JPS60214036A - Coordinate displacement input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily input the displacement of three-dimensional coordinates by detecting the state wherein a user holds the device in a hand and presses one of predetermined parts stronger than any other part. CONSTITUTION:The 1st pressure detecting part 11 and the 2nd pressure detecting part 12 of a Z-axial displacement detecting part 1 detect the pressure where a pressure sensor is positioned and outputs their detection signals to a pressure comparative decision part 13. This pressure comparative discrimination part 13 compares the pressure outputs of the detecting parts 11 and 12 to judge displacement in the positive or negative Z-axial direction or no displacement, and sends X-axial displacement information to a transmission part 3. The transmission part 3 transmits the Z-axial displacement information together with of X- and Y-directional displacement information from an X- and Y-axial displacement input detecting part 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coordinate displacement input device for a computer system.

Conventional configurations and their problems In recent years, CRTs have become popular among input devices for computer systems.
A mouse (
(registered trademark) and joysticks are increasingly being used.

Among these, an input device called a mouse has good operability and is rapidly becoming popular. This device is of the form shown in Fig. 1, and is placed on a normal flat surface and not moved by hand. The state of movement at this time is detected and the data is sent to the computer system via line A as displacement components of two orthogonal coordinate axes (herein referred to as X@Y axes). On the computer system side, the coordinates of a cursor, etc. displayed on the CRT are changed based on the sent displacement component data. In this way, two-dimensional coordinate movement can be communicated to the computer system.

However, depending on the field of application, it may be necessary to input three-dimensional coordinates. For example, this is the case when the viewpoint is moved in a three-dimensional space and displayed on an image. However, the above-mentioned conventional device cannot input three-dimensional coordinate movement.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION In addition to the functions of conventional input devices, the present invention also enables input regarding movement in the third-dimensional coordinate axis direction.

Structure of the Invention In order to achieve this object, the coordinate input device of the present invention moves along a plane in which the first and second coordinates are inputted.
The first one is detected as a displacement input in each coordinate axis direction. The second coordinate axis direction displacement input detection unit detects the pressure T1 applied to the first part of the bottom of the device and the pressure T2 applied to the second part of the bottom of the device, and the difference between the pressures T and T2 is set. If the pressure difference is smaller than A, that is, 1T1-721(A
If so, it is determined that there is no displacement input in the third coordinate axis direction, and the difference between pressure T and pressure T2 is greater than or equal to the set pressure difference A, and pressure T1 is greater than pressure T. In other words, if T1≧T2+A, it is determined that there is a displacement input in the positive direction of the third coordinate axis,
If the difference between pressure T1 and pressure T2 is greater than or equal to the set pressure difference A, and pressure T2 is greater than pressure T, that is, if T2≧T1+A, then the third coordinate axis is moved in the negative direction. a third coordinate axis direction displacement input detection section that determines that there is a displacement input; It is composed of a transmission section that transmits the coordinate axis direction displacement input obtained from the second coordinate axis direction displacement input detection section and the third coordinate axis direction displacement input detection section as data.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a pressure detection mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, Sl.

S2 is a pressure sensor that detects pressure, T1. T2 is the pressure sensor S1. This is the pressure applied to S2. The device is placed on a desk, and pressure sensors S1 and S2 are both located on the bottom of the device and in contact with the surface of the desk. The user of this input device selects the first input by moving the device on a flat surface. The displacement in the direction of the second coordinate axes (hereinafter referred to as the X axis and the Y axis, respectively) is transmitted to the computer system. Several methods are already in use for this displacement detection method. For example, there is a method in which a roller is provided on the bottom of the device and its rotational speed in two rotational directions is detected.

A detailed explanation thereof will be omitted here. In addition to this displacement in the X-Y axis direction, there is a third coordinate axis (referred to as the Z axis).

) direction is detected by sensor S1. This is expressed by the difference in pressure applied to S2.

FIG. 3 shows the basic configuration of the embodiment described above 'C7j': j
'It's Qr. In the figure, 1 is a Z-axis direction displacement input detection section, 2 is an X- and Y-axis direction displacement input detection section, 3 is a transmission section,
11 is a first pressure detection section, 12 is a second pressure detection section, and 13 is a pressure comparison/judgment section.

Next, the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 will be described.

The first pressure detection section 11 includes the sensor S1 shown in FIG. Similarly, the second pressure detection section converts the magnitude of the pressure T2 into an electrical signal and outputs it to the pressure comparison and determination section 13.

The pressure comparison/judgment unit 13 compares the pressure T and the pressure T2,
It is determined whether the displacement is in the positive direction, the negative direction, or no displacement in the Z-axis direction, and the displacement information in the Z-axis direction is transmitted to the transmission section 3. The details of the determination will be described later. 3, transmits displacement information in the x and y axis directions. The transmission unit 3 transmits displacement information in the X, Y, and Z axis directions to the computer system.

The above is an outline of the operation, but the pressure comparison and judgment section 13 will be explained in more detail.

When comparing pressure T1 and pressure T2, simply compare both dogs/
Rather than comparing JS, a certain pressure difference A is determined in advance and T, , T2 . Compare the relationships among the three values of A. That is, it is divided into the following three cases.

(1) If ITl-T21<A, this means that the pressure T
1 and the pressure T2, and it is assumed that the user of this input device has not performed any operation regarding the displacement in the two axial directions.

(2) If T, ≧T 2 +A, this relationship means that the user of this input device can select the one with sensor S as sensor S2.
This holds true when the object is pressed more strongly against the plane than the other side. For example, when the sensor S1 is attached to the front side of the input device and the sensor S2 is attached to the rear side of the bottom of the input device, the user presses the front side of the input device. At this time, it is determined that the user is operating with the intention of causing displacement in a predetermined direction (positive direction or negative direction) in the Z-axis direction.

(3) When T2≧T1+A This relationship holds true when the user of this input device presses the side with the sensor S2 more strongly against the plane than the side with the sensor S1. For example, when the sensor S1 is attached to the front side of the input device and the sensor S2 is attached to the rear side of the bottom of the input device, the user presses the rear side of the input device. At this time, a predetermined direction in the Z-axis direction (positive direction or negative direction,
However, the direction should be set in the opposite direction to that in case 2). ), it is determined that the user is operating with the intention of causing displacement.

Determine which of the three conditions above it is in,
The displacement information in the Z-axis direction is sent to the transmission section 3.

In the case of (2) and (3), when the time in that state is t, the displacement in the Z-axis direction may be proportional to t, or the stronger the user presses (i.e., the pressure increases). The larger the difference ΔT between T and the pressure T2), the larger the displacement (that is, it may be proportional to t×ΔTK).

As an application of this input device, for example, when displaying an image of a three-dimensional object by changing the viewpoint in an image processing device,
It can be considered to be used to input dimensional viewpoints. This can be used as an input device for various purposes such as designing various devices, simulation in three-dimensional space, and displaying three-dimensional graphs. By detecting which pressure is being applied stronger than the others,
By assuming that there is a displacement in the direction of the third coordinate axis and transmitting it to the computer system, displacement in three-dimensional coordinates can be easily input instead of the conventional two-dimensional coordinate.
The effect is extremely large.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional coordinate displacement input device, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a main part of a coordinate displacement input device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram thereof. S S ... Pressure sensor, T T ... Pressure, 1
F2 1 + 2 1... Z-axis direction displacement input detection section, 2 ・ X and Y-axis direction displacement input detection section, 3 ... Transmission section, 11.
・First pressure detection section, 12...Second pressure detection section, 1
3...Pressure comparison judgment section. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person No. 1
Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] A first unit that detects displacement inputs in the first and second coordinate axis directions by moving the first unit along the installed plane.
．． a second coordinate axis direction displacement input detection section, and a first displacement input detection section at the bottom of the device.
a detection unit that detects the pressure T1 applied to the second part of the device and the pressure T2 applied to the second part of the bottom of the device;
2 is smaller than the set pressure difference A, that is, I
If Tl - T2KA, it is determined that there is no displacement input in the third coordinate axis direction, and the difference between pressure T1 and pressure T2 is greater than or equal to the set pressure difference A, and pressure T1 is greater than pressure T. If T is large, that is, T1≧T2+A, it is determined that there is a displacement input in the positive direction of the third coordinate axis, and the difference between pressure T and pressure T2 is the set pressure difference A.
If the above is true and the pressure T2 is greater than the pressure T1, that is, if T2≧T1+A, it is determined that there is a displacement input in the negative direction of the third coordinate axis. comprising a displacement input detection section, and a transmission section that transmits coordinate axis direction displacement inputs obtained from the first and second coordinate axis direction displacement input detection sections and the third coordinate axis direction displacement input detection section as data. A coordinate displacement input device characterized by: