JPH1020999A - Pointing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to output polar coordinate values and to suitably cope with a variety of applications by providing a coordinate converting means which converts the XY coordinate values of a detected input point into polar coordinates and outputs them. SOLUTION: An A/D converter 3 converts the output of a differential amplifier 2 into a digital value. A detection control part 4 converts the output from the A/D converter 3 into an X coordinate value and a Y coordinate value. A coordinate conversion part 5 converts the XY coordinates outputted from the detection control part 4 into polar coordiante values. A coordinate switching part 6 receives both signals of the polar coordinate values outputted from the coordinate conversion part 5 and the XY coordinate values from the detection control part 4 and outputs one of them to an output control part 8 according to an instruction from an output method storage part 7. The output method storage means 7 stores the output method specified from outside and instructs it to the coordinate switching part 6. The output control part 8 controls the coordinate value output to the outside.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pointing device used as input means of a personal computer or the like, and more particularly to a magnetic detection type pointing device that detects a coordinate by detecting a change in a magnetic field due to movement of a magnet. .

As a method of detecting coordinates in a pointing device (joystick, trackball, etc.) of a personal computer (including an amusement computer and a simulation computer), an optical system, a pressure-sensitive system, a variable resistance system, a magnetic detection system, and the like are put into practical use. Has been
In recent years, a magnetic detection type, which has features of easy miniaturization, non-contact, and long life, has become effective.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of a conventional magnetic detection type pointing device is shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram showing a conventional example. In the figure, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The detector 1 comprises four Hall elements 11 symmetrically arranged two by two along the X-axis and the Y-axis. The X-axis direction is determined by the movement of a magnet disposed above the Hall elements 11. The differential amplifier 2 differentially amplifies the output of each Hall element 11 in the Y-axis direction, the A / D converter 3 converts the output (analog value) into a digital value, and outputs the output (voltage). The detection control unit 4 converts the values into an X coordinate value and a Y coordinate value, and the output control unit 8 outputs the converted values.

[0005]

However, depending on the form of the application, it may be more convenient for the output of the pointing device to be polar coordinate values than XY coordinate values. For example, when emulating the steering operation of a car, the rotation angle of the steering wheel is important, and when emulating the operation of the control lever of an airplane, the operating stroke and direction of the lever are important. The XY coordinate values are difficult to handle, the software is complicated, and the processing time is long.

An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem and to provide a pointing device capable of outputting a polar coordinate value.

[0007]

In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a Hall element disposed along the X-axis and the Y-axis, and a magnet movably disposed above the Hall element. A pointing device that detects a change in the output voltage of the Hall element caused by the movement of the magnet and outputs the coordinate value of the input point, and converts the detected XY coordinate value of the input point into a polar coordinate value and outputs it. The pointing device has coordinate conversion means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pointing device having coordinate switching means for inputting both the XY coordinate values and the polar coordinate values and selectively outputting either one of them.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the coordinate conversion means has a distance calculating section, an angle calculating section, and a distance output restricting section, and the distance output restricting section preliminarily stores the distance value calculated by the distance calculating section. It is a pointing device that compares with a defined limit value, and if it is larger than the limit value, converts it to a value equal to the limit value and outputs it.

That is, it is possible to output both XY coordinate values and polar coordinate values.
Can be limited, so that it is possible to conveniently cope with various applications.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a detection unit, 2 is a differential amplifier, 3 is an A / D converter, 4 is a detection control unit, 5 is a coordinate conversion unit, 6 is a coordinate switching unit, 7 is an output method storage unit, 8 is Output control unit.

The detecting section 1 is composed of four Hall elements 11, and the Hall elements 11 are symmetrically arranged two by two along the X axis and the Y axis. A magnet is provided above the Hall element 11 (details will be described later with reference to FIG. 3), and the output voltage of the Hall element 11 changes due to a change in the magnetic field due to the movement of the magnet. The differential amplifier 2 is X
The outputs of the Hall elements 11 in the axial direction and the Y-axis direction are differentially amplified. When the magnetic field in the Z-axis direction is symmetrical with respect to the origin O, that is, when the magnet is located at the position on the origin O, the output is set to zero. An output occurs at 2.

The A / D converter 3 converts the output (analog value) of the differential amplifier 2 into a digital value. The detection control unit 4
The output (voltage) from the / D converter 3 is converted into an X coordinate value and a Y coordinate value. The coordinate conversion unit 5 converts the coordinate values (X, Y) of the XY coordinates output from the detection control unit 4 into the coordinate values (R, θ) of the polar coordinates.

The coordinate switching unit 6 receives both the coordinate values of the polar coordinates output from the coordinate conversion unit 5 and the coordinate values of the XY coordinates from the detection control unit 4, and receives one of them according to the instruction of the output method storage unit 7. Is output to the output control unit 8. The output method storage unit 7 stores an externally specified output method (XY coordinates / polar coordinates) and instructs the coordinate switching unit 6 to output the output method. The output control unit 8 controls output of coordinate values to the outside.

The coordinate conversion section 5 comprises a distance calculation section 51, an angle calculation section 52, and a distance output restriction section 53.
In the distance R, for example ^{R = √ (X 2 + Y} 2) in the form of, also the angle calculation section 52 at an angle theta, for example, ^{θ = tan -1 (Y / X} )
, Respectively. The distance output limiting unit 53 compares R calculated by the distance calculating unit 51 with a predetermined limit value Rmax, and if R> Rmax, converts R into Rmax and outputs it. This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the output limiting function. That is, R at the input coordinate value (R, θ)
Is larger than Rmax, the output coordinate value is always (Rmax,
θ).

The function of limiting R is to prevent the display from being disabled in the case of an application that displays in a circular area. If this function is not required, for example, the distance output restriction unit 53 is not provided.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an example of the magnet support mechanism. In the figure, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. 11 is a Hall element, 12 is a magnet, and 13 is a coil spring. As described above, two Hall elements 11 are symmetrically arranged along the X axis and the Y axis. The magnet 12 is supported by a coil spring 13 and is located on the coordinate origin when no external force is applied. When an external force is applied, the magnet 12 is easily displaced, but immediately returns to the coordinate origin when the external force is removed.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 4 is a circuit block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, the detection control unit 4 and the coordinate conversion unit 5
And the output control unit 8 are connected in series, and there is no coordinate switching unit 6 and output method storage unit 7, so that only the coordinate values of the polar coordinates are output.

The present invention is not limited to the above examples,
Further, various modifications can be made.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A pointing device capable of conveniently responding to various applications can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an output limiting function.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an example of a magnet support mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a circuit block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 detection unit 2 differential amplifier 3 A / D converter 4 detection control unit 5 coordinate conversion unit 6 coordinate switching unit 7 output method storage unit 8 output control unit 11 hall element 12 magnet 13 coil spring 51 distance calculation unit 52 angle calculation unit 53 Distance output limiter

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An output voltage of a Hall element which is provided along a X-axis and a Y-axis and a magnet movably disposed above the Hall element, the Hall element being caused by the movement of the magnet. A pointing device for detecting a change in the input point and outputting the coordinate value of the input point, comprising: a coordinate conversion means for converting the detected XY coordinate value of the input point into a polar coordinate value and outputting the same. 2. The pointing device according to claim 1, further comprising: a coordinate switching unit that receives both the XY coordinate value and the polar coordinate value and selectively outputs one of the XY coordinate value and the polar coordinate value. 3. The coordinate conversion means includes a distance calculation unit, an angle calculation unit, and a distance output restriction unit, wherein the distance output restriction unit sets a distance value calculated by the distance calculation unit to a predetermined limit value and a predetermined limit value. 2. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein a value is compared with the limit value, and converted to a value equal to the limit value and output.