JPH03156522A - Input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To not only select an item with finger touch but also input information with pen touch by attaching/detaching a tablet to/from a display screen and switching the operation mode in accordance with the identification result of the attaching/detaching state. CONSTITUTION:When an attachable/detachable tablet 3 is set to the front position of a display screen 1, a detector 5 detects the tablet 3. The detection signal is sent from a detecting circuit 7 and is inputted to a control part 9 through a bus 10, and the tablet 3 is set to the finger touch mode. Consequently, the information of item selection dependent upon finger touch or soft key input is sent to an external terminal through an interface 4 and the bus 10. When the tablet 3 is set to a position indicated by chain lines 3', the detection signal from a detecting circuit 8 is inputted to the control part 9 to switch the mode to the pen touch mode. Consequently, a character or a graphic is drawn on the tablet 3' with a specific pen to input the picture with high resolution.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an input device such as a data terminal, and particularly to an input device using a tablet.

Conventional technology In the past, a transparent touch screen tablet (so-called touch panel) was fixedly mounted in front of the screen of the display device, and the operator touched the touch screen with his/her finger to display the display device. An input device is known that is configured to input selections of items displayed on a screen or a soft key.

In addition to the finger-touch type tablet fixed to the front of the screen of the display device, there is also a Pentazo F1M tablet fixed on the desk or movable to any position, and a specific Ben can be operated on this Bent-touch type tablet. By inputting handwritten characters and figures, on the other hand,
There is also known an input device configured to perform item selection input and manual keystroke input using a finger touch tablet.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, according to the above-mentioned configuration including only the finger touch type tablet, the resolution of the finger touch type tablet is too low for the purpose of inputting handwritten characters and figures. Because the tablet is fixed almost vertically in front of the screen,
Since it is inconvenient for drawing characters and figures, there is a problem in that it is difficult to input handwritten characters and figures.

On the other hand, according to the above-mentioned configuration that also includes a Bentouch type tablet, it is possible to use the Bentouch type tablet in an orientation and position suitable for drawing characters and figures, and input handwritten characters and figures with sufficient resolution and ease of use. However, there is a problem in that the input device becomes expensive because it includes two types of tablet lefts.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and uses only one tablet to perform both item selection input using finger touch, manual soft key input, and input of handwritten characters and figures using Bentouch. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an input device that can be used easily.

Means for Solving the Problems In recent years, tablets that are completely transparent and have a structure that can be used both as finger-touch tablets and pentacle tablets have been devised.

An example of this is the tablet described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-39232. This is done by superimposing two resistive sheets and detecting the contact position of the electric vent with high precision using electrical potential, and performs touch input by detecting the contact position of the finger using electric current. The structure can easily make the whole transparent by making the resistance sorting transparent.

The present invention has a tablet that can be operated in either the pen touch mode or the pen touch mode, which can be attached to and removed from a position in front of the screen of a display device, and which can be attached to or removed from a position in front of the screen of a display device. means for identifying whether the tablet is attached to the tablet or placed in a position other than the front position of the screen; By switching the operation mode,
The tablet is configured to operate in a finger touch mode when the tablet is placed in the front position of the screen, and to operate in a pen touch mode when the tablet is placed in the other position.

Effect of the Invention With the above-described configuration, the present invention allows the tablet to be used as a finger-touch tablet when attached to the front position of the screen of the display device, to perform item selection input and manual input of soft keys. When removed from the tablet and placed in a position and orientation convenient for drawing handwritten characters and figures, it can be used as a bench-touch tablet to input handwritten characters and figures with ease.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an input device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a display device, and 2 is its interface section. 3 is a tablet that can be used in either an operating mode as a finger-touch tablet (finger-touch mode) or a high-resolution operating mode as a bench-touch tablet (pen-touch mode), and 4 is its interface section. The tablet 3 can be mounted substantially perpendicularly in front of the screen of the display device 1 as shown, or it can be removed from there and placed at the position indicated by the chain line 3' at an angle suitable for Ben input.

In order to identify which state the tablet 3 is in,
A detector 5 for detecting the tablet 3 attached to the screen Mi and the T surface position of the display device 1, a detector 6 for detecting the tablet 3 placed at the position indicated by the chain line 3' for pen input, and each detector. A detection circuit 7.8 is provided at 5.6 to send out a detection signal according to the output.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a tablet control section that controls the operation of the tablet 3 via the interface section 4, and this also switches the operation mode of the tablet 3 in response to detection signals from the detection circuits 7 and 8.

10 is a bus for communication inside and outside the device.

The operation of the input device configured as described above will be explained below.

First, when selecting or inputting items displayed on the screen of the DisGray device 1 or inputting soft keys, the tablet 3 is used with the device placed at the screen 0-1 position as shown. In this case, the tablet 3 is detected by the detector 5, and its detection W signal is sent from the detection I path 7, which is input to the tablet control unit 9 via the bus 10, so the tablet control unit 9 detects the tablet 3. Operate in finger touch mode. Therefore, by touching a desired position on the tablet 3 with a finger, the operator can perform item selection input or manually operate the soft keys. Input information is sent to an external data terminal or the like via the interface section 4 and bus 10.

When inputting handwritten characters or figures, remove the tablet 3 from the screen ni1 position of the display device 1,
Use it by setting it at the position indicated by the chain line 3'.

In this case, the detection signal is no longer output from the detection circuit 7, and the detection signal from the other detection circuit 8 is input to the tablet control unit 9, so the tablet control unit 9 switches the operation mode of the tablet 3 to the pen touch mode. Therefore, by drawing characters or figures on the tablet 3 using a specific Bent (not shown) for Bent touch input, the operator can input the image at high resolution.

Since the position 3' and angle at which the tablet 3 is placed can be selected to be convenient for drawing characters and figures, input operability is improved.

Note that the tablet 3 may be placed at any position during Bentouch input. In that case, the detector 6 may be provided on the tablet 3, or the detector 6 may be omitted and only the detection output of the detector 5 can be used. It is also possible to identify the state of the tablet 3.

In addition, if the item selection key ]2 is assigned to the area shown in Figure 2 while the tablet 3 is being used in the finger touch mode, for example, if the item selection key ]2 is assigned to the area shown in Figure 2, while the tablet 3 is being used in the pen touch mode, the Cover 14 to tablet 3
It may be attached to the item selection key 12 to prevent the item selection key 12 from being touched.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above explanation, the present invention enables item selection input by finger touch, manual soft key input, and handwritten character and figure input by Bent touch input using a single tablet. In the case of Bentouch input, the tablet can be placed in a convenient position and angle for Bentouch input to improve operability.Furthermore, since there is only one tablet, it is possible to use separate tablets for finger touch input and Bentouch input. This has the advantage that the input device can be made cheaper compared to a configuration in which the input device is used.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an input device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of item selection keys assigned to a tablet in the case of finger touch input, and FIG. 3 is an item selection key on the tablet. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of attaching a cover to a portion of the key to prevent touching. l...display device, 3...tablet, 3'
...Tufflet position during Bentouch input, 5.6.
...Detector, 7, 8...Detection circuit, 9...Tablet control unit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A display device that displays information on a screen; a tablet that can be attached and detached to a position in front of the screen of the display device and whose operating mode can be switched to a pen touch mode or a finger touch mode; and a tablet that is attached to a position in front of the screen. a means for identifying whether the tablet is in a state in which the tablet is placed in front of the screen or in a state in which the tablet is placed in a position other than the position in front of the screen; and switching an operation mode of the tablet in accordance with a result of the identification by the means. By this,
An input device comprising means for operating the tablet in a finger touch mode when the tablet is attached to the screen front position, and operating in a pen touch mode when the tablet is placed at the other position.