JPH09198183A - Lip mouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mouse allowing even a person disabled of his arm or leg to easily input optional operating information. SOLUTION: A pressure sensor 12 detecting the change of air pressure is provided inside of the tube part 3 of a transmitter 1 to detect a breath blowing into from an opening part 2 as the quick change of air pressure. According to detection output from this pressure sensor 12, a prescribed laser beam is emitted from a laser beam emitting part 18 to a receiver 6 so that the receiver 6 outputs prescribed operation information to a host device based on a light receiving signal from a laser beam receiving part 21.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lip mouse, and more particularly to a lip mouse that arbitrarily outputs operation information to various upper-level devices by supporting and operating it with the lips.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a mouse (pointing device) for inputting position information by moving a cursor on a screen as an input device for arbitrarily inputting operation information to various host devices such as a personal computer and a television receiver. Or
A remote controller or the like has been used in which a channel or the like is designated and input by selectively inputting one of a plurality of buttons.

[0003]

Therefore, in such a conventional input device, the limbs are used to operate the mouse,
Alternatively, since the button is pressed, it is difficult for a person with limited limbs to operate these. Further, although a method of optically detecting the line of sight of the operator and inputting operation information has been proposed, there is a problem that the configuration tends to be complicated and a work load for mounting the device is required. . The present invention is intended to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a lip mouse that allows even a person with limited limbs to easily input arbitrary operation information.

[0004]

In order to achieve such an object, a lip mouse according to the present invention comprises a transmitter that emits a predetermined laser beam in response to a blown breath, and a laser beam from the transmitter. And a transmitter that outputs predetermined operation information in response to the detection of the, and a transmitter detects a pressure inside the pipe that changes depending on the breath that is blown in. The pressure sensor, a laser light emitting unit that emits laser light, and a main control unit that emits a predetermined laser light from the laser light emitting unit according to the change in atmospheric pressure detected by the pressure sensor, and the receiver, A laser light receiving unit that outputs a light receiving signal according to the received laser light and a light receiving signal processing unit that outputs operation information according to the light receiving signal from the laser light receiving unit are provided. Therefore, in the transmitter, the breath blown into the tube through the opening is detected by the pressure sensor, and laser light is emitted from the laser light emitting unit according to the detection output. In the receiver, predetermined operation information is output according to the light receiving signal indicating the laser light received by the laser light receiving section.

Further, the transmitter includes a touch sensor for detecting contact of the lips near the opening, and the main control section, when the contact of the lips is detected by the touch sensor, a laser beam based on a predetermined reference pattern. Is emitted from the laser light emitting section, and the received light signal processing section outputs operation information according to the reference pattern information detected from the received light signal. Therefore, in the transmitter, when the touch sensor detects the contact of the lips, the laser light based on the predetermined reference pattern is output, and in the receiver, the operation information corresponding to the reference pattern information detected from the light reception signal is output. To be done.

Further, the main control section emits a laser beam based on predetermined pattern information from the laser beam emitting section corresponding to the pattern of the atmospheric pressure change detected by the pressure sensor, and the received light signal processing section receives the received light signal. The operation information corresponding to the detected pattern information is output. Therefore, in the transmitter, the laser light based on the predetermined pattern information is emitted from the laser light emitting unit corresponding to the pattern of the atmospheric pressure change detected by the pressure sensor, and in the receiver, the pattern information detected from the received light signal is received. The operation information according to is output.

Further, the receiver includes a plurality of laser light receiving portions, and the light receiving signal processing portion outputs operation information corresponding to each laser light receiving portion according to the light receiving signal from each laser light receiving portion. It was done like this. Therefore, in the receiver, the operation information corresponding to each laser light receiving unit is output according to the light receiving signal from each laser light receiving unit.

The receiver is provided with a plurality of laser light receiving portions arranged in a matrix, and the light receiving signal processing portion has a function of receiving light from each laser light receiving portion. The coordinate information corresponding to the arrangement position is output. Therefore, the receiver outputs the coordinate information corresponding to the arrangement position of each laser light receiving portion in accordance with the light receiving signal from each laser light receiving portion.

[0009]

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a lip mouse which is an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a rod-shaped transmitter having a tube portion 3 at one end through which a breath is blown from an opening 2, and 11 is a tube. A touch sensor provided on the outer peripheral portion of the opening 3 on the side of the opening 2 for detecting that the operator has supported the transmitter 1 on the lips, and a pressure sensor 12 for detecting a breath blown into the inside of the tube portion 3 by a change in atmospheric pressure, Reference numeral 4 denotes an air vent hole for exhausting the breath detected by the pressure sensor 12 to the outside of the tube portion 3, reference numeral 5 denotes a circuit portion in which various circuits are arranged, reference numeral 18 denotes a laser light emitting portion for emitting laser light, and reference numeral 6 denotes laser light. A receiver that receives light and outputs operation information to a higher-level device, and a laser light receiver 21 that detects the laser light emitted from the laser light emitter 18.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit portion of the lip mouse, wherein (a) shows a transmitter and (b) shows a receiver. In the transmitter 1, 13 is a sensor detection control unit that detects the outputs of the touch sensor 11 and the pressure sensor 12, and
Reference numeral 4 denotes a main control unit that reads pattern information according to the detection output from the sensor detection control unit 13 from the memory 15 and outputs the pattern information.
Reference numeral 16 is a battery that supplies power for driving each circuit unit, and 17 is a laser light emission control unit that controls on / off driving of the laser light emission unit 18 based on pattern information from the main control unit 14.

Further, in the receiver 6, reference numeral 22 is a light reception signal processing for outputting predetermined operation information to a higher-level device such as an information processing device based on the pattern information detected from the light reception signal from the laser light receiving section 21. It is a department. The receiver 6 is provided separately from the transmitter 1, for example, in the host device or in the vicinity thereof.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the opening 2 of the transmitter 1 is placed on the operator's lip.
The side is supported. In response to this, the touch sensor 11 detects the contact of the operator's lip. In response to the detection output from the touch sensor 11 notified via the sensor detection control unit 13, the main control unit 14 instructs the laser light emission control unit 17 to emit laser light according to a reference pattern indicating continuous light emission, for example. Instruct.

In response to this, the laser light emitting section 18 provided at the other end of the transmitter 1 emits laser light according to the reference pattern, and the operator emits the laser light from the other end of the transmitter 1. The laser light is checked, and the direction is adjusted so that the laser light is detected by the laser light receiving unit 21. Receiver 6
The light receiving signal processing unit 22 detects the reference pattern from the light receiving signal from the laser light receiving unit 21, recognizes that the own device is selected, and outputs predetermined operation information as necessary.

When the operator blows air through the opening 2 in this state, for example, when the operator blows the air in the manner of blowing a blowing arrow, the air pressure inside the pipe portion 3 suddenly changes. A sudden change in the air pressure inside the pipe section 3 is detected by the pressure sensor 12, and the main control section 14 is detected via the sensor detection control section 13.
Will be notified. The main control unit 14 reads out predetermined pattern information from the memory 15 according to the sudden change of the air pressure,
It outputs to the laser light emission control unit 17.

The laser light emission control section 17 controls on / off of the laser light emission section 18 according to the pattern information,
Laser light having a predetermined pattern is emitted from the laser light emitting unit 18. The light reception signal processing unit 22 detects a predetermined pattern from the light reception signal from the laser light reception unit 21, and outputs operation information corresponding to the pattern, for example, operation information indicating ON / OFF of a button, to a higher-level device. As a result, the host device starts the same processing as when a predetermined key or mouse button is pressed.

As described above, the pressure sensor 12 for detecting a change in the air pressure is provided inside the pipe portion 3, the breath blown from the opening portion 2 is detected, and a predetermined output is obtained according to the detection output from the pressure sensor 12. Since the laser light is emitted from the laser light emitting unit 18 to the laser light receiving unit 21 and predetermined operation information is output to the host device based on the light reception signal from the laser light receiving unit 21, the limbs are Even a free person can arbitrarily input operation information.

Further, a plurality of pattern information is stored in the memory 15, different pattern information is read according to how the breath is blown, and laser light is emitted based on the pattern information, whereby the light reception signal processing unit 22 is provided. It is possible to select the operation information to be output from, and it is possible to instruct and input a plurality of operations, such as double-clicking (double-pressing) a mouse button.

Further, a plurality of laser light receiving portions 21 are provided,
Different operation information corresponding to the laser light receiving unit 21 from which the light receiving signal is output, for example, cursor operation information for moving the cursor up and down, left and right, character / numeric key operation information, etc. is output from the light receiving signal processing unit 22 to the host device. However, it is possible to input a more complicated operation. Further, a plurality of laser light receiving portions 21 are arranged in a matrix on a plane, and coordinate information according to the arrangement position of the laser light receiving portion 21 from which the light receiving signal of the reference pattern or the predetermined pattern is output is output to the upper device. Alternatively, not only the button operation but also the coordinate information can be input like the mouse.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, the transmitter is provided with a pipe portion having an opening for blowing a breath, and a pressure sensor for detecting an air pressure inside the pipe portion which is changed by the blown breath. , And a laser light emitting section for emitting a laser beam, and a receiver, which is provided with a laser light receiving section for outputting a light reception signal according to the received laser light, and a transmitter,
Since a predetermined laser light is emitted from the laser light emitting unit according to the change in atmospheric pressure detected by the pressure sensor, and the receiver outputs the operation information according to the light receiving signal from the laser light receiving unit, Even a person with limited limbs can easily input arbitrary operation information by a simple operation with a small burden of supporting the transmitter with the lips and blowing air.

Further, the transmitter is provided with a touch sensor for detecting the contact of the lip near the opening, and when the touch sensor detects the contact of the lip, a laser beam based on the reference pattern is emitted from the laser beam emitting section. Since the light is emitted and the receiver outputs the operation information according to the reference pattern information detected from the light reception signal, when the operator does not detect the breath, the operation information is supported in the lip. Laser light based on the reference pattern is emitted, and operation information corresponding to the laser light can be output.

Further, the transmitter emits a laser beam based on predetermined pattern information from the laser beam emitting section corresponding to the pattern of the atmospheric pressure change detected by the pressure sensor, and the receiver detects it from the received light signal. Since operation information is output according to the generated pattern information, it is possible to input multiple operations, such as double-clicking (double-pressing) the mouse button, depending on how the operator breathes. Becomes

Further, since the receiver is provided with a plurality of laser light receiving portions and the operation information corresponding to each laser light receiving portion is output according to the light receiving signal from each laser light receiving portion, each laser light receiving portion is output. By associating different operation information with the light receiving section, more complicated operation can be easily performed.

Further, the receiver is provided with a plurality of laser light receiving portions arranged in a matrix, and coordinate information corresponding to the arrangement positions of the individual laser light receiving portions according to the light receiving signals from the respective laser light receiving portions. Since it is output, it is possible to input not only the button operation but also the coordinate information, like a mouse.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a lip mouse according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit portion of a lip mouse.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Transmitter, 2 ... Opening part, 3 ... Pipe part, 4 ... Air vent hole,
5 ... Circuit part, 6 ... Receiver, 11 ... Touch sensor, 12 ...
Pressure sensor, 13 ... Sensor detection control unit, 14 ... Main control unit, 15 ... Memory, 16 ... Battery, 17 ... Laser light emission control unit, 18 ... Laser light emission unit, 21 ... Laser light reception unit, 22 ... Receiving signal Processing unit.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A lip mouse that outputs arbitrary operation information to various upper-level devices in response to a supporting operation by the lips, and a transmitter that emits a predetermined laser beam according to the breath that is blown, and a transmitter The transmitter consists of a receiver that outputs predetermined operation information in response to the detection of the laser light of the, and the transmitter has a pipe part with an opening for blowing air and the air pressure inside the pipe part that changes depending on the breathed air. It has a pressure sensor that detects the pressure, a laser light emitting unit that emits laser light, and a main control unit that emits a predetermined laser light from the laser light emitting unit according to the atmospheric pressure change detected by the pressure sensor. The lip is equipped with a laser light receiving unit that outputs a light receiving signal according to the received laser light, and a light receiving signal processing unit that outputs operation information according to the light receiving signal from the laser light receiving unit. Mouse. 2. The lip mouse according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter includes a touch sensor that detects a lip contact near the opening, and the main control unit is configured to detect a lip contact by the touch sensor. Is characterized in that laser light based on a predetermined reference pattern is emitted from the laser light emitting section, and the received light signal processing section outputs operation information according to the reference pattern information detected from the received light signal. Lip mouse. 3. The lip mouse according to claim 1, wherein the main control unit emits laser light based on predetermined pattern information from the laser light emitting unit, corresponding to the pattern of atmospheric pressure change detected by the pressure sensor. The lip light mouse is characterized in that the light reception signal processing unit outputs operation information according to the pattern information detected from the light reception signal. 4. The lip mouse according to claim 1, wherein the receiver includes a plurality of laser light receiving sections, and the received light signal processing section receives individual laser beams according to received signals from the respective laser beam receiving sections. A lip mouse characterized by outputting operation information corresponding to a light receiving portion. 5. The lip mouse according to claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a plurality of laser light receiving portions arranged in a matrix, and the light receiving signal processing portion receives light receiving signals from the respective laser light receiving portions. Accordingly, the lip mouse is characterized in that coordinate information corresponding to the arrangement position of each laser light receiving portion is output.