JP4296862B2 - Virtual key arrangement method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention does not require positioning according to the key position in input operations of devices and devices, etc., so that the surface of the input device that touches the finger is adapted to the input hand. In The present invention relates to a method for arranging keys and an input device using a virtual key arrangement.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As keys in input devices such as conventional devices and apparatuses, well-known keys such as an insertion structure key and a touch panel key integrated with a display are well known. These keys require positioning in accordance with the key position by visual or tactile sense when performing an input operation.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
According to the conventional insertion structure type key, for example, a computer keyboard that requires many types of input has a problem in miniaturization because the number of keys increases. Or, in the case of simultaneous input by a plurality of fingers for miniaturization of the input device, there is a problem that it is difficult to input a smooth combination of fingers because it is easily trapped by the key position.
[0004]
In addition, the touch panel type key integrated with the display device has a problem that it is difficult for a visually handicapped person to perform an input operation because it requires a visual confirmation of the key position. Further, in the operation of an elevator or the like for a visually impaired person, there is a problem that prompt input cannot be performed because it is necessary to check the input key using Braille.
[0005]
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. The key is virtually arranged on the surface where the finger is brought into contact with the input device to operate the key based on the contact position of the finger by the setting operation, and the purpose is to provide a virtual key arrangement suitable for the input hand. To do. Accordingly, an object is to make it easy to perform an input operation by combining a plurality of fingers of one hand, and to achieve downsizing of a keyboard of a computer or the like so as to be portable.
[0006]
In addition, in the input operation of visually impaired persons, it is not necessary to confirm the key position visually and tactilely, so that it is possible to perform quick operation that does not rely on Braille display in operations such as elevators. An object of the present invention is to provide a touch input device that does not require a device.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The virtual according to claim 1 of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problem Typical The key arrangement method is Enter Contact surface for touching fingertips for force operation And on the contact surface When one or more fingers of one hand are touched The above Touch information of distribution of fingertip contact to contact surface As Tactile sensor that can be converted into data And with In the input device, For each setting operation of a key arrangement in which one or more keys assigned to each of the five fingers of one hand stored in advance in the input device are brought into contact with the contact surface once at the same time with the fingertips of the five fingers of the one hand. Based on the contact position of each fingertip for each setting operation of the key arrangement, the virtual processing of the virtual key that does not require visual and tactile positioning with respect to the key arrangement is performed by programming and virtually arranging on the contact surface. An array method, Predetermining the distribution position on the contact surface, Detected by the tactile sensor By the method of detecting tactile image data by program processing and detecting the distribution position where the finger touches A key assigned to each of the five fingers of one hand stored in the input device in advance is assigned to the predetermined distribution position. In advance Input device Remember, Above It is obtained by the key layout setting operation in which the fingertip of one hand with the input hand is simultaneously brought into contact with the contact surface once. The Contact information, Detected by the tactile sensor A method for detecting the distribution position touched by a finger by programming tactile image data so Identify the contact position of each fingertip, The Identified Key layout At the distribution position where each fingertip touches in the setting operation, Input device Remember A key with one or more keys assigned to each of five fingers For each assigned finger key So The home position key of each finger In position Match the distribution position So that the predetermined By moving the distribution position and setting the key array, Virtually on the contact surface To arrange.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Base technology.
Prior to the present invention, a one-hand input device was presented in Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-351358. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the one-hand input device.
In the one-hand input device 21, 14 keys as a computer keyboard are arranged as follows. The position where the five fingertips of the left hand naturally touch each other is used as the home position key for each finger. In FIG. 1, key 1 is a thumb, key 2 is an index finger, key 3 is a middle finger, key 4 is a ring finger, and key 5 is a little finger home position key.
[0009]
The direction of movement from each home position key is determined for each finger, and one key is arranged in one direction. For the thumb, the key 11 is opened in the direction of opening the first joint, the key 12 is closed in the direction of closing, the index finger is pressed in the direction of extending the opposite side of the middle finger, the Delete key 6 and the Alt key 7 in the direction of extending the finger, Shift key 8 in the direction of extending the finger, Esc key 14 in the direction of bending, the ring finger in the direction of extending the finger, the Ctrl key 9 in the direction of extending the finger and the Num Lock key 10 in the direction of expanding to the opposite side of the middle finger, Back Space keys 13 are arranged in a direction extending to the opposite side.
[0010]
The three keys assigned to the thumb and the home position keys of the other fingers are keys for inputting a key code by one or up to five simultaneous inputs, and the three keys assigned to the thumb are: All of them are key arrangements that allow combination input with the home position keys of other fingers.
The input device according to the virtual key arrangement of the present invention does not include a key button and a display for displaying the key, and adapts the key as in the above example to the input hand on the surface for performing the key input operation. Virtually arranged. (Hereinafter, the keys virtually arranged on the key input surface are referred to as “virtual key arrangements”.) As a result, a key arrangement that does not require positioning according to the key position is required, and the combination of the fingers of one hand Key input operation is facilitated. Furthermore, barrier-free is achieved in the input operation of the visually impaired.
[0011]
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is a left / right one-hand input device, but in the following description, left hand input is taken as an example. Although the arrangement and definition of virtual keys can be performed in various ways, in the explanation, the key arrangement of the one-hand input device 21 shown in FIG. This is done while exemplifying the key layout.
[0012]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the input device using the virtual key arrangement of the present invention. The virtual key array input device 31 includes an input unit that performs key input operations and a processing unit that performs program processing. The input unit includes a sensor 32 and an input mode switch 33. The processing unit includes a processing circuit and a storage device for performing program processing, and is provided in the housing of the virtual key layout input device 31. Alternatively, the program processing is performed by a processing circuit such as an output destination device by providing the program by a storage medium or the like, and the processing unit is not provided. The virtual key layout input device 31 in FIG. 2 does not include a processing unit, and the input unit by the sensor 32 and the input mode switch 33 is connected by connecting to an output destination device by a detachable cable or the like (not shown). The input device is portable.
[0013]
The sensor 32 is a tactile sensor or the like, and has a contact surface 34 that contacts a finger for an input operation. When one or more fingers of one hand are brought into contact with the contact surface 34, a structure in which the contact of the fingers is sensed can be sensed. The size of the contact surface 34 is such that the fingertips of five fingers in one hand can simultaneously touch in a natural manner, and in the key arrangement of the one-hand input device 21 shown in FIG. 1, the fingertips can be moved and brought into contact with each other. . The virtual key layout input device 31 in FIG. 2 is a device that uses a sensor 32 as a matrix-type tactile sensor and outputs contact information as an analog waveform signal.
[0014]
The input mode switch 33 has a switch structure that is turned on when an input hand is applied and turned off when the input hand is released. In the virtual key layout input device 31 of FIG. 2, the wrist is addressed to serve as a rest. When the input mode switch 33 is turned on, a program to be described later is started. If it is OFF, the program is terminated, and contact information from the sensor 32 is not captured.
[0015]
The program that is activated when the input mode switch 33 is turned on comprises two sets of processes. There are two sets: a step of setting a virtual key arrangement and a step of determining a key input based on the virtual key arrangement. (Hereinafter, the above process is referred to as “virtual key setting process”, and the process described later is referred to as “input key determination process”.)
[0016]
The flow of input operation and program processing of the virtual key layout input device 31 configured as described above is performed as follows.
When the input mode switch 33 is turned on for the first time after addressing the input hand, the virtual key setting process of the program is started. In order to set the virtual key arrangement, the operation of simultaneously bringing the five fingertips of one hand into contact with the contact surface 34 in a natural form while the input mode switch 33 is ON is performed only once. (Hereinafter, this operation is referred to as a “virtual key setting operation”.) The contact information of the virtual key setting operation is pre-processing of an electrical signal to obtain a tactile image, and the tactile image is subjected to image processing and five-finger contact. The distribution is converted into data. Based on the data and key arrangement data stored in advance, the input key determination step is performed so that the contact position of each finger on the contact surface 34 becomes the position of the virtual key of the home position key assigned to each finger. A key is set in the means for detecting the distribution position where the finger touches. (Hereinafter, pre-stored key layout data is referred to as “reference key layout.”) When a key is set in the input key determination process, the virtual key setting process ends, and the process proceeds to the input key determination process.
[0017]
If the input operation on the contact surface 34 with one or more fingers of one hand is performed after the transition to the input key determination step (hereinafter, this input operation is referred to as “key input operation”), the contact information is processed. Then, the distribution position touched by the finger is detected, and the input key is determined based on the detected distribution position and the key set in the means.
The virtual key setting step is executed only once after the input mode switch 33 is turned on, and the input key determination step is repeatedly executed for each key input operation until the input mode switch 33 is turned off.
[0018]
In the present invention, each time one or more fingers of one hand come into contact with the contact surface 34, the contact information is programmed to determine the input key. For this reason, the sensor 32 has a switch function based on contact with a finger, or has a switch function for determining contact and non-contact based on contact information in a program. The switch is turned on when the finger is in contact, and the program processes only the contact information when the finger is on.
A time difference is likely to occur when multiple fingers of one hand are simultaneously brought into contact with the contact surface 34. However, since the difference is very small when they are released at the same time, the contact information is determined as the key information because the data slightly before the contact of all fingers from the contact surface 34 is disconnected is determined key information. Is preferred.
[0019]
As described above, the present invention adapts contact information such as a tactile sensor in which a finger is in contact with the contact surface 34 of the virtual key layout input device 31 of FIG. 2 to an input hand by a program process according to two sets of processes. The input device is based on the virtual key arrangement. As a result, an input operation using one finger or a combination of a plurality of fingers is facilitated.
Below, a program process is demonstrated. The image used for the explanation is processed as data and does not need to be displayed. Further, the reference key array is data necessary for setting the virtual key array.
[0020]
First, the virtual key setting process will be described.
In the virtual key arrangement, the contact surface 34 of the virtual key arrangement input device 31 is determined by setting the distribution position for determining the key input and setting the key to the means for detecting the distribution position where the finger touches in the input key determination step. Keys are virtually arranged. As will be described later, there are many means for detecting the distribution position where the finger touches in the input key determination step. However, the key setting in the means for detecting the respective distribution positions is performed by using the distribution information of the five fingers in contact obtained by image processing of the contact information of the virtual key setting operation and the reference of the means for detecting the respective distribution positions. Perform based on key layout data. The following description of the virtual key setting process is an explanation for obtaining the data of the virtual key setting operation and the description for creating the data for setting the key based on the data and the reference key arrangement. A method for setting keys in the means for detecting each distribution position will be described in the description of each input key determination step described later.
[0021]
In order to set the virtual key layout in accordance with different finger contact positions for each input hand and input start time, the following processing is required depending on the virtual key setting operation data and the reference key layout data. These are processing by the left and right of the input hand, processing by size, processing by tilt of the axis, and processing by the contact position for each finger. These processes may not be necessary depending on the number of keys arranged or the allocation method.
[0022]
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for converting the contact information of the virtual key setting operation into data using coordinates. For the contact information of the virtual key setting operation, preprocessing is performed on a tactile image as a binary image in which the pixel value of the part where the five fingers of one hand touch the contact surface 34 is 1 and the pixel value of the non-contact surface is 0. . The binarized tactile image is converted into a connected figure for each surface touched by a finger by a connection method of image processing technology. A connected image 41 in FIG. 3 is an image obtained by performing the above-described processing, and represents a contact surface of five fingers in one hand as a closed region surrounded by a solid line by parallel oblique lines of the connected figures 42a to 42e. The circumscribed rectangles 43a to 43e are created for the connected figures 42a to 42e, and the center points 44a to 44e are created for the circumscribed rectangles 43a to 43e.
[0023]
By setting coordinate axes in the connected image 41, the connected figures 42a to 42e, the circumscribed rectangles 43a to 43e, and the center points 44a to 44e can be used as coordinate data. FIG. 3 shows an example of left hand input, where the connecting figure 42a is a thumb, 42b is a forefinger, 42c is a middle finger, 42d is a ring finger, and 42e is a little finger. The lower side of the connected image 41 is the x axis and the left side is the y axis.
Each process for adapting the virtual key arrangement described above to the input hand can be performed as follows by obtaining the data shown in FIG.
[0024]
The process of adapting the virtual key arrangement to the left and right of the input hand is performed by extracting features from the data of FIG. When five fingers in one hand are brought into contact with the contact surface 34 in a natural form, a difference occurs in the interval between adjacent fingers. Alternatively, the shape of the contacted surface varies depending on the type of finger. From these features, it is possible to determine the left and right of the input hand. As an example in FIG. 3, since the distance between the thumb and the index finger is larger than the distance between the little finger and the ring finger, the left and right are discriminated by the size of the distance between both ends and the adjacent central points 44a and 44b and 44e and 44d. Alternatively, since the surface with which the thumb is in contact is larger than the surface with which the little finger is in contact, the circumscribed rectangles 43a and 43e at both ends can be compared, and the left and right can be determined according to the size of the area.
[0025]
The following processing is performed based on the left / right discrimination of the input hand. In the case where two sets of reference key arrays are provided for the left and right, the determined reference key array is used as data for setting the virtual key array. When only one of the left and right reference key arrangements is prepared, the reference key arrangement is changed as it is when the same side is determined, and the reference key arrangement is reversed when it is determined as a different side. The data is used to set the virtual key layout.
[0026]
The process of adapting the virtual key arrangement to the size of the input hand is performed by detecting the distance between the positions touched by the finger or the area of the area from the data in FIG. When five fingers of one hand are brought into contact with the contact surface 34 in a natural form, the distance and the contact area between the touched positions of the fingers tend to be proportional to the size of the input hand. Therefore, the distance between the contact positions or the area of the contact region is detected, the enlargement or reduction ratio of the reference key array is calculated based on the detected value, and the reference key array is enlarged or reduced according to the calculated ratio. .
[0027]
The distance in the example in FIG. 3 is detected by the distance between any two of the center points 44a to 44e. Preferably, when 5 fingers are brought into contact with the contact surface 34, the center points 44c and 44d are used because the distance between the middle finger and the ring finger is likely to be stable at the same size, and a difference occurs when the sizes are different. Good. The area can be detected by the circumscribed rectangles 43a to 43e with one or more designated fingers or the number of pixels of the connected figures 42a to 42e.
The enlargement or reduction ratio is calculated based on the ratio to the data obtained in the same manner as the reference key arrangement. The reference key array is enlarged or reduced according to the calculated ratio to obtain a virtual key array corresponding to the size of the input hand.
[0028]
The process of adapting the virtual key arrangement to the hand axis direction that differs for each input start time is performed by detecting the hand axis direction from the data of FIG. When five fingers of one hand are brought into contact with the contact surface 34 in a natural form, the axial direction of the hand can be determined by a straight line passing through the contact position of the two fingers. In the direction of the straight line, the reference key array is rotated and adapted so that the axial direction of the reference key array determined in the same manner is the same direction. As an example in FIG. 3, an angle at which a straight line passing through any two of the center points 44a to 44e intersects one of the coordinate axes is detected. The two points used for angle detection have a stable relationship between the index finger and the ring finger in the axial direction of the hand, and are preferably center points 44b and 44d. A similar angle is obtained for the reference key arrangement. The difference between the two angles is set as the rotation angle, and the reference key array is rotated.
[0029]
Even for the same input hand, depending on the type of finger, the interval of the contact position with the adjacent finger tends to differ for each virtual key setting operation. The process of adapting the virtual key arrangement to those positions is performed by detecting the contact position of each finger from the data in FIG. The reference key array is moved so that the position of each home position key in the reference key array matches the detected contact position of each finger. At that time, when a plurality of keys are assigned to one finger as in the example of the key arrangement shown in the one-hand input device 21 in FIG. 1, the data of each key in the reference key arrangement is assigned. The movement process is performed in association with each finger. As an example in FIG. 3, the contact position detected by each finger is set as the center points 44a to 44e, and the same center point is provided for the home position key of each finger in the reference key arrangement. Each center point of the reference key array is moved and processed for each related data so as to coincide with the corresponding positions of the center points 44a to 44e in FIG.
[0030]
The above description regarding the processing for setting the virtual key arrangement in conformity with the input hand is an example in the case where the processing is performed individually as necessary according to the number of keys arranged.
According to the following affine transformation method, processing based on the tilt of the hand axis and the contact position for each finger can be performed simultaneously. For example, the center point of each home position key is set in the data of the reference key arrangement as in FIG. The virtual key array is set by affine transformation of the entire reference key array by the least square method so that the center points of the reference key array coincide with the center points 44a to 44e in FIG.
[0031]
In the following example, only the home position key is used as the key arrangement, and no processing other than the left / right discrimination of the input hand is required. Furthermore, when the key assignment is a five-choice one-hierarchical type or the like and the selection direction is fixed, processing by left / right discrimination is not required. (See Figure 6.)
The contact information of the virtual key setting operation is processed so as to become a connected image 41 having the connected figures 42a to 42e shown in FIG. When processing by left / right discrimination of the input hand is required, the left / right discrimination of the input hand may be performed based on the number of pixels of the connecting figures 42a and 42e at both ends. The connected image 41 is negated so that the pixel values of the connected figures 42a to 42e are 0 and the other pixel values are 1, and an area having a pixel value of 0 is set as a key.
[0032]
As described above, the virtual key setting step is executed only once after the input mode switch 33 is turned on. The virtual key setting operation is performed by simultaneous contact of five fingers of one hand, and the operation by this contact can also be performed in an input key determination process described later. From this, it is possible to solve the problem of the possibility that the finger contact position gradually shifts during continuous key input operations as follows.
When the simultaneous touch of five fingers is detected in the input key determination step, the virtual key setting step is activated to process the contact information in parallel with the input key determination step, and the stored key layout setting is rewritten. Is what you want to do.
[0033]
The above is the description of the virtual key setting process. By setting the keys in the means for detecting the distribution position where the finger touches by performing image processing or signal processing in the input key determination step described later by the processing described above, an array of virtual keys suitable for the input hand can be obtained. it can. The key layout set in the input key determination step is stored until the input mode switch 33 is turned off.
[0034]
The input key determination process will be described.
The present invention detects the distribution position of a finger in contact with a tactile sensor or the like by means of image processing of a tactile image or signal processing of an electrical signal, and is input by the detected finger distribution position and a key provided on the means. The key is to be judged. There are many means for processing the tactile image or the electrical signal to detect the distribution position where the finger touches, and several examples will be described below while showing the key arrangement.
[0035]
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for determining an input key based on coordinate points. Keys 52, 52a, 52d represented by 14 points in FIG. 4 are examples of the key arrangement of the one-handed input device 21 of FIG. The keys 52, 52a, and 52d are arranged on the coordinate plane 51 by the virtual key setting process based on the positional relationship data of the reference key array and the coordinates of the center points 44a to 44e shown in FIG. The key 52a is a thumb, and the key 52d is a ring finger home position key. By making the coordinate plane 51 correspond to the contact surface 34 of the virtual key arrangement input device 31, a virtual key arrangement is set by the keys 52, 52a and 52d. Each key is assigned an identification code for determining the key assigned to each key.
[0036]
The contact information of the key input operation in FIG. 4 is obtained by performing image processing on a tactile image in the same manner as the processing in FIG. The example of FIG. 4 is based on the circumscribed rectangle 53, and the home position key is input by the thumb and the ring finger. The keys arranged on the coordinate plane 51 are detected by the coordinates of the circumscribed rectangle 53, and the input key is determined by the detected key identification code. Alternatively, the circumscribed rectangle 53 may be detected based on the key coordinates, and the input key may be determined.
[0037]
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an example in which a key is set by a region associated with a coordinate axis. A key 56 a indicated by parallel diagonal lines in FIG. 5 is an open area defined by one parabola 54, and a key 56 b indicated by parallel diagonal lines is a closed area defined by four straight lines 55. The lines that divide each region can be expressed by equations. As shown by coordinate points 57a and 57b in FIG. 5, each arranged key is provided with one coordinate point, and by associating the equation of the line that divides each key with each coordinate point. A key based on a region with a plurality of identification codes is associated with the coordinate axis.
[0038]
In the virtual key setting step, the key thus configured changes the coordinate point of each key of the reference key array based on the coordinates of the center points 44a to 44e shown in FIG. Along with this, a process for changing the expression of the line dividing the area is also performed. As a result, virtual keys suitable for the input hand are arranged on the contact surface 34 of the virtual key arrangement input device 31.
The input key is determined by performing image processing on the contact information of the key input operation in the same manner as in FIG. 3, detecting the distribution position touched by the finger based on the coordinates, and detecting the key with the identification code based on the detected coordinates. Is what you do. Alternatively, the input key may be determined by detecting the distribution position where the finger touches based on the coordinates of the key.
[0039]
In the above, two virtual key arrays in which the means for detecting the distribution position touched by the finger are based on coordinates have been exemplified. However, points or regions associated with the coordinate axes set to the keys can be performed in various other ways. I can do it. For example, a point or a region is formed by a pixel of the binary image shown in FIG. 3 or a region is formed by a circumscribed rectangle, and further, the point is set as an intersection of the formula shown in FIG. It can also be an area. Keys based on these points or areas can be determined as input keys by arranging virtual keys in the same process as described with reference to FIGS.
[0040]
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for determining an input key by detecting an image change. The binary image 59 is a negative image of the tactile image of the virtual key setting operation described in the virtual key setting step, and the five keys 58 indicated by 1 as the pixel value in the region indicated by the parallel diagonal lines and as the closed region by the solid line. The pixel values of 58a and 58d are 0. The key arrangement shows only the home position keys of the left five fingers, the key 58a is the thumb and the key 58d is the ring finger home position key. In the case of having a key layout other than the home position key, an area in which the pixel value is set to 0 at each position is created by the process described in the virtual key setting process using the data of FIG. 3 and the data of the reference key layout. And Each key is given an identification code for determining an input key. By making the binary image 59 correspond to the contact surface 34 of the virtual key arrangement input device 31, a virtual key arrangement adapted to the input hand is obtained.
[0041]
The contact information of the key input operation is taken into the binary image 59 with the pixel value at the position touched by the finger as 1. The input example in FIG. 6 is based on the thumb and ring finger, and the pixel value change area 60 indicated by the meshes on the keys 58a and 58d represents an area where the pixel value has changed to 1 by the key input operation. When a key input operation is performed, each key area is sensed to detect an image change, and the input key is determined by the identification code of the key that detected the image change. Alternatively, an input key may be determined by detecting a changed area of an image based on an inter-image difference between a binary image created by a virtual key setting step and a binary image generated by a key input operation. In this way, the distribution position touched by the finger is detected by image change, and the input key is determined.
[0042]
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for determining the input key based on the density value of the tactile image. An image 61 in the figure is obtained by using the contact information of the sensor 32 as a tactile image. A total of 14 closed areas surrounded by a solid line and black areas shown in the image 61 indicate the key arrangement of the one-handed input device 21 of FIG. In the input example of FIG. 7, it is assumed that the home position key of the thumb and the ring finger has been input, and the density value change areas 62 a and 62 d indicate that the density value of the image 61 has changed due to the contact of the finger. The density value change area 62a is the thumb and 62d is the ring finger. The horizontal projection 63 and the vertical projection 64 shown in FIG. 7 are obtained by accumulating the density values of the image 61 in the respective directions by the projection calculation process of the image processing technique. The accumulated density value 65 represents the accumulation of density values in the density value changing areas 62a and 62d of the image 61 in the respective directions. Detection of the distribution position in contact with the finger is performed based on cumulative density values 65 in two directions, ie, a projection 63 in the horizontal direction and a projection 64 in the vertical direction.
[0043]
The key is set so that the number of arranged keys is a projection 63 in the horizontal direction and the projection 64 in the vertical direction, each having a position for detecting the accumulated density value in two directions, and the positions detected in the two directions are used as keys. It is. In the example of FIG. 7, the keys 66a and 66a 'are the home position keys for the thumb and the keys 66d and 66d' are the ring finger, respectively.
The input key is determined by detecting a cumulative density value 65 that is equal to or greater than a certain value in a pair of keys provided in two directions, a horizontal projection 63 and a vertical projection 64. In the input example of FIG. 7, the input of the home position key of the thumb is determined by the keys 66a and 66a ′ and the ring finger is determined by the keys 66d and 66d ′. Broken lines shown in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction from the density value changing regions 62a and 62d in the drawing indicate their positional relationship.
[0044]
A plurality of keys for determining the input key is processed in the following manner in the virtual key setting process to set the position. Based on the data shown in FIG. 3 by the virtual key setting operation and the data of the reference key arrangement, the touch position of the finger of each key is obtained in the image 61. When the key is a point as in the example of FIG. 7, the process may be performed by the center point. The obtained finger contact position of each key is set to the key by adding an identification code to the position projected onto the projection 63 in the horizontal direction and the projection 64 in the vertical direction. As a result, a virtual key arrangement suitable for the input hand can be set on the contact surface 34 of the input device 31.
[0045]
In the key arrangement of the one-handed input device 21 of FIG. 1, it is assumed that three keys with the thumb and the home position keys of the other fingers can be input simultaneously. According to the image projection calculation method described above, the input key may be erroneously determined in such a case. For example, in FIG. 7, when a finger touches the positions indicated by reference numerals 62 a and 2 at the same time, the key at the finger contact position indicated by reference numeral 12 may be determined to be input. (In the figure, the positional relationship of the projection directions of the finger contact positions indicated by reference numerals 2 and 12 is indicated by dotted lines.) In a key arrangement that may be erroneously determined as such, If the image 61 is separated and projected as shown by a dashed line 67 in FIG. 7, an erroneous determination of the input key can be prevented.
[0046]
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for determining an input key by collating features with a graphic. Coordinate points 70 and 70d represented by 14 black dots in FIG. 8 are the positions of the key arrangement of the one-hand input device 21 of FIG. 1 arranged on the coordinate plane by points, and the coordinate point 70d is a home position key of the ring finger. Is the position. Reference points 71a and 71b represented by white circles are points that serve as a reference for creating a figure in order to capture the positions of the 14 coordinate points by the feature of the figure. As shown by Δ71a, 71b, and 70d in FIG. 8 by using the coordinate points 70 and 70d, triangles having two reference points 71a and 71b as two vertices are respectively created, and an identification code is attached to each of the created triangles. Is set to the key.
[0047]
The input example in FIG. 8 assumes that the home position key of the ring finger has been input, and the determination of the input key is performed as follows. A coordinate point 70d ′ shown in FIG. 8 is created from the contact information of the key input operation in the same manner as the center point creation process in FIG. In the same manner as described above, Δ71a, 71b, and 70d ′ are created, and the distribution position where the finger touches is detected using a triangle. The input key is determined by comparing the triangle created to detect the distribution position where the finger is in contact with the triangle set as each key and detecting the closest triangle of the key.
[0048]
The determination of the input key described above is to individually determine a key input by a triangle, but in simultaneous input by a plurality of fingers, the finger touches by a polygon having two reference points 71a and 71b. It is also possible to detect a plurality of input keys from one figure by collating polygons.
Alternatively, it is also possible to determine the input key by using the feature of the figure as a side length, an inner angle, etc., and using the feature as a conditional expression as a key. At that time, if the input blur is assumed as in the input expected range 72 indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 9, the width may be taken into the conditional expression.
[0049]
As described above, in order to determine the input key according to the feature of the figure, the following processing is performed in the virtual key setting step. Based on the data of the center points 44a to 44e and the reference key arrangement shown in FIG. 3, the coordinate points 70 and 70d shown in FIG. 8 are arranged on the coordinate plane. A figure is created by the arranged coordinate points and the reference points 71a and 71b. The positions of the reference points 71a and 71b may be anywhere, but it is preferable to set the reference points 71a and 71b at positions where the features of each figure created by the respective coordinate points are prominent. The same position is used in the key determination process.
A plurality of graphics created in this way are assigned identification codes and set as keys. Alternatively, a side length, an inner angle, and the like are calculated from each figure, and a plurality of conditional expressions with identification codes are set as keys based on the calculated values. As a result, a virtual key layout suitable for the input hand is set on the contact surface 34 of the virtual key layout input device 31.
[0050]
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for determining an input key by collating image characteristics. In the example of the key arrangement, only the five home position keys of the left hand are used. A binary image 73 in the figure is an image obtained by binarizing the contact information of the key input operation, and the pixel value at the position where the finger touches is 1. The distribution position where the finger touches is detected by the image, and the input example is the simultaneous input of the thumb and the ring finger. Similarly to the binary image 73, the key 74 is a binarized image in which the pixel value at the position where the finger touches is 1, and is a template for each input pattern by the combination of fingers. In FIG. 9, since there are 31 combinations of patterns with five fingers in one hand, an identification code is attached to that number of templates to form keys 74.
When the binary image 73 is obtained by performing the key input operation, the binary image 73 and each key 74 are collated by template matching of the image processing technique, and the most matching key 74 is detected. This is a judgment. In the example of FIG. 9, the fourth from the top of the illustrated key 74 is detected, and the input of the home position key for the thumb and ring finger is determined.
[0051]
The key 74 for determining the input key is set and processed in the virtual key setting process as follows. A connection image 41 having connection figures 42a to 42e shown in FIG. 3 is created from the contact information of the virtual key setting operation. The left and right sides of the input hand are discriminated from the number of pixels of the connected figures 42a and 42e at both ends, and each connected figure is labeled based on the data of the reference key arrangement based on the left and right discrimination. A template from which unnecessary connected figures are deleted is created so that each key 74 is a combination of labels of the reference key arrangement, and an identification code is attached and set to the key.
When the key arrangement is other than the home position key as in the one-handed input device 21 of FIG. 1, the following processing may be performed. Based on the data shown in FIG. 3 and the reference key layout data, all connected figures that are finger contact positions in the key input operation are arranged with labels on the binary image of the virtual key setting operation. Similarly to the above, a template from which unnecessary connected figures are deleted is created and set as a key. As a result, virtual keys suitable for the input hand can be arranged on the contact surface 34 of the virtual key arrangement input device 31.
[0052]
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram for determining the input key based on the voltage value of the scanning line. The scanning line 81 scans the contact surface 34 of the virtual key layout input device 31 on which a key input operation has been performed to form an analog waveform by voltage, and a part of the scanning line 81 is illustrated. The vertical direction represents voltage, and the horizontal direction represents the position of the matrix. The peak portion of the scanning line 81 that is extremely high indicates that the voltage value has increased due to the finger touching the contact surface 34, and the distribution position of the finger contact is represented by the matrix of the contact surface 34. The signal is detected by performing signal processing on the electrical signal scanned. The keys 82 are positions where the values of the matrix voltages are detected, and are provided with identification codes as many as the number of arranged keys. When a key input operation is performed, the contact surface 34 is scanned, a voltage is detected at the key 82, and an input key is determined by detecting the key 82 indicating a voltage of a certain value or more.
[0053]
In this way, the key 82 for determining the input key is processed as follows in the virtual key setting process to set the position. The contact information of the virtual key setting operation is once converted into a tactile image and the data shown in FIG. 3 is created. Based on the data of FIG. 3 and the data of the reference key arrangement, the center point of each arranged key is determined by one pixel. The electric signal processing means shown in FIG. 10 is given an identification code as a key 82 so that the position of the matrix of the contact surface 34 corresponding to the obtained pixel of each key becomes a position for detecting the voltage value. Set.
Another method for determining the input key by processing the electrical signal is to create a template based on the signal processing technology in the same way as explained in the template matching of the image processing technology, and collate the characteristics of the waveform. It can also be done. By these methods, virtual keys suitable for the input hand are arranged on the contact surface 34 of the input device 31.
[0054]
The above is the description of the embodiment of the present invention. The input device is equipped with a tactile sensor or the like that can sense the distribution of contact with five fingers of one hand, and the touch information is subjected to image processing or signal processing to detect the distribution position of the finger contact. By setting a plurality of keys based on this, virtual keys suitable for an input hand that does not require visual and tactile positioning can be arranged on the surface that is touched by a finger to perform key input operations. Further, by separating the input unit and the processing unit, the input unit of the input device based on the arrangement of virtual keys can be an input device with excellent portability.
[0055]
【The invention's effect】
The virtual according to claim 1 of the present invention Typical According to the key arrangement method, Contact surface that touches the fingertip for input operation To fit the input hand, virtual In This is an arrangement of keys, which makes it easy to perform an input operation using a combination of five fingers in one hand, and can reduce the size of a keyboard such as a computer. Furthermore, since positioning by visual and tactile sensation is not required, an input device that does not require Braille display can be provided for visually impaired persons by converting the key code into a finger character.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a one-hand input device.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an input device using a virtual key arrangement.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for converting contact information of a virtual key setting operation into data using coordinates.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for determining an input key based on coordinate points.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an example in which a key is set by a region associated with a coordinate axis.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for determining an input key by detecting an image change.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for determining an input key based on a density value of a tactile image.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for determining an input key by collating features of a graphic.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for determining an input key by collating image characteristics.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram for determining an input key based on a voltage value of a scanning line.
[Explanation of symbols]
21 one-handed input device, 31 virtual key layout input device, 32 sensor, 33 input mode switch, 34 contact surface, 41 connected image, 42a to 42e connected figure, 43a to 43e circumscribed rectangle, 44a to 44e center point, 51 coordinate plane, 52 / 52a / 52d key, 53 circumscribed rectangle, 54 parabola, 55 straight line, 56a / 56b key, 57a / 57b coordinate point, 58 / 58a / 58d key, 59 binary image, 60 pixel value change area, 61 tactile image, 62a / 62d density value change region, 63 horizontal projection, 64 vertical projection, 65 cumulative density value, 66a / 66a ′ / 66d / 66d ′ key, 67 separation line, 70 / 70d / 70d ′ coordinate point, 71a 71b Reference point, 72 expected input range, 73 binary image, 74 keys, 81 scan lines, 82 keys.

Claims (1)

Tactile and contact surface for contacting the fingertip to the input operation, when contacted with a finger one or a plurality of fingertips of one hand to the contact surface, the contact information of the contact with the distribution of the finger to the contact surface In an input device having a tactile sensor that can be converted into data as an image , a key assigned to each of five fingers of one hand, which is stored in advance in the input device, is assigned to the fingertip of one hand of five fingers by the input hand. for each setting operation key arrangement of contacting once simultaneously on the surface, by the basis of the contact position of each fingertip setting operation every key arrangement, arranged virtually to the contact surface by program processing, the key sequence a method of arranging virtual keys that do not require positioning visual and tactile respect, defining the distribution position of the previous SL contact surfaces in advance, tactile image data detected by the touch sensor The method for detecting in program processing contacted distribution position of the finger, the key assigned to one or more on each hand 5 fingers are stored in the previously input device, to correspond to the predetermined distribution position The tactile image is stored in advance in the input device, and contact information obtained by the key arrangement setting operation that causes the fingertip of one hand of the input hand to simultaneously contact the contact surface once is detected by the tactile sensor. identify contacted distribution position of each fingertip in a way that the data program processing to detect the contact with the distribution position of the finger, in contact with the distribution position of each fingertip in the setting operation of the specified key sequence, the the key assigned to one or more on each hand 5 fingers are stored in advance in the input device, assigned positions of each finger of the home position key for each key finger In so that to match the Oite distribution position, by setting the arrangement of the key by moving a predetermined distribution position, the virtual keys, characterized in that arranged virtually in front Symbol contact surface Array method.

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