JPH11110111A - Touch panel auxiliary device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] The present invention relates to a touch panel auxiliary device for inputting or selecting and inputting characters and symbols by pressing keys or buttons of a virtual keyboard displayed or printed on a touch panel, and a larger screen when drawing. It is an object of the present invention to realize a touch panel assisting device that can use a keyboard and can perform input with the same operability as a small keyboard when inputting characters. SOLUTION: The touch panel is provided with a flexible auxiliary sheet provided with an upwardly convex shape, a downwardly convex shape, or a convexly convex protrusion on both the upper side and the lower side substantially at the center of each key or button. It is a touch panel auxiliary device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a touch panel assisting device for inputting or selecting characters and symbols by pressing keys or buttons of a virtual keyboard displayed or printed on a touch panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, portable information devices have been miniaturized so that the size of the main body is suitable for carrying. Therefore, as an input device, (1) a device using a small keyboard (2) input by handwriting character recognition from a touch panel (3) Some display a virtual keyboard on a display device and input by touching with a fingertip or pen tip.

[0003]

In the input method (1), since the main body cannot be enlarged due to the restriction of being carried, the screen is reduced by the size of the keyboard, so that when performing operations such as drawing, There is a problem that operability is impaired.

[0004] The input method (2) has a problem that the technical level of character recognition and the operability are inferior to those of a keyboard input, making it difficult to input. In the input method of the above (3),
As shown in FIG. 6, since the area touched by operating with a fingertip becomes large, the virtual keyboard must be displayed large, and there is a problem that the display area becomes small. Further, although the virtual keyboard can be made smaller by pen input, there is a problem in that it is difficult to touch a small area with a pen in terms of operability.

FIG. 6 shows an explanatory diagram of the prior art. This is because, when the touch panel sheet is pressed with a fingertip, the deformation range (area) in contact with the touch panel glass substrate increases as illustrated, and the size of a virtual keyboard key displayed below (not shown) is larger than the deformation range. Otherwise, an adjacent key is pressed and an erroneous input is made, so that the size of the key to be displayed is inevitably increased, and as a result, the portion for displaying characters and images is reduced.

[0006] The present invention solves these problems,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a touch panel assisting device that can use a larger screen when drawing and can input characters with the same operability as a small keyboard when inputting characters.

[0007]

Means for solving the problem will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG.
Is a projection provided substantially at the center of the keys and buttons of the virtual keyboard, which is provided above or below the flexible auxiliary sheet 2 or both above and below. Things.

The auxiliary sheet 2 is a flexible sheet,
This is to hold the projection 1 having a convex shape. Next, the operation will be described.

At the approximate center of each key or button of the virtual keyboard on the touch panel, a flexible auxiliary sheet 2 having an upwardly projecting or downwardly projecting or convexly projecting projection 1 on both the upper and lower sides is placed. Projection 1 on sheet 2
Is pressed with a fingertip or the like, the touch panel is pressed by the projection 1 and a signal corresponding to a key or button of the corresponding virtual keyboard is detected.

In this case, the convex shape is a convex shape slightly smaller than the size of the key or the button, or a convex shape much smaller than the key or the button. Further, the auxiliary sheet 2 is made transparent or conductive.

Further, a convex portion or a notch is provided at a predetermined portion of the auxiliary sheet 2 so that the type of the auxiliary sheet 2 is automatically detected. Further, the auxiliary sheet 2 is made detachable on the touch panel.

Further, the auxiliary sheet 2 on the touch panel and a hard cover on the auxiliary sheet 2 can be opened and closed with one end as a fulcrum. Therefore, it is possible to realize a touch panel assisting device that can use a larger screen when drawing and can input characters with the same operability as a small keyboard when inputting characters.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment and operation of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows an explanatory diagram of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a projection 1 is a projection provided in correspondence with substantially the center of a key or button of a virtual keyboard displayed or printed on a downward liquid crystal panel not shown in the figure. Are provided on the upper side, the lower side, or both of the upper side and the lower side. The protrusion 1 is used to make it easy to press with the fingertip 5 or pen tip, and to reduce the deformation range (area) of the portion to be pressed on the touch panel sheet 3 when pressed to reliably detect the pressed position. is there. The position (coordinates) of the portion that is pressed by the projection 1 on the touch panel sheet 3 and comes into contact with the touch panel glass substrate 4 is detected by a known technique. For example, in the case of a resistive touch panel, the pressed position is detected based on the resistance value in the X direction and the resistance value in the Y direction. To detect the pressed position, and in the case of a capacitance detection type touch panel, scan in the X and Y directions to detect the pressed position based on the capacitance, and in the case of the electromagnetic induction type, to detect the pressed position. Scanning is performed in the direction, and the pressed position is detected based on the voltage by electromagnetic induction.

The auxiliary sheet 2 is a flexible sheet,
It holds the convex protrusion. This auxiliary sheet 2
Is made of a transparent flexible sheet so that the keys and buttons of a virtual keyboard displayed or printed on a liquid crystal panel placed below can be observed. Further, when the touched position of the touch panel is detected by the capacitance, the touch panel is made more conductive.

The touch panel sheet 3 is a flexible sheet, and when pressed, comes into contact with the touch panel glass substrate 4 to detect its position (coordinate).
The touch panel glass substrate 4 is for detecting the coordinates of a portion in contact with the touch panel sheet 3. The touch panel is constituted by the touch panel sheet 3 and the touch panel glass substrate 4. As described above, various types of known touch panels are used.

The fingertip 5 presses a convex protrusion provided on the auxiliary sheet 2, in the figure, a convex protrusion provided upward. When an experiment was performed in which the fingertip 5 actually pressed the projection shown in the drawing, it was recognized that when the fingertip 5 touched the convex part of the projection 1, the partial repulsive force was used to surely press the projection. The protrusion 1 of the touch panel sheet 3 increases the pressing force by making the area of deformation of the touch panel sheet 3 smaller than that directly pressed by a fingertip, and restricts the pressing position to a specified position. , The coordinate value (position information) can be detected by the touch panel.

The deformation range 6 is a deformation range (area) in which the touch panel sheet 3 is depressed by the convex protrusion 1. The deformation range 6 can be made smaller than the fingertip 5, and it is possible to surely press a narrow range substantially at the center of the key or button of the virtual keyboard.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the shape of the auxiliary sheet of the present invention. FIG. 2A shows an example in which a convex protrusion 1 slightly smaller than the size of the key or button of the virtual keyboard is provided on the auxiliary sheet 2. The horizontal line below each shape indicates the size of the key or button.

FIG. 2 (a-1) shows a shape 1a,
An example in which a protrusion 1 having a convex shape is provided above is shown. (A-2) of FIG.
Shows an example of a shape 2a in which convex protrusions 1 are provided on both the upper and lower sides.

FIG. 2 (a-3) shows a shape 3a,
An example in which a convex protrusion 1 is provided below is shown. As described above, the protrusions 1 slightly smaller than the size of the key or the button are provided on the upper, lower, or both upper and lower sides of the auxiliary sheet 2 so that the fingertip 5 shown in FIG. As described above, when the protrusion 1 is actually pressed downward, it can be recognized that the fingertip 5 touches the protrusion 1 and is pressed down, and the pressed force is restricted to a predetermined position by the protrusion 1 and concentrated. It was found that almost the center of the key or button was pressed. Further, when the projection 1 is pressed down with a fingertip, the projection 1 is searched for with the fingertip 1 and pressed down, so that a desired key or button can be stably and reliably pressed.

FIG. 2B shows an example in which a projection 1 having a size much smaller than the size of the key or button of the virtual keyboard is provided on the auxiliary sheet 2. The horizontal line below each shape indicates the size of the key or button.

FIG. 2B-1 shows the shape 1b,
An example in which a very small convex protrusion 1 is provided on the top is shown. FIG.
(A-2) shows an example in which a very small convex protrusion 1 is provided on both the upper and lower sides of the shape 2b.

FIG. 2A-3 shows a shape 3b,
An example in which a very small projection 1 is provided below is shown. As described above, by providing the convex protrusion 1 which is much smaller than the size of the key or the button on either the upper, lower, or both upper and lower sides of the auxiliary sheet 2, the fingertip 5 can be seen from the top in the figure.
By pressing the projection 1 downward as shown in FIG. 1 and recognizing that the fingertip 5 has touched the projection 1 and pressed down reliably, the pressing force is very small and the projection 1 restricts the projection 1 to a predetermined position. It is concentrated, and it is possible to press the center of the key or button with a large force. When a very small projection 1 is pressed with a fingertip, the very small projection 1 is searched for with the fingertip and pressed, and a desired key or button can be pressed stably and reliably. .

FIG. 2C shows an example of a projection shape. FIG.
(C-1) shows an example of the flat projection 1 having the projection shape 1. FIG. 2C-2 shows an example of a trapezoidal projection 1 having a projection shape 2 and a slightly smaller tip.

FIG. 2C-3 shows an example of a conical projection 1 having a projection shape 3 and a sharp pointed tip. By providing the above-mentioned protrusion shape on the upper, lower, upper or lower side of the auxiliary sheet 2, the pressing position and the force with respect to the touch panel when pressed with a fingertip or the like can be arbitrarily set. The shape of the protrusion may be selected by experiment.

FIG. 3 shows an example (part 1) of a portable terminal using the present invention. FIG. 3A shows a top view. In the portable terminal 11 shown in this top view, as shown, a screen 12 is arranged on almost the entire surface, characters and the like are displayed on an upper display unit 13 in the screen 12, and a virtual keyboard is displayed on a lower virtual keyboard display unit 14. 15 is displayed. The transparent and flexible auxiliary sheet 2 on the touch panel is a virtual keyboard display 1
4 and placed on the virtual keyboard 15 displayed.

With the above configuration, when the convex projection 1 of the auxiliary sheet 2 on the corresponding key of the displayed virtual keyboard 15 is pressed down with a fingertip, the fingertip is pressed. , And it can be recognized that the projection 1 has been pressed down.
As a result, the position at which the touch panel is pressed is limited to the specified position, and it is possible to reliably press the approximate center of a key or button on the touch panel and detect its coordinates.

FIG. 3B shows a side view. In the portable terminal 11 shown in this side view, as shown in the figure, the soft sheet 18 (the flexible auxiliary sheet 2) can be opened and closed with the left end as the fulcrum, and the hard cover 17 with the left end as the fulcrum outside the same. Can be opened and closed.

With the above structure, the main body 1 of the portable terminal 11
When characters and the like are displayed on the entire surface of the wide screen 12 by using the entire display 12 as the display unit 13, the soft sheet 18 (flexible auxiliary sheet 2) can be opened as shown to be out of the way. . At this time, soft sheet 18
Since the hard cover 17 is provided on the outside to prevent the (flexible auxiliary sheet 2) from being damaged, the hard cover 17 is also opened together.

FIG. 4 shows an example (part 2) of a portable terminal using the present invention. FIG. 4A shows a state in which a document is being input. This is because a screen 12 is provided on a portable terminal 11, a display unit 13 is provided in an upper part, and a virtual keyboard part 14 is provided in a lower part, a virtual keyboard 15 is displayed on the virtual keyboard part 14, and the above-mentioned auxiliary sheet (not shown) 2, the document is input by pressing the corresponding convex protrusion 1 of the auxiliary sheet 2 on the virtual keyboard 15 with a fingertip.

FIG. 4B shows how the auxiliary sheet 2 is removed. This shows a state in which the soft sheet 18 (the flexible auxiliary sheet 2) is in the open state and is being further removed, as shown in FIG. 3B described above.

FIG. 4C shows a state where drawing is performed on the entire screen 12. This is soft sheet 18
(Flexible auxiliary sheet 2) is removed, and a state where a drawn image is displayed on the entire surface of the screen 12 of the portable terminal 11 is shown. As described above, when the entire screen 12 is used for display, the soft sheet 18 (flexible auxiliary sheet 2) is removed, the virtual keyboard display unit 14 is eliminated, and the entire screen 12 is switched to the display unit 13. It is possible to display a drawn image or the like on the display unit 13 and switch to display it finely and largely on the screen 12.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining sheet recognition according to the present invention. This is an example in which the type can be automatically recognized when a plurality of soft sheets 18 (flexible auxiliary sheets 2) described with reference to FIG. Here, a predetermined notch is provided at the lower right corner of the soft seat 18 (the flexible auxiliary seat 2) as shown in the figure,
By placing this on the screen 12 of the mobile terminal 11,
This notch is automatically detected, for example, a light detector detects that light from the screen is not reflected by the notch,
Or detect with a mechanical pin. Although not shown,
Instead of the notch, a convex protrusion 1 is provided at a predetermined position of the soft sheet 18 (flexible auxiliary sheet 2), and is initially pressed at a predetermined position of the touch panel, and the pressed position is detected by the touch panel, and the soft sheet 18 (flexible sheet 2) is detected. The type of the auxiliary sheet 2) is automatically detected.

As described above, the notch or the convex protrusion 1 is provided on the soft sheet 18 (the flexible auxiliary sheet 2) to automatically recognize the type, and the virtual keyboard 15 or the button is recognized by the recognized type. Are automatically displayed, and the type of the virtual keyboard 15 or the button can be automatically switched.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In a touch panel device for inputting or selecting and inputting a character or symbol by pressing a key or button of a virtual keyboard displayed or printed on the touch panel, a convex upward or a convex downward or a convex upward or downward substantially at the center of each key or button. Since a configuration is adopted in which a flexible auxiliary sheet 2 provided with convex protrusions 1 on both sides is placed on the touch panel, the auxiliary sheet 2 above the corresponding key among the displayed virtual keyboard 15 keys is adopted. When the protruding projection 1 is pressed down with a fingertip, it is possible to recognize that the fingertip contacts the protruding projection 1 and press the projection 1 without fail, and that the force is concentrated by the projection 1 and the touch panel is pressed by the projection 1. The position is restricted to a specified position, and the coordinates of the key or button on the touch panel can be reliably detected by pressing the center of the key or button. As a result, a larger screen can be used for drawing, and characters can be input with the same operability as a small keyboard when inputting characters.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an example of an auxiliary sheet shape according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an example (part 1) of a mobile terminal using the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an example (part 2) of a portable terminal using the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of sheet recognition according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Projection 2: Auxiliary sheet 3: Touch panel sheet 4: Touch panel glass substrate 5: Fingertip 6: Deformation range 11: Mobile terminal 12: Screen 13: Display section 14: Virtual keyboard display section 15: Virtual keyboard 16: Main body 17: Hardware Cover 18: Soft seat

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A touch panel device for inputting or selecting characters or symbols by pressing a key or a button of a virtual keyboard displayed or printed on a touch panel. A touch panel assisting device, comprising: a flexible auxiliary sheet provided with a downwardly convex shape or a convexly projecting projection on both the upper and lower sides on the touch panel. 2. The projection according to claim 1, wherein the projection is slightly smaller than the size of the key or button, or very small than the key or button.
The touch panel auxiliary device according to the above. 3. The touch panel auxiliary device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary sheet and the projections are transparent or conductive. 4. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the convex portion or the notch is provided at a predetermined portion of the auxiliary sheet to detect a type of the auxiliary sheet. Auxiliary equipment. 5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary sheet is detachable on a touch panel.
The touch panel auxiliary device according to any of the above. 6. The touch panel assisting device according to claim 1, wherein an auxiliary sheet is provided on the touch panel, and a hard cover is provided on the touch panel so as to be openable and closable about one end.