JP5021926B2 - Automatic machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic machine provided with a touch panel with a display which arranged a touch panel as an input unit on a display for displaying screen.

As an automatic machine equipped with a display with a touch panel, there is an automatic ticket vending machine in which a touch panel as an input unit is arranged on a display that displays a screen for issuing tickets such as tickets for vehicles.
In a conventional automatic ticket vending machine equipped with such a display with a touch panel, a user can input a destination by touching a key displayed on the display screen with a finger from the touch panel. Ticketing processing is performed, and tickets such as tickets are issued (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
If a user who purchases a ticket at such an automatic ticket vending machine is not in operation, he or she inadvertently touches the touch panel with a fingertip, or unintentionally touches the touch panel with something other than a finger, such as a bag or clothing sleeve. In some cases, the user's unintended input may occur.

On the other hand, as a display with a touch panel, a technique has been proposed in which an input is not validated when a finger touches the touch panel, but an input is validated when the finger is released (see, for example, Patent Document 2). According to such a technique, it is possible to prevent an input unintended by the user.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-325937 (paragraph “0017” to “0023”, FIG. 1) JP-A-8-194856 (paragraph “0008”, FIG. 1)

However, when the technology of Patent Document 2 that enables input at the timing when the finger is released from the touch panel is applied to the automatic ticket vending machine shown in Patent Document 1 described above, there are the following problems.
That is, in automatic ticket vending machines, as shown in FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1, many displays with a touch panel are arranged so as to be inclined or vertical. When a finger touches the displayed key, there is a tendency to unconsciously touch the lower side of the key display area, and the fingertip of the user often comes off the actual display area.

This can be attributed to the user trying to touch the touch panel while moving his / her finger from top to bottom when the display screen is tilted or vertical. There is a strong tendency for the finger to move away from the display area, and this tendency is also noticeable for people who are tall.
As a result, even if the user does not intend to touch the key displayed on the display screen, he / she does not input, so he / she has distrust with the automatic ticket vending machine, and in some cases calls an attendant to request a response. The burden is also increased for the staff.

  An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem.

Therefore, the present invention includes a display and a touch panel overlaid on the display, and automatically activates input of the key by an operation of touching and releasing a finger through the touch panel with respect to the key displayed on the display. In the machine, the display and the touch panel are arranged at an angle between 45 degrees and 90 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane, and the key touching the key displayed on the display via the touch panel is separated from the touch panel when the key is touched. enter a valid of, depending on the type of key to be displayed on the display, the provided area expanded to below the display area of the keys, the input effective area of the key areas of an enlarged display area and below the key key and then, and a key for inputting information directly to approve inputted information and contents Than the input effective area, characterized in that to reduce the effective input area of the key for instructing to cancel the information entered.

  In the present invention as described above, even when the user touches the finger with a downward shift of the key display area, the finger enters the input effective area, and thus the input is performed when the finger is released from the touch panel. Therefore, even if the user intends to touch the key displayed on the display screen with the finger, it is possible to eliminate the situation that the input is not performed. Without increasing distrust and eliminating the increase in the burden on the staff by calling the staff and seeking a response

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating the embodiment of a self-motivated according to the invention. Here, an automatic ticket vending machine will be described as an example of an automatic machine.

1 is an explanatory diagram showing the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an automatic ticket vending machine common to the embodiments, FIG. 3 is a front view of the automatic ticket vending machine, and FIG. 4 is a side view of the automatic ticket vending machine. is there.
First, the configuration of FIG. 2 will be described.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a display, and 2 denotes a touch panel as an input unit arranged on the display 1.

  As the display 1, a CRT display, a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, or the like is used. For example, a selection screen for selecting the type of ticket such as a train ticket, a designated ticket or a commuter pass for a railway, etc. In order to purchase, various screens such as a 50-sound kana input screen for searching for the station names of the boarding station and the getting-off station, and various information input by the user are displayed.

  The touch panel 2 is an input unit for a user to input information defined in a 50-sound kana input key and various keys displayed on the display unit. The touch panel 2 includes vertical and horizontal surroundings on the surface. In addition to an infrared light shielding method with an infrared light emitting means by LED and a light receiving means opposed to the wall, a resistive film method, an ultrasonic surface acoustic wave method, a capacitance method, an electromagnetic induction method, an image recognition method, etc. are used. However, in any method, the key input is validated when the user's finger is released.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a ticket issuing printer unit which includes a printing means for printing on a ticket such as a boarding ticket, a designated ticket or a commuter pass, a magnetic data writing means for writing magnetic data, and a magnetic data reading means for reading magnetic data. .
A coin processing unit 4 counts and stores coins inserted by a user when issuing a ticket, and performs processing to release the change when there is a coin change. 5 counts and stores banknotes inserted by the user when issuing a ticket. In addition, when there is a change in the banknote, a banknote processing unit that performs processing to release the change, 6 collects the price of the ticket from the payment card such as a prepaid card or a credit card such as an IC card or a magnetic card, and settles the transit fee A card processing unit 7 for performing processing to be performed, and a communication unit 7 for communicating with a host computer (not shown).

  A storage unit 8 is a semiconductor memory such as a ROM or a RAM, an FD driver to which an FD (storage medium) is attached, an HD driver to which an HD (hard disk: storage medium) is attached, or an MO (magneto-optical) disk (storage medium). MO driver etc. to which) is mounted is used. The storage unit 8 stores a control program for performing ticketing processing and various information, a screen displayed on the display 1, and an input effective area of the touch panel 2 corresponding to each key in the display screen.

  Reference numeral 9 denotes a control unit composed of a CPU or the like, which controls operations of the units 1 to 8 based on a control program stored in the storage unit 8 and detects input contents of the touch panel 2 to obtain a boarding ticket, a limited express ticket, a regular ticket Execute processing for issuing various types of tickets such as tickets. In the automatic ticket vending machine, the control unit 9 also performs control to validate the key input when the user's finger leaves the touch panel 2, and the validity of the key input is based on the input valid area. Judgment.

Next, the configuration of FIGS. 3 and 4 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the display 1 and the touch panel 2 arranged on the display 1 are provided on the customer operation surface 10 set at the upper front of the automatic ticket vending machine. Although the inclination angle θ with respect to the horizontal plane is about 60 degrees in the figure, it may be set within the range of 45 to 90 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane.

Reference numeral 11 denotes an attendant call button that is pressed when the user calls an attendant as necessary, and is provided near the lower left corner of the touch panel 2 in FIG. 3, but is not limited to this position.
12 is a coin slot through which a user can insert a plurality of coins, 13 is a coin outlet into which coins such as change are discharged, 14 is a banknote slot, 15 is a banknote slot, 16 is a card slot. An exit 17 is a ticketing opening, which corresponds to the ticketing printer unit 3, the coin processing unit 4, the banknote processing unit 5 and the card processing unit 6 and is arranged at a position below the touch panel 2 on the customer operation surface 10, respectively. Yes.

Here, a procedure for issuing a commuter pass will be described as an example of issuing a ticket in the automatic ticket vending machine.
FIG. 5 to FIG. 13 are diagrams showing examples of operation screens when a commuter pass is issued.
First, on the menu selection screen shown in FIG. 5 displayed on the display 1, when the user selects and inputs a commuter pass by touching a commuter pass key with the finger via the touch panel 2, the control unit 9 displays the commuter pass on the display 1. 6 is displayed, and the user touches one of the “1 month” key, “3 month” key, and “6 month” key via the touch panel 2 on this screen. Thereafter, when the finger is released from the touch panel 2, the control unit 9 validates the selection (input) of the validity period (hereinafter, when the finger is released from the touch panel 2 in the same manner, the input of the key touched at that time is released. The description will be continued assuming that the control unit 9 is valid at the timing).

Since this effective period screen also displays keys such as “today” and “tomorrow” for designating the use start date, the user touches one of these keys via the touch panel 2. Then, the finger is released from the touch panel 2 to select a use start date.
Next, the control unit 9 displays the boarding station name first character input screen shown in FIG. 7 on the display 1, and the key of the first character of the station where the user gets on among the 50-sound hiragana keys arranged on this screen. After touching a finger on the touch panel 2 and then inputting a character by moving the finger away from the touch panel 2, the control unit 9 displays a boarding station name selection screen shown in FIG. 8 on the display 1.

On this boarding station name selection screen, a station name key corresponding to the first character is arranged as a selection candidate.
On this screen, the user touches the key of the station name of the station where the user gets on via the touch panel 2 and then releases the finger from the touch panel 2 to input the boarding station name. Display the character input screen.

The alighting station name first character input screen is the same screen and the boarding station name first character input screen of FIG. 7, when the the same manner as a character input on this screen, the same descending car station name and ride station name selection screen shown in FIG. 8 When the selection screen is displayed on the display 1 and the user touches the key of the station name of the station where the user gets off on the screen via the touch panel 2 and then releases the finger from the touch panel 2 and inputs the getting off station name, the control unit 9 Displays the route selection screen shown in FIG.

In this route selection screen, when there are a plurality of routes between the boarding station and the getting-off station, a key indicating the route is arranged as a selection candidate. On this screen, the touch panel 2 is used as a key of the route desired by the user. After touching the finger via the touch panel 2, when the finger is released from the touch panel 2 and a route is selected and input, the control unit 9 displays a name input screen shown in FIG. 10 on the display 1.
On this screen, 50-character katakana character keys are arranged, and after the user touches the character keys sequentially on the screen via the touch panel 2, the user separates the finger from the touch panel 2 and displays his / her own key. When the name is input, the control unit 9 displays the gender age input screen shown in FIG.

  On this screen, there are “male” and “female” keys that indicate the gender of the gender, and numeric keys (numeric keys) for entering the age. After touching the “female” key through the touch panel 2, the finger is released from the touch panel 2 to input the gender, and after selectively touching the numeric key through the touch panel 2, the finger is touched. After inputting the age away from 2 and touching the “confirm” key with the finger via the touch panel 2 and then approving that the finger is confirmed away from the touch panel 2, the control unit 9 displays on the display 1 as shown in FIG. Display the phone number input screen shown in.

After the user selectively touches the numeric keypad (numeric keypad) on this screen, his / her finger is released from the touch panel 2 and the age is input, and then the “touch” key is touched via the touch panel 2 and then the finger is touched. If the controller 9 approves the confirmation from the touch panel 2, the control unit 9 displays a confirmation screen shown in FIG. 13 on the display 1.
On this confirmation screen, all the information entered by the user on each screen is displayed. The user confirms the contents and touches the “confirm” key located at the lower right of the screen via the touch panel 2. After confirming that the finger is removed from the touch panel 2 and confirming that it has been confirmed, the control unit 9 displays on the display 1 a guidance screen for guiding the purchase amount of the commuter pass and the insertion of cash or the insertion of the card.

When the user pays the purchase price by inserting or inserting a coin or banknote into the coin insertion slot 12 or the banknote insertion slot 14 or inserting a payment card into the card insertion outlet 16 according to this guidance screen, the ticketing printer unit In step 3, a commuter pass issuance process is performed, and the commuter pass is released from the ticket issuing port 17 to the user.
The commuter pass is issued as described above. As described in each of the above screens, the key is input when the user touches the key with the key via the touch panel 2 and releases the finger from the touch panel 2. Is valid.

  Therefore, in the first embodiment, for example, in the confirmation screen shown in FIG. 13, the “confirm” key 19 as shown in FIG. The input valid area 20 of the “confirm” key 19 is input to the range of the length L2 that extends about 20% below the vertical length L1 of the display area. When the finger is removed from the touch panel 2 in the area 20, the input of the “confirm” key 19 is validated.

  In this way, when the finger touches the “confirm” key 19 displayed at the lower right of the screen of the display 1 as shown in FIG. 1B, the lower side is unconsciously touched on the key display area. Even when the user's fingertip is out of the display area of the actual “confirm” key 19, the finger touches the input effective area 20, and the control unit 9 can be released by releasing the finger from the touch panel 2 in the input effective area 20. Validates the input of the “confirm” key.

Therefore, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to eliminate the occurrence of a situation where no input is performed even if the user intends to touch the key displayed on the screen of the display 1 with his / her finger. The user is not distrusted with the automatic ticket vending machine, and the burden on the attendant due to calling the attendant and requesting a response can be eliminated.
In addition, the first embodiment can be implemented simply by expanding the key input effective area, and can be realized with almost no cost increase.

In the first embodiment described above, the input valid area is described as being wider than the key display area with respect to the “confirm” key arranged at the lower right of the confirmation screen. The input effective area can be expanded downward for any key arranged on the screen, and the same effect can be obtained.
Of course, the present invention can be applied not only to the commuter pass issuance screen but also to other issuance screens.

In the first embodiment described above, the effective input area is expanded about 20% downward with respect to the key display area, but of course, the expanded range is not limited to 20%.
Furthermore, the range in which the effective input area is expanded downward may not be uniformly set to 20% or the like, but may be changed according to the type of key. For example, the following three types can be given as keys displayed on the screen of the display 1 in this type of automatic ticket vending machine.
(A) One of them is a key for directly inputting information such as the ticket type shown in FIG. 5, the station name shown in FIG. 8, “male”, “female” shown in FIG. The directly input keys include a hiragana key shown in FIG. 7 and a katakana key shown in FIG.
(B) Another one is a key such as “confirm” for approving the information input by the hiragana key, the katakana key, or the numeric keypad shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, and the display content. This includes the “confirm” key described in the first embodiment.
(C) Furthermore, another one is a “cancel” key for giving an instruction to cancel the purchase of a ticket.

  Among these keys, the key for directly inputting the information of (a) and the key for approving the input information and display contents of (b) are keys that are indispensable operations for ticketing processing. In many cases, the customer often feels uncomfortable or distrustful when he / she intends to press it but does not get an input response. On the other hand, the “Cancel” key in (c) is a key for canceling the ticketing process, and is a key that is not desired to be operated so much. Has the character of not embrace.

  For this reason, the “Cancel” key of (c) is more effective than the key input effective area for the key for directly inputting the information of (a) and the key for approving the input information and display contents of (b). Therefore, the input effective area is set for each of these keys and stored in the storage unit 8, and when the key is pressed, the control unit 9 responds to the input effective area for each key. The validity of the input shall be judged.

By doing so, it is possible to give a degree of freedom to the setting of the key input effective area.
However, when the input effective area is set for each key as described above, the expansion is not limited to the downward direction, and may be an expansion other than the downward direction. May be reduced.

Next, a second embodiment will be described.
14A and 14B are explanatory views showing the second embodiment, in which FIG. 14A is a screen for displaying a katakana character key, and FIG. 14B is an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. 14A.
In the second embodiment, when the input effective area cannot be expanded below the keys as in the first embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. When the keys are arranged up and down as shown in FIG. 14B, the display area of the upper character key 21a is directly above the upper side of the lower character key 21b from the upper side of the display area as shown in FIG. The input effective area 22 of the upper key 21a is set up to the position of.

  In the second embodiment as described above, when the finger is touched to the character key 21a, the lower side of the display area of the character key 21a is unconsciously touched, and the fingertip of the user moves the display area of the actual character key 21a. Even if the input valid area 22 is deviated from, the finger touches the input valid area 22, and the control unit 9 validates the input of the character key 21 a by releasing the finger from the touch panel 2 in the input valid area 22.

  In the second embodiment described above, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained, and in particular, a key display screen that does not allow a wide vertical space, for example, a screen that displays hiragana character keys as shown in FIG. It is also effective on a screen displaying a plurality of numeric keys as shown in FIGS.

Explanatory drawing showing the first embodiment Block diagram showing the configuration of an automatic ticket vending machine common to each embodiment Front view of automatic ticket vending machine Side view of automatic ticket machine Figure showing the menu selection screen Figure showing the validity period screen The figure which shows the boarding station name first character input screen Figure showing the boarding station name selection screen Figure showing the route selection screen Figure showing the name input screen Figure showing gender age input screen Figure showing the phone number input screen Figure showing a confirmation screen Explanatory drawing which shows 2nd Example

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display 2 Touch panel 3 Ticketing printer part 4 Coin processing part 5 Banknote processing part 6 Card processing part 8 Memory | storage part 9 Control part 20 Input effective area 21a Character key 21b Character key 22 Input effective area

Claims (2)

In an automatic machine that includes a display and a touch panel superimposed on the display, and that enables input of the key by an operation of touching and releasing a finger through the touch panel with respect to a key displayed on the display,
The display and the touch panel are arranged at an angle between 45 degrees and 90 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane, and the finger touching the key displayed on the display via the touch panel is input at the timing when the finger is separated from the touch panel. Enabled,
Depending on the type of key to be displayed on the display, the provided area expanded to below the display area of the keys, to the area obtained by enlarging the display area and below the key and the input effective area of the keys,
In addition, the key input effective area for giving an instruction to cancel the input information should be smaller than the key input effective area for directly inputting information and the key for approving the input information and display contents. Automatic machine characterized by The automatic machine according to claim 1,
An automatic machine characterized in that when the keys are adjacent in the vertical direction, the upper key input area is from the upper side of the upper key to the position directly above the upper side of the lower key.