JPH0367320A - Angle information input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the input of coordinates with use of only a position indicat ing device by detecting the tilting direction and/or angle of the position indicat ing device when the device is properly tilted on a coordinate input device after a prescribed operation is through. CONSTITUTION:When a loop coil C1 is connected to a transmission circuit 22, a radio wave is produced from the coil C1 based on the input signal received from the circuit 22. If an input pen 8 exists in the vicinity of the coil C1 under such conditions, the radio wave energizes the coil 81 of the pen 8 and the induced voltage is produced at the tuning circuit 80 of the pen 8 synchronously with the input signal. The coil 81 produces a radio wave with the current flowing to the circuit 80 based on the induced voltage. This radio wave energizes the coil C1 and the induced voltage is produced from the coil C1. In this case, the induced voltage is inputted to a processor 18 via a receiving circuit 24 since the coil C1 is connected to the circuit 24. Then the indicated positions of the position detecting parts 10x and 10y can be detected as the XY coordinates.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an angle information input device for inputting angle information and direction of a position indicator of a coordinate input device to a computer.

[Conventional technology]

A joystick is conventionally used as a device for inputting angle information to a computer. This is to input angle information obtained by appropriately tilting a rotating lever 3606 into a computer through an A/D converter.

By using the joystick, for example, the user moves a cursor on the display, scrolls the screen vertically, horizontally, and the like. In other words, tilting the joystick to the right will scroll the cursor to the right, tilting it to the left will scroll the cursor to the left, tilting it forward will scroll the cursor up, and tilting it backward will scroll the cursor down. I tried to move it.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

The conventional angle input device described above requires a dedicated angle input device such as a joystick, so it is necessary to have a joystick or the like in addition to the command input device.

As computers continue to become smaller, portable devices such as electronic notebooks and electronic notebooks have become widespread, but if such devices are equipped with a joystick or the like, their portability will be compromised.

On the other hand, one type of computer input device is a device that combines a coordinate input device that detects input coordinates and inputs them into the computer as two-dimensional coordinates, such as a tablet and a stylus pen, and a position pointing device that indicates the input coordinates. . In this device, input is performed using a pen-type position pointing device, which is preferable because it gives the feeling of writing in a notebook or notebook with a pen or the like.

This invention focuses on the fact that computer input is performed by a combination of a coordinate input device and a position pointing device, and in addition to specifying coordinates by the position pointing device, angle information can be inputted by tilting the position pointing device. The purpose is to provide an information input device.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, an angle information input device according to the present invention includes a coordinate input device for inputting two-dimensional coordinates into a computer, and a position indicating device for indicating a position on the coordinate input device. After performing this, if the position pointing device is appropriately tilted on the coordinate input device, the direction and/or angle of the tilted position is detected.

The predetermined operation includes, for example, moving the position pointing device within a predetermined region of the coordinate input device, detecting the tilt direction of the position pointing device within the region, and detecting the two-dimensional coordinates outside this region. The position indicating device is equipped with a switch button such as a side switch, and when the switch button is operated, the tilt direction is detected, or the coordinate input device is combined with a keyboard, etc. Examples include those in which the tilt direction is detected when a predetermined key on the keyboard is operated.

[For production]

When a predetermined position on the coordinate input device is designated by the position pointing device, the designated position is input to the computer as two-dimensional coordinates by the coordinate input device, and processing such as storage and display is performed.

Then, after a predetermined operation is performed, when the position indicator is tilted appropriately, the direction in which it is tilted is detected, and depending on the direction and the corresponding command, the screen on the display can be moved forward, backward, left, right, etc. , or move the cursor.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the angle information input device according to the present invention will be specifically explained based on the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 12.

First, as a coordinate input device suitable for using this angle information input device, there is one described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1983-70326, and the outline of this coordinate input device will be explained with reference to FIGS. 9 to 12. do.

As shown in FIG. 9, this coordinate input device is composed of a control device 4 connected to an input/output cover 2 constituting a position indicating section, a power supply device 16, and an input pen 8 as a position indicating device. Optionally input pen 8 on the top
Detects the position indicated by.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the input/output cover panel 2 has a flat display as a coordinate display on a position detection unit 10 consisting of position detectors 10x and 10y in the X and Y directions. A panel, for example, a liquid crystal display panel 12 is placed thereon, and these are housed in a case 14 made of non-metal.

This liquid crystal display panel 12 displays characters, figures, etc. in response to input from the input pen 8, and does not necessarily have to be placed above the position detection unit IO, but may be a CRT display or the like. I don't mind. especially,
The above-described structure is advantageous for electronic notebooks, electronic notebooks, and other devices that require portability.

The control device 4 includes a position detection control circuit that controls the position detection section 10, a display control circuit that controls the liquid crystal display panel 12, and an electronic computer that collectively controls these control circuits.

In addition, the power supply device 6 may include a well-known rectifier, transformer, DC-D
It consists of a C converter, etc., and supplies power to each circuit within the control device 4. Although the control device 4 and the power supply device 6 are shown as being built into the case 14, they may be separate units connected by a cable.

FIG. 11 shows the position detection control circuit in the X direction and the position detection section 10.
The position detection unit 10X has a plurality of loop coils C1, Cz, .
It is constructed by partially overlapping the adjacent loop coil C. One end of these loop coils C, -C48 is connected to the - terminal group 16a of the selection circuit 16, and the other end is connected to another terminal group 16b, respectively. This selection circuit 16 sequentially selects the negative loop coil CI from among the loop coils C1 to C48, and this selection is made based on information from the processing device 18.
This is done by switching the selection contact 16c corresponding to the terminal group 16b and the selection contact 16d corresponding to the terminal group 16b in conjunction with each other.

The selection contacts 16c and 16d are connected to a selection contact 20a and a selection contact 20b of the connection switching circuit 20, respectively. This connection switching circuit 20 connects the loop coil C1 selected by the selection circuit 16 alternately to the transmitting circuit 22 and the receiving circuit 24, and connects the terminals 20c and 20d connected to the selection contact 20a. Selection contact 2
Among the terminals 20e and 20f connected to 0b, the terminal 20
Terminals c and 20e are connected to the output terminal of the transmitting circuit 22, and terminals 20d and 20f are connected to the input terminal of the receiving circuit 24. Note that the selection contact 20a and the selection contact 20b of the connection switching circuit 20 operate in conjunction with each other to switch between transmission and reception.

A Y-direction position detection control circuit and a position detection section 10y configured in the same manner as described above are provided so that the position detection section 10y is substantially perpendicular to the position detection section 10x to detect the xY coordinates of the indicated position. A coordinate input device is configured.

This input pen 8 used in the coordinate input device as described above has a built-in tuning circuit 80 as shown in FIG.

This tuning circuit is constituted by a well-known parallel resonant circuit in which both ends of a coil 81 are connected to both ends of a capacitor 82 and a variable capacitor 83, which are connected in parallel, as shown in FIG. Note that the resonance frequency of this resonance circuit is selected to be a value that is in tune with the frequency of radio waves transmitted by each loop coil CI of the position detection section 10.

Further, a capacitor 85 is connected to both ends of the coil 81 via a switch 84, and when the switch 84 is turned on, the phase of the radio wave in the above-mentioned parallel resonant circuit is delayed by a predetermined angle, for example, 90 degrees. This switch 84 is configured so that, for example, the tip of the input pen 8 enters and exits the cover panel 2.
This switch is turned on when the surface of the input/output panel 2 is touched (pen down), and when characters or figures are drawn on the input/output cover panel 2, the pen is down, so input can be made by the pen down.

A switch 86 and a capacitor 87 are connected in parallel with the switch 84 and capacitor 85, and when the switch 86 is turned on, the phase of the radio wave in the parallel resonant circuit is changed by a predetermined angle, for example, 180°.
It has a slowing effect. This switch 86 is provided at a position where the input pen 8 is held for inputting data, for example, and is pressed with a finger when performing image processing such as scrolling. The switch 86 is to be turned on.

First, the operation of detecting the coordinates of the position indicated by the human-powered pen 8 configured as described above will be explained, but since the details of the detection procedure of the coordinate input device described above are publicly known (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-70326 (No.), the detection procedure will be outlined.

When the loop coil C8 is connected to the transmitting circuit 22, radio waves based on the input signal P sent out from the transmitting circuit 22 are generated from the loop coil C. At this time, if the input pen 8 exists near the loop coil CI, the radio wave excites the coil 81 of the input pen 8, and an induced voltage synchronized with the input signal P is generated in the tuned circuit 80 thereof. After that, when the connection of the loop coil CI is switched to the receiving circuit 24, the radio waves from the loop coil C8 disappear immediately.

Since there is no circuit change in the tuning circuit 80 of the input pen 8, the induced voltage gradually attenuates. Based on this induced voltage, the coil 81 generates a radio wave by a current flowing through the tuned circuit 80, and this radio wave excites the loop coil CI, contrary to the above.
An induced voltage will be generated at 1. At this time, since the loop coil C8 is connected to the receiving circuit 24, this induced voltage is input as the receiving signal Q from the receiving circuit 24 to the processing device 18.

In this way, the connection of the loop coil C8 is sequentially switched while switching the connection of the loop coil C8 between the transmitting circuit 22 and the receiving circuit 24 alternately. When the input pen 8 is located above the loop coil C8, the induced voltage generated in this loop coil CI and the adjacent loop coil C8-1
, induced voltage generated in loop coil CI+1 ■, -8,
Comparing VI+1, ■1 is the largest, ■, -4, ■
, -1, . The values of these induced voltages are processed by processing device 1.
8, the loop coil C5 pointed to by the input pen 8 can be detected.

If this is done for the position detecting section 10x and the position detecting section 10y, this indicated position can be detected as the XY coordinates.

Further, in the input pen 8 shown in FIG.
is ON, the phase of the current at the resonance frequency of the tuning circuit 80 built into the input pen 8 lags the phase of the voltage by a predetermined angle, and therefore the phase of the received signal Q also lags the phase of the input signal P. The phase is delayed by a predetermined angle (90°). If the processing device 18 detects that this phase difference has occurred, it is possible to detect whether the switch 84 is turned on or off. Therefore, when drawing characters or figures, the input pen 8 is moved down and the switch 84 is turned off.
If you press N, you can input the desired characters and figures into the coordinate input device.

When detecting the coordinates as described above, as shown in FIG. 2, the detected voltage waveform is such that the loop coil CI at the position indicated by the input pen 8 becomes the maximum voltage Vo, and this maximum voltage Vo is generated. The coordinate position is detected based on the relationship between the voltages of the loop coil C1 and the adjacent loop coil Clta.

By the way, when the input pen 8 is tilted appropriately with respect to the surface of the input/output cover panel 2, as shown in FIG. It is known that a peak voltage vb (sub-peak voltage) of . Moreover, as the tilt angle φ of the input pen 8 increases, the maximum voltage Va decreases, and the voltage vb
is known to increase.

Therefore, the relationship (φo:K) between the value of Va/Vb (=K) and the tilt angle φ of the input pen 8 should be measured in advance.

When inputting the inclination angle φ of the input pen 8 as angle information, it is sufficient to monitor this K.

Note that the voltage Va is when the input pen 8 is tilted.

Whether or not Vb is equal to or less than the threshold voltage Vt is determined, and this threshold voltage Vt is determined as appropriate.

Whether angle information is obtained from the input pen 8 depends on whether the switch 86 is turned on. That is, when the switch 86 is turned on, the switch 8
4 is turned on, the phase of the current at the resonant frequency of the tuned circuit 80 lags the phase of the voltage by a predetermined angle, and the phase of the received signal Q also lags the phase of the input signal P by a predetermined angle. (180°), the processing device 18 detects the occurrence of this phase difference and detects the tilt angle φ of the input pen 8.

Next, another principle for detecting the inclination angle of the input pen 8, its structure and operation will be explained with reference to FIG. The input pen 8 includes two tuning circuits 80a and 80b as position indicating elements having different resonance frequencies separated by a suitable pressure RLx.
is built-in.

The transmitting circuit 22 and the receiving circuit 24 are as follows.

Radio waves having frequencies corresponding to the resonance frequencies of the respective tuning circuits 80a and 80b are appropriately switched to be transmitted and received. As a result, the coordinates X0 and X2 are detected in FIG. 3 in the same way as described above.

Since the distance L□ from the tip of the input pen 8 to the tuning circuit 80a and the distance Is L 2 between the tuning circuits 80a and 80b are known, the seat WX of the tip of the input pen 8 is expressed as
L□+ Lri/L2) ' Xl(LL/Lri・X2
It can be calculated from ・・・・・・・・・・・・■.

Then, the inclination angle θX of the input pen 8 in the X direction is θx=s
in-' (Xz X)/ (Lx + Lt)
...It can be calculated from ■.

The above angle information is detected for the X and Y coordinates. For example, assume that the input pen 8 is tilted in the direction of an angle α from the X-axis as shown in FIG. 4, and the tilt angle is θ.

The coordinate Y of the tip of the input pen 8 and the tilt angle θy in the Y direction are:
Similarly to the above, Y=((L□+Lri/Lri・Y□ −(Lyo+Lm)・Y2 ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
・■θy=sin-1(Y2-Y)/(L1+L2)・
...It can be calculated by ■.

Then, from the detection results of X-engine and Y-engine and both formulas (■) and (■) above, the direction α of the above-mentioned inclination is calculated as follows, with the positive direction of the X-axis as the starting line: a=tan-"(Yt Y)/(Xl- X)+nπ
-■However.

When Xl-X≧O, Y, -Y≧0, n=0X1-X
When <O, n=l X1-X≧o, y, -y<o, throat, n=2 again. The tilt angle θ of the input pen 8 is represented by i.

Next, another method for detecting the tilt direction γ and the tilt angle β of the input pen 8 will be explained according to FIGS. 5 and 6.

As mentioned above, when the input pen 8 is tilted, a main peak voltage Va and a sub-peak voltage vb are generated, but as shown in FIG. occurs. In this case, when the tilt angle β of the input pen 8 increases from the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 5 to the position shown by the broken line in FIG. The main peak voltage Vp changes as shown by the broken line from the indicated position.
, detecting a first peak voltage v1 and a second peak voltage v2,
The area Sx of the portion surrounded by the threshold voltage Vt and the first peak voltage curve and the area Sx of the portion surrounded by the threshold voltage Vt and the second peak voltage curve are calculated. These areas can be calculated by detecting the respective peak voltages 4 and Y2 and adding the values obtained when A/D conversion is performed by the processing device 18. Then, the difference in area Δ5x0 (=Sx2-8x,) is calculated. This calculation is also performed in the Y direction, and a similar area difference ΔS Vo
(= S Yz S Yl) and display them as vectors as shown in FIG. Then, by calculating the sum of these vectors ΔSx, , ΔSYa, we get vector R
is obtained. Now, if we assume that there is no tilt component of the input pen 8 in the Y direction, only the component ΔSx0 in the X direction appears, and similarly, if we assume that there is no tilt component in the X direction, only the component ΔSyo in the Y direction appears. It will appear. That is,
As shown in FIG. 6, when both the X-direction component and the Y-direction component appear, the direction of the vector R indicates the direction Y in which the input pen 8 is tilted, and the magnitude of the vector R is This represents the tilt angle β of the input pen 8.

Therefore, the tilted direction γ is as follows, with the positive direction of the ΔSX axis as the starting line: y = tan-1 (ΔSy/ΔSx) + n tc
-■ However, when ΔSx, Δsy≧0, n=0 when ΔSx<O, n=1, ΔSx≧O1, and n=2 when ΔSy≦O.

In addition, the tilt angle β is determined in advance by the magnitude of the vector R and the tilt angle β.
Find the relationship β = f (R) with the size of .

R: ΔSxo +ΔSya・・・・・・・・・
・β can be calculated from ■.

Then, as described above, when the magnitudes of the tilt angles φ, θ, and β of the input pen 8 exceed predetermined values, a predetermined command is input. That is, depending on the direction of the tilt, for example, if the screen is tilted to the left, the screen on the display will scroll to the left, if it is tilted to the right, it will scroll to the right, and if it is tilted to the front, it will scroll up. and scroll down if tilted backwards.

Alternatively, if the screen is tilted forward or backward, commands are associated with each of the 12 directions, such as changing the page to the previous or next page on the screen.

Alternatively, FIG. 7 shows a display on which a book shape M2O is displayed. Then, as shown in the figure, the cursor 32 is positioned at a desired position on the book form 30, and angle information is obtained from the input pen 8. When the input pen 8 is tilted to the left,
It is also possible to open the page on which the cursor 32 is located on the display. That is, by changing the position of the cursor 32, the page to be opened can be changed.

In the embodiment described above, the function of the input pen 8 is switched from coordinate position input to angle information input by operating the switch 86. When the keyboard is connected, the coordinate input function and the angle information input function can be switched by operating a predetermined key on the keyboard. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, an angular information detection area 2a is provided in a part of the input/output cover panel 2 of the coordinate input device, and when the input pen 8 is within this angular information detection area 2a, coordinate input is performed. It is also possible to input the angle information without having to do so.

In this case, for example, 12 directions as shown in FIG. 4 may be drawn and commands corresponding to each direction may be written.

In addition, in the embodiments described above, the position pointing device is cordless, that is, the position pointing device has a built-in tuning circuit that corresponds to the frequency of radio waves emitted from the coordinate human power device. The present invention can also be used in devices. For example, it can also be used in an electromagnetic induction type coordinate input device.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the angle information input device according to the present invention, by appropriately tilting a position indicating device such as a stylus pen, the tilt angle and tilt direction are detected and input. There is no need to provide an input device for angle information in addition to the position pointing device.
Coordinate input and angle information can be input using only the position pointing device. Therefore, the functions of electronic notebooks, electronic notebooks, etc. can be further enhanced without impairing their portability.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the angle detection principle of the - embodiment, and shows the position pointing device in an appropriately tilted state. Second
The figure also shows the position pointing device in a vertically erected state. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining another angle detection principle, and shows a state in which the position pointing device is appropriately tilted. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the tilt direction of the position pointing device. Figures 5 and 6 are diagrams for explaining another angle detection principle. Figure 5 shows the position pointing device tilted appropriately, and Figure 6 shows the tilted state with vectors. This is a diagram. FIG. 7 is a front view of a display on which an image is displayed for explaining one of the processes performed by this angle information input device. FIG. 8 is a plan view of a coordinate input device provided with an angle information input area. Figures 9@ to 11 are diagrams for explaining the outline of the coordinate input device. Figure 9 is a configuration diagram of the coordinate input device, and Figure 10 is a sectional view taken along the line X-X in Figure 9. The intermediate part is omitted from the illustration, and FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of the position detection control circuit and the position detection section. FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of a tuning circuit built into the 1-position pointing device. 2... Input/output cover panel 2a... Angle information detection area 4... Control bag w 6... Power supply device 8...
- Input pen (position pointing device) 10... Position detection section 80... Tuning circuit 80
a, 80b... Tuning circuit (position indicating element) 81...
Coil 82...Capacitor 83...Variable capacitor 84...Switch 85...Capacitor 86...Switch 87...Capacitor C8...Loop coil (detection element) φ, θ, β... Tilt angle α, γ...Tilt direction 1
ψ；O Figure engraving of the drawing (no change in content) Figure 5 Figure 10 Figure 12 Amendment to figure procedure (method) % formula % Display of the case 1999 Patent Application No. 278037 relationship with

Claims (1)

[Claims] Consisting of a coordinate input device for inputting two-dimensional coordinates into a computer and a position pointing device for indicating a position on the coordinate input device, after performing a predetermined operation, An angle information input device characterized in that, when the position pointing device is tilted appropriately, the direction and/or angle of the tilted position pointing device is detected.