WO2023210721A1 - Pointer device and input device - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a pointer device which makes it possible to easily perform a pointing input while making it possible to operate a button or thumbstick without difficulty.　This pointer device points at a position in a detection region of a position detection sensor as a result of the interaction between a signal and the position detection sensor. The pointer device is equipped with: a pointer main body which stores a circuit for performing the interaction, and a tip end section for pointing which points at a pointing target position; and a support part configured so as to support the pointer main body and hold the pointer main body on the finger of a user. The support part is configured in a manner such that the finger pad at the finger tip of the finger of the user is not covered by the pointer main body, the tip end section for pointing projects farther than does the tip end of the finger tip of the finger of the user, and the pointer main body is held in a state in which it is possible for the user to bend their finger.

Description

Indicator and input device

The present invention relates to an indicator that is worn on a user's finger, and an input device that includes the indicator and a position detection device.

In recent years, with HMDs (Head Mount Devices) such as VR (Virtual Reality) devices, users have the opportunity to wear the HMD on their heads and perform input operations while their view of real space is blocked. This has made traditional keyboard input and mouse input difficult. Therefore, operation devices (hand controllers) equipped with thumbsticks or touch pads that can be held in the hand are used.

However, it is difficult to perform quick and accurate pointing operations with thumbsticks, and it is not possible to perform input to simplify operations such as fingertip gestures. In the case of a touchpad, it is possible to perform quick pointing and gesture operations using the fingertip, but since it is not possible to operate while visually checking the fingertip, it is not possible to grasp the relative positional relationship between the current touchpad and the finger. Erroneous inputs often occur due to touching the touchpad without touching the touchpad, and operations that require knowing the touch position before touching with a finger, such as inputting characters by flicking on a smartphone, are impossible.

There is also a method of recognizing a real keyboard and mouse with a camera and displaying them as an overlay on the HMD screen, but in this case there is a problem that the usable locations and postures are greatly restricted.

To solve this problem, VR devices use a hand controller held in the hand as a virtual laser pointer to perform pointing operations. There are also devices that detect movements of the HMD or the line of sight, allowing pointing operations to be performed in conjunction with head and eye movements. However, these pointing operations have low positioning accuracy and speed, and the pointer may shake due to vibrations of the user's body, so further improvement in operability has been desired.

Furthermore, currently, in pointing operations on two-dimensional coordinates that are held in the hand, thumbsticks, slide pads, small trackballs, or small touch pads are mainly used as indicators. Among these, the thumbstick is the most widely used indicator, including game controllers.

However, thumbsticks and slide pads are not coordinate indicators, but rather direction indicators, so they are not easy-to-use indicators for quickly pointing to a single point. In addition, although small trackballs have the property of indicating coordinates, it is difficult to increase the resolution in principle, and it is necessary to control the inertia that occurs when the ball rotates, so it is also necessary to quickly point to a single point. This is disadvantageous in terms of usage. Additionally, although touchpads do not require inertial control, they are not user-friendly due to low resolution, changes in operability depending on the condition of the skin, and unintentional input caused by erroneous contact.

Additionally, these indicators have a common problem in that it is difficult to adjust the speed of movement because they are operated with a fingertip. Therefore, some devices have a button for switching the movement speed. Alternatively, some models are equipped with an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), which allows the controller to operate the indicated coordinates or adjust the speed according to the angle and momentum of the controller. The pointing operation of the indicator combined with the IMU can greatly improve the operability of position indication. However, these indicators have disadvantages such as the pointing operation being divided into two steps because the fingertip is moved while moving the entire indicator and the arm, and the operation tends to reflect fluctuations in body movements. .

On the other hand, a finger-worn type indicator has been proposed in which a position indicator is configured to be worn on a user's finger and can indicate a position by interacting with a position detection sensor and a signal.

For example, Patent Document 1 (Utility Model Publication No. 3-116432) and Patent Document 2 (Utility Model Application Publication No. 5-43230) disclose a finger-mounted position that is worn over the tip of a finger, such as a so-called finger cot. An indicator is proposed. Further, Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-309500) proposes a finger-worn type position indicator in which a position indicator main body supported by a support part is held on the pad of the thumb.

In the case of these finger-worn position indicators, pointing operations and gesture operations can be performed by specifying the position on the position detection sensor that interacts with the position indicator and signals.

A finger-mounted position indicator used with these position detection sensors can alleviate the problems of indicators such as thumbsticks, slide pads, small trackballs, or small touch pads as described above. Be expected.

Utility Model Publication No. 3-116432 Utility Model Publication No. 5-43230 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-309500

However, in the case of the finger-mounted position indicator of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, since it is configured to be placed over the tip of the finger like a finger cot, it is difficult to press the other buttons provided on the controller or use the thumb stick. The problem is that it becomes very difficult to operate.

In addition, in the case of the finger-worn position indicator of Patent Document 3, since the indicator main body of the finger-worn device is attached to the pad of the finger, the finger-wear type position indicator can be used when quickly pressing a button or operating a thumbstick. Collision between the controller and the main body of the indicator occurs, which again poses the problem of making it difficult to operate the controller held in the hand.

In addition, the finger-mounted position indicator of Patent Document 3 has a finger-mounted position indicator attached to the finger pad, and the tip of the indicator main body that protrudes in a direction crossing the finger pad surface is positioned at the tip. A position instruction input is performed by contacting the input surface of the detection device, and operations other than position input, such as a selection item determination operation, are performed in accordance with the pressing force. Therefore, when sliding a finger in a gesture operation such as a flick input, if the height or inclination of the finger changes and the pressing force is lost, there is a problem that the gesture operation is interrupted. Furthermore, because the protrusion that detects the pressing force protrudes in a direction that intersects the finger pad surface, it is possible to accidentally touch the fingertip in an environment where the position of the fingertip cannot be seen visually, as with a normal touchpad. There was a problem with frequent incorrect input.

An object of the present invention is to provide an indicator and an input device that can solve the above problems.

In order to solve the above issues,
An indicator that indicates a position in a detection area of the position detection sensor by interacting with the position detection sensor and a signal,
an indicator main body that accommodates a circuit for performing the interaction and includes an instruction tip for indicating a position indicated by the indicator in the detection area of the position detection sensor;
a support portion configured to support the indicator main body and to allow a user's finger to hold the indicator main body;
The support part is configured such that the pad of the fingertip of the user's finger is not covered by the indicator body, and the indicating tip protrudes beyond the tip of the fingertip of the user's finger. The present invention provides an indicator characterized in that the indicator main body is held in a state where the user can bend his or her fingers.

Also,
an indicator that indicates a position in the detection area of the position detection sensor by interacting with the position detection sensor and a signal, and a position indicated by the indicator detected in the detection area of the position detection sensor and the position detection sensor; An input device comprising a position detection device having a position detection circuit that detects the
The indicator is
an indicator main body that accommodates a circuit for performing the interaction and includes an instruction tip for indicating a position indicated by the indicator in the detection area of the position detection sensor;
a support portion configured to support the indicator main body and to allow a user's finger to hold the indicator main body;
Equipped with
The supporting portion is in a state in which the pad of the fingertip of the user's finger is not covered by the indicator body, and the indicating tip protrudes beyond the tip of the fingertip of the user's finger. The present invention provides an input device, characterized in that the user is configured to hold the indicator body in a state where the user can bend the finger.

When the indicator configured as described above is worn on a finger, the pad of the user's finger is exposed without being covered by the indicator body. Therefore, collision of the indicator with the indicator main body is avoided during quick button presses or thumbstick operations.

Further, in the indicator configured as described above, the indicating tip of the indicator body of the indicator attached to the finger protrudes beyond the fingertip, and the finger attached to the indicator is bendable. By bending the finger, pointing instructions can be given using the indicator. According to the indicator configured as described above, it is possible to easily adjust the height of the pointing tip of the indicator body and the inclination of the indicator body, so the finger can be easily adjusted by gesture operations such as flick input. The sliding action can also be performed easily and accurately.

1 is a diagram showing an example of a VR device to which a first embodiment of an input device according to the present invention is applied. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a position detection device of a first embodiment of an input device according to the present invention; FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a position detection device according to a first embodiment of an input device according to the present invention is attached to a controller of a VR device. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view for explaining an example of the internal configuration of a position detection device of a first embodiment of an input device according to the present invention. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an indicator of a first embodiment of an input device according to the present invention; FIG. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the indicator main body of the indicator of the first embodiment of the input device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a state in which the indicator of the first embodiment of the input device according to the present invention is worn on a finger and operated. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a state in which the indicator of the first embodiment according to the present invention is worn on a finger and a button or a thumbstick is operated. 1 is a block diagram for explaining an example of the electrical configuration of a position detection device and an indicator of a first embodiment of an input device according to the present invention; FIG. It is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system including a game controller to which a second embodiment of the input device according to the present invention is applied. It is a figure showing the example of composition of the position detection device of the 2nd embodiment of the input device by this invention. It is a figure showing the example of composition of the indicator of the 2nd embodiment of the input device by this invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the indicator main body of the indicator of the second embodiment of the input device according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the other example of a structure of the indicator of 2nd Embodiment of the input device by this invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a state in which the indicator of the second embodiment of the input device according to the present invention is worn on a finger and operated. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for explaining an example of processing operation of the embodiment of the input device according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for explaining an example of processing operation of the embodiment of the input device according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of an indicator and an input device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First embodiment]
The first embodiment of the indicator and input device according to the present invention is an example of application to a VR device. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of the VR device of this example, and is composed of an HMD 1, a left hand controller 2L, and a right hand controller 2R. In this example, the input device 3 is configured as an adapter that can be attached to the left hand controller 2L and/or the right hand controller 2R. FIG. 1 shows a state in which an input device 3 configured as an adapter in this example is attached to the right-hand hand controller 2R, and operation input is performed with the right hand.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(B), the input device 3 includes a position detection device 4 and a finger-mounted indicator 5. Note that the input device 3 is not configured as an adapter, but may be provided in advance on the right-hand hand controller 2R in this example.

In this example, the HMD 1 is wirelessly connected to the left hand controller 2L and the right hand controller 2R, and the HMD 1 and the input device 3 are also wirelessly connected. Note that the HMD 1, the left hand controller 2L and the right hand controller 2R may be connected by wire, and the HMD 1 and the input device 3 may also be connected by wire. Further, the input device 3 and the left hand controller 2L or the right hand controller 2R provided as an adapter are connected wirelessly or wired, and operation input information on the input device 3 is transmitted to the left hand controller 2L or the right hand controller 2R provided as an adapter. It may be configured to send to the HMD 1 via the left hand controller 2L or the right hand controller 2R.

The HMD 1 is worn on the user's head by a head-worn belt 11 in a state that covers both eyes like goggles, and is configured so that it can be viewed with both eyes when it is worn. A display (not shown) is provided. Although not shown in the casing of the HMD 1, there is a drawing processing section for displaying drawings on the display, a wireless communication section, a storage section for storing image information and drawing programs, and a wireless communication section. The image forming apparatus includes a control section that controls drawing processing in the drawing processing section based on the received information.

The left-handed hand controller 2L and the right-handed hand controller 2R have similar configurations, but the left-handed and right-handed controllers have symmetrical shapes. As shown in FIG. 1, the left-handed hand controller 2L and the right-handed hand controller 2R include gripping parts 21L and 21R that are gripped by the user's palm and fingers. In the gripping parts 21L and 21R, on the upper side (thumb side) of the part gripped by the user, there is a diagonal planar shape that allows the user to perform operations such as pressing buttons with the pad of the thumb of the gripping user. Operation surfaces 22L and 22R (the operation surface 22R is not shown in FIG. 1) are formed. In this example, the operation surfaces 22L and 22R have a circular plane shape.

In this example, the thumbs of the left and right hands of the user who is gripping the grips 21L and 21R are positioned on the operation surfaces 22L and 22R, and the surroundings of the operation surfaces 22L and 22R are Circular ring-shaped structures 23L and 23R for tracking markers are formed to surround the gripping part 21L. It is provided integrally with 21R. In this case, the operation surfaces 22L, 22R and the surfaces including the circular edges of the ring-shaped structures 23L, 23R are configured to form a predetermined angle, so that the thumbs can be placed on the operation surfaces 22L, 22R. It can be positioned without being obstructed by the ring-shaped structures 23L and 23R.

In this example, the operation surfaces 22L and 22R have operation buttons 24L, 25L, 26L and 24R, 25R, and 26R that are pressed down with the pads of the thumbs of the hands that are gripping the grips 21L and 21R, and operation buttons 24R, 25R, and 26R that are pressed down with the thumbs of the hands that are gripping the grips 21L and 21R. Thumbsticks 27L and 27R for operation are formed. Note that, as described later, FIG. 1 shows a state in which the operation surface 22R is hidden by the position detection device 4 of the input device 3, so the operation surface 22R and operation buttons 24R, 25R of the right-hand hand controller 2R are hidden. , 26R and thumbstick 27R are not shown.

In addition, the gripping parts 21L and 21R of the left hand controller 2L and the right hand controller 2R are provided with operation buttons at positions that can be pressed with the index finger and middle finger of the hand gripping the gripping parts 21L and 21R. is provided. In FIG. 1, operation buttons 28L and 28R are shown that are provided at positions that can be pressed down with the middle fingers of the hands that are gripping the grips 21L and 21R.

<Description of the input device 3 of the first embodiment>
<Description of the position detection device 4 that constitutes the input device 3>
As shown in FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B), the position detecting device 4 of the input device 3 of this embodiment includes a ring-shaped frame member 41 and a position detecting device main body portion 42. In this example, the frame member 41 has a circular ring shape that matches the shapes of the ring structures 23L and 23R of the left hand controller 2L and the right hand controller 2R. The frame member 41 has a size and shape that allows it to be removably attached to the ring-shaped structures 23L and 23R of the left hand controller 2L and the right hand controller 2R (see FIG. 3).

In this example, the position detection device main body 42 is housed within the frame of the frame member 41 and is attached to the frame member 41 in a rotatable state. That is, in this example, the position detection device main body part 42 has a substantially disk shape with a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the circular space surrounded by the frame member 41, as shown in FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B). Has an appearance. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the position detection device main body 42 includes linear portions 42a and 42b that are chords that face each other in parallel with the circular center position in between. The position detection device main body 42 is coupled to the frame member 41 at an intermediate position between the linear portions 42a and 42b in a state where it can rotate about a line segment position connecting the intermediate positions as a rotation axis. Has been installed. In FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B), in the frame member 41, a circuit is formed corresponding to a position offset from an intermediate position of each of the linear portions 42a, 42b of the position detecting device main body 42. The position detection device main body 42 is configured to rotate relative to the frame member 41 around a moving axis 41a (FIG. 2 shows only the rotation axis 41a corresponding to the intermediate position of the linear portion 42a). It is configured.

FIG. 2A shows that the position detection device body 42 is housed in a space surrounded by the frame member 41, and that the center line direction of the frame member 41 and the center line direction of the position detection device body 42 are shows that they match. The frame member 41 is formed with stopper structures 41b and 41c for locking the position detection device main body 42 in the state shown in FIG. 2(A). Further, on the position detecting device main body 42 side, a stopper having a shape corresponding to the stopper structures 41b and 41c (only the stopper 42c corresponding to the linear portion 42a is shown in FIG. 2(B)) is formed. There is. FIG. 2(B) shows that the position detection device main body 42 rotates relative to the frame member 41 about the rotation axis 41a, and rotates around a surface including the ring-shaped end surface of the frame member 41 in a substantially circular direction. This shows a state in which the circular surface of the plate-shaped position detection device main body 42 forms a predetermined angle.

As shown in FIG. 3(A), the position detecting device 4 is in a state where the position detecting device main body 42 is housed in the space surrounded by the frame member 41 (the state shown in FIG. 2(A)). It is attached to the upper edge side of the ring-shaped structure portion 23L and/or 23R of the hand controller 2L and/or the right-hand hand controller 2R. FIG. 3A shows a state in which the right hand controller 2R is attached to the upper edge side of the ring-shaped structure 23R.

From the state shown in FIG. 3(A), when the position detection device main body 42 is rotated relative to the frame member 41 as shown in FIG. 2(B), as shown in FIG. 3(B), , the lower edge of the position detection device main body 42 abuts against the operation surface 22R of the right hand hand controller 2R, and the position detection device main body 42 is in a locked state. In the state shown in FIG. 3(B), the operation surface 22R of the right-hand hand controller 2R is covered and hidden by the position detection device main body 42, and as described later, it is attached to the user's right thumb. With the finger-mounted indicator 5, an instruction can be input to the position detection device main body 42.

Next, the internal configuration of the position detection device main body section 42 in this embodiment will be explained. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the position detection device 4 in the state shown in FIG. installed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the position detection device main body 42 includes a position detection sensor 422, a wired connection connector 423, and a wireless communication function in an internal space 421a of a housing 421 that has a circular box shape in this example. A wireless communication module 424, which is an information processing control unit, a battery 425, and the like are housed therein. As shown in FIG. 4, the upper part of the internal space 421a of the housing 421 is an opening, through which the user can input instructions to the position detection device 4 with the finger-mounted indicator 5. It is closed by a panel 426 that constitutes an input surface for performing. Panel 426 is constructed of non-magnetic material in this example. In this example, a position detection sensor 422 is formed on the surface of the panel 426 on the inner space 421a side, and a control circuit having a position detection circuit is formed on the surface of the position detection sensor 422 on the inner space 421a side. A substrate 428 is deposited. In this example, the position detection sensor 422 is configured as an electromagnetic induction type position detection sensor.

A circuit board 427 is disposed at the bottom of the internal space 421a of the housing 421, and on this circuit board 427, a wired connection connector 423 and a wireless communication module 424, which constitute a control circuit of the main body of the position detection device, are installed. It is arranged. Although not shown in FIG. 4, the control circuit board 428 having a position detection circuit and the circuit board 427 are electrically connected using a flexible cable or the like, and the battery 425 is connected to the wired connection connector 423 or the circuit board 427. It is electrically connected via a circuit board 426 so as to receive and supply power supply voltage to the wireless communication module 424 .

<Description of the finger-mounted indicator 5 constituting the input device 3>
Next, the configuration of the finger-mounted indicator 5 in this embodiment will be explained. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the external configuration of a finger-mounted indicator (hereinafter simply referred to as an indicator) 5. FIG. 5(A) is a top view of the indicator 5, and FIG. 5(B) is a top view of the indicator 5. FIG. 5C is a side view of the indicator 5 viewed from the finger insertion direction. FIG. 5C is a side view of the indicator 5 viewed from a direction perpendicular to the finger insertion direction.

The indicator 5 in this example includes an indicator main body 51 and a device for supporting the indicator main body 51 and holding the indicator 5 on the user's fingernail side, in this example, on the thumbnail side. The support part 52 is configured. In this example, the support part 52 is made of a member made of an elastic metal, an elastic hard resin, or a member that does not break after plastic deformation and can maintain its shape. In this example, the main body portion 51 is configured to be held by the thumb while being positioned on the fingernail side.

The indicator body section 51 houses a circuit section that performs signal interaction with the position detection sensor 422 of the position detection device 4 in a housing 511 made of, for example, resin. As shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C, the casing 511 of the indicator body 51 has a width Wa that is approximately equal to or slightly thinner than the thickness of the finger to be worn in this example. , the length in the longitudinal direction of the finger is L so that the indicating tip 51a of the indicator main body 51 can protrude further than the tip of the finger when worn on the finger. There is.

The casing 511 of the indicator main body 51 has a tapered shape that gradually tapers at the casing 511 in the width direction of the casing 511. As shown in FIG. 5(A), the shape is not formed at the center position, but at a position eccentric to one side in the width direction. The reason why the indicator main body 51 is shaped in this way is that when the indicator 5 is attached to a finger, the tapered indicator tip is arranged in a direction that intersects with the longitudinal direction of the finger. By positioning it in an eccentric position, even if the instruction tip 51a protrudes beyond the tip of the fingertip, it will not get in the way when operating the operation buttons 24R, 25R, 26R or the thumbstick 27R. This is to prevent this from happening.

Next, an example of the internal configuration of the indicator main body 51 will be described with reference to FIG. 6. 6 corresponds to a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in the direction of length L passing through the center position of the pointing tip 51a in the width direction in FIG. 5(A). However, for convenience of explanation, a part of the internal structure of the indicator main body 51 is shown without being broken in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, a magnetic core around which a coil 512 is wound, a ferrite core 513 in this example, is located in the casing 511 of the indicator body 51 in the vicinity of the indicator tip 51a. It is stored. In this case, in this example, as shown in FIG. 6, the indicating tip 51a side of the ferrite core 513 is a non-wound portion 513a where the coil 512 is not wound. On the other hand, a recessed hole 511a having a shape corresponding to the non-wound portion 513a of the ferrite core 513 is formed in the instruction tip portion 51a within the housing 511. The unwound portion 513a of the ferrite core 513 is accommodated in the recessed hole 511a without wobbling in the direction intersecting the axial direction.

Inside the casing 511, the ferrite core 513 has fitting holes 514a and 514b on the opposite side from the indicating tip 51a, into which the linear members forming the support section 52 are fitted and inserted. A support fitting portion 514 is formed. The ferrite core 513 around which the coil 512 is wound is disposed between the support fitting portion 514 and the recessed hole 511a, so that the ferrite core 513 is secured to the housing 511 without wobbling in the axial direction. It is stored in.

In this case, in the indicator main body 51 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. It does not protrude to the outside from the tip portion 51a. However, as shown in FIG. 6, the concave hole 511a on the side of the pointing tip 51a is arranged so that the tip of the non-wound portion 513a on the tip side of the ferrite core 513 is as close as possible to the pointing tip 51a. The bottom of the wall is thinner.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, a circuit board 515 is disposed within the casing 511 of the indicator main body 51. One or more capacitors 516 are disposed on the circuit board 515, and the coil 512 and the capacitor 516 are connected on the circuit board 515 to form a resonant circuit. The indicator main body 51 performs signal interaction by electromagnetically inductively coupling with the position detection sensor 422 of the position detection device 4 in this resonance circuit, and inputs a position instruction in the detection area of the position detection sensor 422.

A cushion member 53 made of, for example, urethane resin is adhered to the surface of the housing 511 of the indicator body 51 that faces the fingernail when the indicator body 51 is attached to the fingernail. (See Figures 5(A)-(C) and Figure 6). In this example, the cushion member 53 extends from the root of the nail where the skin is exposed when the indicator main body 51 is attached to the nail side of the surface of the housing 511 facing the nail side. The parts up to one joint are provided on opposing parts, and are intended to protect the skin part from the root of the nail to the first joint.

In this example, the support portion 52 of the indicator 5 is composed of a metal wire 521 that can maintain its shape after plastic deformation. In this example, the metal wire 521 is coated with a resin such as vinyl or cloth in order to make it feel good when worn on the finger.

In this example, as shown in FIGS. 5(A), 5(B), and 5(C), in the supporting part 52, a metal wire 521 of a predetermined length is bent into a U-shape at an intermediate bending part 521c. After being bent, the bent portion 521c is further bent into a U-shape so as to face the one ends 521a and 521b of the metal wire 521, as shown in FIG. 2(B). Then, a predetermined length portion from the tip of one end 521a and the other end 521b of the metal wire 521 is bent at a substantially right angle toward the bending portion 521c, and the predetermined length portion of the bent one end 521a and the other end 521b is connected to the indicator. It is inserted and fitted into each of the fitting holes 514a and 514b of the support fitting part 514 of the main body part 51, and is fixed to the indicator main body part 51. Thereby, the indicator main body part 51 is supported by the support part 52.

In this case, in the indicator 5, as shown in FIG. , the space surrounded by the metal wire 521 by being bent into a U-shape is a space into which the user's finger, in this example the thumb, is inserted.

In this example, the bent shape of the metal wire 521 of the support portion 52 is such that the metal wire 521 elastically contacts the finger pad of the fingertip side of the first joint (DIP joint) of the thumb and both sides of the finger. Thus, the shape is such that the indicator 5 is held. In this case, the state in which the indicator 5 is held is such that the metal wire 521 constituting the support portion 52 is located at 1/2 of the length of the fingertip on the first joint side of the thumb. It is configured so that. By doing this, when the indicator 5 is held by the thumb, the finger pad of the 1/2 length portion on the tip side of the fingertip is exposed without being obstructed by the metal wire 521 of the support section 52. It is designed to be.

In order to do this, the distance Wb between the one end 521a side portion and the other end 521b side portion of the metal wire 521 constituting the support portion 52, which face each other across the bent portion 521c (see FIG. 5(C)), is as follows. The length is set to be equal to or less than 1/2 of the length of the fingertip portion closer to the first joint than the first joint of the thumb. Further, in this example, in the metal wire 521 constituting the support portion 52, the respective bent portions that abut the finger pads on the one end 521a side and the other end 521b side that are opposite to each other with the bent portion 521c in between are as shown in FIG. 5(B). And as shown in (C), the distance from the indicator main body 51 is adjusted to the shape of the finger pad of the 1/2 length portion of the fingertip portion closer to the first joint than the first joint of the thumb. The bent portion of the one end 521a side portion is different from the bent portion of the other end 521b.

By configuring the support portion 52 of the indicator 5 as described above, the indicator 5 can bend the portion of the user's thumb from the first joint to the fingertip side of the first joint. It is maintained in a state where it is possible to do so. When the indicator body 51 is attached to the user's thumb, the pointing tip 51a side of the indicator body 51 protrudes beyond the tip of the fingertip of the thumb, and the part on the fingertip side of the thumb The 1/2 length portion of the finger pad on the tip end side is exposed without the presence of the metal wire 521 of the support portion 52 of the indicator 5.

Therefore, in a state where this finger pad, which is exposed without the support part 52, is in contact with the panel 426 surface which is the input surface of the position detection device 4, the part beyond the first joint of the thumb By bending the part, the height position of the instruction tip 51a of the indicator 5 with respect to the panel 426 surface can be finely adjusted. By bringing the tip portion 51a into contact with the user, it is possible to input a position instruction (pointing instruction input) with certainty, and also to easily and reliably perform a flick operation or a slide operation.

Further, since the support part 52 does not exist and the finger pad is exposed at a half length on the fingertip end side of the fingertip side of the first joint of the thumb, this finger pad portion Using this, the buttons 24R, 25R, 26R and the thumbstick 27R on the operation surface 22R of the right-hand hand controller 2R can be easily operated while the indicator 5 remains attached to the thumb.

Hereinafter, the operation situation using the indicator 5 of this embodiment will be explained with reference to the drawings. FIG. 7(A) shows a state in which the indicator 5 is attached to the thumb 6 of the user's right hand. 7B and 7C are diagrams showing a state in which the indicator 5 attached to the thumb 6 is operated on the surface of the panel 426, which is the input surface of the position detection device 4.

As shown in FIG. 7(A), when the user wears the indicator 5 on the thumb 6, the indicator body 51 is located on the nail side of the thumb 6, and the indicator body 51 is The tip portion 51a side is in a state of protruding beyond the tip of the fingertip of the thumb 6. As shown in FIG. 7A, the indicating tip 51a of the indicator main body 51 that protrudes beyond the fingertip of the thumb 6 is located eccentrically from the widthwise center position of the fingertip of the thumb 6. The situation will be like this. In addition, the metal wire 521 of the support portion 52 of the indicator 5 is not present on the finger pad 6a of a half-length portion on the fingertip end side of the fingertip side of the first joint of the thumb 6 and is exposed. It is in a state.

When inputting an instruction to the position detection device 4 using the indicator 5 attached to the thumb 6, first, as shown in FIG. , is brought into contact with the panel 426 of the position detection device 4, and the indicating tip 51a of the indicator main body 51 is placed in a hover state separated from the panel 426. Then, while looking at the cursor or mark (displayed even in the hover state) indicating the designated position displayed on the display of the HMD 1, position the thumb 6 near the desired designated position in the detection area of the position detection sensor 422. move. At this time, at least one end 521a side of the metal wire 521 of the support part 52 located on the finger pad 6b in a half-length portion on the first joint side of the fingertip side part than the first joint of the thumb 6. The portion also comes into contact with panel 426.

When the desired instruction position is near, the user bends the fingertip side of the thumb 6 from the first joint so as to stand up against the surface of the panel 426 as shown in FIG. 7(B). The pointing tip 51a of the indicator main body 51 of the device 5 is brought into contact with the surface of the panel 426 to input a desired pointing position. At this time, the user operates to bend the metal wire 521 of the support portion 52 using the portion on the one end 521a side as a fulcrum while bringing the pad 6a of the thumb 6 into contact with the surface of the panel 426.

When the user wears the indicator 5, as shown in FIGS. 7A to 7C, the indicator tip 51a side of the indicator main body 51 protrudes beyond the tip of the fingertip of the thumb. Therefore, by bending the part of the thumb beyond the first joint, the user can move the pointing tip 51a of the indicator main body 51 onto the panel 426 surface which is the input surface of the position detection device 4. The height position can be adjusted, allowing reliable position input.

In addition, the user can perform instruction operations while touching the pad 6a of the thumb 6 with the surface of the panel 426, making it easy to perform flick operations and slide operations while adjusting the height position. .

Further, as shown in FIG. 7A, the indicating tip 51a of the indicator main body 51 that protrudes beyond the fingertip of the thumb 6 is located eccentrically from the center position of the fingertip of the thumb 6 in the width direction. With the indicator 5 attached to the thumb 6, buttons and thumbstick operations on the operation surface 22R of the right-hand hand controller 2R instead of the position detection device 4 can be performed without any trouble.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing how the thumb 6 of the right hand wearing the indicator 5 operates the buttons 24R, 25R, 26R on the operation surface 22R of the right-hand hand controller 2R and the thumbstick 27R. . FIG. 8(A) shows the arrangement of the buttons 24R, 25R, 26R and thumbstick 27R on the operation surface 22R of the right hand controller 2R.

FIG. 8(B) shows a state in which the operation button 24R is pressed down with the pad 6a of the thumb 6. In this case, the instruction tip 51a is located eccentrically from the center position of the fingertip of the thumb 6 in the width direction, so it does not come into contact with the operation button 25R and prevents erroneous operation with the pad 6a of the thumb 6. You can press the button while avoiding it.

Further, FIG. 8(C) shows a state in which the operation button 26R is pressed down with the pad 6a of the thumb 6. In this case as well, since the instruction tip 51a is located eccentrically from the widthwise center of the fingertip of the thumb 6, the operation button 26R can be operated while avoiding the thumbstick 27R.

Then, in FIG. 8(D), the thumbstick 27R is brought into contact with the pad 6a of the thumb 6 and/or the side part of the pointing tip 51a of the indicator 5 attached to the thumb 6, and is tilted to the right. This shows the state in which the machine is being operated. That is, the tip (fingertip) and pad 6a of the thumb 6 are exposed, and the pointing tip 51a is located eccentrically from the center position of the fingertip of the thumb 6 in the width direction. Even if the thumbstick 27R protrudes beyond the tip of the fingertip 6, the thumbstick 27R can be operated accurately.

As described above, according to the indicator 5 of this embodiment, the indicator body 51 is positioned on the nail side, and the pointing tip 51a of the indicator body 51 is positioned in the width direction of the finger. By shifting the indicator 5 from the center, it is possible to prevent the indicator 5 from interfering with buttons during operation. Furthermore, since there is no indicator body on the finger pad, it is possible to press buttons and operate the thumbstick not only with the tip of the finger but also with the pad of the finger in the same way as normal operations.

<Description of an example of the electrical configuration of the position detection device 4 and indicator 5 that constitute the input device 3>
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the electrical configuration of the position detection device 4 and the indicator 5 that constitute the input device 3. As described above, the indicator main body 51 of the indicator 5 is provided with a resonant circuit 5R including a coil 512 and a capacitor 56.

The position detection device 4 detects the position on the position detection sensor 422 indicated by the indicator 5 from the position on the position detection sensor 422 where the signal received by electromagnetic coupling from the resonance circuit 5R of the indicator 5 is detected. . The position detection sensor 422 is composed of position detection coils in which an X-axis direction loop coil group 4221 and a Y-axis direction loop coil group 4222 are stacked. The X-axis direction loop coil group 4221 and the Y-axis direction loop coil group 4221 are connected to the selection circuit 400SE of the position detection circuit 400. This selection circuit 400SE sequentially selects one to a plurality of loop coils from the two loop coil groups 4221 and 4222.

The position detection circuit 400 includes an oscillator 401, a current driver 402, a switching connection circuit 403, a reception amplifier 404, a detector 405, a low pass filter 406, a sample hold circuit 407, and an A/D conversion circuit 408. , a processing control unit 409 are provided. The processing control unit 409 is composed of a microcomputer.

The oscillator 401 generates an AC signal with a frequency f0 equal to the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit 5R. The oscillator 401 then supplies the generated AC signal to the current driver 402. Current driver 402 converts the AC signal supplied from oscillator 401 into a current and sends it to switching connection circuit 403 . The switching connection circuit 403 switches the connection destination (transmission side terminal T, reception side terminal R) to which the loop coil selected by the selection circuit 400SE is connected under control from the processing control unit 409. Of these connections, a current driver 402 is connected to the transmitting terminal T, and a receiving amplifier 404 is connected to the receiving terminal R.

When the switching connection circuit 403 is connected to the transmission side terminal T, a transmission signal is sent out from the loop coil selected by the selection circuit 400SE and transmitted to the resonant circuit 5R of the indicator 5 by electromagnetic induction coupling. A feedback signal is fed back from the resonance circuit 5R of the indicator 5 to the position detection sensor 422, and an induced voltage is generated in the loop coil.

Then, the induced voltage generated in the loop coil selected by the selection circuit 400SE is sent to the reception amplifier 404 via the selection circuit 400SE and the switching connection circuit 403. Receiving amplifier 404 amplifies the induced voltage supplied from the loop coil and sends it to detector 405 .

The detector 405 detects the induced voltage generated in the loop coil, that is, the received signal, and sends it to the low-pass filter 406. The low-pass filter 406 has a cutoff frequency sufficiently lower than the above-mentioned frequency f0, converts the output signal of the detector 405 into a DC signal, and sends the DC signal to the sample-and-hold circuit 407. The sample hold circuit 407 holds the voltage value of the output signal of the low-pass filter 406 at a predetermined timing, specifically, at a predetermined timing during the reception period, and sends it to an A/D (Analog to Digital) conversion circuit 408. A/D conversion circuit 408 converts the analog output of sample hold circuit 407 into a digital signal and outputs it to processing control section 409 .

The processing control unit 409 controls the selection of the loop coil in the selection circuit 400SE, the switching of the switching connection circuit 403, and the timing of the sample and hold circuit 407. Based on the digital signal from the A/D conversion circuit 408, the processing control unit 409 detects the level of the received signal according to the magnitude of the induced voltage generated in the loop coil using the received signal level detection circuit 4091. The level of the received signal corresponds to the strength of electromagnetic coupling between the indicator 5 and the loop coil of the position detection sensor 422, and this also corresponds to the strength of the electromagnetic coupling between the indicator 5 and the loop coil of the position detection sensor 422. corresponds to the height from the panel 426 surface.

The processing control unit 409 uses an instruction position detection circuit 4092 to determine the instruction position of the indicator 5 based on the level of the received signal detected by the reception signal level detection circuit 4091 and the position of the loop coil being selected by the selection circuit 400SE. The coordinate values of the position indicated by the tip 51a and the height position of the pointing tip 51a of the indicator 5 from the panel 426 surface of the position detection device 4 are detected.

Then, the processing control unit 409 detects the detection output of the received signal level corresponding to the strength of electromagnetic coupling detected by the received signal level detection circuit 4091 and the coordinate value of the indicated position detected by the indicated position detection circuit 4092. Inside the wireless communication module 424, which is an information processing control unit with a built-in wireless communication function, monitors temporal changes in indicated coordinates and received signal levels, switches processing using thresholds, and converts detected values into data formats into output values. In this example, the information is transmitted to the HMD 1 via, etc. In this case, the information transmitted from the position detection device 4 to the HMD 1 may include identification information indicating that the information is from the position detection device 4.

Based on the information received from the position detection device 4, the HMD 1 can use the position indicated by the instruction tip 51a of the indicator 5 as a pointing instruction position, or recognize a flick operation or a slide operation. can.

Note that the coordinate values of the indicated position sent from the position detecting device 4 include the height position of the indicating tip 51a of the indicator 5 from the panel 426 surface of the position detecting device 4, so the detected output of the received signal level may not be included in the transmission information. Furthermore, when a device such as the HMD 1 that receives information from the position detection device 4 requests only the height information from the panel 426 of the instruction tip 51a of the indicator 5, the position detection device 4 It is also possible to transmit only one of the coordinate values of the position (including the height) and the detection output of the received signal level. These output methods may not be uniquely fixed, but may be changeable at any timing.

<Effects of the first embodiment>
As described above, in the first embodiment, the position detection device 4 is provided in an input device that can be held by the hand that operates a device having a display screen, and the position detection device 4 is provided to perform position input operations using the finger-mounted indicator 5. is possible. In the first embodiment described above, the indicator 5, which is a finger-worn device attached to the user's finger, maintains the resonant circuit while keeping the fingertip and pad of the user's finger exposed. an indicator main body 51 including an electromagnetic induction circuit, and a support section having a shape that allows the indicator main body 51 to be held in contact with the side surface of the finger in a state where the indicator main body 51 is positioned on the fingernail side. . The position detection device 4 also detects the position and height of the indicator 5, which is a finger-worn device, and/or the electromagnetic The device is configured to detect the strength of electromagnetic coupling and transmit information processed from a signal indicating the detected position information and height and/or electromagnetic coupling strength information to a device having a display screen. .

Therefore, according to the input device of the first embodiment described above, in a usage environment where visual information about the real space is completely blocked, such as when using a VR device, touch operations can be performed without visually checking the fingertips. You can easily perform gestures such as character input by flicking, high-precision two-dimensional cursor operation, scrolling, and button operation. Further, according to the input device of the first embodiment, a pointing operation can be performed quickly and accurately, for example, while holding a housing such as a controller in the hand.

Further, according to the input device of the first embodiment described above, by attaching the indicator 5 to the tip of the user's fingernail, position input operations can be performed and instructions can be given without the need for pressing force. Operations other than position input (selection item determination operation, etc.) can be performed over the entire circumference of the instruction tip 51a, which is the protrusion of the device 5. Therefore, even if the user is wearing a VR device such as HMD1 and cannot see their fingertips, they can easily and quickly perform pointing operations and input characters by flicking while preventing erroneous input. becomes possible. Furthermore, since the indicator 5 of the input device of the first embodiment described above is configured so that the tip and pad of the finger are exposed when worn on the finger, for example, there are many buttons and thumbsticks. When operating a hand controller, the indicator main body 51 of the indicator 5 does not get in the way, and there is an advantage that a comfortable and quick operation feeling can be provided without any discomfort.

<Second embodiment>
The second embodiment of the indicator and input device according to the present invention is an example of application to a game controller. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the appearance of the game controller 100 of this example and how it is used. The game controller 100 in this example is held by a user with both hands or one hand (only the user's right hand is shown in FIG. 10) and is used to input instructions, and in this example, the game controller 100 is connected to a personal computer via a connection cable. (hereinafter abbreviated as personal computer) 7. The game controller 100 and the personal computer 7 may be connected wirelessly.

The personal computer 7 executes the game program and displays the game image on the display screen 8D of the display 8 connected to the personal computer 7. Then, the personal computer 7 receives the operation information from the game controller 100, generates an image reflecting the operation information based on the game program, and displays it on the display screen 8D. Thereby, the game image displayed on the display screen 8D of the display 8 is an image in which the operation information from the game controller 100 is reflected.

As shown in FIG. 10, the game controller 100 in this example includes a left-handed cross key 101, a left-handed thumbstick 102, and a plurality of operation buttons 103 to 109. In this example, the game controller 100 is provided with the input device 200 of the second embodiment at a position where the input device 200 of the second embodiment can be operated with the thumb of the right hand when the user holds the game controller 100. . The game controller 100 and the input device 200 may be connected by wire using a connection cable, or may be connected wirelessly. Further, the input device 200 may be directly connected to the personal computer 7 by wire or wirelessly without being connected to the game controller 100.

Similarly to the first embodiment, the input device 200 of the second embodiment includes a position detection device 201 that performs signal interaction using an electromagnetic inductive coupling method and a finger-mounted indicator 202. In this example as well, the finger-mounted indicator 202 is attached to the tip of the user's thumb, which is distal to the first joint of the user's thumb, as shown in FIG.

The input device 200 may be configured to be detachably attached to the game controller 100 as an adapter configuration, as in the case of the first embodiment, or the input device 200 may be configured to be detachably attached to the game controller 100. It may also be configured by incorporating it. In the case of an adapter configuration, the input device 200 is provided with an attachment member to the game controller 100. This attachment member has a configuration, for example, that locks the input device 200 to the game controller 100 by sandwiching the game controller 100 in its thickness direction.

<Description of input device 200 of second embodiment>
<Description of position detection device 201 that constitutes input device 200>
FIG. 11 shows a configuration example of the position detection device 201 of the input device 200 of this embodiment. 11(A) is a top view of the position detecting device 201, and FIG. 11(B) is a cross-sectional view of the position detecting device 201 (cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 11(A)). As shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the position detection device 201 includes a position detection sensor 2012 and a control circuit 2013a in an internal space 2011a of a circular box-shaped casing 2011 with an open top. , a circuit component 2013b, an information processing control unit 2014, a wired connection connector 2015, and the like are housed therein, and the position detection sensor 2012 and control circuit 2013a are attached to an intermediate support frame 2016b.

In this example, the casing 2011 includes a ring-shaped eaves portion 2011b formed to protrude from the circumferential edge of the upper end by a predetermined width D in a direction parallel to the bottom surface of the internal space 2011a. This ring-shaped eave portion 2011b has a long hole 2011c that penetrates to the internal space 2011a. In this example, the elongated holes 2011c are provided at four positions spaced apart from each other by 90 degrees in the ring-shaped eave portion 2011b, as shown in FIG. 11(A).

A position detection sensor 2012 attached to the intermediate support frame 2016b is provided on the bottom side of the internal space 2011a of the housing 2011. In this example, the position detection sensor 2012 is configured to be able to detect an instruction from the indicator 202 even at a position above the elongated hole 2011c formed in the eaves portion 2011b. That is, the loop coil of the position detection sensor 2012 is formed below the eaves portion 2011b of the housing 2011.

When the position of the elongated hole 2011c of the eaves portion 2011b is indicated by the indicator 202, the position detection device 201 can detect the instruction input through the position detection sensor. In this case, the operation of pointing the position on the four long holes 2011c of the eaves part 2011b with the indicator 202 is an instruction operation (button operation) for the function assigned to each of the four long holes 2011c. . The configuration is such that the assignment of functions to the four long holes 2011c can be set by the user on the personal computer 7. That is, each position pointing operation by the indicator 202 of the elongated hole 2011c of the eaves portion 2011b is configured to be the same as a pressing operation of an operation button to which a corresponding function is assigned.

Then, on the bottom side of the internal space 2011a of the housing 2011, as shown in FIG. 11(B), a circuit storage part 2016a having a space further below the arrangement position of the intermediate support frame 2016b is provided. A control circuit 2013a, a circuit component 2013b, an information processing control section 2014, a wired connection connector 2015, and the like are arranged on a circuit board 2017 within the space of this circuit storage section 2016a. Although not shown in FIG. 11B, the position detection sensor 2012 is electrically connected to a circuit component 2013b on a circuit board 2017 via a control circuit 2013a using a flexible cable or the like. Further, the wired connection connector 2015 supplies a power supply voltage to the control circuit 2013a, the circuit component 2013b, and the information processing control unit 2014.

Note that when the input device 200 is wirelessly connected to the game controller 100, the information processing control unit 2014 may also be equipped with a wireless communication module, and the position detection device 201 may be equipped with a battery. Further, the information processing control unit 2014 is not connected to the game controller 100 by wire, but is connected directly to the personal computer 7 by wire or wirelessly, and the information processing control unit 2014 is connected directly to the personal computer 7 by wire or wirelessly, so that the information processing control unit 2014 can perform operations in the game program on the personal computer 7 in the same manner as the output information of the game controller 100. It may be configured to be treated as information. In that case, the communication information from the position detecting device 201 includes the identification information of the position detecting device 201, so that the personal computer 7 can easily recognize that it is the operation information from the position detecting device 201. It may be configured as follows.

In the position detection device 201 of this embodiment, the opening of the casing 2011 is covered with a soft structure 2018 made of an elastic soft material. The soft material of the soft structure 2018 is, for example, cloth, urethane rubber, sponge, or a composite material thereof.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 11(B), the soft structure 2018 is attached to the housing 2011 in a state in which it is convex outward in a flat dome shape and a cavity is created in the internal space 2011a of the housing 2011. It will be done. Note that in this example, the soft structure 2018 is attached so as to extend below the eaves portion 2011b of the housing 2011.

Therefore, in the position detection device 201, when the soft structure 2018 is pushed toward the internal space 2011a of the housing 2011, the soft structure 2018 is elastically deformed, and a pressing stroke equal to or greater than the thickness of the cavity is obtained. When the pressing force on the soft structure 2018 is removed, the soft structure 2018 returns to its original convex state.

As a result, as will be described later, in the position detection device 201, while touching the surface of the soft structure 2018 with the finger pad or fingertip of the finger to which the indicator 202 is attached, the indicator main body 2021 of the indicator 202 can be used. The tip part 2021a makes it easy to stabilize operations that involve changes in the height of the instruction coil, such as maintaining a constant height and instructing the position, performing a push-down operation, and instructing the position in a half-pressed state. It will be possible to do so.

In the position detection device 201 of this embodiment, the circular area where the soft structure 2018 is exposed in a circular dome shape can be used for position instruction input (pointing instruction input), flick operation, and slide operation using the indicator 202. This is considered to be an area where this is possible. Further, the elongated hole 2011c of the eaves portion 2011b around the circular area where the soft structure 2018 is exposed in a circular dome shape is configured to be able to be used as an operation button. Therefore, the input device 200 of this embodiment can accept various operations using the indicator 202.

<Description of finger-mounted indicator 202 constituting input device 200>
Next, the configuration of the finger-worn indicator 202 in this second embodiment will be described. FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the external configuration of a finger-mounted indicator (hereinafter simply referred to as an indicator) 202. FIG. 12(A) is a top view of the indicator 202, and FIG. 12(B) is a top view of the indicator 202. FIG. 12C is a side view of the indicator 202 seen from the opposite side to the finger insertion direction. FIG. 12C is a side view of the indicator 202 seen from the direction perpendicular to the finger insertion direction.

The indicator 202 of this example has the same configuration as the indicator 5 of the first embodiment, and includes an indicator main body 210, supports the indicator main body 210, and uses the indicator 202. The support part 220 is configured to be held on the fingernail side of a person, in this example, the thumb nail side. In this example, the support part 220 is made of a member made of elastic metal, elastic hard resin, or a member that does not break after plastic deformation and can maintain its shape, and is made of an indicator. In this example, the main body portion 210 is configured to be held by the thumb while being positioned on the fingernail side.

The indicator main body 210 is configured such that a circuit unit that performs signal interaction with the position detection sensor 2012 of the position detection device 201 is housed in a housing 211 made of, for example, resin. As shown in FIGS. 12(A), 12(B), and 12(C), the housing 211 of the indicator body 210 has a width narrower than the thickness of the finger to be worn, and the length of the finger. The length in the direction is such that when worn on a finger, the pointing tip 210a of the indicator main body 210 can protrude further than the tip of the fingertip.

The casing 211 of the indicator body 210 has a tapered shape such that it tapers at the pointing tip 210a, and as shown in FIG. 12(A), the pointing tip 210a The shape is such that it is located at the center position of the housing 211 in the width direction.

An example of the internal configuration of the indicator body section 210 will be described with reference to FIG. 13. 13 corresponds to a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC passing through the center position of the indicator main body 210 in the width direction in FIG. 12(A). However, for convenience of explanation, a part of the internal structure of the indicator main body part 210 is shown without being broken, and a part of the support part 220 is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 13, a magnetic core around which a coil 212 is wound, a ferrite core 213 in this example, is located in the casing 211 of the indicator body 210 in the vicinity of the indicator tip 210a. It is stored. In this case, in this example, as shown in FIG. 13, the pointing tip 210a side of the ferrite core 213 is inserted into the concave hole 211a formed at the pointing tip 51a in the housing 211. The ferrite core 213 is housed without wobbling in the direction crossing the axial direction. Further, the side of the ferrite core 213 opposite to the tip 210a side is adapted to abut against a stepped portion 214 provided in the housing 211, so that the ferrite core 213 around which the coil 212 is wound is housed in the casing 211 without wobbling in the axial direction.

Also in the indicator main body 210 of the indicator 202 of this second embodiment, as shown in FIG. does not protrude to the outside from the pointing tip 210a. However, as shown in FIG. 13, the bottom of the recessed hole 211a on the indicating tip 210a side of the housing 211 is thin so that the tip of the ferrite core 213 is as close to the indicating tip 210a as possible. has been done.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 13, a circuit board 215 is disposed within the casing 211 of the indicator main body 210. One or more capacitors 216 are disposed on the circuit board 215, and the coil 212 and the capacitor 216 are connected on the circuit board 215 to form a resonant circuit. The indicator main body 210 performs signal interaction by electromagnetically inductively coupling with the position detection sensor 2012 of the position detection device 201 in this resonance circuit, and inputs a position instruction in the detection area of the position detection sensor 2012.

A cushion member 217 made of urethane resin, for example, is attached to the surface of the housing 211 of the indicator body 210 that faces the fingernail when the indicator body 210 is attached to the fingernail. (See FIG. 12(B)).

Support part fitting parts 218 and 219 having fitting holes into which linear members constituting the support part 220 are fitted and inserted are formed on both sides of the casing 211 in the middle in the axial direction. ing.

In this example, the support portion 220 of the indicator 5 is composed of a metal wire 221 that can maintain its shape after plastic deformation. In this example, the metal wire 221 is coated with a resin such as vinyl or cloth in order to provide a comfortable fit on the finger.

In this example, as shown in FIGS. 12(A), 12(B), and 12(C), the support portion 220 is configured by bending and molding a metal wire 221 of a predetermined length into a predetermined shape. In this example, after a metal wire 221 of a predetermined length is bent into a U-shape at an intermediate bending part 221c, the supporting part 220 is formed by bending the metal wire 221 at a bending part 221c and a metal wire 221, as shown in FIG. 12(C). The wire 221 is bent into a U-shape at bent portions 221d and 221e so that one ends 221a and 221b of the wire 221 face each other. The bent portions 221d and 221e are further bent inward so as to come into contact with the side of the finger.The metal wire 221 constituting the support portion 220 has a predetermined length of one end 221a and the other end 221b. The portions are inserted and fitted into the fitting holes of the support fitting portions 218 and 219 of the indicator main body 210 and fixed to the indicator main body 210. Thereby, the indicator main body part 210 is supported by the support part 220.

In this case, the space surrounded by the indicator main body part 210 and the metal wire 221 of the support part 220 is a space into which the user's finger, in this example, the thumb, is inserted. When the indicator 202 is attached to a finger, the bent portion 221c of the metal wire 221 is located on the fingernail side, and the bent portions 221d and 221e are elastically abutted against the flank portion of the finger. , is held in place by the indicator 202 on the finger. Therefore, when the indicator 202 is held by the thumb, the metal wire 221 of the support portion 220 is not present on the pad of the fingertip.

Also in the indicator 202 of the second embodiment, the support part 220 is such that the indicator 202 is held at a portion closer to the fingertip than the first joint of the user's thumb. The structure is such that it is possible to bend and manipulate the parts. When attached to the user's thumb, the pointing tip 210a side of the indicator main body 210 protrudes beyond the tip of the fingertip of the thumb, and the part on the fingertip side of the thumb The 1/2 length portion of the finger pad on the tip end side is exposed without the metal wire 221 of the support portion 220 of the indicator 202 being present.

Therefore, while the exposed pad of the thumb is in contact with the surface of the soft structure 2018, which is the input surface of the position detection device 201, the part of the thumb beyond the first joint is bent. Thus, while finely adjusting the height position of the instruction tip 210a of the indicator main body 210 of the indicator 202, pressing input, pointing instruction input, flick operation, and slide operation can be performed easily and reliably. In the case of the second embodiment, the position detecting device 201 can express a stroke at the time of a press operation by elastically displacing the soft structure 2018. The user's feeling of operation is improved.

In the case of the indicator 202 of the second embodiment as well, the metal wire 221 of the support section 220 is located on the finger pad of a half-length portion on the fingertip end side of the fingertip side of the first joint of the thumb. Since the finger pad is not present and is exposed, the buttons and thumbstick can be easily operated using the finger pad while the indicator 202 is still attached to the thumb.

Note that also in this second embodiment, the electrical configurations of the position detection device 201 and the indicator 202 are the same as in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 9, so the description thereof will be omitted here. .

The input device of the second embodiment described above can also provide the same effects as the first input device.

<Other configuration examples of indicator 202>
Although the indicator of the above-mentioned embodiment was an example in which the indicator main body was made of a wire made of a metal wire or the like, the support part is not limited to being made of a wire. The key is to hold the indicator main body on the user's finger with the pad of the fingertip of the user's finger exposed so that operations such as button operations and thumbstick operations can be performed. The support portion may be of any type as long as it can be used.

FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining another example of the indicator of the input device, and this example is a modification of the indicator 202 of the second embodiment. The indicator 202A of this example is different from the indicator main body 210A of the second embodiment, except that it does not have the support fitting parts 218 and 219 for fitting the metal wire 221 constituting the support part 220. It has the same configuration as the container 202.

FIG. 14(A) is a front view of the indicator 202A viewed from the length direction of the finger, and FIG. 14(B) is a side view of the indicator 202A viewed from the direction perpendicular to the length direction of the finger. The support portion 220A of the indicator 202A in this example has an adhesive layer 2201A that fixes the indicator body 210A, which is provided on the bottom side of the housing 211A of the indicator body 210A, which faces the claw side when attached. Consists of a cushion member. The adhesive layer 2201A is made of, for example, double-sided tape. That is, in the indicator 202A of this example, the cushion member 217 of the indicator main body 210 of the second embodiment is covered with an adhesive layer 2201A made of, for example, double-sided tape, as the support part 220A. .

A situation in which an instruction input operation is performed in the position detection device 201 of the second embodiment using the indicator 202A of this example will be described with reference to FIG. 15. FIG. 15(A) shows the indicator main body 210A of the indicator 202A in a state where the user is in contact with the soft structure 2018 of the position detection device 201 with the pad of the thumb of the right hand wearing the indicator 202A. A state in which the height of the pointing tip 210Aa is set above the hover area of the position detection sensor 2012 of the position detection device 201 is shown.

15(B) to (D) show that by bending the thumb while keeping the pad of the thumb in contact with the soft structure 2018 of the position detection device 201, the indicator main body of the indicator 202A is It is a figure showing the state where the height from the surface of the soft structure 2018 of the instruction tip part 210Aa of 210A is changed and operated.

That is, FIG. 15(B) shows a state in which the height of the pointing tip 210Aa of the pointing body 210A of the pointing device 202A is within the hover area of the position detecting sensor 2012 of the position detecting device 201. Further, FIG. 15(C) shows a state in which the height position of the indicating tip portion 210Aa of the indicator main body 210A of the indicator 202A is in a position where it is just in contact with the surface of the soft structure 2018 of the position detection device 201. It shows. Furthermore, FIG. 15(D) shows a state in which the tip of the thumb and the indicating tip 210Aa of the indicator main body 210A of the indicator 202A are pushed in from the state of FIG. 15(C), and the soft structure 2018 is depressed. It shows.

The example shown in FIG. 15 is an example of the operation when using the indicator 202A of the modified example, but the operation is almost the same when using the indicator 202 of the second embodiment. When the indicator 202 of the second embodiment is used, similarly to the case where the indicator 5 of the first embodiment is used, the pad of the finger is brought into contact with the surface of the soft structure 2018 of the position detection device 201. The fingers can be operated so as to bend the metal wire 221 of the support portion 220 at the bent portions 221d and 221e of the metal wire 221 as supporting points.

<Example of processing operation of indicated position information by an indicator detected by a position detection device>
In the control unit of the HMD 1 in the first embodiment and the control unit of the personal computer 7 in the second embodiment, position detection information from the position detection device 4 of the input device 3 and the position detection device 201 of the input device 200, Based on the information on the received signal level, it is possible to control the amount of movement of a cursor on the display screen, button press input, and the like. These controls may be performed not only by the control units of the position detection device 4 and the position detection device 201, but also by the control unit of the HMD 1 and the control unit of the personal computer 7.

In addition, in the control unit of the position detection device or the control unit of the device that receives output information from the position detection device, by converting the value output by position detection by the position detection device, the absolute position can be specified on the display screen. It may also be possible to arbitrarily switch the relative position indication. In this case, by setting a switching function between an absolute position instruction and a relative position instruction as a function assigned to the elongated hole 2011c of the eaves portion 2011b of the position detection device 201 of the input device 200 of the second embodiment. , the switching instruction can be given using the indicator 202. Of course, the operation of pressing down the soft structure 2018 that bulges out in a circular shape using the indicator 202 may be used as a button pressing operation, thereby switching between an absolute position instruction and a relative position instruction.

Furthermore, in the pressing operation of the indicator on the circularly bulging soft structure 2018 of the position detection device 201 of the input device 200 of the second embodiment, a threshold value is determined based on the value of the detected received signal level. For example, when the distance between the indicator and the position detection sensor becomes less than or equal to a predetermined threshold, it may be assumed that a button press operation has been performed, and button press information may be set. The threshold value in this case may be changed arbitrarily by the user. Further, when the indicator is separated from the position detection sensor by a predetermined distance or more, it is also possible to control the indicator so as not to detect movement or button press operations.

In addition, in the input devices of the first embodiment and the second embodiment, when the position detection device is used in mouse mode, the information on the indicated position by the indicator is not output as absolute coordinates, but relative Output as coordinates. In such a usage mode, in the position detection device of the input device of the first embodiment and the second embodiment, depending on the distance (height position) between the position detection sensor and the coil of the indicator, By multiplying the value of the output relative coordinate by a coefficient, it is possible to control the movement speed so that it changes seamlessly.

In this case, when the indicator moves in a direction away from the position detection sensor by an arbitrary distance or more within an arbitrary unit time, the output relative coordinate is set to zero and no movement is performed. This makes it possible to prevent an unintended movement operation from being performed when the fingertip wearing the finger-mounted indicator is removed from the position detection device.

FIGS. 16 and 17 show the case where the position detection device of the input device of the embodiment outputs relative coordinates, and the button press operation is performed based on the height position of the pointing tip of the indicator main body by the indicator. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of processing operations for detecting an instruction input using an indicator when detecting a movement instruction operation as well as detecting a movement instruction operation.

In the operation example shown in this flowchart, in the input device of the embodiment, the hover area, which is the height range in which the position detection sensor of the position detection device and the indicator can perform signal interaction, is set according to the height position. It is divided into three areas.

For example, when applied to the input device 200 of the second embodiment, the height position of the pointing tip 210a of the indicator main body 210 of the indicator 202 is at a height such that it contacts the soft structure 2018. The height range from 2018 to the height position when the soft structure 2018 is pressurized and pushed to a position where the bottom surface of the soft structure 2018 touches the position detection sensor 2012 is defined as a medium speed movement region. Furthermore, the soft structure 2018 is further pushed in to make the surface concave, and the height range up to the height position when the bottom surface of the soft structure 2018 is brought into complete contact with the position detection sensor 2012 is set as a low-speed movement region. Conversely, when the soft structure 2018 is not pressurized, the upper space is set as a high-speed movement region. In other words, in the hover area, the height range where the indicator is far away from the position detection sensor is the high-speed movement area, and the height range closer to the position detection sensor than this high-speed movement area is the medium-speed movement area. A height range closer to the position detection sensor than the movement area is defined as a low-speed movement area.

In order to define the above three regions in the space above the position detection sensor 2012, a threshold value that separates each region is determined in advance regarding the height position of the indicator (instruction tip). This threshold value may be set by the user.

The control unit of the position detection device 201 outputs a relative coordinate value in response to an instruction input from the indicator 202. The correction will be performed by multiplying the calculated coefficient.

For example, when the height position of the indicator 202 is within the high-speed movement area, the coefficient is set to "2" and the relative coordinate value x 2 is output; when the height position of the indicator 202 is within the medium-speed movement area, the coefficient is set to "1" and the relative coordinate value is output. Control is performed such that the value x 1 is output, and the coefficient is set to "0.5" when the area is in a low-speed movement region, and the relative coordinate value x 0.5 is output. Thereby, it is possible to control the moving speed of the indicator to seamlessly change speed according to the height of the indicator 202 from the position detection sensor 2012.

The flowcharts in FIGS. 16 and 17 will be explained below. The processes shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 16 and 17 are repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals. In this example, the processing of each step in the flowcharts of FIGS. 16 and 17 is received by the information processing control unit 2014 in the position detection device 201 of the input device 200 of the second embodiment, and executed by the control unit of It is.

The information processing control unit 2014 in the position detection device 201 monitors whether the position detection sensor 2012 and the indicator 202 are in a state of interaction, and determines whether the indicator 202 is detected ( Step S101). When determining in step S101 that the position detection sensor 2012 and the indicator 202 are not in a state for interaction, the information processing control unit 2014 sets the relative coordinate value and button information to zero (step S104), The relative coordinate values and button information are output (step S111), and this processing routine is ended.

Further, when it is determined in step S101 that the position detection sensor 2012 and the indicator 202 are in a state where they interact and the indicator is detected, the information processing control unit 2014 receives a signal from the indicator 202 (indicator information). is read through the position detection sensor 2012, and the received signal level and indicated position are detected (step S102). This received signal level may be converted into height information within the control circuit 2013a, and may be included in the indicated position and output.

Then, the information processing control unit 2014 receives the height position information of the pointing tip 210a of the indicator 202 based on the detected received signal level, and if the received height position information is within the control threshold, that is, the hover Determine whether it is within the area. If it is determined in step S103 that the area is not within the control threshold but outside the hover area, the information processing control unit 2014 sets the relative coordinates and button information to zero (step S104), and sets the relative coordinates and button information to zero (step S104). is output (step S111), and this processing routine is ended.

Further, when it is determined in step S103 that the received height position information is within the control threshold, that is, within the hover area, the information processing control unit 2014 controls the indicator 202 based on the received height position information. It is determined whether the height position of the instruction tip 210a is within the high-speed movement area (step S105). When it is determined in step S105 that the area is within the high-speed movement area, the information processing control unit 2014 sets the coefficient to be multiplied by the relative coordinate value to be output to a coefficient value within the high-speed movement area (for example, "2"). (Step S106). Since it is within the high-speed movement area, the information processing control unit 2014 determines that there is no button press operation and cancels the button press information (step S107).

Next, the information processing control unit 2014 determines whether the height position of the instruction tip 210a of the indicator 202 has changed to a position higher than the range of the current area (step S108), and When determining that the position has changed to a position higher than the range, the information processing control unit 2014 sets the relative coordinate value to zero (step S109), outputs the relative coordinate value and button information (step S111), and terminates this process. End the routine.

If it is determined in step S108 that the height position of the pointing tip 210a of the pointing device 202 does not change to a position higher than the range of the current area and remains within the current area, the information processing control unit 2014 , a relative coordinate value corresponding to the instruction input by the indicator 202 is calculated by arithmetic processing (step S110), the calculated relative coordinate value and button information are output (step S111), and this processing routine is ended.

Further, when it is determined in step S105 that the height position of the pointing tip 210a of the indicator 202 is not within the high-speed movement area, the information processing control unit 2014 controls the height of the pointing tip 210a of the indicator 202. It is determined whether the height position is within a low-speed movement region that is a region for detecting a button press operation (step S121 in FIG. 17).

In this step S121, when it is determined that the height position of the instruction tip 210a of the indicator 202 is within the low-speed movement area, which is the area for detecting a button press operation, the information processing control unit 2014 controls the relative The coefficient by which the coordinate values are multiplied is set to a coefficient value (for example, "0.5") within the low-speed movement region (step S122). Then, the information processing control unit 2014 sets button press information (step S123), and then proceeds to step S108 in FIG. 16 and performs the processing from step S108 onwards.

Further, when it is determined in step S121 that the height position of the instruction tip 210a of the indicator 202 is not within the low-speed movement area, which is the area for detecting a button press operation, but within the medium-speed movement area, the information The processing control unit 2014 sets the coefficient by which the relative coordinate value to be output is multiplied to a coefficient value (for example, "1") within the medium speed movement region (step S124). Then, the information processing control unit 2014 cancels the button press information (step S125), and then proceeds to step S108 in FIG. 16 and performs the processing from step S108 onwards.

As described above, according to the processing example shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 16 and 17, the relative coordinate values are corrected according to the distance (height) of the indicator 202 from the position detection sensor, and the distance (height) ) is larger, the amount of movement becomes larger, and the amount of movement of the cursor on the display screen is controlled. Furthermore, in the low-speed movement region, the information processing control unit 2014 is controlled to accept button press input.

[Other embodiments or modifications]
Note that although the input device in the above-described embodiment is used for a VR device or a game controller, it goes without saying that the input device is not limited to these and can be applied as an input device for various devices and devices.

Further, although the indicator of the input device in the above-described embodiment is shown as being attached to the thumb, it goes without saying that it may be attached to a device other than the thumb.

Further, although the position detection device and the indicator that constitute the input device of the above-described embodiments are coupled by electromagnetic induction, the position detection device and the indicator may be coupled by capacitance.

Furthermore, although the indicator of the input device in the embodiment described above does not include a pen pressure detection section, it may have a configuration that includes a pen pressure detection section. In that case, the indicator is provided with an opening at the indicator tip of the indicator body, a through hole in the ferrite core, and a core inserted through the through hole of the ferrite core. Then, one end of the core that the ferrite core penetrates is made to protrude outside from the opening of the indicating tip of the indicator body, and the other end of the core is fitted into the pen pressure detection part, so that the core The pen pressure detection unit is configured to detect the pen pressure applied to the protrusion.

1...HMD, 2L, 2R...Hand controller, 3,200...Input device, 4,201...Position detection device, 5,202...Indicator, 21L, 21R...Gripping part, 22L, 22R...Operation surface, 24L, 25L , 26L...operation button, 27L...thumbstick, 41...frame frame member, 42...position detection device main body part, 51,210,210A...indicator main body part, 52,220,220A...support part, 422,2012...position Detection sensor, 2018...Soft structure

Claims (19)

1. An indicator that indicates a position in a detection area of the position detection sensor by interacting with the position detection sensor and a signal,
   an indicator main body that accommodates a circuit for performing the interaction and includes an instruction tip for indicating a position indicated by the indicator in the detection area of the position detection sensor;
   a support portion configured to support the indicator main body and to allow a user's finger to hold the indicator main body;
   Equipped with
   The supporting portion is in a state in which the pad of the fingertip of the user's finger is not covered by the indicator body, and the indicating tip protrudes beyond the tip of the fingertip of the user's finger. An indicator, characterized in that the indicator body is held in a state where the user can bend the finger.
2. An indicator that indicates a position in a detection area of the position detection sensor by performing signal interaction with the position detection sensor through electromagnetic inductive coupling,
   The circuit for performing the interaction is a resonant circuit including a coil,
   The indicator according to claim 1, wherein the coil is locked and stored near the indicator tip in a casing of the indicator main body.
3. The support section is configured to move the instruction tip and the input surface in response to bending of the user's finger while the user's fingertip is in contact with the input surface corresponding to the detection area of the position detection sensor. The indicator is configured to be held on the user's finger so that a space can be created between the indicator and the indicator tip can be in contact with the input surface. The indicator according to claim 1, characterized in that:
4. The support part has a shape that is held by the finger by coming into contact with a side surface of the finger so that the instruction main body part is located on the nail side of the finger. indicator.
5. The housing of the indicator main body is configured such that the indicator tip has a tapered shape, and the tapered indicator tip fits the finger when the indicator is worn on the finger. The indicator according to claim 4, wherein the indicator is formed at an eccentric position in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the indicator.
6. The indicator according to claim 1, wherein the support portion is made of an elastic material or a member that can maintain its shape after plastic deformation.
7. The indicator according to claim 1, wherein the support section includes an attachment section for attaching the instruction main body section to the finger.
8. The indicator according to claim 1, characterized in that a cushion member is provided on a surface side of the indicator body facing the finger.
9. an indicator that indicates a position in the detection area of the position detection sensor by interacting with the position detection sensor and a signal, and a position indicated by the indicator detected in the detection area of the position detection sensor and the position detection sensor; An input device comprising a position detection device having a position detection circuit that detects the
   The indicator is
   an indicator main body that accommodates a circuit for performing the interaction and includes an instruction tip for indicating a position indicated by the indicator in the detection area of the position detection sensor;
   a support portion configured to support the indicator main body and to allow a user's finger to hold the indicator main body;
   Equipped with
   The supporting portion is in a state in which the pad of the fingertip of the user's finger is not covered by the indicator body, and the indicating tip protrudes beyond the tip of the fingertip of the user's finger. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator body is held in a state where the user can bend the finger.
10. The input device according to claim 9, wherein the position detection device is provided in a grip portion that a user grips using a palm and fingers of a hand.
11. 11. The input device according to claim 10, wherein the grip section is provided with an operator at a position that can be operated by the user who is gripping the grip section with a finger.
12. The position detection device covers the arrangement part of the operator with respect to the grip part, and inputs an indicated position by the indicator attached to a user's finger in the detection area of the position detection sensor. a state in which input of the indicated position by the indicator attached to the user's finger is disabled in the detection area of the position detection sensor without covering the operator, and operation of the operator; The input device according to claim 10, wherein the input device is attached in a state that can be switched between a state that enables the input device and a state that enables the input device.
13. The input device according to claim 10, wherein the position detection device is detachably attached to the grip.
14. When the input surface of the position detecting device is pressed by the instruction tip in a direction intersecting the input surface of the indicator, the input surface of the position detection device is configured to detect the input position according to the pressure when the instruction tip is pressed by the instruction tip in a direction intersecting the input surface. The input device according to claim 9, wherein the input device is configured to be displaced in a direction intersecting a plane.
15. An input surface of the position detection device for indicating the position indicated by the instruction tip of the indicator is constituted by an elastic member that can be displaced in a direction intersecting the input surface between the input surface and the position detection sensor. The input device according to claim 9, characterized by:
16. An input surface of the position detection device for indicating the position indicated by the instruction tip of the indicator is disposed with a gap corresponding to a displacement in a direction intersecting the input surface between the input surface and the position detection sensor. The input device according to claim 9, wherein the input device is made of an elastic member.
17. The position detection device is characterized in that, depending on the distance between the position detection sensor and the pointing tip of the indicator, different processing is performed on the detection result of the pointing position by the pointing tip. The input device according to claim 9.
18. The indicator indicates the position in the detection area of the position detection sensor by performing signal interaction with the position detection sensor through electromagnetic inductive coupling,
    The circuit for performing the interaction is a resonant circuit including a coil,
    10. The input device according to claim 9, wherein the coil is locked and stored near the indicating tip within a housing of the indicator main body.
19. The support portion of the indicator has a shape that is held by the finger by coming into contact with a side surface of the finger so that the instruction main body portion is positioned on the nail side of the finger. 9. The indicator according to 9.
    

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