JPH0750424B2 - Touch panel control method and touch panel device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical touch panel, and more particularly to a touch panel that can be continuously used even if an abnormality occurs in a light emitting element or a light receiving element during normal use. The present invention relates to a control method and a touch panel device.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, a touch panel has been known as an input device which is mainly mounted on a monitor tube surface and enables input scanning corresponding to a display screen on the screen. Various types of operation methods for such a touch panel have been proposed, but from the viewpoint of accuracy, reliability, see-through property, operability, etc., an optical method is prevalent. In this method, a plurality of pairs of light emitting elements and light receiving elements are arranged so as to face each other, and the coordinates of a light shielding point by a finger or the like are detected.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of a conventional optical touch panel device.

This touch panel device detects two-dimensional coordinates, and a plurality of pairs of light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements X0 to Xm are arranged to face each other in a horizontal (X-axis) direction across a detection area, and at the same time a vertical (Y Similarly, a plurality of pairs of light emitting elements and light receiving elements Y0 to Yn are arranged to face each other in the (axis) direction. (Because an LED is a typical light emitting element, the light emitting element is simply referred to as an LED hereinafter.) In each axis, the LED driver 35 is LE
Generates voltage to drive D-array 10
According to the timing signal from the timing generation circuit 45, the LEDs are sequentially assigned to each LED. As a result, L in the X-axis direction
The ED is repeatedly driven and scanned in the order of X0, X1, X2, ..., Xm. Similarly, the LEDs in the Y-axis direction are also repeatedly driven and scanned in the order of Y0, Y1, Y2, ..., Yn. Each LED lights up and emits infrared rays when driven. On the other hand, the selector 30 which receives the output of the light receiving element array 20 is controlled by the timing generation circuit 45 so as to sequentially select the output of the light receiving element facing the sequentially driven LEDs. The drive scanning unit 91 issues a command for drive scanning of the LED and the light receiving element. The output signal of the selector 30, that is, the analog output signal of each light receiving element is sequentially converted into digital data by the analog-digital converter 50 and latched in the register 60. This data is
It is temporarily stored in the received light data table 71 in the memory 70 by the processing device 90. After driving and scanning all the elements, the processing device 90
The light blocking determination unit 92 determines whether or not each element pair is shielded from light, and the coordinate determination unit 93 determines the detected coordinates.

FIG. 3 shows the light emission timings of the LEDs X0, X1, and X2 and the output example of the corresponding selector 30. In this example, it is assumed that the light from the LEDs X2 and LED Y1 is blocked by the finger as shown in FIG. The LEDs X0, X1, X2, ... Light up sequentially for a certain period of time in a certain cycle. When an LED other than the LED X2 is lit, the selector 30 outputs a signal having a mountain-shaped waveform, and when the LED X2 is lit, the light is blocked by the finger, so that the selector 30 does not output the mountain-shaped waveform signal. Although not shown, similarly, the LEDs Y0, Y1, Y2, ... Are sequentially turned on for a certain period at a certain period. In this example, the selector 30 outputs a signal having a mountain-shaped waveform only when the LED Y1 is turned on. In this way, the coordinates (X1, Y2) are not detected. Actually, the interval between the element pairs of the touch panel is set such that when a finger touches the coordinate detection area, two (two pairs) or more element pairs are shielded at the same time.
In that case, one of a plurality of detected coordinates or an intermediate value is output for each axis. The coordinate determination unit 93 performs such coordinate determination processing.

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of the coordinate detection processing of the conventional touch panel device shown in FIG.

First, the drive scanning means 91 controls the LEDs X0, X1, ..., Xm, and then L
ED Y0, Y1, ..., Yn are sequentially driven and scanned. As a result, light reception data representing the light reception result of the light receiving element corresponding to each LED is obtained in the light reception data table 71. Processor
The light-shielding determination unit 91 in 90 compares each received light data with a predetermined threshold value, determines “no light shielding” when the received light data is larger than the threshold value, and determines “light-shielded existence” when the received light data is smaller than the threshold value. Is determined. In the case of “with light shielding”, the coordinate determination unit 93 determines the detected coordinate from the position of the element pair of the received light data, and reports it to the host computer (not shown).

In the case of "no light shielding", the process returns to the beginning of the coordinate detection process to restart the drive scanning.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, in the conventional touch panel device, by detecting which element pair the output of the selector 30 is below a certain level during drive scanning, the operator's touch is detected. Although the designated coordinates are detected, if the LED or the light receiving element fails, the output of the selector 30 will be below a certain level. In such a case, there is a problem that wrong coordinates are reported. For example, the 8th
As shown in the figure, if either the LED or the light receiving element of the element pair Y3 fails, the output of the selector 30 for the element pair Y3 is always below a certain level, and in such a state,
For example, if the operator points to point A at coordinates (X2, Y1), the touch panel device determines that point B at other coordinates (X2, Y3) has also been pointed to, and either one of the coordinates or the middle point is determined. The value is reported as detected coordinates.

In the conventional touch panel device, each element is checked at the time of inspection, and if there is a defective element, it is replaced. However, during use (that is, during normal coordinate detection operation), the LED or light receiving element is In the case of a failure, there is no means for detecting this and there is a risk of continued use without noticing a malfunction. Even if a malfunction is noticed, depending on the system in which the touch panel device is adopted, interruption of touch panel use during system operation may not be permitted or may be undesirable.

An object of the present invention is to make it possible to detect a failure even if the light emitting or light receiving element fails during use of the touch panel, and
An object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel control method and a touch panel device that can be continuously used even if an element fails during use.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, in a touch panel control method according to the present invention, a plurality of pairs of a light emitting element and a light receiving element are arranged to face each other, and the plurality of pairs are sequentially driven and scanned. A method of controlling a touch panel for detecting coordinates corresponding to a pair of light-shielded elements, wherein during normal coordinate detection operation, abnormal element detection processing is performed, and when an abnormal element is detected by the detection processing, After that, the abnormal element pair is excluded from the target of coordinate detection processing.

According to another aspect of the touch panel control method of the present invention, a plurality of pairs of a light emitting element and a light receiving element are arranged to face each other, and the plurality of pairs are sequentially driven and scanned to correspond to a pair of shielded elements. A touch panel control method for detecting coordinates, wherein abnormal element detection processing is performed during normal coordinate detection operation, and when an abnormal element is detected by the detection processing, the "light-shielding" is subsequently performed for the abnormal element pair. This is regarded as "nothing" and the coordinate detection operation is continued. Alternatively, during the normal coordinate detection operation, the abnormal element detection process is performed, and when the abnormal element is detected by the detection process, the abnormal element pair is hereafter “identical to the light shielding determination result of the adjacent element pair”. Therefore, the coordinate detecting operation is continued.

The light shielding during the normal coordinate detection operation is preferably performed for a plurality of continuous element pairs.

As an abnormal element detection process performed during a normal coordinate detection operation, for example, when a single element pair is continuously shielded from light for a predetermined time or more, the element pair is determined to be abnormal. Can be mentioned. Alternatively, whether or not abnormal light shielding is performed for each element pair is detected for each of the above-described scans, and the element pair that has been determined to be abnormal light shielding continuously for a predetermined number of times of scanning is determined to be abnormal. This abnormal light shielding can be determined by a light shielding state that cannot be obtained by a normal coordinate detecting operation.

When it is determined that a single element pair is abnormal, a first alarm is preferably issued continuously or periodically, and when two or more element pairs are determined to be abnormal, a second alarm is issued. Emit continuously or periodically.

Regarding the two or more element pairs when it is determined that two or more element pairs are abnormal at the same time, or the element pairs from the second element pair when two or more element pairs are sequentially determined to be abnormal, Preferably, the determination as to whether or not the light is shielded is continued, and the second alarm is stopped when it is later determined that “no light is shielded”.

For the single element pair determined to be abnormal, the light emission is periodically controlled during the normal coordinate detection operation, and when light is normally received, it is determined that the abnormality is no longer present, and the element pair is shielded from light. The determination as to whether or not there is is resumed and the coordinate determination process is performed.

Further, desirably, for the single element pair determined to be abnormal, the light emission control is periodically performed during the normal coordinate detection operation, and when the light is normally received, the first alarm is stopped.

The touch panel device according to the present invention determines a plurality of pairs of light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements, which are arranged to face each other, drive scanning means for sequentially driving and scanning the plurality of pairs, and determines and outputs coordinates corresponding to light-shielded element pairs. In a touch panel device having coordinate determining means for performing the above-mentioned scanning, a light-shielding determination means for determining whether or not there is light-shielding for each element pair, and an abnormal light-shielding detection means for detecting abnormal light-shielding from the determination result of the light-shielding determination means. With respect to the element pair in which the abnormal light shielding is continuously detected by the abnormal light shielding detecting means for a plurality of times of scanning, the counting means for counting the number of times of scanning and the count value of the counting means exceed a predetermined value. An abnormal element registration means for registering the element pair as an abnormal element pair, wherein the coordinate determining means is registered as abnormal with reference to the abnormal element registration content. The child pairs is characterized in that excluded from the coordinate determination process.

According to another aspect, the touch panel device according to the present invention is shielded from a plurality of pairs of the light emitting element and the light receiving element, which are arranged so as to face each other, and the drive scanning unit which sequentially and periodically scans the plurality of pairs. In a touch panel device having coordinate determining means for determining and outputting coordinates corresponding to an element pair, for each scan, a light-shielding determination means for determining whether or not there is light-shielding for each element pair, and a determination result of the light-shielding determination means Abnormal light-shielding detection means for detecting abnormal light-shielding, counting means for counting the number of times of scanning for the element pair for which abnormal light-shielding has been detected by the abnormal light-shielding detection means over a plurality of consecutive scans, and the counting means. An abnormal element registration means for registering an element pair whose numerical value exceeds a predetermined value as an abnormal element pair, wherein the light-shielding determination means refers to the abnormal element registration content. For element pairs that are registered to be abnormal, it is characterized in that considered as "light-shielding free" or "identical shading determination result of the adjacent element pairs".

The abnormal element registration means may register the element pair as an abnormal element pair only when the count value for a single element pair exceeds a predetermined value.

Further, when a plurality of pairs of the light emitting element and the light receiving element are arranged in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, the abnormal element registration means presets the count value for a single element pair for each axis. The element pair may be registered as abnormal only when the value is exceeded.

The abnormal element registration means preferably registers only a single abnormal element pair as an abnormal element pair. Alternatively, when a plurality of pairs of the light emitting element and the light receiving element are arranged in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, the abnormal element registration means sets only a single abnormal element pair as an abnormal element pair for each axis. You may make it register.

When a plurality of pairs of the light emitting element and the light receiving element are arranged in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, the counting means may have a counter provided in each of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Good. The counting means may have a counter provided by the number of the element pairs.

Further, alarm means may be provided to notify the operator of the occurrence of the abnormal element pair. Preferably, a first alarm means for notifying the occurrence of a single abnormal element pair and a second alarm means for notifying the occurrence of a plurality of abnormal element pairs are provided.

First alarm means for notifying the occurrence of a single abnormal element pair;
In the case of having a second alarm means for notifying the occurrence of a plurality of abnormal element pairs, the above light-shielding judging means "no light-shielded" for the abnormal element pairs not registered in the abnormal element registration means.
When it is determined that the second warning means stops the warning.

There may be provided recovery detection means for periodically performing light emission control for the pair of elements registered in the abnormal element registration means and canceling registration of the abnormal element registration means when light is normally received.

[Operation] In the present invention, attention is paid to the fact that the operator does not continuously press the same coordinates for a long time during the normal coordinate detection operation of the touch panel device, and there is no problem such as a failure or defect of the element during use. As a method of detecting an abnormality, it is detected that the output of a specific light receiving element does not occur for a fixed time or longer. Alternatively, in an abnormal light-shielding state that is not possible in the normal coordinate detection operation, for example, in a device that detects two-dimensional coordinates of the X axis and the Y axis, it is detected that the light receiving element output does not occur in only one axis direction. In this case, preferably, in order to ensure the abnormality detection, the abnormality determination condition is that the abnormal light-shielding state continues for a certain time or more. As another abnormal light-shielding state, light-shielding of a plurality of discontinuous light-receiving elements or light-shielding of a predetermined number or more of light-receiving elements can be considered.

In this way, for the element pair determined to be abnormal,
It is registered as an abnormal element pair and thereafter excluded from the target of coordinate determination. That is, even if it is determined that the light is shielded from light, the registered coordinates of the abnormal element pair are not the determination target when determining the coordinates. Alternatively, in the light-shielding determination after the driving scanning thereafter, the normal light-shielding determination is omitted for the abnormal element pair, or it is forcibly regarded as “no light-shielding” regardless of the result of the light-shielding determination. This prevents the touch panel device from reporting incorrect coordinates.

Even if one abnormal element pair is excluded from the target of the coordinate determination process or the light-shielding determination is regarded as “no light-shielding”, in normal coordinate instruction, a plurality of element pairs are simultaneously operated by a finger or an equivalent pointing member. So there is shading about
Can be used continuously without any problems. That is, even if the coordinate instruction is accidentally given to the abnormal element pair, the light is shielded from other element pairs at the same time, so that the coordinate detection is performed. Although an error of about one coordinate value may occur, there is usually no problem because the area to be designated is usually large.

Instead of regarding the abnormal element pair as “no light shielding”, the light shielding state of the abnormal element may be determined as “the same as the light shielding determination result of the adjacent element pair”. This determination method is particularly suitable when it is determined that there is abnormal light shielding when a plurality of continuous light receiving elements are not shielded. For example,
When three consecutive element pairs are shaded by sandwiching the abnormal element pair, if only the abnormal element pair is regarded as “no light shielding”, the abnormal light shielding state occurs, but the light shielding determination result is the same as that of the adjacent element pair. Such inconvenience will disappear if it is regarded as.

If a failure occurs in the element while using the touch panel, the operator can continue to use the touch panel in this way and the occurrence of the abnormal element pair itself can be recognized by an alarm. If necessary, replace the parts. The alarm may be any alarm display or alarm sound that can be recognized by the operator.

Regarding the element pair registered as an abnormal element pair, preferably, during normal coordinate detection operation, light emission control is performed instead of drive scanning, and when light is normally received, it is determined that it is no longer abnormal and deletion from registration is performed. Then, the determination as to whether or not the element pair is shielded from light is restarted, and the coordinate determination process is performed. As a result, when a specific element temporarily becomes defective for some reason and then is recovered, or when a touch panel, a component, or the like is replaced, the normal state can be recovered.

Further, when it is judged that two or more element pairs are abnormal at the same time,
When it is determined that two or more element pairs are abnormal in sequence, it is preferable to continue normal light-shielding determination without registering as an abnormal element pair, and A second alarm different from the first alarm may be generated. When it is determined that two or more elements are abnormal, it is often due to an operational error, such as paper or cloth accidentally covering the touch panel element. This second alarm indicates that paper or cloth should be removed. It has the meaning of prompting the operator to confirm the existence of an obstacle that should exist. Since the normal light-shielding determination continues, if the obstacle is removed and "no light-shielding" is confirmed by the light-shielding determination, the second alarm is stopped and the normal operation can be restored.

[Example] Hereinafter, a preferred example of the present invention will be described in detail.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a touch panel device according to the present invention. In the figure, elements similar to those of the conventional apparatus shown in FIG. 2 are designated by similar reference numerals.

The difference in the device configuration from the conventional device is the processing device.
An abnormal light shielding detection unit 94 and a restoration detection unit 95 are added to 90, a light shielding determination result table 72 and an abnormal element table 73 are added to the memory 70, and an alarm means 75
And that the counting means 80 is provided.

In this embodiment, the counting means 80 has one abnormal element counter for each of the X axis and the Y axis. Counting means 80 and processing device 90
Each unit inside can be configured by software (program processing) instead of hardware.

The light-shielding determination result table 72 stores the determination result of the light-shielding determination unit 91, that is, the presence / absence of light-shielding, with respect to the light-receiving data of each light-receiving element for each driving scan.

The abnormal light shielding detection unit 94 determines whether or not there is abnormal light shielding based on the contents of the light shielding determination result table 72. The counter in the counting means 80 continuously counts the number of times of scanning of the element pair which is determined to be abnormal light shielding for each axis. In the case where there are two or more element pairs determined to be abnormally shielded on each axis, the leftmost element pair is counted in this embodiment. Many counters, for example
When one is prepared for each element pair, such a countermeasure is unnecessary. When the count value of the counter exceeds a certain value, the element pair (coordinates) is determined to be an abnormal element pair and registered in the abnormal element pair table 73 as shown in FIG.
The alarm means 75 refers to this registered content and if there is an element pair registered as abnormal, the alarm means 75 outputs an LED as a first alarm.
Turn on # 1. In this embodiment, only one abnormal element pair is registered. From this meaning, the abnormal element table 73 is
Different from the one shown in FIG. 7, a number or the like for identifying the abnormal element pair may be stored.

The coordinate determining unit 93 thereafter excludes the element pair registered in the abnormal element table 73 from the target of the coordinate determining process. Alternatively, the light shielding determination unit 91, for the element pair,
Regardless of whether or not the light is actually shielded, it may be determined that “the light is not shielded” or that “the same as the light shield determination result of the adjacent element pair” is determined instead of the determination that the light is not shielded.

Further, the alarm means 75 uses the LED # when the abnormal element table 73, the output of the counting means 80 and the light shielding determination result table 72 determine that two or more element pairs are abnormal simultaneously or sequentially. Turn on 2. In this case, the light blocking determination unit 91 does not consider the element pairs not registered in the abnormal element table 73 to be “no light blocking” or “same as the light blocking determination result of the adjacent element pair” and makes a normal light blocking determination. continue. Therefore, if it is determined again that no light is shielded, the alarm means 75 turns off the LED # 2.

The recovery detection unit 95 periodically controls the lighting of the LED with respect to the abnormal element pair registered in the abnormal element table, and when normal light reception by the corresponding light receiving element is confirmed, the element is detected from the abnormal element table 73. Delete pair registration.

Next, a specific example of the coordinate detection processing of the touch panel device of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The normal operation is almost the same as that of the apparatus shown in FIG. First, the drive scanning unit 91 checks one piece of data in the abnormal element table 73 (S11).
Each LED is turned on, that is, one element is scanned (S12), and these steps are repeated until scanning of all elements is completed (S13). Each result of the one-element scan is stored in the received light data table 71. The light shielding determination unit 91 compares each data of the table 71 with the threshold value and determines the presence or absence of light shielding for each element pair (S14). At this time, the determination is omitted for the abnormal element pairs registered in the abnormal element table 73. The determination result is stored in the light-shielding determination result table 72. Now, assuming that there is light blocking, the abnormal light blocking detection unit 94 determines from the contents of the table 72 whether or not abnormal light blocking has occurred (S15). In this embodiment, only one-point pointing (indicating a block of continuous X-axis and Y-axis coordinates) is normally shielded, and only one axis of the other axes is shielded, and discontinuous coordinates are shielded abnormally. judge. If the shading is normal, the coordinates are determined by the coordinate determination unit 93 and reported (S16). At this time, those registered as an abnormal element pair in the abnormal element table 73 are excluded from the target of the coordinate determination processing.

If abnormal light blocking occurs due to the occurrence of a defective element or the like while using the touch panel, it is detected in step S15, and it is determined whether the coordinates are the same as the previously light-blocked coordinates (S31). If there are a plurality of abnormal light-shielding coordinates, in this embodiment, only the leftmost coordinate of each axis is determined. If the coordinates are the same, the abnormal element counter is updated (S32), and it is determined whether this value exceeds a certain value (S33). Until the value exceeds the fixed value, the process returns to the first step S11. When an element defect occurs, the counter is continuously updated unless it is naturally recovered, and the counter value exceeds a certain value after a lapse of a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds). If it is not a defective element, but it happens that the light is blocked in only one axial direction by a finger, etc., if the coordinate is different from the coordinate of the previous abnormal light blocking when the abnormal light blocking occurs next, the abnormal element counter will be Cleared (S38).

If the counter value exceeds the certain value in step S33, in the present embodiment, the light-shielding determination result table 72 is referred to, the light-shielding state of the adjacent element pair at that time is referred to, and other light-shielding is performed coaxially. If so, it is determined that the number of abnormal elements is plural, and if not, it is determined as one (S34). In the case of a defective element, it is usually judged as one, and it is judged whether another element pair has already been registered in the abnormal element table 73 (S35). If not registered, that element pair is newly registered ( S36), LED #
Turn on 1 (S37).

If it is determined in step 34 that there are two or more LEDs, LED # 2
Lights up. While the LED # 2 is lit, in this embodiment, it is determined that the LED cannot be used and the coordinate report is not made. If the cause of lighting of LED # 2 is due to an obstacle, if the obstacle is removed, it is determined in step S14 that no light is blocked, and L
ED # 2 is turned off (S17) and is ready for use. If LED # 2 does not go out even after removing the obstacle, contact maintenance personnel and restore by touch panel replacement.

When the process returns to step S11 after turning on LED # 1, it is checked by referring to the abnormal element table whether or not the registered abnormal element pair is normally light-controlled (S1
3) If the light is received normally, it is judged that it has been recovered and the registration of the element pair is excluded from the abnormal element table (S19), and the LED is
Turn off # 1. If it has not been recovered, the process directly moves to the scan of the next element.

When one abnormal element pair is registered in the abnormal element table, it is excluded from the coordinate determination process as described above, so that the touch panel can be used without any trouble.

According to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) An abnormal element is automatically detected while the touch panel is in use, and if an abnormality is detected in a single element, the abnormal element is excluded from the coordinate determination processing to report incorrect coordinates. It is possible to avoid the situation of being continued. The operator can recognize this state by turning on LED # 1.

(2) According to the normal coordinate pointing method, a plurality of coordinates are shielded at the same time, so that when one element fails, the touch panel can be used even if it is considered as "no shielding".

(3) If the touch panel is accidentally covered with an obstacle such as paper or cloth, the operator should set this state.
By recognizing by turning on LED # 2 and removing the obstacle, normal operation can be restored. LE with or without obstruction
When D # 2 is lit, it can be determined that a plurality of elements have failed.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, from the viewpoint of reliability, continuous use is possible only when a single element fails, but when one element for each axis, two elements in total, fails,
Alternatively, even if two or more elements that are coaxially separated from each other by a certain distance or more fail, it is possible to continue use.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, it is possible to automatically detect an abnormality in the light emitting element or the light receiving element of the touch panel while using the touch panel,
As a result, not only can an alarm be issued to notify the operator, but by not performing the normal light-shielding judgment for that element, the situation in which incorrect coordinates are reported can be avoided while using the touch panel. Will be able to continue.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a touch panel device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional touch panel device, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are explanatory diagrams of a coordinate detection principle in an optical touch panel device. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of coordinate detection processing in the conventional touch panel device, FIG. 6 is a flowchart of coordinate detection processing in the touch panel device of the present invention, FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the abnormal element table of FIG. 1, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing of erroneous coordinate detection by generation | occurrence | production of an abnormal element. 10 ... LED array, 20 ... photodetector array, 30 ... selector, 35 ... LED driver, 40 ... multiplexer, 45 ... timing generation circuit, 50 ... analog-digital converter, 60 ... register, 70 ...... Memory, 71 ...... Receiving data table, 72 ...... Light shielding judgment result table, 73 …… Abnormal element table, 75 …… Alarm means, 80 …… Counting means, 90 …… Processing device, 91 …… Driving scanning unit , 92 ... light-shielding judgment unit, 93 ... coordinate determination unit, 94 ... abnormal light-shielding detection unit, 95 ... restoration detection unit

Front Page Continuation (72) Inventor Katsuya Ichizo 52-1 Omika-cho, Hitachi-shi, Ibaraki Hitachi Process Computer Engineering Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-63-8920 (JP, A) Kai 60-142477 (JP, A) Actual Sho 63-12225 (JP, U)

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of pairs of light emitting elements and light receiving elements are arranged in the X-axis direction across a coordinate detection area, and a plurality of pairs of other light emitting elements and light receiving elements are arranged across the coordinate detection area in the Y-axis direction. A method of controlling a touch panel, wherein the plurality of pairs are sequentially driven and scanned periodically to detect X-axis and Y-axis coordinates corresponding to light-shielded element pairs in the coordinate detection area. During the coordinate detection operation, the abnormality detection process for detecting whether each element pair is in the abnormal light shielding state is continuously performed. When the abnormal element pair is detected by the abnormality detection process, the first alarm is issued. It is generated continuously or periodically, and thereafter, the abnormal element pair is excluded from the target of the coordinate detection processing, and a plurality of abnormal element pairs are detected in at least one of the X axis and the Y axis. A second alarm different from the first alarm, and continues the light-shielding determination processing for at least one of the plurality of abnormal element pairs, and then continues the coordinate detection processing. A method for controlling a touch panel, wherein the second alarm is stopped when it is determined that the pair is “not shielded”. 2. When the plurality of abnormal element pairs are simultaneously detected on at least one of the axes, the light-shielding determination process is continued for all of these abnormal element pairs, and the plurality of abnormal element pairs are sequentially detected. The control method of the touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the light-shielding determination process is continued for the second and subsequent abnormal element pairs. 3. The abnormal element pair excluded from the target of the coordinate detection processing is regarded as "no light shielding" or "identical with the light shielding determination result of the adjacent element pair". The method for controlling the touch panel according to 1 or 2. 4. The touch panel control method according to claim 1, wherein the light shielding during the normal coordinate detecting operation is performed simultaneously for a plurality of consecutive element pairs in each axis. 5. The touch panel control method according to claim 1, wherein an element pair in a light-shielded state that cannot be obtained by a normal coordinate detection operation is determined to be an element pair in the abnormal light-shielded state. 6. The touch panel control method according to claim 1, wherein an element pair in a light-shielded state only on one of the X-axis and the Y-axis is determined to be an element pair in the abnormal light-shielded state. . 7. The touch panel control method according to claim 1, wherein a pair of elements that are continuously shielded from light for a predetermined time or more is determined to be the pair of elements in the abnormally shielded state. . 8. An abnormal element pair excluded from the target of the coordinate detection processing is periodically subjected to light emission control during the normal coordinate detection operation, and when the light is normally received, it is determined that it is no longer abnormal. 4. The touch panel control method according to claim 1, wherein the light-shielding determination process is restarted for the element pair to be a target of the coordinate detection process. 9. The touch panel control method according to claim 8, wherein the first alarm for the element pair for which the light-shielding determination processing is restarted is stopped. 10. A first plurality of pairs of light emitting elements and light receiving elements arranged in the X-axis direction across the coordinate detection area, and light emitting elements and light receiving elements arranged in the Y axis direction across the coordinate detection area. In a touch panel device for determining and outputting coordinates corresponding to a light-shielded element pair, comprising: A light-shielding determination unit that determines whether or not there is light-shielding for each element pair, an abnormal light-shielding detection unit that detects an abnormal light-shielded state from the determination result of the light-shielding determination unit, and an abnormal light-shielded state is detected by the abnormal light-shielding detection unit. Of the element pair, counting means for counting the number of scans in which the abnormal light-shielding state continues, and only one element pair for each axis among the element pairs in which the count value of the counting means exceeds a predetermined value The abnormal element With reference to the abnormal element registration means registered as a pair and the registered contents of the abnormal element registration means, the element pair registered as abnormal is excluded from the target of the light shielding determination, and the abnormal element pair not registered is registered. Is a control means for controlling the light-shielding determination means so as to continue the light-shielding determination, and a first alarm means for issuing a first alarm when the abnormal element pair is registered in the abnormal element registration means. On the axis of, when the element pair other than the abnormal element pair registered in the abnormal element registration means is determined to be abnormal,
A second alarm means for issuing a second alarm, and when the light shielding determination means determines “no light shielding” for the abnormal element pair for which the light shielding determination is continued, the second alarm means A touch panel device characterized by stopping a second alarm. 11. The light-shielding judging means refers to the registered contents of the abnormal element registering means, and judges "no light-shielding" or "light-shielding judging result of an adjacent element pair" for an element pair registered as abnormal. Claim 10 characterized as "identical"
The touch panel device described. 12. An abnormal element pair registered in the abnormal element registration means is periodically subjected to light emission control, and when the light is normally received, the registration of the abnormal element pair in the abnormal element registration means is canceled. 12. The touch panel device according to claim 10 or 11, further comprising recovery detection means.