JPS61245228A - Position detecting method for optical touch panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the resolution for position detection without increasing the cost by distributing specifically the light emitting elements and photodetecting elements at four sides of a display screen and opposite to each other in the 1st and 2nd oblique directions sloping by a prescribed angle to one of four sides. CONSTITUTION:The even numbers of light emitting elements T1... and photodetecting element R1... are distributed alternately and equidistantly at the side SX1 and SX2 of length 6l and the sides SY1 and SY2 of length 4l' of an oblong display screen. The pitches of sides SX1 and SY1 are set at (l) and l' respectively together with the distances between elements T1..., R10..., etc. set at both ends of each side and the apex P1 of each side are set half the distribution pitches (l) and l' of each element. Then the elements R10 and R6 are set opposite to the element, e.g., T1 in directions A-A' and B-B' tilted to the side SY1 by a prescribed angle. While elements T10 and T6 are set opposite to the element R1. Then elements T1... are actuated successively to emit the rays of light to check whether the corresponding elements R6, R10... are received the light or not.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a position detection method in an optical touch panel, and more particularly to a position detection method in an optical touch panel that can improve the resolution of position detection.

<Prior art> A display in which a large number of light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements are arranged on the four sides of a display surface, the light-emitting elements are sequentially emitted one by one to scan the display surface, and the light beam is blocked by a finger or an indicator pen. There is an optical touch panel input device that detects the coordinate values of a point on a surface and inputs data based on the coordinate values.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional optical touch panel input device, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional optical touch panel input device, and FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a position detection method using a conventional touch panel input device. It is.

Optical touch panel input devices include (1) LCD (wl crystal element), CRT, and EL (electroluminescent element) that selectively display predetermined data input images on the display surface;
(2) a translucent panel 12 disposed in front of the display surface of the display unit; and (3) optically determining the coordinate values of a specified point on the surface of the translucent panel. It has an optical coordinate detection section 13 for detection.

The optical coordinate detection section 13 has a frame 13a having a size corresponding to the outer shape of the display unit 11, and a large number of light emitting elements 13b and light receiving elements 13C are arranged in pairs on each of the four opposite sides of the frame 13a. The light emitting elements 13b are sequentially caused to emit light one by one in the X direction, and then the light emitting elements 13b are caused to emit light one by one in the Y direction to scan the surface of the translucent panel 12, and the position where the light beam is blocked is detected. By detecting it, it is possible to detect the X and Y coordinate values of a point on the surface of the translucent panel 12 indicated by a fingertip or an indicator pen. That is, the light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements arranged on opposite sides are made to correspond to each other, and the light-emitting elements are made to emit light one by one in the X direction,
At the same time, it checks whether the corresponding light-receiving element has received light (and checks whether the light beam has been blocked), thereby detecting the X-direction coordinate value position of the indicated point,
Next, the light emitting elements are similarly caused to emit light one by one in the Y direction, and it is checked whether the corresponding light receiving elements have received light, thereby making it possible to detect the coordinate value position of the designated point in the Y direction.

Therefore, for example, by displaying a predetermined data input image on the display surface of the display unit 11 and pointing to a point on the translucent panel where a predetermined key is displayed, the displayed data input image can be Code data corresponding to the key can be generated using the detected position and input to the processing device, or image data can be input by detecting the specified coordinate values on the display surface.

<Problem to be solved by the invention> However, in the conventional position detection method, when a number of elements are arranged on the side in the X direction and b elements on the side in the Y direction, at most aXb elements are arranged. Only positions can be detected, in other words, the resolution of position detection is poor, and in order to be able to detect many positions, the number of elements must be increased, leading to high costs.

From the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a position detection method for an optical touch panel that can improve the resolution of position detection and is advantageous in terms of cost.

Means for Solving the Problems> That is, the present invention arranges an even number of light emitting elements and light receiving elements at positions facing each other on the four sides of a display surface at equal pitches on each side, and also provides an even number of light emitting elements and light receiving elements. The elements are arranged alternately along one direction on the four sides, and the distance between the elements provided at both ends of each side and the apex of each side is calculated based on the arrangement pitch of each element on each side. A first diagonal direction and a second diagonal direction are arranged such that the light emitting element and the light receiving element are tilted at a predetermined angle with respect to the Y axis. , and the light emitting element is 1
The designated position on the display surface is detected by sequentially emitting light from each light emitting element and checking whether the light receiving elements corresponding to the emitted light emitting elements receive light in the first and second directions. configured.

<Function> With the above-described configuration, the present invention causes the light emitting elements to emit light one by one, and determines whether or not the light from the light emitting element is received by the corresponding light receiving element located diagonally with respect to the light emitting element. is checked, thereby acting to detect the position of the indicated point.

Further, the first light reception information obtained by the above position detection step,
The second light reception information obtained by the conventional method, that is, the light emitting element and the light receiving element are made to correspond to the third direction which is the X-axis direction, and the light emitting element and the light receiving element are made to correspond to the fourth direction which is the Y axis direction. , and second light reception information obtained by causing the light emitting elements to emit light one by one in the X-axis and Y-axis directions and checking whether the corresponding light receiving elements have received light.
It acts to detect the position on the display surface.

<Example> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an optical coordinate detection unit used in an optical touch panel to which the present invention is applied, and FIG.
1, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams showing other coordinate detection modes in the optical coordinate detection section of FIG. 1.

Sides Sx1 and SX of length 61 of the rectangular display surface DPS
As shown in FIG.
, T2. ...T9. T10 and light receiving elements R1, R
2, .
, SX2 and SYI, the arrangement pitches PTI and PT2 of each element arranged in SY2 are PT1=j and PT2, respectively.
= e' (that is, the elements are arranged at equal pitches on each side). Furthermore, elements Tl, T4 . T6. T9. R3, R5, R8, RI
O and the vertices PL of each side, P2°P3. Distance 1a between P4
LL1. LL2 is set to the ring of arrangement pitch of each element on each side.

Furthermore, light emitting elements TI, T2. . . . TIO and light receiving elements R1, R2, . . . RIO are arranged alternately along one direction on the four sides. By arranging each element in this way, each light-emitting element and light-receiving element are arranged at an angle θ with respect to the vertical Y-axis direction, as shown in FIG.
Therefore, they should be provided in pairs in the AA direction and the BB direction, which are tilted in the left-right direction. Note that the angle θ is −+1 θ=tan − e′.

That is, in the first diagonal direction, which is the A-A direction (see Fig. 2), the light emitting element T1 and the light receiving element RIO1, the light emitting element TIO and the light receiving element R1, the light emitting element T2 and the light receiving element R9, and the light emitting element T9 and the light receiving element Element R2, Light emitting element T3 and light receiving element R8, Light emitting element T8 and light receiving element R3, Light emitting element T4 and light receiving element R7, Light emitting element T7 and light receiving element R4, Light emitting element T5 and light receiving element R6, Light emitting element T6 and light receiving element R5, correspond to each other, and in the second diagonal direction that is the B-B direction (light emitting element T4 and light receiving element R3, light emitting element T3 and light receiving element R4, light emitting element T5 and light receiving element R2, light emitting element T2 and light receiving element Element R5゜Light emitting element T6 and light receiving element R1, Light emitting element T1 and light receiving element R6, Light emitting element T7 and light receiving element RIO1, Light emitting element TIO and light receiving element R7, Light emitting element T8 and light receiving element R9, Light emitting element T9 and light receiving element R8, It corresponds to

Next, the operation of detecting a position using the optical coordinate detection section 13 of the present invention will be explained.

First, one light emitting element is placed at T4. T3. T5. T2. T6 TI, T7. TIO, T8. T9, each light emitting element is caused to emit light in the second diagonal direction (B-B
light receiving elements R3, R4, R2, respectively corresponding to
Check whether R5, RI R6, RIO, R7, R9, and R8 have received light. For example, if the light emitting element T3 is made to emit light, it is checked whether the corresponding light receiving element R4 has received light, then the light emitting element T5 is made to emit light, and it is checked whether the corresponding light receiving element R2 has received light. Chinnick. If the light beam is blocked by the above light reception check and a predetermined light receiving element no longer receives light, the position of the light receiving element is recognized as the designated position in the first diagonal direction.

Next, the light emitting elements are heated one by one at Tl, T10 . T2. T9. T3 T8. T4. T7. T5. T6, each light emitting element is caused to emit light in the first diagonal direction (A-A
light receiving elements RIO, R1, R9 corresponding to the respective directions)
, R2, R8 R3, R7, R4, R6, R5 check whether light has been received. For example, if the light emitting element T1 is made to emit light, it is checked whether the corresponding light receiving element R10 has received light, then the light emitting element TIO is made to emit light, and it is checked whether the corresponding light receiving element R1 has received light. To check. If the light beam is blocked by the above light reception check and a predetermined light receiving element no longer receives light, the position of the light receiving element is recognized as the designated position in the second diagonal direction.

Therefore, through the above processing, the positions of the designated points in the first and second diagonal directions have been detected.

Now, two pairs of opposing sides SXI, one on SX2, SYI,
If SY2 is provided with 2 elements, J.

If the smaller value of k is n and N-kl=m, then the number of identifiable coordinate positions is K=2n (n-1
) +m (2n-1) −−・−(1
It becomes 1. Furthermore, in the conventional method, only a maximum of n (n+m) positions can be recognized with the same number of elements, so according to the present invention, compared to the conventional method, K-n (n+m) = n (n-2) +m (n-
1) ' --(2), n (n-2) +
m (n-1) more positions can be detected. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, six elements are arranged on sides SXI and SX2, and side SYI.

If 4 elements are arranged in SY2, j=6. = 4, and n = 4. m=2. Therefore, from equation (1), the number of detectable positions is K=2X4X3+2X7=38, and the present invention can detect 38 positions, but
The conventional method shown in the figure can only identify 24 positions, and the present invention can identify 14 (n (n-2) + m (n-1) -
4X2+2X3=14) more positions can be detected. In addition, the minimum identification area ARA at this time is shown in Figures 2 and 7.
Indicated by dashed lines in the figure. As is clear from the figure, the minimum identification area ARA in the touch panel of the present invention is significantly reduced.

In addition, in the above, each light emitting element and each light receiving element are respectively aligned in the first diagonal direction (A-A' force direction) which is the direction of the angle θ clockwise with respect to the ial Y axis, and also with respect to the ibl Y axis. In this case, the second diagonal direction (B-B' force direction), which is the direction of angle θ counterclockwise, is detected, and the position on the display screen is detected using this correspondence.
In addition to the above position detection, each light emitting element and light receiving element is made to correspond to the third direction (cl) which is the X-axis direction, and also to the fourth direction (dl which is the Y-axis direction), similar to the conventional method. By checking the light reception, the resolution of position detection can be further improved.

That is, in the third direction, which is the X direction (see Figure 3). The light emitting element T4 and the light receiving element RIO, Light emitting element TIO and light receiving element R4, The light emitting element T5 and the light receiving element R9, Light emitting element T9 and light receiving element R5 Correspond to each, Also, in the fourth direction which is the Y-axis direction The light emitting element T1 and the light receiving element R8, The light emitting element T8 and the light receiving element R1, The light emitting element T2 and the light receiving element R7, Light emitting element T7 and light receiving element R2 The light emitting element T3 and the light receiving element R6, Light emitting element T6 and light receiving element R3 Match each.

After checking the light reception in the first and second diagonal directions, the light reception check is performed in the third and fourth directions.

That is, one light emitting element is TI, T8 . T2. T7. T3. Light is emitted in the order of T6, and each light emitting element is directed in the fourth direction (Y-axis direction).
It is checked whether the light-receiving elements R8, R1, R7, R2, R6, and R3 corresponding to the respective ones have received light. For example, if the light emitting element T1 is made to emit light, it is checked whether the corresponding light receiving element R8 has received light, then the light emitting element T8 is made to emit light, and it is checked whether the corresponding light receiving element R1 has received light. Execute.

Next, the light emitting elements are heated one by one at T9. T5. TIO and T4 are emitted in this order, and each light emitting element is directed in the third direction (X-axis direction).
It is checked whether the light receiving elements R5, R9, R4, and R10 corresponding to the respective ones have received light. For example, if the light emitting element T9 is made to emit light, it is checked whether the corresponding light receiving element R5 has received light, then the light emitting element T5 is made to emit light, and it is checked whether the corresponding light receiving element R9 has received light. Execute.

As described above, by checking the light reception in the first and second diagonal directions, the rectangular area shown by the dotted line in Figure 4 can be identified, and the third
By checking the light reception in the fourth direction (x, X-axis direction), the area shown by the single point @ line in FIG. 4 can be identified, and by combining both, it becomes possible to identify the area shown by diagonal lines. That is, according to the second method, the area of the minimum identification blank region is 1/4 of that of the conventional method, and the resolution of position detection can be significantly improved, and moreover, it is advantageous in terms of cost.

<Effects of the Invention> According to the present invention, the light-emitting elements and the light-receiving elements are arranged at opposing positions on the four sides of the display surface at equal pitches of 1. An even number of light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements are arranged on the four sides in one direction, and the light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements are arranged alternately.
Furthermore, elements TI, T4 . T6.
T9. R3゜R5, R8, RIO and vertices PI, P of each side
2. The distances LLI and LL2 between P3 and P4 are arranged so as to match the arrangement pitch of each element on each side to constitute an optical coordinate detection section, and the light emitting elements T1 to T10 are
and the light-receiving elements R1 to R10 are set to be tilted at a predetermined angle θ with respect to the Y axis, corresponding to a first diagonal direction that is the A-A' direction and a second diagonal direction that is the B-B force direction. The instruction on the display screen is configured to cause the light-emitting elements to emit light one by one, and to check whether the light-receiving elements corresponding to the emitted light-emitting elements have received light in the first and second directions. Since the present invention is configured to detect the position where the image is detected, the area of the identification region can be significantly reduced compared to the conventional technology, and the resolution of position detection can be improved.

Further, according to the present invention, the light reception information obtained by checking the light reception in the first and second diagonal directions and the light reception information obtained by checking the light reception in the third and fourth directions in the X-axis and Y-axis directions similar to the conventional method. If the position on the display surface is detected based on this, the area that can be identified can be further reduced, and the resolution of position detection can be further improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an optical coordinate detection section used in an optical touch panel to which the present invention is applied, and FIG.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a coordinate detection mode in the optical coordinate detection section, FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams showing another coordinate detection mode in the optical coordinate detection section in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional optical touch panel input device, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the conventional optical touch panel input device, and FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a position detection method using the conventional touch panel input device. 13... Optical coordinate detection unit SXI, SX2. SYI, 5Y2--side TI, T
2...TIO light emitting element-R1, R2...RIO light receiving element PTI, PT2...Pitch Pi, P2. P3. P4 Vertex LLI, LL2 ・Distance DPS −・Display surface work −LLr

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An even number of light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements are arranged at equal pitches on each side at positions facing each other on the four sides of the display surface, and the light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements are arranged alternately along one direction on the four sides. Furthermore, optical coordinate detection is performed by arranging the distance between the elements provided at both ends of each side and the apex of each side to be equal to the arrangement pitch of each element on each side. The light-emitting element and the light-receiving element are
The light emitting element is aligned with a first diagonal direction and a second diagonal direction that are set at a predetermined angle with respect to the axis.
The light emitting elements are caused to emit light one by one, and the first
and a position detection method in an optical touch panel, characterized in that the specified position on the display surface is detected by checking whether light is received by the light receiving elements corresponding to the second direction. . (2) first light reception information from the position detection step;
The light-emitting element and the light-receiving element are made to correspond to a third direction, which is the X-axis direction, and the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element are made to correspond to a fourth direction, which is the Y-axis direction, one each in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. Make the light emitting element emit light, check whether the corresponding light receiving element has received light to obtain second light reception information, and obtain the first and second light reception information.
2. A position detection method for an optical touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the position on the display surface is detected based on light reception information.