JP3011916B2 - pointing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a pointing device, and more particularly, to a pointing device which is formed independently of a computer main body and inputs coordinates to a display screen.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, personal computers are mainly operated by pressing a number of switches arranged on a screen. This method generally uses a GUI (Graphical User Int).
A pointing device such as a mouse plays an important role.

[0003] A pointing device is also used for drawing and inputting handwritten characters. A typical example of this pointing device is a mouse. The mouse has a function of instructing a specific place on the screen by a click operation, and the movement accuracy is represented by the resolution. A general resolution is 400 dpi (dot per inc.)
h), which is sufficient for character drawing applications.

[0004] A tablet is one of the pointing devices. Tablets are suitable for drawing because they can be operated in the same way as writing instruments such as pens. Usually, it is composed of a pen provided with a switch at the tip, and a plate-shaped one detecting the position of the pen, and a state in which pressure is applied to the pen tip corresponds to a switch-on operation with a mouse. The reason that drawing is easy on such a tablet is
The point is that the pen can be moved and the switch can be operated using the grip portion of the pen as a fulcrum. That is, the drag operation can be easily performed.

[0005]

From the above, in the case of a mouse which is an example of a pointing device, it is difficult to write characters because it is difficult to synchronize the movement of the cursor with the on / off of the switch. Was. That is,
If the switch-off timing is delayed at the end of the line, the line extends in an unintended direction, and conversely, if the switch-on timing is delayed at the end of the line, the line is shortened. In addition, there is a problem that the cursor may move in an unintended direction if the user does not pay attention to the on / off operation of the switch. On the other hand, in the case of a tablet, which is another example of a pointing device, the pen is suitable for drawing, but the click position shifts due to the movement of the position at the time of the click, or a finger that points to the pen due to a long operation. There was a problem that double click became difficult due to fatigue of the tire.

[0006] For these reasons, the tablet is most suitable for drawing use, but is not suitable for an operation of clicking a switch or a specific place, and in many cases, a mouse is used together. However, in the case of using a mouse and a tablet together, it is not only troublesome to change the holding, but it is wasteful to arrange a pointing device for each application only because the number of parts increases.

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional example, it is possible to perform a fine drawing operation reliably and easily, and to minimize the operator's fatigue even in a long-time operation. The aim is to obtain a pointing device that makes it possible.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems The above-mentioned problems are solved,
In order to achieve the object, in the pointing device according to the first aspect of the present invention, at least the bottom surface of the main body is provided flat, and the main body is moved on the bottom surface side in the pointing device moving on a flat surface on the bottom surface side of the main body. Dynamic movement detection means for dynamically detecting a horizontal and vertical movement position with respect to the movement target on the display at the time of movement, and a movement target on the display based on the movement position detected by the dynamic movement detection means. On
Static movement detection means provided on the upper surface of the device for statically detecting the movement positions in four directions of lower, left and right, and upward movement for holding the static movement detection means between the index finger and the middle finger Protruding support means, a click switch provided on the front surface of the device for performing a click instruction, and output means for outputting a movement position detected by the dynamic and static movement detection means, When the support means is sandwiched between the index finger and the middle finger, the click switch is operated with a finger tip protruding from the support means.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, for the moving object on the display, the horizontal and vertical movement positions associated with the movement of the main body are dynamically detected, and the dynamically detected movement positions are determined. The movement position in the four directions of up, down, left, and right is statically detected with the base as the base point, and each movement position is output, so that rough movement and subtle movement can be dynamically operated and statically moved. This makes it possible to perform detailed drawing work reliably and easily, and to minimize the operator's fatigue even for long hours of work. In addition, since the moving operation is performed by holding the support plate of the switch mechanism between the index finger and the middle finger during operation, the operation of the main body does not become complicated both statically and dynamically, and the usability is improved. Furthermore, when the support plate is sandwiched between the index finger and the middle finger, a click switch is provided on the front part of the main body so that either the index finger or the middle finger protruding from the support plate can be operated, so that the user can use the main body. It is possible to realize a click operation similar to that of a normal mouse while holding the mouse.

A pointing device according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect of the present invention, the static movement detecting means has a switch mechanism provided on an upper surface of the main body.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the static detection of the moving position is performed using the switch mechanism, the rough movement of the moving object is statically controlled, and then the subtle movement is performed. Is adjusted by dynamic movement,
It is possible to perform subtle drawing support by operating the switch as it is while moving the main body.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the pointing device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the switch mechanism discriminates any one of upward, downward, leftward, and rightward movement instructions with a contact switch. It is characterized by having a structure.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the switch mechanism is integrated and the upper, lower,
Since either the left or right movement instruction is issued, it is easy to switch the movement direction,
It is possible to smoothly operate the moving direction.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the pointing device according to the third aspect, each of the upward, downward, leftward, and rightward movement amounts of the switch mechanism is arbitrarily set in accordance with the pressing time. It is characterized by that.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the upward, downward, leftward, and rightward moving amounts of the switch mechanism are arbitrarily set in accordance with the pressing time. It is possible to secure an optimal movement amount according to the fineness.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the pointing device according to the fourth aspect, the switch mechanism includes a pressed position for performing a click instruction.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the switch mechanism includes the pressed position for performing the click instruction, the operability is improved not only for the movement operation but also for the selection operation at the movement position.

A pointing device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the pointing device according to the first aspect, wherein the output means is an interface for connecting to a cable and connecting to an external device via the cable. Features.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since the interface for connecting to the external device via the cable is provided, it is possible to inform the external device of the movement position, similarly to a normal mouse. is there.

A pointing device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the pointing device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the output means is an interface for communicating with an external device using electromagnetic waves such as infrared rays. .

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, since an interface for communicating with an external device using electromagnetic waves such as infrared rays is provided, it is possible to notify the external device of the movement position as in a normal mouse. Is possible.

The pointing device according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect of the present invention, the moving object is a scroll screen displayed on a display.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, since the object to be moved is the scroll screen displayed on the display, the scroll screen can be statically operated without moving the main body. This eliminates the need for dynamic operation of the main body, thereby improving operability on the scroll screen.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the pointing device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the object to be moved is a position of a cursor, a character string, an image, or the like displayed on a display. .

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, since the object to be moved is the position of the cursor, character string, image, etc. displayed on the display, the position of the cursor, character string, image, etc. can be moved without moving the main body. The operation may be performed statically, and a dynamic operation of the main body as in the case of operating with a mouse is not required, thereby improving the operability on the scroll screen.

[0026]

Preferred embodiments of a pointing device according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, the configuration will be described. FIG. 1 shows the appearance of a pointing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a) is a top view, FIG. 1 (b) is a side view, and FIG. 1 (c) is a front view. And FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining how to hold the pointing device according to the embodiment. In the pointing device according to this embodiment, the main body 1 has an oval shape when viewed from above (FIG. 1A), and halves the oval outer shape when viewed from the side (left side) and from the front. (FIG. 1 (b) and FIG. 1 (c)). A flat surface obtained by cutting the outer shape in half is a bottom surface 1c, and the bottom surface 1c is a portion that can be moved on a plane. The main body 1 is provided in a size that can be wrapped by human hands.

On the upper surface 1a of the main body 1, an upper switch unit 2 is provided. The upper switch unit 2 is used to instruct a moving object (cursor, scroll screen, character string, graphic, etc.) on a display (not shown) to move upward, downward, left, and right, and also to use a normal mouse and the like. It has four types of switch functions for issuing the same click instruction. That is, the upper switch unit 2 moves in the moving direction (up, down, left,
(Right) is integrally formed by an upper switch 21, a lower switch 22, a left switch 23, a right switch 24, and a click switch 31. These upper switch 21, lower switch 22, left switch 23,
The type of the switch is detected by operating the right switch 24 and the click switch 31 (the portions indicated by the dashed-dotted circles in FIG. 1A).

A support plate 3 having a predetermined thickness protrudes from the upper switch section 2 along a direction connecting the upper switch 21 and the lower switch 22. This support plate 3
Has a thickness and a height such that it can be sandwiched between the index finger and the middle finger when the main body 1 is gripped by the operator's hand, as shown in FIG. The user grasps the main body 1 and at the same time,
The support plate 3 is operated while being sandwiched between the index finger and the middle finger.

A cable C for connecting to an external device such as a computer (not shown) in a wired manner is connected to the front surface 1b of the main body 1, and a click for giving a click instruction similar to a normal mouse. A switch 4 is provided. By assigning the roles of the left and right click switches of a normal mouse to the click switch 4 and the above-described click switch 31, a click function similar to that of a normal mouse can be performed.

A ball sensor 5 similar to that of a normal mouse is built in the main body 1. That is, the ball sensor 5 is provided with a mechanism for rotatably providing the ball and a mechanism for detecting the rotation in the plane direction (the X-axis direction and the axial direction) with the rotation of the ball, that is, the movement of the main body 1. I have.

Next, the switch mechanism of the pointing device will be described. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a switch mechanism of the pointing device according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 shows an upper switch 21 and a lower switch 2.
2, the electrical connection of the left switch 23, the right switch 24, the click switch 31, and the click switch 4 is shown. Both switches are provided as contact switches.

In this pointing device, power is supplied from an external device (not shown) via a cable C, and the device is connected to ground (GND) as shown in FIG. In the serial system, the cable C is provided with one data line and one clock line in addition to the power line. Switches detected in the switch-on state are:
A detection signal indicating the type of the switch is transmitted to an external device via a cable C (data line). That is, when the upper switch 21, the lower switch 22, the left switch 23, the right switch 24, the click switch 31, and the click switch 4 are each turned on, the detection signal S
It sends out WU, SWD, SWL, SWR, CK1, CK2.

Next, the internal configuration of the pointing device will be described. FIG. 4 is a block diagram functionally illustrating the system of the pointing device and the computer according to this embodiment. In the example of FIG.
Is connected to the computer 10 via the cable C. The main body 1 has a horizontal movement detection unit 201 and a vertical movement detection unit 202 as a detection mechanism of the ball sensor 5 described above, and also has a switch detection unit 203 that expresses the above-described switch mechanism by a block. As an example, since the serial transfer method is applied between the main body 1 and the computer 10, the main body 1 further includes data transmitted from the horizontal movement detection section 201, the vertical movement detection section 202, and the switch detection section 203. That is, a P / S converter 204 that converts parallel data into serial data and outputs the data is provided.

On the other hand, the computer 10 includes an S / P converter 11 for converting serial data into parallel data corresponding to the P / S converter 204, and the S / P converter 1
A data processing unit 12 for performing data processing based on the parallel data converted in 1 is provided.

Next, the operation method of the main body 1 and the relationship between the main body 1 and the computer 10 will be described. In the main body 1, for example, when the data amount in the movement direction is represented by 1 bit and the movement amount is represented by 4 bits, the horizontal movement detection unit 201,
The data amount detected by the vertical movement detection unit 202 is 5 bits, and the total data amount is 10 bits in total. A total of six switches (upper switches 21,
Down switch 22, left switch 23, right switch 2
4, click switch 31 and click switch 4)
Thus, the total data amount is 6 bits, representing on / off per bit.

Therefore, the horizontal movement detection section 201 and the vertical movement detection section 202 each transmit 5-bit data, and the switch detection section 203 transmits 6-bit data. These data are converted from parallel to serial by the P / S converter 204 and transferred to the computer 10 as serial data.

In the computer 10, the serial data transferred via the cable C is parallel-converted by the S / P converter 11. A horizontal movement amount and a vertical movement amount of the main body 1 are calculated based on the parallel data, and a delicate movement amount is determined for a moving target on the display. Further, since the serial data includes a detection signal of each switch, a rough movement amount of the movement target can also be obtained by calculation based on the detection signal.
However, as for the detection signal, the correspondence between the switch pressing time and the movement amount (such as the scroll amount) can be determined in advance.

As described above, according to this embodiment, for the moving object on the display, the moving position in the horizontal and vertical directions accompanying the movement of the main body 1 is dynamically detected and dynamically. Based on the detected movement position as a base point, the movement position in four directions of up, down, left, and right is statically detected,
Since each movement position is output, rough movement and subtle movement can be properly used for dynamic operation and static operation.

More specifically, the static switch operation of the upper switch section 2 and the front switch 4 and the dynamic movement of the main body 1 (ball sensor 5) can be realized by the same fulcrum just by grasping the main body 1. Therefore, fine drawing work can be performed reliably and easily, and fatigue of the operator can be suppressed to a necessary minimum even for long-time work. Compared with the related art, it is possible to perform a more delicate drawing operation than with a mouse, and less fatigue of a finger than with a tablet even for a long time work. Further, when the movement range of the main body 1 is limited to a certain range, the work of the dynamic movement can be shouldered by frequently using the static movement.

Further, since the static detection of the movement position is performed using the upper switch unit 2, the rough movement of the object to be moved is dynamically controlled by the operation of moving the main body 1, and then the upper switch unit 2 is controlled. Subtle movement is statically adjusted by operating the switch 2. Thus, it is possible to perform fine drawing support by operating the switch as it is while dynamically moving the main body 1.

Also, since the upper switch unit 2 is integrated so as to give any one of upward, downward, leftward and rightward movement instructions by operating the contact switch, the direction in which the hand surrounding the main body 1 is pressed can be changed. Just change it. Therefore, the switching of the moving direction is facilitated, and the operation in the moving direction can be smoothly performed.

Further, since each switch of the upper switch section 2 employs a contact system, the moving amount of the object to be moved can be set arbitrarily in the upper, lower, left and right directions in accordance with the pressing time. Can be. By doing so, it is possible to secure an optimal movement amount according to the fineness of the moving object, that is, the drawing object. In this case, the relationship between the pressing time and the movement amount may be set on the external device side.

Further, since the moving operation is performed by holding the support plate 3 of the upper switch unit 2 between the index finger and the middle finger at the time of operation, the moving direction can be controlled by the tilting direction of the support plate 3. Therefore, the operation of the main body 1 is not complicated both statically and dynamically, and the usability is improved.

Since the upper switch unit 2 includes the click switch 31 for instructing a click, the operability is improved not only for the moving operation but also for the selecting operation at the moving position.

In the main body 1, the upper switch 2
Since the front switch 4 (click switch) for giving a click instruction is provided separately, it is possible to improve the operability and realize two click operations provided on a normal mouse. is there.

When the support plate 3 is sandwiched between the index finger and the middle finger, the front switch 4 is connected to the main body 1 so that either the index finger or the middle finger protruding from the support plate 3 can be operated.
Is provided at the front of the main body 1 so that the user can realize a click operation similar to that of a normal mouse while holding the main body 1.

Further, since the P / S 204 is provided as an interface for connecting to an external device (computer 10) via the cable C, it is possible to notify the external device of the movement position, similarly to a normal mouse. It is.
Note that an interface for communicating with an external device using an electromagnetic wave such as an infrared ray may be provided, and the movement position can be notified to the external device as in a normal mouse. In this case, there is no need for a cable requiring a space, so that there is an effect of reducing the number of components.

When the object to be moved is a scroll screen displayed on the display, the scroll screen may be statically operated without moving the main body, and the scrolling operation of the main body such as a scroll operation with a mouse may be performed. Operation is not required. Thereby, the operability on the scroll screen is improved.

When the object to be moved is the position of the cursor, character string, image, etc. displayed on the display, the position of the cursor, character string, image, etc. can be statically operated without moving the main body. Frequently, dynamic operation of the main body such as when operating with a mouse is not required. This allows
Operability on the scroll screen is improved.

In the above-described embodiment, the upper switch 2 provided with the support plate 3 is operated up and down to perform a click operation. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Alternatively, a mechanism for detecting the inclination of the support plate 3 may be provided, and the inclination may be applied to other controls such as cursor movement. For example, when the up, down, left, and right movement instructions of the upper switch unit 2 are assigned to the movement control of the cursor, the inclination of the instruction plate 2 can be used as the instruction of the scroll direction.

In the above-described embodiment, there is no particular reference to which one of the dynamic movement instruction and the static movement instruction is to be preferentially processed. The movement instruction may be given priority or the static movement instruction may be given priority.

Further, the operation of the upper switch unit 2 may be made so that the movement control of the object to be moved differs between a single pressing operation and a continuous pressing operation for a predetermined time or more. That is, in the case of a single pressing operation, movement control is performed with a predetermined moving amount. On the other hand, in the case of a continuous pressing operation, n times (n times as much as moving in a single pressing operation) n is an integer)
May be controlled so as to obtain the moving amount.

[0054]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, for the moving object on the display, the horizontal and vertical movement positions associated with the movement of the main body are dynamically detected, and the movement is detected. Based on the detected movement position as the base point, the movement position in four directions of up, down, left, and right is statically detected,
Since each movement position is output, rough movements and subtle movements can be used for dynamic operation and static operation, which makes it possible to perform fine drawing work reliably and easily. In addition to the possible effects, a pointing device that can minimize operator fatigue even when working for a long time can be obtained. In addition, since the support plate of the switch mechanism is moved by holding it between the index finger and the middle finger at the time of operation, the operation of the main body is not complicated both statically and dynamically, and a pointing device that improves usability is provided. The effect is obtained.
Furthermore, when the support plate is sandwiched between the index finger and the middle finger, a click switch is provided on the front part of the main body so that the user can operate either the index finger or the middle finger protruding from the support plate, so that the user can use the main body. In this state, a pointing device capable of performing a click operation similar to that of a normal mouse while holding the mouse is obtained.

According to the invention of claim 2, according to claim 1,
In the invention of the present invention, since the static detection of the movement position is performed using the switch mechanism, the subtle movement is adjusted by the dynamic movement after the rough movement of the movement target is statically controlled, As a result, there is an effect that a pointing device capable of performing subtle drawing support with a switch operation as it is while moving the main body is obtained.

According to the invention of claim 3, according to claim 2,
In the invention of the above, since the switch mechanism is integrated so that any one of the upward, downward, leftward and rightward movement instructions is performed by operating the contact switch, the switching of the movement direction is facilitated, thereby smoothly There is an effect that a pointing device capable of performing an operation in the moving direction can be obtained.

According to the invention of claim 4, according to claim 3,
In the present invention, the upward, downward, leftward, and rightward moving amounts in the switch mechanism are arbitrarily set according to the pressing time, so that the optimum moving amount depends on the fineness of the moving object, that is, the drawing object. Is obtained that a pointing device capable of ensuring the above is obtained.

According to the invention of claim 5, according to claim 4,
In the above, the switch mechanism includes a pressed position for performing a click instruction, so that it is possible to obtain a pointing device in which operability is improved for not only the movement operation but also the selection operation at the movement position.

Further, according to the invention of claim 6, according to claim 1,
According to the invention, since an interface for connecting to an external device via a cable is provided, it is possible to obtain a pointing device capable of notifying the external device of a movement position, similarly to a normal mouse. .

According to the invention of claim 7, according to claim 1,
According to the invention, since an interface for communicating with an external device using electromagnetic waves such as infrared rays is provided, it is possible to obtain a pointing device capable of informing the external device of a movement position, similarly to a normal mouse. It works.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the first aspect is provided.
In the invention of the above, since the moving target is the scroll screen displayed on the display, the scroll screen can be statically operated without moving the main body, and dynamic operation of the main body such as scroll operation with a mouse Is no longer required, thereby providing a pointing device with improved operability on the scroll screen.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the first aspect of the present invention provides
In the invention of the above, since the movement target is the position of the cursor, character string, image, etc. displayed on the display, the position of the cursor, character string, image, etc. can be statically operated without moving the main body. This eliminates the need for a dynamic operation of the main body as in the case of operating with a, and thus has the effect of providing a pointing device with improved operability on the scroll screen.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A and 1B are external views of a pointing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a top view, FIG. 1B is a side view, and FIG. 1C is a front view. .

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating how to hold the pointing device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a switch mechanism of the pointing device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram functionally illustrating a system of a pointing device and a computer according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 2 Upper switch part 3 Support plate 4 Click switch 5 Ball sensor 21 Upper switch 22 Lower switch 23 Left switch 24 Right switch 31 Click switch 201 Horizontal movement detector 202 Vertical movement detector 203 Switch detector 204 P / S converter

Claims (9)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pointing device which has at least a bottom surface of a main body provided flat and moves on a flat surface on the bottom surface side of the main body, wherein a horizontal direction and a vertical direction of a movement target on a display when the main body is moved on the bottom surface side A dynamic movement detecting means for dynamically detecting a moving position in the direction; and a moving position detected by the dynamic moving detecting means as a base point.
Static movement detecting means provided on the upper surface of the device for statically detecting the movement positions in the four directions of left and right, and the static movement detecting means is protruded upward for pinching the index finger and the middle finger. Support means, a click switch provided on the front of the device for instructing a click, and an output means for outputting a movement position detected by the dynamic and static movement detection means. A pointing device that operates the click switch with a finger tip protruding from the support means when the finger is held between the index finger and the middle finger. 2. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the static movement detecting means has a switch mechanism provided on an upper surface of the main body. 3. The pointing device according to claim 2, wherein the switch mechanism has an integral structure in which any one of upward, downward, leftward, and rightward movement instructions is determined by a contact switch. 4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said switch mechanism is located above, below, to the left of,
4. The pointing device according to claim 3, wherein each rightward movement amount is arbitrarily set according to a pressing time. 5. 5. The pointing device according to claim 4, wherein the switch mechanism includes a pressed position for performing a click instruction. 6. The output means is connected to a cable,
The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the pointing device is an interface for connecting to an external device via the cable. 7. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the output unit is an interface for communicating with an external device using electromagnetic waves such as infrared rays. 8. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the moving target is a scroll screen displayed on a display. 9. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the movement target is a position of a cursor, a character string, an image, or the like displayed on a display.