JP4964098B2 - Electronic equipment with panel-type input device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device including a panel type input device.

  The panel type input device is an electronic device having a display unit such as a personal computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or an automatic teller machine (ATM), and the operator presses a desired position on the panel surface with a pen or a finger. Therefore, it is known as an input device for instructing two-dimensional coordinate data on a display unit. In particular, panel-type input devices having a transparent structure that can be installed on the screen of a display unit such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), a PDP (Plasma Panel), or a CRT (CRT) are widely used as a touch panel. Has been.

  A resistive touch panel, which is one form of a panel type input device, has a pair of transparent electrode plates each having a transparent substrate and a transparent conductive film provided on one surface thereof, so that the conductive films can be in conductive contact with each other. It is configured in combination with each other in a relative arrangement facing each other and spaced apart. In the conventional resistive touch panel, the substrate of the touch operation side (upper) electrode plate is formed from a flexible resin film, and the substrate of the display screen side (lower) electrode plate is a glass plate or resin. Formed from a plate. The conductive film is usually formed on the surface of each substrate using a metal oxide such as indium tin oxide (ITO) by a thin film forming technique such as a vacuum deposition method or a sputtering method. In recent years, it has been proposed to form a conductive film of an electrode plate of a resistive touch panel using a conductive polymer (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). A conductive film made of a conductive polymer is excellent in impact resistance, writing durability, and the like as compared with an ITO film, and has an advantage that it can be formed by a simple method such as coating.

  In an electronic apparatus provided with a panel type input device, one that can execute an input process according to pressure (also referred to as writing pressure) applied to a panel pressing portion in addition to input of two-dimensional coordinate data on a display screen is known. ing. As a panel-type input device capable of detecting writing pressure, an electromagnetic induction touch panel using a dedicated stylus pen is generally used. For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 3, an electronic device including a resistive touch panel Have also proposed a structure having a writing pressure detection function. The electronic device disclosed in Patent Document 3 includes a panel switch having an upper film with a resistive film and a lower glass under the resistive touch panel in which both upper and lower electrode plates have flexible film substrates. It has an arranged configuration. When the desired position on the touch panel is pressed, whether or not the pressing force exceeds the specified load due to the fact that the upper and lower resistance films of the panel switch may or may not come in contact with each other in addition to the normal coordinate detection Whether or not can be detected.

JP 2005-182737 A JP 2005-146259 A JP 11-312047 A

  Since the electronic device described in Patent Document 3 is a combination of a relatively inexpensive resistive touch panel and a panel switch for detecting pen pressure, it is less expensive than a configuration using an electromagnetic induction touch panel. It has the advantage that it can be manufactured. However, since the panel switch is stacked on the touch panel, there is a concern that the height direction dimension may increase or the transparency of the image may decrease.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus equipped with a panel type input device, which has a multifunctionality in which a writing pressure detection function is added to the coordinate detection function of the panel type input device, and an increase in height direction dimension and image transparency. An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device that can be manufactured at a low cost while preventing a decrease in temperature.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a first electrode plate having a first conductive film provided on one surface of the first substrate and the first substrate, and the second substrate and the second substrate. A panel-type input device comprising: a second electrode plate having a second conductive film provided on one surface; and a panel-type input device in which the first and second conductive films are combined in a relative arrangement in which the first and second conductive films are opposed to and spaced from each other. In an electronic apparatus including a coordinate detection unit that detects coordinates of a contact point when the first conductive film and the second conductive film of the device are in conductive contact with each other, the first conductive film and the second conductive film of the panel type input device are provided. A pressure detector for detecting a contact pressure between the first conductive film and the second conductive film at the contact point based on a change in electrical resistance of the circuit passing through the contact point when the conductive film is in conductive contact with each other ; When the coordinate detector detects coordinates, the pressure detector In the case of detecting the touch pressure, the first electrode plate of the panel-type input device and a potential and the potential of the second electrode plate comprises a switch unit to reverse, the panel-type input device, the first conductive film oxide Formed of indium tin, the second conductive film is formed of a conductive polymer, and the switch unit is configured to connect the second electrode plate to the first electrode plate when the pressure detection unit detects the contact pressure. Provided is an electronic device characterized by having a negative potential .

Forming the invention described in claim 2 is the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, panel-type input device, the first substrate is formed by using a glass plate, a second substrate by using a flexible resin film Provide electronic equipment.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the electronic device according to the first or second aspect , the panel-type input device provides an electronic device in which both the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are transparent.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the output voltage of the panel-type input device that changes according to the change in the electrical resistance of the pressure detection unit is predetermined. Provided is an electronic device that detects a contact pressure based on a time required to reach a reference voltage.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the pressure detection unit determines in advance the output voltage of the panel type input device that changes in accordance with a change in electrical resistance. Provided is an electronic device that detects a contact pressure based on a rate of change in a time interval.

The invention according to claim 6 is the electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the display unit displays information input by the panel type input device, the coordinates detected by the coordinate detection unit, and And a control unit that controls the display operation of the display unit based on the contact pressure detected by the pressure detection unit, and the control unit changes the display unit so that the thickness of the displayed line changes according to the contact pressure. Provide electronic equipment to control.

  Since the electronic device according to the present invention has a writing pressure detection function added to the original coordinate detection function using a relatively inexpensive resistive film type panel input device, the electronic induction touch panel with the writing pressure detection function is used. In comparison, it can be manufactured at low cost. In addition, since there is no need to superimpose another panel switch or the like on the panel type input device, an increase in the dimension in the height direction of the electronic device can be suppressed. Further, when the panel type input device is configured as a transparent touch panel, there is no need to overlap another panel switch or the like, so that the fear that the image transparency of the display unit is reduced is eliminated. As described above, the electronic device according to the present invention has multi-functionality obtained by adding a pen pressure detection function to the coordinate detection function of the panel type input device, and prevents an increase in height direction dimension and a decrease in image transparency. However, it can be manufactured at low cost.

  By forming the first conductive film of the panel type input device from indium tin oxide and the second conductive film from a conductive polymer, the internal resistance at the time of mutual contact between the first and second conductive films is A significant change is exhibited depending on the magnitude of the contact pressure, and the pressure detection unit can stably detect the contact pressure. In addition, the panel type input device can be used as a transparent touch panel by appropriately selecting the materials and physical properties of the first and second electrode plates.

  If the pressure detector detects the contact pressure based on the time required for the output voltage of the panel type input device to reach the predetermined reference voltage or the rate of change of the output voltage at the predetermined time interval, the contact pressure Can be easily identified.

  If the potentials of the first and second electrode plates of the panel type input device are reversed between coordinate detection and contact pressure detection, more reliable and stable coordinate detection and contact pressure detection can be performed.

  If the control unit changes the thickness of the line displayed on the display unit according to the contact pressure, the handwriting input function for pictures, characters, and the like is remarkably improved.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Corresponding components are denoted by common reference symbols throughout the drawings.
Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of an electronic device 10 according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a main component of a panel type input device 12 incorporated in the electronic device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing the main components of the panel type input device 12 individually.

  The electronic device 10 includes a panel type input device 12, a coordinate detection unit 14 that detects a position (that is, a two-dimensional coordinate C) of a panel pressing portion (that is, a contact point P between conductive films) of the panel type input device 12, and a panel And a pressure detection unit 16 that detects a pressing force of the panel pressing portion (contact point P) of the mold input device 12 (that is, a contact pressure F between the conductive films) (FIG. 1).

  The panel type input device 12 includes a first electrode plate 22 having a first conductive film 20 provided on the first substrate 18 and one surface 18 a of the first substrate 18, and one surface 24 a of the second substrate 24 and the second substrate 24. And a second electrode plate 28 having a second conductive film 26 (FIG. 2A). The first substrate 18 and the first conductive film 20 of the first electrode plate 22 and the second substrate 24 and the second conductive film 26 of the second electrode plate 28 have substantially the same rectangular outline in plan view.

  On the first conductive film 20 of the first electrode plate 22, a pair of positive and negative strip-shaped first electrodes (that is, electrically connected to the first conductive film 20) along a pair of opposing sides of the rectangular outline (that is, The first parallel electrode pair) 30 is directly laminated by, for example, screen printing to form a pattern (FIG. 3A). Similarly, on the second conductive film 26 of the second electrode plate 28, the second conductive film 26 is electrically connected to the rectangular conductive film along a pair of opposing sides whose positions are different from those of the first parallel electrode pair 30. A pair of positive and negative strip-like second electrodes (that is, second parallel electrode pairs) 32 connected to each other are directly laminated by, for example, a screen printing method to form a pattern (FIG. 3B). The first parallel electrode pair 30 and the second parallel electrode pair 32 are connected to the coordinate detection unit 14, the pressure detection unit 16, and a control unit (not shown) via a lead line and a connector unit (not shown).

  The first electrode plate 22 and the second electrode plate 28 are combined in a relative arrangement in which the first and second conductive films 20 and 26 are opposed to and separated from each other so as to be in conductive contact with each other. They are fixed in an overlapped state by an electrically insulating adhesive layer 34 provided in a frame shape along the outer periphery (FIG. 2A). At this time, the first and second conductive electrodes 20 and 26 are arranged at positions where their outlines substantially match each other, and are connected to the first and second conductive films 20 and 26. The pairs 30 and 32 are arranged at positions different from each other by 90 degrees. A gap between the first and second electrode plates 22 and 28 is secured by the thickness of the adhesive layer 34. The first conductive film 20 of the first electrode plate 22 is provided with a plurality of electrically insulating dot spacers 36 in an appropriate dispersed arrangement.

  The panel-type input device 12 alternately controls each of the first conductive film 20 of the first electrode plate 22 and the second conductive film 26 of the second electrode plate 28 under the control of a control unit (not shown). It operates when a predetermined voltage is applied between the first and second parallel electrode pairs 30 and 32. In this state, for example, when a desired position on the outer surface of the second substrate 24 of the second electrode plate 28 is pressed with a pen or a finger, the conductive films 20 and 26 are in conductive contact with each other at the pressed portion, and no voltage is applied. In the conductive films 20 and 26, the partial pressure V (FIG. 1) corresponding to the position of the pressed part (contact point P) is output. The coordinate detection unit 14 detects the two-dimensional coordinates C of the contact point P by measuring the partial pressure V generated alternately in both the conductive films 20 and 26 in this way. Note that the dot spacer 36 provided on the first conductive film 20 of the first electrode plate 22 is a local contact between the conductive films 20 and 26 at the pressing portion when the second electrode plate 28 is deformed under a pressing force. And the contour of the contact point P is clarified. Such a configuration is conventionally known in a resistive film type touch panel.

  As a characteristic configuration of the present invention, the pressure detection unit 16 has an electrical resistance of a circuit passing through the contact point P when the first conductive film 20 and the second conductive film 26 of the panel type input device 12 are in conductive contact with each other ( That is, the contact pressure F between the first and second conductive films 20 and 26 at the contact point P is detected based on the change in the internal resistance (R) of the first and second conductive films 20 and 26. For example, if the relationship between the output voltage of the panel type input device 12 corresponding to the internal resistance R (for example, the above-mentioned divided voltage V) and the contact pressure F is preliminarily defined and tabulated and stored in a memory (not shown), The pressure detection unit 16 can specify the contact pressure F from the output voltage of the panel type input device 12 by referring to the memory table.

  In order to enable stable detection of the contact pressure F by the pressure detector 16, the first conductive film 20 and the second conductive film 26 have an internal resistance R at the time of mutual contact, and the contact pressure F at the contact point P is large. It is formed using a material that shows a significant change depending on the thickness. Here, when both of the first and second conductive films 20 and 26 are formed of indium tin oxide (ITO), which is frequently used in the conventional resistive film type touch panel, the internal resistance regardless of the magnitude of the contact pressure F. Hardly changes, and the coordinates C of the contact point P can be stably detected even with a small pressing force. In contrast, the first conductive film 20 is formed using an inorganic conductive composition such as ITO, and the second conductive film 26 is formed of a material having physical properties different from that of ITO (for example, an organic conductive composition such as a conductive polymer). When the first and second conductive films 20 and 26 are in contact with each other, the internal resistance R at the time of mutual contact changes significantly depending on the magnitude of the contact pressure F at the contact point P. It becomes like this. Specific materials and their characteristics will be described later.

  Since the electronic device 10 having the above configuration uses a relatively inexpensive resistive film type panel-type input device 12 and adds a writing pressure detection function to the original coordinate detection function, an electromagnetic induction type with a writing pressure detection function is provided. Compared to a touch panel, it can be manufactured at low cost. In addition, since there is no need to superimpose another panel switch or the like on the panel type input device 12, an increase in the dimension of the electronic device 10 in the height direction can be suppressed. Further, when the panel-type input device 12 is configured as a transparent touch panel, there is no need for another panel switch or the like to be overlaid, thus eliminating the fear that the image transparency of the display unit (not shown) will decrease. Is done. As described above, the electronic device 10 has a multi-functionality in which the writing pressure detection function is added to the coordinate detection function of the panel type input device 12, and is inexpensive while preventing an increase in height direction dimension and a decrease in image transparency. Can be produced.

  The panel-type input device 12 of the electronic device 10 is configured as a touch panel having a transparent structure that can be installed on a screen of a display unit such as an LCD (liquid crystal display), a PDP (plasma panel), or a CRT (CRT). it can. Alternatively, the panel-type input device 12 may have an opaque or translucent structure known as a pointing device.

  When the panel type input device 12 is configured as a transparent touch panel, for example, the first electrode plate 22 is a lower electrode plate disposed adjacent to the screen of the display unit, and the first substrate 18 is a transparent glass plate or resin. It can be formed from a plate or a resin film. Further, the second electrode plate 28 may be an upper electrode plate that is pressed by an operator, and the second substrate 24 may be formed from a flexible transparent resin film. Examples of suitable resin materials for the first and second substrates 18 and 24 include polycarbonate, acrylic, and polyethylene terephthalate.

  The first conductive film 20 of the first electrode plate 22 can be formed from an inorganic conductive composition such as ITO, and can be applied to the surface 18a of the first substrate 18 by, for example, a vacuum evaporation method or a sputtering method. On the other hand, the second conductive film 26 of the second electrode plate 28 can be formed from an organic conductive composition such as a conductive polymer, and can be applied to the surface 24a of the second substrate 24 by, for example, a coating method or a printing method. Considering the writing durability required for the touch panel, it is advantageous to form the second conductive film 26 of the second electrode plate 28 serving as the upper electrode plate from a conductive polymer. Alternatively, the first conductive film 20 can be formed from an organic conductive composition such as a conductive polymer, and the second conductive film 26 can be formed from an inorganic conductive composition such as ITO.

  As one embodiment, in the panel type input device 12 in which the first conductive film 20 of the first electrode plate 22 is made of ITO and the second conductive film 26 of the second electrode plate 28 is made of a conductive polymer, FIG. 4A shows the relationship between the internal resistance R and the contact pressure F when the second conductive films 20 and 26 are in mutual contact. As a comparative example, in the panel type input device 12 in which both the first and second conductive films 20 and 26 are made of ITO, the internal resistance R and the contact pressure when the first and second conductive films 20 and 26 are in mutual contact with each other. The relationship with F is shown in FIG.

  As clearly shown in FIG. 4, when the first and second conductive films 20 and 26 are formed of ITO and a conductive polymer, respectively, the internal resistance R increases in the contact pressure F when the contact pressure F is very small. Accordingly, the internal resistance R decreases to a certain value within a range where the contact pressure F is large to some extent. On the other hand, when both the first and second conductive films 20 and 26 are made of ITO, the internal resistance R is stabilized at a constant value regardless of the magnitude of the contact pressure F. In the electronic device 10 according to the present invention, when the first conductive film 20 and the second conductive film 26 of the panel-type input device 12 are formed from materials having different physical properties (for example, ITO and conductive polymer), they are in mutual contact. The writing pressure can be detected by the pressure detector 16 using the characteristic relationship as shown in the figure between the internal resistance R and the contact pressure F.

  The organic conductive composition that can be suitably used for the first or second conductive film 20 or 26 of the panel type input device 12 is, for example, the conductive polymer described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 described above. In particular, when the panel type input device 12 is configured as a touch panel, it is preferable to use a polythiophene polymer having excellent transparency. Examples of other conductive polymers that can be used in the panel type input device 12 include polyaniline, polypyrrole, and polyethylenedioxythiophene.

  Although the thickness of the 1st or 2nd electrically conductive film 20 and 26 consisting of a conductive polymer is not specifically limited, Preferably it is 0.01-10 micrometers, More preferably, it is 0.1-1 micrometers. When the thickness is less than 0.01 μm, the resistance of the conductive films 20 and 26 may become unstable, and when the thickness exceeds 10 μm, the adhesion to the substrates 18 and 24 may be reduced. Further, the surface resistivity (for example, conforming to JISK6911) of the first or second conductive film 20, 26 made of a conductive polymer is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 5000Ω / □ or less, preferably 3000Ω / □. Hereinafter, it is more preferably 1500Ω / □ or less. When the surface resistivity exceeds 5000Ω / □, the response at the time of input may be lowered. It is desirable that the first or second conductive film 20 or 26 made of ITO has the same physical properties. The method for forming the first or second conductive film 20 or 26 made of a conductive polymer is not particularly limited. For example, a spin coating method, a roller coating method, a bar coating method, a dip coating method, a gravure coating method, a curtain Coating methods such as coating methods, die coating methods, spray coating methods, doctor coating methods, kneader coating methods, and printing methods such as screen printing methods, spray printing methods, ink jet printing methods, letterpress printing methods, intaglio printing methods, lithographic printing methods, etc. Can be adopted.

Next, a method for detecting the contact pressure F by the pressure detection unit 16 will be described with some examples.
For example, as shown in FIG. 5, in the panel type input device 12 in which the first conductive film 20 of the first electrode plate 22 is made of ITO and the second conductive film 26 of the second electrode plate 28 is made of a conductive polymer. According to the relationship between the internal resistance R and the contact pressure F described above, the output voltage (partial voltage V) shows a form in which the rising waveform immediately after the start of pressing depends on the panel pressing force. That is, the greater the panel pressing force, the more stable the output voltage V is in a short time.

  Using this characteristic, the pressure detector 16 is based on the time T = T0 required for the output voltage V of the panel type input device 12 to reach a predetermined reference voltage V0, as shown in FIG. 6, for example. The panel pressing force, that is, the contact pressure F at the contact point P (FIG. 2) between the first and second conductive films 20 and 26 can be detected. In this case, for example, the threshold value of the output voltage V used for ON detection before the coordinate detection of the pressed part by the panel type input device 12 (or different from the coordinate detection) can be used as the reference voltage V0.

  More specifically, the pressure detection unit 16 starts measuring the time T when the output voltage V reaches a predetermined initial voltage Vi immediately after the panel pressing is started (T = Ti), and the output voltage V is set as the reference. When the voltage (threshold value) V0 is reached, the measurement of the time T is terminated (T = T0), and the contact pressure F is specified according to the length of the elapsed time ΔT = T0−Ti. At this time, as an example, in a table of a memory (not shown), (1) ΔT> t1... Does not turn on (contact pressure F is too small), (2) t1> ΔT> t2. = ON processing by specifying low, (3) t2> ΔT> t3... Contact pressure F = specifying ON processing, (4) t3> ΔT. Describe relationships in multiple stages such as ON processing. The pressure detector 16 temporarily stores the calculated ΔT in the memory, and detects the contact pressure F based on ΔT with reference to a table in the memory. Then, a control unit (not shown) outputs a control signal corresponding to the detected contact pressure F.

  Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, the pressure detection unit 16 determines the panel pressing force, that is, the first and second conductive films based on the change rate ΔV of the output voltage V of the panel type input device 12 at a predetermined time interval. The contact pressure F at the contact point P (FIG. 2) of 20 and 26 can be detected. In this case, for example, a predetermined value V1 of the output voltage V (for example, a value at the time T1 when a predetermined time has elapsed from the time T0 in FIG. 6) used when detecting the coordinates of the pressed portion by the panel type input device 12 is used as the change rate ΔV. Can be used to

  More specifically, the pressure detector 16 measures the value V2 of the output voltage V at time T2 immediately after the output voltage V reaches the reference voltage V0 described above, and the rate of change ΔV = V2 / V1 of the output voltage V. The contact pressure F is specified according to the magnitude of. At this time, as an example, in a table of a memory (not shown), (1) ΔV <v1 << 1... Contact pressure F = low and ON processing, (2) v1 <ΔV <v2 <1. Describe the relationship in a plurality of stages such as ON processing specified as contact pressure F = medium, (3) v2 <ΔV≈1... ON processing specified as contact pressure F = high. The pressure detector 16 temporarily stores the calculated ΔV in the memory, and detects the contact pressure F based on ΔV with reference to a table in the memory. Then, a control unit (not shown) outputs a control signal corresponding to the detected contact pressure F.

  In the panel type input device 12, when the first conductive film 20 of the first electrode plate 22 is made of ITO and the second conductive film 26 of the second electrode plate 28 is made of a conductive polymer, the first and second conductive films The correlation between the internal resistance R and the contact pressure F at the time of mutual contact of the films 20 and 26 differs depending on the potentials of the first and second conductive films 20 and 26. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the correlation A when the first conductive film 20 is the ground potential and the second conductive film 26 is the negative potential is the correlation when the second conductive film 26 is the positive potential. Compared with the characteristic B, the internal resistance R shows a significant change depending on the magnitude of the contact pressure F. In other words, when the pressure detection unit 16 detects the contact pressure F based on the change in the internal resistance R, it is desirable that the second conductive film 26 has a negative potential, and the coordinate detection unit 14 outputs the output voltage V When the coordinate C is detected based on (internal resistance R), it is desirable that the second conductive film 26 has a positive potential.

  FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the electronic device 40 according to an embodiment of the present invention using the characteristics of FIG. Since the electronic device 40 has the same basic configuration as the electronic device 10 described above, the corresponding components are denoted by common reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  The electronic device 40 includes the first electrode of the panel type input device 12 when the coordinate detection unit 14 detects the coordinate C of the contact point P and when the pressure detection unit 16 detects the contact pressure F of the contact point P. A switch unit 42 that reverses the potential of the plate 22 and the potential of the second electrode plate 28, and a control unit 44 that instructs the switch unit 42 to reverse the potential of the first and second electrode plates 22 and 28 are further provided. In this configuration, for example, when the pressure detection unit 16 executes the contact pressure detection method shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the output voltage V is applied to the first electrode plate 22 (first conductive film 20) at the ground potential. Until the predetermined value V1 for coordinate detection is reached, the switch unit 42 drives the panel-type input device 12 with the second electrode plate 28 (second conductive film 26) set to a negative potential under the control of the control unit 44. Thereby, the pressure detection part 16 can detect the contact pressure F of the contact point P stably. Then, after the output voltage V reaches the predetermined value V1, the switch unit 42 sets the second electrode plate 28 (second conductive film 26) to a positive potential under the control of the control unit 44, and the panel type input device 12 is set. To drive. Thereby, the coordinate detection part 14 can detect the coordinate C of the contact point P stably.

  As shown in FIG. 9, each of the coordinate detection unit 14, the pressure detection unit 16, and the control unit 44 can be realized as a function of a processing unit 46 such as a microprocessor. Moreover, the switch part 42 can be comprised from non-contact switches, such as IC. The output voltage V of the panel type input device 12 can be input to the coordinate detection unit 14 and the pressure detection unit 16 via a noise filter (not shown). Further, input / output of signals to / from the control unit 44 can be performed via an A / D converter. Note that FIG. 9 shows a memory 48 that stores in advance a table that the pressure detection unit 16 refers to when detecting the contact pressure, and temporarily stores measurement data (ΔT, ΔV, etc.) related to the output voltage V. Has been.

  The control unit 44 can output a control signal to the interface driver 50 based on the detection results of the coordinate detection unit 14 and the pressure detection unit 16. The interface driver 50 can drive an external device such as a display unit 52 that displays information input by the panel input device 12. Alternatively, the electronic device 40 can incorporate the display unit 52 in advance. Based on the coordinates C detected by the coordinate detection unit 14 and the contact pressure F detected by the pressure detection unit 16, for example, the thickness of a line displayed on the screen of the display unit 52 corresponds to the contact pressure F. The display operation of the display unit 52 can be controlled so as to change. The electronic device 40 having such a configuration significantly improves the handwriting input function for pictures and characters.

It is a functional block diagram which shows the basic composition of the electronic device which concerns on this invention. The main part of the panel type input device incorporated in the electronic device of FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an enlarged view in the thickness direction, and shows a state when (a) no input and (b) input. (A) And (b) is a schematic plan view of the main components of the panel type input device of FIG. 2, respectively. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the internal resistance of an electrode plate, and the contact pressure in the panel type input device by (a) one Embodiment of this invention, and the panel type input device by the (b) comparative example. It is a figure which shows the rising waveform of the output voltage about a different pressing force in the panel type input device by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining an example of the writing pressure detection method which the electronic device which concerns on this invention performs. It is a figure explaining the other example of the writing pressure detection method which the electronic device which concerns on this invention performs. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the internal resistance of an electrode plate, and a contact pressure in the panel type input device by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a functional block diagram which shows the structure of the electronic device by one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 40 Electronic device 12 Panel type input device 14 Coordinate detection part 16 Pressure detection part 18 1st board | substrate 20 1st electrically conductive film 22 1st electrode plate 24 2nd board | substrate 26 2nd electrically conductive film 28 2nd electrode board 42 Switch part 44 Control unit 52 Display unit

Claims (6)

A first electrode plate having a first conductive film provided on one surface of the first substrate and the first substrate, and a second electrode plate having a second conductive film provided on one surface of the second substrate and the second substrate. Are combined in a relative arrangement in which the first and second conductive films are opposed to and spaced apart from each other so as to be in conductive contact with each other, and the first conductive film and the second conductive film of the panel input device In an electronic device comprising a coordinate detection unit that detects the coordinates of a contact point when
Based on a change in electrical resistance of a circuit passing through the contact point when the first conductive film and the second conductive film of the panel type input device are in conductive contact with each other, the first conductive film at the contact point And a pressure detection unit for detecting a contact pressure between the second conductive film and the second conductive film ;
When the coordinate detection unit detects the coordinates, and when the pressure detection unit detects the contact pressure, the potential of the first electrode plate and the potential of the second electrode plate of the panel type input device, comprising a switch unit to reverse,
In the panel type input device, the first conductive film is formed using indium tin oxide, the second conductive film is formed using a conductive polymer,
The switch unit is configured to set the second electrode plate to a negative potential with respect to the first electrode plate when the pressure detection unit detects the contact pressure ;
Electronic equipment characterized by 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein in the panel type input device, the first substrate is formed using a glass plate, and the second substrate is formed using a flexible resin film. 3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein in the panel type input device, both the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are transparent. The pressure detection unit detects the contact pressure based on a time required for an output voltage of the panel-type input device that changes according to a change in the electrical resistance to reach a predetermined reference voltage. The electronic device according to any one of to 3 . Said pressure detection unit, the output voltage of the panel-type input device which changes according to the change of the electric resistance, based on the rate of change in predetermined time intervals, to detect the contact pressure, any claim 1-3 The electronic device of Claim 1. A display unit that displays information input by the panel type input device, and a control that controls a display operation of the display unit based on the coordinates detected by the coordinate detection unit and the contact pressure detected by the pressure detection unit further comprising a section, the control section, the thickness of the line to be displayed to control the display unit so as to vary according to the contact pressure, electrons according to any one of claims 1 to 5 machine.

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