Proximity detection device, display unit, and information processing system

Abstract

To provide an approach detection apparatus, a display unit, and an information processing system configured to detect an object to be detected that is close to a display surface of a display equipped with a movable mechanism while preventing an other device or the object from being detected for an operation on the other device.SOLUTION: An approach detection apparatus for detecting an object approaching a display surface of a display 2 is configured to arrange a plurality of infrared LEDs and a plurality of photodiodes under the display surface in a lateral direction, and detect a position of an object to be detected within a detection range 10 on the basis of intensity of reflected light of infrared light emitted by the infrared LEDs, detected by the photodiodes. When a lateral angle of the display surface is changed, irradiation intensities of the infrared LEDs are changed so that the detection range 10 may be a range obtained by excluding a range where an other device or an operation of a driver on the other device is to be included in the lateral angle, from a standard detection range 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for detecting a detected object close to the display surface with a user's hand, finger, etc. as the detected object.

Background Art

[0002] As a technique for detecting a detected object close to the display surface with a user's hand, finger, etc. as the detected object, a plurality of LEDs arranged along the lower side of the display and irradiating infrared light toward the upper front of the display are sequentially lit, and a plurality of photodiodes arranged along the lower side of the display detect the reflected light of the infrared light by the detected object, and the horizontal direction (left-right direction) of the detected object close to the display surface is detected from the intensity distribution of the reflected light detected when each LED is lit. A detection system is known (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Also, in such a detection system, when the display is arranged at a position between the driver's seat and the passenger seat of the dashboard of an automobile, in order not to detect the detected object with respect to an operation on another device such as the driver's wiper lever, the detection range of the detected object is set so that it is closer to the driver's seat side. A technique for setting it to a closer range is also known (for example, Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The display located on the dashboard between the driver's and passenger's seats may be equipped with movable display mechanisms, such as a mechanism to adjust the vertical position of the display surface, a tilt mechanism to adjust the vertical angle of the display surface, and a swivel mechanism (or pivoting mechanism) to adjust the horizontal angle of the display surface.

[0006] Therefore, even if the detection range for detected objects is set to prevent detection of objects in response to the driver's operation of other devices when the display surface is in its standard configuration, if the display surface configuration is changed by the movable mechanism, objects may be detected in response to the driver's operation of other devices.

[0007] On the other hand, if the detection range is set so that no object is detected in response to the driver's operation of other devices for all possible arrangements of the display surface, then at each point in time, even areas where no object would be detected in response to the driver's operation of other devices for that particular display surface arrangement would be excluded from the detection range.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention aims to detect an object in a detection range that is as suitable as possible, while eliminating the possibility of detecting an object in the event of other devices or the driver's operation of other devices, in a proximity detection device that detects an object in close proximity to the display surface of a display equipped with a movable display surface mechanism. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the aforementioned objective,The present invention provides a proximity detection device for detecting an object approaching the display surface of a display whose arrangement state is variable, which is at least one of the position and orientation of the display surface, located between the driver's seat and the passenger seat in the left-right direction of an automobile. The device includes a proximity object detection unit with a variable detection range that detects the object within a detection range which is the area in front of the display surface and near the display surface, arrangement state detection means for detecting the arrangement state of the display surface, and detection range adjustment means for adjusting the detection range in which the proximity object detection unit detects the object. Here, the detection range adjustment means adjusts the detection range so that when the arrangement state of the display surface detected by the arrangement state detection means changes, at least the position of equipment installed in the automobile is outside the detection range in which the proximity object detection unit detects the object. Adjust.

[0011] In this proximity detection device, the equipment installed in the vehicle may be the passenger-side lever, which is one of the wiper levers and the turn signal lever located on the passenger side. Furthermore, it is also preferable that the detection range adjustment means adjusts the detection range such that, when the arrangement state of the display surface detected by the arrangement state detection means changes, both the position of the equipment installed in the automobile and the position of the driver's hand operating the equipment are outside the detection range in which the proximity object detection unit detects the object, in the changed arrangement state. Furthermore, in the above proximity detection device, the arrangement of the display surface may be in the left-right direction.

[0012] Furthermore, in the proximity detection device described above, the proximity object detection unit includes a plurality of infrared light sources that emit infrared light passing in front of the display surface, arranged in a row along the left-right direction of the display surface outside the display surface, one or more photodetectors arranged outside the display surface, and a detection operation execution means that sequentially performs a detection operation in which the intensity of the reflected infrared light emitted by each of the infrared light sources is detected by the photodetector which is pre-associated with the infrared light source. In the detection operation described above, proximity detection means may be provided that uses the intensity of the reflected infrared light emitted by each infrared light source detected by each photodetector to detect the approach of an object to the display surface, and calculates the position of the approaching object in the left-right direction of the display surface from the distribution of said intensity.

[0013] Furthermore, in the proximity detection device described above, the proximity object detection unit may be provided with a plurality of infrared light sources that emit infrared light passing in front of the display surface, arranged in a row along the left-right direction of the display surface outside the display surface, one or more photodetectors arranged outside the display surface, and proximity detection means that detects the approach of the object to the display surface using the intensity of the reflected infrared light emitted by each of the infrared light sources detected by the photodetectors, and the detection range adjustment means may be adjusted by changing the combination of irradiation intensities of each of the plurality of infrared light sources. Alternatively, in the proximity detection device described above, the proximity object detection unit may be provided with a plurality of infrared light sources that emit infrared light passing in front of the display surface, arranged in a row along the left-right direction of the display surface outside the display surface, a plurality of photodetectors arranged in a row along the left-right direction of the display surface outside the display surface, and proximity detection means that detects the approach of the object to the display surface with a set sensitivity using the intensity of the reflected infrared light emitted by each of the infrared light sources detected by the photodetectors, and the detection range adjustment means may adjust the detection range by changing the sensitivity characteristics of the proximity detection means to each of the intensities of the reflected light detected by the plurality of photodetectors.

[0015] With the proximity detection device described above, the detection range, which is the range in which objects are detected, can be changed to correspond to the changed arrangement state, which is at least one of the position and orientation of the display surface of the display. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the detection of an object in response to operations on other devices or other devices, regardless of the arrangement state of the display surface of the display. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to set the detection range to be fixed so as not to detect operations on other devices or other devices in all arrangement states, the most suitable detection range can be set for each arrangement state.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a display unit comprising the above-described proximity detection device and the display integrated with the proximity detection device. Furthermore, the present invention also provides an information processing system comprising the above-described proximity detection device, the display, and a data processing device that uses the display as a display output. In this information processing system, when the proximity detection device detects an object approaching the display surface, it notifies the data processing device of the object's approach, and the data processing device performs predetermined processing in response to the notification of the object's approach. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] As described above, according to the present invention, in a proximity detection device for detecting an object in close proximity to the display surface of a display equipped with a movable display surface mechanism, it is possible to detect an object within the most suitable detection range possible while eliminating the possibility of detecting an object due to other devices or the driver's operation of other devices. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows the arrangement of a display according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3]It is a diagram showing the movement of the display surface of the display according to an embodiment of the present invention by a movable mechanism. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing the arrangement of proximity detection sensors according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing the operation sequence of proximity detection sensors according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing the relationship between the left - right angle of the display surface of the display and the lever according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a flowchart showing the detection range setting process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing an example of setting the detection range according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing another configuration example of proximity detection sensors according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. First, the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the information processing system according to the first embodiment. The information processing system is a system mounted on an automobile, and includes a data processing device 1 that executes a car navigation application, a media player application, etc., a display 2 with a touch panel used by the data processing device 1 for video display and coordinate input, a proximity detection device 3, and other peripheral devices 4 used by the data processing device 1. Further, the display 2 includes a movable mechanism 21 that adjusts the position and orientation of the display surface of the display 2 under the control of the data processing device 1.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the display 2 is in the form of a display unit 10 integrated with the proximity detection device 3, and is arranged with its display surface facing backward at a position between the driver's seat and the passenger seat on the dashboard of the automobile. Furthermore, the movable mechanism 21 adjusts the left-right angle (orientation in the left-right direction) of the display surface of the display 2 as shown in Figure 3a (swivel mechanism / pivot mechanism), adjusts the up-down angle (orientation in the up-down direction) as shown in Figure 3b (tilt mechanism), and adjusts the up-down position as shown in Figure 3c, according to the control from the data processing device 1. Note that the forward direction in the figures is the approximate display direction of the display 2.

[0021] Returning to Figure 1, the proximity detection device 3 detects the approach of the detected object, such as the user's hand or fingers, to the display surface of the display 2, and the horizontal coordinates of the approaching object. It then notifies the data processing device 1 of the detected horizontal coordinates as the detection position, and the data processing device 1 performs processing according to the notified detection position. The proximity detection device 3 includes a proximity detection sensor 31 and a proximity detection controller 32. The proximity detection sensor 31 is equipped with four infrared LEDs, LED1, LED2, LED3, and LED4, and two photodiodes, PD1 and PD2, which detect infrared light. Furthermore, the proximity detection controller 32 includes a drive unit 321 that drives LED1, LED2, LED3, and LED4 to emit light, a detection unit 322 that converts the current signals output by PD1 and PD2 into intensity signals representing the intensity of infrared light incident on PD1 and PD2 and outputs them, and a detection control unit 323 that controls the operation of the drive unit 321 and the detection unit 322, and calculates the horizontal coordinates of the object to be detected that is close to the display surface of the display 2 from the intensity of infrared light represented by the signal converted by the detection unit 322, and notifies the data processing device 1 of the detection position.

[0022] Next, as shown in Figures 4a and 4b, LED1, LED2, LED3, and LED4 are arranged in that order from left to right, at approximately equal intervals slightly below the bottom edge of the display 2. Furthermore, PD1 is positioned midway between LED1 and LED2 and converts the reflected light of incident infrared light into an electrical signal, while PD2 is positioned midway between LED3 and LED4 and each converts the reflected light of incident infrared light into an electrical signal and outputs it. The arrows in Figures 4a and 4b represent the central axis of the directional angle of LED1, LED2, LED3, and LED4, and LED1, LED2, LED3, and LED4 emit infrared light obliquely towards the front and upward of display 2. Next, the detection control unit 323 of the proximity detection controller 32 controls the operation of the drive unit 321 and the detection unit 322 so that the cycle shown in Figure 5 is repeated. Here, each cycle includes a period in which the drive unit 321 emits light only from LED1 and the detection unit 322 outputs an intensity signal L1 representing the intensity of infrared light incident on PD1; a period in which the drive unit 321 emits light only from LED2 and the detection unit 322 outputs an intensity signal L2 representing the intensity of infrared light incident on PD1; a period in which the drive unit 321 emits light only from LED3 and the detection unit 322 outputs an intensity signal L3 representing the intensity of infrared light incident on PD2; and a period in which the drive unit 321 emits light only from LED4 and the detection unit 322 outputs an intensity signal L4 representing the intensity of infrared light incident on PD2.

[0023] Here, the drive unit 321 drives LED1 to emit light at an irradiation intensity I1 set by the detection control unit 323, drives LED2 to emit light at an irradiation intensity I2 set by the detection control unit 323, drives LED3 to emit light at an irradiation intensity I3 set by the detection control unit 323, and drives LED4 to emit light at an irradiation intensity I4 set by the detection control unit 323.

[0024] Then, the detection control unit 323 uses x1 as the horizontal coordinate of LED1, x2 as the horizontal coordinate of LED2, x3 as the horizontal coordinate of LED3, and x4 as the horizontal coordinate of LED4 to determine the horizontal coordinate X, which is the centroid of the intensity distribution of the intensity signals L1, L2, L3, and L4 detected by the detection unit 322, using Equation 1.

[0025] Formula 1: X=(X1×L1+X2×L2+X3×L3+X4×L4) / (L1+L2+L3+L4) The detection control unit 323 then notifies the data processing device 1 of the obtained horizontal coordinate X as the detection position. Now, let's consider the case where the display surface of Display 2 is upright at a predetermined height, which is the standard state of the display surface. In this standard state, the detection range 10, which is the area for detecting the position of the object to be detected, is set to the vertical range as shown in Figure 6a. Note that the hatched area in the figure represents the vertical range of the detection range 10.

[0026] In this case, as shown in Figure 6a, even if the detection range 10 is set in the standard state so as not to detect an object in response to the passenger-side lever (the lever on the passenger side of the wiper lever and turn signal lever) or the driver's operation of the passenger-side lever, if the detection range 10 is maintained, as shown in Figures 6b and 6c, when the left-right angle of the display surface of the display 2 is changed, the detection range 10 also moves, and an object will be detected in response to the passenger-side lever or the driver's operation of the passenger-side lever.

[0027] Furthermore, while Figure 6 shows the change in the left-right angle of the display surface of Display 2, similar phenomena may occur when changing the vertical position or vertical angle of the display surface of Display 2. Therefore, in this embodiment, the detection control unit 323 performs a detection range setting process to change the detection range 10 so that the position of the object to be detected is not detected by other devices or by the driver's operation of other devices, regardless of the position and angle of the display surface of the display 2. The following explanation uses the detection range setting process performed in response to changes in the left-right angle of the display surface of Display 2 as an example. Figure 7 shows the procedure for setting the detection range. At the start of the detection range setting process, the detection operation of the detection control unit 323 for the detection position (horizontal coordinate X) is stopped. As shown in the figure, in this process, the detection control unit 323 first waits for the movable mechanism 21 to stop adjusting the left-right angle of the display surface of the display 2 (to fix the angle) (step 702). Whether or not the operation of adjusting the left-right angle has stopped is determined by obtaining the status from the movable mechanism 21. Then, once the operation to adjust the left and right angles has stopped (step 702), the left and right angles of the display surface of the display 2 are obtained from the movable mechanism 21 (step 704). Then, a range adjustment process is performed to adjust the detection range 10 according to the left and right angles (step 706). In this range adjustment process in step 706, the illumination intensities I1, I2, I3, and I4 of LED1, LED2, LED3, and LED4 are determined according to the acquired left and right angles and set in the drive unit 321. From here on, the drive unit 321 drives LED1, LED2, LED3, and LED4 to emit light at the set illumination intensities I1, I2, I3, and I4.

[0028] Here, the irradiation intensities I1, I2, I3, and I4 of LED1, LED2, LED3, and LED4 set in the drive unit 321 during the range adjustment process in step 706 are determined according to the pre-set relationship between the left / right angle and the irradiation intensities I1, I2, I3, and I4. Here, the relationship between the left-right angle and the illumination intensities I1, I2, I3, and I4 is defined as follows, as shown in Figures 8a, b, c, and d: the detection range 10 is the range shown in Figures 8b, c, and d, which excludes the range where other devices such as the passenger-side lever or the driver's operation of other devices would interfere when the display surface is at that left-right angle, from the detection range 10 when the display surface shown in Figure 8a is in the standard state.

[0029] In general, the range to be excluded from the detection range 10 in the standard state is the range on the driver's side. Therefore, in step 706, only the illumination intensities I3 and I4 of the LEDs on the driver's side (LED4, or LED3 and LED4) may be determined and set according to the acquired left-right angle.

[0030] Returning to Figure 7, the detection control unit 323 then starts the detection operation for the detection position (horizontal coordinate X) (step 708). Subsequently, the system monitors for the start of the operation of adjusting the left-right angle of the display surface of the display 2 of the movable mechanism 21 (step 710). If the operation has started, the detection operation of the detection position (horizontal coordinate X) is stopped (step 712), and the process returns to the beginning of step 702. The above describes the detection range setting process performed by the detection control unit 323. This detection range setting process allows for the detection of the object's position within the most suitable detection range 10 possible, while eliminating the possibility of detecting the object's position in response to other devices or operations performed on those other devices, regardless of the left-right angle of the display surface of the display 2.

[0031] In the above explanation, the detection range setting process was described using the example of adjusting the detection range 10 in response to a change in the left-right angle of the display surface of Display 2. However, the same detection range setting process can be performed in response to changes in the vertical position or vertical angle of the display surface of Display 2. This allows for the detection of the object's position within the most suitable detection range 10 possible, while eliminating the possibility of detecting the object's position due to the driver's operation of other devices, regardless of the vertical position or vertical angle of the display surface.

[0032] Embodiments of the present invention have been described above. In the above embodiment, the detection range 10 was changed according to the left-right angle of the display surface by changing the irradiation intensities I1, I2, I3, and I4 of LED1, LED2, LED3, and LED4. However, the detection range 10 may also be changed by changing the sensitivity characteristics to the intensity of reflected light detected in response to the light emitted from LED1, LED2, LED3, and LED4, as described below.

[0033] Specifically, the detection unit 322 is configured to output L1=W1×A1, L2=W2×A2, L3=W3×A3, and L4=W4×A4, where L1, L2, L3, and L4 are the aforementioned L1, L2, L3, and L4. Then, in the range adjustment process of step 706 of the detection range setting process shown in Figure 7, the detection control unit 323 determines W1, W2, W3, and W4 according to the acquired left and right angles so that the detection range 10 is within the range corresponding to the left and right angles, and sets these values ​​in the detection unit 322.

[0034] In this case as well, the determination of W1, W2, W3, and W4 to be set in the detection unit 322 is performed according to the pre-set relationship between the left and right angles and W1, W2, W3, and W4. Alternatively, the detection range 10 may be changed by altering the sensitivity characteristics to the intensity of reflected light as follows. In other words, the detection unit 322 is configured to output L1=A1 when A1 exceeds Tha1 and L1=0 when A1 does not exceed Tha1; L2=A2 when A2 exceeds Tha2 and L2=0 when A2 does not exceed Tha2; L3=A3 when A3 exceeds Tha3 and L3=0 when A3 does not exceed Tha3; and L4=A4 when A4 exceeds Tha4 and L4=0 when A4 does not exceed Tha4.

[0035] Then, in the range adjustment process of step 706 of the detection range setting process shown in Figure 7, the detection control unit 323 determines Tha1, Tha2, Tha3, and Tha4 according to the acquired left and right angles so that the detection range 10 is within the range corresponding to the left and right angles described above, and sets them in the detection unit 322.

[0036] In this case as well, the determination of Tha1, Tha2, Tha3, and Tha4 to be set in the detection unit 322 is performed according to the pre-set relationship between the left and right angles and Tha1, Tha2, Tha3, and Tha4. Alternatively, the detection range 10 may be changed by altering the sensitivity to the intensity of reflected light, as follows. In other words, the detection control unit 323 is configured not to output the detection position when Thb, determined by Thb=F(X) using the threshold setting function F() and X obtained by Equation 1, does not exceed the maximum value of L1, L2, L3, L4, or the sum of L1, L2, L3, L4. Then, in the range adjustment process of step 706 of the detection range setting process shown in Figure 7, the detection control unit 323 sets the threshold setting function F() so that the detection range 10 is within the range corresponding to the left and right angles described above. In this case as well, the threshold setting function F() set in step 706 is performed according to the relationship between the left and right angles and the threshold setting function F() that was set in advance. Alternatively, the detection range 10 may be changed using the calibration of the detection unit 322 as follows. Specifically, the output value of PD1 when the drive unit 321 illuminates only LED1 is A1, the output value of PD1 when the drive unit 321 illuminates only LED2 is A2, the output value of PD2 when the drive unit 321 illuminates only LED3 is A3, and the output value of PD2 when the drive unit 321 illuminates only LED4 is A4. The detection unit 322 is configured to output L1=A1-c1, L2=A2-c2, L3=A3-c3, and L4=A3-c3, as described above with L1, L2, L3, and L4. Here, c1 is the magnitude of A1 output when the detected object is not nearby, c2 is the magnitude of A2 output when the detected object is not nearby, c3 is the magnitude of A3 output when the detected object is not nearby, and c4 is the magnitude of A4 output when the detected object is not nearby. Therefore, c1, c2, c3, and c4 are the outputs of PD1 and PD2 corresponding to the 0 point. Furthermore, c1, c2, c3, and c4 are set by the calibration operation performed by the measurement control unit.

[0037] In the calibration operation, for example, with c1 = c2 = c3 = c4 = 0 set in the detection unit 322, the operation sequence of FIG. 5 is performed to obtain A1, A2, A3, and A4, c1 = A1, c2 = A2, c3 = A3, and c4 = A4 are obtained, and the obtained c1, c2, c3, and c4 are set in the detection unit 322. Then, in the range adjustment process of step 706 of the detection range setting process shown in FIG. 7, the detection control unit 323 performs the above calibration operation. Even in this case, the detection range 10 can be updated to a range excluding other devices within the detection range 10 at that time and the range where a hand operating other devices exists.

[0038] During the detection operation of the detection position (horizontal coordinate X), if any of A1 < c1, A2 < c2, A3 < c3, and A4 < c4 occurs in the detection unit 322, the detection unit 322 requests the detection control unit 323 to execute the calibration operation, and the detection control unit 323 that has received the request temporarily stops the detection operation and performs the calibration operation.

[0039] In the above embodiment, four infrared LEDs of LED1, LED2, LED3, and LED4 and two photodiodes of PD1 and PD2 are used, but the number of infrared LEDs may be other than 4, and the number of photodiodes may be other than 2. For example, as shown in FIG. 9a, three infrared LEDs (LED1 - LED3) arranged left and right and two photodiodes (PD1 - PD2) arranged between the infrared LEDs are used, or as shown in FIG. 9b, five infrared LEDs (LED1 - LED5) arranged left and right and three photodiodes (PD1 - PD3) arranged between the infrared LEDs are used, or as shown in FIG. 9c, six infrared LEDs (LED1 - LED6) arranged left and right and three photodiodes (PD1 - PD3) arranged between the infrared LEDs can be used.

[0040] In all cases, the reflected infrared light from each infrared LED is detected by one of the photodiodes (PD) adjacent to that infrared LED. Furthermore, in the embodiments described above, the passenger-side lever was shown as an example of other equipment that changes the detection range 10 so as not to detect the position of the object to be detected in relation to its presence or operation, regardless of the position and angle of the display surface of the display 2. However, various switches in the automobile or the air vents of the automobile's air conditioner may be used as such other equipment, or included in such other equipment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1...Data processing device, 2...Display, 3...Proximity detection device, 4...Peripheral device, 10...Display unit, 10...Detection range, 21...Movement mechanism, 31...Proximity detection sensor, 32...Proximity detection controller, 321...Drive unit, 322...Detection unit, 323...Detection control unit.

Claims

1. A proximity detection device for detecting an object approaching the display surface of a display whose position and orientation are variable, which is located between the driver's seat and the passenger seat in the left-right direction of an automobile, A proximity object detection unit with a variable detection range detects an object within a detection range which is the area in front of the display surface of the display surface and near the display surface, Arrangement state detection means for detecting the arrangement state of the display surface, The proximity object detection unit has detection range adjustment means for adjusting the detection range in which it detects the object, The proximity detection device is characterized in that, when the arrangement state of the display surface detected by the arrangement state detection means changes, the detection range is adjusted such that, in the changed arrangement state, at least the position of equipment installed in the automobile is outside the detection range in which the proximity object detection unit detects the object.

2. An approach detection device according to claim 1, The proximity detection device is characterized in that the device installed in the aforementioned automobile is the passenger-side lever, which is one of the wiper levers and turn signal levers located on the passenger side.

3. An approach detection device according to claim 1, The proximity detection device is characterized in that, when the arrangement state of the display surface detected by the arrangement state detection means changes, the detection range is adjusted so that, in the changed arrangement state, both the position of the equipment installed in the vehicle and the position of the driver's hand operating the equipment are outside the detection range in which the proximity object detection unit detects the object.

4. An approach detection device according to claim 1, 2, or 3, The proximity detection device is characterized in that the arrangement of the display surfaces is oriented in the left-right direction.

5. An approach detection device according to claim 1, 2, or 3, The aforementioned proximity object detection unit, A plurality of infrared light sources that emit infrared light passing in front of the display surface are arranged on the outside of the display surface, along the left-right direction of the display surface, One or more photodetectors arranged outside the display surface, A detection operation execution means for each of the aforementioned infrared light sources sequentially performs a detection operation in which the intensity of the reflected infrared light emitted by the infrared light source is detected by the photodetector that is pre-associated with the infrared light source. An approach detection device characterized by having an approach detection means that detects the approach of an object to the display surface using the intensity of the reflected infrared light emitted by each of the infrared light sources detected by each of the photodetectors in the detection operation, and calculates the position of the approaching object in the left-right direction of the display surface from the distribution of said intensity.

6. An approach detection device according to claim 1, 2, or 3, The aforementioned proximity object detection unit, A plurality of infrared light sources that emit infrared light passing in front of the display surface are arranged on the outside of the display surface, along the left-right direction of the display surface, One or more photodetectors arranged outside the display surface, The system includes proximity detection means that detects the approach of an object to the display surface using the intensity of the reflected infrared light emitted from each infrared light source detected by the photodetector, The proximity detection device is characterized in that the detection range adjustment means adjusts the detection range by changing the combination of irradiation intensities of each of the plurality of infrared light sources.

7. An approach detection device according to claim 1, 2, or 3, The aforementioned proximity object detection unit, A plurality of infrared light sources that emit infrared light passing in front of the display surface are arranged on the outside of the display surface, along the left-right direction of the display surface, A plurality of photodetectors are arranged on the outside of the display surface, aligned along the left-right direction of the display surface, The system includes proximity detection means that detects the approach of an object to the display surface with a set sensitivity using the intensity of the reflected infrared light emitted from each infrared light source detected by the photodetector, The proximity detection device is characterized in that the detection range adjustment means adjusts the detection range by changing the sensitivity characteristics of the proximity detection means to each of the reflected light intensities detected by the plurality of photodetectors.

8. A display unit characterized by comprising a proximity detection device according to claim 1, 2, or 3, and the display integrated with the proximity detection device.

9. The proximity detection device comprises the proximity detection device according to claim 1, 2, or 3, the display, and a data processing device that uses the display as a display output. When the proximity detection device detects an object approaching the display surface, it notifies the data processing device of the object's proximity. The data processing device is an information processing system characterized by performing predetermined processing in response to notification of the approach of an object.

Images