JPH06348791A - Operability evaluating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To evaluate the handling feeling and operability of merchandise by displaying a solid figure representing the virtual state of an object on a screen, and simulating the operation of the merchandise. CONSTITUTION:This device is provided with position input means 1, 2 which input the positions of the three-dimensional space of a first object and a second object, position/shape describing means 3, 4 which generates solid figure data represented by the first and second objects at the positions, a function setting means 5 which sets a state where the solid figure represented by the second material functions, a detecting means 6 which detects interference between the solid figure of the first object and that of the second object, and an edit means 7 which edits graphic data to display the functional state of the solid figure of the second object when the detecting means detects the interference. The functional state of the second object can be displayed on the screen by bringing the first object into contact with the second object, and a user can experience the contact sensation and visualizes the virtual state at that time on a screen.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an evaluation device for virtually displaying the shape of a product on a screen in order to evaluate the design and function of the product at the stage of product design, trial manufacture, etc. The operability of the product can be evaluated by virtually displaying the situation when the product is operated.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, when designing a product or the like, it has been widely practiced to display the shape of the product on a screen using a CAD system using a computer, and to improve the shape while adding an evaluation. Particularly, recently, by using three-dimensional graphics, the appearance of a product to be created can be three-dimensionally represented, and through such display, the shape of the product can be sufficiently examined before the trial manufacture of the product.

As shown in FIG. 6, this conventional CAD system includes an input means 61 such as a keyboard and a mouse, and a shape storage means in which graphic data representing the outer shape of a product is stored.
62, a shape position description means 63 for converting the graphic data according to the input position of the input means 61, and a display means for displaying the outer shape of the product on the screen based on the converted coordinate data.
64 and.

When the "direction" and the "position" are input from the input means 61, the shape position description means 63 of this apparatus,
The graphic data read from the shape storage means 62 is subjected to conversion (translation or rotation) according to the input data. And
The converted data is supplied to the display means 64, and the display means 64
Displays the outline of the product based on the given graphic data.

Therefore, when the user moves the input means 61, the object on the display means 64 changes its position and orientation according to the movement, and the user operates the input means 61 from any direction. It becomes possible to check the appearance of the object.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the appearance of a product is checked by using a conventional CAD system.

[0007]

However, in the conventional apparatus, only the appearance of the product can be confirmed at the designing stage, and the state in which the product is functioning and the state when operating the operation parts are displayed. I can't. Therefore, in order to evaluate the operability of the product, the product must be actually prototyped, but if there is a problem with the operability as a result of this prototype, not only the design but also the prototype must be redone. It will be a huge waste of money both in terms of time and money.

The present invention solves these conventional problems, and provides an operability evaluation apparatus capable of evaluating the usability and operability of a product without making a prototype of the product. Has an aim.

[0009]

In view of the above, according to the present invention, in a operability evaluation device for displaying a three-dimensional figure representing a virtual state of an object on a screen, a position of a first object in a three-dimensional space is input. One position input means, a first position / shape description means for creating three-dimensional figure data representing the first object corresponding to this position, and a second position inputting means for inputting the position of the second object in the three-dimensional space. Position input means, second position / shape description means for creating solid figure data represented by the second object corresponding to this position, and setting of the state when the solid figure represented by the second object is functioning Function setting means, detecting means for detecting interference between the solid figure represented by the first object and the solid figure represented by the second object, and the solid figure represented by the second object when the detecting means detects the interference. The function status of It is provided and an operation state editing means for controlling the fit.

Further, control signal generating means for generating a control signal according to the functional state of the three-dimensional figure represented by the second object is provided, and the control signal generating means outputs the control signal under the control of the operating state editing means. It is configured to generate.

[0011]

Therefore, when the first object is brought into contact with the second object, the operated state of the three-dimensional figure represented by the second object is displayed on the screen.

[0012] Therefore, the user has the first object and the second object.
It is possible to feel the touch when touching an object and the virtual state at that time can be visually recognized on the screen.

When the first object is brought into contact with the second object, a control signal is output, and the same operation as that actually occurring at that time occurs. Therefore, the user can evaluate the product in a practically suitable state.

[0014]

【Example】

(First Embodiment) The operability evaluation apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention is, for example, as shown in FIG. 4 (a), a position input means for a user to measure the three-dimensional position of a finger of a hand. 11 is mounted, and the part model 23 (the position input means for measuring the three-dimensional position is embedded in this model 23) which is a model of the outer shape of the product to be manufactured is picked up and the product is operated. When a simulated operation is performed with a finger on a planned place of installation of a part, a virtual situation is displayed on the screen as if the operation part of an actual product is operated with a finger, as shown in FIG. 4B. Can be displayed.

This operability evaluation apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1, corresponds to a position input means 1 for measuring the three-dimensional position of a first object corresponding to a finger, and a model 23 corresponding to a model 23 of the outer shape of a product. Position input means 2 for inputting the three-dimensional position of two objects;
Position / shape description means 3 for creating graphic data representing the outer shape of the first object, position / shape description means 4 for creating graphic data representing the outer shape of the second object, and operation installed on the second object Function setting means 5 for setting the installation position of the parts and movements associated with the operation, and contact state detection means for checking the contact status between the first object and the second object and detecting the operation part to be installed at the contact position. 6, an operation state editing means 7 for controlling a display showing the operation state of the operation part, and a display means 8 for displaying the first object and the second object.

As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the position input means 1 for the first object is a magnetic sensor 12 fixed to a mounting portion 11 on the finger, and a magnetic field generator 10 serving as a position detection reference. The current position and orientation in the three-dimensional space are measured by detecting the strengths of the generated magnetic field in the x, y and z directions.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the second object is a model 23 in which the outer shape of the product is modeled, and a magnetic sensor 24 is embedded inside the model 23 as the position input means 2. The strength of the magnetic field generated from the magnetic field generator 10 is detected to measure the current position and orientation of the model 23.

When the operator simulates the operation of the product, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), the model 23 in which the magnetic sensor is embedded and the mounting portion 11 to which the magnetic sensor is fixed is fitted to the finger. Grab by hand. By doing so, the positions and orientations of the finger and the model 23 are measured by the sensors 12 and 24, and the measurement data is stored in the first object position / shape describing means 3 and the second object.
It is sent to the object position / shape description means 4.

The position / shape description means 3 and 4 for the first and second objects hold coordinate data (initial values) of the vertices of the surfaces forming the outer shape of each object as graphic data.

Further, the function setting means 5 is the data regarding the function set by the operator, that is, the number of operation parts such as operation buttons and sliders, the surface of the product on which the operation parts are arranged, the shape of the operation parts, the product surface. It holds data about the position of the above-mentioned operation component, the shape when the operation component is functioning, etc., and supplies these data to the position / shape description means 4 of the second object.

The position / shape description means 3 for the first object is the first
When the measurement data is input from the object position input means 1, data processing of parallel movement and rotation according to the measured position and orientation of the first object is performed on the held graphic data, and after the processing, Of the data is sent to the display means 8.

Further, the second object position / shape description means 4
Composes the graphic data held therein and the data input from the function setting means 5 to form the graphic data of the product in which the operation parts are arranged.
Data processing corresponding to the measurement data input from the object position input means 2 is performed, and, out of the processed data, graphic data representing a state in which the operating component is not functioning is first sent to the display means 8.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), the display screen displays a simulated finger corresponding to the first object and a product corresponding to the second object in which the operation parts are installed, and these items are displayed. The display of is moved on the screen in the same way as when the user moves a finger or moves the model.

In FIG. 3, the remote controller of the VCR is taken as an example, and the remote controller (second object) on the screen is displayed.
The figure shows that buttons having various functions defined by the function setting means 5 are arranged.

The buttons on this remote control can be operated by the first object. To do this, see Figure 4.
As shown in (a), the button on the surface of the model 23 of the second object is set by the finger wearing the position input means 1 (11) so that the first object overlaps the button on the second object on the display screen. Press the planned position.

At this time, the contact state detecting means 6 calculates the distance between the surface in the graphic data of the first object and the surface in the graphic data of the second object, and interferes with the overlapping position of the surfaces where the distance becomes zero. The position is detected, the button located at the interference position is checked, and the operation state editing means 7 is notified.

The operation state editing means 7 which has received the information of this button instructs the position / shape description means 4 of the second object to send the image data for displaying the operation state of the corresponding button, and the second The object position / shape description means 4 sends to the display means 8 image data displaying the depressed state of the operated button.

As a result, the screen of the display means 8 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), a situation in which the pseudo finger is pressing the button on the remote controller is displayed.

The operating state of the operating component can also be expressed by highlighting the corresponding operating component in a color brighter than other components, or by displaying explanatory text explaining the operation on the screen.

With such a display, the user can confirm which button on the remote controller he or she pressed.

When it is determined that the position and shape of the button arranged on the second object is inappropriate by performing such an operation, the description of the operation component given to the function setting means 5 is changed. By doing so, they can be changed immediately. The operator can change the position, shape, etc. of the button as many times as necessary until the user can obtain satisfactory operability.

The first object may be something other than a finger as long as it is a member that causes a new movement of the other member in a contact state.

(Second Embodiment) In the operability evaluation apparatus of the second embodiment, when the operation parts of the product are virtually operated, the operation state is displayed on the screen and the operation actually occurs. Is configured to.

As shown in FIG. 5, this device is provided with a control signal generating means 9 for generating a control signal according to the type of the depressed operation part, and a device activated by this control signal.
It has 13 and. When the product to be manufactured is a video remote controller, a video device operated by the remote controller is prepared as the device 13. The other structure is the same as that of the apparatus of the first embodiment (FIG. 1).

The method of operation by the operator is the same as in the case of the first embodiment. When a button on the surface of the remote controller model 23 is pushed with a finger wearing the position input means 1, the contact state detecting means 6 checks the button to be placed at the pushed position, and the operating state editing means 7 The motion state editing means 7 tells the position / shape description means 4 of the second object,
The control signal generator 9 is instructed to generate image data for displaying the operation state of the corresponding button, and also to generate the control signal when the corresponding button is pressed.

When the pressed button is, for example, a play button, a signal for activating play is output from the control signal generating means 9, and the video device 13 starts the play operation accordingly.

As described above, in this device, when the button of the product is virtually operated, the state thereof is displayed on the screen, and at the same time, the operation by the button operation is reproduced. Therefore, the operator can feel the situation when the button is operated, and can evaluate the product according to the actual condition.

[0038]

As is apparent from the above description of the embodiments, in the operability evaluation apparatus of the present invention, the operating state of the product to be developed is checked while checking the operating state with a three-dimensional image, and at the same time, It is possible to confirm the feel and operability when operating the operation unit.

Further, since it is possible to simulate the operation of operating the operation section according to the actual condition, it is possible to evaluate the operability accurately.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an operability evaluation apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a position input means in the operability evaluation device of the embodiment

FIG. 3 is a product operating method (a) on the apparatus of the embodiment and its display screen (b);

FIG. 4 is an operation (a) for evaluating the operability of a product with the apparatus of the embodiment, its screen (b),

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an operability evaluation apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional CAD system,

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an appearance of a conventional system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 first object position input means 2 second object position input means 3 first object position / shape description means 4 second object position / shape description means 5 function setting means 6 contact state detection means 7 operating state editing means 8, 64 Display means 9 Control signal generating means 10 Magnetic generator 11 Mounting part 12, 24 Sensor 13 Video equipment 23 Model 61 Input means 62 Shape storage means 63 Shape / position description means

Front page continued (72) Inventor Masao Kato 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Keisuke Suzuki, 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A operability evaluation device for displaying a three-dimensional figure representing a virtual state of an object on a screen, comprising: first position input means for inputting a position of a first object in a three-dimensional space; First position / shape description means for creating solid figure data represented by the corresponding first object, second position input means for inputting the position of the second object in the three-dimensional space, and the position corresponding to the position. Second position / shape description means for creating solid figure data represented by the second object, function setting means for setting a functional state of the solid figure represented by the second object, and solid figure represented by the first object. And a detection means for detecting an interference between the three-dimensional figure represented by the second object and a control for displaying a functional state of the three-dimensional figure represented by the second object when the detection means detects the interference. Operating status editing means Operability evaluation apparatus characterized by providing. 2. A control signal generating means for generating a control signal in accordance with a functional state of a three-dimensional figure represented by the second object is provided, and the control signal generating means controls the control signal under the control of the operating state editing means. The operability evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein: