JPH0256017A - Touch position detecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the anxiety caused by uncertainty by using an induced voltage variation characteristic to a conductive sheet cell and feeding back a position instructed by an operator and its instructed definite time point. CONSTITUTION:The touch position detecting device has a display information memory 1 for storing an operation menu being information for a touch operation, for instance, the name of a person, etc., a display device 2 and a conductive sheet 3 provided in the vicinity of the device, and also, provided with a scanning circuit 4, an amplifier group 5, a coordinate output circuit 6, a contact signal output circuit 7, an index generating circuit 8, a gate circuit 9, and a sign generator 10. In this state, as an operator brings a finger close to a conductive cell 31i, the degree of ascent of its potential becomes large. This state is read out as occasion calls by the scanning circuit 4, and its coordinate position is superposed on an output from the memory 1 by the index generating circuit 8 and fed back, and displayed on the display device 2. Accordingly, the operator can confirm the position of a part to be brought into contact with before being brought into contact with the conductive cell 31i.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a touch position detection device that feeds back the position specified by an operator and the time point at which the instruction is confirmed when an information (operation menu) display surface is touched.

(Prior Art) As a means for directly inputting an operator's intention, an operation key is used, the operation key is directly touched on an information display surface, and the touched position is detected. It is well known that so-called touch sensors are effective.

Here are some typical touch sensors that have been put into practical use.

(a) An electric resistance change detection type touch sensor that overlaps two conductive sheets so that they do not come into direct contact so that only the part to which an external force is applied is electrically conductive, and detects the coordinate position of the electrically conductive sheet.

(b) A beam-blocking touch sensor that spreads a beam of light in a space near the information display surface and detects when an object attempts to touch the information display surface by blocking the beam.

However, these had the following drawbacks: Regarding (,) above, the position coordinates cannot be fed back to the operator before the operator contacts the conductive sheet, so it is difficult to determine the indicated position. There is a great deal of anxiety due to not being able to confirm accuracy before operation.

Regarding (b) above, although the operator does not touch the sensor, the time point at which the position coordinates specified by the operator are determined is not fed back, so there is great anxiety due to the uncertainty of the input time point.

(Objective of the Invention) An object of the present invention is to provide feedback on the position indicated by the operator and the time point at which the instruction is confirmed, in order to eliminate the operator's anxiety.

(Structure of the Invention) (Characteristics of the Invention and Differences from the Prior Art) The present invention utilizes the characteristics of induced voltage change in conductive sheet cells arranged in segments attached to or close to an information display surface to control operation. The most important feature is to provide feedback on the location indicated by the person and the time when the instruction is confirmed.

In the conventional technology, it is not possible to confirm the accuracy of the position indicated by the operator before operation, whereas the present invention is different in that this is possible.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the overall configuration of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a display information memory that stores operation menus that are information for touch operations, such as people's names, place names, etc., 2 is a display device such as a CRT or liquid crystal display as an information display means, and 3 is the display device 2. A conductive sheet attached to or close to the information display surface of the device. This conductive sheet is a collection of light-transmissive conductive sheet cells, and FIG. 2 shows an enlarged detailed example thereof.

In FIG. 2, conductive cells 31 . i (i = 1.2.3...N)
31j (,j'' l+L3...N pieces) etc. are arranged in a segment shape as shown on the side to cover almost the entire display surface, and readout portions 33j, 33j each accommodate an induced potential readout function. By providing this in contact with each conductive cell, it contributes to improving the S/N of read potential information.

Further, each of the conductive cells 31i, 31j, etc. is electrically insulated by an insulator 32, so that the potential of a designated position can be clearly identified.

Returning to FIG. 1, reference numeral 4 denotes a scanning circuit that performs scanning to read out the induced potential induced in each conductive cell 31i, 31j, etc. at any time, and in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a scanning line 41a in the X direction, 41b... and a scanning line 42a in the Y direction,
42b... intersecting boosters 50i, 50j...
- Operate the amplifier by supplying power only to.

The potentials of the conductive cells 31i, 31j, etc. connected to that position are read out to the readout line 43. Reference numeral 5 denotes an amplifier group of the above-mentioned amplifiers 50i, 50j, etc., which amplifies the induced potential induced in each conductive cell 3]i, 31j, etc., lowers the impedance of the output, and connects the primary stage coordinate detection circuit 6. This makes it easy to route the readout line 43 up to the . These have a high input impedance (several 100 k
Ω or more), that is, it can be configured by a low frequency voltage amplifier or the like whose input terminal is close to an open state.

Further, the above-mentioned coordinate output circuit 6 outputs the coordinates of the conductive cells 31i, 31j, etc. having the highest induced potential based on input from the scanning circuit 4 and the readout line 43. Reference numeral 7 denotes a contact signal output circuit that periodically monitors changes in the induced potential of the conductive cell with the highest induced potential and outputs a contact signal when a potential increase of more than a certain threshold value is detected within a unit time. The pattern is illustrated in FIG. That is, due to the antenna effect caused by a conductive object (a finger of a human body, etc.), the conductive cell 31i
, 34j..., an induced potential (mainly a noise potential whose fundamental frequency is the power supply frequency) is generated in the readout portions 33i, 33j..., and as the conductive object approaches, the induced potential increases as the degree of coupling increases. , a contact signal is output when the potential rises rapidly at the time of contact and exceeds the threshold value (broken line) of the contact signal output circuit 7.

Reference numeral 8 denotes an index creation circuit that visually feeds back the output of the coordinate output circuit 6 onto the display device 2, and is displayed superimposed on the output from the display information memory 1. 9
10 is a gate circuit that outputs the x and y coordinates of the coordinate output circuit 6 to the outside when there is an output from the touch signal output circuit 7, and 10 is a gate circuit that notifies the operator of the point in time when there is an output from the touch signal output circuit 7. This is the signal generator for SUTATAφ.

Moreover, in place of this signal generator, an image signal of an index representing the point of contact is created so that the output of the contact signal output circuit 7 can be clearly distinguished from the output of the index generation circuit 8.

As in the case of the index generation circuit 8, it may be configured to be displayed on the display device 2 in a manner that is superimposed on the output from the display information memory 1.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. first.

As an operator (not shown) brings his finger closer to, for example, the conductive cell 31i, the potential of the conductive cell 31i increases more than the surrounding conductive cells, as shown in FIG. In this state, the scanning circuit 4 reads out the induced potential at any time, and the coordinate output circuit 6 outputs the coordinates x and y of the conductive cell that is highest than the surroundings. The coordinate position is the index creation circuit 8
is superimposed on the output from the display information memory 1 and fed back to the operator in real time, and the display device 2
An indicator is displayed in a portion corresponding to the conductive cell 31i of -1-. Therefore, the operator can confirm the position of the part to be contacted before contacting the conductive cell 31j.

When the operator touches the conductive cell 31i with his or her finger, the potential rises rapidly at that point as illustrated in FIG. Generator! The point in time is signaled by 0. Then, an index representing the point of contact is output from the index creation circuit 8 and displayed on the display device 2, and the x and y coordinates at that point are outputted by the gate circuit 9.

In this way, the operator can perform a touch operation while checking his or her own operation status, and can also clearly recognize when the operation is finalized.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, the present invention realizes feedback of both the indicated position and the point of time when the indicated instruction is confirmed by focusing on the characteristics of the induced voltage in the conductive sheet cells arranged in segments. . Therefore, even if the indicated position deviates from the position intended by the operator, this can be recognized before the operation is finalized, making it easy to correct the position6.
Since the operation is finalized only after the instructed position has been fed back to the operator, the operator can operate with peace of mind.

Furthermore, in the configuration of the device, there is no need to provide separate detection sections for feeding back both of the above information, resulting in a simple configuration and cost reduction.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the overall configuration of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is an enlarged detailed side view of the conductive sheet 3 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a side view of the structure of the scanning circuit 4 shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of induced voltage change characteristics of a conductive cell. 1... Display information memory, 2... Display device, 3... Conductive sheet, 311゜31j... Conductive cell of conductive sheet 3, 32... Insulator, 33i
, 33j...readout part, 4...scanning circuit,
41a, 41b...X direction scanning line, 42a, 4
2b -y direction scanning line, 43... readout line, 5
...Amplifier group, 50i. 50j...Amplifier, 6...Coordinate output circuit, 7.
...Touch signal output circuit, 8...Indicator creation circuit, 9
...Gate circuit, 10...Signal generator. Patent Applicant: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation Figure 4: Ripakudaizu

Claims (1)

[Claims] It has a conductive sheet consisting of a set of light-transmissive conductive sheet cells attached to or close to the information display surface for touch operation and arranged in segments, and a conductive object is placed on the conductive sheet by the operator. The induced potential strength induced in each conductive sheet cell when approached is detected, the position of the conductive sheet cell where the detected potential strength is larger than the surroundings is determined at any time, and the position on the information display surface corresponding to the determined position is determined. It monitors changes in the potential intensity of the conductive sheet cell located at the discrimination position at any time, and outputs a contact signal at the time when the potential intensity increases rapidly. Report the point of contact,
A touch position detection device characterized in that it is configured to simultaneously output position coordinates of the information display surface.