JPS6168629A - Three-dimension correspondence track ball input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the need to readjust a cursor position and improve convenience by providing the track ball input device with two track balls and outputting signals of a three-dimensional graphic from them. CONSTITUTION:The track ball input device 3 is provided with the two track balls 311 and 312, which are equipped with rotating rods 32ll-3222, detectors 3111-3322, and counters 3411-3422 and output counted values C11-C22 proportional to their angles of rotation. A processor 351 extracts a counted value C11 out of the counter 3411 and converts it into the X-axis direction movement signal (x) of the three-dimensional graphic displayed on a screen. Said counted value C12 is converted into the Y-axis direction movement signal (y). Similarly, the processor 352 extracts and converts the counted value C21 into a Z-axis direction movement signal (z). Then, a cursor K is moved in the X-Z axial directions on the screen on the basis of said movement signals (x)-(z) inputted to the display device 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a three-dimensional trackball input device that controls the movement of a cursor on a display device in the direction of a coordinate axis of a three-dimensional figure.

Trackballs, mice, and the like are widely used as means for inputting signals to control the position of a cursor on the screen of a display device.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional trackball input device, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional display screen.

In FIG. 4, the display device 1 includes a set of tigers.
A trackball input device 2 having a trackball (B) 21 is also provided. When the operator rotates the trackball 21 in any direction, the rotating rods 2, which are provided on rotation axes orthogonal to each other and are in contact with the trackball 21, rotate.
21 and 222 rotate about respective rotation axes. Detector C
D) 231 and 232 are the respective rotating rods 221 and 22
2, outputs rotation signals d1 and d2 indicating the detection results, and outputs rotation signals d1 and d2 indicating the detection results.
42. Counters 241 and 242 count the received rotation signals d1 and d2, respectively, and calculate the rotation angle (
The count values c1 and C2, which are proportional to the rotational direction), are transmitted to the display device 1. In the display device 1, a display control device (DCTL) l1 receives count values c1 and C transmitted from the trackball input device 2.
2, the position of the cursor displayed on the screen of the display (DPY) 12 is controlled. For example, when a figure as shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on the screen, the display control device 11 moves the cursor K in the horizontal direction H in proportion to the count value c1, and moves the cursor K in proportion to the count value c2. is moved in the vertical direction V.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

As is clear from the above description, in the conventional trackball input device, only a 1 m long trackball 21 is provided, and the rotation angle (including rotation direction) with respect to orthogonal rotation axes is directly displayed on the cursor of the display device 1. It controlled the amount of movement left, right, up and down. Therefore, when a three-dimensional cube as shown in Fig. 5 is displayed, the X axis of the figure,
Even if it is possible to move the cursor K in the Y- and X-axis directions by adjusting the direction of rotation of the trackball 21, the cursor may still be left at its original position when the coordinates of the figure are rotated. Therefore, it is necessary to operate the trackball B again to move the cursor K, which is not always convenient when processing three-dimensional figures.

[Means for solving problems]

The problem is that in a display device having a trackball input device, the trackball input device is provided with two sets of trackballs, and a rotation signal is generated in proportion to the rotation angle of one trackball with respect to two orthogonal axes. It is characterized by controlling the movement of the cursor on the display screen in the direction of the coordinate axes of the three-dimensional figure displayed on the screen based on a rotation signal generated in proportion to the rotation angle of the other trackball with respect to one axis. This problem is solved by the present invention.

[Effect]

That is, according to the present invention, the trackball input device is provided with two sets of trackballs, and the two sets of trackballs output three types of signals for controlling the amount of movement of the cursor on the coordinates of a three-dimensional figure. It will be done. Therefore, not only can the cursor be easily moved along the coordinate axes of the figure, but when the figure is rotated, the position of the cursor is also rotated, eliminating the need to readjust the cursor position. The convenience of the display device is improved.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a three-dimensional compatible trackball input device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the external view in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen according to an embodiment. Note that the same reference numerals refer to the same objects throughout the plan.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the trackball input device 3 is provided with two sets of trackballs 311 and 312. For the trackball 311, rotating rods 3211 and 3212, detectors 3311 and 3312, and counters 3411 and 3412 similar to those in FIG. 4 are provided, and for the trackball 312, rotating rods 3221 and 3222 are provided. , detector 3321
and 3322, and counters 3421 and 3422
is provided. Counters 3411 and 3412 are
Counters 3421 and 3422 output count values C1l and C12 that are proportional to the rotation angle (including rotation direction) of the trackball 311 with respect to the orthogonal rotation axis, and counters 3421 and 3422 output the rotation angle (including rotation direction) of the trackball 312 with respect to the orthogonal rotation axis.
The count values c21 and C22 proportional to are output. The processor 351 extracts the count value C1l from the counter 3411 and extracts the third count value C1l displayed on the screen of the display device 1.
It is converted into an X-direction movement signal X for controlling the movement of the three-dimensional figure in the X-axis direction as shown in the figure, and a count value C12 is extracted from the counter 3412 to control the movement of the three-dimensional figure in the Y-axis direction. It is converted into a Y-direction movement signal y and transmitted to the display device 1. Further, the processor 352 extracts the count value c21 from the counter 3421, converts it into a Z-direction movement signal 2 for controlling the movement of the three-dimensional figure in the X-axis direction, and transmits it to the display device 1.

In the display device 1, the display control device 13 receives the X-direction movement signal X%, the Y-direction movement signal y and the Z-direction movement signal 2 transmitted from the trackball input device 3.
Based on this, the cursor K is moved in the X-axis, Y-axis, and X-axis directions on the screen.

Therefore, for example, when a three-dimensional figure on the screen is rotated, the X-direction movement signal X, Y-direction movement signal y, and Z-direction movement signal 2 indicating the cursor position are also rotated in the same way as the figure.
The relative position to the three-dimensional figure remains the same as before rotation.

Note that in the above explanation, the cursor K moves in the X-axis direction in proportion to the rotation angle of the rotation rod 3211, the cursor K moves in the Y-axis direction in proportion to the rotation angle of the rotation rod 3212, and then the cursor K moves in the Y-axis direction in proportion to the rotation angle of the rotation rod 3212. The cursor K moves in two axes in proportion to the rotation angle of the trackball 311.
and 312, select the cursor KOX axis, Y
When it is desired to accommodate movement in the axial and X-axis directions, angle adjustment switches 361 and 362 are used to set required adjustment angles θ1 and θ2. In such a case, the processor 351 corrects the count values C1l and C12 extracted from the counters 3411 and 3412 using the adjustment angle θ1, and the processor 352 corrects the count values C21 and C22 extracted from the counters 3421 and 3422 using the adjustment angle θ2. to generate an X-direction movement signal x, a Y-direction movement signal y, and a Z-direction movement signal 2.

Furthermore, the trackball input device 3 includes a trackball 3.
Function buttons (FKI to F
K6) 371 to 376 are provided. Each of the function buttons 371 to 376 is assigned a different color, and when selecting a function control item displayed in each color on the screen, the processor 353 is activated by operating the function buttons 371 to 376 of the same color. Function button 371
Detecting the operations of 376 and transmitting selection signals fl to f6 to the display device 1. In the display device 1, the display control device 13 selects the function control items displayed on the screen based on the transmitted selection signals fl to f6.

As is clear from the above description, according to this embodiment, by operating the two sets of trackballs 311 and 312 provided in the trackball input device 3, the cursor K on the display 12 can be displayed on the screen. It becomes possible to move along the coordinates of the three-dimensional figure, and when the figure is rotated, the cursor also rotates, making it easier to process the three-dimensional figure.

Note that FIGS. 1 to 3 are only one embodiment of the present invention, and the three-dimensional figures displayed on the display 12 are not limited to those shown in the figures (and there may be many others). However, in any case, the effect of the present invention remains the same.Also, the structure of the trackball input device 3 is not limited to that shown in the drawings, and many other modifications may be considered. However, the effects of the present invention remain the same in either case.

Furthermore, the two sets of trackballs 311 and 312 are not limited to controlling three-dimensional movement of the cursor;
Although it is possible to use the method to independently control the positions of two cursors displayed on the same screen, this is not relevant to the present invention.

Furthermore, instead of providing two sets of trackballs, it is also contemplated to use two sets of mice. However, since a considerable amount of flat surface is required to move the mouse input device, it is difficult to achieve the same effect as the present invention by using two sets of mouse input devices.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, in the display device, the movement of the cursor can be controlled along the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis of the three-dimensional figure displayed on the screen, which is convenient in processing the three-dimensional figure. Improves sex.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a three-dimensional trackball input device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the external view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a display according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional trackball input device, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional display screen. In the figure, 1 is a display device, 2 and 3 are trackball input devices, 11 and 13 are display control devices, 12 is a display, 21.311 and 31
2 is a trackball, 221.222.3211.32
12.3221 and 3222 are rotating rods, 231.23
2.3311.3312.3321 and 3322 are detectors, 241.242.3411.3412.3421
and 3422 are counters, 351.352, and 35
3 is a processor, 361 and 362 are angle adjustment switches, 371 to 376 are function buttons, C1, C2, C1
l, C12, C21 and C22 are count values, dl, d2
, dll, 1i12, d21 and d22 are rotation signals,
fl to f6 are selection signals, X is an X direction movement signal, y is Y
A direction movement signal, 2 is a Z direction movement signal, and θ1 and θ2 are adjustment angles. Leather/IJ Forbidden 2 Cause

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a display device having a trackball input device, two sets of trackballs are provided in the trackball input device, and a rotation signal generated in proportion to the rotation angle of one trackball with respect to two orthogonal axes, and a rotation signal generated in proportion to the rotation angle of one trackball with respect to two orthogonal axes. A three-dimensional system that controls movement of a cursor on a display screen in the direction of a coordinate axis of a three-dimensional figure displayed on the screen based on a rotation signal generated in proportion to a rotation angle of a trackball with respect to one axis. Original compatible trackball input device. (2) Three-dimensional compatible trackball input according to claim 1, characterized in that the axial directions serving as a reference for the rotation angles of the two sets of trackballs can be arbitrarily adjusted by an angle adjustment means. Device.