KR101789095B1 - Method for estimating manipulability of input device and system using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for evaluating usability and operability of a design determined in a product design stage, and a system using the same. Acquiring a comparison vibration pattern using the design image transferred to the test object in a state where the acquired reference vibration patterns are mapped to the contact position in the test object and stored in the storage unit; A step of obtaining a contact position in a test object, discriminating a virtual input part in a design image and supporting corresponding control information to be output, thereby evaluating operability; And computing a degree of improvement and operability improvement.

Description

Technical Field [0001] The present invention relates to a method of evaluating operability of an information input apparatus and a system using the same,

The present invention relates to a method for evaluating the operability of an information input apparatus and a system using the same, and more particularly, to a system and method for evaluating the operability of an information input apparatus, A method for performing an evaluation of operability and a system using the same.

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a variety of input devices from a remote controller, a mouse, and a keypad to a virtual keyboard used in a computer operating system are used.

Various input devices may be provided with various buttons for enabling the user to operate the device. For example, the user can perform desired operations such as changing the channel and adjusting the volume by pressing a button like this.

Accordingly, various buttons provided in various input devices must be arranged to be convenient for the user's operation, and there has been much research on how to position and arrange buttons in consideration of the convenience of the user.

However, if the problem of the user convenience which can not be considered in the designing step of the various buttons provided in the input devices is found in the test process of the real part of the input device, it is necessary to revise the design again, The design of the input device must be tested again to reflect the design, which can result in troublesome efforts and costs.

Accordingly, Applicant has proposed a method and system that can reduce such troublesome efforts and costs.

The present invention aims at solving all of the above problems.

Another object of the present invention is to prevent unnecessary effort and cost loss in designing an input device by verifying the convenience of operation of the input device in advance.

It is another object of the present invention to easily distinguish a user's input operation by analyzing an inherent vibration pattern expressed in an object through a predetermined input vibration.

In order to accomplish the objects of the present invention as described above and achieve the characteristic effects of the present invention described below, the characteristic structure of the present invention is as follows.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operability evaluation method of an information input apparatus, comprising the steps of: (a) determining whether a test subject has contact with the test object after input vibration is added to a test object provided corresponding to the information input apparatus; In a state where the reference vibration patterns obtained by referring to the detection vibration sensed from the test object or the change pattern of the detection vibration corresponding to the position of the test object are mapped with the contact position in the test object and stored in the storage unit, , The input vibration is added to the test object to which the design image corresponding to the information input device is transferred, and the test subject performs a selection operation for inputting information using the design image transferred to the test object The test object being sensed from the test object in response to < RTI ID = 0.0 > Obtaining a comparison vibration pattern including a change pattern of the vibration or the detection vibration; And (b) the test system obtains a specific reference vibration pattern corresponding to the comparison vibration pattern from the storage unit to obtain a contact position in the test object mapped with the specific reference vibration pattern, And evaluating the operability of the information input apparatus through the virtual input unit by identifying the virtual input unit in the corresponding design image and supporting control information corresponding to the virtual input unit through the electronic output unit A method is provided.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a test system for evaluating operability of an information input apparatus, the test system comprising: a test object provided in correspondence with the information input apparatus, The reference vibration patterns obtained by referring to the detection vibration sensed from the test object or the change pattern of the detection vibration corresponding to at least one position are mapped with the contact position in the test object and stored in the storage unit, (I) the input vibration is added to the test object to which the design image corresponding to the information input device is transferred, and the test subject is allowed to attach the design image transferred to the test object Corresponding to performing a selection operation for inputting information Process for obtaining a fluctuation pattern comparison including a variation pattern of the detection vibration or the detected vibration is sensed by the test object group; And (ii) identifying a specific reference vibration pattern matching the comparison vibration pattern from the storage section to obtain a contact position in the test object mapped with the specific reference vibration pattern, A processor for performing a process of evaluating the operability of the information input device through the virtual input unit by discriminating a virtual input unit in the virtual input unit and supporting control information corresponding to the virtual input unit through an electronic output unit; A test system is provided.

In addition, a computer readable recording medium for recording a computer program for executing the method of the present invention is further provided.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent unnecessary effort and cost loss in designing an input device by verifying the convenience of operation of the input device in advance.

In addition, according to the present invention, an inherent vibration pattern expressed in an object is analyzed through a predetermined input vibration, and the input operation of the user is easily distinguished.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a test system for evaluating operability of a test object according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a state in which a part of a plurality of virtual input units is erroneously pressed by a user according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 illustrates a plurality of virtual input units provided by a modified design image according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein one of the plurality of virtual input units is properly pressed by the user.

The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It should be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention are different, but need not be mutually exclusive. For example, certain features, structures, and characteristics described herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in connection with an embodiment. It is also to be understood that the position or arrangement of the individual components within each disclosed embodiment may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled, if properly explained. In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar functions throughout the several views.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a test system for evaluating operability of a test object according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a test system 100 of the present invention may include a communication unit 110 and a processor 120. The test system 100 includes a storage unit 200 for storing predetermined reference vibration patterns and the like, a design image transfer unit 300 for transferring a predetermined image to the test object 600, A vibration actuator 500 for providing vibration to the test object 600, a vibration sensor 500 for sensing a comparison vibration pattern when the user presses a predetermined portion of the test object 600, The vibration sensor 700 and the like.

First, the communication unit 110 of the test system 100 can be implemented with various communication technologies. (WIFI), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Mobile WiMAX, WiBro, , Long Term Evolution (LTE), bluetooth, infrared data association (IrDA), Near Field Communication (NFC), Zigbee, and wireless LAN technology. In addition, if the service is connected to the Internet, it can follow TCP / IP, a standard protocol for transmitting information on the Internet.

Next, the processor 120 of the test system 100 (i) assists the input vibration to be added to the test object 600 to which the design image 310 has been transferred, and the test subject is transferred to the test object 600 Obtaining a comparison vibration pattern including a detection vibration sensed from the test object (600) or a change pattern of the detection vibration corresponding to performing a selection operation for information input using the design image (310); And (ii) identifying a specific reference vibration pattern matching the comparison vibration pattern from the storage unit 200 to obtain a contact position in the test object 600 mapped with the specific reference vibration pattern, and And the control information corresponding to the virtual input unit is outputted through the electronic output unit 400 to evaluate the operability of the test object 600 through the virtual input unit Process can be performed.

Here, the 'transfer' may be implemented by various techniques. That is, the design image 310 is displayed on the surface of the test object through a beam projector, the design image 310 is displayed on the surface of the test object through a printer, And the displayed film is displayed by being adhered to the test object.

The 'input vibration' is the same as the input vibration added when the reference vibration pattern is obtained, because it is easy to compare the comparison vibration pattern and the specific reference vibration pattern, which will be described later.

The 'comparison vibration pattern' may refer to a vibration pattern or a change pattern thereof that appears when a user presses a predetermined position on the test object 600 while the input vibration is applied to the test object 600.

The 'reference vibration pattern' refers to a vibration pattern or a variation pattern of the vibration pattern that appears when a location where predetermined buttons are located on the test object 600 in a state where input vibration is applied to the test object 600 can do. As described above, the storage unit 200 stores various reference vibration patterns and the like. For example, the storage unit 200 may match and store reference vibration pattern values corresponding to positions of the buttons on the test object 600 have. The storage unit 200 may be an internal device of the test system 100 or an external device, but is shown as an external device in FIG.

On the other hand, the test object 600 can be any object, and can be various objects such as stone, wood, paper, and the like. In addition, the image transferred to the test object 600 may also be various, such as a remote control for a TV, a button for an air conditioner, a button for a washing machine, a center fascia front button and knob for a car, a mouse, and a keyboard pad.

In addition, the output unit 400 can recognize and output control information of a user who inputs an operation using the test object 600. [ Specifically, when a user selects a specific position on the test object 600, a specific comparison vibration pattern is sensed by the vibration sensor 700, and a specific comparison vibration pattern sensed is stored in the storage unit 200 with reference vibration patterns A specific position on the test object 600 pressed by the user is discriminated and a virtual input unit corresponding to a specific position on the test object 600 is discriminated. If it is discriminated, the output unit 400 outputs the corresponding control information.

 For example, it is assumed that a test object 600 in the form of a TV remote control is manipulated to enlarge the sound. When the finger of the test subject touches a specific position of the test object 600 to which the various button images of the remote control are transferred, the comparative vibration pattern can be obtained from the test object 600, It is possible to confirm the reference vibration pattern from the storage unit 200 and acquire the contact position in the test object 600. This enables recognition of the sound increase button corresponding to the contact position, 400) in order to increase the sound volume.

In addition, when evaluating the operability, evaluation can be performed by a test subject in terms of visual, auditory, and other senses, as well as image, sound, motion, and the like to evaluate the computer errors and operability.

Meanwhile, the processor 120 may provide the modified design image 310 in response to the change request signal of the design image 310 referring to the evaluation result.

The test system 100 according to the present invention performs the operability evaluation in a state in which the modified design image 310 is transferred to the test object 600 and the operability evaluation result by the modified design image 310 And the degree of operability improvement of the test object is calculated by comparing and analyzing the operability evaluation results before the change. Here, the degree of operability improvement may indicate how the operability of the design after the change is improved in numerical value as compared with the design before the change. For example, in the case of a keyboard pad design, the degree of improvement in operability can be judged by comparing numerical values of the design before change and the design after change with numerical values.

 The computed degree of operability improvement may be output through the electronic output unit 400. For example, 80% may be displayed on the display as a specific value, or 80% as a specific value as a speaker.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which a part of a plurality of virtual input units is erroneously pressed by a user according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, as a plurality of virtual input units, numeral buttons 1 to 9 and an adjustment button for adjusting a channel and a volume are illustrated as an example.

However, it is assumed that the interval between these buttons is very narrow, so that the user presses ambiguously between the number 1 button and the number 2 button.

Here, information such as the amplitude, phase, and the like of the vibration pattern can be used to determine by the computer that the user depresses between the number 1 button and the number 2 button ambiguously. For example, when the amplitude and phase that can be obtained when the number 1 button is touched is referred to as a first vibration pattern and the amplitude and phase that can be obtained when the number 2 button is touched is referred to as a second vibration pattern, When the user makes a contact as shown in Fig. 2, the vibration pattern, i.e., amplitude, phase, etc., as shown in Fig. 2 deviates from the threshold value range of the first vibration pattern and is determined to be out of the threshold range of the second vibration pattern , Will be treated as ambiguous input. That is, the control unit 400 may not output any control information to the output unit 400 in a state where it can not recognize which button is pressed.

Here, the threshold value range may mean a section within a certain range from the amplitude, phase, etc. of the vibration pattern.

In addition, when it is assumed that a virtual detection point that is spaced apart from a predetermined distance is on the test object 600, the corresponding amplitude and phase are measured for each of the detection points and are managed in the storage unit 200 as a reference vibration pattern Similarly, even when the comparison vibration pattern is measured, the amplitude and phase may be measured for each of the detection points, and the amplitude and phase may be calculated for each detection point to calculate whether or not the comparison vibration pattern exists within the threshold value range.

On the other hand, if there is no threshold range of a specific button including the acquired amplitude, phase, etc., operability can be counted as bad. In this case, no control information may be output.

If the operation by the user is uncomfortable, the evaluation result on the design image transferred to the test object 600 may be numerically set to minus.

FIG. 3 illustrates a plurality of virtual input units provided by a modified design image according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein one of the plurality of virtual input units is properly pressed by the user.

3, numeral buttons 1 to 9 and an adjustment button for adjusting a channel and a volume are exemplarily shown as a plurality of virtual input units. However, in order to reflect the negative feedback result in FIG. 2, And the design is improved by increasing the interval.

The embodiments of the present invention described above can be implemented in the form of program instructions that can be executed through various computer components and recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium may include program commands, data files, data structures, and the like, alone or in combination. The program instructions recorded on the computer-readable recording medium may be those specially designed and constructed for the present invention or may be those known and used by those skilled in the computer software arts. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks and magnetic tape, optical recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, media, and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions such as ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include machine language code such as those generated by a compiler, as well as high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like. The hardware device may be configured to operate as one or more software modules for performing the processing according to the present invention, and vice versa.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Therefore, the spirit of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the above-described embodiments, and all of the equivalents or equivalents of the claims, as well as the following claims, I will say.

100: Test system
110:
120: Processor
200:
300: Design Image Transfer Department
310: Design image
400: Output section
500: vibration actuator
600: Text object
700: Vibration sensor

Claims (18)

A method for evaluating operability of an information input apparatus,
(a) detecting vibration detected from the test object corresponding to at least one position where the test subject contacts the test object after the input vibration is added to the test object provided corresponding to the information input device, or Wherein the test system maps the reference vibration patterns obtained by referring to the change patterns to the contact positions in the test object and stores the reference vibration patterns in the storage unit, Wherein the test object is adapted to perform a selection operation for inputting information by using the design image transferred to the test object, Obtaining a comparison vibration pattern including a variation pattern step; And
(b) The test system obtains a specific reference vibration pattern consistent with the comparison vibration pattern from the storage section to obtain a contact position in the test object mapped with the specific reference vibration pattern, Evaluating the operability of the information input apparatus through the virtual input unit by discriminating a virtual input unit in the design image and supporting control information corresponding to the virtual input unit through an electronic output unit;
≪ / RTI > The method according to claim 1,
(c) if the test subject provides the changed design image corresponding to the change request signal of the design image referring to the evaluation result in the step (b), the test system judges whether the changed design image is transferred The degree of operability improvement of the information input device is calculated by comparing and analyzing the operability evaluation result of the modified design image and the operability evaluation result of the step (b) Supporting the operability improvement degree to be output through the electronic output unit;
≪ / RTI > The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the design image is transferred to the test object by assisting the test system to display the design image on a surface of the test object via a beam projector. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the design image is transferred to the test object by supporting the design image to be printed directly on the surface of the test object through a printer. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the design image is transferred to the test object by adhering a film on which the design image is output to the test object. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the plurality of virtual input units are provided in the design image such that the plurality of virtual input units have predetermined intervals or arrangements and the test system outputs different output information corresponding to each of the plurality of virtual input units The method comprising: The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the test system is further programmed to cause the test subject to contact a location corresponding to a particular virtual input in the design image transferred to the test object but also to a location corresponding to a particular virtual input and a peripheral virtual input of the particular virtual input Counts the operability of the information input device to be poor, and evaluates that the operability of the information input device is bad when the number of times counted by the operability is not less than a set value. The method according to claim 1,
When the information is output through the electronic output unit, the test system supports output of an image through a display when the information is video information, and outputs audio through a speaker when the information is audio information. ≪ / RTI > The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the test system supports the input vibration to be appended to the test object via a vibration actuator and senses the detection vibration in the test object via a vibration sensor. A test system for evaluating operability of an information input apparatus,
A detection vibration or a change pattern of the detection vibration sensed from the test object corresponding to at least one position where the test subject touches the test object after the input vibration is added to the test object provided corresponding to the information input device A communication unit capable of accessing the storage unit in a state where the reference vibration patterns obtained by reference are mapped with the contact positions in the test object and stored in the storage unit;
(i) supports the input vibration to be added to the test object to which the design image corresponding to the information input apparatus is transferred, and the test subject performs a selection operation for inputting information using the design image transferred to the test object Obtaining a comparison vibration pattern including a change pattern of the detection vibration or the detection vibration sensed from the test object in response to performing the comparison vibration pattern; And (ii) identifying a specific reference vibration pattern matching the comparison vibration pattern from the storage section to obtain a contact position in the test object mapped with the specific reference vibration pattern, A processor for performing a process of evaluating the operability of the information input device through the virtual input unit by discriminating a virtual input unit in the virtual input unit and supporting control information corresponding to the virtual input unit through an electronic output unit;
And a test system. 11. The method of claim 10,
When the test subject provides the changed design image corresponding to the change request signal of the design image referring to the evaluation result, the processor performs the operability evaluation in a state in which the modified design image is transferred to the test object , The degree of operability improvement of the information input apparatus is calculated by comparing and analyzing the operability evaluation result of the modified design image and the (ii) process, and the calculated degree of operability improvement is output through the electronic output unit The test system comprising: 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the design image is transferred to the test object by supporting the design system to display the design image on a surface of the test object via a beam projector. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the design image is transferred to the test object by supporting the design image to be printed directly on the surface of the test object through a printer. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the design image is transferred to the test object by adhering a film on which the design image is output to the test object. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the virtual input unit is provided with a plurality of virtual input units and the virtual input unit is formed in the design image so as to have a predetermined interval or arrangement so that different output information corresponding to each of the plurality of virtual input units is output The test system comprising: 16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the processor is in contact with a position corresponding to a specific virtual input in the design image transferred to the test object but also to a position corresponding to a specific virtual input and a peripheral virtual input of the specific virtual input Wherein the information input device counts the operability of the information input device to be poor when the information is detected and evaluates that the operability of the information input device is bad when the number of times of counting the operability is not less than a set value. 11. The method of claim 10,
The processor may be configured to output information through the electronic output unit, to output an image through a display when the information is video information, and to output audio through a speaker when the information is audio information Features a test system. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the processor supports the input vibration to be appended to the test object via a vibration actuator and senses the detection vibration in the test object via a vibration sensor.

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