JP5463240B2 - Input device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an input device for character input.

  Some input devices for inputting characters include, for example, a mechanical keyboard or a numeric keypad or a touch panel on which a keyboard or numeric keypad is displayed. The touch panel has many advantages such as a high degree of freedom in key layout and an intuitive operation. For this reason, in recent years, the number of input devices equipped with touch panels has increased rapidly. When inputting to the touch panel, it is necessary to display a plurality of keys on the touch panel. However, when a key for accepting input such as a numeric keypad or a full keyboard is displayed on the touch panel having a small display area, the displayed key is changed to the user's finger. It may be smaller than the area. In this case, when the user performs input to the touch panel with a finger, the user may accidentally press a plurality of keys.

  The operation of the conventional touch panel when a plurality of keys are pressed simultaneously will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13 (see, for example, Patent Document 1). FIG. 12 shows a state where the user is pressing a plurality of keys. Specifically, when the user inputs “honjitsuha” by inputting Roman characters, the user tries to press the key “A” to input the tenth character “a”, and mistakenly “A” and “ It looks as if "S" is being pressed. In a conventional touch panel, when a user's finger touches over a plurality of keys, characters having a large contact area between the finger and the key are displayed on the display. Since the contact area 532 related to the key “S” is larger than the contact area 531 related to the key “A”, the character “s” corresponding to the key “S” is not the “A” intended by the user as shown in FIG. Will be displayed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 05-127796

  In the conventional touch panel, when the user presses a plurality of keys, an erroneous character is displayed unless the contact area between the user's finger and the intended key is the largest. As the size of the key decreases, it becomes more difficult to press the intended key (correct key) so that the contact area is maximized. When an unintended character (wrong character) is displayed, the user must delete the displayed character by pressing the delete key and press the key corresponding to the correct character again. This work is troublesome.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art is to easily perform input when a mistaken input is made across a plurality of keys (input areas) and an erroneous character is displayed. An object of the present invention is to provide an input device that can correct characters.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the input device according to the first invention is
A first display for displaying a plurality of keys to which characters are assigned;
A second display for displaying characters;
When an input is made with a pressed object, the input area that is set for each of the plurality of keys and is displayed on the second display unit with the character associated with the key, An input detection unit for detecting the degree of contact between the input area and the pressed object;
A load detection unit for detecting a pressing load on the input detection unit;
When the input detection unit detects an input to the input region, and the load detection unit detects a pressing load that is equal to or higher than a load threshold for displaying characters, the key character corresponding to the input region is displayed. A control unit for controlling the second display unit,
When the input detection unit detects an input across a plurality of input areas, the control unit displays a character of a key corresponding to the input area for an input area having a higher degree of contact detected by the input detection unit. The load threshold for the input is set to be low, and the input pressing load across the plurality of input areas detected by the load detection unit is greater than or equal to any one of the set load thresholds. Each time, the second display unit is controlled so as to switch and display the character of the key corresponding to the input area in which the load threshold is set.

  In addition, the input device further includes a tactile sensation providing unit that provides a tactile sensation with respect to a pressed object that is pressing the input detection unit, and the control unit receives the pressing load of the input across the plurality of input areas. It is desirable to control the tactile sensation providing unit so that a tactile sensation is presented to the pressed object that is pressing the input detection unit every time the load threshold value is greater than or equal to any one of the plurality of load threshold values.

  According to the input device according to the present invention configured as described above, when an input is mistakenly made across a plurality of keys (input areas) and an incorrect character is displayed, it can be easily corrected to a correct character.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an input device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing processing performed by the input device of FIG. FIG. 3 is a display screen example of the display unit of FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the pressing load and the load threshold. FIG. 5 is a display screen example of the display unit of FIG. FIG. 6 is an example of vibration presented by the tactile sensation providing unit of FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state where the user is pressing a plurality of keys. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the pressing load and the load threshold. FIG. 9 is a display screen example of the display unit of FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the pressing load and the load threshold. FIG. 11 is a display screen example of the display unit of FIG. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the user is pressing a plurality of keys on a conventional touch panel. FIG. 13 is an example of a display screen of a conventional touch panel.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an input device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Examples of the input device 101 of the present invention include a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a mobile phone terminal, a portable music player, a portable TV, a bank ATM (Automated Teller Machine), and a station ticket vending machine. The input device 101 includes a touch panel 102 including a display unit 103 and an input detection unit 104, a storage unit 105, a load detection unit 106, a tactile sensation providing unit 107, and a control unit 108.

  A display unit (first display unit and second display unit) 103 is a key or button for inputting characters (hereinafter, a key, a button, an object for inputting a character, etc. are abbreviated as a key), A plurality of input characters are displayed. For example, a liquid crystal display panel or an organic EL display panel is used. Note that characters include not only hiragana, katakana and alphabets but also numbers and symbols. A character is assigned to the key. When an input is performed on a key, characters assigned to the key are displayed on the display unit 103. That is, the key indicates the input area corresponding to the character. When input is performed in a certain input area, characters assigned to keys corresponding to the input area are displayed on the display unit 103. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, it is assumed that the shape of the key matches the input area. The character corresponding to the input area (key) means, for example, the character of the key corresponding to the input area and the character assigned to the key corresponding to the input area. In the present invention, it should be noted that the input area corresponding to the character and the shape of the key do not necessarily match, and the input area can be set wider (or narrower) than the key. The input area is set for each of a plurality of keys.

  The input detection unit 104 detects an input by a user's finger, a stylus pen or the like (pressed object), and is configured by a known method such as a resistance film method, a capacitance method, or an optical method. In particular, the input detection unit 104 detects an input to an input area (key) corresponding to a character. In order for the input detection unit 104 to detect an input, it is not essential for the pressed object to physically press the input detection unit 104. For example, when the input detection unit 104 is an optical type, the input detection unit 104 detects the position where the infrared rays on the input detection unit 104 are blocked by a finger, a stylus pen, or the like. There is no need to press it.

  The input detection unit 104 detects which input area (key) is input, and further, the degree of contact between the detected input area (key) and the pressed object (for example, area or pressure). For example, an area sensor whose output voltage changes according to the contact area and a pressure sensor whose output voltage changes according to the contact pressure are also included. Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, the degree of contact refers to the contact area.

  The storage unit 105 stores a variety of input information and a load threshold for displaying characters, and also functions as a work memory. The load threshold is an item that the control unit 108 can arbitrarily set for each key.

  The load detection unit 106 detects a pressing load on the input detection unit 104, and is configured using an element that linearly reacts to a load such as a strain gauge sensor or a piezoelectric element, for example.

  The tactile sensation providing unit 107 vibrates the input detection unit 104 and presents a tactile sensation to a user's finger or stylus pen (pressed object) that is pressing the input detection unit 104. For example, a vibration element such as a piezoelectric element It is configured using. The tactile sensation to be presented may be any vibration, and the frequency, period (wavelength), amplitude, and waveform can be appropriately set according to the tactile sensation to be presented. Further, the tactile sensation providing unit 107 can present not only vibrations but also a hard and hard tactile sensation (real click feeling) that can be felt when a mechanical key is pressed to the pressed item. By setting conditions for presenting tactile sensation (for example, the pressing load exceeds 1 N [Newton]), the user's pressure sensation is stimulated until this condition is satisfied. The detection unit 104 can be vibrated to stimulate the user's sense of touch. In this way, by stimulating the user's pressure and tactile sensation, it is possible to present the user with a hard and hard feel. The input detection unit 104 itself is not physically displaced like a mechanical key even when pressed, but when the user operates the mechanical key by presenting the touch feeling as described above to the touch target You can get the same realistic click feeling. As a result, the user can perform an input operation to the input detection unit 104, which originally does not have feedback by pressing, without a sense of incompatibility. A clicked hard tactile sensation can be realized by, for example, presenting a sine wave of 140 Hz to 500 Hz for one period or a rectangular wave for one period. In addition, when the load detection part 106 and the tactile sensation presentation part 107 are comprised using a piezoelectric element, the load detection part 106 and the tactile sensation presentation part 107 can be comprised sharing a piezoelectric element. This is because the piezoelectric element generates electric power when pressure is applied and deforms when electric power is applied.

  The control unit 108 controls and manages the entire input device 101 including each functional block of the input device 101. Here, the control unit 108 is configured as software executed on an arbitrary suitable processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specialized for each process (for example, DSP (Digital Signal Processor)). Can be configured. When the input detection unit 104 detects an input to the input area and the load detection unit 106 detects a pressing load that is equal to or greater than a load threshold value for displaying characters, the control unit 108 displays the key characters corresponding to the input region. The display unit 103 is controlled to do so. Other processing performed by the control unit 108 will be described in detail in the description of FIG.

  Hereinafter, a case where the user intends to input “Honjitsuha” will be described. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the input method is Japanese (kana) romaji input. The user tries to input "H", "O", "N", "J", "I", "T", "S", "U", "H", and "A". Suppose you also press the key.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing processing performed by the input device of FIG. FIG. 3 is a display screen example of the display unit. The display unit 103 includes, for example, a main display unit (second display unit) 111 and a key display unit (first display unit) 112 as shown in FIG. The key display unit 112 is for a user to input, and displays a plurality of keys to which characters are assigned. The main display unit 111 is for displaying the input result to the key display unit 112, and displays characters.

  First, when an input to a key displayed on the key display unit 112 is performed by a pressed object such as a user's finger or a stylus pen, the input detection unit 104 detects this input (step S101). That is, in step S101, it is detected which key (input area) is the input. And the input detection part 104 detects the contact area of a pressing thing and a key (input area) with the detection of an input (step S102).

  The load detection unit 106 starts to detect the pressing load on the input detection unit 104 from the time when the input detection unit 104 comes into contact with a pressed object such as a user's finger or stylus pen (step S103).

  Subsequently, based on the detection result of the input detection unit 104, the control unit 108 determines whether or not the input to the key is an input across a plurality of keys (step S104). When the input to only one desired key is performed (No in step S104), the control unit 108 displays a character in which the pressing load detected by the load detection unit 106 is stored in the storage unit 105. It is judged whether it is more than the load threshold for (step S105). For example, it is assumed that a key is pressed with a pressing load that changes as shown in FIG. When the load threshold value for displaying the character is set to F1 [N], the control unit 108 determines that the pressing load is equal to or greater than the load threshold value for displaying the character at time t1 [ms] (step S1). Yes in S105). When the pressing load is less than the load threshold value for displaying characters (No in step S105), that is, when it is less than time t1 [ms], the processes of steps S101 to S104 are repeated.

  When the pressing load is equal to or greater than the load threshold for displaying characters (Yes in step S105), the control unit 108 accepts a character corresponding to the detected input as a character to be displayed on the main display unit 111 (step S105). S106). When the character to be displayed corresponds to a kana character (for example, the character to be displayed is a vowel (“A”, “I”, “U”, “E”, “O”)), the control unit 108 should display the character. The characters are kana converted and displayed on the main display unit 111 (step S107). Further, when the character to be displayed does not correspond to the kana character (for example, the character to be displayed is a consonant), the control unit 108 causes the main display unit 111 to display the character to be displayed (step S107). That is, alphabets (Roman characters) are displayed on the main display unit 111. With each input up to “H”, “O”, “N”, “J”, “I”, “T”, “S”, “U”, and “H”, the display on the main display unit 111 is “h”, as shown in FIG. “Hon”, “Hon”, “Honj”, “Honji” “Honji t”, “Honji ts”, “Honjitsu”, “Honjitsu h” change in this order. As described above, in the present specification, when the character of the key corresponding to the input area (character corresponding to the key) is displayed on the main display unit 111 (second display unit), it corresponds to the input area. Characters that are actually assigned to keys (for example, O) are not only displayed as they are, but the letter “O” that is actually assigned to keys corresponding to input is already accepted as characters to be displayed. It should be noted that a mode of displaying “ho” in association with “H” being displayed (displayed) is also included. Further, in the present embodiment, for example, an uppercase letter “H” and a lowercase letter “h” are assigned to the key “H”, respectively. h ”is displayed. In the present specification, there is no particular difference between uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet. After displaying the accepted characters on the main display unit 111, the control unit 108 can present the tactile sensation to the pressed object by controlling the tactile sensation providing unit 107 to vibrate the input detection unit 104 (step S108). ). For example, the control unit 108 can cause the tactile sensation providing unit 107 to generate a sine wave having one cycle as shown in FIG. 6 to vibrate the input detection unit 104. When only one key is input (No in step S109), the character displayed on the main display unit 111 is confirmed, and the character display process by the input to the key ends.

  Next, a description will be given of a method of displaying characters when an input is performed across a plurality of keys, that is, an input of “A”. In the following description, an input that spans a plurality of keys is described as an input that spans two keys, but the same applies to an input that spans three or more keys. Note that the input over a plurality of keys is not only an input in which the times when the plurality of keys are pressed completely coincide with each other, but is short enough to be distinguished from an interval at which the user continuously inputs two characters in normal character input. Also includes input by pressing multiple consecutive keys at intervals. This short interval serving as a threshold is a matter that can be freely set in consideration of the pressing speed of the user, the processing speed of the touch panel, and the like.

  First, as shown in FIG. 7, it is assumed that the user has made an input across both “A” and “S” keys. Then, the input detection unit 104 detects that the input is for the keys “A” and “S” (step S101), and detects the contact areas between the keys “A” and “S” and the pressed object (step S102). ). Then, the load detection unit 106 detects a pressing load on the input detection unit 104 (step S103). Thereafter, the control unit 108 determines that the input is input across a plurality of keys (Yes in step S104).

  Subsequently, the control unit 108 sets so that the key (input area) with a larger contact area detected by the input detection unit 104 has a lower load threshold for displaying characters corresponding to the key (input area). (Step S110). From FIG. 7, the contact area 121 between the key “A” and the finger is smaller than the contact area 122 between the key “S” and the finger, and therefore, for example, the control unit 108 loads the load threshold value corresponding to the key “S” ( The load threshold value for displaying “S” is set to F1 [N], and the load threshold value corresponding to the key “A” (load threshold value for displaying “A”) is set to F2 [N] (F2> F1). To do.

  After setting the load threshold, the control unit 108 determines whether the pressed load detected by the load detection unit 106 is equal to or greater than the load threshold (load threshold for displaying “S”) F1 [N], or the load threshold (“A It is determined whether the load threshold value F2 [N] or more is displayed (step S105). It is assumed that the pressing load detected by the load detection unit 106 is shifted equally as shown in FIG.

  When the pressed load detected by the load detection unit 106 is equal to or greater than the lowest load threshold set in step S110 (here, the load threshold for displaying “S”). Case) (Yes in step 105), the control unit 108 displays a character ("S") corresponding to the input area (key) in which the load threshold (load threshold for displaying "S") is set. It is accepted as a power character (step S106). For example, since the pressing load shown in FIG. 8 is equal to or greater than the load threshold value (load threshold value for displaying “S”) F1 at time t2 [ms], the control unit 108 sets the character “S” as the main. Accepted as characters to be displayed on the display unit 111. That is, the control unit 108 first receives a character corresponding to the key having the largest contact area.

  Since the character to be displayed (“S”) is a consonant and does not correspond to a kana character due to the configuration with the previous input character “h”, the control unit 108 displays the character to be displayed as shown in FIG. 111 is displayed (step S107). After displaying the accepted characters on the main display unit 111, the control unit 108 can present the tactile sensation to the pressed object by controlling the tactile sensation providing unit 107 to vibrate the input detection unit 104 (step S108). ). Note that the control unit 108 can control the tactile sensation providing unit 107 to present different tactile sensations to the pressed item, depending on whether or not the received character is an input across a plurality of keys.

  When the input to a plurality of keys is performed (Yes in step S109), the control unit 108 is more than the load threshold value (load threshold value for displaying “S”) F1 related to the received character (“S”). It is determined whether or not the pressed object has left the input detection unit 104 before the pressing load is greater than or equal to the high load threshold (the load threshold for displaying “A”) (step S111). The control unit 108 can determine that the pressed item has left the input detection unit 104 when the pressing load is less than F0 [N] (F0 <F1).

  If the pressing load does not become less than F0 [N] (No in step S111), the processes in steps S110 to S113 are repeated. As shown in FIG. 8, before the pressing load becomes F0 [N], when the load threshold (load threshold for displaying “A”) exceeds F2 [N] at time t3 [ms] (Yes in step S105). ), The control unit 108 accepts the character “A” corresponding to the input area (key) in which the load threshold (load threshold for displaying “A”) is set as the character to be displayed on the main display unit 111. (Step S106). Note that the characters accepted by the control unit 108 are changed only when the pressing load increases monotonously until the pressing load becomes equal to or greater than the load threshold value (load threshold value for displaying “A”) F2, as shown in FIG. I don't mean. As shown in FIG. 10, even if the pressed load may decrease before the load threshold (load threshold for displaying “A”) F2 or more, the user can control as long as it does not become less than F0 [N]. It is possible to change the characters accepted by the unit 108.

  Then, the control unit 108 causes “A” to be displayed on the main display unit 111 instead of “S”. That is, the character “S” corresponding to the input area in which the load threshold value (load threshold value for displaying “S”) F1 [N] is set as the load threshold value (load threshold value for displaying “A”) F2. The character “A” corresponding to the input area in which [N] is set is switched and displayed (step S107). Since the character to be displayed (“A”) is a vowel, the control unit 108 converts the character to be displayed into kana and displays it on the main display unit 111. That is, the control unit 108 deletes “S” from the main display unit 111 and displays the hiragana “ha” composed of “H” and “A” on the main display unit 111 as shown in FIG.

  After displaying the accepted characters on the main display unit 111, the control unit 108 can present the tactile sensation to the pressed object by controlling the tactile sensation providing unit 107 to vibrate the input detection unit 104 (step S108). ). Note that the control unit 108 can control the tactile sensation providing unit 107 so that a tactile sensation different from the tactile sensation when “S” is received is presented to the pressed object.

  After that, as shown in FIG. 8, when the pressing load becomes less than F0 [N] at time t4 [ms] (Yes in step S111), the characters displayed in the input over a plurality of keys are fixed.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the control unit 108 of the input device 101 detects a key (input area) having a high degree of contact when the input detection unit 104 detects an input across a plurality of keys (“A” and “S”). ), The load threshold for displaying the character of the key (input area) is set to be low, and the input pressing load across a plurality of inputs is one of the set load thresholds. Every time the threshold value is exceeded, the character is switched to the character corresponding to the key (input area) for which the load threshold value is set and displayed on the main display unit 111. That is, when the input pressing load is equal to or greater than the load threshold F1 [N], the control unit 108 displays the letter “S” corresponding to the key for which F1 [N] is set on the main display unit 111, and the input pressing load. Is greater than or equal to the load threshold F2 [N], the character “A” corresponding to the key for which F2 [N] is set is displayed on the main display unit 111 instead of the character “S” (in this embodiment, other characters (In fact, “ha” is displayed in association with the character). Thereby, even if a user accidentally performs an input across a plurality of input areas and an unintended character (wrong character) is displayed on the main display unit 111, by pressing the key with a stronger pressing load, An intended character (correct character) can be displayed on the main display unit 111. That is, in order to correct an incorrect character to a correct character, it is not necessary to delete the incorrect character and re-enter the correct character. Therefore, the efficiency of character input work is improved.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the control unit 108 applies to the pressed object that is pressing the input detection unit 104 every time the input pressing load becomes equal to or greater than one of the load threshold values F1 and F2. The tactile sensation providing unit 107 is controlled so as to present a tactile sensation. Thereby, the user can clearly recognize that the pressing load of the input by the user's finger or the like is equal to or greater than the load threshold. Since the change of the character displayed on the main display unit 111 can be confirmed without depending on the visual recognition of the main display unit 111, the character input operation can be performed efficiently.

  Although the present invention has been described based on the drawings and examples, it should be noted that those skilled in the art can easily make various modifications and corrections based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these variations and modifications are included in the scope of the present invention. For example, the functions included in each member, each means, each step, etc. can be rearranged so as not to be logically contradictory, and a plurality of means, steps, etc. can be combined into one or divided. Is possible.

  In the description of the embodiment of the present invention described above, for example, the meaning of the technical idea of the expression such as the load threshold “greater than” or the load threshold “less than” is not necessarily a strict meaning, and depends on the specifications of the input device. In addition, the meaning when the reference value is included or not included is included. For example, the load threshold “above” can imply not only when the pressed load reaches the load threshold but also when the load threshold is exceeded. Further, for example, the load threshold “less than” may imply not only when the pressed load falls below the load threshold but also when the load threshold is reached, that is, when the load threshold is lower than the load threshold.

  Further, in the description of the present embodiment, “switching” in the expression “switching and displaying the character of the key corresponding to the input area” is limited to the meaning of switching from the character “A” to the character “B”. It should be noted that, for example, when the character “A” is displayed from a state where nothing is displayed, it is included in the expression “switched”.

  In addition, the “first display unit” and the “second display unit” in the description of the present embodiment may be configured with two screens by separate hardware, or one screen by one hardware. It may be configured by two display areas. The first display unit that displays a plurality of keys to which characters are assigned is configured integrally with the input detection unit, and displays the keys by drawing the keys and the like on the touch sensor. An input to the key may be detected.

  In addition, even if the touch panel is pressed at a plurality of positions at the same time, a plurality of load detection units 106 in the present embodiment are installed at the input end by installing a plurality of piezoelectric elements or the like for detecting a pressing load. Alternatively, it may be configured to detect the positions and pressing loads simultaneously pressed from the outputs of the respective piezoelectric elements or the like. When configured in this way, the load detection unit 106 can detect the pressing load for each input area input by the pressed object, and therefore sets a load threshold for displaying characters for each input area, The control unit 108 corresponds to the input region as in the above-described embodiment, based on the pressing load of the input region detected by the load detection unit 108 and the load threshold value for displaying the character set in the input region. Key characters may be displayed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Input device 102 Touch panel 103 Display part 104 Input detection part 105 Memory | storage part 106 Load detection part 107 Tactile sense presentation part 108 Control part 111 Main display part 112 Key display part 121,122 Contact area

Claims (2)

A first display for displaying a plurality of keys to which characters are assigned;
A second display for displaying characters;
When an input is made with a pressed object, the input area that is set for each of the plurality of keys and is displayed on the second display unit with the character associated with the key, An input detection unit for detecting the degree of contact between the input area and the pressed object;
A load detection unit for detecting a pressing load on the input detection unit;
When the input detection unit detects an input to the input region, and the load detection unit detects a pressing load that is equal to or higher than a load threshold for displaying characters, the key character corresponding to the input region is displayed. A control unit for controlling the second display unit,
When the input detection unit detects an input across a plurality of input areas, the control unit displays a character of a key corresponding to the input area for an input area having a higher degree of contact detected by the input detection unit. The load threshold for the input is set to be low, and the input pressing load across the plurality of input areas detected by the load detection unit is greater than or equal to any one of the set load thresholds. The input device is characterized in that the second display unit is controlled so as to switch and display the character of the key corresponding to the input area in which the load threshold value is set. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising:
A tactile sensation providing unit that provides a tactile sensation with respect to a pressed object that is pressing the input detection unit;
The control unit applies to the pressed object that is pressing the input detection unit every time the pressed load of the input across the plurality of input areas becomes equal to or greater than any one of the load threshold values. An input device that controls the tactile sensation providing unit to present a tactile sensation.