Operating device

Abstract

To provide an operating device that provides functions to contact target parts that are touched by the hands of an operator to increase immersive feeling.SOLUTION: An operating device CTR receives operations made by the hands, such as the fingers of an operator. The operating device CTR includes a plurality of contact target parts 2 that are touched by the hands of the operator, and a vibrating part that can individually vibrate the plurality of contact target parts 2. The operating device CTR includes a detection part that detects a touch on the contact target parts 2. The contact target parts 2 provided on the operating device CTR are movably attached to a surface of a housing 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present application discloses an operation device that accepts an operation by an operator's hand. [Background technology]

[0002] Various operating devices, such as game controllers and mice operated by the operator's hands, are widely used to operate electronic devices such as game machines and computers. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes an operating device for a game machine that creates a sense of realism by providing a response means that is activated by feedback from the game machine itself, which is an electronic device. The operating device for a game machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 is characterized by having a response means that vibrates a coil or a magnetic body using magnetic flux generated in the coil, and by the response means vibrating the entire device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-4967 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the content of the objects to be operated in video games and the like is becoming more complex, and various functions are being demanded of the operation devices in order to enhance the sense of immersion.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an operating device that can enhance the sense of immersion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the operating device disclosed in the present application is an operating device that accepts operation by the operator's hand, and is characterized by having a plurality of contactable parts that the operator's hand touches, and a vibration part that can vibrate the plurality of contactable parts individually.

[0007] The operating device may further include a detection unit that detects contact with the contacted portion.

[0008] In the operating device, the vibration section and the detection section are formed from a single piezoelectric body.

[0009] The operating device may further include a housing that houses the vibration unit, and the contacted unit may be movably attached to a surface of the housing.

[0010] Furthermore, in the operating device, the housing has a main body portion and a grip portion formed by bending or protruding from the main body portion for gripping by the operator, and the contactable portion is attached to the surface of the grip portion.

[0011] In the operating device, the touchable portions are attached at positions where different fingers of an operator can touch them.

[0012] In the operating device, the contacted portion is formed in a recessed shape where the portion that is to be touched by the operator's hand is recessed.

[0013] Furthermore, the operating device disclosed in the present application is an operating device that accepts operation by the operator's hand, and is characterized by having a plurality of contactable parts that the operator's hand touches, and a detection unit that can individually detect contact with the plurality of contactable parts.

[0014] Furthermore, the operating device disclosed in the present application is an operating device that accepts operation by the operator's hand, and is characterized in that it comprises a contactable part that the operator's hand touches, a detection part that can detect contact with the contactable part, and a housing that houses the detection part, and the contactable part is movably attached to the surface of the housing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The operating device disclosed in the present application provides excellent effects such as increasing the operator's sense of immersion in operating the operation target by providing functionality to the contactable portion that the operator's hand touches. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the appearance of an operating device disclosed herein. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the appearance of an operating device disclosed herein. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a contacted portion included in an operating device disclosed herein; [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a contacted portion included in an operating device disclosed herein; [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a contacted portion and a housing included in an operating device disclosed herein; [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a housing provided in an operating device disclosed herein. [Figure 7] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a control system for a piezoelectric body included in an operating device disclosed herein. FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is a graph showing an example of the effect of frequency on the skin sensation of the human body. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a schematic bottom view showing an example of the appearance of the operating device disclosed herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] <Application example> Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. The operating device disclosed herein is applied to devices such as game controllers, mice, keyboards, and stick controllers that are operated by the operator's hands. The operating device disclosed herein is used to operate electronic devices such as game devices, computers, and various industrial robots. Below, with reference to the drawings, a game controller-type operating device CTR shown in the drawings will be described as an example.

[0018] <Control device CTR> 1 and 2 are schematic perspective views showing an example of the appearance of the operating device CTR disclosed in the present application. The appearances shown in Fig. 1 and 2 are shown substantially from the viewpoint of an operator, with Fig. 1 showing the view from the diagonal left side and Fig. 2 showing the view from the diagonal right side.

[0019] The operating device CTR includes a housing 1 that houses various circuits. The housing 1 of the operating device CTR includes a rounded, approximately rectangular parallelepiped main body 10, with grip portions 11 formed on both ends of the main body 10 that bend and protrude diagonally backward (toward the operator). Pressing operation portions used as four-way keys for operation are arranged on the left and right sides of the upper surface of the main body 10 of the housing 1, and an audio output portion such as a piezo speaker using a piezoelectric element is arranged between the left and right pressing operation portions. Additionally, six contactable portions 2, three on each side, that the operator's fingers (hands) touch are attached to the side surfaces of the grip portions 11 on both sides of the housing 1. The operator holds the grip portion 11 of the operating device CTR with both hands, touches the contactable portions 2 with three fingers from the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger, and operates the pressing operation portions with their thumbs. The multiple contactable portions 2 are attached in positions where different fingers can touch them. The plurality of contactable parts 2 are movably attached to the surface of the operating device CTR. The operating device CTR exemplified in this application is capable of sliding the contactable parts 2 up and down, and by sliding the contactable parts 2, the contactable parts 2 can be positioned at positions that are easy for the operator's fingers to touch.

[0020] Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the contactable unit 2 provided in the operating device CTR disclosed in the present application. Fig. 3 shows the contactable unit 2 from the perspective of the front surface side that can be seen by the operator. The contactable unit 2 attached to the grip part 11 of the operating device CTR is in the form of a thin, approximately rectangular plate, and the front surface side that the operator's fingers touch is formed in a concave shape where the finger (hand) will touch. The concave shape of the contactable unit 2 allows the operator to recognize the part that the finger will touch and makes it easier for the operator to hook the finger.

[0021] Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the contacted part 2 included in the operating device CTR disclosed in the present application. Fig. 4 shows the contacted part 2 as seen from the back side, which is the opposite side to the front side. The contacted part 2 has hook-shaped engagement pieces 20, such as snap-fit ​​shapes, formed on both sides of the back side and extending in the attachment direction. A piezoelectric element 3 formed in the shape of a substantially rectangular thin film is attached to the back side of the contacted part 2.

[0022] The piezoelectric element 3 includes a pair of electrodes 30 connected to a control device 5 (described later) for applying or outputting a voltage. The piezoelectric element 3 is formed using a piezoelectric piezoelectric element such as PZT (lead zirconate titanate). It deforms when a voltage is applied and generates a voltage when pressure is applied. Therefore, the piezoelectric element 3 vibrates when a periodic voltage, such as a pulse wave with a predetermined period, is applied, thereby functioning as a vibration unit 30A that vibrates the contacted part 2. Furthermore, the piezoelectric element 3 generates a voltage when pressure is applied based on contact with the contacted part 2 by the operator's hand, such as a finger. Therefore, the vibration unit 30A and the detection unit 30B included in the operating device CTR according to the present application are integrally formed using a single piezoelectric element 3, and one piezoelectric element 3 is switched to be used as the vibration unit 30A and the detection unit 30B. The contacted part 2 is formed in a concave shape where the finger touches it. Therefore, the finger can easily touch the center of the contacted part 2 at the most concave position, i.e., the thinnest position of the contacted part 2 and the closest position to the piezoelectric element 3. As a result, the contacted part 2 has excellent vibration transmission and contact detection properties while maintaining strength by increasing the thickness of the side parts.

[0023] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the contacted part 2 and housing 1 included in the operating device CTR disclosed herein. FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of the contacted part 2 and a portion of the grip part 11, which is the attachment position of the contacted part 2. The grip part 11 is provided with an engagement groove 12 that engages with the engagement piece 20 of the contacted part 2, at the attachment position of the contacted part 2. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the housing 1 included in the operating device CTR disclosed herein. FIG. 6 shows the state in which the contacted part 2 is attached to the grip part 11 of the housing 1, as viewed from inside the housing 1. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in the operating device CTR disclosed herein, by fitting the contacted part 2 into the attachment position of the grip part 11 of the housing 1, the engagement piece 20 of the contacted part 2 fits into the engagement groove 12 of the grip part 11, and the contacted part 2 is attached to the grip part 11 in a state in which it can move up and down. In addition, either one or both of the contacted part 2 and the housing 1 may be provided with a locking part such as a projection or recess for fixing the position so that the contacted part 2 can be fixed at any position.

[0024] <Example of functional configuration> Next, an example of the functional configuration of the operating device CTR disclosed herein will be described. Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a control system for the piezoelectric body 3 provided in the operating device CTR disclosed herein. The piezoelectric body 3 provided in the operating device CTR disclosed herein is attached to a housing 1 as a piezoelectric device 4 equipped with various elements such as resistors and electrodes, and a control device 5 that controls the piezoelectric device 4 is housed within the housing 1.

[0025] The control device 5 includes various components such as a control unit 50, a pulse generating circuit 51, a measurement circuit 52, and a switching circuit 53. The control unit 50 is a processor that controls the entire control device 5. The pulse generating circuit 51 is a circuit that outputs a drive signal that vibrates the piezoelectric body 3 provided in the piezoelectric device 4 based on the control of the control unit 50. The measurement circuit 52 is a circuit that receives an input of a measurement signal based on the voltage generated in the piezoelectric body 3 and passes the input signal to the control unit 50. The switching circuit 53 is a circuit that switches between input of a drive signal from the pulse generating circuit 51 to the piezoelectric device 4 and output of a measurement signal to the measurement circuit 52 based on the control of the control unit 50.

[0026] The various circuits will be further described. The control unit 50 controls the pulse generation circuit 51 to control the vibration of the piezoelectric body 3 and also receives, from the measurement circuit 52, an input of a measurement signal based on the voltage input from the piezoelectric body 3. The control unit 50 also outputs a switching signal to the measurement circuit 52 and the switching circuit 53. The switching signal switches between a drive mode in which a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric device 4 to drive the piezoelectric body 3, and a measurement mode in which a voltage output from the piezoelectric body 3 is input due to the operator's touch and the strength of the touch. The control unit 50 performs time-sharing control to switch between the drive mode and the measurement mode at a timing based on a predetermined time ratio that is set in advance. The operating device CTR disclosed in the present application can prevent crosstalk from occurring through the piezoelectric body 3 by performing time-sharing control to switch modes using the switching circuit 53.

[0027] The pulse generating circuit 51 includes various circuits such as a pulse oscillator 510 and a first amplifier 511. The pulse oscillator 510 is a circuit that oscillates a pulse wave of a predetermined frequency under the control of the control unit 50. The first amplifier 511 is a circuit that amplifies the pulse wave oscillated by the pulse oscillator 510. Under the control of the control unit 50, the pulse generating circuit 51 amplifies the pulse wave emitted by the pulse oscillator 510 using the first amplifier 511 and outputs the amplified pulse wave to the switching circuit 53 as a drive signal.

[0028] The switching circuit 53 is a switch circuit that switches input / output between the piezoelectric device 4 and the control device 5 based on a switching signal output from the control unit 50. In a drive mode in which the switching circuit 53 is connected to the pulse generating circuit 51, the switching circuit 53 receives an input of a drive signal output from the pulse generating circuit 51 and outputs the drive signal to the piezoelectric device 4. In a measurement mode in which the switching circuit 53 is connected to the measurement circuit 52, the switching circuit 53 outputs an analog measurement signal based on the voltage value output from the piezoelectric device 4 to the measurement circuit 52.

[0029] The measurement circuit 52 includes various circuits such as an LPF 520 (low-pass filter), a second amplifier 521, and an A / D converter 522. The measurement circuit 52 converts a measurement signal based on the voltage output from the piezoelectric device 4 into a signal that can be processed by the control unit 50 and outputs the signal to the control unit 50. The LPF 520 converts the measurement signal into a smooth waveform by cutting out high-frequency components. The measurement circuit 52 may also include a P / H (peak hold) circuit as pre-processing before the LPF 520 or in combination with the LPF 520 to smooth the waveform. The second amplifier 521 amplifies the measurement signal smoothed by the LPF 520. The A / D converter 522 converts the analog measurement signal amplified by the second amplifier 521 into a digital measurement signal. Based on the control of the control unit 50, the measurement circuit 52 smoothes the measurement signal input from the switching circuit 53 using the LPF 520, amplifies it using the second amplifier 521, converts it into an analog signal using the A / D converter 522, and outputs it to the control unit 50.

[0030] The control unit 50 receives the input of the measurement signal and executes processing based on the touch of the operator.

[0031] The drive signal output from the pulse generating circuit 51 to the piezoelectric device 4 via the switching circuit 53 will now be described. The pulse wave-based action signal is applied to the piezoelectric body 3 by the piezoelectric device 4 as a periodic voltage such as a sine wave, square wave, or sawtooth wave. The piezoelectric body 3 vibrates based on the applied periodic voltage.

[0032] FIG. 8 is a graph showing an example of the effect of frequency on human skin sensation. In FIG. 8, the horizontal axis represents frequency, while the vertical axis represents the discrimination threshold at which Pacinian corpuscles perceive vibration amplitude. Pacinian corpuscles are one of the mechanoreceptors found in human skin. As shown in the graph in FIG. 8, Pacinian corpuscles are most sensitive to vibrations with frequencies around 200 Hz and can perceive vibrations with amplitudes of around 1 μm. Therefore, the frequency of the voltage applied to piezoelectric element 3 based on the pulse wave generated by pulse generating circuit 51 is preferably controlled to between 50 and 500 Hz, and more preferably to around 200 Hz.

[0033] As described above, the operating device CTR disclosed herein comprises a plurality of contactable parts 2 attached at positions where the operator's fingers touch, and each of the contactable parts 2 vibrates individually. As a result, the operating device CTR disclosed herein can be used as a game controller to perform various game-related effects, thereby achieving excellent effects such as enhancing the sense of immersion.

[0034] Furthermore, the operating device CTR disclosed herein can individually detect the contact and strength of the operator's fingers on the multiple contactable units 2. This allows the operating device CTR disclosed herein to provide various effects according to the operator's grip state, for example, thereby achieving excellent effects such as enhancing the sense of immersion.

[0035] Furthermore, the operating device CTR disclosed in the present application can move the position of the contactable part 2 attached to the surface of the housing 1, thereby achieving excellent effects such as making it possible to adjust the contactable part 2 to a position that suits the size of the operator's hand and how it is held.

[0036] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be embodied in various other forms. Therefore, the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative in all respects and should not be interpreted as limiting. The technical scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and is not limited in any way by the text of the specification. Furthermore, all modifications and variations within the equivalent scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention.

[0037] For example, in the operating device CTR disclosed herein, the shape of the operating device CTR and the positions of the contactable units 2 that the operator's fingers touch can be designed as appropriate. FIG. 9 is a schematic bottom view showing an example of the appearance of the operating device CTR disclosed herein. FIG. 9 shows a modified example in which the shape and the positions of the contactable units 2 of the operating device CTR illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 are changed. The operating device CTR illustrated in FIG. 9 has a total of six contactable units 2, three on each of the left and right surfaces facing diagonally downward on the sides of the grip unit 11 on both sides of the housing 1, and two more contactable units 2 attached to the bottom surface of the main body 10, forming a left-right pair. As shown as a modified example in FIG. 9, in the operating device CTR disclosed herein, the number and positions of the contactable units 2 can be designed as appropriate depending on various configurations, such as the shape, size, and use of the operating device CTR.

[0038] Furthermore, for example, in the above embodiment, the contacted part 2 moves up and down, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be expanded into various forms, such as configuring it to move in other directions such as left and right.

[0039] Furthermore, for example, in the above embodiment, a game controller type operation device CTR is used for explanation, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be developed into various forms, such as application to other operation devices CTR such as a mouse, keyboard, stick controller, etc.

[0040] Furthermore, for example, in the above embodiment, the vibration unit 30A and the detection unit 30B are integrally formed using the piezoelectric body 3, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be expanded into various forms. For example, the operating device CTR disclosed in the present application may be configured so that the vibration unit 30A and the detection unit 30B are individually formed using two piezoelectric bodies 3, and in this case, the vibration unit 30A or the detection unit 30B may be configured using an element other than the piezoelectric body 3. Furthermore, it is also possible to configure the contactable unit 2, the vibration unit 30A, and the detection unit 30B to be integrally formed.

[0041] Furthermore, for example, in the above embodiment, the contactable portion 2 is provided at a position where the operator's fingers touch, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be developed into various forms. For example, the operating device CTR disclosed in the present application can be developed into various forms, such as providing the contactable portion 2 at a position where a part other than the fingers, such as the palm, touches. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] CTR operating device 1 chassis 10 Main body 11 Gripping part 2 Contacted part 3 Piezoelectric 3A vibration part 3B Detector 4 Piezoelectric devices 5 Control Devices 50 control section 51 Pulse generating circuit 52 Measurement circuit 53 Switching circuit

Claims

1. An operating device that accepts an operation by an operator's hand, a plurality of contacted parts that are touched by the operator's hands; a vibration unit capable of individually vibrating the plurality of contacted parts; Equipped with An operating device characterized by:

2. The operating device according to claim 1, a detection unit that detects contact with the contacted portion; An operating device characterized by:

3. The operating device according to claim 2, The vibration section and the detection section are formed from a single piezoelectric body. An operating device characterized by:

4. The operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, a housing that houses the vibration unit, The contacted portion is A device is movably attached to the surface of the housing. An operating device characterized by:

5. The operating device according to claim 4, The housing includes: a main body; A gripping portion formed by bending or protruding from the main body portion for the operator to grip; and The contacted part is attached to the surface of the grip part. An operating device characterized by:

6. The operating device according to claim 4, The contacted portion is Each is attached at a position where it is touched by a different finger of the operator. An operating device characterized by:

7. The operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The contacted portion is The area where the operator's hand touches is recessed. An operating device characterized by:

8. An operating device that accepts an operation by an operator's hand, a plurality of contacted parts that are touched by the operator's hands; a detection unit capable of individually detecting contact with the plurality of contacted parts; An operating device comprising:

9. An operating device that accepts an operation by an operator's hand, a contact portion that an operator's hand touches; a detection unit capable of detecting contact with the contacted unit; a housing that houses the detection unit; Equipped with The contacted portion is A device is movably attached to the surface of the housing. An operating device characterized by:

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