JP2010244119A - Input auxiliary device and input device - Google Patents

Abstract

An input assist device that allows a user to recognize that a user's hand is located above an input position without changing the structure of the touch panel and without using a special input pen. To provide.
An input auxiliary device according to the present invention is an input auxiliary device used attached to an input unit, and is arranged in a direction parallel to the input surface of the input unit and transmits sound waves to a region facing the input surface. a plurality of transmitting elements 1a to (1 to N), a phase delay unit 42 for delaying the phase of the supplied drive signals to the transmitting device 1a, comprises a plurality of transmitting elements 1a is in the upper position P _j of the input plane A spherical wave W to be focused is formed.
[Selection] Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to an input auxiliary device and an input device.

A touch panel that guides the tip of an input pen to an appropriate input position by vibrating the entire touch panel when performing an input operation is disclosed (see Patent Document 1).
Also, a pen input device is disclosed in which a brush is provided at the tip of an input pen and the tip of the pen is guided to an appropriate input position by vibrating the brush (see Patent Document 2).

JP 2003-58321 A JP 2006-227714 A

  However, the touch panel of Patent Document 1 has a problem that a special structure for vibrating the touch panel is required and the device configuration is complicated. In addition, in order to execute an input operation using the pen input device disclosed in Patent Document 2, an input pen including a special mechanism for guiding to an appropriate position is required.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and the user's hand is arranged in the vicinity of the input position without changing the structure of the touch panel and without using a special input pen. It is an object of the present invention to provide an input assisting device that allows a user to recognize that it is being performed.

An input auxiliary device according to the present invention is an input auxiliary device that is attached to an input unit and is arranged in a direction parallel to the input surface of the input unit, and transmits a plurality of sound waves to a region facing the input surface. And a phase delay unit that delays the phase of the drive signal supplied to the transmitting element, wherein the plurality of transmitting elements form a spherical wave that converges at a position above the input surface. And
According to this configuration, since the ultrasonic wave can be focused near the appropriate input position and the amplitude can be amplified, the input member disposed near the input position is stimulated, and the vicinity of the input member is the input position. The user can recognize that there is. For example, when the input member receives a stimulus at a position above the input position, it can be recognized that the input position is below the input member.
Therefore, without changing the structure of the input device such as a touch panel, and without using a special input pen, the user can recognize that the input member is located near the input position, and the input operation can be executed. Possible input assist devices can be provided.
The “input member” is, for example, a hand, a pen, or a stick.

It is preferable that the plurality of transmission signals can individually change the delay time.
According to this configuration, since the phase of the ultrasonic wave can be changed for each transmitting element, it is possible to form a spherical wave that converges at a position above an arbitrary input position set on the input surface. Therefore, regardless of the input position, it is possible to provide an input assisting device that can stimulate the input member arranged in the upper space, allow the user to recognize the input position, and perform an input operation.

The transmitting elements are preferably arranged in a plurality of rows in a direction orthogonal to the input surface.
According to this configuration, spherical waves can be formed for each row, and each spherical wave can be focused at different heights above the input position. It is possible to provide an input auxiliary device capable of reliably performing stimulation, allowing the user to recognize that the input member is disposed above the input position, and performing an input operation.
In addition, even when the input position is unknown, such as when used by a visually impaired person or when the user needs to remove the line of sight from the input unit, the input member is surely stimulated and the vicinity of the input position. It is possible for the user to recognize that the input member is arranged and to perform an input operation.

An input device according to the present invention includes the input auxiliary device described above and an input unit.
According to this configuration, the spherical wave focused on the position above the input surface gives a stimulus to the input member, so that the user can be informed that the position below the input member is the input position. Therefore, an input device capable of executing an input operation by allowing the user to recognize that the input member is in the vicinity of the input position without changing the structure of the input device and without using a special input pen. Can be provided.

It is a perspective view of PDA. It is a perspective view of an input auxiliary device. It is sectional drawing which follows A-A 'of FIG. It is a figure which shows the circuit block of a control circuit. It is a figure which shows distribution of the converging position of a spherical wave.

Hereinafter, an input auxiliary device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
The following embodiments show one aspect of the present invention and do not limit the present invention, and can be arbitrarily changed within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. Moreover, in the following drawings, in order to make each configuration easy to understand, the actual structure is different from the scale and number of each structure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a PDA 100 which is an example of an electronic apparatus provided with the input assist device 10 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the PDA 100 includes a main body 30, an input unit 20, and an input auxiliary device 10.
The input unit 20 is a touch panel type input device, and is configured integrally with the main body 30. The input unit 20 also functions as a display unit of the PDA 100 and displays the image information transferred from the main body 30 on the input unit 20. The input unit 20 displays an input button 21 indicating an input position when executing the input operation. When the finger F touches the input button 21, the input operation is executed. In the present embodiment, the input button 21 is displayed at a position facing the center of the input unit 20, that is, the front of the input auxiliary device 10.

The input auxiliary device 10 is disposed on the main body 30 around the input unit 20. The input assist device 10 transmits ultrasonic waves to the region above the input unit 20 to form a spherical wave that converges at a position above the input button 21.
When the user's hand is placed above the input button 21, the user receives a stimulus from the spherical wave whose amplitude has been amplified, and the user has the input button 21 displayed below the stimulated position. Recognize
The spherical wave has a wavefront obtained by connecting a plurality of ultrasonic waves at the same phase position and is focused at one focusing position.

Next, the input auxiliary device 10 will be described in detail.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a detailed configuration of the input auxiliary device 10. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional shape along AA ′ in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a circuit block diagram of the control circuit 40. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a distribution of spherical wave focusing positions.
As shown in FIG. 2, the input auxiliary device 10 includes an ultrasonic wave generation unit 1A and a control unit 40A.

The ultrasonic generation unit 1 </ b> A includes a substrate 11 and an ultrasonic generation unit 1.
As shown in FIG. 2, the ultrasonic generator 1 has a configuration in which a plurality of transmitting elements 1 a are arranged in a matrix on a surface 11 </ b> A of a substrate 11. Specifically, the N transmitting elements 1a arranged along the input surface of the input unit 20 have a matrix shape of M rows and N columns in which M stages are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the input surface. Here, the line number increases from the top line to the first line, and then increases downward, with the bottom line being the Mth line. In addition, the column number, when viewed from the input unit 20 side, is the first column, increases to the left, and the leftmost column is the Nth column.

  The transmitting element 1a constitutes one group by the transmitting elements 1a arranged in a direction parallel to the input surface of the input unit 20, and the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the transmitting elements 1a belonging to the same group are used for the input button 21. A spherical wave that converges at an upper position is formed. The transmitting elements 1a are arranged in a plurality of rows in a direction orthogonal to the input surface, and spherical waves formed for each row (group) converge at different heights above the input buttons 21.

As shown in FIG. 3, the transmitting element 1 a in a cross-sectional view includes a diaphragm 2, a lower electrode 4, a piezoelectric body 3, and an upper electrode 5.
The substrate 11 is made of rectangular single crystal silicon. An opening 11a is formed in a portion of the entire surface of the substrate 11 corresponding to the transmitting element 1a and the receiving element 1b.
A laminated film in which a first oxide film 2a made of SiO ₂ (silicon dioxide) and a second oxide film 2b made of ZrO ₂ (zirconia) are laminated on almost the entire surface 11A of the substrate 11 is formed. Has been. A portion of the laminated film corresponding to the upper portion of the opening 11 a functions as the diaphragm 2.
The first oxide film 2a is formed by thermally oxidizing the surface of the single crystal silicon substrate and has a film thickness of about 3 μm. The second oxide film 2b is formed by a CVD method (chemical vapor deposition method) or the like and has a thickness of about 400 nm.

  The lower electrode 4 is formed on the diaphragm 2. More specifically, the film of the lower electrode 4 is formed on almost the entire surface of the second oxide film 2b, and serves as a common electrode for all the transmitting elements 1a and the receiving elements 1b constituting the ultrasonic wave generator 1. The lower electrode 4 is made of a conductive metal material such as Ir (iridium) and has a thickness of about 200 nm.

The piezoelectric body 3 is formed only in a region of the entire surface of the lower electrode 4 that is above the opening 11a. The piezoelectric body 3 is formed of PZT (lead zirconate titanate), BaTiO ₃ (barium titanate) or the like, and has a film thickness of about 1.4 μm.
The upper electrode 5 is formed on the piezoelectric body 3. The upper electrode 5 is made of a conductive metal material such as Ir (iridium) and has a film thickness of about 50 nm.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the flexible printed circuit board 12 connects the ultrasonic wave generation unit 1A and the control unit 40A. Specifically, the terminal portion 11T of the ultrasonic wave generation unit 1 and the terminal portion 13T formed on the surface 13a of the control board 13 of the control unit 40A are electrically connected.

The control unit 40A includes a control board 13 and a control circuit 40 as shown in FIG. The control circuit 40 is mounted on the surface 13 a of the control board 13 and controls the ultrasonic generator 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the control circuit 40 includes a control calculation unit 41 and a phase delay unit 42.
The control calculation unit 41 calculates an appropriate delay time according to the input position. The control calculation unit 41 outputs an electric signal (drive signal) to the phase delay unit 42 based on an input request from the main body 30. The electric signal is a signal whose amplitude periodically changes, such as a sine wave.

  The phase delay unit 42 changes the phase of the electric signal input to the transmitting element 1 a by delaying the electric signal input from the control calculation unit 41. As shown in FIG. 4, the phase delay unit 42 includes a plurality of delay circuits 42 a provided for each transmitting element 1 a, and the phase of the electric signal is varied for each transmitting element 1 a.

  In FIG. 4, in order to make the connection relationship between the transmitting element 1 a and the delay circuit 42 a easier to understand, only one line arranged on the j (1..., J,..., M) line from the input surface of the input unit 20. In practice, a delay circuit 42a is provided for every transmitting element 1a including other rows constituting the ultrasonic wave generator 1.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the input button 21 is displayed facing the center of the input unit 20, that is, the front of the input auxiliary device 10. Therefore, the distance between the convergence position P _j and the respective transmitter element 1a of the upper spherical wave W of input buttons 21 is symmetrical with respect to the direction of the central axis Z, focusing position P moves away from the central axis Z It is far from.
Therefore, the delay time in each transmitting element 1a is set symmetrically with respect to the central axis Z. In order to form the spherical wave W that converges at the focal position P _j , the delay time is set short in the transmitting element 1a far from the focal position P (away from the central axis Z), and is close to the focal position P (central axis). In the transmitting element 1a (on the Z side), a long delay time is set.

Here, the numbers 1,..., I,..., N from the top are sequentially attached to the transmitting element 1a of FIG. _Let τ ₁ ,..., Τ _i ,..., Τ _N be the delay times of the electrical signals in the respective delay circuits 42a connected to the _{1st to Nth} transmitting elements 1a.
If the pitch width of the transmitting element 1a is d, the distance between the predetermined position P and the ultrasonic wave generating unit 1A is F ₀ , and the sound velocity of the ultrasonic wave is c, the delay time τ _i in each delay circuit 42a is as follows. It is defined by the formula.

FIG. 4 shows an example in which the spherical wave W focused at the focal position Pj is formed by the transmitting elements 1a belonging to the j-th group from the input surface, but the transmitting elements 1a belonging to each of the 1st to Mth columns. As shown in FIG. 5, a spherical wave that converges at each of the converging positions P _{1 to} P _M is formed. That is, spherical waves that converge at different heights are formed above the input button 21.

At the focusing positions P _{1 to} P _M , the amplitude is amplified by overlapping a plurality of ultrasonic waves in the same phase, and the user's hand that is put out above the input unit 20 is one of the focusing positions P _{1 to} P _M. Stimulate when you reach. Then, the user recognizes that the input button 21 is displayed below the current hand position. Then, following the direction of stimulated to move the hand in the direction of the focused position P _M (downward), by contacting a finger to input buttons 21, to perform the input operation.

According to the input auxiliary device 10 having such a configuration, the following effects can be obtained.
First, in the present embodiment, the transmitting elements 1a are arranged in a matrix and arranged in a plurality of rows in a direction orthogonal to the input surface. According to this, it is possible to induce the user's hand to the focusing position P _M side by giving sequential stimulation to the user's hand in each of the focusing position (upper position) P ₁ to P _M, the input unit Even without looking at the input button 21 displayed at 20, the input button (input position) 21 can be brought into contact with the finger to execute the input operation.
In particular, even when the visually impaired person uses the device or when the user needs to remove the line of sight from the input unit 20 or when the input position is unknown, the user's finger can be surely input. 21 to perform an input operation.
Further, it is not necessary to provide a special structure for guiding the user's finger in the input unit 20, and even without using a special input pen having a mechanism for guiding the input position. Can be reliably guided to the input button 21 to execute the input operation.

  In the present embodiment, the example in which the spherical wave is focused above the input button 21 displayed at the center position of the input unit 20 has been described. However, the input button 21 is displayed at an arbitrary position of the input unit 20. You may do it. In this case, it is only necessary to prepare a delay circuit in which the setting of the delay time in the delay circuit 42a of each transmitting element 1a is changed so that a spherical wave focused on the input button 21 is formed.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the electrical signal whose phase is changed by the delay circuit 42a is input to the transmitting element 1a. However, in the control calculation unit 41, the electrical signal whose phase is different for each transmitting element 1a. And an electric signal may be directly input to the transmitting element 1a. In this way, even when the display position of the input button 21 is changed, the delay time (phase) for each transmitting element 1a is controlled to reliably form a spherical wave that is focused on the position above the input button 21. Can do.

  The ultrasonic generator 1 may have a configuration in which the transmitting elements 1a are arranged in only one row in a direction parallel to the input surface. Even in such a configuration, by giving a stimulus to the hand, the user can recognize that the hand is placed above the input button 21 and can execute the input operation. Moreover, according to this structure, the structure of the ultrasonic transmission part 1 can be simplified and an input auxiliary device can be reduced in size.

  In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which a hand placed above the input unit 20 is stimulated and a finger is guided to the input button 21 below, but the hand is directed toward the input device hung on the wall. Can also be induced. In this case, since the spherical wave focusing positions are distributed at different positions according to the distance from the wall surface, the user's hand is guided toward the front wall surface.

  In the present embodiment, the spherical wave focusing position is set above the input button 21 and the user's hand is guided to the input button 21 from above, but the delay time in each transmitting element 1a is changed. Thus, the user's hand may be guided from the oblique direction of the input button 21.

  In the present embodiment, the delay circuit 42a is provided for each transmitting element 1a. However, the delay circuit 42a may be shared for each column of the matrix. Even with such a configuration, since the spherical wave focusing positions can be arranged in the vicinity of the input position, the user's finger can be surely guided to the input position and the input operation can be executed. Since the number of delay circuits 42a can be reduced, the circuit configuration of the phase delay unit 42 can be simplified and the apparatus can be downsized.

  The input assist device 10 of the present invention can be suitably used for an input device such as a touch panel, a practice of blind touch such as a keyboard and a piano, a car navigation system, and the like.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Ultrasonic transmission part, 1A ... Ultrasonic transmission unit, 1a ... Transmission element, 2 ... Diaphragm, 3 ... Piezoelectric body, 4 ... Lower electrode, 5 ... Upper electrode, 10 ... Input auxiliary device, 11 ... Base part, 12 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Flexible printed circuit board, 13 ... Control board, 20 ... Input part, 21 ... Input button, 40 ... Control circuit, 40a ... Control part, 41 ... Control operation part, 42 ... Phase delay part, 42a ... Delay circuit, 100 ... PDA

Claims (4)

An auxiliary input device used in addition to the input unit,
A plurality of transmitting elements that are arranged in a direction parallel to the input surface of the input unit and transmit sound waves to a region facing the input surface; and a phase delay unit that delays a phase of a drive signal supplied to the transmitting element; With
The input assisting device, wherein the plurality of transmitting elements form a spherical wave that converges at a position above the input surface.   The input auxiliary device according to claim 1, wherein the delay time of each of the plurality of transmission signals can be changed individually.   The input assisting device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting elements are arranged in a plurality of rows in a direction orthogonal to the input surface.   An input device comprising the input auxiliary device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and an input unit.

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