JPH09134248A - Pointing input device and electronic equipment provided with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve operability and to miniaturize a pointing input device by eliminating plural operation keys and smoothly operating plural operation objects with one finger. SOLUTION: A disk-like operation key 21 is provided on a remote control casing 11 so that it can slide. A slide switch 230 detects a slide movement operation and the operation face of the operation key 21 is divided into four. Pressure sensors 221-224 are arranged on the divided areas and the depression operation of the operation key 21 is detected, Item movement information L7 is generated based on the detection signal L4 of the slide operation and a cursor movement information L3 is generated based on the detection signal L12 of the depression operation. The positions of a pointer for menu item selection K2 and a cursor K1, which are displayed on the display screen of a television receiver, are moved in accordance with the contents of information.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention comprises a pointing input device such as a remote controller used for remotely operating electronic equipment such as a television receiver, a personal computer, a portable information terminal device, and the like. Related to electronic devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a remote controller (hereinafter referred to as a remote controller) used for remotely controlling a television receiver is often of a type that a user holds and operates. This type of remote control is generally configured such that a user supports the remote control from the back surface with four fingers other than the thumb and presses a button on the remote control operation surface with the thumb. That is, button operation of the remote controller is usually performed with one finger.

By the way, various multifunctional television receivers have been developed along with the promotion of multimedia in recent years. In this type of device, for example, a menu selecting operation and a cursor moving operation may be performed respectively.
In order to operate the plurality of operation targets, the conventional remote controller has a plurality of operation buttons corresponding to the plurality of operation targets, for example, an item move button B1 and a cursor move on the operation panel of the remote controller as shown in FIG. The button B2 is provided, or as shown in FIG. 7, one operation button B and a changeover switch SW for selecting an operation target are provided on the operation panel of the remote controller.

However, in such a conventional remote controller, in order to select and operate a plurality of operation buttons B1 and B2, the remote controller must be changed or the position of the finger must be greatly shifted, and first, the changeover switch SW must be operated. It is necessary to operate the operation button B by largely moving the position of the finger after operating and specifying the operation target, and the operability is poor.

Further, the number of operation buttons B1 and B2 corresponding to the number of objects to be operated must be provided on the operation panel of the remote controller, and the changeover switch SW must be provided. I was invited. In addition,
In order to avoid this increase in size, it is necessary to reduce the size of the operation button, but if the size of the operation button is reduced, the operability is deteriorated, which is not preferable.

[0006]

As described above, the conventional pointing input device has drawbacks that it is difficult to operate and the device is upsized. Therefore, the present invention eliminates the need for a plurality of operation buttons and enables a plurality of operation targets to be smoothly operated with one finger without greatly moving the operation position, thereby improving operability and downsizing the device. An object of the present invention is to provide a pointing input device that can be achieved and an electronic device including the input device.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the pointing input device of the present invention has a structure in which a flat plate-like operation button having a size corresponding to the abdomen of a finger is slidably supported by a support. As a slide operation detecting means for detecting slide movement operation information of the operation button with respect to the support, a plurality of pressure sensors are dispersedly arranged on the operation button surface, and based on output signals of these pressure sensors. Pressing operation detecting means for detecting pressing operation information for the operation button is provided, and operation information for operating a plurality of independent functions is input by the slide operation detecting means and the pressing operation detecting means.

Therefore, according to the pointing input device of the present invention, it is possible to respectively input information for operating a plurality of operation targets by a sliding operation and a pressing operation of one operation button. Therefore, the user can smoothly input the operation information for a plurality of operation targets without changing the fingers or shifting the positions of the fingers significantly. Also, 1 for multiple operation targets
Since only one operation button needs to be provided, the device can be downsized as compared with the case where a separate operation button is provided for each operation target or a changeover switch is provided separately. Further, since it is not necessary to downsize the operation button, there is no fear that the operation button is downsized and the operability is deteriorated.

Further, in the pressing operation detecting means, based on the output signals of the plurality of pressure sensors, information indicating the pressing pressure amount of the pressing operation on the operation button and the direction of the pressing operation in the direction orthogonal to the pressing operation direction. , So-called vector amount information is detected. Therefore, it is possible to obtain the two-dimensional movement operation information by the pressing operation, and thereby, for example, it is possible to move the cursor to the desired position at high speed and smoothly.

Further, the pressing operation detecting means has a minimum detection sensitivity of the pressing pressure set in advance for distinguishing the pressing operation and the sliding movement operation on the operation button, and the pressing pressure exceeding the minimum detection sensitivity is pressed operation information. It is also characterized by detecting as. Therefore, it is possible to more clearly identify and detect the pressing operation on the operation button from the slide movement operation, and thus it is possible to provide the input device excellent in operability in which erroneous input is unlikely to occur.

[0011]

1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a pointing input device according to the present invention.
This pointing input device is a remote controller for a multi-function television receiver, and its operation panel 1 has a group of key buttons 3 for channel selection, a menu item displayed on a display screen, and a cursor movement. And a point operation unit 2 for providing the respective points.

The point operation section 2 includes a disc-shaped push button 21 and an oval accommodating recess 22 formed in the housing 11 for accommodating the push button 21 so as to be slidable in the front-back direction in the drawing. It has and.

2A and 2B show the structure of the point operation unit 2, wherein FIG. 2A is a plan view thereof, and FIGS. 2B and 2C are side sectional views. In the figure, the operation surface of the operation button 21 is
It is composed of a central portion 210 having a hemispherical shape and peripheral portions 211 to 214 divided into four at equal angles. Of these, the peripheral portions 211 to 214 are each formed such that the surface thereof gently inclines downward from the peripheral end toward the central portion 210. These descending inclined surfaces are for improving the operability of a pressing operation described later on the operation button 21.

Pressure sensors 211 to 224 are disposed inside the four divided peripheral portions 211 to 214, respectively. These pressure sensors 221 to 224 are for detecting a pressing operation on the operation button 21, and the pressing detection signal L1 is input to the cursor movement detection circuit 41 described later via the signal transmission movable contact 225. In addition, the click button 23 is provided inside the central portion 210 of the operation surface.
0 is provided. This click button 230 is pressed when determining a menu item.
The click signal L5 generated by the pressing operation is input to the click detection circuit 43 described later.

On the other hand, a slide switch 230 is arranged in the housing below the accommodation recess 22. The slide switch 230 is provided with the operation button 2 in the accommodation recess 22.
1 for detecting the operation amount of the slide operation, and the slide detection signal L5 is the item movement detection circuit 4 described later.
2 is input.

The operation button 21 is mechanically connected to the center default restoring section 240. The center default restoring unit 240 automatically returns the operation button 21 after the slide operation to the center position.

FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram showing a main configuration of the remote control circuit. In the figure, the point operation unit 2
The depression detection signal L1 output from each of the pressure sensors 221 to 224 is input to the cursor movement detection circuit 41. The cursor movement detection circuit 41 is provided with the pressure sensors 22.
Based on the level of the depression detection signal L1 of 1 to 224, the vector of the depression operation on the operation button 21 and its magnitude are detected, and the detection result is supplied to the central control unit (CPU) 44 as cursor movement information L2.

When determining the level of the depression detection signal L1, the cursor movement detection circuit 41 first compares the level of the detection signal L1 with a preset minimum detection sensitivity level of pressure, and the level of the depression detection signal L1. Is above this minimum detection sensitivity level, the above push detection signal L
When 1 is determined to be valid, the pressing operation vector and its magnitude are detected. The minimum detection sensitivity level is the operation button 2
Each pressure sensor 221 to 22 when slide 1 is operated.
4 which is sufficiently higher than the press detection signal level L1 output from No. 4 and is equal to or lower than the press detection signal level L1 output from each pressure sensor 221 to 224 when the user intentionally presses the operation button 21. Is set to

The slide detection signal L4 output from the slide switch 230 is input to the item movement detection circuit 42. The item movement detection circuit 42 determines the level of the slide detection signal L4 to generate item movement information L7,
This item movement information L7 is supplied to the CPU 44.

The click signal L5 output from the click button 220 is input to the click detection circuit 43. The click detection circuit 43 determines from the click signal L5 of the click button 220 whether or not a click operation is performed, and when it is determined that the click operation is performed, the item determination information L6 is generated and supplied to the CPU 44.

The CPU 4 uses the cursor movement detection circuit 4 described above.
1. Item movement detection circuit 42 and click detection circuit 43
The output of the information is monitored, and each time the information is output, the output information is supplied to the infrared transmission circuit 45 as the menu item selection information L3. The infrared transmission circuit 45 is
Menu item selection information L supplied from the CPU 44
The infrared ray modulated by 3 is generated, and this infrared ray L8 is transmitted to a television receiver (not shown).

In the television receiver, the infrared ray transmitted from the remote controller is received by the infrared ray receiving section, and the infrared ray receiving section demodulates the menu item selection information. And
According to the demodulated menu item selection information, the positions of the cursor K1 and the menu item pointing pointer K2 displayed on the display screen are moved.

With such a configuration, for example, with the cursor K1 and the pointer K2 being displayed on the display screen as shown in FIG. 4, the user presses the operation button 21 of the remote controller with the thumb of the hand as shown in FIG. It is assumed that the pressing operation is performed with. Then, this pressing operation is detected by the cursor movement detection circuit 41, the item movement detection circuit 42, and the click detection circuit 43, and the information indicating the detection result is sent by infrared rays from the remote controller to the television receiver, whereby the display screen is displayed. The display positions of the cursor K1 and the pointer K2 above move.

For example, when the user moves the cursor K1 to the position shown in FIG.
In order to move in the direction indicated by PP1 in FIG.
It is assumed that 1 is pressed as indicated by P1 in FIG. Then, this pressing operation is mainly detected by the pressure sensor 221, and the detection signal L1 is detected by the cursor movement detection circuit 41.
Is input to In the cursor movement detection circuit 41, first, the level of the detection signal L1 is compared with the lowest detection sensitivity level. Then, if the level of the detection signal L1 is higher than the minimum detection sensitivity level, it is determined that the detection signal is a signal by a normal pressing operation, and subsequently, based on the detection signal L1, from the pressing operation vector and its magnitude. Cursor movement information L2 is created, and this operation information is sent to the CPU 4
After passing 4, the signal is transmitted from the infrared transmission circuit 45 to the television receiver.

In the television receiver, when the above operation information is received, the position of the cursor K1 being displayed on the display screen is set to PP1 in FIG. 4 according to the content of this operation information, that is, the moving direction vector and its size. Control is performed to move in the direction by a length corresponding to the above size.

Further, the user moves the cursor K1 to the position shown in FIG.
If the peripheral portion 214 of the operation button surface is pressed as shown in P4 of FIG. 5 to move in the direction indicated by PP4, the pressing operation is mainly detected by the pressure sensor 224, and the detection signal L1 moves the cursor. Detection circuit 41
Is input to The cursor movement detection circuit 41 first determines whether or not the level of the detection signal L1 is higher than the minimum detection sensitivity level. If the level of the detection signal L1 is higher than the minimum detection sensitivity level, the detection signal is pressed normally. The detection signal L is determined to be a signal by an operation.
Based on 1, the cursor movement information L2 consisting of the pressing operation vector and its size is created. Then, this operation information is transmitted to the television image receiving device from the infrared transmitting circuit 45 after passing through the CPU 44.

When the television receiver receives the operation information, the position of the cursor K1 being displayed on the display screen is set to PP4 in FIG. 4 according to the moving direction vector represented by this information and its size. Control is performed to move in the direction by a length corresponding to the above size.

Similarly, the user operates the operation button 21 4
Each time one peripheral portion 211 to 214 is selectively pressed,
Operation information including the vector and size of the pressing operation is sent from the remote controller to the television receiver, and the display position of the cursor K1 on the display screen moves according to the operation information.

When it is desired to move the cursor K1 in the diagonal direction on the display screen, not in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, the two peripheral portions corresponding to the direction are pressed simultaneously. Then, each pressure sensor 221-2
Based on the detection signal L1 of 24, the cursor movement detection circuit 41
Detects the vector of the pressing operation and its size, and sends this operation information to the television receiver. As a result, the position of the cursor K1 on the display screen is in the diagonal direction according to the vector and its size. Move by a length equivalent to

On the other hand, in order to select the item M2 among the menu items M1 to M5, the user operates the operation button 21 in FIG.
It is assumed that the slide is made small in the direction of arrow S1 shown in FIG. Then, this slide operation is performed by the slide switch 230.
The level of the detection signal L4 is detected by the item movement detection circuit 42. In this level determination, for example, the detection signal level is set to the menu items M1 to M.
It is made by comparing with four threshold values set in advance corresponding to 5. When the destination of the pointer K2 is determined by the level determination, the information is stored in the CPU 4
After passing 4, the signal is transmitted from the infrared transmission circuit 45 to the television receiver.

In the television receiver, when the above operation information is received, the position of the menu item selection pointer K2 on the display screen changes from item M3 to item M2 as indicated by arrow SS1 in FIG. Control for moving is performed. Note that FIG. 4 illustrates a case where the pointer K2 is displayed by being highlighted.

On the contrary, it is assumed that the user greatly slides the operation button 21 in the direction of arrow S2 as shown in FIG. 5 in order to select the menu item M5. Then, this slide operation is detected by the slide switch 230, and the level of the detection signal L4 is determined by the item movement detection circuit 42. When the movement destination of the pointer K2 is determined by this level determination, the information is transmitted from the infrared transmission circuit 45 to the television receiver via the CPU 44.

In the television receiver, when the above operation information is received, the position of the menu item selection pointer K2 on the display screen is moved from the item M3 to the item M5 as shown by the arrow SS2 in FIG. The control is performed to

Similarly, every time the user slides the operation button 21 in the front-back direction, the direction and amount of movement of the operation are detected by the item movement detection circuit 42, and the operation information indicating the detection result is output from the remote controller. It is sent to the television receiver, and the display position of the menu item selection pointer K2 on the display screen moves stepwise according to this operation information.

Then, when the pointer K2 moves to the menu item to be selected and the user clicks the click button 220 in this state, the click signal L5 is input to the click detection circuit 43 and the click detection circuit 43 determines the item. Information L6 is created. Then, the item determination information L6 is transmitted from the infrared transmission circuit 45 to the television receiver after passing through the CPU 44. In the television receiver, when the item determination information L6 arrives, control for selecting a menu item corresponding to the current position of the pointer K2 is executed.

As described above, in this embodiment, the operation button 21 forming a disk is provided on the remote control housing 11 so as to be slidable, and this slide movement operation is detected by the slide switch 230. Is divided into four, and pressure sensors 221 to 224 are respectively arranged in these divided areas so as to detect the pressing operation of the operation button 21.
4, the item movement information L7 is generated, the cursor movement information L2 is generated based on the detection signal L1 of the pressing operation, and the cursor movement information L2 is displayed on the display screen of the television receiver according to the contents of the information. The positions of the existing menu item selection pointer K2 and cursor K1 are moved.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, by the pressing operation and the sliding operation of one operation button 21,
Pointer K for moving the cursor K1 and selecting menu items
It is possible to perform two movements. For this reason, the user uses the cursor K1 and the pointer K2.
It is possible to smoothly input operation information for three independent operation targets without changing the remote controller or shifting the position of the finger significantly. Further, since only one operation button is required, the remote controller can be downsized as compared with the case where another operation button is provided for each operation target or a changeover switch is provided separately. Further, since it is not necessary to downsize the operation button 21, there is no concern that the operability is deteriorated due to the downsizing of the operation button 21.

Further, in this embodiment, the pressure sensor 22
The detection signal levels 1 to 224 are compared with a predetermined minimum pressure detection sensitivity level, and only when the detection signal level is higher than the minimum pressure detection sensitivity level, the cursor movement information L2 is determined based on the detection signal L1. I am trying to generate. Therefore, the pressing operation on the operation button 21 can be more clearly discriminated from the slide operation and detected, and thus a remote controller with excellent operability in which erroneous input is unlikely to occur can be provided.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the slide movement direction of the operation button 21 is not limited to the one-dimensional direction, and may be configured to be slidable in the two-dimensional direction. Further, the slide mechanism may be provided with a click mechanism to move the pointer 2 to a plurality of items. May be configured to be carried out step by step.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, when the click button 220 is pressed, if the pressing operation direction is not the vertical direction, the pressure sensors 221 to 224 and the cursor movement detection circuit 41 operate to move the position of the cursor K1. Is expected to change unwillingly. Therefore, when it is detected that the click button 220 is pressed, it is preferable to perform a process of invalidating the operation information detected by the cursor movement detection circuit 41 at this time.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the pressing operation of the operation button 21 is detected by using the pressure sensors 221 to 224. However, the operation button is configured to be swingable about its central portion. The swing motion may be detected using a displacement detector or the like, and the cursor movement information may be generated based on the detection result.

Further, although the present invention has been described by using the remote controller in the above-mentioned embodiments, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a notebook or sub-notebook personal computer, an electronic notebook, a mobile phone, a portable television receiver, It can be applied to a key input unit such as a game machine.

In addition, the shape and structure of the operation button, the support structure of the operation button, the configuration of the slide operation detecting means and the pressing operation detecting means, the type of the operation target, and the like are variously modified without departing from the scope of the present invention. Can be implemented.

[0044]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, a flat plate-like operation button having a size corresponding to the abdomen of the finger is supported by the support so as to be slidable. A slide operation detecting unit for detecting slide movement operation information is provided, and a plurality of pressure sensors are dispersedly arranged on the operation button surface, and press operation information for the operation button is detected based on output signals of these pressure sensors. Depressing operation detecting means is provided, and operation information for operating a plurality of independent functions is input by the slide operation detecting means and the pressing operation detecting means.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a plurality of operation buttons can be dispensed with, and a plurality of operation objects can be smoothly operated with one finger without greatly moving the operation position, thereby improving the operability. It is possible to provide a pointing input device capable of downsizing the device and an electronic device including the input device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a pointing input device according to the present invention.

2A and 2B are a plan view and a side sectional view showing a configuration of a point operation unit.

FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram showing a main configuration of a remote control circuit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example of a cursor and a pointer as operation targets.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation state of operation buttons.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an example of a conventional pointing input device.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing another example of a conventional pointing input device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Operation panel 2 ... Point operation part 3 ... Key button group 11 ... Remote control housing 21 ... Operation button 22 ... Operation button accommodation recess 41 ... Cursor movement detection circuit 42 ... Item movement detection circuit 43 ... Click detection circuit 44 ... CPU 45 ... Infrared transmission circuit 210 ... Central part of operation button surface 211-214 ... Peripheral part of operation button surface 220 ... Click button 221-224 ... Pressure sensor 225 ... Signal transmission movable contact 230 ... Slide switch 240 ... Center default restoration unit L1 ... Press detection signal L2 ... Cursor movement information L3 ... Menu item selection information L4 ... Slide detection signal L5 ... Click signal L6 ... Item decision information L7 ... Item movement information L8 ... Modulated infrared light

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A flat operation button having a size corresponding to the abdomen of a finger, a support for slidably supporting the operation button, and slide movement operation information of the operation button with respect to the support. A slide operation detecting means for detecting the pressure, and a plurality of pressure sensors dispersedly arranged on the operation button surface, and for detecting pressing operation information for the operation button based on output signals of these pressure sensors. Pointing operation device for inputting operation information for operating a plurality of independent functions by the slide operation detecting means and the pressing operation detecting means. . 2. The pressing operation detecting means, based on the output signals of the plurality of pressure sensors, information indicating the pressing pressure amount of the pressing operation on the operation button and the direction of the pressing operation in a direction orthogonal to the pressing operation direction. The pointing input device according to claim 1, wherein the pointing input device detects the position. 3. The pressing operation detecting means has a minimum detection sensitivity of a pressing pressure set in advance for distinguishing a pressing operation and a slide movement operation on an operation button, and a pressing operation exceeding the minimum detection sensitivity is pressed. The pointing input device according to claim 1, wherein the pointing input device is detected as information. 4. An operation executing means for executing a predetermined operation, a display means for displaying display information related to an operation executed by the operation executing means together with a plurality of pointing information, and a plurality of display means for displaying on the display means. The pointing input means for independently moving the display position of the pointing information is provided. The pointing input means has a flat operation button having a size corresponding to the abdomen of the finger, and the operation button is slidably movable. A support for supporting, a slide operation detecting means for detecting slide movement operation information of the operation button with respect to the support, and a plurality of pressure sensors distributed on the operation button surface, Of the pressing operation for detecting the pressing operation information for the operation button based on the output signal of the pressure sensor of An electronic device comprising means and means for inputting operation information detected by the slide operation detecting means and the pressing operation detecting means as information for moving the plurality of pointing information, respectively. .