JP7266518B2 - Mouse operating device and remote monitoring system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a mouse operating device and a remote monitoring system.

Various plants and treatment facilities are widely maintained and managed using computer systems. For example, a computer system installed in a water treatment plant controls predetermined equipment such as pumps and various actuators to perform a series of processes such as water intake from a settling basin, coagulant injection, flocculation, sedimentation filtration, disinfection, and water distribution. In order to control and monitor the state of the water through various sensors that monitor water quality and water volume, etc., a display device that consists of a calculation unit that executes various calculation processes and a liquid crystal display element that displays the results. and an input device for controlling various devices based on the information displayed on the display device.

Equipped with a mouse as an input device as well as a keyboard, etc., and the display device executes specific functions such as icons for controlling various equipment in addition to status display images that display the status of the water purification plant. An image representing an operation switch to activate is displayed. The operator is configured to grasp the state of the facility by viewing the screen displayed on the display device, and to select and operate various icons via the mouse as necessary.

However, due to the recent population decline, it is difficult to recruit new personnel as the skilled workers who maintain and manage the facilities are aging. In addition, even if new personnel are secured, it is extremely difficult to provide individual training for facility maintenance. Therefore, it was very difficult to appropriately respond to various events that occurred in facilities where inexperienced workers were in charge, based on instructions by telephone or the like.

On the other hand, since the computer system installed in the facility is a system specialized for facility management, it is often difficult to realize the remote access function that general-purpose OS such as Windows has. Currently, it is not possible to spend a lot of money to develop a new computer system that allows remote access (Windows is a registered trademark).

Patent Literature 1 proposes a remote control system that can easily realize unmanned operation of a control center without significantly modifying the system. The remote control system includes a first display device as an interface of a computer placed in a remote control station, imaging means capable of photographing the screen, a second monitor display for displaying the image of the imaging means, Cursor operating means for performing remote operation of the cursor of the first display while watching the image of the first display projected on the second display.

JP-A-09-107590

However, in the remote control system described above, the relative relationship between the coordinates of the image of the first display projected on the second display and the coordinates of the image actually displayed on the first display is grasped, and then remote control is performed. Instead of using a mouse to operate the computer located in the facility, a converter is used to perform screen selection operations, etc., so the relative relationship is adjusted each time according to the pan angle, tilt angle, and zoom magnification of the imaging means. need to ask. For that reason, it is necessary to grasp the relative positional relationship of the imaging means with respect to the first display, and it is very complicated and costly to deal with changes in the pan angle, tilt angle, and zoom magnification of the imaging means. I had a problem. In addition, it was necessary to construct a computer system individually equipped with a second display for monitoring at each remote control station, and it was not a general-purpose system with a degree of freedom allowing remote control from any location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a mouse operating device and a remote monitoring system having a simple configuration and a high degree of freedom in view of the prior art described above.

In order to achieve the above object, a first characteristic configuration of a mouse operating device according to the present invention is a mouse operating device for remotely operating a mouse, which is a pointing device, and has a fixing mechanism for positioning and fixing the mouse. a pseudo-moving mechanism that activates a movement detection mechanism incorporated in the mouse in a state of being positioned and fixed by the fixing mechanism; and actuating a switch incorporated in the mouse in the state of being positioned and fixed by the fixing mechanism. a switch actuating mechanism that allows the switch to move, an operation control unit that drives and controls the pseudo movement mechanism and the switch actuating mechanism, and a communication interface that inputs a control command from an external device to the operation control unit.

By operating the pseudo-movement mechanism for the mouse positioned and fixed by the fixing mechanism, the movement detection mechanism of the mouse is activated, the cursor displayed on the display screen is moved, and the switch activation mechanism is activated to move the mouse. The left and right click switches are activated. Such a pseudo movement mechanism and switch actuation mechanism are controlled by an operation control section that operates based on control commands input from an external device via a communication interface. Since the actual mouse is controlled, the desired operation can be realized precisely.

The second characteristic configuration includes, in addition to the above-described first characteristic configuration, a rotation operating mechanism that rotates a wheel incorporated in the mouse in a state of being positioned and fixed by the fixing mechanism, and the operation control The section controls the rotation operating mechanism based on the control command input from the external device via the communication interface.

By operating the rotating mechanism for the mouse positioned and fixed by the fixing mechanism, the wheel of the mouse rotates and the display screen can be scrolled.

The third characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the above-described first or second characteristic configuration, the pseudo movement mechanism rotates the ball to operate the movement detection mechanism.

When the pseudo movement mechanism rotates the ball relative to the mouse positioned and fixed by the fixing mechanism, the movement detection mechanism of the mouse is activated accordingly.

A first characteristic configuration of a remote monitoring system according to the present invention is a remote monitoring system that remotely monitors and operates a local computer system that includes a computing unit, an input device, and a display device and controls predetermined equipment, A remote monitoring server for remotely monitoring a local computer system, a camera device for uploading a monitor image displayed on a display device of the local computer system to the remote monitoring server, and operating based on a control command from the remote monitoring server. a mouse operating device having any one of the first to third characteristic configurations described above, a computing unit, an input device, and a display device; and a remote control computer operated by a remote control computer, wherein the monitor image is downloaded from the remote monitoring server to the remote control computer and displayed on the display device of the remote control computer based on the monitor image Then, when a control command input by a remote operator into the input device of the remote control computer is uploaded to the remote monitoring server, the control command is output from the remote monitoring server to the mouse operating device, It is provided with a remote control mode in which the local computer system is remotely controlled.

When the remote operator inputs a control command to the input device of the remote control computer based on the monitor image of the local computer system displayed on the display device of the remote control computer, the control command is sent from the remote monitoring server to the mouse control device. to remotely control the local computer system. It becomes possible to remotely operate a local computer system at any location regardless of the installation location of the remote control computer.

The second characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the first characteristic configuration described above, the remote control mode is activated when the mouse is positioned and fixed to the fixing mechanism of the mouse operating device.

Since the remote control mode is activated by positioning and fixing the mouse provided in the local computer system to the fixing mechanism, it is no longer necessary to switch between local control and remote control of the local computer system. Human error can be prevented in advance.

In the third characteristic configuration, in addition to the first or second characteristic configuration described above, a time stamp is added to the control command output from the remote monitoring server to the mouse operating device. The present invention is characterized in that it is provided with a remote operation history storage unit for storing remote operation history, and is configured so as to be able to be compared with the operation history information recorded in the local computer system.

It becomes possible to collate the operation history information at the time of remote control and the operation history information recorded in the local computer system.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a mouse operating device and a remote monitoring system with a simple configuration and a high degree of freedom.

(a) is a bird's-eye view of the mouse operating device, (b) is a cutaway side view of the mouse operating device, and (c) is a cutaway plan view of the mouse operating device. (a) is a cutaway plan view for explaining the switch actuating mechanism and rotation actuating mechanism provided in the mouse operating device; cutaway side view (a) to (c) are explanatory diagrams of the pseudo movement mechanism, and (d) is an explanatory diagram of the operation icon for the mouse operation device. Explanatory diagram of the remote monitoring system

A mouse operating device and a remote monitoring system according to the present invention will be described below.
1, 2 and 3 show a mouse M and a mouse operating device 1. FIG.

The mouse M is an input device used as one of pointing devices for a computer. It has M4 etc. Inside the mouse case are an encoder for detecting rotation in two orthogonal directions interlocking with the trackball M1, an encoder for detecting rotation of the wheel M2, and left and right depressing operation units M3 and M4. It has a switch and a signal processing section.

The signal processing unit is an electronic circuit that generates operation information for the mouse M based on the states of the encoders and switches, and has a communication interface that transmits the generated operation information to the computer. A mouse pointer indicating the position of the mouse is displayed on the screen of the display device connected to the computer, and the mouse pointer moves in conjunction with the movement of the trackball M1. When the switch is activated by depressing the left depressing operation part M3, a left click is performed, and when the switch is activated by depressing the right depressing operation part M4, a right click is performed. The screen scrolls according to the speed. By clicking the icon displayed on the screen with the mouse M, the processing assigned to each icon is executed.

A mouse operation device 1 is a device for remotely operating a mouse M, which is a pointing device. A mouse operating device 1 includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped container 2 that houses a mouse M, and a plurality of actuators 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, and 3 d provided in the container 2 .

The container 2 is provided with a partition plate 21 that vertically partitions the internal space, and the upper space of the partition plate 21 serves as a housing space for the mouse M. A plurality of elastic members functioning as a fixing mechanism 22 for positioning and fixing the mouse M are fixed to the inner wall of the container 2 in the upper space. With the mouse M fixed by the fixing mechanism 22 , the trackball M 1 of the mouse M is positioned in the opening 21 h formed in the partition plate 21 . A plate-shaped member made of moltoprene or synthetic rubber is used as the elastic member.

Actuator 3a serves as a pseudo-movement mechanism that operates trackball M1, which is a movement detection mechanism incorporated in mouse M, while being positioned and fixed by fixing mechanism 22. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), the actuator 3a includes a ball 30 which is a rotatably supported spherical body, and a drive mechanism that rotates the ball 30 in the X-axis and Y-axis directions that are orthogonal to each other on a two-dimensional plane. 31 and 32 are provided. The drive mechanisms 31 and 32 are equipped with encoder built-in motors 31a and 32a and cylindrical friction transmission bodies 31b and 32b which are attached to the output shafts of the motors 31a and 32a and arranged so that the peripheral surfaces thereof are in contact with the balls 30. there is

As shown in FIG. 3(b), when the friction transmission body 31b rotates around the X axis, the balls 30 rotate around an axis parallel to the X axis, and as shown in FIG. When 32b rotates around the Y-axis, the ball 30 rotates around an axis parallel to the Y-axis. When the ball 30 rotates, the trackball M1 of the mouse M, which is in frictional contact with the ball 30, also rotates.

The actuators 3c and 3d, which are positioned and fixed by the fixing mechanism 22, are interlocked with the left and right depressing operation portions M3 and M4 of the mouse M to act as a switch operating mechanism for operating a switch incorporated in the mouse M. Also, the actuator 3b serves as a rotation operating mechanism for operating the wheel M2 incorporated in the mouse M. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2(a), the actuator 3b is a cylindrical friction transmission element 33b attached to a motor 33a with a built-in encoder and an output shaft of the motor 33a, and having a circumferential surface in contact with the wheel M2. When the motor 33a rotates, the wheel M2 rotates via the friction transmission body 33b.

The actuators 3c and 3d are attached to a motor 34a with a built-in encoder and an output shaft of the motor 34a. The pressing operation portions M3 and M4 are pressed by the cam plate 34b to operate the switch. One rotation of the cam plate 34b results in one click, and two rotations of the cam plate 34b results in a double click.

Further, in the lower space of the partition plate 21, there are provided an operation control unit 35 in which the above-described pseudo-moving mechanism drives and controls the switch operating mechanism, and a communication interface 36 for inputting a control command from an external device to the operation control unit 35. there is

By operating the pseudo movement mechanism (actuator 3a) for the mouse M positioned and fixed by the fixing mechanism 22, the movement detection mechanism of the mouse M is activated and displayed on the screen of the display device connected to the computer. By moving the mouse cursor and operating the switch actuating mechanism, the left and right click switches of the mouse M are actuated. Such a pseudo movement mechanism and switch actuation mechanism are controlled by the operation control section 35 that operates based on control commands input from an external device via the communication interface 36 . Since the actual mouse M is controlled, the desired operation can be accurately realized.

FIG. 4 shows a remote monitoring system incorporating the mouse operating device 1 described above. The remote monitoring system 10 comprises a local computer system LCS, a remote monitoring server 40 and a remote control computer 50 .

The remote monitoring system 10 is, for example, a remote monitoring system that is installed in a water purification plant and remotely monitors and operates a local computer system LCS that controls equipment for water purification. The local computer system LCS is provided with a computing unit 11 having a CPU board, a liquid crystal display device 13, and an input device 12, and the input device 12 is provided with a mouse M and a keyboard. A mouse M is housed in the mouse operation device 1 described above.

The local computer system LCS further includes a camera device 14 for capturing a monitor image displayed on the display device 13, a control device 15 for outputting an operation command to the mouse operation device 1, and images from the camera device 14 via the Internet. and a communication interface 16 for receiving operation commands from the remote control computer 50 and outputting them to the control device 15 . A wireless communication interface such as Wi-Fi is preferably used as the communication interface 16 .

The remote monitoring server 40 is a cloud-type server that remotely monitors the local computer system LCS. Monitor images captured by the camera device 14 and displayed on the display device 13 of the local computer system LCS are uploaded via the communication interface 16 . be.

The remote control computer 50 has a display device 51 and an input device such as a mouse 52 . The remote control computer 50 is connected to the remote monitoring server 40 via the Internet, and the monitor image downloaded from the remote monitoring server 40 is displayed on the display device of the remote control computer 50 .

The remote operator views the monitor image displayed on the display device 51 of the remote control computer 50 and operates the mouse 52 of the remote control computer 50 to remotely operate the mouse operation device 1 of the local computer system LCS. configured to be controllable.

Monitor images are uploaded to the remote monitoring server 40 from each of the local computer systems LCS installed at a plurality of facilities, and necessary monitor images are downloaded from a plurality of remote control computers 50 connected to the remote monitoring server 40. configured to be monitored by When connecting the remote control computer 50 to the remote monitoring server 40, it is necessary to enter user information such as an ID and a password to log in, and each user and the local computer system LCS operated by each user. is recorded in the remote monitoring server 40 as operation log information.

In addition to the monitor image displayed on the display device 13 of the local computer system LCS, a guidance image 60 for mouse operation is simultaneously displayed on the display device 51 of the remote control computer 50, and the guidance image 60 is operated with the mouse. As a result, an operation command is generated for the mouse operation device 1 provided in the local computer system LCS. As the remote control computer 50, a portable information terminal such as a tablet computer or a smart phone can be used in addition to a desktop computer or a laptop computer.

A guide image 60 is shown in FIG. Icon images such as "left", "right" and "double" are displayed in addition to "solid line arrow" and "double line arrow" for up, down, left and right. By clicking the "solid line arrow" or "double line arrow", the trackball of the mouse M positioned and fixed to the mouse operation device 1 is rotationally driven via the actuator 3a, and the mouse cursor moves in the direction of the arrow. The result is reflected on the monitor image. The difference between the "solid line arrow" and the "double line arrow" is the difference in the cursor movement pitch of the mouse M. is set to increase the cursor movement pitch.

When "left" is clicked, an operation command corresponding to a left click is generated and transmitted to the mouse operation device 1, and when "right" is clicked, an operation command corresponding to a right click is generated and transmitted to the mouse operation device 1, When "double" is clicked, an operation command corresponding to the double click is generated and transmitted to the mouse operating device 1. FIG. The "setting" icon in Fig. 3(d) is an icon for setting the movement pitch of the mouse in response to clicking the "solid arrow" or "double line arrow". Pressing "setting" displays the pitch setting screen. By clicking the "solid line arrow" or "double line arrow" after numerically inputting the pitch, the movement pitch of the clicked "solid line arrow" or "double line arrow" is updated.

An icon image indicating the direction of rotation with respect to the wheel M2 is shown on the upper right of the guide image 60 . When the arrow in the lower row is clicked, the wheel M2 is rotated forward by a predetermined angle, and the screen is slightly scrolled upward accordingly. When the upper arrow is clicked, the wheel M2 rotates forward by a predetermined angle, and accordingly the screen is slightly scrolled downward. When the lower arrow is dragged, the wheel M2 rotates forward at a predetermined speed during that time, and the screen continuously scrolls upward accordingly. When the upper arrow is dragged, the wheel M2 rotates forward at a predetermined speed during that time, and the screen continuously scrolls downward accordingly.

An operation command for the mouse operation device 1 is configured to be transmitted to the mouse operation device 1 of the local computer system LCS via the remote monitoring server 40, and each operation history is stored in the storage device of the remote monitoring server 40 together with a time stamp. stored in

The above-mentioned local computer system LCS is originally operated by the operator of the facility where the system is installed, but by switching the operation mode of the local computer system LCS to the remote operation mode, it is switched to the remote operation mode. .

It is preferable that the fixing mechanism 22 of the mouse operating device 1 is provided with a switch for detecting that the mouse M is positioned and fixed, and that when the switch is actuated, the mode is switched to the remote operation mode and the remote operation mode is activated. .

Since the remote control mode is activated by positioning and fixing the mouse provided in the local computer system to the fixing mechanism, there is no need to intentionally switch between local control and remote control of the local computer system. Human error such as forgetting to switch can be prevented in advance.

Further, if the remote monitoring server 40 is provided with a remote operation history storage unit that stores a remote operation history in which control commands output from the remote monitoring server 40 to the mouse operation device 1 are timestamped, the local computer system It becomes possible to collate with the operation history information recorded in the LCS, and various ex-post verifications become possible. It is preferable to record an image by screen capture at the same time when an execution operation is performed by right-clicking, so that the actually executed operation can be visually checked.

In the above-described embodiment, the movement detection mechanism provided in the mouse has been described as having the trackball M1, but the movement detection mechanism is not limited to the ball type. Other methods such as a sensor method may be adopted. In this case, detection light emitted from the light source onto the surface of the ball 30 is reflected from the surface of the ball 30 toward the mouse, thereby detecting the rotation of the ball 30 .

Each of the above-described embodiments is an example of the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited by the description, and it is possible to appropriately change and design within the range in which the effects of the present invention are exhibited. Needless to say.

1: Mouse operation device 2: Container 3a: Pseudo movement mechanism (actuator)
3b: Rotation Actuator (Actuator)
3c, 3d: switch operating mechanism (actuator)
22: Fixing mechanism 10: Remote monitoring system 35: Operation control unit 36: Communication interface 40: Remote monitoring server 50: Remote control computer 60: Guidance image M: Mouse M1: Trackball M2: Wheels M3, M4: Push operation unit

Claims (6)

A mouse operating device for remotely operating a mouse as a pointing device,
a fixing mechanism for positioning and fixing the mouse;
a pseudo movement mechanism that activates a movement detection mechanism incorporated in the mouse in a state of being positioned and fixed by the fixing mechanism;
a switch operating mechanism that operates a switch incorporated in the mouse while being positioned and fixed by the fixing mechanism;
an operation control unit that drives and controls the pseudo movement mechanism and the switch actuation mechanism;
a communication interface for inputting a control command from an external device to the operation control unit;
mouse control device. a rotation operating mechanism for rotating a wheel incorporated in the mouse in a state of being positioned and fixed by the fixing mechanism;
2. The mouse operation device according to claim 1, wherein said operation control unit controls said rotation mechanism based on a control command input from said external device via said communication interface. 3. The mouse operating device according to claim 1, wherein the pseudo-movement mechanism rotates a ball to activate the movement detection mechanism. A remote monitoring system that remotely monitors and operates a local computer system that includes a computing unit, an input device, and a display device and controls predetermined equipment,
a remote monitoring server for remotely monitoring the local computer system;
a camera device for uploading a monitor image displayed on the display device of the local computer system to the remote monitoring server;
a mouse operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which operates based on a control command from the remote monitoring server;
a remote control computer that includes a computing unit, an input device, and a display device and is communicatively connected to the remote monitoring server and that remotely controls the local computer system;
configured with
The monitor image is downloaded from the remote monitoring server to the remote control computer, and based on the monitor image displayed on the display device of the remote control computer, a remote operator inputs the input device of the remote control computer. When the input control command is uploaded to the remote monitoring server,
A remote monitoring system comprising a remote control mode in which the control command is output from the remote monitoring server to the mouse operating device to remotely control the local computer system.
5. The remote monitoring system according to claim 4, wherein said remote control mode is activated when said mouse is positioned and fixed to said fixing mechanism of said mouse operating device. The remote monitoring server is provided with a remote operation history storage unit that stores a remote operation history in which control commands output from the remote monitoring server to the mouse operation device are time-stamped, and is recorded in the local computer system. 6. The remote monitoring system according to claim 4 or 5, which is configured so as to be capable of being collated with operation history information.

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