JPH0281118A - Optical sensor type touch panel input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To decrease the malfunctions by arraying as prescribed the light emitting and receiving elements forming a touch switch in order to secure the fine resolution for increase of the input areas and also to secure the satisfactory intervals of malfunctions. CONSTITUTION:The X and Y axis infrared light transmitting and receiving elements 7 and 8 forming a touch switch of an optical sensor type touch panel input device 1 are arrayed zigzag with the elements 7 set in the upper row and the elements 8 set in the lower row respectively. While the elements 8 are set in the upper row with the elements 7 set in the lower row at the counter face side. When the light emitted from an element 8 is cut off by a finger, etc., the corresponding element 7 responds and the touch switch works. The same array of both elements 7 and 8 is prepared also at the Y axis side. In such a constitution, the finer resolution is secured owing to the zigzag arrangement of both elements 7 and 8 and furthermore the interference is reduced among these elements owing to an array including the upper and lower rows. Then the malfunctions can be decreased with a touch panel input device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an optical sensor type touch panel input device, and particularly to a touch panel input device that allows a large number of inputs and is error-prone.

[Conventional technology]

As a conventional optical sensor type touch panel input device, for example, there is a device as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-52730. In this device.

Power consumption is reduced by providing a transparent panel on the display surface, activating a switch by pressing the panel, and scanning only when necessary.

However, a certain amount of spacing is required to prevent malfunction of the coordinate detection elements, and since they are arranged in a horizontal line, the resolution cannot be made any finer, and the number of input areas cannot be increased. I couldn't even do that.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In this way, in conventional optical sensor type touch panel input devices, the coordinate detection elements are arranged in a horizontal row, and it is necessary to provide intervals to prevent malfunction of the elements. The problem was that it was not possible to increase the number of

The purpose of the present invention is to solve these conventional problems and provide an optical sensor type touch panel input that can improve resolution, increase the number of input areas, and reduce malfunctions by ensuring sufficient intervals between malfunctions. The goal is to provide equipment.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the optical sensor type touch panel input device according to the present invention has the following features:
Scans light in two directions that are almost orthogonal to each other, vertically and horizontally,
A touch panel detects touch input coordinates with a coordinate detection element group consisting of the light emitting element and the light receiving element by blocking dazzling light with a finger, and an input area and characters are displayed at the touch input location at a position close to the touch panel. In the optical sensor type touch panel input device equipped with an image display means, coordinate detection element groups of light emitting elements and light receiving elements arranged at the vertical and horizontal ends of the touch panel are arranged in a staggered manner, and 9! It is characterized by the fact that the optical element rows and light receiving element rows are arranged alternately in the upper and lower rows, and the lower row and the upper row, and the distance between each coordinate detection element is maintained to the extent that they do not interfere with each other, and a large number of input areas are provided. .

[For production]

In the present invention, the coordinate detection elements are arranged in a staggered manner and one light-emitting element and one light-receiving element are arranged alternately to obtain finer resolution and a larger input area. In other words, the coordinate detection elements mounted on the four edges of the input panel in a staggered arrangement, top and bottom, and in pairs on the left and right, and the light emitting elements and light receiving elements arranged alternately, allow for precise touch input by fingers, etc. Coordinates can be detected and many inputs can be made.

〔Example〕

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an optical sensor type touch panel input device showing an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 1 is an optical sensor type touch panel input device of the present invention, 2 is a main control unit that controls the entire device such as a touch panel control unit and a CRT display control unit via a bus, and 3
4 is a touch panel with a matrix resolution of 80 columns x 48 rows, 4 is a DRT display arranged corresponding to the input area of touch panel 3 and displays characters, 5 is C
A CRT display control unit that controls the display of the RT display 4; 6 a touch panel control unit that controls the touch panel 3 and decodes the touch input position of a finger, etc.; 7 an X-axis infrared light emitting element array; and 8 an X-axis bearing. 9 is a Y-axis infrared light emitting element array; 10 is a Y-axis light receiving element array; 11 is a light emitting element drive circuit; 12 is an X-axis coordinate determination circuit; and 13 is a Y-axis coordinate determination circuit.

The touch panel 3 detects the coordinates in the X-axis direction when touched with a finger or the like, and distinguishes between the X-axis infrared light emitting element array 7 and the X-axis light receiving element array 8, each consisting of 80 elements, and the The direction coordinates are detected and the Y-axis infrared light emitting element array 9 and the Y-axis light receiving element array 10 each consisting of 48 elements are determined. Also,
The light emitting element drive circuit 11 includes X and Y axis infrared light emitting elements 7 and 9.
The X-axis coordinate determination circuit 12 determines the touch input position of a finger or the like in the X-axis direction based on the output of the X-axis light receiving element 8. Furthermore, a Y-axis coordinate determination circuit 13 determines the touch input position of a finger or the like in the Y-axis direction based on the output of the Y-axis light receiving element array 10.

2 is a perspective view showing the structure of the optical sensor type touch panel input device of FIG. 1. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, on the screen of the CRT display 4, an array indicating touch input areas of a finger or the like is made in correspondence with the input coordinates of the touch panel 3. The CRT display control section 5 performs display control based on display data from the main control section 2 in order to display characters and the like on the screen of the CRT display 4. The touch panel 3 sequentially drives the light emitting elements of the X-axis and Y-axis light emitting element rows 7 and 9 through the light emitting element drive circuit 11 under scanning control of the touch panel control unit 6, and scans light in mutually orthogonal and vertical directions. let

In this case, in the present invention, as shown in FIG.
axis, Y-axis light emitting element rows 7, 9, and light receiving element rows 8, 1
The coordinate detection elements of 0 are arranged in a staggered manner. In addition, the upper row is an array of light-emitting elements, the lower row is a row of light-receiving elements, the upper row on the opposite side is an array of light-receiving elements, and the lower row is an array of light-emitting elements, which are alternately arranged to maintain a spacing that prevents malfunction of the elements and improves resolution. ing.

Further, the X-axis and Y-axis coordinate determination circuits 12.13 detect the light scanned on the X-axis and the Y-axis, respectively.
Based on the outputs of the Y-axis light-receiving element arrays 8 and 10, it is determined whether multiple pieces of light are continuously blocked due to touch input from a finger, etc., or whether two or more pieces of light are input simultaneously and multiple pieces of light are interrupted intermittently. Is it blocked or is there no touch input?

Determine which of the following. Touch panel control unit 6
deciphers each coordinate data in the X-axis and Y-axis directions based on the determination, and detects the touch input coordinates of the finger or the like if touch input is made by the finger or the like.

In this way, the light-emitting element rows and the light-receiving element rows are arranged in a staggered manner, with the upper row being the light-emitting element row and the lower row being the light-receiving element row. Since it is arranged in rows, the density of the sensor of the element is constant, and in the conventional case, the coordinates (2, 3
), (2,4), (3,3), and (3,4) were required.

Now all you need is the coordinates (2, 3) on the CRT display. That is, conventionally, the four diagonally shaded areas in the matrix shown in FIG. 1 were the distinguishable areas, but in this embodiment, the one area indicated by the small diagonal lines is the distinguishable unit.

In this embodiment, the number of input areas can be increased by making the coordinates of the CRT finer.

It is possible to improve functionality.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, the light-emitting element row and the light-receiving element row are arranged in a staggered manner, resulting in fine resolution. You no longer have to worry about malfunctions, and you can get more input.

As a result, the reading device of the present invention is effective for devices that require many inputs, and is effective in improving functionality.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an optical sensor type panel input device showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the internal structure of the coordinate detection elements having a staggered arrangement as shown in FIG. 1: Optical sensor type touch panel input device, 2: Main control unit,
3: Touch panel, 4: CRT display, 5:
CRT display control unit, 6: Touch panel control unit, 7: X-axis infrared light emitting element row, 8: X-axis light receiving element row, 9: Y-axis infrared light emitting element row, 10: Y-axis light receiving element row, 11: Light emission Element drive circuit, 12: X-axis coordinate determination circuit, 13: Y-axis coordinate determination circuit. Diagram

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. By scanning light from the light-emitting element to the light-receiving element in two directions that are almost orthogonal to each other, vertically and horizontally, and blocking the light with your finger, touch with the coordinate detection element group consisting of the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element. An optical sensor type touch panel input device comprising a touch panel that detects input coordinates, and an image display means that displays an input area and characters at a touch input location in a position close to the touch panel, arranged at the vertical and horizontal ends of the touch panel. Coordinate detection element groups of light emitting elements and light receiving elements are arranged in a staggered manner, and the light emitting element rows and light receiving element rows are arranged alternately in upper and lower rows and lower and upper rows, and each coordinate detection element does not interfere with each other. 1. An optical sensor type touch panel input device characterized in that a large number of input areas are provided while maintaining a certain distance between the input areas.