JPS5852268B2 - handwriting input device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a manual handwriting device that uses a resistor sheet to determine input position coordinates from the ratio of current flowing through the resistor sheet and the division ratio of voltage, and allows simultaneous input to multiple positions on different input surfaces. The purpose is to make it happen.

Handwriting input devices are called data tablets, digitizer 1 touch sensor panels, etc., and are widely used in computer terminal equipment, handwritten character/graphic communication terminal equipment, and input/output terminal equipment for game machines using microcomputers.

In this handwriting input device, when a finger or pen is lightly pressed on the input surface, the pressed input position is detected in X-Y coordinates, and this input position coordinate detection method can be roughly divided into digital type and analog type. .

Digital types include those with a switch matrix structure using conductive sheets, and those with a large number of diode switches placed around a resistor sheet to convert input coordinates into digital quantities, but as the resolution increases, the structure becomes proportionally smaller. It is complex and expensive, which limits its use.

The analog type generally uses a resistor sheet, and although this requires an A=D converter to interface with a computer, it is relatively simple and inexpensive, and has high resolution, so it can be used in a wide range of fields. has been adopted.

There are two types of analog handwriting input devices using resistive sheets: a capacitive coupling method in which the input surface of the resistive sheet is pressed with an electric pen, and a contact method in which the input surface is pressed with a finger or writing instrument. Input position coordinates can be determined from the ratio of current flowing through the resistor sheet and the division ratio of voltage.

However, the analog handwriting input device has a problem in that when input is made to two different points on the input surface at the same time, the coordinates of the intermediate point are detected.

This will be explained using a conventional example of a voltage detection type contact type handwriting input device shown in FIG.

1 and 2 in Fig. 1 are two resistor sheets facing in parallel, each of which has a transparent resistive film coated with the same thickness on one side of a thin transparent insulating sheet, and a silver film on both ends of the resistive film. Parallel electrodes 1a, 1h, 2a, and 2b made of paste or the like are deposited and formed.

Each resistance sheet 1, 2 has an electrode 1a, 1b, 2a. 2b facing two directions, the X direction and the Y direction, which are perpendicular to each other.

One electrode 1a, 2a of each resistance sheet 1, 2 is connected to a DC power source 4 via a switching circuit 3, and the other electrode 1b, 2b is grounded via another switching circuit 5.

The switching circuits 3, 5 are controlled by a computer and apply DC voltage alternately to each electrode 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b in a time-division manner.

Further, the facing surfaces of each resistive sheet 1.2 with the resistive film face each other at a constant minute interval, and are used as one input surface.

Now, apply a DC voltage to the upper resistance sheet 1 side, open the lower resistance sheet 2, press any point P on the input surface m with your finger, etc., and press each resistance sheet 1, 2 at the point P. When the resistive film is brought into contact with the resistive film, the voltage potential in the Y direction of the point P of the upper resistive sheet 1 is detected by the electrode 2a of the lower resistive sheet 2, and the Y coordinate of the point P is determined.

Furthermore, if a DC voltage is applied to the lower resistance sheet 2 while pressing the point P to open the upper resistance sheet 1, the voltage potential in the X direction of the point P of the lower resistance sheet 2 will change to the electrode 1a of the upper resistance sheet 1. is detected at point P
Find the coordinates.

By the way, suppose that when pressing point P on the human force plane (c), another point P' is accidentally pressed at the same time.

Then, for example, when detecting the Y coordinate, since the two points P - 27 on the lower resistive sheet 2 are in a conductive state, the upper resistive sheet 1
The two points P-P%1 are short-circuited, and the Y coordinate detected by the electrode 2a becomes the Y coordinate of the midpoint p // between the two points P and P'.

Similarly, when detecting the X coordinate, the X coordinate of the intermediate point P is detected.

Therefore, in order to prevent such malfunctions, conventionally, a cursor (sliding platform) that can move freely in the X-Y directions above the input surface (E) is placed away from the input surface (E), and the hand is placed above the input surface (E). Input operations are performed with a pen placed on the screen, or with a long pen and the user's hand moved one foot away from the input surface (e).

However, such measures complicate input operations and are difficult to implement, and are still insufficient to solve the above-mentioned malfunctions.

In addition, since it is not possible to input more than two places at the same time on the input surface (E), it is necessary to prepare multiple input devices when using it as an input device for a video game where several people compete, and improvements have been requested. .

The present invention was made in view of such problems and demands,
To provide an analog handwriting input device in which a plurality of resistance sheets are opposed in a matrix structure and an input surface is divided into a plurality of independent areas.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the present invention will be explained using the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 2 shows an example in which four input surfaces A, B, C, and D are formed by a total of four resistance sheets 6, 7, 8, and 9.

That is, the two resistance sheets 6 and 7 in FIG. 2 correspond to the upper resistance sheet 1 in FIG. 1 divided into two in the Y direction, and the remaining two resistance sheets 8 and 9 in FIG. Lower resistance sheet 2
is divided into two in the X direction.

Then, two resistance sheets 6.8, upper and lower, facing each other perpendicularly.
A first input surface A is formed by the opposing surfaces of the resistor sheet 6.9, a second input surface B is formed by the resistive sheet 6.9, a third input surface C is formed by the resistive sheet 7.8, and a third input surface C is formed by the resistive sheet 7.9. A fourth input surface is formed.

Each resistance sheet 6.7, 8.9 is arranged insulated,
Application of DC voltage to each resistor (6, 7, 8, 9) is performed in a time-sharing manner under computer control, thereby allowing simultaneous input to each input surface A, B, C, D.

For example, when an arbitrary point P1 on the first input surface A is pressed, the input coordinates of this point P1 are detected when voltage is applied as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, among the two resistance sheets 6.8 forming the first input surface A, a DC voltage is applied only to the electrodes ab1 and ab2 at both ends of the upper resistance sheet 6.
When each other resistor sheet 7.8.9 is left open,
The voltage potential in the Y direction at point P1 of the upper resistive sheet 6 is detected by the electrode acl of the lower resistive sheet 8.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, when a DC voltage is applied only to the electrodes ac1tac2 at both ends of the lower resistance sheet 8, and each of the other resistance sheets 6, 7, and 9 is opened, the point P1 of the lower resistance sheet 8 is applied. The voltage potential in the X direction at is detected by the electrode ab1 of the upper resistive sheet 6.

Based on the same principle, the input position coordinates on the second input surface B are determined by each electrode ab1 . ab2,b
dl.

Detected when time-division DC voltage is applied to bd2, the input position coordinates on the third input surface C are determined by each electrode c of the resistance sheet 7.8.
d1yCd2, aCl y It is detected during the time-division DC voltage application to aC2, and the input position coordinates on the fourth input surface are each electrode cd1 of the resistance sheet 7.9.

It is detected when time-division DC voltage is applied to cd2 and bdltbd2.

Here, a case will be described in which, for example, one point P1 on the first input surface A and one point P2 on the third input surface B are pressed at the same time.

At this time, the Y coordinate of point P1 (Fig. 3) can be detected since the upper two resistance sheets 6.7 are insulated and independent.
It can be carried out regardless of human power, and the X coordinate detection of point P1 (fourth
(Fig.) can also be performed by insulating the resistor sheet 6°7 regardless of the input at point P2.

The same holds true for detecting the input coordinates of point P2.

In other words, even if two points P1 and P2 are input manually, each input coordinate is time-divided and accurately detected almost simultaneously.

This is the same for any two simultaneous inputs on each input surface A, B, C, and D, and also for any three simultaneous inputs or all four simultaneous inputs. .

However, if two points are input simultaneously to one of the input surfaces A, B, C, and D, the coordinates of the midpoint between the two points will be output as in the case of FIG.

However, each input surface A, B, C, D in the present invention is
It corresponds to the size of the input surface (E) divided into four parts in the figure, and each area is small, and when inputting one point, the erroneous input point when inputting different points at the same time is the same as the desired input point. In many cases, the input point is far enough away from the point, and therefore, the possibility of erroneous operation of simultaneously inputting two points to each of the input surfaces A, B, C, and D is greatly reduced.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and can be modified in various ways, such as changing the widths of the plurality of resistance sheets and using the areas of the plurality of input surfaces in various sizes depending on the application. It is possible to come up with some ideas.

In addition, in the drawings, each resistor sheet was explained as being completely independent, but it appears to be a single sheet in which the resistive film and electrodes coated on one insulating sheet are divided into multiple parts in the X direction or Y direction. It is also possible to have two resistance sheets facing each other.

Further, the present invention can be fully applied to a contact type or capacitive coupling type handwriting input device that detects input position coordinates using a current flowing through a resistive sheet.

As explained above, according to the present invention, the input surfaces are each independently divided into a plurality of areas, and simultaneous input can be performed on the plurality of input surfaces, so that simultaneous use by multiple people is possible.
A highly versatile handwriting input device can be provided.

In addition, by dividing the input screen, the probability of malfunctions caused by simultaneous two-point input on the same manual screen is reduced, and input operations become easier.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a main part showing an example of a conventional handwriting input device, FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a main part showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are handwriting shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a plan view for explaining an example of the input position coordinate detection operation of the input device. 6.7, 8, 9... Resistance sheets, A, B, C. D --- Input surface, ab1yab2, cdl F cd
2, acl ta C2, bdl, bd2-...
electrode.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 X-Y perpendicular to the resistance sheet body held in a pair of electrodes
The pressed input position on the input surface is
In an analog input device that detects an electric signal of the Y coordinate, at least one of the resistor sheet bodies disposed facing each other in the X-Y direction is connected to a plurality of resistor sheets, and the input surface has a plurality of resistor sheets that can be input independently. A handwriting input device characterized by being divided into areas.