JPS6049427A - Position indicator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the display of an action mode and at the same time to reduce the fatigue of eyes by providing a designating switch for action mode and a picture display means to obtain an enlarged picture of the area indicated by a cursor. CONSTITUTION:The displacement amount delivered from a shift amount detection part MD is decomposed into X and Y direction component by a signal conversion part SE. Then signals corresponding those two direction components are supplied to up/down counters UDCx and UDCy respectively. The count value of the counter is sent to a main body part IA of an information processor via a connection line C1. A liquid crystal display DP serving as a picture display means enlarges pictures for display when a push-button B2 is pushed and the picture information is appled from the main body IA through a display control circuit DPC. Furthermore, the displayed pictures are changed into characters showing an action mode of that time point with operation of an action mode designating switch, thus improving greatly the operability of a position indicator.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Technical Field) The present invention relates to a position pointing device used in an information processing device, and particularly to a position pointing device whose operability is improved by adding an image display function.

(Prior Art) Moving a cursor within the display surface of a display by operating cursor movement keys is the most commonly used operating means in the past.

By the way, instead of using the above-mentioned cursor movement keys as an operating means for moving the cursor within the display surface of the display, a position indicator configured so that a required position indicator signal can be obtained in accordance with the displacement of the aircraft body is used. It is also known that a device (mouse) can be used to manipulate the movement of a cursor within the surface of a display simply by moving it in any direction on the surface of the desk; According to the latter method, the operation for moving the cursor within the display surface of the display is simpler and easier than the former method, and therefore, the operation for moving the cursor in various information processing devices, etc. It is also well known that it has been widely practiced in the past to use a mouse.

By the way, the operation of pointing the position with the cursor within the display surface of the display is used, for example, to select a menu displayed within the display surface of the display, or to specify the starting point when drawing within the display surface of the display. This is done for specifying the position with the end point and for many other purposes, but the precision of the position required when specifying the position with the cursor is important, for example, for purposes such as selecting from the menu mentioned above. However, when used for purposes such as the above-mentioned drawing, high accuracy is required.

However, when attempting to set the position of a cursor within the screen of a display with high precision using a conventional position pointing device, it goes without saying that the operator must be extremely careful when performing operations. However, it has become a problem that the operator feels a lot of eye fatigue during operation.

(Objective) The present invention improves the conventional position pointing device by providing an image display means in the position pointing device itself and displaying an enlarged image of the area where the cursor is located. The object of the present invention is to provide a device which does not suffer from the above-mentioned disadvantages encountered.

(O formation) Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the displacement amount of the position and movement detection section of the present invention and the displacement amount of the movement amount detection section will be explained in two orthogonal directions (
a signal conversion unit that generates signals corresponding to the magnitudes of each of the two orthogonal components X and Y, an image display means, and an operation mode designation switch; The specific contents of the position pointing device including the following will be explained in detail.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for illustrating and explaining the overall configuration of an information processing device using the position pointing device of the present invention, and also includes:
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of the position pointing device of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, MP is the position pointing device of the present invention, KB is the keyboard, IA is the main body of the information processing device, and in the position pointing device MP, A is the casing of the position pointing device, DP
is an image display means such as a liquid crystal display, B
1. B2 is a push button switch, and the above-mentioned position pointing device MP and keyboard KB are connected via connections 41cI and C2, respectively, to the main body section I of the information processing device, which includes a central control device, a display device, etc.
Connected to A. Further, in FIG. 1, D is a desk, and the position pointing device MP is operated by moving in any direction on the desk.

In FIG. 2 showing a block diagram of an embodiment of the position pointing device MP of the present invention, A is a housing of the position pointing device MP,
Also, Bl and B2 are push button switches (function keys)
, E is a power supply for signal generation, MD is a movement amount detection section, SE is a signal conversion section, UDC (generic term for UDCx and UDCy) is an up/down counter, DP is a liquid crystal display, DPC
is the display control time N1.

Furthermore, input devices w and KB, such as a keyboard, are connected to the main body part IA of the information processing bag 10 described above. When the position pointing device MP moves its housing A by hand in any direction on the surface of the desk, the position pointing device MP detects components in two orthogonal directions (X, 'Y acid components, respectively) corresponding to the amount of movement. A signal corresponding to the magnitude of the components X and Y is sent to the main unit IA of the information processing device via the connection line C1, and
A cursor is displayed on the display surface of the display according to the position of P.

The movement amount detection unit MD is configured such that when the case A is moved in an arbitrary direction on the surface of the desk, the movement amount corresponding to the movement amount of the case A in an arbitrary direction can be detected. For example, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 54-74.67, the surface of the table and part of the surface are in contact with each other. A spherical body that is made to be wetted may be adopted (the movement amount detection unit MD
(Of course, it is also possible to adopt a device that is grown so that the amount of movement can be detected optically, or a device with other configurations.)

The amount of movement in any direction detected by the movement amount detection section MD described above is divided into two orthogonal components (X).

Y component), and the magnitudes of the respective components X and Y of the two orthogonal components ' mentioned above correspond to the fL column! The signal wrinkling unit SE that generates the signal includes a movement amount detection unit M.
Decompose the amount of movement in any direction detected in D into components of the amount of movement in two orthogonal directions in a plane parallel to the surface of the desk, and calculate the magnitude of the components of the amount of movement in the two directions that are decomposed. A configuration that can generate a corresponding number of pulses individually is used.

FIG. 3 shows a case where a spherical body is used as the movement amount detection section MD, and a pulse generator including a disk on which an optical pattern is applied is used as the signal conversion section SE. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a configuration example of the vicinity of a movement amount detection section MD and a signal conversion section SE.

In FIG. 3, the C1 signal converter SE detects the movement of the surface of the spherical body parallel to the surface of the desk as the movement amount detection unit MD, which is composed of a spherical body, moves in any direction. Two directions X that are orthogonal in the plane.

In order to decompose the amount of movement in the Y direction into components and generate a signal corresponding to the components, two orthogonal radial positions are set in the spherical body in a plane parallel to the desk surface. Consisting of two rollers lx, ly provided to individually contact the spherical body, and two pulse generators Wb P G x +PGy that include a circle t13xv3V that rotates as the spherical body rotates. shown as being.

Of the two pulse generators PGx, P, and Gy configuring the signal converter SE, one pulse generator P
Gx is a pulse generator that generates a pulse corresponding to the amount of movement of the moving part MD in the Y direction, and the other pulse generator PGy generates a pulse tr corresponding to the amount of movement of the moving part MD in the Y direction. A pulse generator that performs the above-mentioned 2
The pulse generators PGxPGy of @ are made to have the same configuration, and each component in both units is designated by the same reference numeral in the drawing.

In the following description, two pulse generators PGX t
When fj is explained without distinguishing PG y, the subscript alphabetic characters are omitted, for example, PGx or rGy is PG, 2x or 2y is 2, or 1xely is 1. This is done using the method described above.

Pulse generator PG (PGX,
PGy) is a roller 1 (lx.

A disk 3 (3x, 3y) is fixed to a rotating shaft 2 (2x, 2y) of a signal slit plate 4 (4x, ly).

4y) and light emitting element Ez 6 (5x, 5y, 6x, 6y
) and light receiving elements 7, 8 (7x, 7yp Bxp 8y)
and a signal processing circuit 9 (9x, 9y).

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining a specific configuration example of the pulse generator PG shown in FIG.
A required pattern 3a for pulse generation is applied to a disk 3 fixed to the rotating shaft 2 of the roller 1 which comes into contact with the surface of the spherical body forming the movement amount detection section MDt.

The signal slit plate 4 has two sets of slits a and b that can generate pulses having a phase difference of 90°.
The light from the light emitting elements 5 and 6 passes through the slits a and b of the signal slit plate 4, and then passes through the pattern 3a of the circle g13 and is applied to the light receiving elements 7 and 8.

The output signal of the light receiving element 7 is amplified by the amplifier 13a and outputted to the output terminal 15 as a signal Sa.The output signal of the light receiving element 7 is also outputted as a signal Sa to the output terminal 16 via the inverter 14a. The output signal is amplified by the amplifier 13b and outputted to the output terminal 17 as a signal sb, and is also outputted to the output terminal 18 as a signal Sbr via an inverter L4b.

Each of the above (Ff No. S
a and sb have a phase difference of 90'', and
From the output terminals 16.18, the above two (i-5sa
.

Two signals Sar and ≦br having opposite polarities to sb are output.

Of the four signals Say sb, Sar, and Sbr described above, the signals Sa and Sbr are given to the AND circuit ANDI,
Further, the signals Sar and Sbr are applied to an AND circuit AND2.

The output of the AND circuit ANDI is applied to the trigger terminal of the monostable multivibrator MMI, and also.

The output of the AND circuit AND2 is a monostable multipibre
-TaMM2's 1~Riga'! It has been added to E-ko.

The Q output of the monostable multivibrator MMI mentioned above is
It is applied to the OR circuit OR and also to the set terminal S of the set/recent frizzo flop PIF.

Also, the above-mentioned stable multivibrator M I, '1
The Q output of 11.2 is applied to the OR circuit WiOR, and is also applied to the reset terminal R of the set-reset flip-flop FF. Thy, Otsu. g Stable multivibrator L/-ta M M 1 Doj) i Stable multivibrator 1ν1λ12 is an output cover having a constant pulse duration from the rising edge of the input pulse applied to the 1 to trigger terminals.

Output the signal to the Q terminal.

The signal obtained from the output of the OR circuit OR is sent out from the output terminal 11 as the counting signal SL, and the Q output of the set-reset flip-flop FF is used as a control signal ( In the following description, the signal is sent out from the output terminal 12 as a control signal or a direction indicating signal.

5 and 6 are signal waveform diagrams for explaining the operation of the pulse generator PG shown in FIG. This is to explain the operation of the pulse generator PGx (or pGy) when the pulse generator PGx (or pGy) moves to the right (or from the top to the bottom in FIG. 3), and FIG. This is for explaining the operation of the pulse generator PGx (or PGy) when moving from the right to the left in FIG. 3 (or from the bottom to the top in FIG. 3).

As is clear from FIGS. 5 and 6, when the direction of movement of the position pointing device becomes opposite to each other, the signal Sa and the signal S b
Since the relative positional relationship on any time axis changes, if the direction of movement of the position pointing device is in a state that produces an output signal as shown in FIG. When the control signal Sd appearing at the output terminal 12 is in a high level state and the direction of movement of the position pointing device is such that it produces an output signal as shown in FIG. Become.

Two pulse generators PG x in the signal converter SF
+ P Q y The nine signals (indicated by the signal St sent from the output terminal 11 of the pulse generator PG explained with reference to FIG. 4) are detected by the movement amount detection section. The amount of movement of the position pointing device detected by the MD is obtained as a state in which the amount of movement of the position pointing device is divided into two specific orthogonal components (X direction, -Y direction). The X-direction component signal (as shown as S t x) sent out from the pulse generator PGx at is applied as a counting pulse to the up/down counter TJDCx.

Further, the pulse generator P in the signal conversion section SE described above
The Y-direction component signal (as indicated as STy) sent out from Gy is an up-down counter UDC.
It can be given to y.

In addition, two pulse generators PG in the signal converter SE
Control signals generated at x and PQy (output terminal 1 of the pulse generator PG explained with reference to FIG.
Among the signal Sd sent out from the signal converter SE (direction indicating signal), the control signal (S d x
) is given to the up/down counter UDCx, and is also supplied as directional data to the main body section (A) of the information processing device via the connection line c1.

Further, the control signal (as shown as Sdy) sent from the pulse generator PGy in J3 to the signal converter SE is sent to the up/down counter UDCy.
given to.

The counting values in the uptown counter UDCx, uptown counter UDCy, etc. are reset by a reset number sent from the main unit IA of the information processing device at regular time intervals via the connection vAct. In addition, the up/down counter U D Cx receives a component signal in the X direction (as shown as S t x) given from the pulse generator PGx in the signal converter 81. Further, the pulse generator P in the signal conversion section SE described above is modified.
A control signal sent from Gx (such as shown as -3dx) causes it to operate as an up-counter or as a down-counter.

Further, the count value of the up/down counter UDCy is changed by a Y-direction component signal (as shown as S ty ) given from the pulse generator PGy in the signal converter SE, and further,
The pulse generator PGy in the signal converter SE mentioned above
A control signal (such as shown as SC1y) sent from the 7-up counter causes it to operate as a seven-up counter, or causes it to operate as a down-down counter. Then, the counts in the up/down counters UDCx and UDC7 are transmitted to the information processing device and the main body part IA on the side via the connecting wire C1.

When the pushbutton switch B1 is pressed, a required signal from the signal generation power source E is applied to the main unit IA of the information processing device via the connection line C1, and the cursor position at the time when the pushbutton switch B1 is pressed is The location is then stored in the central processing unit.

Liquid crystal display D used as an image display means
When the pushbutton switch B2 is pressed, the image information sent from the main body IA of the information processing device via the connection line CI is given through the display control circuit DI)C. Display.

゛If the image displayed on the liquid crystal display DI described above is an enlarged image near the cursor position displayed on the display surface of the display, the operator can The cursor position can be determined with high precision while viewing the image.

As the image to be displayed on the liquid crystal display DP, an image other than the enlarged image near the cursor position described above may be selected. For example, as the image to be displayed on the liquid crystal display DP, the position pointing device i
If the character indicates the current operating mode of the MP (for example, menu selection mode, character insertion mode, drafting mode, etc.), it is possible to further improve the operability of the position pointing device.

(Effects) As is clear from the above detailed explanation, the present invention has a movement amount detection section that is movable in any direction, and components (x, y, component), and each component X of the two orthogonal components described above,
The position pointing device of the present invention includes a signal converting section that generates signals corresponding to the magnitude of Y, an image display means, and an operation mode designation switch. By operating the designated switch, it is possible to display an enlarged image of the vicinity of the cursor position displayed on the liquid crystal display provided in the position pointing device, and also display the current position of the position pointing device on the liquid crystal display. The position pointing device of the present invention can easily display the operation mode, and the above-mentioned conventional problems can be satisfactorily solved.
Ru.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an information processing device (using the position indication device of the civil engineering invention), and FIG. 3 is a plan view of a part of the position pointing device, FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of implantation of a pulse generator, and FIGS. 51-1 and 6 are explanatory waveform diagrams. MP...Position Indication device, A...Housing, MD...Movement amount detection section, SE...Signal conversion section, Bl, B2
・Push button switch, UDCxtUDCy...up/down switch 4', CI, C2...connection line, D...desk, E...source for signal generation. PGX t P C7-・Pulse generator, DP・・Liquid crystal display, DPC・・Display control circuit, IA・
Information (ZEKU 1 Main body of the physical device, KB...Keyboard, Procedural amendment (voluntary) September 22, 1980 Director-General of the Patent Office Kazuo Wakasugi 2 Name of the invention Position indicating device 3 Person making the amendment Relationship to the incident Patent Applicant Location Name: No. 6, 1-3 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo (67
4) Ricoh Co., Ltd. 4, agent - Showa year, month, day (Shipping date: Showa year, month, day) 6.
Column 7 of Detailed Description of the Invention of the Specification Subject to Amendment, Contents of Amendment (1) The “moving portion” described in page 8, line 6 and line 8 of the same page of the specification, respectively, is replaced by “moving claw detection”. Correct to ``part''.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A moving amount detecting section that is movable in any direction, and a positional displacement of the moving amount detecting section is divided into two orthogonal components (X and Y components), and the two orthogonal components described above are divided into two orthogonal components (X and Y components). A position instruction number E comprising a signal conversion section that generates signals corresponding to the magnitudes of the components X and y of each side, an image display means, and an operation mode designation switch.