JPH08305490A - Stress output type two-dimensional coordinate input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve the quality of a human interface by outputting reaction from a computer when inputting a two-dimensional coordinate by also providing a reaction output means at the two-dimensional coordinate input device such as mouse or track ball. CONSTITUTION: This device is composed of a ball 1 having a large friction coefficient, two cylinders 2 and 3 orthogonal each other having the large coefficient of friction with the ball 1 in contact with the ball 1, two position detecting means 6 and 7 for detecting the rotating amounts of two cylinders, two torque generating means 4 and 5 for applying rotating force to two cylinders, and program for applying suitable control signals to the torque generating means 4 and 5 based on the information from the position detecting means. Since the two-dimensional reaction output means is provided for the two-dimensional input device, a cursor showing the two-dimensional coordinate input device can be held in a certain area or can be oppositely prevented from entering a certain area and the quality of the human interface can be improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a reaction force output type two-dimensional coordinate input device, and more particularly to a human interface, which is a two-dimensional device such as a mouse or a trackball used in workstations, personal computers and the like. By making the coordinate input device also have a reaction force output means, the reaction force can be output from the computer via the mouse and the trackball at the time of two-dimensional coordinate input, and the work on the computer is streamlined.
It is easy to understand.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a human interface in a computer has a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, etc. as an input means and a CRT as an output means.
Displays, liquid crystal displays, printers, etc. were used. These mice and trackballs are composed of a large sphere, a cylinder that is in contact with the large sphere, and is orthogonal to each other, and detection means for measuring the amount of rotation of the cylinder. Recently, research on virtual reality has developed a reaction force output device that is similar to a robot manipulator.

As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-102997, a mouse is provided with a movable cover which can be moved up and down to a part corresponding to a palm when the mouse is operated, and a cover drive mechanism which moves the movable cover up and down. Is also proposed. In the invention described in the above-mentioned JP-A-6-102997, it is possible to know by tactile sense that the mouse cursor has passed over the boundary of the window or the button. In addition, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-324190, there has been proposed a device in which a brake is turned on / off on a ball forming a mouse to give reaction force information to a user.

[0004]

However, the above C
With an output means such as an RT display device, although it is possible to output visually, the computer cannot output information to other sensory organs of human beings.
Also, in the research field of virtual reality, which has been well researched and developed recently, reaction force displays are being developed, but due to the size of the device including physical size, it is difficult to use it easily. It was Further, in the method disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-102997, there is a problem in that the amount of information presented to the human by the computer is small because the one-dimensional tactile information is displayed only. Further, the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-324190 only turns the brake on and off with respect to the ball, so that there is a problem that the reaction force becomes jerky, and there is a feeling when crossing the boundary line. I couldn't express the feeling of being sucked in the direction. That is, there is a problem that continuous, smooth and precise reaction force control cannot be performed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a mouse and a trackball, which have been widely used as an input device in the past, are provided with a haptic output means so that a smooth reaction force or suction can be obtained. Such a reaction force can be expressed, and the purpose is to further enhance the human interface.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides (1) a sphere having a large friction coefficient, a first cylinder that makes frictional contact with the sphere, and a rotation of the first cylinder. A second cylinder having an axis orthogonal to and in frictional contact with the sphere; two first and second torque generating means having one rotating shaft and generating torque according to an input signal with respect to the rotating shaft. First and second position detecting means having one rotation axis and capable of detecting the rotation amount of the rotation axis, and converting the X component of the rotation of the sphere into the rotation of the first cylinder. However, the X component rotation information can be transmitted to the first position detecting means, and the torque from the first torque generating means can be reflected on the first cylinder and output as the rotation X component of the sphere. The first rotation axis that is possible and the Y component of the rotation of the sphere is converted into the rotation of the second cylinder. The Y component rotation information can be transmitted to the second position detecting means, and the torque from the second torque generating means is reflected on the second cylinder to rotate the Y component of the sphere (perpendicular to the X component). And a support plate for supporting the sphere and allowing the sphere to come into contact with a flat surface outside the apparatus, and (2) from the position detecting means. An appropriate control signal is given to the torque generating means based on the information, or (3) a sphere having a large friction coefficient, a first cylinder that makes frictional contact with the sphere, and the first cylinder and the rotating shaft. A second cylinder which is orthogonal to the sphere and has frictional contact with the sphere; first and second torque generating means having one rotating shaft and generating torque according to an input signal to the rotating shaft; Since it has one rotation axis and detects the rotation amount of the rotation axis, The first and second position detecting means, and the X component of the rotation of the sphere can be converted into the rotation of the first cylinder, and the X component rotation information can be transmitted to the first position detecting means, and A first rotation axis capable of reflecting the torque from the first torque generating means on the first cylinder and outputting it as a rotation X component of the sphere, and a Y component of rotation of the sphere (the X component). (Right angle to) can be converted into rotation of the second cylinder to transmit Y component rotation information to the second position detecting means, and the torque from the second torque generating means is reflected in the second cylinder. And a second rotation axis capable of outputting as a rotation Y component of the sphere, and the first and second rotation shafts located below the sphere so as to support the sphere and to transmit the rotation amount bidirectionally. That the cylinders are arranged, and (4) information from the position detecting means. Based on the above, an appropriate control signal is given to the torque generating means.

[0007]

In the mouse and trackball that have been used conventionally, a sphere is built in, and a means for detecting the components of the rotation of the sphere in directions orthogonal to each other, that is, the X component and the Y component, is provided. The portion for detecting each component is usually provided with a means for detecting the amount of rotation of the cylindrical shaft which is in contact with a sphere and is converted into the rotational component of each cylindrical shaft. In the present invention, a torque generating means such as a motor is connected to each of the cylindrical shafts, and the torque generating means is configured to be controllable by a computer. The reaction force output type two-dimensional coordinate input having such a configuration is provided. The device operates like a mouse or as a trackball, provided that the torque generating means does not generate torque.
Next, when the torque generating means is caused to generate a torque based on some information, the torque is transmitted to the cylinder via the rotation axis, and the cylinder gives the sphere a rotational force corresponding to the friction coefficient with the sphere. At this time, the sphere causes an interaction with a plane outside the device that comes into contact with the sphere, and a force corresponding to the friction coefficient between the sphere and the plane outside the device is relatively generated in the device itself. The device perceives the relatively generated force. Further, a person touching the sphere perceives a rotational force of the sphere according to a friction coefficient between the sphere and a sensory organ such as a hand.

[0008]

1 to 3 are views for explaining one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 shows a mechanical structure, FIG. 2 shows a schematic structure inside a casing, and FIG. 3 shows an electric structure. In the figure, 1 is a sphere having a surface with a large friction coefficient, 2 is a first cylinder, 2X is a first rotation axis, 3 is a second cylinder, 3X is a second rotation axis, and 4 is a first rotation axis. Torque generating means, 5 is second torque generating means, 6 is first position detecting means, 7 is second position detecting means, 8 is a supporting plate, 9 is a supporting roller, 10 is a case, and 11 is a first. Pulse encoder, 12 is a second pulse encoder, 13 is a first D / A converter, 14 is a second D / A converter, 15 is a CPU, 16 is a first drive amplifier, and 17 is a second drive. The same reference numerals are attached to parts showing the amplifiers and having similar functions throughout the drawings.

Small motors are used for the torque generating means 4 and 5. The position detecting means 6 and 7 are optical encoders. The sphere 1 is a rubber ball, and is supported by a support roller 9 and a lower support plate 8 of an enclosure 10, as shown in FIGS. The lower support plate 8 of the casing 10 has a hole so that a part of the sphere 1 is exposed to the outside of the casing, and the portion in contact with the sphere 1 is made of a slippery material so that the friction coefficient becomes small. The cylinders 2 and 3 are also made of a material such as rubber so that they are in close contact with the sphere 1 over a wide area and have a large friction coefficient. The outputs from the position detecting means 6 and 7 are input to the pulse encoders 11 and 12 so that the CPU 15 can know how much the sphere 1 has moved. Also, CP
The U15 is electrically connected to the torque generating means 4 and 5 via the D / A converters 13 and 14 and the drive amplifiers 16 and 17 so that arbitrary torque can be produced. In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a desired effect even with a configuration other than the above-mentioned embodiments. For example, the method of applying torque from the torque generating means to the sphere does not share the cylinders 2 and 3 used by the position detecting means, but another two cylinders for torque output are separately provided, and the sphere 1 is provided through these cylinders. It may be configured to output torque to the.

In the reaction force output type mouse having the above mechanical structure, first, the following basic control program is installed. One is a program 100 for reading the information from the pulse encoders 11 and 12 as shown in FIG. 4 and calculating how much the mouse has moved, and the other is a program 100 as shown in FIG. Is a program 101 that sends a signal to the D / A converters 13 and 14 so that the mouse actually outputs such a reaction force from a given two-dimensional vector indicating the direction of the reaction force to be output. A program 102 for calculating and outputting a two-dimensional reaction force vector to be output to the mouse from a given area (for example, a rectangular area) and a position pointed by the mouse at that time as shown in FIG.

The given area is also provided with a two-variable, monovalent function f whose definition is the movable range of the mouse including the area. The program 102 calls the program 100 to calculate the coordinates (x, y) where the mouse is currently pointing, and ∂f / ∂x, ∂f at that point.
Calculate / ∂y. At this time, (-∂f / ∂x, -∂f /
∂y) is the reaction force vector to be output by the mouse, so it is sent to the program 101. By mounting the program 102 as described above, it is possible to cause the mouse to perform various reaction force operations only by giving the function f.

Some examples will be given below. Figure 7
Is a diagram showing an example of the above-mentioned function f.
Is given this function f. In the vicinity of the points p and q in FIG. 7, the differential value of f becomes large, and if the mouse is pointing there, the reaction force vector that tries to deviate from the point p or q from the shape of f is the mouse. Is output from. For example, it is assumed that the mouse points near the point q near the point p, passes the point p, and moves to the left in FIG. 7. At this time, the more the human operating the mouse tries to move the mouse cursor closer to the point p, the more the force in the opposite direction is perceived, and when the person reaches the point p against it (∂f becomes 0). I don't feel the reaction force.

Next, when the robot starts to move away from the point p, a force as if to grow it is output to the mouse. In a window system of a personal computer or a workstation, if the function f is configured so that the boundary line of the window corresponds to the points p and q, the mouse is moved when the point position crosses the boundary of the window when the mouse is operated. It is possible to realize a system that can be perceived by the reaction force from. By adjusting the height of the peak point of the real number f in FIG. 7 such as lowering it, it is possible to give the user a sensible feeling when crossing the window boundary.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the function f.
The function f shown in FIG. 8 is a function having the points r and s as asymptotes. When such a function is given, the mouse is moved to the points r and s.
The closer it is to, the more the reaction force acting in the opposite direction is output. For example, if the points r and s are set to f so as to match the window boundary, it is possible to prevent the mouse cursor from accidentally leaving the window or prevent the mouse cursor from entering the window. Becomes

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another example of the function f.
As in the case of, a function that makes the point t an asymptote, for example, the point t
If is set to the coordinates of a certain icon, it is possible to prevent the mouse cursor from approaching that icon, as in the case of FIG. For example, if the coordinates of the trash can icon on the Macintosh desktop are set to the point t, it is possible to avoid accidentally discarding important documents. In addition, the operation of dragging and overlaying one icon on another icon is often used in general window systems, but when the combination of icons does not match, it is impossible to do this method via tactile sense. It becomes possible to notify from the system.

The function f shown in FIG. 10 is a function which acts so that the mouse cursor is sucked into a point u which is opposite to the case of FIG. When the icons are overlapped with each other by the drag operation as described above, it is possible for the suitable icons to prompt the operator to understand by such reaction force output.

FIG. 11 shows the present invention embodied in the form of a trackball, and the control method and operation are shown in FIG.
Same as for the mouse. Other general CAD
Also, in various applications such as drawing lines, surfaces, and arranging surfaces and objects, the present invention can provide a highly interactive human interface.

[0018]

By providing a two-dimensional input device such as a mouse or a trackball which has been conventionally used only for inputting with two-dimensional reaction force output means, the area where the cursor shown by the two-dimensional coordinate input device exists Notify that you have straddled, stay within a certain area, conversely, do not enter a certain area, do not approach a certain point or a certain area during drag operation, and urge you to approach. It is possible to make operations such as drawing of lines and planes, arrangement of planes and objects more interactive in general CAD, and to improve the human interface. Further, in these operations, it was solved that the output of the reaction force, which was a problem in the conventional technique, was not smooth and unnatural, and the reaction force output type 2 which is more natural and has a human feeling. A dimensional coordinate input device is provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a mechanical configuration diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the outline and overall concept of the internal configuration when the present invention is applied to a mouse.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an electrical configuration used for implementing the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a part of a control program used for implementing the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another example of a part of the control program used in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of a part of a control program used for implementing the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of parameters given to a control program.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of parameters given to a control program.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another example of parameters given to a control program.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of parameters given to a control program.

FIG. 11 is an external view when the present invention is embodied in the form of a trackball.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Sphere, 2 ... 1st cylinder, 2x ... 1st axis of rotation, 3 ... 2nd cylinder, 3y ... 2nd axis of rotation, 4 ... 1st torque generating means, 5 ... 2nd torque generation Means, 6 ... First position detecting means, 7 ... Second position detecting means, 8 ... Support plate, 9 ... Support roller, 10 ... Case, 11, 12 ... Pulse encoder,
13, 14 ... D / A converter, 15 ... CPU, 16,
17 ... Drive amplifier.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A sphere having a large friction coefficient, a first cylinder that makes frictional contact with the sphere, a second cylinder that has a rotation axis orthogonal to the first cylinder and makes frictional contact with the sphere, and one rotation. Has an axis,
A first and second torque generating means for generating a torque according to an input signal to the rotary shaft, and a first rotary shaft having a single rotary shaft and capable of detecting a rotation amount of the rotary shaft.
And the second two position detecting means, the X component of the rotation of the sphere can be converted into the rotation of the first cylinder, the X component rotation information can be transmitted to the first position detecting means, and the first position detecting means can transmit the X component rotation information. Of the torque from the torque generating means of the first cylinder can be output as a rotation X component of the sphere, and a Y component of rotation of the sphere of the second cylinder. The rotation Y component of the sphere can be converted into rotation and the Y component rotation information can be transmitted to the second position detecting means, and the torque from the second torque generating means can be reflected in the second cylinder. The second which can be output as a right angle to the X component)
The reaction force output type two-dimensional coordinate input device, comprising: a rotation axis of the device and a support plate that supports the sphere and allows the sphere to come into contact with a plane outside the device. 2. The reaction force output type two-dimensional coordinate input device according to claim 1, wherein an appropriate control signal is given to the torque generating means based on the information from the position detecting means. 3. A sphere having a large coefficient of friction, a first cylinder that makes frictional contact with the sphere, a second cylinder that has a rotation axis orthogonal to the first cylinder and makes frictional contact with the sphere, and one rotation. A first and a second torque generating means having a shaft for generating a torque corresponding to an input signal with respect to the rotary shaft; and a single rotary shaft for detecting a rotation amount of the rotary shaft. Two possible first and second position detecting means and an X component of the rotation of the sphere can be converted into a rotation of the first cylinder, and X component rotation information can be transmitted to the first position detecting means, and A first rotation axis capable of reflecting the torque from the first torque generating means on the first cylinder and outputting it as a rotation X component of the sphere, and a Y component of rotation of the sphere (the X component). Right angle) to the rotation of the second cylinder and the Y component rotation information is transferred to the second position detecting means. And a second rotation axis capable of transmitting the torque from the second torque generating means to the second cylinder to be output as a rotation Y component of the sphere, and a position below the sphere. A reaction force output type two-dimensional coordinate input device in which the first and second cylinders are arranged so as to support the sphere and to transmit the rotation amount bidirectionally. 4. The reaction force output type two-dimensional coordinate input device according to claim 3, wherein an appropriate control signal is given to the torque generating means based on the information from the position detecting means.