JPH01134520A - Coordinate input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To carry out the input of coordinates without using any special input pen by detecting the pressure of a coordinate designating device for input of the coordinates. CONSTITUTION:The pressure applied to a pressure application point 110 of a coordinate input device 101 is applied to a pressure-sensitive rubber sheet 104 via an insulated sheet 102 and an electrode A 103. The resistance value of the sheet 104 drops when the applied voltage exceeds a specific level and an electrical conductive state is secured between the electrode A103 and an electrode B105. Then a current flows through a resistance r107. The voltage is produced at both ends of the resistance r107 and detected by a comparator 106. This voltage is outputted as the coordinate output 109.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to information processing equipment such as computers, and particularly to a coordinate input device suitable for providing coordinate information to a computer.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Touch panels are known as input terminal devices for computers and the like, which detect specific coordinates in a two-dimensional space using a voltage drop across a resistor sheet or optical/electromagnetic means.

In addition to a detection unit that simply detects coordinate data, such a coordinate input device has an auxiliary input device that switches input modes and indicates that the coordinate data obtained by the detection unit is special. is sometimes provided.

In a touch panel using a resistive sheet, a switch called a trigger button is usually provided adjacent to a coordinate detection section.

In addition, in the case of using a special input pen for input,
As seen in Japanese Patent No. 9-449535, an input pen provided with a switch for auxiliary input has been proposed.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in the former device where the detection section and auxiliary input section are provided separately, if it is necessary to switch modes while performing input work with one hand, the auxiliary input device can be operated with the other hand. It was not very easy to use.

Further, when a switch is provided on an input pen or the like, there is a problem in that it is necessary to prepare a dedicated input pen, which makes operation cumbersome.

An object of the present invention is to provide a coordinate input device with excellent operability, which allows the auxiliary input device to be operated simultaneously with the hand that is inputting coordinates, without using a dedicated input pen.

[Means for solving problems]

The above object is achieved by providing a pressure detection device superimposed on the coordinate detection section.

[Effect]

If, while operating a coordinate input device, it becomes necessary to set a mode or to inform the computer that the coordinates being specified are special, and it becomes necessary to use an auxiliary input device, the user strongly presses the coordinate specifying instrument (including a finger) used for coordinate input against the coordinate detection unit.

As a result, the pressure detecting section coupled to the coordinate detecting section is actuated to activate the auxiliary input device, allowing the user to specify the coordinates and operate the auxiliary input device at the same time.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In the figure, 101 is a coordinate input device, 102 is an insulating sheet, 103
is electrode A, 104 is a pressure sensitive rubber sheet, 105 is electrode B,
106 is a comparator.

107 is a resistor r, 108 is a voltage generator, 109 is a comparator output, 110 is a pressurizing point, and 111 is an indicator lamp. Further, the components 101 to 104 are assumed to have flexibility.

The coordinate input device 101 detects the coordinates of the pressurizing point 110 and
Although not shown in the figure, this is a device that sends coordinate data to an external computer, etc. As a coordinate detection method, a method using a resistive sheet will be considered here as an example. Many systems have been proposed as coordinate detection devices using resistance sheets.

The insulating sheet 102 connects the coordinate input device 101 and the electrode AlO3
electrically insulate.

The electrode AlO3 is a flexible electrode and is made of, for example, aluminum foil. The pressure-sensitive rubber sheet 104 normally acts as an insulator and electrically insulates the electrode AlO3 and the electrode B105, but when a certain amount of pressure is applied, the resistance value decreases and the electrode AlO3 and the electrode B105 become electrically connected. Electrode B105 is a non-flexible electrode,
It also has the role of providing mechanical strength to the entire device.

The pressure required to make the pressure sensitive rubber sheet 104 conductive is:
It is assumed that the pressure is greater than the pressure required to operate the coordinate input device 101.

A voltage generator 108 is connected between the electrode AlO3 and the electrode B105.
A DC voltage is applied. A resistor r107 is connected in series to the voltage generator 108.
A comparator 106 is connected to both ends of the signal.

The operating status of the comparator output 109 is indicated by the indicator lamp 111.
It is also possible to check.

Next, the operation of this device will be explained. The user inputs specific coordinates on a two-dimensional plane into the coordinate input device 101 by applying pressure to the pressure point 110 with a finger or a pencil-shaped object. When inputting coordinates, it is possible to input the pressure so that the pressure-sensitive sheet 104 does not become electrically conductive.

If it is desired to convey to the outside that the coordinates input by the user are special coordinates, the pressure applied to the pressure point 110- is increased. Since the components 110 to 104 are made of flexible materials, part of the force applied to the pressure point 110 is transmitted to the pressure sensitive rubber sheet 104 through the insulating sheet 102 and the electrode AlO3. When the pressure applied to the pressure-sensitive rubber sheet 104 exceeds a specific value, the resistance value of the pressure-sensitive rubber sheet 104 decreases, and the electrode AlO3 and the electrode B105 become electrically conductive, and current flows through the resistor r107. .

As a result, a potential difference occurs across the resistor r107 due to a voltage drop. The potential difference is detected by the comparator 106 and outputted by the output 109.

As the coordinate input device 101, it is also possible to use an optical type or an electromagnetic type. In that case, it is necessary that the pressure applied to the pressure point 110 can be transmitted to the pressure sensitive rubber sheet 104.

Further, as a means for detecting pressure, not only a pressure-sensitive rubber sheet but also a method of arranging small mechanical switches under the coordinate input device 101, for example, can be considered.

An example of application of this device is shown in Figure 2. In the figure, 203 is a display device, 202 is a computer, 205 is a cursor, 204 is a cable, 201 is a coordinate input device, and 206 is a coordinate input device.

Coordinate data input by the coordinate input device 201 is transmitted to the computer 202 via a cable 204 and displayed on the display device 203. Display device 2
The coordinates on 03 correspond to the coordinates on the coordinate input device 201, and a cursor 205 is displayed at the coordinates on the display device corresponding to the coordinates specified by the coordinate input device 206.

The coordinate input device 206 may be any pencil-shaped object, and of course may be a finger. The cable 204 also transfers data from the coordinate input device 201 to the computer 202.
It can also be replaced with a transmission method that utilizes infrared rays or electromagnetic waves, as long as it can be transmitted to other people.

In this application example, the display device 203 is divided into four areas, and the operating mode of the computer is switched by specifying an area on the display with the cursor 205.

In this device, after moving the cursor 205 to the area desired by the user on the display device 203, by increasing the pressure applied to the coordinate input tool 206,
By operating the auxiliary input device constituted by 2 to 109, it is possible to make the computer 202 recognize that the area specified by the cursor 205 is a special area for the user.

Further, the operation of the auxiliary input device can also be confirmed using the display lamp 111.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the invention. Component 10 in the diagram
1 to 110 indicate the same components as those having the same numbers in FIG. 1, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 4, the pressure sensitive rubber sheet 304 is assumed to have a characteristic that the two-way resistance value decreases as the applied pressure P increases.

The operational amplifier 301 amplifies the potential difference across the resistor r107 and provides it to the A/D converter 302.

Next, the operation will be explained. The resistance value of the pressure-sensitive rubber sheet 304 decreases due to the pressure applied to the pressure point 110, and the resistance value r
A potential difference occurs between both ends of 107.

Here, when the pressure at the pressure point 110 is increased, the resistance value of the pressure-sensitive rubber sheet 304 decreases due to the characteristics shown in FIG.
The potential difference across 107 increases. Furthermore, when the pressure at the pressurizing point 110 is reduced, the potential difference across the resistor r107 decreases for the same reason.

Since the operational amplifier 301 amplifies the potential difference across the resistor r107 and supplies it to the A/D converter 302, the A/D converter output 303 increases or decreases as the pressure applied to the pressure point 110 increases or decreases.

Let us consider a graphic input system using this device and having a configuration as shown in FIG. If drawing is performed with an afterimage of the point passed by the cursor 205 remaining, it is possible to draw an image on the display 203 exactly as drawn with the coordinate input device 206. In that case, the thickness of the line drawn on the display 203 is changed by the output of the A/D converter 302,
By drawing a thick line with the coordinate input tool 206 when rubbing strongly, and a thin line when rubbing weakly, the user can input the desired image.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, it is possible to operate an auxiliary input device at the same time as inputting coordinates and input pressure as data without requiring a special input pen or the like.
It becomes possible to improve the operability of the input device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective explanatory diagram of an application example of the present invention, Fig. 3 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the present invention, and the fourth part is a pressure-sensitive rubber It is a characteristic diagram of a sheet. 101... Coordinate input device, 102... Insulating sheet. 103... Electrode A, 104... Pressure sensitive rubber sheet, 1
o5... Electrode B, 106... Comparator, 107
...Resistance r. 108... Voltage generator, 109... Output, 110...
... Pressure point, 111... Display lamp, 201... Coordinate input device! , 202...computer, 203...
display device. Il Mekaku 2nd 5th item, 201

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A coordinate detection device that detects specific coordinates on a two-dimensional space, and pressure detection means for detecting the pressure exerted on the coordinate detection device by a coordinate designation instrument that specifies specific coordinates to the coordinate detection device. A coordinate input device characterized in that a coordinate detection device is provided with a.