JP3194841B2 - Tilt detecting device and input device using the same - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tilt detecting device for detecting a relative position between a reference light source and a detecting portion having a light receiving element. The present invention relates to a tilt detection device which can be used and an input device using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a cord-type controller provided with a joystick or the like is generally used as an input device in a computer, an AV device, a game device, or the like. The controller with the above joystick is suitable for the operation of moving the character on the screen or giving an operation instruction in the action game, but is not suitable for the operation of moving the cursor to a button appearing anywhere on the screen. is there. Also, since this type of controller is of a code type, it can be operated only near the screen. In view of this, Japanese Patent Application No. 5-317479, which is a prior application, proposes a device in which a light source for emitting reference light is provided on the device main body side and a light receiving element is provided on the operation device side.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show the structure of a detection unit in this type of input device. Figure 9 is a perspective view of the detection unit. FIG. 10 is a plan view of FIG. The detecting section is provided with divided light receiving sections 1a and 1b arranged on a plane.
In front of the divided light receiving portions 1a and 1b, an aperture plate 2 arranged with a small interval d is arranged, and a rectangular opening 2a is formed in the aperture plate 2. A light source that emits reference light L is fixedly arranged on the main body side of a computer, an AV device, a game device, or the like.

[0004] As shown in FIG .
Is inclined with respect to the direction of the reference light L, the aperture 2a
, The luminous flux having a rectangular cross section irradiated on the divided light receiving portions 1a and 1b is displaced from the central axis O. By obtaining the difference between the received light amounts of the light receiving unit 1a and the light receiving unit 1b at this time, the inclination amount θx of the reference light L with respect to the central axis O is obtained.
Is detected. This detection amount is given to the apparatus main body, and the inclination amount θ
By converting x into a coordinate value on the screen of the apparatus main body, a cursor or the like can be moved on the screen. In addition, by using the four-divided light receiving unit, the inclination amount θx between the central axis O and the reference light L and the inclination amount θy orthogonal to this can be obtained.

[0005]

When the tilt detecting device shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 is used as an input device such as a computer, it becomes possible to input coordinates to the input device as if operating a cordless remote controller. In addition, the range of application is widened, and it becomes extremely promising as an input device for various devices in the future. However, in those shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 ,
The tilt amount θ is determined by the difference between the amounts of received light of the divided light receiving units 1a and 1b
Since x is obtained, it is necessary to reduce the opening area of the opening 2a so that light always partially strikes both of the divided light receiving sections 1a and 1b. Therefore, the entire light receiving surface of each of the divided light receiving sections 1a and 1b cannot be used for detection, and the amount of light received by the light receiving sections 1a and 1b is small, and the detection output is also small. When the detection output is small, the influence of external noise increases.

The light receiving sections 1a, 1a are larger than the light irradiation area.
When the b area of the thus reduced, the entire surface of the light-receiving portion 1b is to fall within the irradiation area of the light beam in the state of FIG. 10, for example. In this case, even if the inclination of the central axis O changes, the amount of light received by the light receiving section 1b does not change, and the detection of the inclination amount θx becomes substantially impossible. In FIG. 10 , when the light beam that has passed through the opening 2a deviates from one of the divided light receiving units 1a, the light receiving output of the light receiving unit 1a becomes zero, and the inclination amount θx cannot be detected. Therefore, the divided light receiving unit 1
It is necessary to use elements having a large light receiving area as a and 1b, so that expensive light receiving elements must be used.
Further, when the central axis O and the reference light L are inclined at a certain angle, the difference in the amount of received light between the two divided light receiving units 1a and 1b is determined by the light receiving surface of each of the divided light receiving units 1a and 1b and the aperture plate 2. Will depend on the distance d. Further, the displacement between the center of the opening 2a and the center O also affects the detection accuracy. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the processing accuracy of the aperture plate 2, and it is necessary to position the divided light receiving portions 1a and 1b and the aperture plate 2 with high accuracy, which makes assembly work difficult.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems. In a device using a light source for a reference light and a light receiving element, the entire light receiving surface of the light receiving element can be used for detection, thereby increasing the detection output. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tilt detection device and an input device using the tilt detection device, which can be easily obtained and can be easily assembled.

[0008] The input device of the present invention is a device having a screen.
The light source is detected on one side of the body and the movable operating device, and the other is detected.
Parts are arranged, the the detection unit, the paired respectively arranged and positioned on a plane intersecting the each other physician a centered axis O at a position having an angle with respect to meridian plane 1 Pair of
Has a light receiving portion, and a second set of light receiving portions forming a pair are disposed at a position having an angle with respect to the meridian plane which is positioned to and on respective surfaces intersecting each other perpendicular to the meridional, the the difference in amount of light received by the light receiving portion constituting a <br/> first set of pairs, and by obtaining the difference between the amount of light received by the light receiving portion constituting the <br/> second set of pairs, and the device body The operating device between the operating device
Is detected, and the screen display changes according to this amount of inclination.
It is characterized by being obtained.

[0009]

Further, the detecting devices of the present invention are orthogonal to each other.
First and second light sources that emit reference light,
And a detection unit at a position distant from the detection unit,
Located on the planes crossing each other and each having a central axis Oz
Pairs positioned at an angle to the meridian plane containing
And a first set of light-receiving sections,
And each with respect to a meridian plane orthogonal to the meridian plane
A second pair of light receivers arranged at an angled position
Part, and another central axis Ox orthogonal to the central axis Oz.
Pair located at an angle to the meridian plane
A third set of light receiving sections, and a pair of the first set.
The difference in the amount of light received by the light receiving unit, the light receiving unit forming the pair of the second set
Of the amount of received light, and the light receiving unit forming a pair of the third set
By obtaining the difference in the amount of received light of
An amount of inclination with respect to the direction of one light source and the central axis;
The amount of inclination that Ox is inclined with respect to the direction of the second light source is detected.
It is characterized by being performed. Also, the present invention
An input device using the detection device, the device having a screen
The two light sources are arranged in the main body of the device, and
A first detecting unit, a second detecting unit, and a second detecting unit.
The difference between the amounts of light received by the light receiving units forming a pair in each of the third sets
By detecting, the amount of tilt between the device body and the operating device is detected
Then, the screen display is changed according to the amount of tilt, and, for example, the cursor mark moves.

[0011]

In the above means, for example, the light source for emitting the reference light is:
A detection unit is provided on an operation device (controller) side, which is fixedly provided on a device body such as a computer, an AV device, and a game device. The detecting section is provided with a pair of light receiving sections disposed on a cross plane having an angle with respect to the meridional plane including the central axis O, and an electric circuit is configured so as to obtain a difference between the light receiving amounts of the two light receiving sections. Have been. When the two light receiving units face the same angle with respect to the meridional plane including the line connecting the light source and the detecting unit, the irradiation angles of the reference light with respect to the light receiving surfaces of the two light receiving units become equal, and the light receiving amounts of both the light receiving units (light receiving output ) Are equal. When the operation device is oriented at an angle with respect to the meridian plane, the irradiation angle of the reference light with respect to the light receiving surfaces of the respective light receiving units forming a pair changes, and a difference occurs in the amount of received light between the two light receiving units. By obtaining this difference, the inclination angle of the central axis O of the detection unit with respect to the direction of the light source can be calculated.

The same applies to the case where the detecting section is provided on the apparatus main body side and the reference light source is provided on the moving side of the operating device or the like.

Further, the detection unit includes a light receiving unit forming a first set of pairs, and a light receiving unit forming a second set of pairs is provided
Therefore, it is possible to detect the inclination angle of the central axis O of the detection unit with respect to each of the meridian plane including the line connecting the light source and the detection unit and the meridian plane orthogonal thereto. That is, when the axis extending in the direction of the space between the light source and the detection unit is the Z axis, and the orthogonal axes intersecting the Z axis are the X axis and the Y axis, the inclination amount of the detection unit in the X axis direction and Y It is possible to detect both the amount of tilt in the axial direction, or both the amount of movement in the X-axis direction and the amount of movement in the Y-axis direction.

When the above-described tilt detecting device is used for an apparatus main body having a screen and an operating device, it is possible to detect the tilt angle of the operating device with respect to the direction of the light source during free movement in the space.
By giving this detection information to the apparatus main body, the screen display of the apparatus main body can be changed. For example, it is possible to move the cursor mark image on the screen, scroll the image on the screen, and the like.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an input device using the tilt detection device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a structure of a detection unit and a circuit structure, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a structure of the detection unit.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a CRT screen provided on a device main body such as a computer, an AV device, or a game device. A light emitting device 11 is fixed on the CRT screen 10, and an infrared LED is provided on the light emitting device 11 as a light source 12 for emitting the reference light L. Reference numeral 13 denotes a wireless or cord-connected operation device (remote control device or controller). A detection unit 20 is provided at a front end of the operation device 13. In FIGS. 2 and 3, CR
A detection unit 20 that can detect the tilt amount θx in the X-axis direction with respect to the T screen 10 and the light source 12 is shown.

In FIG. 1, an axis (horizontal axis connecting the CRT screen 10 and the operation device 13) extending in a direction in which a distance between the light source 12 and the detection unit 20 is apart is defined as a Z axis, and an axis orthogonal to the Z axis is defined as an X axis. And the Y axis. The central axis of the detection unit 20 provided on the operation device 13 is indicated by O. Further, a line connecting the light source 12 and the center of the detection unit 20 is indicated by a P-axis. The P axis is a direction in which the reference light L from the light source 12 is irradiated as substantially parallel light.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show that the central axis O extending forward from the detector 20 is included in a meridional plane including the P axis and the Y axis, and the central axis O is parallel to the Z axis. The state is shown. The detection unit 20 includes a support surface 2 formed at a predetermined angle α with respect to a meridional plane including a central axis O and a vertical axis (Y axis).
1 and 22 are provided. The angle α formed by the support surfaces 21 and 22 with the meridional plane including the central axis O and the Y axis is larger than 0 degree and smaller than 90 degrees. For example, α is 30 degrees, 4
For example, 5 degrees or 60 degrees. The support surfaces 21 and 22 are surfaces that cross each other. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, when the central axis O is located in a meridional plane including the axis P and the Y axis, the support surfaces 21 and 22 have the same angle α with respect to the meridian plane. In position. In addition, in the state of FIGS. 2 and 3, both support surfaces 21 and 22 are (90
-Α) degrees.

A pair of light receiving units 2 is provided on both support surfaces 21 and 22.
3 and 24 are attached. The light receiving units 23 and 24
For example, a photodiode. The light receiving portions 23 and 24 have planar light receiving surfaces 23a and 24a,
3a and 24a are inclined at the same angle α with respect to the meridional plane including the central axis O and the Y axis. The light receiving surfaces 23a and 2a
The surface area of 4a is the same. Further, in order to prevent noise due to natural light from being superimposed on the received light output of the reference light L, it is preferable to provide a visible light cut filter 25 in front of the light receiving units 23 and 24.

The circuit shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2 is housed inside the operating device 13. This circuit includes the light receiving unit 23
A current / voltage converter 26 for converting a light receiving output current photoelectrically converted into a voltage into a voltage, a current / voltage converting unit 27 for converting a light receiving output current of the light receiving unit 24 to a voltage, and both current / voltage converters 2
It has an addition circuit 28 for adding the voltages from 6 and 27, and a differential circuit 29 for calculating the difference between the voltage from the current / voltage converter 26 and the voltage from the current / voltage converter 27. The addition voltage from the addition circuit 28 is supplied to the analog / digital conversion unit 31.
Is converted into a digital value by the analog / digital conversion unit 32, and is supplied to the operation unit 33. The differential voltage from the differential circuit 29 is converted into a digital value by the analog / digital conversion unit 32 and
3 given. The calculation unit 33 is configured by a CPU of a microcomputer or the like. Light receiving surface 23 of light receiving section 23
When the light reception output voltage that changes according to the light amount detected by a is R and the light reception output voltage that changes according to the light amount detected by the light reception surface 24a of the light receiving unit 24 is L,
In the calculation unit 33,

[0020]

## EQU1 ## (RL) / (R + L)

The above operation is performed. The above expression 1 represents the difference between the amounts of light received by the light receiving units 23 and 24 as a ratio to the sum of the amounts of light received by the light receiving units 23 and 24. Therefore, for example, even if the distance between the operation device 13 and the light source 12 changes and the absolute value of the amount of light received by the light receiving sections 23 and 24 changes, a standardized differential output is always obtained. Will be.

Next, the detecting operation of the above-described tilt detecting device will be described. The light receiving surfaces 23a and 24a of the light receiving units 23 and 24 forming a pair are inclined with respect to a vertical plane (meridional plane) including the central axis O of the detection unit 20. Therefore, the light reception detection currents at the light receiving sections 23 and 24 correspond to the respective light receiving surfaces 23a and 24a.
It is proportional to the projected area when the light beam of the reference light L from the light source is projected on the cross section. 2 and 3, the central axis O is the light source 1
The light receiving surfaces 23a and 24a are both inclined at the same angle α with respect to the meridional plane including the P-axis, which is included in the meridional plane including the line (P-axis) connecting the detector 2 and the detection unit 20 and the Y-axis. ing. The angle α is, for example, 45 degrees. In this case, the light receiving surfaces 23a and 2
4a has the same projection area on the light beam cross section of the reference light L. Therefore, the relationship between the light receiving output voltages R and L of both light receiving sections 23 and 24 becomes R = L, and the calculation result shown in Expression 1 becomes zero.

The operating device 13 is held by a human hand and can be tilted in the θx direction in the space or can be translated in the X-axis direction. When the operating device 13 is tilted in the θx direction from the state of FIG. 1, the central axis O has a tilt with respect to a meridional plane including the P axis and the Y axis. When the operating device 13 is translated in the X-axis direction from the state of FIG. 1, the line (P-axis) connecting the light source 12 and the detection unit 20 is inclined with respect to the Z-axis, while the central axis O is Since it is parallel to the Z axis, the central axis O is inclined with respect to the meridional plane including the P axis and the Y axis. At this time, a difference appears between the projected area where the light receiving surface 23a of the light receiving portion 23 is projected on the light beam cross section of the reference light L and the projected area where the light receiving surface 24a of the light receiving portion 24 is projected on the light beam cross section. A difference occurs between the light receiving output voltages L and R of 23 and 24, and the calculation result of Equation 1 becomes plus or minus.

In the arithmetic unit 33, further arithmetic processing is performed based on the arithmetic result shown in Expression 1, and as a result, the inclination θx of the central axis O with respect to the meridional plane including the P axis, that is, the central axis O with respect to the direction of the light source 12 Is calculated. In the input device shown in FIG. 1 in which the tilt detecting device is used, a cursor mark C is displayed on the image at almost the position where the center axis O of the operating device 13 crosses the CRT screen 10. The inclination θ
When x is obtained and the inclination amount θx is transmitted to the apparatus main body side, the cursor mark C moves on the screen 10 based on the inclination amount θx. Alternatively, the moving amount of the cursor mark C is calculated as a coordinate position on the X-axis based on the tilt amount θx by the calculation unit 33, and the coordinate value is given to the apparatus main body, and the cursor mark C moves. By moving the cursor mark C, the position of various information is input.

The inclination θ calculated by the calculation unit 33
The information of x and the coordinate position information are transmitted from the operation device 13 to the device main body by infrared transmission, radio wave transmission, or wire. In the case of infrared transmission, transmission is performed from the operation device 13 to the device main body during the intermittent light emission suspension period of the light source 12.
When the calculation unit 33 shown in FIG. 2 is mounted on the operation device 13, the calculation results of the tilt amount θx and the coordinate information are transmitted to the device main body as described above, but, for example, the current / voltage conversion units 26 and 27 The output voltage or the result of conversion by the analog / digital converters 31 and 32 is transmitted to the apparatus main body, and is converted into a tilt amount θx or converted into a coordinate position on the X-axis by an arithmetic unit 33 provided on the apparatus main body side. Is also good.

In the basic structure shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the reference light L from the light source 12 is always received on the entire light receiving surfaces 23a and 24a of the light receiving portions 23 and 24. Therefore, the diaphragm plate 2 as in the conventional example shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 is unnecessary. The number of parts is reduced by the absence of the diaphragm plate 2, and the work of positioning the diaphragm plate 2 is not required, so that the assembly becomes very simple. 9 and 10 , the light receiving unit 1 is shown.
a and 1b are partially irradiated with the reference light L, whereas in the comparative example, the light receiving surfaces 23a of the light receiving portions 23 and 24 are different.
And 24a, the reference light L is received by the entire surface, so that the received light output intensity is also increased.

The upper diagram (a) in FIG. 4 corresponds to FIG. 9 and FIG.
10 shows the results of calculating the ratio of the amount of received light in the entire light receiving unit between the conventional example (comparative example) shown in FIG. 10 and the basic structure shown in FIGS. In this comparison, the light receiving sections 1a and 1b shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 and the light receiving sections 23 and 24 shown in FIGS.
Have the same light-receiving surface area. FIG.
In the above, the angle α formed between the light receiving surfaces 23a and 24a and the central axis O was set to 45 degrees. The opening 2 in FIG. 10 and FIG. 9
The area of “a” was made the same as the surface area of one light receiving unit 1a or 1b.

The light intensity ratio on the vertical axis in the diagram of FIG.
(The amount of light received by the light receiving unit 23 + the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 24) /
It is obtained by (the amount of light received by the light receiving portion 1a + the amount of light received by the light receiving portion 1b), which is (projected area of the light receiving surface 23a in the light beam cross section + projected area of the light receiving surface 24a in the light beam cross section) /
(The area of the light irradiation part of the light receiving part 1a + the area of the light irradiation part of the light receiving part 1b). The area of the light illuminated portion of the light receiving portion 1a and the area of the light illuminated portion of the light receiving portion 1b are the areas of the light transmitted through the opening 2a and applied to the light receiving portions 1a and 1b. The horizontal axis of FIG. 4, the central axis O, or 9 and 10 show a P-axis and Y-axis in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 for the meridian plane
Is the angle of the central axis O shown in FIG.

In the diagram (a) of FIG. 4, when the inclination θx between the central axis O and the meridional plane including the P axis is in the range of 0 ° to approximately 30 °, the light amount ratio is about 1.5 times. High and θx
It can be seen that even when the angle exceeds 30 degrees, the light amount ratio is high. That is, in the basic structure of the present invention, when a light receiving section having the same surface area as that shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 is used, a light receiving output of approximately 1.5 times can be obtained.

Next, the line diagram shown in FIG. 4 (b), when the angle α was set to 45 degrees shown to Example 2 and 3, the number 1
2 shows the change of the normalized operation value shown in FIG. The horizontal axis is the inclination amount θx, and the vertical axis is the calculated value shown in Equation 1. According to the diagram of FIG. 4B, the calculated value represented by the equation 1 changes almost linearly with respect to the change of the inclination amount θx, and particularly, the linearity is reduced when θx is in a range of 0 to 30 degrees. Excellent,
It can be seen that highly accurate detection of the tilt amount θx is possible.

Next, FIG. 5 shows a modified example of the example shown in FIGS. The detection unit 20A shown in FIG. 5 corresponds to the plan view of FIG. In the detection unit 20A, support surfaces 21a and 22a having the same angle α are provided with respect to a meridian plane including the central axis O and orthogonal to the plane of FIG.
a and 22a cross each other at an acute angle. Light receiving sections 23 and 24 are attached to the respective support surfaces 21a and 22a. The angle α is, for example, 45
Degrees. In the detection unit 20A, when the central axis O is inclined with respect to the meridional plane including the P axis and the Y axis, the calculation result shown in Expression 1 changes to plus or minus similarly to the detection unit 20 shown in FIG. And the central axis O with respect to the meridional plane including the P axis
Of the cursor mark C on the CRT screen 10 can be obtained as position information on the X-axis coordinate based on the detected inclination amount θx.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show an input device according to the present invention.
1 shows a first embodiment of a tilt detection device used in a device . The detection unit 20B in the first embodiment is configured to be able to simultaneously detect both the inclination amount θx of the central axis O and the inclination amount θy in a direction orthogonal to the central axis O. FIG. 6 (A)
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the XZ plane parallel to the paper surface,
(B) is a side view showing the YZ plane oriented parallel to the paper surface. In the first embodiment, the central axis O of the detection unit 20B is
Are formed at the same angle α with respect to the meridional plane including the Y axis and the support planes 41 and 4.
2, a first set of light receiving units 43 and 44 is attached (see FIG. 6A). An angle α with respect to a meridional plane including the central axis O and the X axis (a meridional plane orthogonal to the meridional plane).
The light receiving unit 47 and the light receiving unit 48 forming the second set are attached to the support surfaces 45 and 46 that are inclined at (FIG. 6B).
reference). That is, the first set of light receiving portions 43 and 44 is inclined at a fixed angle (90-α) degrees with respect to the X axis, and both light receiving portions 43 and 44 are provided on surfaces that intersect each other. The second set of light receiving units 47 and 48 is inclined at a fixed angle (90-α) degrees with respect to the Y axis, and
And 48 are provided on surfaces that cross each other.

In this detecting section 20B, when the light receiving output voltages of the first set of light receiving sections 43 and 44 are R and L,
By the arithmetic processing shown in (1), the inclination amount θx of the central axis O with respect to the meridional plane including the P axis and the Y axis shown in FIG. 1 can be obtained. Further, when the light receiving output voltages of the light receiving units 47 and 48 of the second set are D and U, XZ
The inclination amount θy of the central axis O with respect to the plane can be detected.

[0034]

## EQU2 ## (UD) / (U + D)

The detecting section 20B shown in FIG. 6 can detect both the inclination amounts θx and θy in directions orthogonal to each other. Therefore, when the detection unit 20B is incorporated in the operation device 13 shown in FIG.
cursor mark C based on the XY coordinate position information calculated based on the amount of inclination of y or both amounts of inclination.
Can be moved to any position on the XY plane on the CRT screen 10. When the detecting unit 20B shown in FIG. 6 is mounted on the operating device 13 shown in FIG. 1, when the operating device 13 is oriented parallel to the Z axis and the central axis O is oriented parallel to the Z axis. Then, an offset angle Δθ is generated between a line (P axis) connecting the detection unit 20B and the light source 12 and the central axis O. Therefore, when calculating the amount of inclination θy in the Y-axis direction by the calculation shown in Expression 2, it is necessary to add or subtract the offset angle Δθ in advance. Alternatively, when the operation device 13 is installed in a direction parallel to the Z axis, the central axis O which is the angular center of each light receiving unit shown in FIG.
The detection unit 20B may be mounted in a state in which the detection unit 20B is inclined in the direction of the light source 12 so as to match the axis P in advance.

FIG. 7 shows a detector 20C according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a front view seen from the Z-axis direction.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a light source 12z located in the Z-axis direction and a light source 12x located in the X-axis direction are provided. The detection unit 20C is provided with a first set of light receiving units 43 and 44 and a second set of light receiving units 47 and 48 as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. The central axis Oz shown in FIG. 7 corresponds to the central axis O shown in FIG. 6, and this central axis Oz is directed toward the light source 12z.

In the state shown in FIG. 7, the central axis Oz is included in the meridional plane (YZ plane) including the light source 12z, and the first set of light receiving units 43 and 44 has an angle α with respect to this meridional plane. The light receiving units 47 and 48 of the second set are located at an angle α with respect to a meridional plane (XZ plane) orthogonal to the meridional plane and including the central axis Oz. Further, support surfaces 51 and 52 are provided at positions inclined at an angle α with respect to a meridional plane (XZ plane) including a central axis Ox facing the light source 12x, and a third surface is provided on each of the support surfaces 51 and 52. A set of light receiving units 53 and 54 is provided. The light-receiving outputs of the light-receiving sections 53 and 54 are also subjected to standardized arithmetic processing in the same manner as shown in Expressions 1 and 2.

In the detection section 20C shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the first
Of the central axis Oz with respect to the meridional plane (YZ plane) including the light source 12z is detected by the pair of light receiving units 43 and 44, and the meridional plane ( The inclination amount θy of the central axis Oz with respect to the (X-Z plane) is detected. Further, the tilt amount θz with respect to the meridional plane (XZ plane) including the light source 12x can be detected from the calculated value of the light receiving output of the third set of light receiving units 53 and 54. This gives θx, θ
The three-dimensional inclination amounts of y and θz can be detected. It is preferable that both light sources 12z and 12x emit light alternately so that the reference light from the light source 12z and the reference light from the light source 12x do not interfere with each other. The detection unit 20C shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 can be applied to, for example, three-dimensional posture detection in virtual reality.

[0039]

[0040] The contact detection device of the above embodiments, the controller and the computer and AV equipment and game equipment, in addition to the virtual reality, can be used as such as attitude control system.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the reference light is received using the entire light receiving surface of the light receiving portion and the inclination and the coordinate position can be detected, the detection output can be increased and the influence of noise can be reduced. Less. Further, a small light receiving element having a small light receiving area can be used, and an inexpensive tilt detection device and an input device can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an input device capable of inputting a cursor instruction on a screen using a tilt detection device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the internal structure of a tilt detection device having a basic structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tilt detection device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a calculated value based on the ratio of the amount of received light and the amount of received light to a conventional example in relation to the inclination angle of the central axis;

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a detection unit according to a modification of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6A is a plan view of a detection unit according to the first embodiment, and FIG.
Is its side view,

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a detection unit according to a second embodiment that can detect a three-dimensional inclination angle;

8 is a front view of the detection unit shown in FIG. 7 when viewed from a Z-axis direction.

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of a conventional tilt detection device using a light source and a light receiving unit;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the conventional tilt detection unit shown in FIG. 9 ;

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] An apparatus main body having a screen and movable operation
A light source is located on one side of the device and a detector is located on the other side.
Ri, wherein the detection unit includes a first set of light receiving portions forming a pair respectively and located on a plane intersecting the each other physician is disposed on the central axis O at a position having an angle with respect to meridian plane Form pairs that are located on intersecting planes and are each positioned at an angle to a meridian plane orthogonal to the meridian plane
And a second set of light receiving portions, the difference in amount of light received by the light receiving portion constituting said first set of pairs, and
By obtaining the difference between the amount of light received by the light receiving portion constituting said second set of pairs, the operation between the said device body and the operating device
The tilt amount of the device is detected, and the screen is displayed according to this tilt amount.
An input device, wherein the input device can be changed. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second light sources emit reference lights orthogonal to each other.
A second light source and a detection unit at a position distant from the two light sources
And the detecting unit is located on a plane intersecting with each other and
Positions each having an angle with respect to the meridional plane containing the central axis Oz
And a first pair of light receiving units arranged in a pair.
And each is perpendicular to the meridian plane
Pairs arranged at an angle to the meridian plane
A second set of light receiving sections, and orthogonal to the central axis Oz.
Position at an angle to the meridional plane containing the other central axis Ox
A third set of light-receiving portions forming a pair arranged in the first pair, and a difference in the amount of received light of the light-receiving portions forming the first set of pairs;
The difference between the amounts of light received by the light receiving units forming the two pairs;
By obtaining the difference in the amount of light received by the light-receiving units forming a pair of pairs,
The center axis Oz is inclined with respect to the direction of the first light source.
And the central axis Ox with respect to the direction of the second light source.
Detecting means for detecting the amount of inclination by
Place. 3. An input using the detection device according to claim 2.
Power device, wherein the two light sources are provided on a device main body having a screen.
And the detecting unit is disposed on the operating device,
In each of the first set, the second set, and the third set,
By obtaining the difference in the amount of light received by the
The amount of inclination between the robot and the operating device is detected, and according to this amount of inclination,
An input device whose screen display can be changed.