WO2024024321A1

WO2024024321A1 - Wheel unit, operation device comprising same, wheel unit control method, and control program

Info

Publication number: WO2024024321A1
Application number: PCT/JP2023/022382
Authority: WO
Inventors: 昌昭鷲見; 暁朗分部; 啓之伊夫伎; 敬一戸田; 充典杉浦
Original assignee: オムロン株式会社
Priority date: 2022-07-28
Filing date: 2023-06-16
Publication date: 2024-02-01
Also published as: TW202405624A; JP2024017885A

Abstract

This wheel unit (11) comprises a wheel body portion (12f), an MR fluid holding portion (11g), a rotation detection portion (13a), a direction detection portion (13b), a coil (12d), and a coil control unit (12c). The rotation detection portion (13a) detects the position of the wheel body portion (12f) in the rotation direction thereof. The direction detection portion (13b) detects the rotation direction of the wheel body part (12f). The coil (12d) generates a magnetic field with respect to the MR fluid (12e). The coil control unit (12c) controls a current flowing into the coil (12d) in accordance with the detection results of the rotation detection portion (13a) and the direction detection portion (13b) so that the rotational resistance varies when the wheel body portion (12f) is rotating in a normal rotation direction and when the same is rotating in a reverse rotation direction.

Description

Wheel unit, operating device equipped with the same, wheel unit control method, control program

The present invention relates to a wheel unit loaded into an operating device such as a mouse or a keyboard, an operating device equipped with the same, a method for controlling the wheel unit, and a control program.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, operating devices such as mice and keyboards that perform various operational inputs to PCs and the like have been equipped with a wheel unit that performs inputs through rotational operations.
In addition, in recent years, operating devices such as mice equipped with wheel units have been used not only as operating devices for operating PCs installed at workplaces and homes, but also as operating devices for operating games such as e-Sports. are also used, and a more delicate operating feel is required.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a mouse device that has a simple structure and low cost and has a scroll wheel number switching function.

JP2021-068411A (Patent No. 6981632)

However, the conventional mouse device described above has the following problems.
In other words, the mouse device disclosed in the above publication is equipped with a plurality of modules each having a different number of code grooves in order to have the function of switching the number of stages of the scroll wheel, and by switching these modules, the number of stages of the scroll wheel can be changed. Switching the number of stages.
Therefore, in the configuration of this mouse device, various settings such as rotational resistance and click feeling can be set to have different rotational resistance during forward rotation and reverse rotation, and various settings such as rotational resistance and click feeling can be set to achieve the user's preferred feeling of use. It was difficult to do so.

An object of the present invention is to provide a wheel unit with a simple configuration that allows different settings to be assigned during forward rotation and reverse rotation, an operating device equipped with the same, a control method for the wheel unit, and a control program.

(Means for solving problems)
A wheel unit according to a first aspect of the present invention is a wheel unit that is loaded into an operating device, and includes a wheel main body, a magnetorheological fluid holding section, a rotation detection section, a direction detection section, a coil, and a coil control section. It is equipped with. The wheel main body is loaded into the operating device in a state where it can rotate in forward and reverse directions. The magnetorheological fluid holding section holds a magnetorheological fluid whose viscosity changes due to a magnetic field applied from the outside, thereby imparting rotational resistance to the wheel main body. The rotation detection section detects the position of the wheel main body in the rotation direction. The direction detection section detects the rotation direction of the wheel main body. The coil generates a magnetic field for the magnetorheological fluid. The coil control unit adjusts the rotational resistance to the wheel body depending on the detection results from the rotation detection unit and the direction detection unit, depending on whether the wheel body is rotating in the forward direction or in the reverse direction. The current flowing through the coil is controlled to change the current.

Here, in a wheel unit using magnetorheological fluid (MR (Magneto-Rheological) fluid), in order to assign different specifications for forward and reverse rotation, we will introduce The current flowing through the coil is controlled so as to generate a magnetic field in the magnetorheological fluid during rotation in the reverse direction and during rotation in the reverse direction.
Here, the operating device into which the wheel unit is loaded includes, for example, a mouse, a keyboard, a game controller, various control panels, and the like.

The wheel unit is an operation member that performs an operation input by rotating the wheel unit, and may have a configuration in which, for example, in addition to the rotation operation, the operation input is performed by pressing.
Magneto-rheological fluid (MR fluid) is a fluid whose viscosity changes when magnetic force is applied, and by being held around the rotating body of the wheel unit, the rotation of the wheel unit depends on the magnitude of the magnetic force. Change resistance.

Normal rotation of the wheel unit means, for example, in a configuration loaded in a mouse, rotating it in the forward direction as seen from the user, and reverse rotation means rotating it in the near side as seen from the user. ing.
As a result, for example, when the wheel unit rotates in the forward direction, the interval that produces a click sensation is narrowed, and when the wheel unit rotates in the reverse direction, the interval that produces the click sensation is made wider, or when the wheel unit rotates in the normal direction, the rotational resistance of the wheel unit is reduced, and when it rotates in the reverse direction, the interval that produces the click sensation is made narrower. You can make settings such as increasing the rotational resistance of the wheel unit.
As a result, different settings can be assigned for forward rotation and reverse rotation with a simple configuration.

The wheel unit according to the second invention is the wheel unit according to the first invention, and includes an output torque determining section that determines the output torque of the wheel main body according to the detection results in the rotation detecting section and the direction detecting section. It also has more. The coil control section controls the current flowing through the coil according to the determination made by the output torque determination section.
As a result, the output torque determining section determines the output torque of the wheel unit using the detection results in the rotation detecting section and the direction detecting section, so that the coil control section applies the output torque to the coil according to the determination in the output torque determining section. The magnitude of the current can be controlled.

The wheel unit according to the third invention is the wheel unit according to the second invention, and further includes a storage section that stores data of a plurality of pulse waveforms corresponding to the output torque of the wheel main body. The output torque determination section reads an appropriate pulse waveform according to the detection results from the rotation detection section and the direction detection section, and determines the output torque of the wheel main body.
Thereby, the output torque determination section reads out the optimal pulse waveform according to the output torque of the wheel body from among the plurality of pulse waveforms stored in the storage section, and determines the output torque of the wheel body. Can be done.

A wheel unit according to a fourth invention is the wheel unit according to the third invention, in which the coil control section performs PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control based on a pulse waveform.
Thereby, for example, the magnitude of rotational resistance during rotation of the wheel main body, the interval of click sensations, etc. can be easily controlled.

A wheel unit according to a fifth invention is the wheel unit according to the first or second invention, wherein the rotation detection section has a first resolution for rotation in the forward direction and a second resolution for rotation in the reverse direction. A second resolution lower than the first resolution is respectively set.

As a result, for example, when used in a shooting game, etc., if the setting is to fire the gun continuously when rotating forward, or to change weapons when rotating reversely, the operation will be performed at a higher resolution during forward rotation than during reverse rotation. be able to. On the other hand, during reverse rotation, by performing the operation at a lower resolution than during normal rotation, even if there is an unintended reverse operation from normal rotation, it is possible to control so as not to output an erroneous input due to reverse rotation.

A wheel unit according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the wheel unit according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the rotation detection section has a first phase for detecting a rotational position during rotation in a forward rotation direction, and a first phase for detecting a rotation position during rotation in a forward rotation direction; The second phase for detecting the rotational position at the time of rotation is set at a position shifted from each other.
As a result, for example, when used in a shooting game, etc., when the gun is set to fire continuously during forward rotation, and the weapon is changed when reversed, the detection phase of the rotational position in the reverse direction will be the detection phase on the forward rotation side. Since it is set out of phase, even if there is an unintended reverse operation from normal rotation, it is possible to control so as not to output an erroneous input due to the reverse operation.

A wheel unit according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the wheel unit according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the coil control section controls the rotation direction of the wheel body section according to the rotational direction of the wheel body section detected by the direction detection section. The current flowing through the coil is controlled so that the click sensation of the coil becomes different.
As a result, for example, by controlling the current flowing through the coil using a pulse waveform that makes the rotational resistance of the wheel body small during forward rotation and increases the rotational resistance of the wheel body during reverse rotation, The click feeling when reversing can be changed.

A wheel unit according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the wheel unit according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, in which the coil control section generates a click feeling at the first pitch when the detection result in the direction detection section is a forward rotation direction. If the direction detection unit detects the reverse direction, the current flowing through the coil is controlled so that a click feeling is provided at a second pitch that is wider than the first pitch.
As a result, for example, the current flowing through the coil is controlled using a pulse waveform that shortens the interval at which rotational resistance is applied to the wheel body during forward rotation, and lengthens the interval at which rotational resistance is applied to the wheel body during reverse rotation. By doing so, it is possible to change the interval at which a click feeling is given during normal rotation and during reverse rotation.

An operating device according to a ninth invention includes the wheel unit according to the first or second invention, and a main body that rotatably supports the wheel unit.
Thereby, it is possible to provide an operating device that can assign different settings for forward rotation and reverse rotation with a simple configuration.

A wheel unit control method according to a tenth invention is a wheel unit control method according to the first or second invention, comprising: a rotation detection step of detecting a position in a rotational direction of a wheel main body; a direction detection step for detecting the rotational direction of the wheel; and a coil control step for controlling the current flowing through the coil so as to change the rotational resistance with respect to the wheel body according to the detection results in the rotation detection step and the direction detection step. ing.

As a result, for example, when the wheel unit rotates in the forward direction, the interval that produces a click sensation is narrowed, and when the wheel unit rotates in the reverse direction, the interval that produces the click sensation is made wider, or when the wheel unit rotates in the normal direction, the rotational resistance of the wheel unit is reduced, and when it rotates in the reverse direction, the interval that produces the click sensation is made narrower. You can make settings such as increasing the rotational resistance of the wheel unit.
As a result, different settings can be assigned for forward rotation and reverse rotation with a simple configuration.

A wheel unit control program according to an eleventh invention is a wheel unit control program according to the first or second invention, comprising: a rotation detection step for detecting a position in a rotational direction of a wheel main body; a direction detection step for detecting the rotational direction of the wheel; and a coil control step for controlling the current flowing through the coil so as to change the rotational resistance with respect to the wheel body according to the detection results in the rotation detection step and the direction detection step. The computer executes the control method for the wheel unit.

(Effect of the invention)
According to the wheel unit according to the present invention, different settings can be assigned for forward rotation and reverse rotation with a simple configuration.

1 is an overall system diagram showing the configuration of a mouse control system including a mouse loaded with a wheel unit according to an embodiment of the present invention and a PC connected to the mouse. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the mouse control system of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a mouse included in the mouse control system of FIG. 1. FIG. (a), (b), and (c) are a top view, a side view, and a bottom view of the mouse of FIG. 3. A sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 4(b). (a) and (b) are external views of the wheel unit loaded into the mouse of FIG. 3. (a) is a side view of the wheel unit of FIG. 6. (b) is a sectional view taken along line BB in (a). 3 is a graph showing the relationship between magnetic field strength and viscosity of the MR fluid used in the mouse of FIG. 2. (a) is an image diagram showing the click feeling that occurs when the wheel unit rotates in the normal mode. (b) is an image diagram showing the click feeling that occurs when the wheel unit rotates in continuous firing mode (normal rotation). (c) is an image diagram showing the click feeling that occurs when the wheel unit rotates in the weapon switching mode (when reversed). (a) is a diagram showing a pulse waveform that causes a click feeling when the wheel unit rotates in the normal mode. (b) is a diagram showing a pulse waveform that produces a click feeling when the wheel unit rotates in continuous firing mode (normal rotation). (c) is a diagram showing a pulse waveform that produces a click feeling when the wheel unit is rotated in the weapon switching mode (in reverse rotation). (d) is a diagram showing a pulse waveform that produces a click feeling by shifting the phase so that the detection timing in (c) is delayed by a predetermined time. A diagram showing assignment of output duty ratios of PWM control for position numbers 1 to 20 in the case of 48 clicks/rotation in continuous firing mode (at the time of normal rotation) in FIG. 9(b). 10(a) to 10(d) are diagrams showing assignment of output duty ratios of PWM control for position numbers 1 to 80 in each mode shown in FIG. 10(a) to FIG. 10(d). 4 is a flowchart showing a process flow of a control method (torque generation process) for a wheel unit included in the mouse of FIG. 3; 4 is a flowchart showing a process flow of a control method (scroll detection process) for a wheel unit included in the mouse of FIG. 3. FIG.

A mouse control system (operation control system) 1 including a wheel unit and a mouse (operation device) 10 equipped with the wheel unit according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below using FIGS. 1 to 14. .
Note that in this embodiment, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of well-known matters or redundant explanations of substantially the same configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.
Applicants also provide the accompanying drawings and the following description to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the invention, and are not intended to limit the claimed subject matter thereby. do not have.

(1) Configuration of mouse control system 1 The mouse control system (operation control system) 1 according to the present embodiment, for example, receives operation input from a player playing a game such as e-Sports, and As shown in FIG. 1, this system includes a mouse (operation device) 10 and a PC (Personal Computer) (operation control device) 20.

As shown in FIG. 1, the mouse 10 is placed in front of the PC 20 together with the keyboard 20a, and is mainly rotated and pressed by the fingers of a player of a game such as e-Sports, for example. The mouse 10 includes a wheel unit 11 that uses an MR (Magneto-Rheological) fluid (magneto-rheological fluid) 12e, which will be described later, to change the rotational resistance of a wheel main body 12f when rotated by an operator.

Note that the detailed configuration of the mouse 10 will be described in detail later.
The PC 20 is a personal computer to which the mouse 10 is connected, and is a device that executes various applications such as games such as e-Sports, and executes computer programs such as game programs, business programs, and drive simulator programs. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the PC 20 includes a keyboard 20a, a communication section (first communication section) 21, a display section 22, and a control section 23.

As shown in FIG. 1, the keyboard 20a, like the mouse 10, accepts input from an operator such as a game player.
As shown in FIG. 2, the communication unit (first communication unit) 21 is connected via wireless to the communication unit 14 on the mouse 10 side, and performs communication between the mouse 10 and the PC 20.
As shown in FIG. 1, the display unit 22 is a monitor such as a liquid crystal display device included in the PC 20, and as shown in FIG. 2, it is connected to the control unit 23, and displays, for example, a game play screen, etc. controlled to do so.
The control unit 23 is a processor such as a CPU that controls the entire PC 20. As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 23 is connected to the communication unit 21 and the display unit 22. Execute various programs such as game programs.

(2) Configuration of Mouse 10 As shown in FIG. 2, the mouse 10 includes a wheel unit 11 that receives a rotation operation by an operator, and a communication section (second communication section) 14. Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4(a) to 4(c), the mouse 10 includes a mouse body 10a, a switch 10b, a bottom surface 10c, a USB socket 10d, and a light projector 10ea. It has a light receiving section 10eb and a switch 10f.

The mouse body 10a is a housing portion of the mouse 10, and as shown in FIGS. 3, 4(a), and 4(b), a portion of the wheel unit 11 protrudes from the top surface of the mouse body 10a. The wheel unit 11 is rotatably supported.
The switch 10b is arranged near the wheel unit 11 on the upper surface of the mouse body 10a, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4(a), and 4(b). The switch 10b is operated, for example, when switching between normal mode and game mode, or when switching the power of the mouse 10 on and off.

The bottom surface 10c constitutes the outer shell of the mouse 10 together with the mouse body 10a, as shown in FIG. 4(b).
The USB socket 10d is provided on the front side of the mouse 10, as shown in FIG. is inserted.

The light projector 10ea and the light receiver 10eb are provided approximately at the center of the bottom surface 10c of the mouse 10, as shown in FIG. 4(c), and receive the reflected infrared light emitted from the light projector 10ea. By receiving light at the portion 10eb, a change in the position of the mouse 10 is detected.
As shown in FIG. 4C, the switch 10f is provided on the bottom surface 10c of the mouse 10 near the light projecting section 10ea and the light receiving section 10eb, and turns the power of the mouse 10 ON/OFF.

As shown in FIG. 3 and the like, the wheel unit 11 is provided in front of the upper surface of the mouse body 10a of the mouse 10, and mainly receives rotation operations and pressing operations. As shown in FIG. 2, the wheel unit 11 includes a torque generating section 12 and a scroll detecting section 13.
As shown in FIG. 2, the torque generation section 12 includes an output torque determination section 12a, a storage section 12b, a coil control section 12c, a coil 12d, an MR (Magneto-Rheological) fluid 12e, and a wheel body section 12f. ,have.

As shown in FIG. 2, the output torque determining section 12a determines the output torque of the wheel body section 12f based on the detection results of the rotation detecting section 13a and the direction detecting section 13b included in the scroll detecting section 13.
As shown in FIG. 2, the storage section 12b is connected to the output torque determining section 12a, and stores an output pulse waveform for changing the rotational resistance of the wheel body section 12f with the output torque determined by the output torque determining section 12a. data (see FIGS. 10(a) to 10(d)), the output duty ratio of PWM control (see FIGS. 11 and 12), etc.

The coil control section 12c is connected to the output torque determination section 12a, and generates a magnetic field for the MR fluid 12e so that the wheel body section 12f receives rotational resistance due to the output torque determined by the output torque determination section 12a. The current flowing through the coil 12d is controlled. Specifically, the coil control unit 12c controls the current flowing through the coil 12d by PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control using a pulse waveform.

The coil 12d is disposed near the MR fluid holding portion 11g (see FIG. 7(b)) holding the MR fluid 12e, and generates a magnetic field for the MR fluid 12e when a current flows through the coil 12d.
The MR (Magneto-Rheological) fluid 12e is mainly supplied to the MR fluid holding portion 11g (Fig. 7(b) ) is filled in the space of ). The MR fluid 12e changes its shape under the influence of the magnetic field applied from the coil 12d, thereby changing the rotational resistance of the wheel body 12f. Note that the characteristics of the MR fluid 12e will be described in detail later.

The wheel main body 12f is integrated with the rotating shaft (shaft 11e (see FIG. 5, etc.)) of the wheel unit 11, and is rotatably loaded in the mouse main body 10a (see FIG. 5, etc.). . The rotational resistance of the wheel main body 12f changes due to a change in the form of the MR fluid 12e caused by a change in the current flowing through the coil 12d.
As shown in FIG. 2, the scroll detection section 13 includes a rotation detection section 13a, a direction detection section 13b, and an edge determination section 13c.

The rotation detection unit 13a is provided to detect the rotational position of the rotating body (wheel main body 12f, etc.) of the wheel unit 11, and as shown in FIG. 2, detects the position of the wheel main body 12f in the rotational direction. do. Then, the rotation detection section 13a transmits information on the detected position of the wheel main body section 12f in the rotational direction to the output torque determination section 12a included in the torque generation section 12.

The direction detection section 13b is provided to detect the rotation direction (forward rotation/reverse rotation) of the rotating body (wheel body section 12f, etc.) of the wheel unit 11, and as shown in FIG. Detect rotation direction. Then, the direction detection section 13b transmits information about the detected rotational direction of the wheel main body section 12f to the output torque determination section 12a included in the torque generation section 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, the edge determination section 13c is connected to the rotation detection section 13a, and based on the information on the position in the rotational direction of the wheel body section 12f detected by the rotation detection section 13a, the edge determination section 13c determines the position of the wheel body section 12f, which will be described later. Detects the edge of the rotation control pulse and outputs a scroll pulse.
As shown in FIG. 2, the communication unit 14 is connected via wireless to the communication unit 21 on the PC 20 side, and transmits and receives various data and the like between the mouse 10 and the PC 20.

(3) Structure of the wheel unit 11 As described above, the mouse 10 of this embodiment has a rotational resistance of the wheel main body 12f that is adjusted to a desired level when the operator rotates the mouse 10 using the MR fluid 12e. The wheel unit 11 is provided with a wheel unit 11 that can be changed so that
The wheel unit 11 is a unit through which a rotation operation and a pressing operation are input by the operator of the mouse 10, and as shown in FIG. It has a middle button 11c, a push detection lever 11d, a shaft (rotation shaft) 11e, a rotation detection magnet 11f, an MR fluid holding section (magneto-rheological fluid holding section) 11g, and a sealing member 11h.

The outer wheel (wheel body part) 11a constitutes a wheel body part 12f together with the inner wheel 11b. As shown in FIG. 5, the outer wheel 11a is integrated with the shaft 11e together with the inner wheel 11b, and is rotated by an operator's rotation operation.
As shown in FIG. 5, the inner wheel (wheel body portion) 11b is provided on the inner diameter side of the outer wheel 11a, and rotates integrally with the shaft 11e when the outer wheel 11a is operated.

As shown in FIG. 5, the middle button 11c is a microswitch that accepts a push-down operation on the outer wheel 11a, and is provided on the side of the wheel main body 12f in a state where it is in contact with the push-down detection lever 11d. .
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6(b), the push-down detection lever 11d is provided so as to protrude from one side of the wheel main body 12f, and when the outer wheel 11a is pushed down by the operator, Press down the middle button 11c. Further, the push-down detection lever 11d is provided as a fixed member with respect to the rotating body including the outer wheel 11a, the inner wheel 11b, and the shaft 11e.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6(a), the shaft (rotation shaft) 11e is provided so as to protrude from the side surface of the wheel main body 12f opposite to the push-down detection lever 11d. This is the center of rotation during rotation operations.
As shown in FIG. 5, the rotation detection magnet 11f is a fixed member disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 11e, and detects the rotation of the shaft 11e.

As shown in FIG. 7(b), which is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of the wheel unit 11 shown in FIG. A space formed to include the MR fluid 12e. As a result, the viscosity of the MR fluid 12e changes due to the magnetic field applied from the outside, so that the contact portion (sliding portion) between the MR fluid holding portion 11g and the rotating body (wheel body portion 12f, etc.) of the wheel unit 11 In this case, the rotational resistance of the wheel body portion 12f can be changed.

The sealing member 11h is, for example, a ring member made of rubber, and is provided to prevent the MR fluid 12e sealed in the MR fluid holding portion 11g from leaking to the outside, as shown in FIG. 7(b). .
Here, the strength of the magnetic field applied to the MR fluid 12e and changes in the viscosity of the MR fluid 12e will be explained.

FIG. 8 shows a graph showing the viscosity of the MR fluid 12e that changes depending on the magnitude of the influence of the magnetic field when a magnetic field is generated.
The MR fluid 12e is a functional fluid in which ferromagnetic fine particles with a diameter of 1 to 10 μm are dispersed in a liquid such as water or oil, and when not affected by a magnetic field, the fine particles are uniform in the liquid. are distributed in When the MR fluid 12e is affected by a magnetic field, the ferromagnetic particles become magnetized and attract each other to form clusters, and as shown in FIG. 8, the viscosity increases as the magnetic field becomes stronger. Note that the degree of cluster formation in the MR fluid 12e can be adjusted by controlling the current flowing through the coil 12d.

As a result, in the mouse 10 of this embodiment, the coil control section 12c of the wheel unit 11 controls the current flowing through the coil 12d to control the magnitude of the magnetic field generated from the coil 12d, thereby controlling the viscosity of the MR fluid 12e. can be controlled. Therefore, the magnitude of the rotational resistance of the wheel unit 11 can be controlled according to the change in the viscosity of the MR fluid 12e.
As a result, for example, when the player of a game such as e-Sports is the operator, it is possible to provide the mouse 10 loaded with the wheel unit 11 that can realize a delicate operation feeling for each player.

In particular, in the mouse 10 loaded with the wheel unit 11 of the present embodiment, for example, when a game player plays a shooting game in which multiple weapons are used to fire, the mouse 10 can be used in a rapid fire mode or a weapon switching mode that is different from the normal mode. is set.
The images shown in FIGS. 9(a) to 9(c) are images of the angular intervals that produce a click feeling in each mode, and the angular intervals shown actually produce a click feeling. It does not mean that.

Specifically, in the normal mode, for example, as shown in FIG. 9(a), the click feeling when rotating the wheel unit 11 is felt at an angular interval of 24 clicks/rotation both during forward and reverse rotation. The current flowing through the coil 12d is controlled so as to
On the other hand, when the player rotates the wheel unit 11 in the normal rotation direction while playing the game, the rotation direction of the wheel unit 11 is detected and the mode shifts to continuous shooting mode.

Note that the normal mode is shown as a comparison with the game mode (the rapid fire mode and the weapon switching mode), but switching from the normal mode to the game mode (the rapid fire mode and the weapon switching mode) can be done by, for example, using multiple mouse buttons 10. This may be done by pressing the buttons at the same time.
In the continuous firing mode, the click feeling when the wheel unit 11 is rotated in the forward rotation direction is felt at an angular interval of 48 clicks/rotation, which is twice as much as in the normal mode, as shown in FIG. 9(b), for example. In addition, the current flowing through the coil 12d is controlled.

Thereby, for example, when firing using a weapon such as a machine gun, it is possible to fire continuously at shorter intervals than in the normal mode.
Conversely, when the player rotates the wheel unit 11 in the reverse direction while playing the game, the rotation direction of the wheel unit 11 is detected and the mode shifts to weapon switching mode.
In the weapon switching mode, the click feeling when the wheel unit 11 is rotated in the reverse direction is felt at an angular interval of 12 clicks/rotation, which is half of that in the normal mode, as shown in FIG. 9(c), for example. , the current flowing through the coil 12d is controlled.

As a result, even if a player in the game unconsciously slightly reverses the wheel unit 11 while firing continuously with a weapon such as a machine gun, the resolution in the reverse direction is lower than in the forward direction. , it is possible to avoid accidentally exchanging weapons. Therefore, it is possible to perform control so as not to detect an error operation that is not intended by the player, thereby increasing the player's satisfaction with the game.

Here, in order to generate the click feeling shown in FIGS. 9(a) to 9(c), regarding the pulse waveform of the current output from the coil control unit 12c when the rotational position detection resolution is 960 pls/rotation, This will be explained using FIGS. 10(a) to 10(d).
In the normal mode, the current flowing through the coil 12d is controlled by the pulse waveform shown in FIG. 10(a) so that it is felt at an angular interval of 24 clicks/rotation during both forward rotation and reverse rotation.

In the continuous firing mode, the current flowing through the coil 12d is controlled by the pulse waveform shown in FIG. 10(b) so that during normal rotation, the current is felt at an angular interval of 48 clicks/rotation, which is twice that in the normal mode.
In the weapon switching mode (12 clicks/rotation), as shown in FIG. 10(c), the current flowing through the coil 12d is controlled so that when reversing the weapon, it is experienced at an angular interval of 12 clicks/rotation, which is half of that in the normal mode. .

Here, we will consider the error rate of accepting an error operation in which the player unconsciously performs a rotation operation in the reverse direction (for example, 3 pls) after firing five consecutive shots in the continuous shooting mode.
Here, we assume that humans can control with an accuracy of about 1/10 of 1 click, and define the error rate using a model in which input errors of 1/10 width occasionally occur.
In the normal mode shown in FIG. 10A, an erroneous input of 4 pls, which is 1/10 of 40 pls/click (rotation in the reverse direction at the end of a rotation operation in the forward direction) occurs.

In this case, the error rate is defined as the probability that erroneously input 4 pls straddles an edge among 40 pls, and is calculated as 4 pls/40 pls=10%.
In the continuous firing mode (normal rotation) shown in FIG. 10(b), erroneous input of 2 pls, which is 1/10 of 20 pls/click, occurs.
In this case, the error rate is defined as the probability that the incorrectly input 2pls will straddle an edge within 80pls, as the weapon switching mode (reversal) is applied when reversing, and is calculated as 2pls/80pls=2.5%. .

As a result, as mentioned above, the resolution of position detection during rotation in the reverse direction is set to be coarser (lower) than the resolution during rotation in the forward direction, which is lower than the normal mode (10%). can also have a low error rate (2.5%).
Furthermore, in the weapon switching mode (reverse rotation), there may be a case in which the error rate can be further reduced by shifting the phase from the determination edge of position detection when the wheel unit 11 rotates in the reverse direction.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10(d), by using a pulse waveform whose detection phase is shifted from the pulse waveform for weapon switching mode shown in FIG. 10(c), for example, 2pls which is 1/10. It is considered that the probability of erroneous input of 2/10=4 pls, 3/10=6 pls, 4/10=8 pls, and 5/10=10 pls can be lowered exponentially than the erroneous input of .
In this case, by adjusting the detection phase, the error rate can be lowered to a probability close to 0%, which is much lower than 2.5%.

Next, for example, the duty ratio of the PWM control assigned to positions 1 to 20 in the rotation direction (rotational positions) in continuous shooting mode (normal rotation direction) (48 clicks/rotation) will be explained using FIG.
At rotational positions 1 to 5, the duty ratio is assigned to increase in steps of 10%, 45%, 75%, 95%, and 100%. Further, at rotational positions 6 to 10, duty ratios are assigned such that they decrease stepwise: 100%, 95%, 75%, 45%, and 10%. At rotational positions 11 to 20, the duty ratio is assigned to be 0%.

Similarly, the PWM output duty ratio assigned to the rotational position is as shown in FIG. ), respectively.
For example, in the normal mode, as shown in FIG. 12, among rotational positions 1 to 80, rotational positions 1 to 5 increase in stages to 10%, 45%, 75%, 95%, and 100%. is assigned a duty ratio. Then, at rotational positions 6 to 10, the duty ratio is assigned so as to decrease stepwise from 100%, 95%, 75%, 45%, and 10%. A duty ratio of 0% is assigned to rotational positions 11 to 40. Then, at rotational positions 41 to 45, the duty ratio is assigned to increase in steps of 10%, 45%, 75%, 95%, and 100%, and at rotational positions 46 to 50, the duty ratio is assigned to 100%, 95%, and 100%, respectively. Duty ratios are assigned so as to decrease in steps of 75%, 45%, and 10%. A duty ratio of 0% is assigned to rotational positions 51 to 80.

That is, in the normal mode, the coil control unit 12c performs control using a pulse signal in which the peak duty ratio appears twice at rotational positions 1 to 80 (see FIG. 10(a)).
In the continuous shooting mode, as shown in Fig. 12, at rotational positions 1 to 5 out of rotational positions 1 to 80, the rate increases in steps of 10%, 45%, 75%, 95%, and 100%, as in the normal mode. Duty ratios are assigned to increase. Then, at rotational positions 6 to 10, the duty ratio is assigned so as to decrease stepwise from 100%, 95%, 75%, 45%, and 10%. A duty ratio of 0% is assigned to rotational positions 11 to 20. Then, at rotational positions 21 to 25, the duty ratio is assigned to increase in steps of 10%, 45%, 75%, 95%, and 100%, and at rotational positions 26 to 30, the duty ratio is assigned to 100%, 95%, and 100%, respectively. Duty ratios are assigned so as to decrease in steps of 75%, 45%, and 10%. A duty ratio of 0% is assigned to rotational positions 31 to 40. Similarly, at rotational positions 41 to 45, the duty ratio is assigned to increase in steps of 10%, 45%, 75%, 95%, and 100%, and at rotational positions 46 to 50, the duty ratio is assigned to 100% and 95%. , 75%, 45%, and 10%. A duty ratio of 0% is assigned to rotational positions 51 to 60. At rotational positions 61 to 65, the duty ratio is assigned to increase stepwise to 10%, 45%, 75%, 95%, and 100%, and at rotational positions 66 to 70, the duty ratio is assigned to 100%, 95%, and 75%. , 45%, and 10%. A duty ratio of 0% is assigned to rotational positions 71 to 80.

That is, in the continuous firing mode, the coil control unit 12c performs control using a pulse signal in which the peak duty ratio appears four times at rotational positions 1 to 80 at intervals of half the rotational position as in the normal mode (FIG. 10(b)). reference).
On the other hand, in weapon switching mode A, as shown in FIG. 12, among rotational positions 1 to 80, rotational positions 1 to 5 increase in stages to 10%, 45%, 75%, 95%, and 100%. The duty ratio is assigned as follows. Then, at rotational positions 6 to 10, the duty ratio is assigned so as to decrease stepwise from 100%, 95%, 75%, 45%, and 10%. A duty ratio of 0% is assigned to rotational positions 11 to 80.

That is, in weapon switching mode A, the coil control unit 12c performs control using a pulse signal in which the duty ratio peak appears once at rotational positions 1 to 80 at an interval of rotational positions twice that of the normal mode (Fig. 10 (see (c)).
Furthermore, in weapon switching mode B, as shown in FIG. 12, a duty ratio of 0% is assigned to rotational positions 1 to 10 among rotational positions 1 to 80. Then, at rotational positions 11 to 15, the duty ratio is assigned to increase in steps of 10%, 45%, 75%, 95%, and 100%. Then, at rotational positions 16 to 20, the duty ratio is assigned to decrease stepwise from 100%, 95%, 75%, 45%, and 10%. A duty ratio of 0% is assigned to rotational positions 6 to 80.
Thereby, in weapon switching mode B, the coil control unit 12c can perform control using a pulse signal whose phase is shifted from that in weapon switching mode A (see FIG. 10(d)).

<How to control the wheel unit 11>
The wheel unit 11 of this embodiment is controlled according to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 13 and 14.

First, the torque generation process for controlling the rotational resistance of the wheel unit 11 will be explained using FIG. 13.
That is, as shown in FIG. 13, first, when the rotation detection section 13a detects the rotation of the wheel body section 12f in step S11, the rotation detection section 13a detects the rotation position of the wheel body section 12f in step S12. Then, the detection result is transmitted to the output torque determining section 12a (rotation detection step).

Next, in step S13, the direction detection section 13b detects the rotation direction (forward rotation, reverse rotation) of the wheel main body section 12f, and transmits the detection result to the output torque determination section 12a (direction detection step).
Next, in step S14, the output torque determining unit 12a reads a table containing a plurality of pulse waveforms stored in the storage unit 12b.

Next, in step S15, the output torque determining section 12a determines an appropriate pulse waveform corresponding to the detection results in the rotation detecting section 13a and the direction detecting section 13b from among the pulse waveforms read in step S14.
Next, in step S16, the pulse waveform determined by the output torque determination section 12a is output to the coil control section 12c.

Next, in step S17, the coil control unit 12c controls the current flowing through the coil 12d according to the pulse waveform output from the output torque determining unit 12a in step S16, so that the coil 12d has the determined output torque. The viscosity of the MR fluid 12e is adjusted (coil control step).
That is, in the wheel unit 11 of this embodiment, based on the detection results of the rotational direction and rotational position of the wheel main body 12f, the rotational resistance (click feeling) is different from each other when rotating in the forward rotation direction and the reverse rotation direction. can be controlled.

More specifically, when rotating in the normal rotation direction, a click feeling appears in a short cycle, and when rotating in a reverse direction, a click feeling appears in a longer cycle than in the normal rotation direction.
Thereby, it is possible to provide the mouse 10 that can provide a user with a delicate feeling of use.
Next, scroll detection processing in the mouse 10 will be explained using FIG. 14.

That is, as shown in FIG. 14, first, in step S21, when the rotation detection section 13a detects the rotation of the wheel body section 12f, in step S22, the rotation detection section 13a detects the rotational position of the wheel body section 12f. .
Next, in step S23, the edge determination unit 13c detects an edge portion of the pulse waveform using the rotational position detected in step S22.

Next, in step S24, in parallel with step S23, the direction detection section 13b detects the rotation direction of the wheel main body section 12f.
Next, in step S25, a scroll pulse is output from the communication section 14 on the mouse 10 side to the communication section 21 on the PC 20 side based on the edge portion detected in step S23.
Next, in step S26, the communication unit 21 of the PC 20 receives the scroll pulse outputted in step S25, and it is reflected in the control in the PC 20.

[Other embodiments]
Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention.

(A)
In the above embodiment, the wheel unit 11 and its control method have been described using an example in which the present invention is realized. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.
For example, the present invention may be implemented as a wheel unit control program that causes a computer to execute the wheel unit control method described above.

This control program is stored in a memory (storage unit) mounted on the wheel unit, and the CPU reads the control program stored in the memory and causes the hardware to execute each step. More specifically, the same effects as described above can be obtained by the CPU reading the control program and executing the above-described rotation detection step, direction detection step, and coil control step.
Moreover, the present invention may be realized as a recording medium that stores a control program for a wheel unit.

(B)
In the above embodiment, the mouse 10 has been described as an example of the operating device loaded with the wheel unit 11 according to the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.
For example, the operating device to which the wheel unit of the present invention is loaded may be, in addition to the mouse, a keyboard, a game controller such as a steering wheel, a control panel used for playing music, etc.

(C)
The above embodiment has been described using an example in which the coil control unit 12c controls the current flowing through the coil 12d so as to change the interval of the click feeling between the forward rotation direction and the reverse rotation direction. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.
For example, the configuration may be such that the current flowing through the coil is controlled so as to change the magnitude of the rotational resistance of the wheel unit 11 between the forward rotation direction and the reverse rotation direction. Specifically, for example, the rotational resistance is controlled to be small in the continuous fire mode (normal rotation), and the rotational resistance is controlled to be larger in the weapon switching mode (reverse rotation) than in the continuous fire mode.
This allows the game player to perform more delicate operations, and also prevents him or her from unconsciously operating from the forward rotation direction to the reverse rotation direction and performing an unintended operation.
Further, different controls may be performed in the forward rotation direction and reverse rotation direction by combining the interval that produces a click feeling and the magnitude of rotational resistance.

(D)
In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the current flowing through the coil 12d is controlled so that the click feeling occurs at shorter intervals during rotation in the forward direction than during rotation in the reverse direction. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.
For example, the current flowing through the coil may be controlled so that the click feeling occurs at longer intervals when rotating in the forward direction than when rotating in the reverse direction, depending on the operation details of the game.

(E)
The above embodiment has been described using an example in which control is performed so that the resolution is coarser during rotation in the reverse direction than during rotation in the forward direction. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.
For example, depending on the operation details of the game, the resolution may be controlled to be finer when rotating in the reverse direction than when rotating in the forward direction.

(F)
In the above embodiment, the mouse 10 loaded with the wheel unit 11 according to the present invention is mainly used for games such as e-Sports. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.
For example, the operating device loaded with the wheel unit according to the present invention may be used in fields other than games, such as normal PC work, design, music, and other business applications.

The wheel unit of the present invention has a simple configuration and has the effect of being able to assign different settings for forward rotation and reverse rotation, so it can be widely applied to various operating devices such as mice, keyboards, and control panels. It is possible.

1 Mouse control system (operation control system)
10 Mouse (control device)

10a Mouse body 10b Switch

10c Bottom surface 10d USB socket 10ea Light emitter 10eb Light receiver 10f Switch 11 Wheel unit 11a Outer wheel (wheel main body)
11b Inner wheel (wheel body)
11c Middle button 11d Press detection lever 11e Shaft 11f Rotation detection magnet 11g MR fluid holding section (magneto-rheological fluid holding section)
11h Seal member 12 Torque generation section 12a Output torque determination section 12b Storage section 12c Coil control section 12d Coil 12e MR fluid 12f Wheel body section 13 Scroll detection section 13a Rotation detection section 13b Direction detection section 13c Edge determination section 14 Communication section (second Communication Department)
20 PC (operation control device)
20a Keyboard 21 Communication section (first communication section)
22 Display section 23 Control section

Claims

A wheel unit loaded into an operating device,
a wheel main body that is loaded into the operating device in a state where it can rotate in forward and reverse directions;
a magnetorheological fluid holding section that holds a magnetorheological fluid that imparts rotational resistance to the wheel body by changing its viscosity due to an externally applied magnetic field;
a rotation detection unit that detects the position of the wheel main body in the rotation direction;
a direction detection unit that detects the rotation direction of the wheel main body;
a coil that generates a magnetic field for the magnetorheological fluid;
Depending on the detection results of the rotation detecting section and the direction detecting section, the rotational resistance to the wheel main body is determined depending on whether the wheel main body is rotating in the forward direction or in the reverse direction. a coil control unit that controls the current flowing through the coil so as to change the current flowing through the coil;
A wheel unit equipped with.
Further comprising an output torque determining section that determines the output torque of the wheel main body according to the detection results in the rotation detecting section and the direction detecting section,
The coil control unit controls the current flowing through the coil according to the determination in the output torque determination unit.
The wheel unit according to claim 1.
Further comprising a storage unit that stores data of a plurality of pulse waveforms corresponding to the output torque of the wheel main body,
The output torque determining section reads an appropriate pulse waveform according to the detection results of the rotation detecting section and the direction detecting section, and determines the output torque of the wheel main body.
The wheel unit according to claim 2.
The coil control unit performs PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control based on the pulse waveform.
The wheel unit according to claim 3.
The rotation detecting section is set with a first resolution for rotation in the forward direction and a second resolution lower than the first resolution for rotation in the reverse direction, respectively.
The wheel unit according to claim 1 or 2.
The rotation detecting section is set to a position where a first phase for detecting a rotational position during rotation in a normal rotation direction and a second phase for detecting a rotational position during rotation in a reverse rotation direction are shifted from each other. ,
The wheel unit according to claim 1 or 2.
The coil control section controls the current flowing through the coil so that the click feeling of the wheel body section varies depending on the rotation direction of the wheel body section detected by the direction detection section.
The wheel unit according to claim 1 or 2.
The coil control section provides a click feeling at the first pitch when the detection result in the direction detection section is the forward direction, and when the detection result in the direction detection section is the reverse rotation direction, the coil control section provides the click feeling at the first pitch. controlling the current flowing through the coil so that a click feeling is provided at a second pitch that is wider than the first pitch;
The wheel unit according to claim 7.
The wheel unit according to claim 1 or 2,
a main body that rotatably supports the wheel unit;
Operating device with.
A method for controlling a wheel unit according to claim 1 or 2,
a rotation detection step of detecting the position of the wheel main body in the rotation direction;
a direction detection step of detecting the rotational direction of the wheel main body;
a coil control step of controlling a current flowing through the coil so as to change rotational resistance to the wheel main body according to the detection results in the rotation detection step and the direction detection step;
How to control a wheel unit equipped with
A control program for a wheel unit according to claim 1 or 2,
a rotation detection step of detecting the position of the wheel main body in the rotation direction;
a direction detection step of detecting the rotational direction of the wheel main body;
a coil control step of controlling a current flowing through the coil so as to change rotational resistance to the wheel main body according to the detection results in the rotation detection step and the direction detection step;
A wheel unit control program that causes a computer to execute a control method for a wheel unit equipped with.