JP7468580B2 - Terminal device and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a terminal device and a program.

Handheld terminals are known as portable information processing terminals used to input various information for managing products in stores and warehouses. In conventional handheld terminals with many physical keys, the trigger key that is pressed to read barcode information is also a physical key.

However, in recent years, there has been an increase in handheld terminals with full touch panels like smartphones, and in these touch-panel handheld terminals, trigger keys are often placed on the touch panel as virtual trigger keys (soft key trigger keys). However, compared to physical trigger keys, virtual trigger keys on a touch panel require more internal processing before they recognize that the trigger key has been pressed, so it takes time to start up applications such as a scanner and begin reading barcodes.

As a countermeasure, a technology has been disclosed in which, on an information processing terminal capable of touch operations, when a specific application icon such as a camera application is displayed and a specific touch operation registered in association with the application is performed (dragging the release icon a specific distance in the direction of the application icon), the application is started in the background, and when the application icon is selected, the application is activated (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2013-246727 A

However, with the technology of Patent Document 1, when a touch operation by the user is received, it is necessary to determine whether or not a specific touch operation that is registered in association with an application has been performed, and the time from a touch operation to starting up an application cannot be sufficiently shortened. In addition, there is also an issue that the user needs to remember the specific touch operation that is registered in association with an application, which depends on the user's operating ability.

The objective of the present invention is to shorten the time until the execution of a process corresponding to a specific operation icon begins, and to improve operability via touch panel input.

In order to solve the above problem, the terminal device of the present invention comprises a detection means for detecting a touch operation by a user on a touch panel display unit, a derivation means for deriving coordinates of an area where the touch operation is detected by the detection means as coordinate information, and a process execution means for, when the detection means detects the touch operation while a specific operation button for executing two processes, a first process and a second process which is subsequently executed after the completion of the first process, in a single operation is displayed , deriving the coordinate information by the derivation means and executing the first process in parallel , wherein the process execution means executes the second process following the first process if the coordinate information related to the touch operation derived by the derivation means after the touch operation is detected by the detection means corresponds to coordinate information of a display area of the specific operation button, whereas the process execution means does not execute the second process if the coordinate information related to the touch operation derived by the derivation means after the touch operation is detected by the detection means does not correspond to coordinate information of a display area of the specific operation button.

According to the present invention, it is possible to shorten the time until the start of execution of a process corresponding to a specific operation icon, and to improve operability by touch panel input.

1 is a front external view of a handheld terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the handheld terminal. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a CPU and a touch panel unit. 13 is a flowchart showing a symbol reading process. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a symbol reading screen of the handheld terminal. 11 is a timing chart of an operation related to scanning in response to a touch input on a conventional touch panel. 5 is a timing chart of an operation related to scanning in response to a touch input on the touch panel of the present embodiment.

The following describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the illustrated examples.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7. First, the device configuration of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 is a front external view of a handheld terminal 10 of this embodiment. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the handheld terminal 10. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the CPU 11 and the touch panel unit 121.

The handheld terminal 10 shown in FIG. 1 as a terminal device (mobile terminal) is a portable information processing terminal that is used in stores such as supermarkets and mass retailers, and warehouses that store goods, and is operated by users such as store clerks and managers at the stores to input information. The handheld terminal 10 has a function for scanning symbols (barcodes, two-dimensional codes).

As shown in FIG. 1, the handheld terminal 10 has an operation unit 12, a display unit 14, and a scanner unit 17 as a symbol reading means on a housing 10a. The operation unit 12 has a touch panel unit 121 and a physical key unit 122. The touch panel unit 121 has a touch panel 121a. The touch panel 121a is a capacitive touch panel provided on the display panel of the display unit 14 on the front side of the housing 10a, and accepts touch input from the user. Note that the touch panel 121a may be a touch panel of another type, such as a resistive film type.

The physical key section 122 has a physical trigger key 122a and a physical key group 122b. The physical trigger keys 122a are provided on the left and right sides of the housing 10a, respectively, and are trigger keys serving as physical keys (hard keys) that accept input from the user to execute a scan (symbol reading) with the scanner section 17. The physical key group 122b is provided on the front side of the housing 10a, and is a plurality of physical keys that accept various inputs from the user, including, for example, a home key that accepts input to display the home screen and a back key for returning to the previous display screen.

The display unit 14 has an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) display panel and displays various information on the display panel.

The scanner unit 17 is provided on the top surface of the housing 10a and has an aimer light emitting element and an imaging element such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) imager, and is a scanner unit that captures an image of a symbol (barcode, two-dimensional code) that is a subject and reads the symbol. For example, the user orients the scanner unit 17 of the handheld terminal 10 so that the symbol is positioned within the aimer light, and the symbol is captured and read by the user pressing the physical trigger key 122a or touching the virtual trigger key as a soft key displayed on the display unit 14.

Next, the internal functional configuration of the handheld terminal 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The handheld terminal 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11 as a first specific control means, a second specific control means, and a discrimination means, an operation unit 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a display unit 14, a storage unit 15, a wireless communication unit 16, a scanner unit 17, a camera unit 18, an output unit 19, and a battery 20. Each unit of the handheld terminal 10 is connected via a bus 21.

The CPU 11 controls each part of the handheld terminal 10. The CPU 11 reads out a specified program from among the system programs and application programs stored in the memory unit 15, expands it in the RAM 13, and executes various processes in cooperation with the expanded program.

The operation unit 12 has a touch panel unit 121 and a physical key unit 122, and accepts touch input from the user to the touch panel unit 121 (touch panel 121a) and key input to the physical key unit 122, and outputs the operation information to the CPU 11.

Now, referring to FIG. 3, the internal configuration of the touch panel unit 121 and the communication signals between the touch panel unit 121 and the CPU 11 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the touch panel unit 121 has a touch panel 121a and a touch panel control unit 121b as a detection means and an output means. The touch panel control unit 121b is a control IC (Integrated Circuit) that controls the touch panel 121a under control of the CPU 11, and acquires signals related to touch inputs on the touch panel 121a and outputs them to the CPU 11.

More specifically, the touch panel control unit 121b inputs and outputs signals such as control signals to and from the touch panel 121a. In response to a user's touch input to the touch panel 121a, the touch panel control unit 121b outputs a touch panel interrupt signal indicating a touch input to the touch panel 121a to the CPU 11. In addition, the touch panel control unit 121b receives (receives) a communication signal Tx as a transmission signal from the CPU 11, and outputs (transmits) a communication signal Rx as a reception signal corresponding to the communication signal Tx to the CPU 11.

RAM 13 is a volatile memory that forms a work area for temporarily storing various data and programs.

The display unit 14 performs various displays on the LCD display panel according to the display information instructed by the CPU 11. The display unit 14 may be an EL (Electro-Luminescence) display or other display unit.

The storage unit 15 is a non-volatile storage unit such as a flash memory that can read and write information. Various data and programs are stored in the storage unit 15. In particular, the storage unit 15 stores, as an application program, a symbol reading program P1 for executing the symbol reading process described below.

The wireless communication unit 16 is at least one wireless communication unit that has antennas, modulation/demodulation circuits, signal processing circuits, etc. for various wireless communication methods and performs wireless communication with a communication destination. The wireless communication methods of each wireless communication unit of the wireless communication unit 16 include wireless LAN (Local Area Network) such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), wireless WAN (Wide Area Network), and NFC (Near Field Communication). For example, the CPU 11 wirelessly transmits and receives information to and from an access point by Wi-fi communication via the wireless communication unit 16, and transmits and receives information to and from a communication destination device that is network-connected to the access point.

The scanner unit 17, under the control of the CPU 11, captures an image of a symbol as a subject, generates image data, and outputs the image data to the CPU 11. The CPU 11 decodes the image data of the symbol captured by the scanner unit 17 to obtain code information contained in the symbol. The scanner unit 17 may be a laser scanner that scans a barcode as a symbol with laser light, and decodes a signal obtained by inputting the reflected light to obtain data contained in the barcode.

The camera unit 18 is a digital camera unit that has an optical system and an image sensor, and captures an image of a subject and generates image data under the control of the CPU 11.

The output unit 19 has light-emitting units such as LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) and sound output units such as amplifiers and speakers, and according to the control of the CPU 11, turns on/off the light-emitting units and outputs sound from the sound output units.

The battery 20 is a rechargeable battery (secondary battery) such as a lithium ion battery, and supplies power to each part of the handheld terminal 10. The battery 20 also turns off the supply of power to each part of the handheld terminal 10 (power off) under the control of the CPU 11.

Next, the operation of the handheld terminal 10 will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 7. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the symbol reading process. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the symbol reading screen 30 of the handheld terminal 10. Figure 6 is a timing chart of the operation related to scanning in response to touch input on a conventional touch panel. Figure 7 is a timing chart of the operation related to scanning in response to touch input on the touch panel 121a of this embodiment.

The symbol reading process executed by the handheld terminal 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. In the handheld terminal 10, for example, when the user presses the power key to turn on the power, the CPU 11 executes the symbol reading process in cooperation with the symbol reading program P1 that is read from the storage unit 15 and appropriately loaded into the RAM 13.

As shown in FIG. 4, first, the CPU 11 determines whether or not a touch panel interrupt signal output from the touch panel control unit 121b in response to a touch input via the touch panel unit 121 has been detected (step S11). In step S11, when the touch panel interrupt signal is output from the touch panel control unit 121b to the CPU 11, the CPU 11 outputs a communication preparation completion notification to the touch panel control unit 121b as a touch panel communication signal Tx in response to the completion of preparation for communication with the touch panel control unit 121b. In parallel with steps S12 and S13 described below, the touch panel control unit 121b acquires a signal of the coordinates of the touch input from the touch panel 121a in response to the communication preparation completion signal, and outputs the coordinate information of the touch input on the touch panel 121a to the CPU 11 as a communication signal Rx.

If a touch panel interrupt signal is not detected (step S11; NO), the process proceeds to step S11. If a touch panel interrupt signal is detected (step S11; NO), the CPU 11 determines whether or not a symbol reading trigger key (virtual trigger key) is being displayed on the display unit 14 (before the touch input in step S11 (before the touch panel interrupt signal is detected)) (step S12). In step S12, for example, consider a case in which the symbol reading screen 30 shown in FIG. 5 is being displayed on the display unit 14 of the handheld terminal 10. The symbol reading screen 30 has a code information display field 31 and trigger keys 32 and 33.

The code information display field 31 is a display field for the code information (character information) contained in the symbol obtained by symbol reading using the scanner unit 17. The trigger keys 32, 33 are virtual trigger keys that are soft keys serving as operation icons that accept trigger input for symbol reading using the scanner unit 17. Symbol reading using the scanner unit 17 is executed by touching the trigger keys 32, 33 on the touch panel 121a. In step S12, for example, it is determined whether the trigger keys 32, 33 (including the symbol reading screen 30) are being displayed.

If the trigger key is being displayed (step S12; YES), the CPU 11 activates a corresponding device such as the scanner unit 17 and prepares to read a symbol (step S13). The preparation to read a symbol in step S13 may include the execution of a process of software corresponding to the preparation to read a symbol.

Then, the CPU 11 calculates the position coordinate information of the touch input in step S11 on the display screen of the display unit 14 in accordance with the coordinate information input from the touch panel control unit 121b (step S14). The CPU 11 then determines whether the position coordinate information of the touch input calculated in step S14 is within the display area of the currently displayed trigger key (step S15).

If the symbol is within the display area of the trigger key (step S15; YES), the CPU 11 reads the symbol with the scanner unit 17 (step S16) and proceeds to step S11. In step S16, for example, the symbol CPU 11 decodes the image data obtained by capturing an image of the symbol with the scanner unit 17, obtains the code information contained in the symbol, and displays the code information in the code information display field 31 of the display unit 14 on the symbol reading screen 30 shown in FIG. 5.

If the touch input is not within the display area of the trigger key (step S15; NO), the CPU 11 stops the activation of the scanner unit 17 (step S17). The CPU 11 then executes a process (other than symbol reading) corresponding to the touch input of step S11 (step S18), and returns to step S11.

If the trigger key is not being displayed (step S12; YES), the CPU 11 calculates the position coordinate information of the touch input in step S11 on the display screen of the display unit 14 in accordance with the coordinate information input from the touch panel control unit 121b (step S19). The CPU 11 then executes a process corresponding to the touch input in step S11 (step S20) and proceeds to step S11.

Now, referring to Figures 6 and 7, the operation of a normal symbol reading process executed by a conventional handheld terminal will be compared with the operation of the symbol reading process of this embodiment. The conventional handheld terminal is assumed to have a device configuration similar to that of handheld terminal 10.

As shown in FIG. 6, in a conventional normal symbol reading process, a low-active touch panel interrupt signal is switched to low in response to a touch input on the touch panel and input from the touch panel control unit to the CPU. In response to the touch panel interrupt signal switching to low, a communication preparation completion notification is output from the CPU to the touch panel control unit as a communication signal Tx, and in response to the communication preparation completion notification, coordinate information (x coordinate, y coordinate) of the touch input is output from the touch panel control unit to the CPU as a communication signal Rx.

The CPU then calculates the position coordinate information of the touch input on the display screen, and determines whether the calculated position coordinate information of the touch input is within the display area of the displayed trigger key. After it is determined (recognized) that the touch input is within the display area of the displayed trigger key, the scanner unit is started as a device, and after the scanner unit has started up, the scanner unit reads (scans) the symbol. The scanner unit's startup process is executed after it has been determined whether the touch input is within the display area of the trigger key, so it takes some time before it starts reading the symbol.

In contrast, as shown in FIG. 7, in the symbol reading process of this embodiment, the timing of inputting a touch panel interrupt signal (low) in response to touch input on the touch panel 121a (corresponding to step S11) and outputting a notification that communication preparation is complete is the same as in conventional symbol reading processing.

However, in response to the touch panel interrupt signal input, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the trigger key is being displayed on the display unit 14 (corresponding to step S12), and if the trigger key is being displayed, the CPU 11 starts starting up the scanner unit 17 as a device (corresponding to step S13), and sequentially inputs touch input coordinate information and determines whether or not the position coordinate information of the touch input is within the display area of the displayed trigger key (corresponding to steps S14 and S15). Therefore, the startup process of the scanner unit 17, the output of a communication preparation completion notification by the CPU 11, the input of touch input coordinate information, and the determination of whether or not the position coordinate information of the touch input is within the display area of the displayed trigger key are executed in parallel.

Then, the CPU 11 determines (recognizes) that the position coordinate information of the touch input is within the area of the displayed trigger key, and after the scanner unit 17 has been started up, it reads (scans) the symbol. In this way, in the symbol reading process of this embodiment, the timing at which symbol reading starts is earlier than in the conventional normal symbol reading process.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the handheld terminal 10 includes a touch panel control unit 121b that detects a touch operation by a user on the touch panel type display unit 14 through the touch panel 121a and outputs the coordinates of the area where the touch operation is detected as coordinate information, and a CPU 11 that, when a touch operation is detected, determines whether or not a trigger key for reading a symbol is displayed on the display unit 14 as a specific operation icon that executes two processes: a startup process of the scanner unit 17 as a first process, and a symbol reading process using the scanner unit 17 as a second process that is executed after the startup process of the scanner unit 17 is completed, and, if it is determined that the trigger key is displayed on the display unit 14, executes the startup process of the scanner unit 17 without waiting for the output of coordinate information by the touch panel control unit 121b.

As a result, when a touch operation is detected, the scanner unit 17 starts up immediately in response to the displayed trigger key, shortening the time until the symbol reading process starts and improving operability through touch panel 121a input. This shortens the symbol reading time. One standard for the symbol (barcode) reading time is 100 ms or less, and the symbol reading process of this embodiment is expected to improve the symbol reading time by about 10 ms, or about 10%.

In addition, when the startup process of the scanner unit 17 is being executed, if the CPU 11 determines that the coordinate information (of the touch operation) output by the touch panel control unit 121b corresponds to the coordinate information of the display area of the trigger key (is within the display area), it executes a symbol reading process using the scanner unit 17. This allows the symbol reading process to start early, shortening the symbol reading time.

In addition, if the coordinate information of the area where the touch operation is detected does not correspond to the coordinate information of the display area of the trigger key, the CPU 11 stops the execution of the startup process of the scanner unit 17. This makes it possible to reduce the processing load by preventing the execution of the startup process of the scanner unit 17 when the touch operation is not a trigger key operation and preparation for symbol reading is not required.

The CPU 11 also detects a touch panel interrupt signal from a touch operation, and when the touch panel interrupt signal is detected, determines whether or not a trigger key for reading a symbol is displayed on the display unit 14. This allows the startup process of the scanner unit 17 to begin more quickly when the trigger key is displayed.

In the above explanation, an example has been disclosed in which a non-volatile storage unit such as a flash memory is used as a computer-readable medium for the program according to the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this example. As other computer-readable media, portable recording media such as a CD-ROM can be applied. Furthermore, carrier waves can also be applied to the present invention as a medium for providing data for the program according to the present invention via a communication line.

The description in the above embodiment is an example of the terminal device and program according to the present invention, and is not limited to this.

For example, in the above embodiment, a displayed specific operation icon that accepts touch input is a trigger key for reading a symbol, the preparatory process corresponding to the specific operation icon is a startup process of the scanner unit 17, and the main process corresponding to the specific operation icon is a process for reading a symbol using the scanner unit 17, but this is not limited to the above. For example, a specific operation icon may be a trigger key for photographing a subject, the preparatory process corresponding to the specific operation icon is a startup process of the camera unit 18, and the main process is a process for photographing a subject using the camera unit 18. Also, a specific operation icon may be a trigger key for starting a specific application program, the preparatory process corresponding to the specific operation icon is a startup process of the specific application program, and the main process is the execution of a specific process that is preset and included in the specific application program.

Furthermore, the detailed configuration and detailed operation of each component of the handheld terminal 10 in the above embodiment may of course be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents.
The inventions described in the claims originally attached to this application are set forth below. The claim numbers in the appended claims are the same as those in the claims originally attached to this application.
[Additional Notes]
<Claim 1>
A detection means for detecting a touch operation by a user on a touch panel type display unit;
an output means for outputting coordinates of an area in which the touch operation is detected by the detection means as coordinate information;
a determination means for determining whether or not a specific operation icon for executing two processes, a first process and a second process that is executed after the first process is completed, is displayed on the display unit when the touch operation is detected by the detection means;
a first identification control means for executing the first process without waiting for the output of the coordinate information by the output means when the determination means determines that the specific operation icon is displayed on the display unit;
A terminal device comprising:
<Claim 2>
The terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising a second specific control means for executing the second process when it is determined that the coordinate information output by the output means corresponds to the coordinate information of the display area of the specific operation icon while the first process is being executed by the first specific control means.
<Claim 3>
The terminal device according to claim 2, characterized in that the second identification control means stops execution of the first processing when coordinate information of the area where the touch operation is detected does not correspond to coordinate information of the display area of the specific operation icon.
<Claim 4>
The detection means detects an interrupt signal of the touch operation,
The terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the determination means determines whether or not the specific operation icon is displayed on the display unit when the detection means detects an interrupt signal of the touch operation.
<Claim 5>
the specific operation icon is a trigger key for symbol reading,
the first process is a process of starting up a symbol reading means for reading a symbol,
5. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the second process is a process of reading a symbol using the symbol reading means.
<Claim 6>
Computer,
A detection means for detecting a touch operation by a user on a touch panel type display unit;
an output means for outputting coordinates of an area where the touch operation is detected by the detection means as coordinate information;
a determination means for determining whether or not a specific operation icon for executing two processes, a first process and a second process that is executed after the first process is completed, is displayed on the display unit when the touch operation is detected by the detection means;
a first identification control means for executing the first process without waiting for the output of the coordinate information by the output means when the determination means determines that the specific operation icon is displayed on the display unit;
A program to function as a

10 Handheld terminal 10a Housing 11 CPU
12 Operation unit 121 Touch panel unit 121a Touch panel 121b Touch panel control unit 122 Physical key unit 122a Physical trigger key 122b Physical key group 13 RAM
14 Display unit 15 Memory unit 16 Wireless communication unit 17 Scanner unit 18 Camera unit 19 Output unit 20 Battery 21 Bus

Claims (5)

A detection means for detecting a touch operation by a user on a touch panel type display unit;
a derivation means for deriving , as coordinate information, coordinates of an area in which the touch operation is detected by the detection means;
a process execution means for, when the detection means detects a touch operation in a state in which a specific operation button for executing two processes, a first process and a second process that is executed subsequently after the first process is completed, in a single operation is displayed , deriving the coordinate information by the derivation means and executing the first process in parallel ;
Equipped with
the process execution means executes the second process after the first process if the coordinate information related to the touch operation derived by the derivation means after the touch operation is detected by the detection means corresponds to coordinate information of a display area of the specific operation button, whereas the process execution means does not execute the second process if the coordinate information related to the touch operation derived by the derivation means after the touch operation is detected by the detection means does not correspond to coordinate information of a display area of the specific operation button.
A terminal device comprising: the specific operation button is a trigger key for symbol reading,
the first process is a process of starting up a symbol reading means for reading a symbol,
2. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the second process is a process of reading a symbol using the symbol reading means. the process execution means, when the coordinate information related to the touch operation derived by the derivation means after the touch operation is detected by the detection means does not correspond to coordinate information of a display area of the specific operation button, executes a third process for canceling the first process without executing the second process.
3. The terminal device according to claim 1 or 2. the process execution means does not start the execution of the first process when the detection means detects the touch operation in a state in which the specific operation button is not displayed.
4. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second terminals are connected to each other. Computer,
A detection means for detecting a touch operation by a user on a touch panel type display unit;
a derivation means for deriving , as coordinate information, coordinates of an area in which the touch operation is detected by the detection means;
a process execution means for executing, in a single operation, the derivation of the coordinate information by the derivation means and the execution of the first process when the detection means detects the touch operation in a state in which a specific operation button for executing two processes, a first process and a second process that is executed subsequently after the completion of the first process, is displayed ;
Function as a
the process execution means executes the second process after the first process if the coordinate information related to the touch operation derived by the derivation means after the touch operation is detected by the detection means corresponds to coordinate information of a display area of the specific operation button, whereas the process execution means does not execute the second process if the coordinate information related to the touch operation derived by the derivation means after the touch operation is detected by the detection means does not correspond to coordinate information of a display area of the specific operation button.
A program characterized by:

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