JPH06332616A - Data input device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] Input data up to 4 dimensions at the same time, or 2
Provided is a data input device which can take a large amount of input data in three dimensions. In a data input device that has a sphere 4 that rotates with the movement of the main body, and detects the amount of rotation of the sphere to extract information indicating the movement in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, the main body has a bottom portion. 2 and an upper surface portion 1 that can be tilted back and forth or left and right with respect to the bottom surface portion, and angle detecting means 9 and 10 for detecting the inclination of the upper surface portion are provided. Two-dimensional data can be input by moving the mouse body, and two-dimensional data can be input by tilting the mouse's upper surface in the front-back direction and the left-right direction. In addition, the amount of movement of the mouse body in the X-axis direction and the tilt angle of the upper surface of the mouse in the left-right direction are added to obtain the amount of movement in the X-axis direction. The amount of movement of the mouse can be made large by adding the tilt angle to the direction to obtain the amount of movement in the Y-axis direction.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data input device for an information processing device called a mouse, and more particularly to a device for inputting data of three or more dimensions.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art This type of data input device is commonly called a mouse and is used as a pointing device of a computer. Hereinafter, this type of data input device will be referred to as a mouse.

In a conventional mouse, an input switch on the upper surface of the mouse body, a data transfer cable for outputting mouse data to an information processing device, and a metal ball or the like provided on the lower surface of the mouse body are orthogonal to each other. It has an encoder for X-axis direction detection and an encoder for Y-axis direction detection.

A hole is formed in the center of the bottom plate of the mouse body, and a sphere is placed in the hole so as to be rotatable in any direction. Two encoders orthogonal to each other are in contact with the side surface of the sphere. Is arranged.

When the mouse body is moved in any direction,
The sphere rotates according to the movement, and with the rotation of this sphere,
An output signal indicating the rotation amount of the sphere on the X axis and the Y axis, and further, the movement amount of the mouse main body, is obtained from each encoder.

Usually, the information processing apparatus has software for analyzing the output signal from the mouse, and the software calculates the movement amount of the mouse body using the output signal from the mouse, and the result is used as the information processing apparatus. To use in.

In this type of mouse, instead of the input from the keyboard or in parallel with the input from the keyboard, a diagram is drawn directly on the screen, a desired processing item is instructed on the screen, etc. Used for various inputs. With mouse input, there is an advantage that there is no typo that occurs when inputting with a keyboard, and moreover, input is possible while looking at the display.

[0008]

However, since the conventional mouse outputs only the X-axis and Y-axis displacement data at the time of movement and the ON / OFF data by a plurality of input switches, It is impossible to input three-dimensional data used in, for example, three-dimensional CAD by using this mouse alone, and if input in the Z-axis direction is required, input from the keyboard must be relied on. It was

In recent years, the multi-window environment has become widespread, and it is becoming more common to open a plurality of windows on a large screen to work. In order to move the cursor on the screen using the conventional mouse, the mouse body is moved in the desired direction. For example, to move the cursor that exists in the upper right corner of the screen to the lower left corner, move the mouse body from the upper right corner to the lower left corner on the work table, but if the distance to move the cursor on the screen is large, It often happens that there is no space to move the mouse body, and in practice, the mouse body must be lifted and moved to the center of the work table many times. Such frequent lifting of the mouse body is not only troublesome, but also causes a reduction in work efficiency.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems. First, it is to provide a data input device capable of simultaneously inputting data up to four dimensions by a mechanical device. Has an aim.

Secondly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a data input device capable of improving the work efficiency by eliminating the work of lifting the mouse body, which frequently occurs when working on a large screen.

[0012]

Therefore, in the present invention, a sphere that rotates with the movement of the main body is provided, and the amount of rotation of this sphere is detected to obtain information indicating the movement in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. In the data input device to be taken out,
An upper surface portion that can be tilted back and forth or left and right with respect to the bottom surface portion is provided, and angle detection means for detecting the inclination of the upper surface portion is provided.

Further, based on the detection output of the angle detecting means, information representing the movement in the Z-axis direction is taken out.

Further, based on the detection output of the angle detecting means, information indicating movement in the X-axis direction or Y-axis direction, which is added to the information indicating the amount of rotation of the sphere, is extracted.

[0015]

Therefore, not only can the mouse body be moved back and forth and left and right on the work table, but also the mouse body can be tilted back and forth and left and right. Two-dimensional data can be input according to the amount of movement of the mouse body, and the upper surface of the mouse Further, two-dimensional data can be input by tilting in the front-back direction and the left-right direction.

Therefore, three-dimensional input becomes possible by inputting data in the Z-axis direction by using the inclination of the upper surface of the mouse in the front-back or left-right direction.

Further, the amount of movement of the mouse body in the X-axis direction and the amount proportional to the inclination angle of the upper surface of the mouse in the left-right direction are added to obtain the amount of movement in the X-axis direction, and the amount of movement of the mouse body in the Y-axis direction is calculated. By adding the movement amount and the amount proportional to the tilt angle of the upper surface of the mouse in the front-rear direction to obtain the movement amount in the Y-axis direction, the cursor can be moved for a long distance. Also, the cursor can be moved only by tilting the upper surface part back and forth and left and right.

[0018]

【Example】

(First Embodiment) As shown in FIG. 1, the data input device according to the first embodiment of the present invention has a top surface 1 on which an input switch 3 is arranged and a bottom surface in which a hole for exposing a sphere 4 is formed in the center. A cushioning material 12 made of rubber or the like is interposed between the portion 2 and the portion 2 to form the outer shell of the mouse.

Inside the mouse, a sphere 4 rotatable in an arbitrary direction, an X-axis direction detecting encoder 5 for detecting the amount of rotation of the sphere 4 in the X-axis direction, and a Y for detecting the amount of rotation in the Y-axis direction. An encoder 6 for detecting the axial direction, a curved plate 7 having a slit in the center, a plate 8 having the same shape arranged in a direction orthogonal to the plate 7, and an angle detector 9 for detecting the rotation of the plate 7.
And an angle detector 10 for detecting the rotation of the plate 8 and the plates 7 and 8
Equipped with a rod 11 protruding from the lower side of the upper surface portion 1 at the intersection of the slits, a data transfer cable 13 for transferring the data detected by the mouse, and software for analyzing the output signal from the mouse And an information processing device 14 including.

The sphere 4 is placed in a hole formed in the center of the bottom plate of the bottom surface 2 so as to be rotatable in any direction, and the X-axis direction detecting encoder 5 and the Y-axis direction detecting sensor 5 are orthogonal to each other. The encoder 6 is arranged so as to contact the side surface of the sphere 4.

The curved plate 7 can be rotated back and forth with respect to the bottom portion 2, and the curved plate 8 is
They are arranged orthogonally to each other so as to be rotatable left and right with respect to the bottom surface part 2, and the rotation angle of the plate 7 uses the angle detector 9 and the rotation angle of the plate 8 uses the angle detector 10. Detected.

Since the plates 7 and 8 are arranged orthogonally to each other in this way, holes are formed at the positions where the slits of the plates 7 and 8 intersect. A stick protruding from below the upper surface 1 into this hole
Insert 11

In the data input device thus constructed, the sphere 4 is rotated by moving the main body forward, backward, leftward and rightward, and the number of pulse signals proportional to the amount of rotation is applied to the X-axis direction detecting encoder 5 and the Y-axis. It is output from the direction detection encoder 6.

On the other hand, when the upper surface 1 of the main body is tilted back and forth and left and right, the rod 11 moves back and forth and left and right accordingly. For example, when the upper surface 1 is tilted back and forth, the rod 11 moves back and forth, and the plate 7 rotates back and forth accordingly. The rotation amount is detected by the angle detector 9.

When the upper surface 1 is tilted to the left or right,
The rod 11 also moves left and right, and the plate 8 rotates left and right accordingly,
The rotation amount is detected by the angle detector 10.

Since the main body of the mouse can be moved back and forth and left and right and the upper surface 1 of the mouse can be tilted back and forth and left and right at the same time, this data input device can store four independent data. It is possible to input at the same time.

Encoder 5 for detecting the X-axis direction, encoder 6 for detecting the Y-axis direction, angle detector 9, and angle detector 10.
Is output by the data transfer cable 13 to the information processing device.
Sequentially sent to 14.

The software of the information processing device 14 for analyzing the output signal from the mouse is shown in the flow chart of FIG. In the first embodiment, the front-back direction of the mouse body corresponds to the Y-direction on the screen, the left-right direction corresponds to the X-direction on the screen, and the inclination of the upper surface portion 1 of the mouse in the front-back direction corresponds to the Z-direction on the screen. By doing so, it becomes possible to point in the three-dimensional space.

Step 1: X-axis, Y on the mouse screen
Set the initial values for the Z axis and Z axis. Step 2; Encoder 5 for X-axis direction detection and encoder 6 for Y-axis direction detection within a predetermined sampling time
Count the pulse signals output from the
The amount of change dX of the mouse in the X-axis direction and the amount of change dY of the mouse in the Y-axis direction are set, and the output w of the angle detector 9 at any time within the sampling time is multiplied by a predetermined constant C. Let C × w be the change amount dZ in the Z-axis direction. Step 3: The amount of change d obtained in Step 2 with respect to the values of the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis obtained by the previous sampling
X, dY and dZ are added to obtain the coordinate value of the new mouse in the three-dimensional space. Step 4: At the same time, if an instruction to end the use of the mouse is received from the software running in the information processing device 14, the process ends; otherwise, the process returns to step 2 to continue sampling.

As described above, the data input device shown in FIG. 1 can easily calculate the coordinate values by calculating the coordinate values in the procedure of FIG.
You can point to the dimensional space.

(Second Embodiment) In the second embodiment, the data input device of FIG. 1 is used to input two-dimensional data which does not require a lifting operation of the mouse main body even when the movement distance of the cursor on the screen is long. It is used as a device.

In this apparatus, when the upper surface 1 is tilted in the front-back direction, a value corresponding to the tilt angle is added to the amount of change in the X-axis direction, and when the upper surface 1 is tilted in the left-right direction, the tilt angle is changed. The added value is added to the amount of change in the Y-axis direction. Therefore, a large amount of change can be output without taking a large amount of rotation of the sphere 4 in the mouse.

Information Processing Device Receiving Data from Mouse
14 obtains two-dimensional coordinates according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

Step 5: X axis, Y on the screen of the mouse
Set the initial value of the axis. Step 6; Encoder 5 for X-axis direction detection and encoder 6 for Y-axis direction detection within a predetermined sampling time
Count the pulse signals output from the
The change amount dX of the mouse in the X-axis direction and the change amount dY of the mouse in the Y-axis direction are set, and with respect to the output w1 of the angle detector 9 and the output w2 of the angle detector 10 at any time within the sampling time. , C multiplied by a predetermined constant C
Let xw1 and C × w2 be dY1 and dX1, respectively.

Step 7: A new X-axis value is obtained by adding the amount of change dX and dX1 in the X-axis direction of the mouse obtained in Step 6 to the X-axis value obtained by the previous sampling. Similarly, the sum of the amounts of change dY and dY1 in the Y-axis direction of the mouse obtained in step 6 is added to the Y-axis value obtained by the previous sampling to obtain a new Y-axis value.

Step 8: If a command for ending the use of the mouse is received from the software running in the information processing device 14, the process ends; otherwise, the process returns to step 6 to continue sampling.

In this data input device, the cursor can be moved not only by moving the mouse body back and forth and left and right on the work table, but also by tilting the mouse body back and forth and left and right. For example, if the cursor is currently at the bottom of the screen and you want to move it to the top of the screen, simply tilt the top part of the mouse forward to move the cursor up. Not only easy, it requires little effort.

Further, when a plurality of windows are opened on a large screen, the cursor is moved greatly from window to window by tilting the mouse, and the cursor is moved forward, backward, leftward or rightward in each window. You can also use it to move it precisely. Therefore, even when working on a large screen, there is no need to lift the mouse body, which often occurs with conventional mice.
It is possible to improve work efficiency.

The curved plates 7 and 8 which are orthogonal to each other do not necessarily have to be installed orthogonal to or parallel to the front-back direction of the mouse, and for example, they may be inclined by 45 ° with respect to the front-back direction of the mouse. You may arrange. In this case, the output of the angle detector 9 of the bending plate 7 and the output of the angle detector 10 of the bending plate 8 are vector-synthesized to determine the front-back or left-right inclination of the mouse.

Further, the inclination angle of the upper surface portion 1 (w or w
1, w2) can also be obtained as a value obtained by multiplying the temporal change amount dθ / dt of the inclination angle θ of the upper surface portion 1 at the start time of the sampling time by the sampling time Δt.

Further, as the buffer body 12 interposed between the top surface portion 1 and the bottom surface portion 2, an elastic member such as a spring or a bent metal plate can be used.

[0042]

As is apparent from the above description of the embodiments, in the data input device of the present invention, not only is the mouse body moved forward and backward and left and right on the work table, but also by tilting the mouse body forward and backward and left and right. , It is possible to input up to four-dimensional information.

Also, when working on a large screen, even if the distance to move the cursor is large, if the mouse is tilted in the direction in which the cursor is desired to move, the cursor will move in that direction, so long-distance movement is required. Therefore, the work of lifting the mouse body can be omitted, and the work efficiency can be improved. The operation is intuitive and easy to understand.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a data analysis procedure in the apparatus of the first embodiment,

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a data analysis procedure in the apparatus of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Top surface 2 Bottom surface 3 Input switch 4 Sphere 5 Encoder for X-axis direction detection 6 Encoder for Y-axis direction detection 7, 8 Curved plate 9, 10 Angle detector 11 Rod 12 Buffer material 13 Data transfer cable 14 Information processing apparatus

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Masao Kato 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Toru Kawaguchi, 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A sphere that rotates as the body moves,
In a data input device for detecting the amount of rotation of the sphere and extracting information indicating movement in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, the main body can be tilted forward and backward or left and right with respect to the bottom surface portion. A data input device comprising an upper surface portion and an angle detecting means for detecting an inclination of the upper surface portion. 2. The data input device according to claim 1, wherein the information indicating the movement in the Z-axis direction is extracted based on the detection output of the angle detecting means. 3. The information representing the movement in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction, which is added to the information representing the rotation amount of the sphere, is extracted based on the detection output of the angle detecting means. The data input device described in.