KR100784956B1 - Input method of data using tactile sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a data input method using a tactile sensor that enables a variety of applications by providing a single data input method incorporating the functions of the existing data input device into one, and the present invention relates to a matrix at a predetermined position of a contact board. A data input method using a tactile sensor having a tactile sensor arranged in a shape and recognizing input data according to a sensed value of the tactile sensor, the scan area of the tactile sensor arranged in a matrix according to a user's function selection By dividing into the key area, and after the user divides the area into contact with the contact board, it detects the contact force and the pressing force, and recognizes the input data with the detected contact force and the force component. It is possible to replace a plurality of data input devices.

Data input device, tactile sensor, scan area, key area division

Description

Input method of data using tactile sensor

1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a general touch capacitive key input device.

2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a key input device of a general pressure resistive film type.

3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a general pressure 4-wire key input device.

4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a general pressure type 5-wire key input device.

5 is a configuration diagram of a data input device to which a data input method using a tactile sensor according to the present invention is applied.

6A and 6B are circuit diagrams showing an example of a tactile sensor module.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a data input method using a tactile sensor according to the present invention.

Figure 8 shows an application example 1 of the data input method using the tactile sensor according to the present invention, Figure 8a is a view showing a direction key of a conventional mobile phone, Figure 8b is a view showing a direction key according to the present invention.

9 is a view showing an application example 2 of the data input method using the tactile sensor according to the present invention, FIG. 9A is an exemplary diagram in which the present invention is applied to a keypad of a mobile phone, and FIG. .

Figure 10 shows an application example 3 of the data input method using the tactile sensor according to the present invention, Figure 10a is an illustration of applying the present invention to the touch pad, Figure 10b is a scan area segmentation state during operation of the present invention.

Figure 11 shows an application example 4 of the data input method using the tactile sensor according to the present invention, Figure 11a is an illustration of applying the present invention to the game pad, Figure 11b is a game pad to which the present invention is applied to proceed with the actual game 11C is a diagram illustrating an example of the process, and FIG. 11C is a diagram illustrating a scan area division when the game pad is operated.

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings>

100... Function input

300... Tactile Sensor Module

400... Multiplexer

500... Central Processing Unit

The present invention relates to a data input method using a tactile sensor, and more particularly, to a data input method using a tactile sensor which enables various applications by providing a single data input device integrating the functions of an existing data input device into one. It is about.

In general, a device such as a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a notebook computer, a game machine, a navigation device, or the like uses a data input device to select and input a desired function or to input data. In particular, a data input device is roughly classified into a keypad method (including a keyboard) for inputting corresponding data by pressing a key with a finger and a touch input device such as a touch pad that recognizes the corresponding data by lightly touching the contact surface.

Among them, the recognition method used in the touch input device (touch pad) is as follows.

1) Contact Capacitive Method: As shown in FIG. 1, the capacitive method detects X and Y on an ITO metal layer 12 deposited on a film 11 made of film, plastic, or glass. In the state where the dragon signal is applied, the position is detected by calculating the magnitude of the changed capacitance when a pen or finger contacts the insulating layer 13 formed on the transparent electrode 12.

2) Pressure resistive film type: As shown in FIG. 2, the resistive film type dots dot two substrates 23 and 24 made of film, plastic, and glass on which transparent electrodes 21 and 22 are coated. The transparent electrodes 21 and 22 are bonded together to face each other with a spacer 25 therebetween. An electric signal for position detection is applied on one transparent electrode 21, and as shown in FIG. 2, the transparent electrode 21 of the upper substrate 24 is transparent of the lower substrate 23 by a finger or a pen. The electrical signal is detected by the opposite transparent electrode 22 when it is in contact with the electrode 22. At this time, the position is determined using the magnitude of the detected electrical signal.

3) Pressure 4-wire method: As shown in FIG. 3, the 4-wire resistive panel uses a silver electrode 36 on the corners of the upper and lower transparent electrodes 33 and 34 by using a screen printing technique. Print to complete the electrode. The patterns of the silver electrodes 36 and 37 are arranged in parallel on one substrate 33 and printed in the vertical direction on the upper and lower substrates 32 and 31. The dot spacers 35 are provided for electrical insulation between the upper and lower substrates 33 and 31. As shown in FIG. 3, X-axis position detection applies an electrical signal to the silver electrode 37 of the lower substrate 31, and the upper and lower transparent electrodes 33 and 34 are in contact with each other by a pen or a finger. At this time, the electrical signal of the lower substrate 31 in contact with the transparent electrode 33 of the upper substrate 32 is detected. On the contrary, the Y-axis position detection can be determined by applying an electrical signal to the silver electrode 36 of the upper substrate 32 and sensing the electrical signal of the upper substrate 32 in the transparent electrode 34 of the lower substrate 31. . The detected analog signal is transmitted to the system main body through digitization processing and displayed on the screen through calculation by the system main body.

4) Pressure-type 5-wire system: As shown in FIG. 4, the 5-wire resistive panel is formed by applying a silver electrode 45 on the corners of the upper and lower transparent electrodes 43 and 44 using a screen printing technique. Print to complete the electrode. The pattern of the silver electrode 45 is arranged in parallel on one substrate 42, and printed on the upper and lower substrates 41 and 42 in a vertical direction. The dot spacers 46 are provided for electrical insulation between the upper and lower substrates 41 and 42. Looking at the operating principle, unlike the pressure 4-wire method, the X, Y position detection signal is applied to the transparent electrode 44 of the lower substrate 42 at intervals, and the electrical signal is applied to the upper substrate 41 at this time. It has a structure which detects on the transparent electrode 43 of.

Meanwhile, referring to input devices of well-known devices, a mobile phone uses a keypad using 0 to 9, *, and # keys as an input device, a PDA uses a mini keyboard or a touch screen as an input device, and a laptop keyboard and a touch. Pads and point sticks are used as input devices, and the navigation system uses touch screens, scroll bars and joy discs as input devices.

However, these input devices have the following problems.

In other words, the mobile phone uses the keypad using 0 ~ 9, *, and # keys, so there is a limitation in the input method, and PDA is inconvenient to use or carry, slow recognition speed, and marks on the screen when used for a long time. The notebook has a disadvantage that the notebook is bulky, and the touch pad and the point stick are difficult to perform functions, and the navigation has the disadvantage of only searching the tree structure.

In particular, in the case of a touch pad using a pressure resistive membrane, contact position information and pressure sensing (line thickness, three-dimensional representation, perspective, color change, depth change) are possible, but the spatial resolution is lowered and the contact area There is a disadvantage in that only one position information and pressure information value are detected regardless. In addition, when the contact is made in two or more at the same time there is a disadvantage that can not detect the position information and pressure information.

In this case, if the input pen is used, the spatial resolution can be increased, but the user must always carry the input pen.

Accordingly, the present invention has been proposed to solve all the problems occurring in the conventional input device as described above,

It is an object of the present invention to provide a data input method using a tactile sensor which provides a single data input device incorporating the functions of an existing data input device into one.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a data input method using a tactile sensor that enables various applications with a single data input device.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a data input method using a tactile sensor that can be used as a game pad or a contact-related ubiquitous computer to sense the force and speed of pressing a predetermined board.

"Data input method using a tactile sensor" according to the present invention for achieving the above object,

In the data input method using a tactile sensor having a tactile sensor arranged in a matrix form at a predetermined position of the contact board, and recognizes the input data according to the sensed value of the tactile sensor,

Dividing a scan area of the tactile sensor arranged in a matrix into a key area according to a user's function selection;

Detecting a contact force and a force component when the user comes into contact with the contact board after division of the area;

And recognizing input data based on the detected contact force and force component.

The function selection here indicates that the user selects which function to use by dividing the data input device into a single (touch pad) or multiple (keypad) scan areas.

In addition, the dividing of the plurality of key areas is characterized in that when the user selects the keypad function, the entire tactile sensor area is divided into the same number of key areas as the keys of the general keypad.

In addition, the division of a single key region is characterized in that when the user selects the touch pad function, the entire tactile sensor is divided into the same region as the general touch pad.

In addition, the contact force represents the horizontal force and the vertical force of the triaxial force sensor.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention according to the technical spirit as described above will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

5 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a data input apparatus to which a data input method using a tactile sensor according to the present invention is applied.

As shown in the figure, the data input device includes a function input unit 100 for selecting a keypad function or a touch pad function, and has a plurality of tactile sensor modules 300 for outputting a contact force transmitted through a contact board. do.

In addition, a multiplexer 400 for selecting output signals of the plurality of tactile sensor modules 300 is provided, and is connected to the multiplexer 400 and the function input unit 100 to be arranged in a matrix form according to a user's function selection. The central processing unit 500 divides the scan area of the sensor into a key area, detects vertical force and horizontal force when a contact occurs on the contact board, and detects pressing force and speed to recognize input data. The central processing unit 500 recognizes a memory storing coordinate information and other information, a function recognizing unit recognizing a function selected by a user, an area dividing unit dividing a scan area into a key area according to a function selected by a user, and input data. And a data recognition unit.

The tactile sensor module 300 is provided in the lower part of the contact board so as to cover the entire lower part of the contact board that the finger or other contact is in contact with, and measures the resistance value that varies according to the load transmitted to the contact board. Measure and output the contact force with the object.

In addition, the tactile sensor module 300 may use a single axis sensor or a three-axis force sensor. In the present invention, a three-axis force sensor is used.

The well-known three-axis force sensor consists of a load block, a support block for supporting the entire structure, and an overload protection block made of silicon microfabrication technology bonded to the load block to prevent the film from breaking when an overload is transmitted.

The resistance is placed on one part of the load block to measure the resistance value that changes according to the load transmitted to the load block, thereby measuring the contact force (vertical force and horizontal force) with an external object.

6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the tactile sensor module 300.

In the tactile sensor module 300, four resistors R are disposed on the top, bottom, left, and right sides of each of the three-axis force sensors 310, and one terminal of the resistor R has one common sub input. Connected to the line SUB_IN, the other terminals of the four resistors R are respectively connected to the sub output line SUB_OUT, and the two sub input lines SUB_IN are connected to one common main input line MAIN_IN. Eight sub output lines SUB_OUT are connected to one common main output line MAIN_OUT.

In addition, each main input line (MAIN_IN) is connected to the power terminal through the input side multiplexer 320, each main output line (MAIN_OUT) is connected to the output terminal through the output side multiplexer (330), The input / output multiplexers 320 and 330 operate under the control of the controller 340 to connect the main input line and the power terminal to the main output line and the output terminal, respectively.

Here, the output terminal is sequentially connected with a voltage detector for detecting a voltage according to a change in the resistance to be measured, a voltage amplifier for amplifying the output voltage of the voltage detector to a predetermined level, and a buffer for buffering the output voltage of the voltage amplifier.

The central processing unit 500 controls the driving of the multiplexer 400 that selects one of the connection lines of the plurality of tactile sensor modules 300, and scans the tactile sensor module 300 connected through the multiplexer 400.

That is, the CPU 500 includes a memory in which coordinate information of each tactile sensor module 300 provided in the lower portion of the contact board is stored. Accordingly, when the contact coordinate information according to the contact of the contact board is input, the central processing unit 500 uses the coordinate information of each tactile sensor module stored in the memory and neighbors around the tactile sensor module corresponding to the corresponding contact coordinates. The driving of the multiplexer 400 is controlled to sequentially connect one tactile sensor module. Then, the tactile sensor module connected through the multiplexer 400 is scanned to obtain a contact force applied to the corresponding contact portion.

At this time, the present invention does not simply scan the tactile sensor module to use predetermined coordinate information as it is, but instead of dividing a scan area into a key area according to a user's function selection (keypad, touch pad, touch screen, etc.), one contact is made. You will use the board as a keypad and as a touch pad.

If this is explained in more detail as follows.

8 shows an application example 1 of the data input method using the tactile sensor according to the present invention. FIG. 8A is a view showing a direction key of an existing mobile phone, and FIG. 8B is a view showing a direction key according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 8A, when a user selects and operates a direction key, the user recognizes this and performs a corresponding operation. In this case, the force detection is impossible. However, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 8B, five single-axis sensors are used, and each single-axis sensor is provided with a load bump for detecting a load, thereby enabling vertical force and direction detection.

9 is a view showing an application example 2 of the data input method using the tactile sensor according to the present invention. FIG. 9A is an exemplary diagram in which the present invention is applied to a keypad of a mobile phone. It is shown.

In the case of a keypad provided in an existing mobile phone, recognition is possible only when the corresponding key is pressed correctly, and when two keys are pressed, the recognition is impossible, and scroll function is impossible. In contrast, the present invention consists of a single-axis sensor in the form of an N * M matrix, and as shown in Figure 9b by separating the key area according to the scan area, it is possible to vertical, vertical, left and right direction and force detection function, one The keypad can be used in various ways such as number keys, text keys, scrolls, and touch screens. In this case, the three-axis force calculation method can measure not only the vertical force but also the horizontal force, and the force can be sensed so that the feeling of handwriting, contrast, etc. can be transmitted.

10 is a view showing an application example 3 of a data input method using a tactile sensor according to the present invention, FIG. 10A is an exemplary diagram in which a keypad of an existing mobile phone is used as a touch pad, and FIG. to be.

In the case of a keypad equipped with an existing mobile phone, it can be recognized only when the corresponding key is pressed correctly, and it cannot be recognized when two keys are pressed, and one character input is completed only when several keys are operated during character input. Since it is a form that comes with various inconveniences in use. In contrast, in the present invention, the tactile sensor is composed of an N * M type matrix as shown in FIG. 10B, and the vertical, upward, downward, leftward and rightward direction and force detection functions are possible by dividing the key area according to the scan area. The keypad can be recognized as it is by simply typing the character you want. In addition, it is possible to measure not only the vertical force but also the horizontal force, and it is possible to sense the force, so that the feeling of handwriting, contrast, etc. can be transmitted, and the thickness of the letter can be varied according to the pressing force, and thus it can be utilized in various functions.

Figure 11 shows an application example 4 of the data input method using the tactile sensor according to the present invention, Figure 11a is an illustration of applying the present invention to the game pad, Figure 11b is a game pad to which the present invention is applied to proceed with the actual game 11C is a diagram illustrating an example of a process, and FIG. 11C is a diagram illustrating a scan area division state when a game pad is operated.

In the case of a keypad equipped with an existing mobile phone, it can be recognized only when the corresponding key is pressed correctly, and since a single function can be input only when several keys are operated during the game, various inconveniences of using the game function are accompanied. In contrast, in the present invention, the tactile sensor is composed of an N * M type matrix as shown in FIG. 11C. When the game pad is rubbed in a specific direction while watching the game screen as shown in FIG. 11B, the key area is divided according to the scan area. Up, down, left, right vertical direction and force detection function is available, so you can use the direction and force detection of the control panel in addition to the button part in the game, compared to playing the game using the keypad provided in the existing mobile phone It will be easy and convenient to proceed with the game. In addition, as shown in Figure 11b it can be applied to a game of a variety of content, such as bowling, football, golf that can be applied to the direction and force detection.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a "data input method using a tactile sensor" according to the present invention. Where S stands for Step.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the user selects a function (S100), dividing the scan area into a key area according to the selected function (S200), detecting a contact (S300), and when a contact is not detected Waiting step (S400), if the contact is detected is a step of detecting the vertical force / horizontal force (S500), the step of detecting the force component (S600), the step of recognizing the input data (S700).

The data input method using the tactile sensor according to the present invention made as described above will be described in more detail.

First, in step S100, the user selects a function to be used by the user by using a function selection key provided in the function input unit 100. Herein, the data input device to which the present invention is applied may have a keypad function or a touch pad function through one contact board. Therefore, the user first determines which function the data input device is to use before performing data input.

When the function of the data input device is selected by the user, the CPU 500 divides the scan area of the contact board into a key area in step S200. In this case, when the user selects the keypad function, the division of the key area divides the scan area of the entire tactile sensor into a plurality of key areas desired by the user (for example, 12), and the user selects the touch pad function. In this case, the entire tactile sensor is divided into the same key recognition area as the general touch pad.

In this state, step S300 detects whether the user makes contact with the contact board, and as a result, if no contact is detected, the standby state of step S400 is maintained. Otherwise, if contact is detected, the process moves to steps S500 and S600 and the vertical force / The horizontal force is detected and the pressing force is detected.

)을 측정하여 소프트웨어적으로 힘 성분을 추출하게 된다. 그러나 저항의 형상을 도 6a와 같이 제작할 경우 Fx, Fy의 힘 성분은 온도보상이 이루어지나, Fz의 경우 온도보상이 되지 않는 단점이 있다. 따라서 도 6b와 같은 저항의 형상을 할 경우 Fz의 온도보상이 이루어진다. 또한 네 성분을 더하면 온도만을 측정할 수 있는 센서가 될 수 있다.That is, four voltage change rates (

The force component is extracted by software. However, when the shape of the resistance is manufactured as shown in FIG. 6A, the force components of Fx and Fy are temperature compensated, but Fz does not have temperature compensation. Therefore, when the shape of the resistance as shown in Figure 6b is made of the temperature compensation of Fz. In addition, the four components add up to a sensor that can only measure temperature.

The formula for extracting the force component and temperature is shown in Equation 1 below.

는 수평력,

는 수직력,

는 누르는 힘을 나타낸다.here

Is the horizontal force,

Is the vertical force,

Indicates the pressing force.

Next, in step S700, the input data is recognized by the detected vertical force and horizontal force and the detected force component. Here, the method of recognizing the input data is recognized in the same manner as the method of recognizing the data of a key input device using a conventional touch sensor, and since this is a well-known conventional technique, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

That is, according to the present invention, a single data input device using a tactile sensor capable of coordinate detection, multi-point detection, and decompression detection can be used as a keypad and a touch pad (touch screen) according to a user's selection, thereby allowing an existing mobile phone. It is possible to overcome the disadvantages of using only the keypad and the disadvantages of using the touch pad.

According to the present invention described above, there is an effect of providing a single data input device incorporating the functions of the existing plurality of data input devices into one.

In addition, it can sense the pressing force and direction, there is an advantage that can be used as a game pad while using a single or multiple keypad or touch pad.

Claims (8)

In the data input method using a tactile sensor having a tactile sensor arranged in a matrix form at a predetermined position of the contact board, and recognizes the input data according to the sensed value of the tactile sensor, Dividing a scan area of the tactile sensor arranged in a matrix into a key area according to a user's function selection; Detecting a vertical force, a horizontal force, and a pressing force when the user comes into contact with the contact board after division of the area; And a step of recognizing input data based on the detected vertical force, horizontal force, and force component. The method of claim 1, wherein the function selection comprises selecting whether to use the data input device as a keypad function or a touch pad function. The data input using the tactile sensor according to claim 1, wherein the division of the key area divides the entire tactile sensor area into the same number of key areas as the keys of a general keypad when the user selects a keypad function. Way. The data using the tactile sensor according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the division of the key area divides the entire tactile sensor into the same area as a general touch pad when the user selects a touch pad function. Input method. delete The method of claim 1, wherein the horizontal force, four voltage change rate according to the change in the four resistance values constituting the contact sensor (

) And measure the upper voltage value (

At the lower voltage value (

Subtracting) and calculating the horizontal force as a result. The method of claim 1, wherein the vertical force is four voltage change rate according to the change in the four resistance values constituting the contact sensor (

) And measure the right voltage value (

) To the left voltage value (

Subtracting) to calculate the vertical force as a result of the data input method using the tactile sensor. The method of claim 1, wherein the force component is four voltage change rate according to the change in the four resistance values constituting the contact sensor (

) And calculate the rate of change of four of them (

The data input method using the tactile sensor, characterized in that to calculate the pressing force as a result.

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