,
The third and fourth keys make up the first key,
The second key is constituted by the fifth and sixth keys. In the area indicated by the screen number 8 of the hard code table 91 corresponding to the key area W, data of a key area start position, a key area size, one key size, and a key area number are stored. Assume that the sixth key indicated by oblique lines in FIG. 9A has been touched.

In step S11, the output X coordinate (6 in this case) is captured. In step S12, the area corresponding to the screen number currently displayed on the liquid crystal display 15, for example, 8 among the areas for each screen number in the hard code table 91 is referred to, and first, the uppermost column of that area, for example, U1 The key area start position, key area size and one key size are read. In this case, the key area start position is 3, the key area size is 4, and 1
The key size is 2. In step S13, the variable KA is set to the value of the start position (3 in this case), the modified KB is set to the value of the end position (start position + key area size-1: 6 in this case), and the variable SZ is set to the value of 1 key size (2 in this case), and the variable HC for giving the heart code is set to 0. In step S14, in order to check whether or not the start position has been touched, it is determined whether or not X and KA match. In the case of 4, since X is 6 and KA is 3, it is determined that they do not match, and the process proceeds to step S15. In step S15, it is determined whether or not KA and KB match, in order to check whether or not the above-described match determination has been performed up to the last key in the key area. In this case, since KA is 3 and KB is 6, it is determined that they do not match, and the process proceeds to step S16. Step S16
Then, to determine the match for the next key,
Then, in step S17, since a match is determined for one key, SZ is decremented by one. In our case,
KA becomes 4 and SZ becomes 1. Subsequently, in step S18, it is determined whether or not one key size has been advanced. In this case, since SZ is 1, the process returns to step S14. Step S14
In the second processing from S18 to X18, X, KA, and KB are 6, 4, and 6, respectively, so that it is determined that both are NO in steps S14 and S15. Then, in steps S16 and S17, KA and SZ are updated, KA becomes 5, and SZ becomes 0. Since SZ becomes 0, the process proceeds from step S18 to step S19. In step S19, HC is incremented by 1 to 1 and SZ is reset to the value of one key size (2 in this case). Subsequently, the process returns from step S19 to step S14. In the third processing of steps S14 to S18, X, KA, and KB are 6, 5, and 6, respectively.
At 14 and S15, it is determined to be NO. Then, in steps S16 and S17, KA and SZ are updated, respectively.
KA becomes 6, SZ becomes 1. Since SZ is 1, the process proceeds from step S18 to step S14 without going through step S19.
Return to Next, in step S14, since KA is 6, it is determined that it matches X. In this case,
Proceeding from step S14 to step S20, a key area number indicating the key area to which the touched key belongs and a hard code (HC) are output. In this case, 4 is obtained as the key area number and 1 is obtained as the hard code. In this embodiment, since the hard code of the first key is set to 0, it is recognized that the second key in the key area W has been touched.

When an area other than the key area W shown in FIG. 9A is touched, X and K do not match even if the check is performed up to the final position of the key area. Therefore, in this case, in step S15, KA and KB
Is determined to match, the process proceeds from step S15 to step S21. In step S21, it is determined whether or not the processing has been performed for the field of the last key area of the hard code table 91, for example, the last key area of 8, for example, U3. The definition is output, and if it is not the last column, the process proceeds to step S23, the process is shifted to the next key area column, for example, U2 or U3, and the process returns to step S12.

(III) Soft Code Output Operation (FIG. 10) When converting the hard code obtained by the above-described hard code output operation into a soft code, first, in step S31, the key area number output in step S20 is converted to a soft code. The corresponding soft code table is selected. Subsequently, in step S32, the soft code table is searched based on the given hard code, and the same hard code is searched. If the same hard code exists, in step S33, a soft code corresponding to the hard code is read and output.

 Next, another embodiment will be described.

FIG. 9B is a flowchart for explaining a hard code output operation different from that shown in FIG. In another embodiment, the hard code is not sized for each key size,
It is given by the value counted by the key of the minimum unit divided into 200. At this time, the key area and the upper left corner are used as the reference positions of the key area, as in the above-described embodiment.

In step S41, X coordinate data is acquired. Subsequently, in step S42, the hard code table is referred to, KA and KB are set based on the data read from the area corresponding to any one of the key areas, and the HC giving the hard code is set to 0. . Since KA and KB are the same as those described in FIG. 9, the description will be omitted. And
In step S44, it is determined whether or not the coordinates of the touched key match KA. If they do not match, it is determined in step S45 whether KA and KB match. If KA and KB do not match, in step S48, KA and HC are respectively incremented by one. This allows
The hard code is incremented by one. The routine of steps S44, S45 and S48 is repeated, and X and KA
If they match, the process proceeds to step S50, and the key area number and the hard code HC are output. Steps
S46, S47 and S49 are the same as those in FIG. In the case of this embodiment, the correspondence between the hard code and the soft code by the minimum unit key is stored in the soft code table.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the key area and the key format information for each processing screen are stored in the storage table, so that the information for creating the key area is stored compactly. be able to. Further, since each information of the key area and the key format can be easily rewritten, the key layout can be freely changed. Further, since the key code for the relative position information indicating the touch position can be rewritten, the key content can be changed as needed, and the touch panel is extremely easy to use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining functions of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an input display device applied to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of one key of the input display device shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing an electrical configuration of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an illustrative view showing a hard code table provided in the RAM shown in FIG. FIG. 5A is a diagram for explaining the hard code table of FIG. FIG. 6 shows the fourth
FIG. 2 is an illustrative view showing a soft code table provided in a RAM shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is an illustrative view showing a screen memory provided in the RAM shown in FIG. 8, 9 and 10 are flowcharts for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9A is a diagram for explaining the operation according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 9, and FIG. 9B is a flowchart for explaining the operation of another embodiment of the present invention. No. 11A
FIG. 11 and FIG. 11B are key arrangement diagrams of a conventional touch panel device. In the figure, 2 is the master CPU, 5 is the slave CPU, and 8 is RO
M and 9 are RAMs, 10 is a touch panel device, 11 is a touch panel, 15 is a liquid crystal display, 91 is a hard code table, 92 is a soft code table, and 93 is a screen memory.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A touch panel device comprising a display unit and a transparent touch panel disposed on a display surface of the display unit, wherein a key format such as reference position information and a key size of a key area displayed on the display unit is provided. A storage table for storing information for each processing screen in association with the touch panel; and an absolute position information output for outputting absolute position information indicating a touch position on the touch panel when a key area of the touch panel is touched. Means, read out the reference position information and key format information of the key area corresponding to the processing screen displayed on the display unit from the storage table, and read the output of the absolute position information output means. Based on the information,
Position information conversion means for converting the reference position of the key area into relative position information as a starting point, code conversion means for converting the relative position information converted by the position information conversion means into a code required for processing, Touch panel device provided with. 2. The touch panel device according to claim 1, further comprising rewriting means for rewriting the reference position information and the key format information of the key area of the storage table. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the code conversion means includes storage means for storing relative position information and a code required for processing corresponding to the relative position information. The code required for processing stored in the storage means is rewritable. The touch panel device according to claim 1 or 2.