JPH0720982A - Pen type input device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To realize a small pen type input device having two functions so that a series of input operations can be performed without impairing the portability of the pen input PC. This pen-type input device includes a pen-shaped outer cover 4, a coil 10 arranged near the pen tip in the outer cover 4, and a light arranged inside the coil 10. The unit 6, the print plates 11 and 12 for the bar code scanner, which are connected to the light receiving section 9 of the optical unit 6 and which send the information obtained from the optical unit 6 to the pen input PC 1 via the signal cable 2, and the coil 10. A battery 14 for driving the motor and a switch 15 for switching between the above functions are provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pen type input device used in a pen input type information processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a pen input type information processing device,
For example, a handwriting input computer (hereinafter referred to as a pen input PC) or the like is often used, for example, for inventory management of products by taking advantage of portability. At this time, pen input P
It is not necessarily portable because it is necessary to use a different pen-type input device such as a bar code scanner or a digitizer for the input operation to C.

Now, a conventional pen type input device will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. In FIG. 2, 31
Is an outer cover of a pen-type Barco scanner. A contact portion 32 that transmits light is provided at the tip of the exterior cover 31. The exterior cover 31 includes an optical unit 33 and a printed circuit board 34 for analog circuits.
And a printed circuit board 35 for a digital circuit. The optical unit 33 is configured such that the light emitted from the light source 36 is condensed by the contact portion 32 by the lens 37 and reflected on a predetermined surface is received by the light receiving portion 38. This bar code scanner has a signal cable 3 for transmitting the output signal of the printed board 35 to the pen input PC.
9 is provided.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the outer cover 41 of the digitizer is provided with a coil 42 in the vicinity of the pen tip in order to output an electromagnetic wave from the pen tip. Further, a printed board 43, a battery 44, and the like are continuously provided behind the coil 42 in the outer cover 41. The printed circuit board 43 is provided with a control circuit for driving the coil 42. This digitizer is an electromagnetic type and can be used cordlessly by combining it with a tablet provided on the display screen of a pen input PC.

When inventory management of merchandise is carried out by a pen input PC using these bar code scanner and digitizer, the user carries the bar code scanner and digitizer together with the pen input PC to a warehouse. Then, the user counts the number of products in stock while carrying the pen input PC, traces the bar code attached to the product with a bar code scanner, and causes the pen input PC to read the product name, product type, price, and the like. After that, the user manually inputs the counted stock quantity, for example, 5 pieces into the tablet of the pen input PC using the digitizer. This series of input operations is performed by one dominant hand because one hand of the user is blocked by the pen input PC.

By the way, when the product type changes, the user needs to return the bar code scanner he had in his hand to the case of the pen input PC or the like and replace it with the digitizer. Since this work is performed every time the product type changes, even if the pen input PC has good portability, it cannot be fully utilized.

Therefore, it is conceivable to integrate the bar code scanner and the digitizer so that the pen-type input device does not have to be replaced, but when considering the functions of each other, there is almost no omissible structure and the whole structure is eliminated. It becomes large. Therefore, as a result, the portability of the pen input PC cannot be utilized.

[0008]

As described above, in the above-described conventional pen-type input device, a plurality of pen-type input devices are alternately connected in order to manage the inventory of products in the pen-input type information processing device. There is a problem in that the portability of the pen-input type information processing device is impaired because it is necessary to perform an input operation.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and provides a small pen-type input device capable of performing a series of input operations without impairing the portability of a pen-input type information processing device. It is intended to be provided.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a pen type input device of the present invention has a pen-shaped housing, and the pen tip is arranged in the vicinity of the pen tip inside the housing by a predetermined operation. A coil wound so as to generate an electromagnetic wave toward the coil and a bar code reading unit arranged inside the coil to read bar code information recorded on a predetermined surface.

The pen-type input device further includes a pen-shaped housing, a pen tip portion formed to transmit light and electromagnetic waves at the tip of the pen, and a pen tip portion in the housing. A coil that is installed and wound so as to generate an electromagnetic wave toward the pen tip portion, and a linear light that is disposed inside the wound coil and emits linear light toward the pen tip to record on a predetermined surface. A bar code reading section for reading the read bar code information, a control section for converting the bar code information read by the bar code reading section into an electric signal and transmitting the electric signal to the outside, and a coil drive circuit provided in the housing. And a switch provided in the housing for switching operation to either the coil drive circuit or the control unit.

[0012]

In the present invention, since the bar code reading section is arranged inside the coil wound near the pen tip inside the housing, the pen type input device having two functions can be realized in a small size.

As a result, the number of pen-type input devices required individually for two functions is now reduced to one, and a series of pen-type information processing devices can be provided without sacrificing portability. You will be able to perform input operations.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a pen type input device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a handwriting input computer (hereinafter referred to as a pen input PC) as a pen input type information processing device. The pen input PC 1 is equipped with various information processing functions, and each information processing function can be selected on the display screen of the pen input PC 1. A pen type input device 3 is connected to the pen input PC 1 via a signal cable 2 in order to execute a bar code reading function among a plurality of information processing functions. The signal cable 2 is detachable from the pen input PC 1. This pen-type input device 3 has a pen-shaped exterior cover 4 whose one end is thinly formed in a conical shape. The external dimensions are almost the same as the conventional one.

The exterior cover 4 incorporates the following parts.

A contact portion 5 which is in contact with a predetermined external surface and transmits light from the inside is provided on the thin tip of the outer cover 4. An optical unit 6 for transmitting light and receiving light from the contact portion 5 side is provided near the contact portion 5. The light unit 6 includes a light emitting diode 7 as a light source, and the light emitting diode 7
It is composed of a lens 8 that collects more emitted light at a position of a predetermined surface that abuts on the contact portion 5, and a light receiving portion 9 that receives light from the light emitting diode 7 reflected by the predetermined surface. A so-called photoelectric conversion element or the like is used for the light receiving section 9. The axial length of the optical unit 6 is determined by the focusing distance of the lens 8. Around the optical unit 6, a coil 10 (for a digitizer) that generates an electromagnetic wave around an axis is wound with a predetermined number of turns. Behind the optical unit 6, printed boards 11 and 12 for a bar code scanner, which are connected to the light receiving section 9 and into which electric signals photoelectrically converted by the light receiving section 9 are input, are provided. The printed board 11 emits light from the optical unit 6.
An analog circuit for controlling light reception, such as a light emission / light reception control circuit, is provided. On the printed board 12, the analog signal from the light receiving section 9 is digitally processed and the pen input P
A signal processing circuit for sending to C1 is provided.
The printed board 12 is connected to the pen input PC 1 via a signal cable 2.

On the other hand, the coil 10 is connected to the digitizer printed board 13. In the printed board 13, a coil drive control circuit is provided for applying a current to the coil 10 to generate an electromagnetic wave toward the contact portion 5 (pen tip). A battery 14 for supplying power to the coil drive control circuit is replaceably attached to the rear portion of the printed board 13. A switch 15 is arranged on the outer cover 4 at a position where a user can operate the pen-type input device with a finger. This switch 1
Reference numeral 5 switches the operation of the pen type input device to the function of the bar code scanner and the function of the digitizer. The exterior cover 4 incorporating the above-mentioned respective parts is realized with substantially the same outer dimensions as a conventional barcode scanner.

Next, the operation of the pen input PC 1 to which this pen type input device is connected will be described.

Pen input P to which this pen type input device is connected
In C1, when the user manages product inventory such as in a warehouse, the user counts the product inventory while carrying the pen input PC 1 with one hand, and a switch provided on the exterior cover 4 of the pen-type input device. When the bar code scanner 15 is switched to the bar code scanner side, and then the bar code attached to each product is traced by the contact portion 5, information about the product, for example, product name, product type, price, etc., is read by the pen input PC 1. Then, the user switches the switch 15 from the barcode scanner function to the digitizer function without changing the pen type input device, and the number of products in stock at the contact portion 5 by the pen type input device on the display screen of the pen input PC 1. By handwriting, the stock quantity is read by the pen input PC 1 by the electromagnetic wave generated from the coil 10. Since the contact portion 5 is shared with the bar code scanner, it is slightly thicker, but it does not affect the input operation. That is, the user carries out a series of operations up to checking the product inventory while carrying the pen input PC 1 with one hand.
The operation can be performed only by operating the switch of the pen-type input device, which eliminates the conventional work of returning the barcode scanner to the case of the pen-input PC and holding the digitizer.

As described above, according to the pen type input device of the present embodiment, the pen type input device having the function of the bar code scanner and the function of the digitizer with the outer cover 4 having substantially the same outer dimensions as the conventional bar code scanner. Because of the small size, it has become possible to perform a series of input operations related to inventory management work without impairing the portability of the pen input type information processing device.

Further, according to this pen type input device, a series of input operations can be performed without holding the pen type input device, so that one of the two pen type input devices which is not used as in the conventional case is stored and accommodated. It is not necessary to prepare a case for the handwriting input computer side.

In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to a handwriting input computer. In addition, a hand-carry type word processor and engineering work
It is also applicable to station (EWS) terminals and the like.

[0025]

As described above, according to the pen type input device of the present invention, the digitizer and the bar code scanner are provided by disposing the bar code reading section inside the coil arranged near the pen tip inside the housing. Since the pen-type input device having the two functions described above has been realized in a small size while reducing the coil space, a series of input operations can be performed without impairing the portability of the pen-input type information processing device. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a pen type input device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a conventional digitizer pen.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a conventional pen-type barcode scanner.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Handwriting input computer (pen input PC), 2 ... Signal cable, 3 ... Pen type input device, 4 ... Exterior cover, 5
... contact part, 6 ... optical unit, 7 ... light emitting diode, 8 ...
Lens, 9 ... Light receiving part, 10 ... Coil, 11, 12, 13
... printed board, 14 ... battery, 15 ... switch.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A pen-shaped housing, a coil wound around the pen tip in the housing so as to generate an electromagnetic wave toward the pen tip by a predetermined operation, and a coil wound inside the coil. A pen-type input device, comprising: a bar code reading unit which is arranged and reads bar code information recorded on a predetermined surface. 2. A pen-shaped housing, a pen tip portion formed to transmit light and electromagnetic waves at a tip portion of the housing, and a pen tip portion disposed in the housing in the vicinity of the pen tip portion. A coil wound so as to generate an electromagnetic wave toward, and a linear light that is arranged inside the wound coil and emits linear light toward the pen tip to display bar code information recorded on a predetermined surface. A bar code reading unit for reading, a control unit for converting the bar code information read by the bar code reading unit into an electric signal and transmitting the electric signal to the outside, a coil drive circuit provided in the housing, and a housing in the housing. A pen-type input device, comprising: a switch provided to switch operation between one of the coil drive circuit and the control unit.