Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
  • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
  • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
  • G06F3/033—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor
  • G06F3/0338—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H25/00—Switches with compound movement of handle or other operating part
  • H01H25/002—Switches with compound movement of handle or other operating part having an operating member rectilinearly slidable in different directions
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H25/00—Switches with compound movement of handle or other operating part
  • H01H25/04—Operating part movable angularly in more than one plane, e.g. joystick
  • H01H25/041—Operating part movable angularly in more than one plane, e.g. joystick having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an XY direction input device according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method for forming movement information according to the preamble of claim 8.
• a pointer In dialog with a computer, a pointer is used which marks the input positions on the display device or is used to select objects.
• the pointer is placed on the display device by means of certain devices, e.g. "Mouse", control stick (joy stick), trackball or the "pointer keys” integrated in the keyboard.
• predefined keys are used in addition to the pointer, with which the operator indicates when the respective pointer position is to be evaluated.
• the "mouse” detects the movement carried out in the X and Y axes and transmits this information to an external device (e.g. computer), which in turn converts this information into the pointer movements.
• Pressure switches that are integrated in the “mouse” allow the operator to formulate instructions that are implemented by the external device in certain actions.
• a disadvantage of the "mouse” is that it requires a relatively large area for the movements to be carried out.
• the control rod is a device which is in the form of a rod with a movable end and converts the forces acting on the upper part of this rod into the X and Y coordinates and these Transmits coordinates to the external device.
• a disadvantage of the control rod is that due to its construction, a quick and precise guidance of the pointer on the display device is not possible without the operator's hand fatigue and that the second for actuating pressure switches for generating instructions Hand is needed.
• the trackball (CH 655 809 A5) is a device that consists of a ball that can be freely rotated and sensors for detecting the movements of this ball. The operator rotates the ball in the X or Y direction and thus controls the pointer movements on the display device.
• a major disadvantage of the "trackball” lies in the fact that the pointer can be moved with the aid of this device precisely but relatively slowly over the display device and that the second hand is required to operate the pressure switches to generate instructions.
• Japanese laid-open patent publication JP 59-81728 A discloses a device which consists of a stationary housing, an input device and 8 pressure switches with balls. The pressure switches are divided into 2 groups of 4 pressure switches each. The first group is attached to the side of the input device and is used to control the first pointer.
• the second group is located under the input device and controls the second pointer.
• the input device can be moved both horizontally and vertically around the switch stroke of the pressure switches.
• the pressure switches of the first group can be actuated for horizontal movements of the input device and the pressure switches of the second group for vertical movements.
• the disadvantage of this device is that the movements of the input device are limited to the switch stroke of the pressure switches, and that the horizontal and vertical movements of the input device are each resolved into only 10 different switching combinations, which leads to very imprecise control and very slow movements of the pointer on the display device.
• no pressure switches for generating instructions are provided in this device.
• JP 59-206932 A A similar device is disclosed Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP 59-206932 A.
• This device comprises a stationary housing, a Eingabevor- ri 'rect, which is supported by 4 springs in the rest position 16 film pressure switch, which in pairs at a 45 ° distance, radially are aligned with the rest position and 8 balls which are held by guides located in the input device and pressed by springs onto the film pressure switches.
• Input device actuate the balls each one of the pressure switches. This results in a total of 17 different switching combinations. Thus, this device has the same disadvantages as the device disclosed in JP 59-81728 A2.
• the object of the invention is thus to create a simple and inexpensive device for the rapid and precise control of pointer movements on the display device, which requires a very small area and only one hand for its operation and which is inserted into the keyboard, which is usually used in conjunction with data display devices, instead of the keypad for controlling the pointer movements ("pointer keys"). Furthermore, the invention is intended to eliminate the hand fatigue that often occurs.
• Text capture can be used where it is in the
• XY direction input device is in the semi-professional as well as in the professional CAD or CAE area. Here it can replace the "mouse", control stick or trackball currently used for the input of graphic figures and instructions.
• the XY direction input device according to the invention here offers optimum input precision; integrated into the keyboard, it does not require any additional positioning and operating surface, does not lead to hand fatigue and is very inexpensive.
• the guide device can be designed in the form of two frames which are mounted one inside the other and a slide which can be moved in the X and Y axes, which enables the input device to be guided very precisely.
• round profiles can be used for the elements of the outer frame (2) on which the inner frame (3) slides and for the elements of the inner frame (3) on which the slide (4) slides, whereby the manufacturing costs can be reduced.
• the method described in claim 9 can be carried out both by the electronics unit belonging to the YX direction input device according to the invention and by an electronics unit integrated in a third-party device.
• the electronic unit of the XY direction input device can carry out methods that control third-party devices. So production costs can be optimized by appropriate distribution of tasks.
• the electronics unit of the XY direction input device processes the signals received by the position detection system and the task of evaluating the signals and generating movement data using the method according to the invention is carried out by the control unit of the keyboard in which the XY direction input device is integrated.
• Fig. 1 is a plan view of the invention
• FIG. 2 shows the section according to A-A of the device according to the invention
• FIG. 3 shows the section according to B-B of the device according to the invention
• FIG. 4 shows a data processing system with a display device and keyboard with an integrated device according to the invention
• FIG. 5 shows the device according to the invention integrated into the keyboard.
• the XY direction input device consists of an input device (1) which can be freely moved in one plane in the X and Y directions, a guide device (elements 2, 3, 4, 6, - T- -
• the guide device consists of an outer frame (2), an inner frame (3), a slide (4) and four springs (6), (7), (8), (9).
• the inner frame (3) is fastened in the outer frame (2) in such a way that the inner frame (3) in the outer frame (2) can be moved from edge to edge (Fig.l, Fig.3) .
• Fastening is accomplished by inserting the protrusions attached to two outer sides of the inner frame (3) into the recesses located in the two inner sides of the outer frame (2).
• the slide (4) is fixed in the inner frame (3) (Fig.l, Fig.2). The only difference is that the slide (4) in the inner frame (3) can move in a different axis than the inner frame (3) in the outer frame (2).
• the slide (4) can be moved freely in the X-axis as well as in the Y-axis.
• the slider (4) moves with the inner frame (3) in the outer frame (2) and when a force in on the slider (4) the Y axis is exerted, the slide (4) moves in the inner frame (3) (Fig.l).
• the springs (6), (8) hold the inner frame (3) and - 2 -
• the input device (1) is pressed onto the upper projection of the slide (4) in such a way that a firm connection is created between the input device (1) and the slide (4) (Fig. 2, Fig. 3).
• the screen (5) is pressed onto the lower projection of the slide (4), which creates an indirect connection between the input device (1) and the screen (5) and moves the screen together with the input device (Fig. 2, Fig. 3).
• the sensors (10) and (11) detect the position of the diaphragm (5) and thus the input device (1) in the X and Y axes and generate signals that are received and evaluated by the electronics unit. If the position of the input device (1) is changed in the X axis, this change is detected by the sensor (10) and reported to the electronics unit.
• the sensor (11) also detects the changes in the position of the input device (1) in the Y axis. When the input device (1) moves transversely, both sensors (10) and (11) each report a change in position.
• the sensors used in this exemplary embodiment for detecting the position of the input device are not intended to represent any elements which restrict the general inventive concept.
• the sensors (10) and (11) are replaced by a quadrant sensor and the diaphragm (5) by a differently shaped and provided with a special pattern. Acceleration sensors or arrangements that work on a capacitive or inductive basis or on the basis of the Doppler effect can also be used here. - ⁇ 3 -
• the pressure switches (12), (13), (14), (15) are arranged under the outer frame (2) of the guide device and firmly connected to the outer frame (2) and the chassis (16). As a result, the guide device (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 21) is joined to the chassis (16). One or more switches can be actuated by pressing the input device (1) laterally or in the middle.
• the electronic unit receives the signals arriving from the sensors, which represent the movements of the input device (1), converts them into digital information and then feeds them to the data processing system (17).
• the implementation takes place on the basis of the method according to the invention, which is either hard-wired in the electronics unit or is encoded in the form of a program by the electronics unit. This method is based on an initial state in which, on the basis of the speed of the input device (1) when leaving the rest position, a decision is made as to which procedure for generating movement information for the subsequent movements until the input device (1) returns the rest position is used.
• the electronic unit first checks the speed at which the input device (1) leaves the rest position and, based on a predetermined limit value adapted to the reaction times of the operator, decides whether this speed is to be classified as low or as high. If the electronic unit determines that the above-mentioned speed is low, it sets all other signals arriving from the sensors, which clearly cannot be interpreted as the input device returning to the rest position, in relative terms or in absolute movement information and sends this to the data processing system (17). The process continues until the input device (1) returns to the rest position. This enables the operator to move the pointer (20) on the display device very precisely in a limited area.
• the electronic unit uses the incoming signals to calculate a value for the current position of the input device which is proportional to the speed of the movement and the current distance of the input device from the Is in the idle position, converts this value into a movement indication and sends it continuously to the data processing system (17) until the input device returns to the idle position.
• the pointer (20) can be moved anywhere on the display device at the desired speed.
• the return of the input device (1) to the idle position ends the respective process and the electronics unit changes to the initial state in which, based on the speed of the input device (1), it again decides which of the, when leaving the idle position Both procedures should be used to generate movement information.
• the pressure switches (12), (13), (14), (15) are used to generate instructions for the program running in the computer system.
• the electronic unit detects the change in state that has occurred, converts it into digital information and sends it to the data processing system (17).
• the meaning of the individual pressure switches determines the active program.
• the pressure switch (12) can be used with the aid of pointers (20) to select objects on the display device.
• the electronics unit could differentiate between text and graphics modes.
• the meaning of the "pointer buttons" can be assigned to the pressure switches (12), (13), (14), (15), i.e. the electronic unit recognizes the text mode and upon actuation of one or a combination of pressure switches or upon movement of the input device (1) it generates digital information which is normally generated when actuating "pointer keys” and sends it to the data processing system (17).
• the electronic unit can, when actuating pressure switches, as described above, inform the computer system of the actuated pressure switch combination and, when the input device moves, can generate movement information using the method according to the invention.
• the XY direction input device can be integrated into the keyboard (19) instead of the pointer keys (FIG. 4, FIG. 5).
• devices such as a control rod or "mouse" are no longer required.
• the operator wants to move the pointer (20) on the display device he places the pointer, middle and ring fingers on the input device (1), which is located above the keyboard surface, and moves it in the direction in which he is Want to guide pointer (20).
• the operator can actuate one or more pressure switches simultaneously by deliberately pressing the input device and thereby trigger certain program actions. ⁇ l

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Position Input By Displaying (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=6362766

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (3)

Families Citing this family (3)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1988
  • 1988-09-12 DE DE19883830933 patent/DE3830933C1/de not_active Expired
• 1989
  • 1989-09-02 WO PCT/EP1989/001028 patent/WO1990003013A1/de not_active Ceased
  • 1989-09-02 AU AU43147/89A patent/AU4314789A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (3)

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