JP2978701B2 - Mouse input device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a mouse input device.
In particular, the present invention relates to a mouse input device for inputting pointing coordinates such as a cursor on a display screen in a personal computer or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to specify text, graphics, icons, command menus, and the like on a display screen of a microcomputer or the like and to perform an editing operation or an instruction operation, a pointing device for specifying a position on the screen is used as a relative device. A mouse input device, which is an input and has a feature of high pointing accuracy, is widely used. As is well known, a mouse input device is configured such that when it is moved on a desk or a mat, a cursor on a screen moves in conjunction therewith.

A conventional mouse input device of this type has one coordinate input device on the bottom surface. A representative example of the coordinate input device is a so-called trackball type, which includes a rotatable sphere, two rollers which are in contact with the sphere at right angles to one another in the vertical (Y-axis) direction, and An X / Y sensor for detecting the amount of rotation and outputting a pulse signal of a corresponding number of pulses, respectively, and outputting X and Y pulse signals of the number of pulses corresponding to the amount of movement in each of the X and Y axes; .

On the display screen, the number of pulses and the amount of movement of the cursor or the like to be pointed on the screen are set as a coefficient (hereinafter referred to as a mouse coefficient) that maintains a certain relationship. It represents the relationship between the moving distance of the mouse on the desk and the moving amount of the cursor. When the mouse coefficient is large, the amount of movement of the cursor is large with respect to the predetermined moving distance of the mouse, and when the mouse coefficient is small, the amount of movement of the cursor is small. Therefore, it is easier to set the mouse coefficient to a small value for a pointing input with a small movement amount such as a coordinate input of a figure, and to set the mouse coefficient to a relatively large value for a pointing input with a large movement amount such as a command menu selection. . For example, in a mouse input device having a small mouse coefficient, it is necessary to take a large space for moving the mouse body in order to secure a predetermined movement amount on the screen. If the moving amount cannot be obtained, the predetermined moving amount is obtained by repeatedly lifting the mouse body, returning to the original movement starting point, and moving in the same direction again. Conversely, in a mouse input device having a large mouse coefficient, it is extremely difficult to perform pointing for each pixel required for fine drawing or the like.

[0005] As described above, since the mouse coefficient that allows efficient input differs depending on the contents of the work, the mouse input device is provided with the above-mentioned mouse coefficient switching function.

Conventionally, the following two methods have been proposed for the switching function. A first conventional mouse input device is provided with a switch for changing a mouse coefficient on a mouse body, as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-175919.
The user operates the changeover switch to select a desired mouse coefficient.

In this method, a constant mouse coefficient is converted by using a multiplier (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-175919) or a frequency divider (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-237715), and the converted or original mouse coefficient is converted. The one selected by the changeover switch,
A method in which a plurality of mouse coefficients are stored in advance and switched by the above switch (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-175814), and a method in which the switching is controlled by a change in the pressing force of the mouse on the desk, that is, a change in the operation load (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-15814). And Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Sho 59-6240), in which the coefficient for scaling processing of the display coordinates inside the CPU is operated by the above switch (Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-68045 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-2).
No. 6529).

A second conventional mouse input device detects a moving speed of a mouse main body as described in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 61-103737, and, for example, detects a moving speed corresponding to the moving speed. When it is large, the mouse coefficient is set large, and when it is small, the mouse coefficient is set small. The user selects a desired mouse coefficient by adjusting the moving speed of the mouse body.

Referring to FIG. 5 which is a perspective external view of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 which is a block diagram of a conventional first mouse input device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-175919, It includes a mouse body 1, a switch 2 for supplying a selection signal SEL for selecting a mouse coefficient, a coordinate input unit 3, a control circuit 8, and a connection cable 10 for connecting to a host device such as a personal computer.

The coordinate input unit 3 includes a rigid ball 31 such as a metal or a plastic that rotates freely in response to movement on a desk, and a vertical (Y-axis) direction and a horizontal (X-axis) direction of the ball 31. X for detecting the amount of rotation and generating pulse signals Y and X having the number of pulses corresponding to each amount of rotation.
An axis encoder 32 and a Y-axis encoder 33 are provided.

The X-axis encoder 32 includes a lateral roller 321 that contacts the ball 31 and a sensor 322 that detects the amount of rotation of the roller 321 and generates a pulse signal X having a pulse number corresponding to the amount of rotation.

The Y-axis encoder 33 includes a vertical roller 331 in contact with the ball 31 and a sensor 332 for detecting the amount of rotation of the roller 331 and generating a pulse signal Y having a pulse number corresponding to the amount of rotation.

The control circuit 8 multiplies the pulse signals Y and X of the X and Y axes by n, respectively, and multiplies the pulse signals N and
Multiplying circuits 81 and 82 for generating Y and NX, and selectors 83 and 84 for respectively selecting one of the pulse signals Y and X and the multiplied pulse signals NY and NX in response to the supply of the selection signal SEL. Prepare.

Next, the operation of the first conventional mouse input device will be described. First, when the ball 31 rotates, the rollers 321 and 331 in the vertical and horizontal directions rotate according to the direction and amount of rotation. Sensors 322 and 332 detect the amount of movement in the vertical and horizontal directions accompanying rotation, respectively, and output pulse signals Y and X, respectively. In the control circuit 8, each of the pulse signals Y and X is multiplied by a multiplication circuit 81, 8
2 and inputs A of the selectors 83 and 84. Each of the multiplying circuits 81 and 82 converts the pulse signals Y and X into n
The multiplied pulse signals NY and NX are generated and supplied to the inputs B of the selectors 83 and 84, respectively. Selector 8
3 and 84, when the selection signal SEL is not supplied (L level), the input A, that is, the pulse signals X and Y are selected and the output L is selected.
It is output to the connection cable 10 as Y and LX. Next, the operation of the switch 2 changes the selection signal SEL to the selector 83,
When the selection signal S is supplied to the input S (H level), the selectors 83 and 84 respectively select the input B, that is, the multiplied pulse signals NX and NY, and output the output L in response to the supply of the selection signal S.
It is output to the connection cable 10 as Y and LX. As a result, the mouse coefficient is switched to n times as large as when the switch 2 is not operated.

Referring to FIG. 7, which shows a block diagram of a second conventional mouse input device described in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 61-103737, the second conventional mouse input device is composed of a first mouse input device and a first mouse input device. A mouse body 1 that includes a similar ball, roller, and sensor and generates a pulse signal corresponding to movement;
A pulse distribution circuit 11 for detecting a pulse width of the pulse signal and distributing a low-speed pulse signal LP when the pulse width is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, and a high-speed pulse signal HP when the pulse width is equal to or less than the threshold. , Low-speed pulse signal L
In the case of P, a counter 12 is provided which processes coordinate values in units of 1 bit, and in the case of high-speed pulse signals HP, the coordinate values are processed in units of a plurality of bits, for example, in units of 4 bits. In this figure, for convenience of explanation, only a configuration in one direction is shown in the vertical or horizontal direction.

When the moving speed of the mouse body 1 is low, the pulse width of the pulse signal becomes large, and the pulse distribution circuit 11 generates a low-speed pulse signal LP. The counter 12 outputs a coordinate value on the display in units of 1 bit in response to the supply of the low-speed pulse signal LP. Conversely, when the moving speed of the mouse body 1 is high,
The pulse width of the pulse signal is reduced, and
The pulse distribution circuit 11 generates a high-speed pulse signal HP. The counter 12 outputs coordinate values on the display in 4-bit units in response to the supply of the high-speed pulse signal HP.
That is, the mouse coefficient is four times that at low speed.

[0017]

In the above-described conventional mouse input device, in the first conventional mouse input device in which the switch is used to change the mouse coefficient, the operation of the switch itself becomes a hindrance to the coordinate input operation. There is a drawback that the mouse body is often inadvertently moved by the switch operation, thereby causing an erroneous input. Therefore, once the switch is set to select any one of the mouse coefficients, it is normal that the switch operation is not performed during the input operation, which is not suitable for the input operation requiring frequent switching. There were drawbacks.

Further, in the second conventional mouse input device based on the detection of the moving speed, the mouse coefficient is automatically switched inside the mouse input device in accordance with the moving speed. There is a drawback that the switching of the mouse coefficient that does not occur often occurs, and the input efficiency is reduced.

An object of the present invention is to provide a mouse input device that solves the above-mentioned drawbacks and improves input efficiency.

[0020]

A mouse input device according to the present invention is provided on a first surface, which is a bottom surface of an outer housing, with a predetermined amount of movement in each of orthogonal vertical and horizontal first coordinate axes. a first coordinate input means for outputting a first of the first pulse signal of the pulse number, respectively against, said first is a surface of the outer housing except the face of each operator provided on the second surface Vertical and horizontal operation with finger
Roller-like operation knob, and the vertical and horizontal operation knobs.
A vertical and horizontal sensor for outputting a second pulse signal of a second pulse number corresponding to each rotation amount of the work knob ;
And a pulse signal selecting means for normally switching to output the first pulse signal and output the second pulse signal in response to an operation of the second coordinate input means. It is comprised including.

[0021]

Next, a first embodiment for explaining an embodiment of the present invention will be described .
Figure shows a top and side of Figure 1 and the appearance shown in block Reference Example 2 (A), referring to (B), mouse input device of the present embodiment shown in this figure, similar to the conventional coordinate input unit In addition to the mouse body 1A, the mouse body 1A includes a trackball-type coordinate input unit 4 similar to the coordinate input unit 3 and a coordinate input unit 4 for sub-coordinate input operated with the right thumb instead of the conventional mouse body 1. And the coordinate input unit 4 instead of the conventional control unit 8
When the signal input from the coordinate input unit 3 is detected, the coordinate data X and Y from the coordinate input unit 3 are converted to the coordinate data SX and SY from the coordinate input unit 4.
And a control unit 5 that supplies the output coordinate data as the output coordinate data.

The coordinate input unit 4 is a rigid ball 4 made of metal, plastic, or the like, which can be rotated vertically and horizontally by operating a finger.
1 and a mouse which detects the rotation amount of the ball 41 in the vertical (Y-axis) direction and the horizontal (X-axis) direction, respectively, corresponds to each rotation amount, and has n times the pulse signals Y and X of the coordinate input unit 3. Pulse signals SY, S of the number of pulses corresponding to the coefficient
X-axis encoder 42 for generating X and Y-axis encoder 4
3 is provided. The X-axis encoder 42 and the Y-axis encoder 43 correspond to the X-axis encoder 32 of the coordinate input device 3.
Since the configuration is the same as that of the Y-axis encoder 33, the description is omitted.

The control unit 5 responds to the supply of the pulse signals SX and SY, and generates a detection signal D indicating that the pulse signals SX and SY have been generated. Selectors 52 and 53 for respectively selecting one of the pulse signals Y and X and the pulse signals SY and SX.

Next, when the operation of the present embodiment with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, firstly, a main coordinate input device coordinate input section 3, as described in the prior art, the mouse body 1 Is moved in contact with the desk, the ball 31 rotates, and the amount of vertical and horizontal movement accompanying the rotation is determined by the X-axis encoder 3 according to the rotation direction and the amount of rotation.
2 and the Y-axis encoder 33 detect and output pulse signals Y and X, respectively. On the other hand, the coordinate input unit 4, which is a sub-coordinate input device, keeps the ball 41 in a stopped state unless an operator performs an operation, so that the pulse signals SX,
There is no occurrence of SY.

In the control circuit 5, the pulse signals Y and X are supplied to the inputs A of the selectors 52 and 53, respectively. On the other hand, each of the pulse signals SX and SY is supplied to the sub-coordinate detection circuit 51, and the input B
Supplied to The sub-coordinate detection circuit 51 outputs the pulse signal S
Since there is no supply of X and SY, the detection signal D is not generated. The selectors 52 and 53 do not supply the detection signal D (L
Level), the input A, that is, the pulse signals X and Y are selected and output to the connection cable 10 as outputs LY and LX. Next, by operating the coordinate input unit 4, the pulse signal S
When X and SY are generated, first, the sub-coordinate detection circuit 51 responds to the supply of these pulse signals SX and SY by detecting the detection signal D.
(H level). A circuit having this kind of function can be easily configured by a combination of a well-known OR gate and a monostable multivibrator, and the description thereof is omitted. When the detection signal D is supplied to the inputs S of the selectors 52 and 53, the selectors 52 and 53 select the input B, that is, the pulse signals SX and SY, respectively, and connect them as the outputs LY and LX in response to the supply of the detection signal D. Output to cable 10.
As a result, the mouse coefficient is switched to n times as large as that of the coordinate input unit 3, and a predetermined pointing operation can be performed at high speed.

Next, referring to FIG. 4 showing a top of FIG. 3 and appearance showing the coordinate input section 6 is a secondary coordinate input device of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention in block, this is shown in FIG Reference < The mouse input device of the example is a four-way switch mechanism having a switch circuit that operates in the positive and negative directions of the X-axis and Y-axis directions instead of the coordinate input unit 4 as a sub-coordinate input device in the mouse body 1B. The coordinate input unit 6 includes a cross-shaped key switch, that is, a joypad 62, and a pulse generation circuit 61 that supplies the joypad 62 with a pulse signal Q having a constant pulse repetition frequency. Other components 3 and 5 are the same as those in the first reference example.

In operation, the pulse generating circuit 61 supplies a pulse signal Q to the joypad 62. The joypad 62 is normally in the neutral position, and the switches are all off at this time. When the operator presses the key in the + X direction of the joypad 62, the switch in the + X direction is turned on and the pulse signal Q passes during the pressing time,
It is output as a pulse signal SX. That is, the number of pulses of the pulse signal SX is proportional to the pressing time. The operator adjusts the pressing time by continuing to press the joypad 62 so that the cursor to be pointed on the display moves a predetermined distance in the X direction. -Similar operations and operations are performed in the X and Y directions.

Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
Then, the mouse input device of the first embodiment is shown in FIG.
First coordinate input unit having a touch sensor for detecting a pressing force to generate a touch signal and corresponding to the operation of the ball Lumpur 41 instead of the coordinate input unit 4 of the reference example, the sub-coordinate detection circuit shown 5
Output a detection signal in response to the first place of the supply of the touch signal
And an auxiliary sub-coordinate detection circuit. Other configurations
Elements and operations are the same as in the first reference example. Ma
The second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The mouse input device of the second embodiment is the first reference device shown in FIG.
Instead the trackball 41 in place of Example coordinate input unit 4 of the
Roller- shaped for X-axis and Y-axis encoders operated directly by finger
An operation knob is provided to control the X-axis and Y-axis encoders.
Corresponding to the amount of rotation of each of the control knobs
Vertical and horizontal sensors that output pulse signals of the number of pulses
And a coordinate input unit. Other components and operations
Is the same as in the first reference example.

[0029]

As described above, the mouse input device of the present invention includes the main coordinate input means provided on the bottom surface, the sub coordinate input means operated by the operator's finger, and the pulse signal selection circuit. This eliminates factors that hinder the coordinate input operation such as switches, erroneous input due to inadvertent movement of the mouse body, and factors that cause unintended switching of the mouse coefficient, enabling efficient pointing operation by coordinate input. It has the effect of becoming.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first reference example of a mouse input device of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are a top view and a side view showing the appearance of the mouse input device of the present reference example.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a second reference example of the mouse input device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a top view showing the appearance of the mouse input device of the present reference example.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a first example of a conventional mouse input device.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the mouse input device of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a second example of a conventional mouse input device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1A, 1B Mouse body 2 Switch 3, 3A, 4, 6 Coordinate input unit 5, 8 Control circuit 10 Connection cable 11 Pulse distribution circuit 12 Counter 31, 41 Ball 32, 42 X-axis encoder 33, 43 Y-axis encoder 51 Sub-coordinate detection circuit 52, 53, 83, 84 Selector 61 Pulse generation circuit 62 Joy pad 81, 82 Multiplier circuit 321, 331 Roller 322, 332 Sensor

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A first pulse number of a first pulse number for a predetermined amount of movement in each of orthogonal vertical and horizontal first coordinate axes provided on a first surface which is a bottom surface of an outer housing. First coordinate input means for outputting a pulse signal; and the vertical and horizontal directions provided on a second surface which is a surface of the outer casing excluding the first surface and operated by an operator's finger , respectively.
Roller-like operation knob, and the vertical and horizontal operation knobs.
A vertical and horizontal sensor for outputting a second pulse signal of a second pulse number corresponding to each rotation amount of the work knob ;
And a pulse signal selecting means for normally switching to output the first pulse signal and output the second pulse signal in response to an operation of the second coordinate input means. And a mouse input device. 2. The device is provided on a first surface, which is a bottom surface of the outer housing.
Predetermined in each direction of orthogonal vertical and horizontal first coordinate axes
The first pulse of the first number of pulses is
A first coordinate input means for outputting a pulse signal, and a second coordinate input means provided on a second surface of the outer casing excluding the first surface.
Vignetting and each rotatable sphere, the longitudinal and transverse direction of the roller and the longitudinal and transverse direction of the roller second number of pulses of the second pulse signals, respectively to the rotation amount that corresponds in contact with the surface of the sphere Output the vertical and horizontal sensors and the front
Detects the pressing force corresponding to the operation of the sphere and generates a touch signal.
Second coordinate input means having a touch sensor to generate
And normally outputs the first pulse signal and outputs the touch signal.
Switch to output the second pulse signal in response to the supply
Features and to luma <br/> mouse input device further comprising a pulse signal selecting means to replace.