JPH07200174A - Pointing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To omit operation for moving a pointing device by storing position information continuously or only when an instruction is given, and reading the position information out of a stack on a last-in first-out basis and outputting the information when another instruction is given. CONSTITUTION:A position input instruction is inputted to a stack control circuit 11 and current position information on P1 is stored in the stack 10. When an operator needs to input the position of P1 or P2 again, a readout instruction is sent to the stack control circuit 11 instead of moving the pointing device 8 from P3 to P1 P2, and the position information on P2 is read out of the stack 10 and sent out to a computer main body device. Consequently, the position of a cursor on a screen is skipped from P3 to P2. When a position input instruction is given here, the position P2 can be inputted. When a readout instruction is given again, position information on P1 is read out and a skip from P2 to P1 is made.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pointing device such as a mouse or a trackball used for designating an arbitrary position on a computer screen, and more particularly to a plurality of recently pointed positions on the screen. This is useful when repeatedly pointing.
A pointing device with good operation efficiency is provided.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art First, the function of a conventional pointing device will be described. FIG. 7 shows a schematic configuration of a conventional computer using a mouse which is a typical pointing device. In the figure, 1 is a computer main unit, 2 is a display, 3 is a mouse, 4 is a click button, 5 is a mouse driver for mouse control software, 6 is a mouse cursor,
Reference numeral 7 is a software application that uses position input (pointing) with a mouse.

When the mouse 3 is moved on the table by the operator, the amount of movement is successively detected and position information indicating the current position is sent to the computer main unit 1. The mouse driver 5 in the computer main unit 1
The position information sent from the mouse 3 is displayed on the display 3
Is converted into coordinate data on the screen, the display position of the mouse cursor 6 is updated, and the mouse cursor 6 is moved as illustrated by a dotted arrow.

The operator visually recognizes the position of the mouse cursor 6 on the display screen and presses the click button 4 of the mouse 3 when the desired position is reached. As a result,
The mouse 3 notifies the mouse driver 5 of a click for instructing position input. As a result, the mouse driver 5 notifies the application 7 of the coordinate data representing the current display position of the mouse cursor 6, and the application 7 performs predetermined processing such as selection of specific information or generation of a figure based on the coordinate data. Run.

FIG. 8 shows the configuration of a mouse control circuit provided in the mouse 3. In the figure, 12 is a roller unit, 1
3 is a mouse ball, 14 is an X sensor that detects the amount of movement in the X direction by the number of pulses, 15 is a Y sensor that detects the amount of movement in the Y direction by the number of pulses, and 16 is a positive amount of movement amount pulse in the X direction Is an addition, and the one in the negative direction is subtracted and accumulated, and an X counter for obtaining the position information in the X direction is added. 17 is the movement amount pulse in the Y direction added for the positive direction and subtracted for the negative direction and accumulated. , Y counter for obtaining position information in Y direction, 18
Is a click switch that is turned on / off in conjunction with the click button 4 in FIG. 7, and 19 is a click switch 18 that is turned on.
A click pulse generator that generates a single click pulse in response to actuation.

The operation is performed as follows. When the operator grabs the mouse 3 in FIG. 7 and performs a drag operation in any direction, the mouse ball 13 housed in the roller unit 12 in FIG. 8 rotates in that direction and becomes the X-direction component of the rotation amount. The Y direction component is detected by the X sensor 14 and the Y sensor 15, respectively, and the rotation amount, that is, the movement amount of each direction component is output to the X counter 16 and the Y counter 17 as the positive and negative pulse numbers.

The X counter 16 and the Y counter 17 are
Each input pulse is counted up or counted down depending on the positive or negative direction, and the X and Y count values are sent to the computer main unit 1 in FIG. 7 as X and Y position information.

On the other hand, the click button 4 of the mouse 3 in FIG.
8 is turned on, the click pulse generator 19 is triggered to generate a click pulse, and the computer main unit 1 of FIG. 7 is pressed.
Sent to.

As described above, the computer main unit 1
When the click pulse is input, the mouse driver 5 therein passes the X and Y position information received at that time to the application 7 and executes a related process.

[0010]

In the conventional pointing device, the cursor is currently displayed on the screen, and the position information is always input by moving or clicking. If you move it to, it will be lost from the pointing device.
Therefore, for example, when a plurality of position input target points are scattered far apart on the screen and the position input operation is repeatedly performed on at least some of the target points, the amount of movement operation by the pointing device is large. However, there is a problem that it is complicated and takes time.

According to the present invention, when a plurality of position input points are scattered on the screen and at least some of the position input points are repeatedly position-inputted within a short period of time, the pointing device is moved each time. The aim is to be able to easily move the cursor to the target point without having to do.

[0012]

According to the present invention, the function of a conventional pointing device is expanded, and means for storing a plurality of pieces of position information of a point for which a recent position input instruction has been made is provided in the pointing device. Position information is stored continuously every time there is an input instruction, or only when the operator gives a special instruction, and it is possible to omit the movement operation of the pointing device by storing it when necessary and using it when possible. To do.

FIG. 1 shows the principle of the pointing device according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 8 is a pointing device such as a mouse.

Reference numeral 9 is a movement amount detecting mechanism such as a roller unit in a mouse. 10 is a movement amount detection mechanism 9
It is a stack having a plurality of storage areas for storing position information based on the amount of movement detected by.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a stack control circuit for controlling the stack 10 by the last-in first-out method, and is output continuously every time there is a position input instruction by a click switch or the like, or only when there is a storage instruction, at that time. A function of storing the position information in the stack 10 and reading and outputting the position information in the stack 10 in order from the newest one each time there is a read instruction (in the case of a mouse, by a pop switch provided on the side thereof). With.

P1, P2, and P3 respectively exemplify position input target points on the screen, and P1, P2, and P3.
The position is entered in the order of.

[0017]

The operation of the configuration of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 will be described. When the operator performs a moving operation with the pointing device 8, the moving amount detecting mechanism 9 decomposes and detects the moving amount in each of the X and Y directions, creates position information, and sends it to the computer main unit. As a result, the cursor on the screen is correspondingly moved.

When the cursor reaches the position of the position input target point P1, the first position input instruction is given.
The position input instruction is sent to the computer main body device and is input to the stack control circuit 11 at the same time.
The position information of 1 is stored in the stack 10. Then P2
A cursor moving operation is sequentially performed on P3, and a position input instruction is given at each position. In these cases as well, the same operation as at P1 is performed, and as a result, the position information of P1, P2, and P3 is loaded in the stack 10. The current position of the cursor on the screen at this time is P
It is 3.

Here, the operator is again requested to enter P1 or P2.
In the present invention, the movement operation of the pointing device 8 is performed from P3 to P1 or P
2, the stack control circuit 11 is instructed to read out the position information of P2 from the stack 10 and sent to the computer main unit. As a result, the position of the cursor on the screen is skipped from P3 to P2. If a position input instruction is given here, the position input of P2 becomes possible. Next, when a read instruction is given again, the position information of P1 is read from the stack 10,
It is sent to the computer main unit. This causes the cursor to skip from P2 to P1. If a position input instruction is given here, the position input of P1 is performed.

Since the capacity of the stack 10 has a certain restriction on the efficiency of the read operation, after the stack is filled with the position information sequentially input, the old position information is discarded and the new position information is stored. Is stored. It should be noted that the above is the case where all the position information instructed to input the position is continuously stored in the stack, but it is possible to selectively instruct only the necessary information to be stored, or to store only during the instructed period. Good.

As described above, in the pointing device of the present invention, the position information input recently is automatically saved and can be read and used as needed, so that the movement operation can be saved accordingly. The position input operation is speeded up. Further, the interface for the mouse on the computer main unit side need not be changed by the present invention.

[0022]

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention using a mouse will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a basic mouse control circuit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, 12 is a roller unit and 1 is a roller unit.
3 is a mouse ball, 14 is an X sensor, 15 is a Y sensor,
Reference numeral 16 is an X counter, 17 is a Y counter, 18 is a click switch, and 19 is a click pulse generator. Since these circuit elements are the same as those of the conventional circuit shown in FIG. To do. In FIG. 2, the circuit elements added for the purpose of the invention are indicated by 20 to 26.

Numeral 20 is a click position stack (CPS) consisting of four stages, which corresponds to the stack 10 of FIG. 1 and comprises four count values of the X counter 16 and the Y counter 17.
Position information for points (x ₁ , y ₁ ), (x ₂ ,
y ₂ ), ..., (x ₄ , y ₄ ) are stored by the last-in first-out method (shift register file format). The address of each stage is indicated by 00, 01, 10, 11.

A read address register (PA) 21 generates a 2-bit continuous pointer address for reading the click position stack 20 by the last-in first-out method.
R). Address is 00, 01, 10, 11, 0
It is generated cyclically as 0, ....

Reference numeral 22 is a pop switch for instructing reading of position information from the click position stack 20.
It is operably provided on the side of the mouse. A pop pulse generator 23 generates a single pop pulse in response to an ON operation of the pop switch 22.

Reference numerals 24 to 26 are transfer control gates. The operation is performed as follows. Upon initialization at power-on, the X counter 16, Y counter 17, and read address register 21 are cleared to 0. In response to the operator's mouse operation (drag operation), the mouse movement amount is X counter 16, Y counter 1
Cumulative to 7. Here, for convenience of explanation, X, Y
The value of each counter represents the cursor position on the screen as it is. When the operator clicks the mouse, the computer main unit is notified, and at the same time, the values (x _i , y _i ) of the X and Y counters are transferred to the click position stack 20.
Written by the last-in first-out method. This operation is repeated each time a click operation is performed, and the click position stack 20 stores position information (x ₁ ,
y ₁ ), (x ₂ , y ₂ ), ..., (x ₄ , y ₄ ) are
It will be packed in order by pushing down the previously clicked one. And when the stack is full, the old position information overflowing from the bottom of the stack disappears. When the operator wants to perform a drag operation with the mouse at a point where the operator has previously clicked, the pop switch 22 is pressed. As a result, the pop pulse is added to the +1 increment mechanism of the read address register 21, and the read address is incremented by +1 from the address 00 and updated to 01. Position information (x ₂ , y ₂ )
Is read out and set in the X counter 16 and the Y counter 17. The position information (x ₂ , y ₂ ) set in each of these X and Y counters is sent to the computer main unit, and the cursor is moved from the position (x ₁ , y ₁ ) to (x ₂ , y ₂ ).
Skip to position y ₂ ). The operator depresses the pop switch 22 until the cursor reaches a desired point and performs a click operation.

The read address register 21 is configured to be automatically cleared to 00 when the pop switch 22 is not operated for a certain period (for example, 1 to 2 seconds). In addition to the pop switch 22, a stack storage instruction switch for position information is provided, and normally, writing of the position information to the stack 20 is prohibited, and the position information is displayed only when the stack storage instruction switch is operated. I was able to write to the stack 20.
At this time, a stack storage permission flag is provided, the operation mode is set so that writing is permitted while the flag is "1", and writing is prohibited when the flag is "0", and the flag is set by the stack storage instruction switch. The state may be switched. Further, it is possible to realize the same function by double-pushing the pop switch 22 without separately providing a storage instruction switch.

In the pointing device according to the present invention, the generated position information must always correspond to the absolute position on the screen. When the amount of movement of the mouse exceeds the screen, the mouse driver side generally performs a correction process for limiting the cursor position to the edge portion of the screen. Therefore, it is desirable that the mouse side also has a correction function.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic construction of a modified embodiment in which a mouse is provided with an absolute coordinate conversion function for this purpose. Since the circuit of the Y coordinate system and the circuit of the X coordinate system are configured exactly the same, only the circuit of the X coordinate system is shown for simplification.

In FIG. 3, 14 is an X sensor and 15 is a Y sensor.
A sensor, 16 is an X counter, 20 is a click position stack, 27 is a multiplexer, 28 is an X DELTA register, 29 is an absolute coordinate conversion unit, and 30 is a subtraction circuit.

The amount of movement (variation) of the mouse ball detected by the X sensor is cumulatively counted by the X counter 16, and the resulting variation value is passed through the multiplexer 27 to XDELTA.
It is set in the register 28. XDELTA register 28
Is used to hold a variation value for responding to a variation reading command from the computer main unit and to supply the input data Xd necessary for absolute coordinate calculation to the absolute coordinate conversion unit 29.

The details of the absolute coordinate conversion unit 29 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, but the input data Xd is converted into the absolute coordinate value X and supplied to the stack 20 and the subtraction circuit 30.

The stack 20 is, here, XR0 to XR _n.
Has a shift register configuration in which n + 1 stages of registers are cascaded, and when the mouse is clicked, XR _n-1 → XR _n (XR _n → overflow) XR _n-2 → XR _n-1 :: XR0 → XR1 is shifted to make register XR0 empty, and X
To write. The data overflowing the register XR _n is discarded.

When the pop switch of the mouse is operated, the subtraction circuit 30 is set to 1 in the register stage XR0 of the stack 20.
The difference between the coordinates of the previously clicked point and the current coordinates is calculated, the variation value is calculated, and the variation value is set in the XDELTA register 28 via the multiplexer 27. After that, the stack 20 is rotationally shifted by one stage as follows, and the stack is popped.

XR0 → Temp (temporary register) XR1 → XR0 XR2 → XR1 :: XR _n → XR _n-1 Temp → XR _n FIG. 4 shows the detailed configuration of the absolute coordinate conversion unit 29 of FIG.
FIG. 5 shows a configuration of a timing generation unit (not shown in FIG. 3) that generates a timing signal necessary for control, and FIG. 6 shows a control timing waveform.

In the absolute coordinate conversion unit 29 of FIG.
Is the absolute coordinate value X_NCalculate X_NIs a calculation circuit,
The logic during the check is the absolute coordinate X_NIs smaller than the reference coordinate 0
Or maximum X coordinate X_MIf greater, that is from the screen
If they extend, X _NValues of 0 and X_MFixed to
Indicates that Also, 32 is the absolute value that the mouse is currently pointing at.
X register showing coordinates, 33 is a multiplexer, 34 is
Maximum X coordinate value X_MRemember X_MIn the register
It

In FIG. 5, the timing generator 35 is
Initial setting instruction signal RSTO, variation reading command DLTR
EQ, origin signal SW1 generated when the operator points the lower left corner of the screen with the mouse and presses the pop switch and the left button at the same time. The operator points the upper right corner of the screen with the mouse and presses the pop switch and the right button at the same time. The upper right point signal SW2 generated at this time is used as an input, and an initial setting signal RST, a setting instruction signal LOADM of the X _M register 34, a setting signal LOAD1 of the X DELTA register 28, a 0 clear signal RST of the X counter 16 are input.
Calculation execution signal EXECA for C, X _N calculation circuit 31
X _N setting signal LOAD2 for the L and X registers 32,
Are output respectively.

The operation of the circuit of FIG. 4 will be described with reference to the control timing waveform of FIG. The X counter 16 receives the timing of the RST signal at the time of initial setting due to power-on, etc., and the RTS after the variation read command DLTREQ is received from the computer and the data is passed to the X DELTA register 28.
It is returned to 0 at the timing of the C signal.

As shown in FIG. 6A, LOA is sent every time a variation read command DLTREQ is received from the computer.
The D1 signal is generated and the value of the X counter 16 is XDELT.
It is loaded into the A register 28. Further, the RSTC signal and the EXECAL signal are generated from the LOAD1 signal,
The X _N calculation circuit 31 receives Xd, X _M and X as inputs and executes calculation of absolute coordinate values. Then, the X _N value of the calculation result is loaded into the X register 32 at the timing of the LOAD2 signal generated subsequent to the EXECAL signal.

6B and 6C show the control timing for setting the maximum X value X _M in the X _M register 34. If the origin is in the lower left corner of the screen, the upper right point of the screen is X,
It is the maximum coordinate of Y. To perform absolute coordinate conversion, the operator first moves the cursor to the lower left corner (origin) of the screen with the mouse and operates SW1 (simultaneously pressing the pop switch and the left button), then moves the cursor to the upper right point of the screen. SW2 operation (Pop switch and right button pressed simultaneously)
There is a need to.

A corresponding preparatory operation is also performed in the absolute coordinate converter 29. First, as shown in FIG. 6B, the input of the multiplexer 33 is set to the maximum X counter value MAXC side by the RST signal at the time of initial setting. Controlling and continuing LDADM
MAXC is set in the X _M register 34 at the timing of the signal. After this, the operator moves the above-mentioned cursor to the lower left corner of the screen and the upper right corner of the screen, and switches SW1 and SW1, respectively.
Operate SW2. When the SW1 is operated, the X register is cleared to 0. Further, when the SW2 is operated, as shown in FIG. 6C, the multiplexer 33 is controlled at the timing of the end of the SW2 signal, and the X of the output of the X register 32 becomes X.
_The maximum X value appearing at the output of the X register 32 is set in the X _M register 34 at the timing of the LOADM signal that is subsequently generated.
As a result, X _M is input to the X _N calculation circuit 31, and the conversion operation of the absolute coordinates X _N becomes possible thereafter.

Although a typical embodiment of the present invention using a mouse has been described above, it is obvious that the same can be applied to other similar pointing devices such as a trackball.

In the present embodiment, the coordinate value of the position input point to be stored in the stack at the time of clicking is conditioned that the coordinate value of the position input point is a certain distance or more from the coordinate value of the point at the time of the previous click. The effectiveness can be increased.

Further, on condition that the operation of moving the mouse is not performed, the contents of the stack are cyclically read and scanned at a constant time interval or a long interval of the current value, and the cursor is displayed at multiple points on the screen. be able to. It is desirable to add a means that can be stopped when unnecessary to this display function.

[0046]

As described above, the pointing device of the present invention can reduce the number of times of the moving operation without having to make any changes to the hardware or software of the main body, and the pointing operation efficiency. Can be improved and work time can be shortened.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a basic configuration diagram of a mouse control circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment having an absolute coordinate conversion function.

FIG. 4 is a detailed configuration diagram of an absolute coordinate conversion unit.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a timing generation unit.

FIG. 6 is a control timing waveform diagram.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a conventional pointing device.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a conventional mouse control circuit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 8: Pointing device 9: Moving amount detection mechanism 10: Stack 11: Stack control circuit P1, P2, P3: Position input target point

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A pointing device for performing a moving operation and a position input instruction for a cursor, comprising: a moving operation means for generating position information of a moving destination with respect to a cursor displayed on a computer screen; and a position input instructing means for instructing input of a cursor position. In the device, the stack that operates based on the last-in first-out method and the position information when the position input instruction is performed are stored in the stack continuously or only when the instruction is given, and separately. A pointing device comprising: a stack control circuit that reads out and outputs position information stored in a stack by a last-in first-out method according to an instruction given. 2. The pointing device according to claim 1, further comprising a stack read instructing unit for instructing to read the position information stored in the stack. 3. The stack storage instructing means according to claim 2, further comprising a stack storage instructing means for instructing whether or not the position information at that time is to be stored in the stack when a position input instruction is given. Pointing device. 4. The stack storing read instruction switch according to claim 1, wherein when a position input instruction is issued, an instruction to store the position information at that time into the stack and a position information stored in the stack are provided. Read instructions and
A pointing device characterized by being identified by a single operation of a stack storing / reading instruction switch or two consecutive operations. 5. The first operation mode according to claim 3, wherein when position input is performed, position information is stored in the stack at that time, and a second operation mode in which the position information is not stored in the stack is provided. The pointing device, wherein the stack storage instructing means is for instructing switching between the first operation mode and the second operation mode.