JPH06119114A - Touch panel display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily inspect a fault even if the fault occurs in a switch element of a touch panel part. CONSTITUTION:A display control part 31 display an image at an image display part 35 with image data for operation or inspection. The touch panel part 37 which has plural touch switch elements and is superposed on the image display part 35 is connected to a switch detection part 39. The switch detection part 39 detects a touch position on the touch panel part 37. A mode switching part 41 switches image data from a main control part 29 for inspection. The main control part 29 decides which image area on the touch panel part 37 is touched and decides that the switch element is faulty when the witch detection part 39 can not detect a touch position in an image display area in an inspection image.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a touch panel display device, which is mounted as an operation panel device in a control device or other devices and which is touched (touched) by an operator or an operating finger of an operating machine. Of the touch panel display device for operating the above equipment from the outside.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a touch panel display device of this type, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, a main control unit 1 is connected via a display control unit 3 to an image display unit 5 such as a liquid crystal display or a plasma display. , A touch panel portion 7 having a plurality of switch elements (not shown in FIG. 6) that are turned on by a touch from the outside in a matrix and having good transparency is superimposed on the image display surface of the image display portion 5, and the touch panel portion 7 is A configuration is known in which the switch detection unit 9 is connected to the main control unit 1 while being connected to the switch detection unit 9. That is, the display control unit 3 controls the layout of the display image of the image display unit 5 based on the image data for operation output from the main control unit 1, and the switch detection unit 9 outputs the switch signals from the individual switch elements of the touch panel unit 7. Detecting the position of the touch panel unit 7 that is switched on from the outside by detecting the position, and specifying the display image area corresponding to the switched on position by the main control unit 1. The main control unit 1 determines whether is input from outside.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the operator displays an image on the image display section 5 arranged on the operation surface side of the main body case 13 of the control device 11, that is, a ten-key display 15.
a, cursor display arrow display 15b and table display 1
By touching those display areas of the touch panel portion (transparent and invisible in FIG. 7) 7 with a finger, a pen or the like while looking at 5c, it is possible to input and change the number of numbers corresponding to the touch area. . By the way, in the touch panel section 7 described above, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, a flexible sheet 21 or 23 having a large number of elongated electrodes 17 and 19 formed in a comb shape on one side is sandwiched with a spacer 25. The electrodes 17 and 19 are stacked in a state of being orthogonal to each other, and are formed so as to be entirely transparent.

Then, by touching a finger or the like from one surface side of the touch panel portion 7, the counter electrodes 17 and 19 are brought into contact with each other to be turned on.
A switch element 27 is formed by 7 and 19.
Of course, by the plurality of adjacent switch elements 27, each numeric key area (switch area) of the ten-key display 15a is displayed.
Each arrow key area (switch area) of the arrow display 15b is formed.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned touch panel display device, a failure such as a poor contact or a state of being in contact (normal contact) with the switch element 27 of the touch panel portion 7 due to humidity, dust or the like occurs. There is a possibility that it may occur, and if a contact failure or normal contact occurs, the switch element 27
If so, the operation of the switch area including the switch element 27 is likely to be uncertain, and in some cases, the operation cannot be substantially used until the touch panel portion 7 is replaced. In particular, the control device is not always installed in a clean environment, but is often installed in a manufacturing site where temperature and humidity change easily and air is easily polluted, so that the touch panel unit 7 maintains high quality. This is not always easy, and its solution has been desired from the viewpoint of ensuring a reliable touch operation.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a conventional drawback, and an object thereof is to provide a touch panel display device capable of easily inspecting even if a part of the switch elements of the touch panel unit fails. And Another object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel display device capable of setting an alternative image display area corresponding to another switch element in place of a defective switch element.

[0007]

In order to solve such problems, the present invention provides an image display section having an optical image display surface, and a display control section for controlling display of the image display section based on image data. , A touch panel portion that has switch elements that are turned on or off by a touch from the outside in a matrix shape and that can be seen through a display image that is superimposed on the image display surface of the image display portion, and those switch elements that are turned on or off A switch detection unit that detects a switch element and a main control unit that outputs image data to the display control unit. Which display image area is operated from the outside based on the detection signal and image data from the switch detection unit. And a main control unit for determining. In particular, the present invention has a mode switching unit for switching the main control unit to output the inspection image data for the touch panel unit to the display control unit, and the main control unit gives an instruction during image display based on the inspection image data. When the detection signals corresponding to the inspected image area are not aligned, it is characterized in that it is formed so as to determine the defect of the switch element corresponding to the detection signal and identify the image area corresponding to the defective switch element. .

Further, according to the present invention, a correction table creating section is provided, and when the main control section specifies an image area corresponding to the defective switch element, the main image is replaced by the specified image area based on the touch on the touch panel section. Has a function of outputting the substitute image area data to the correction table creating section, and the correction table creating section has a function of creating a correction table for correcting the specific image area in the image data to the alternative image area. However, the display control unit has a function of controlling the display of the image display unit with the image data whose position is corrected by referring to the correction table from the correction table creating unit,
The switch detection unit can be formed to have a function of outputting a position-corrected detection signal with reference to the correction table to the main control unit.

[0009]

According to the present invention having such means, the inspection image data is output from the main control unit to the display control unit by switching the mode switching unit, and the inspection image is displayed on the image display unit. When the detection signals corresponding to the inspection image area designated in the inspection image are not aligned, the main control unit determines that the switch element corresponding to the detection signal is defective, and the image area corresponding to the defective switch element. Specify. Further, in the configuration having the correction table creating unit and the main control unit having the function of setting the alternative image area, when the main control unit specifies the image area corresponding to the defective switch element, Based on the touch, the substitute image area data that substitutes for the specific image area is output to the correction table creating unit, the correction table creating unit creates a correction table, and the display control unit refers to the correction table to specify. The display control of the image display unit is performed by the image data in which the position of the image region is corrected to the alternative image region, and the detection signal of which the position is corrected is output to the main control unit by referring to the switch detection unit and its correction table.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a touch panel display device according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the main control unit 2
The display control unit 9 displays a plurality of operation and inspection image data.
1 and the alternative image area data described later is output to the correction table creating unit 33. Details of the main control unit 29 and the correction table creating unit 33 will be described later. The display control unit 31 is, for example, a liquid crystal display,
It is connected to an image display unit 35, which is a known image display unit having an optical image display surface such as a plasma display or a CRT display, and is used for operation or inspection image data from the display control unit 31 and further correction. The image layout of the image display unit 35 is controlled by the image data whose position is corrected based on the correction table from the table creation unit 33 described later.

A touch panel portion 37 is directly or at a slight distance overlaid on the image display surface of the image display portion 35. The touch panel unit 37 has the configuration shown in FIG. 8 described above, has a plurality of switch elements 27 that are turned on by a touch from the outside in a matrix, and the plurality of adjacent switch elements 27 are images of the image display unit 35. A switch area (see FIG. 7 to be described later) corresponding to a predetermined display area on the display surface is formed so as to be transparent so that the display surface of the image display unit 35 can be seen. Each switch element 27 of the touch panel unit 37 can be formed so that the switch is turned off by a touch from the outside.

Each switch element 27 of the touch panel section 37
Is connected to the switch detector 39. Actually, each electrode (see FIG. 8) 17 forming each switch element 27, 1
9 extends from the end of the touch panel unit 37 and is connected to the switch detection unit 39. The switch detector 39 determines which of the switch elements 27 depending on the conduction state of the electrodes 17 and 19.
Is detected and output to the main control unit 29. The mode switching unit 41 outputs to the main control unit 29 a mode switching signal for switching the operation image data output from the main control unit 29 to the inspection image data.

As shown in FIG. 4, which will be described later, the mode switching signal switches a built-in dip switch (which is hidden and invisible) from a setting window 47 provided in the main body case 45 of the control device 43, and the mode switching section 41. In addition to the switching signal input from the outside to the ten key display 49a of the image display unit 35
Touch the area corresponding to the inspection switching display on the password input from the image area of the touch panel unit 37 (not visible in FIG. 4) corresponding to, or on the mode switching image, which is a kind of display image for operation (not shown). By doing so, it is output from the mode switching unit 41. The main control unit 29 determines which image area in the image display is operated based on the detection signal from the switch detection unit 39 and the operation or inspection image data, and the mode switching signal of the mode switching unit 41. Has a function of switching from the operation image data to the inspection image data and outputting the image data to the display control unit 31, and at the same time having the function of outputting the original operation image data when the inspection is completed. is doing.

That is, the main control unit 29 receives the designation of the entire inspection image based on the inspection image data or the limited image range of the inspection image from the touch panel unit 37, and sequentially determines the predetermined regions in the specific image range. If a predetermined number of detection signals for blinking and forming a switch area SW corresponding to the blinking image area are obtained from the switch detection unit 39, it is determined that the corresponding switch element in the image area is normal, while the blinking image is determined. When the predetermined number of detection signals corresponding to the area are not aligned within a predetermined time, it is determined that one of the switch elements corresponding to the image area is out of order,
The designated image area corresponding to the faulty switch element is stored. Further, when the entire inspection image or the limited image range area is designated at once, the main control section 29 obtains a predetermined number of detection signals corresponding to all the designated image areas from the switch detection section 39 within a predetermined time. If so, the corresponding switch element is normal, and if a predetermined number is not provided, it is determined that there is a failure in the switch element 27 corresponding to any of the switch areas SW, and the function is stored.

For example, when the switch elements 27 corresponding to the image display of the numeral "7" shown in FIG. 5 are arranged like "7a" to "7i" to form the switch area SW,
If the detection signals from the predetermined number of switch elements “7a” to “7i” are aligned, the main control unit 29 determines that the number is “7”. If the detection signals are not aligned in the predetermined number, do not determine the number “7”. become. In addition, the main controller 29 controls the failure switch element 2
7 has a function of outputting alternative image area data such as an image area corresponding to No. 7 or an unset alternative image area to the correction table creating unit 33.

The correction table creating section 33 creates a correction table for correcting the position of normal image data from the image areas corresponding to the faulty switch elements and the alternative image area data such as the position-changed alternative image areas. It has the function of storing. Then, the display control unit 31 described above
Controls the layout of the image display unit 35 by referring to the correction table of the correction table creation unit 33 with respect to the operation or inspection image data from the main control unit 29 and making corrections such as shifting the image display position.

On the other hand, the switch detection unit 37 also corrects the position by referring to the correction table of the correction table creation unit 33 and outputs a detection signal to the main control unit. When there are a plurality of inspection image data, that is, inspection images, the main control unit 29 can inspect each inspection image and a plurality of correction tables corresponding to the correction table creation unit 33 are also provided. Is set. The main control unit 29, the display control unit 31, the correction table creation unit 33, and the switch detection unit 39.
In many cases, these components are configured by a CPU, a ROM storing an operation program for the CPU, and a microcomputer (not shown) mainly including an interface.

Next, the operation of the above-described touch panel display device according to the present invention mainly composed of a microcomputer will be described with reference to a flow chart. Figure 2
3 is a flow chart showing an inspection process of a faulty switch element in the present invention. 2 and 3, “SW” is an abbreviation for the switch area. When the program starts in FIG. 2, in step 201, it is selected whether or not a range for confirming an abnormality on the touch panel portion 37 is designated. When step 201 is YES, the inspection range is specified on the inspection screen in step 202,
When step 201 is set to NO and the entire screen is set as the inspection range, the process proceeds to step 203.

The inspection range can be specified in step 202 by, for example, touching two points on a diagonal line of the inspection screen from the touch panel section 37 to specify the range in a quadrangle state. By specifying a partial range, it is possible to confirm an abnormality in a narrow and limited range, and it is possible to quickly find a failure in the switch element. In the following step 203, the touch panel section 37 is not touched but is always on (normal contact)
The switch element 27 which is set to "1" is detected, and the routine proceeds to step 204. If there is an abnormality, the confirmation of the faulty switch element 27 and its position are stored.

In step 204, it is selected whether the switch areas SW on the inspection screen are individually inspected or collectively inspected. If YES is selected because the switch areas SW are individually inspected one by one, the process proceeds to step 205, and if NO is performed when the entire switch areas SW on the inspection screen are collectively inspected, step 211 is performed. In step 205, each switch area is blinked and displayed, and a guidance message is displayed so that the operator can push the blinked switch area SW with a finger or a pen. In step 206, it is judged whether or not the confirmation of all switch areas is completed, and if YES, the processing is completed.

If step 206 is NO, step 2
At 07, it is determined whether or not the blinking switch area SW has been pressed within a fixed time. If it is not pressed within a certain time,
This also includes the case where the switch area SW cannot be detected even when the switch area SW is actually pressed. If YES in step 207, the process moves to step 210 to blink the next switch area SW, and in step 207 the switch area SW cannot be detected and NO.
If so, the process proceeds to step 208. In step 208, the fact that the switch area SW cannot be detected is displayed with a sound or a message, and the operator is urged again to press the switch area SW of the touch panel section 37, and step 2
Move to 09.

In step 209, each switch area S
Check again whether W is normal or faulty. For example, if the switch area SW cannot be detected even after a lapse of a certain period of time, or if the operator confirms the failure and presses the failure confirmation key, the failure is recognized and the failure switch area is stored, and the determination is YES, and step 210 is executed. Move. If the confirmation process is not performed and the step 209 is NO, the process returns to the step 208 to display with a sound or a message to urge the user to press the switch area again, and the process proceeds to the step 209.
In step 210, the next switch area SW is blinked and the above-described steps 206 to 210 are repeated.

From step 211, the collective confirmation mode of the switch area is set. The collective confirmation mode is implemented by collectively pressing all the switch areas SW designated by using a jig or the like. In step 211, the guidance message is displayed, and in step 212, the switch areas SW of the touch panel unit 37 are collectively pressed with a jig or the like. In the following step 213, it is determined whether or not all the switch areas SW are normal, and if it is normal and YES is determined, the processing ends, and if at least one abnormal switch area SW is found, NO is determined. Then, the process proceeds to step 214.

In step 214, the fact that the switch area SW cannot be detected is displayed by sound or message, the operator is prompted again to press the switch area, and in step 215 it is confirmed whether or not the switch area SW is normal. . If it is normal and step 215 is YES, the process ends, and if unconfirmed and NO, the process returns to step 214 to display a sound or a message, prompts the user to press the switch area, and confirms all switch areas SW. When the process is completed, the process ends. In this abnormality confirmation mode, even when no abnormality is detected in the switch area SW, the original control mode is automatically restored.

However, in the abnormality confirmation mode, when an abnormality in the switch area SW is confirmed, the operation moves to the position correction mode of the switch area SW as shown in the flowchart of FIG. In FIG. 3, in step 301, there is an abnormality 1
More than one switch area SW is displayed, and in step 302, it is selected whether or not the allocation of the switch area SW is changed, and N
If O, the process ends. In this case, since there is no need to change the allocation of the switch area SW in the portion that does not affect the operation from the touch panel unit 37 even if there is a failure in the switch area SW, the process ends.

If the change is necessary, step 302
When S is selected, the individual fault SW is displayed in step 302A, and whether or not the area allocation is changed for the individual fault SW displayed in step 302B is selected. If NO, the next fault switch is executed in steps 306 and 307. Display the failure SW. In step 303, the changed location is pressed to specify the location. For example, when the numbers on the numeric keypad display 49a shown in FIG. 4 are in a general arrangement as shown in the same figure, some of the switch elements 27 (7a ... If 7i) is out of order, smooth operation cannot be performed. Therefore, as shown in the figure, by changing the allocation of the specific switch area SW1 of the numeric key “7”,
The alternative switch area SW2 on the left of "7" is pressed to move the numeral key "7" on the image. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 49b is an arrow key display and reference numeral 49c is a table display.

In step 304, a message or the like is used to confirm whether or not the destination switch area SW2 is appropriate. If it is correct, the determination is YES and the process proceeds to step 305 to register. If it is incorrect, NO is returned to step 303A and the processing is performed again. Start over. In step 306 following step 305, it is judged whether or not the allocation change of all the switch areas SW has been completed. If NO, the process moves to the next fault SW in step 307, the process returns to step 302A and step 306 returns to YE.
Repeat until S. Then, when the destination of the switch area is determined, the main control unit 29 sends the alternative image area data to the correction table creating unit 33, and the correction table creating unit 3
A correction table is created in 3.

In the touch panel display device of the present invention as described above, the main control unit 29 switches from the operation image data to the inspection image data in response to the mode switching signal from the mode switching unit 41 and outputs it to the display control unit 31 for display. When the inspection image is displayed on the image display unit 35 via the control unit 31, when the detection signals corresponding to the inspection image area touched by the touch panel unit 37 in the inspection image are not aligned, the main control unit 29 detects the detection signal. The switch element 27 corresponding to the signal is determined to be defective and the corresponding image area is specified. Therefore, even if a part of the switch element 27 forming the touch panel unit 37 has a contact failure or a normal contact failure, the inspection can be promptly performed, and the operation of the touch panel display device can be easily understood. Is improved.

Further, in the above-described touch panel display device of the present invention, the switch area SW including the defective switch element is included.
Since the main control unit 29 is provided with the function of setting the alternative image area in place of the specific image area corresponding to, the correction table creating unit 33 is provided for creating the correction table for correcting the position of the specific image area to the alternative image area. Even if a defective switch element occurs on the touch panel unit 37, the display control unit 3
The display control unit 1 controls the display of the image display unit 35 with the image data whose position is corrected by referring to the correction table, and the switch detection unit 39 also outputs the detection signal whose position is corrected by referring to the correction table to the main control unit 29. Therefore, the touch panel unit 7 having the failure switch element can be continuously used.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the detection signals corresponding to the designated inspection image area are not aligned, it is determined that the switch element corresponding to the detection signal is defective, and the corresponding image area is specified. Since the main control unit is provided with such a function, even if the switch element fails in the touch panel unit, the inspection is facilitated and the operability of the touch panel display device is improved. Further, in the configuration having the correction table creating unit and the main control unit having the function of setting the alternative image area, another alternative image area can be set instead of the image area corresponding to the switch area including the failure switch element. Since it becomes possible, there is an advantage that even if there is a switch element in which a failure has occurred, the touch panel section can be substantially used as it is until it is replaced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a touch panel display device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the touch panel display device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the touch panel display device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an external perspective view showing an apparatus equipped with the touch panel display device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating image display and a switch area.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a conventional touch panel display device.

7 is an external perspective view showing an apparatus equipped with the conventional touch panel display device shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a general touch panel used in a touch panel display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 29 Main control unit 3, 31 Display control unit 5, 35 Image display unit 7, 37 Touch panel unit 9, 39 Switch detection unit 11, 43 Control device 13, 45 Main body case 15 Image display 15a, 49a Numeric keypad region 15b, 49b Arrow area 15c, 49c Table area 17, 19 Electrode (switch element) 21, 23 Sheet 25 Spacer 27 Switch element 33 Correction table preparation section 41 Mode switching section 47 Setting window SW switch area SW1 Specific switch area SW2 Alternative switch area

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A matrix-shaped image display unit having an optical image display surface, a display control unit for controlling image display of the image display unit based on image data, and switch elements which are turned on or off by a touch from the outside. A touch panel portion that is superimposed on the image display surface of the image display portion and is capable of seeing through a display image; and a switch detection portion that detects a switch element that is turned on or off among the switch elements of the touch panel portion, A touch panel display including: a main control unit that outputs the image data to a display control unit and determines which of the display image regions is operated from the outside based on a detection signal from the switch detection unit and the image data. In the device, before outputting the inspection image data for the touch panel unit from the main control unit to the display control unit. The main control unit has a mode switching unit that switches the main control unit, and the main control unit detects, when the detection signals corresponding to the instructed inspection image area are not aligned during image display based on the inspection image data. A touch panel display device, which is formed so as to determine a defect of a switch element corresponding to a signal and specify an image region corresponding to the defective switch element. 2. A substitute having a correction table creation unit, wherein the main control unit substitutes for the specific image region based on a touch on the touch panel unit when the image region corresponding to the defective switch element is identified. Image area data is output to the correction table creating unit, and the modification table creating unit creates a correction table for modifying the specific image area in the image data to the alternative image area from the alternative image area data. The display control unit controls the image display of the image display unit with the image data whose position is corrected by referring to the correction table, and the switch detection unit corrects the position by referring to the correction table. The touch panel display device according to claim 1, wherein the detection signal is output to the main control unit.