Keyboard device

Abstract

To simplify the structure of a proximity sensor arranged at a keyboard device.SOLUTION: A keyboard device according to one embodiment includes a keyboard and a mutual capacitance type proximity sensor. The keyboard includes a first key and a second key arranged in an array direction of the first key. The proximity sensor includes a first electrode having a part extending at least from a first region below the first key to a second region below the second key, a second electrode arranged in the first region, and a third electrode arranged in the second region. The proximity sensor uses variation in capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode and variation in capacitance between the first electrode and the third electrode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a keyboard device. [Background technology]

[0002] A keyboard device has been developed that is equipped with a proximity sensor that detects when a user's finger approaches a key (for example, Patent Document 1). By detecting that a finger is approaching a key, it is possible to prepare a process that applies resistance to the key before the key is operated. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-152115 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, one or more proximity sensors are used for each key to recognize the key to be pressed before the key is pressed. Therefore, it is necessary to arrange independent proximity sensors according to the number of keys, and a complex structure is required to realize this.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to simplify the structure of a proximity sensor disposed in a keyboard device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A keyboard device according to one embodiment includes a keyboard and a mutual capacitance proximity sensor. The keyboard includes a first key and a second key arranged in an arrangement direction relative to the first key. The proximity sensor includes a first electrode having a portion extending from at least a first region below the first key to a second region below the second key, a second electrode arranged in the first region, and a third electrode arranged in the second region. The proximity sensor uses a change in electrostatic capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode and a change in electrostatic capacitance between the first electrode and the third electrode.

[0007] The keyboard may include a third key adjacent to the first key, and the second electrode may have a portion extending from a third region below the third key to the first region.

[0008] When the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode are viewed along a direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction of the first key and the arrangement direction, the second electrode and the third electrode do not have to intersect with the first electrode.

[0009] When the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode are viewed along a direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction of the first key and the arrangement direction, the first electrode does not have to be positioned in the area between the second electrode and the third electrode.

[0010] When the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode are viewed along a direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction of the first key and the arrangement direction, the second electrode and the third electrode may intersect with the first electrode.

[0011] The electrostatic discharge device may further include a drive section that supplies drive signals to the second electrode and the third electrode, and a detection section that acquires a detection signal generated in the first electrode.

[0012] The drive section may provide the drive signal to the second electrode in a first period, and provide the drive signal to the third electrode in a second period different from the first period.

[0013] The electrostatic sensor may further include a drive section that supplies a drive signal to the first electrode, and a detection section that obtains detection signals generated by the second electrode and the third electrode.

[0014] The detection section may acquire the detection signal generated at the second electrode in a first period, and acquire the detection signal generated at the third electrode in a second period different from the first period.

[0015] The second electrode and the third electrode may be connected to a fixed potential via a resistor, and the proximity sensor may further include a switching unit that switches between connecting and disconnecting the second electrode and the fixed potential.

[0016] The proximity sensor may further include a fourth electrode, and the fourth electrode may be positioned at a position shifted in the longitudinal direction relative to the first electrode when the first electrode is viewed along a direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction of the first key and the arrangement direction.

[0017] The device may further include a sound source unit that generates a sound signal based on set parameters, and a control unit that controls the parameters based on a detection result by the proximity sensor.

[0018] The sound source section may generate a sound signal having a tone color based on the parameters in response to an operation on the keyboard.

[0019] The parameters may include key range information for identifying a first key range and a second key range of the keyboard.

[0020] The parameter may include information for changing a signal level of the sound signal, and the sound source unit may generate the sound signal at a timing based on the detection result.

[0021] The keypad may further include a load unit that applies a load in response to a press on the first key, and a control unit that controls the magnitude of the load in the load unit based on a detection result by the proximity sensor. Effect of the Invention

[0022] According to the present invention, the structure of the proximity sensor disposed in the keyboard device can be simplified. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing the external appearance of an electronic keyboard device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 3 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between a transmitting electrode and a receiving electrode of the proximity sensor in the first embodiment (when the proximity sensor is viewed from the side of the keyboard device). FIG. [Diagram 3] 4 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between a transmitting electrode and a receiving electrode in the first embodiment (when the proximity sensor is viewed from above the keyboard device). FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between a transmitting electrode and a receiving electrode in the first embodiment (when the proximity sensor is viewed from the front of the keyboard device). FIG. [Diagram 5] 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an electronic keyboard device in a first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a proximity sensor in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a detection unit in the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 4 is a flowchart illustrating a sound source control method in the first embodiment. [Figure 9] 13 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between a transmitting electrode and a receiving electrode in the second embodiment (when the proximity sensor is viewed from above the keyboard device). FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a proximity sensor in a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a proximity sensor in a third embodiment. [Figure 12]13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating an example of use of a proximity sensor in the third embodiment. [Figure 13] 13 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between a transmitting electrode and a receiving electrode in a fourth embodiment (when the proximity sensor is viewed from above the keyboard device). FIG. [Figure 14] 13 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a proximity sensor in a fourth embodiment. FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a configuration of a detection unit in a fourth embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the configuration of a detection unit in the fifth embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the transmitting electrodes and the receiving electrodes in the sixth embodiment (when the proximity sensor is viewed from above the keyboard device). [Figure 18] FIG. 23 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the transmitting electrodes and the receiving electrodes in the seventh embodiment (when the proximity sensor is viewed from above the keyboard device). [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a proximity sensor in a seventh embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] An electronic keyboard device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are merely examples, and the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to these embodiments. In the drawings referred to in this embodiment, the same parts or parts having similar functions are given the same or similar symbols (symbols with A, B, etc. added after a number) and repeated explanations may be omitted. Also, for convenience of explanation, the dimensional ratios in the drawings may differ from the actual ratios, and some components may be omitted from the drawings.

[0025] First Embodiment [1. Configuration of the electronic keyboard device] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the appearance of an electronic keyboard device in a first embodiment of the present invention. The electronic keyboard device 1 is a synthesizer equipped with a keyboard 8. The keyboard 8 is equipped with a plurality of keys 80 rotatably supported in a housing 95. The keys 80 are formed of an insulating material. The insulating material is, for example, plastic or wood. The electronic keyboard device 1 generates a sound signal in response to a user's operation of the keys or control by a sequencer. The electronic keyboard device 1 can also change the sound signal in response to the detection result of a proximity sensor 70, which will be described later. The sound signal is output from a signal output unit 65 or a speaker 60 arranged in the housing 95. In addition, the electronic keyboard device 1 includes an operation unit 20, a display unit 50, and an interface 90 arranged in the housing 95.

[0026] Here, as a plurality of directions relative to the keyboard device 1, a first direction D1, a second direction D2, and a third direction D3 are defined as shown in FIG. 1. The first direction D1 corresponds to the arrangement direction of the keys 80 (from the bass side to the treble side). The second direction D2 corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the keys 80 (from the rotation center of the keys 80 to the tip of the keys 80). The second direction D2 can also be said to be the direction from the rear side to the front side of the keyboard device 1. The third direction D3 corresponds to the downward direction when the keyboard device 1 is installed in a playing state. The first direction D1, the second direction D2, and the third direction D3 are perpendicular to each other. These directions have the same relationship in other figures as in FIG. 1.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the transmitting electrode and the receiving electrode of the proximity sensor in the first embodiment of the present invention (when the proximity sensor is viewed from the side of the keyboard device). Before explaining this positional relationship, the configuration other than the proximity sensor 70 will be explained. The shaft 85 supports the key 80 rotatably relative to the housing 95. The guide section 84 restricts the rotation range and direction of the key 80. The key 80 receives an upward force from a weight, spring, or the like (not shown). The key depression detection section 88 is a sensor that detects the process in which the key 80 moves from the rest position to the end position in response to a depression operation on the key 80, and is arranged on the underside 80d of the key 80 in this example.

[0028] The proximity sensor 70 is held in the housing 95 below the key 80. The proximity sensor 70 is a mutual capacitance type electrostatic capacitance sensor, and includes a transmitting electrode 75 and a receiving electrode 77 arranged on a supporting substrate 79 such as a printed circuit board. In this example, the transmitting electrode 75 is arranged away from the receiving electrode 77 in the second direction D2, but the positional relationship between the transmitting electrode 75 and the receiving electrode 77 may be reversed. Here, the positional relationship between the key 80 and the proximity sensor 70 will be further described with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

[0029] [2. Example of electrode arrangement of proximity sensor] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the transmitting electrodes and receiving electrodes in the first embodiment of the present invention (when the proximity sensor is viewed from above the keyboard device). FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the transmitting electrodes and receiving electrodes in the first embodiment of the present invention (when the proximity sensor is viewed from the front of the keyboard device). In FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, area 800a (first area), area 800b (second area), and area 800c (third area) are areas respectively corresponding to the lower parts of key 80a (first key), key 80b (second key), and key 80c (third key) identified for the following explanation.

[0030] 3, the areas 800a, 800b, and 800c may be defined as areas directly below the keys 80a, 80b, and 80c, or may be defined to be expanded along the second direction D2 (the longitudinal direction of the key 80) to include areas other than the first direction D1 beyond the area directly below the key 80. Regardless of the definition, the positions of the areas 800a, 800b, and 800c do not change when the proximity sensor 70 is viewed in the direction shown in FIG.

[0031] The keys 80a and 80c are adjacent to each other. The positional relationship between the keys 80a and 80c may be reversed. That is, either the key 80a or the key 80c may be located closer to the key 80b. The key 80b may be adjacent to either the key 80a or the key 80c, or may not be adjacent to either the key 80a or the key 80c as in this example. Although the keys 80a, 80b, and 80c are all white keys, a black key may be included.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3, the driving unit 71, the detection unit 73, the multiple transmission electrodes 75, and one reception electrode 77 are arranged on a support substrate 79. The overall configuration of the proximity sensor 70 will be described later, and here, the positional relationship between the transmission electrode 75 and the reception electrode 77 will be described. In this example, the transmission electrodes 75-1, 75-2, ..., 75-10 are arranged on the support substrate 79 in a line in the first direction D1. In the following description, when there is no particular distinction between the transmission electrodes 75-1, 75-2, ..., 75-10, they are referred to as the transmission electrode 75. In this example, the transmission electrode 75 is a rectangular electrode having a long side along the first direction D1 and a short side along the second direction D2. The transmission electrode 75 and the reception electrode 77 described below can be applied to various shapes within a range in which the positional relationship between the transmission electrode 75 and the reception electrode 77 satisfies the following conditions.

[0033] The multiple transmitting electrodes 75 include at least a transmitting electrode 75-3 (second electrode) arranged in the region 800a and a transmitting electrode 75-6 (third electrode) arranged in the region 800b. In this example, the transmitting electrode 75-3 also includes a portion arranged in the region 800c. Thus, the transmitting electrode 75-3 includes a portion extending from the region 800c to the region 800a.

[0034] In this example, the receiving electrode 77 (first electrode) is a single linear electrode extending along the first direction D1, and has at least a portion extending from the region 800a to the region 800b. The receiving electrode 77 can also be said to be rectangular with a long side along the first direction D1 and a short side along the second direction D2. In this example, the direction in which the receiving electrode 77 extends is parallel to the direction in which the multiple transmitting electrodes 75 are arranged, but they do not have to be parallel.

[0035] When the proximity sensor 70 is viewed in the direction shown in FIG. 3 (when the proximity sensor 70 is viewed along the third direction D3), the receiving electrode 77 does not intersect with the transmitting electrode 75. In this example, the receiving electrode 77 does not intersect with the region connecting the multiple transmitting electrodes 75. In other words, the receiving electrode 77 is not disposed in the region SA between the adjacent transmitting electrodes 75. In FIG. 3, the region between the transmitting electrode 75-7 and the transmitting electrode 75-8 is shown as an example of the region SA. As shown in this example, the region SA corresponds to the region filling the gap between the transmitting electrode 75-7 and the transmitting electrode 75-8. The regions between the other adjacent transmitting electrodes 75 also correspond to the region SA.

[0036] The proximity sensor 70 functions as a mutual capacitance sensor that detects changes in capacitance between the transmitting electrode 75 and the receiving electrode 77. The range in which the proximity sensor 70 detects an object includes at least the space above the top surface 80u of the key 80, and may also include a space in the second direction D2 relative to that space (between the player and the key 80).

[0037] Since the proximity sensor 70 has a configuration in which the receiving electrode 77 and the transmitting electrode 75 do not intersect, the object detection characteristics can be adjusted by adjusting the distance between the transmitting electrode 75 and the receiving electrode 77. For example, by increasing the distance between the transmitting electrode 75 and the receiving electrode 77, the range in which the proximity sensor 70 detects objects can be expanded upward. On the other hand, by increasing this distance, the sensitivity of the proximity sensor 70 to detect objects decreases in the area close to the key 80.

[0038] The proximity sensor 70 has a configuration in which the receiving electrode 77 and the transmitting electrode 75 do not intersect. In this case, for example, when a drive signal DS is supplied to the transmitting electrode 75-1, a region with high sensitivity for detecting an object is formed in a region (detection region) that extends in a direction perpendicular to a plane formed between the receiving electrode 77 and the transmitting electrode 75-1. As a result, crosstalk (voltage change due to an object outside the detection region) during detection is unlikely to occur, so that it is possible to prevent an object from being detected at a position corresponding to the transmitting electrode 75 to which the drive signal DS is not supplied.

[0039] [3. Configuration of the electronic keyboard device] Next, the overall configuration of the electronic keyboard device 1 will be described.

[0040] 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of an electronic keyboard device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The electronic keyboard device 1 includes a control unit 10, a storage unit 18, an operation unit 20, a sound source unit 30, a display unit 50, a speaker 60, a signal output unit 65, a proximity sensor 70, a key 80, a key press detection unit 88, and an interface 90.

[0041] The storage unit 18 is a storage device such as a non-volatile memory, and has an area for storing a control program executed by the control unit 10. The control program may be provided from an external device. When the control unit 10 executes the control program, various functions are realized in the electronic keyboard device 1. One of the realized functions is a function for controlling the sound output by the sound source unit 30 based on the detection result by the proximity sensor 70.

[0042] The operation unit 20 includes operation devices such as knobs, sliders, touch sensors, and buttons, and receives instructions from a user to the electronic keyboard device 1. The operation unit 20 outputs an operation signal CS to the control unit 10 in accordance with the received user instructions.

[0043] The display unit 50 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal display, and displays various screens under the control of the control unit 10. A touch panel may be configured by combining the display unit 50 with a touch sensor.

[0044] The speaker 60 amplifies and outputs the sound signal supplied from the sound source unit 30, thereby generating a sound corresponding to the sound signal.

[0045] The signal output unit 65 includes a terminal for outputting the sound signal supplied from the sound source unit 30 to an external device.

[0046] The proximity sensor 70 detects an object, such as a user's hand or finger, approaching the key 80, and outputs a detection signal PS corresponding to the position of the detected object to the control unit 10. The proximity sensor 70 includes a drive unit 71, a detection unit 73, a transmitting electrode 75, and a receiving electrode 77. The detailed configuration of the proximity sensor 70 will be described later.

[0047] The key depression detection unit 88 includes a sensor that outputs to the control unit 10 a key depression signal KV corresponding to the position of the pressed key 80 and the amount of depression of the key 80 .

[0048] In this example, the interface 90 includes a terminal for connecting an external device such as a controller to the electronic keyboard device 1. The interface 90 may also include a terminal for transmitting and receiving MIDI data.

[0049] The control unit 10 is an example of a computer including a processing circuit such as a CPU, and storage devices such as a RAM and a ROM. The control unit 10 executes a control program stored in the storage unit 18 by the CPU, and realizes various functions in the electronic keyboard device 1 according to the instructions written in the control program. For example, the control unit 10 generates a sound source control signal Ct based on a key depression signal KV, and generates a setting signal St based on a detection signal PS and an operation signal CS.

[0050] The sound source control signal Ct includes information for controlling the generation of each sound, such as note number, note on, note off, etc., and is used to generate a sound signal in the sound source section 30. The setting signal St is used to set values ​​of various parameters required for generating a sound signal in the sound source section 30. The various parameters include parameters for setting tone color, sound effects, etc. A method for controlling the sound source section 30 by the setting signal St based on the detection signal PS (sound source control method) will be described in detail later.

[0051] The sound source unit 30 includes a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). The sound source unit 30 generates a sound signal based on a sound source control signal Ct and a setting signal St supplied from the control unit 10. The sound source unit 30 may supply the generated sound signal to the signal output unit 65 and further to the speaker 60. The sound source unit 30 realizes various functions according to instructions written in a predetermined program. This program may be provided from an external device. All or some of the functions realized in the sound source unit 30 may be realized by executing a program in the control unit 10. Conversely, all or some of the functions realized in the control unit 10 may be realized by executing a program in the sound source unit 30.

[0052] [4. Proximity sensor configuration] Next, the configuration of the proximity sensor 70 will be described.

[0053] 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of the proximity sensor in the first embodiment of the present invention. The driving unit 71 includes a driving signal generating unit 711, a multiplexer (MUX) 715, wiring 74 (74-1, 74-2, . . . , 74-10), and ground resistors 76 (76-1, 76-2, . . . , 76-10). The driving unit 71 supplies a driving signal DS to the transmitting electrode 75 by using this configuration. The driving signal DS is a pulse signal in this example.

[0054] The wirings 74-1, 74-2, . . . , 74-10 are connected to the transmitting electrodes 75-1, 75-2, . . . , 75-10, respectively. The wirings 74-1, 74-2, . . . , 74-10 are connected to the ground resistors 76-1, 76-2, . . . , 76-10, respectively.

[0055] The drive signal generating unit 711 generates a drive signal DS and outputs it to the multiplexer 715. The multiplexer 715 repeats sequentially connecting the drive signal generating unit 711 to the wirings 74-1, 74-2, ..., 74-10. As a result, the drive signal DS is sequentially supplied to the transmission electrodes 75-1, 75-2, ..., 75-10. In other words, the periods during which the drive signal DS is supplied to each transmission electrode 75 are different from each other. For example, the drive signal DS is supplied to the transmission electrode 75-1 in a first period, and is supplied to the transmission electrode 75-2 in a second period following the first period. The time for one cycle until the drive signal DS is supplied to all the transmission electrodes 75 may be, for example, about 1 ms to 100 ms. In the case of having 10 transmission electrodes 75 as in this example, the periods during which the drive signal DS is supplied to each transmission electrode 75 are about 0.1 ms to 10 ms.

[0056] If the period during which the drive signal DS is supplied to each transmitting electrode 75 is not changed, a decrease in the number of transmitting electrodes 75 shortens the time of one cycle and increases the time precision of object detection, but the density of the arrangement decreases and the position precision of object detection decreases. Conversely, an increase in the number of transmitting electrodes 75 lengthens the time of one cycle and decreases the time precision of object detection, but increases the position precision of object detection.

[0057] The wiring that is not connected to the drive signal generating unit 711 is grounded via a ground resistor 76, so that the transmission electrodes 75 to which no drive signal DS is supplied are fixed to the ground potential (fixed potential).

[0058] The receiving electrode 77 receives the drive signal DS transmitted from the transmitting electrode 75 through capacitive coupling with the transmitting electrode 75. At this time, an object (such as the user's hand) approaching the key 80 changes the capacitance between the receiving electrode 77 and the transmitting electrode 75, thereby modulating the drive signal DS and changing the waveform of the receiving signal RS received by the receiving electrode 77. The greater the change in the waveform due to modulation, the closer the object is to the transmitting electrode 75 to which the drive signal DS was being supplied at that time. The detection unit 73 acquires the receiving signal RS and outputs a signal corresponding to the signal waveform.

[0059] As described above, since the key 80 is made of an insulating material, the key 80 does not change the capacitance between the transmitting electrode 75 and the receiving electrode 77, and therefore the proximity sensor 70 is less affected by the key 80 when detecting an object. If the key 80 is provided with a metal such as a weight, the metal is preferably held by an insulating material so as to be in an electrically floating state. It is preferable that no metal structure other than the proximity sensor 70 exists within the range where the proximity sensor 70 can detect an object. If a metal structure exists, it is preferable that the structure is held by an insulating material so as to be in an electrically floating state. If the structure is not in an electrically floating state, or if the structure is in an electrically floating state but affects the receiving signal RS, the state of the affected receiving signal RS may be defined as the background state in object detection.

[0060] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of a detection unit in the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 7, the detection unit 73 includes an input terminal 731, a ground resistor 732, an amplifier 733, a high-pass filter (HPF) 734, a synchronous detection circuit 735, a low-pass filter (LPF) 737, an amplifier 738, and an output terminal 739. The high-pass filter 734 removes low-frequency components other than the frequency of the drive signal DS.

[0061] The synchronous detection circuit 735 includes a synchronous switch 7351 and a comparator 7352. The synchronous switch 7351 switches in synchronization with the drive signal DS between a state in which a signal is supplied from the high-pass filter 734 to both input terminals of the comparator 7352, or a state in which one of the terminals is grounded. The low-pass filter 737 removes components corresponding to the frequency of the drive signal DS. The signal output from the output terminal 739 is a signal with an output level corresponding to the difference between the drive signal DS and the received signal RS, i.e., the amount of modulation due to the capacitance change.

[0062] The detection signal PS that the proximity sensor 70 outputs to the control unit 10 includes information that associates the level of the output signal from the output terminal 739 with the position of the transmitting electrode 75 to which the drive signal DS is supplied. Therefore, the detection signal PS includes information that indicates the distance between the key 80 and the object at each of the positions of the multiple transmitting electrodes 75. This concludes the description of the configuration of the proximity sensor 70.

[0063] [5. Sound source control method] Next, a description will be given of a sound source control method that is executed based on the detection signal PS output from the proximity sensor 70. When an instruction to execute a process using the detection signal PS is input from, for example, the operation unit 20, the sound source control method described below is executed.

[0064] FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the sound source control method in the first embodiment of the present invention. First, the control unit 10 waits until an object is detected by the proximity sensor 70 with reference to the detection signal PS (step S100; No). The control unit 10 judges that an object is detected when the level of the output signal corresponding to any of the transmission electrodes 75 exceeds a predetermined level with reference to the detection signal PS. When an object is detected by the proximity sensor 70 (step S100; Yes), a process according to the detection result is executed based on the detection signal PS (step S200). The control unit 10 continues this process until an object is no longer detected by the proximity sensor 70 (steps S300; No, S200). When an object is no longer detected by the proximity sensor 70 (step S300; Yes), the contents set in step S200 are discarded and the basic settings are restored (step S400), and the control unit waits until an object is detected by the proximity sensor 70 again (step S100; No).

[0065] The process executed in step S200 may vary depending on the settings made in the sound source unit 30 when this sound source control method is executed. For example, assume that the control unit 10 has set a split function in advance in the sound source unit 30 by using a setting signal St. The split function is a function that divides the multiple keys 80 into a low range (first key range) and a high range (second key range), and produces sounds in a first tone color set in the low range and a second tone color set in the high range.

[0066] The control unit 10 generates a setting signal St in response to the detection signal PS and outputs the setting signal St to the sound source unit 30, thereby controlling the sound source unit 30. In this example, the control unit 10 determines a boundary separating the low range and the high range based on the detection signal PS. The control unit 10 outputs a setting signal St including key range information indicating the low range and the high range based on the determined boundary to the sound source unit 30. The boundary can be determined by using a known method such as blob analysis or edge detection, for example, the following method.

[0067] The control unit 10 extracts output signal levels corresponding to the multiple transmitting electrodes 75 with reference to the detection signal PS, and associates the output signal levels with each coordinate indicating a position along the first direction D1. The coordinates may correspond to the position of the key 80. The output signal level corresponding to the transmitting electrode 75 is associated with the coordinates corresponding to that transmitting electrode 75. On the other hand, a level interpolated using the output signal levels corresponding to the adjacent transmitting electrodes 75 is associated with the coordinates corresponding to a position where no transmitting electrode 75 is present.

[0068] The control unit 10 identifies coordinates (hereinafter referred to as object detection coordinates) that exceed the threshold level by binarizing the coordinates based on a predetermined threshold level. When a predetermined number or more of object detection coordinates are consecutively present, the control unit 10 determines that a hand is present in the range of the coordinates. When an object is detected at the positions of a plurality of transmitting electrodes 75, and an object is not detected at the transmitting electrodes 75 arranged between these positions (or the detection level is relatively low), the control unit 10 recognizes that the range in which the above-mentioned object detection coordinates are consecutively present is separated into two, and thus the state in which two objects separated from each other are detected. The two objects are actually assumed to be the right and left hands of the user. At this time, the control unit 10 divides the low and high ranges by using a key 80 corresponding to the center of the position where no object is detected between the two objects (or the position of the midpoint of the center coordinates of each of the two objects) as a boundary. The boundary key 80 may be a key 80 corresponding to the highest note of the low range, or may be a key 80 corresponding to the lowest note of the high range.

[0069] When both hands are close to each other, two objects may be detected as one object. That is, even if two objects are present, the range in which the object detection coordinates are consecutively present may be recognized as one without being separated into two. When both hands are detected in one range, the range is wider than when one hand is detected. Therefore, even when the range in which the object detection coordinates are consecutively present is one, if the range is larger than a predetermined range, it may be determined that two objects (both hands) are present. In this case, the control unit 10 divides the low range and the high range by using the key 80 corresponding to the center of the one range as a boundary.

[0070] While the process of step S200 continues, the control unit 10 continues to set the division between the low and high ranges according to the detection signal PS. As a result, the control unit 10 can set the key 80 located between the right and left hands as the boundary dividing the low and high ranges, following the movements of the user's right and left hands, which are recognized as two objects.

[0071] The proximity sensor 70 in the above-described electronic keyboard device 1 constitutes a mutual capacitance type electrostatic capacitance sensor using a receiving electrode 77 and multiple transmitting electrodes 75 arranged below the keys 80. By arranging it below the keys 80, it is possible to provide a simple configuration in which the receiving electrodes 77 of this sensor are arranged across an area corresponding to the multiple keys 80.

[0072] <Second embodiment> When the proximity sensor 70 is viewed along the third direction D3, the transmitting electrodes 75 and the receiving electrodes 77 in the first embodiment do not intersect. In the second embodiment, a proximity sensor 70A having a transmitting electrode 75A and a receiving electrode 77A that are arranged to intersect with each other will be described.

[0073] 9 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the transmitting electrodes and the receiving electrodes in the second embodiment of the present invention (when the proximity sensor is viewed from above the keyboard device). The proximity sensor 70A includes a plurality of transmitting electrodes 75A (75A-1, 75A-2, ..., 75A-10) extending along the second direction D2. The plurality of transmitting electrodes 75A are arranged side by side in the first direction D1. In this example, the plurality of transmitting electrodes 75A also includes a transmitting electrode 75A-3 arranged in the region 800a and a transmitting electrode 75A-6 arranged in the region 800b.

[0074] In this example, the receiving electrode 77A is a single electrode extending along the first direction D1, similar to the receiving electrode 77 in the first embodiment. Meanwhile, the receiving electrode 77A is disposed on one of the two surfaces of the support substrate 79A, on the surface (lower surface) opposite to the surface (upper surface) on which the transmitting electrode 75A is disposed. When the proximity sensor 70 is viewed in the direction shown in FIG. 9 (when the proximity sensor 70A is viewed along the third direction D3), the receiving electrode 77A passes through the area SA between the adjacent transmitting electrodes 75A. In FIG. 9, the area between the transmitting electrodes 75A-7 and 75A-8 is shown as an example of the area SA, similar to the first embodiment.

[0075] 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of a proximity sensor in the second embodiment of the present invention. The proximity sensor 70A differs from the proximity sensor 70 in the first embodiment only in the configuration of the electrodes. That is, the proximity sensor 70A is the same as the proximity sensor 70 except that the wirings 74-1, 74-2, ..., 74-10 are connected to the transmitting electrodes 75A-1, 75A-2, ..., 75A-10, respectively, and therefore a detailed description will be omitted.

[0076] In this way, the transmitting electrodes and receiving electrodes constituting the proximity sensor can be arranged in various ways as long as they are in a positional relationship that allows capacitance to be formed. In particular, since the transmitting electrodes 75A and the receiving electrodes 77A cross each other as in the case of the proximity sensor 70A, the distance between the transmitting electrodes 75A and the receiving electrodes 77A can be reduced. As a result, the range in which an object is detected can be limited to the vicinity of the key 80, while the sensitivity of detecting an object within that range can be increased.

[0077] <Third embodiment> Some of the transmitting electrodes used in the proximity sensor may be switched so that the drive signal DS is not supplied depending on the application. In the third embodiment, a proximity sensor 70B in which the drive signal DS is not supplied to some of the transmitting electrodes 75A in the proximity sensor 70A in the second embodiment will be described.

[0078] 11 is a diagram showing the configuration of a proximity sensor in the third embodiment of the present invention. The proximity sensor 70B has switches (switching units) 76s (76s-1, 76s-2, . . . , 76s-10) that separate the ground resistors 76 connected to the multiple transmitting electrodes 75A from the ground potential. When all the switches 76s are in a conductive state, the transmitting electrodes 75A are connected to the ground potential, and the configuration is the same as that of the proximity sensor 70A in the second embodiment. On the other hand, when the application does not require positional accuracy in the first direction D1, some of the transmitting electrodes 75A may be disabled.

[0079] In this case, the multiplexer 715B switches the switch 76s connected to the transmitting electrode 75A to which the drive signal DS is not supplied from the conductive state to the non-conductive state while preventing the driving signal DS from being supplied to the disabled transmitting electrode 75A. By thus setting the transmitting electrode 75A to a floating state by being disconnected from the ground potential, the object detection of the proximity sensor 70B can be made to approximate an environment in which the disabled transmitting electrode does not exist.

[0080] Fig. 12 is a diagram showing an example of use of the proximity sensor in the third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 12, half of the transmitting electrodes 75A are not present because the transmitting electrodes 75A-2, 75A-4, 75A-6, 75A-8, and 75A-10 are disabled, so that the density of the arrangement is lowered and the positional accuracy of object detection is halved. If the supply time of the drive signal DS to each transmitting electrode 75A is not changed, the next drive signal DS can be supplied in half the time, so that the time accuracy of object detection can be doubled.

[0081] <Fourth embodiment> The number of receiving electrodes in the proximity sensor is not limited to one. In the fourth embodiment, a proximity sensor 70C having two receiving electrodes 77C (77C-1, 77C-2) will be described. The number of receiving electrodes 77C is not limited to two, and may be three or more.

[0082] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the transmitting electrode and the receiving electrode in the fourth embodiment of the present invention (when the proximity sensor is viewed from above the keyboard device). The proximity sensor 70C has a receiving electrode (first electrode) 77C-1 and a receiving electrode (fourth electrode) 77C-2 that extend along the first direction and are arranged on the support substrate 79C side by side in the second direction D2. The receiving electrodes 77C-1 and 77C-2 both intersect with the transmitting electrodes 75C (75C-1, 75C-2, . . . , 75C-10). The detection units 73C-1 and 73C-2 corresponding to the receiving electrodes 77C-1 and 77C-2, respectively, are also arranged on the support substrate 79C. By arranging the receiving electrodes 77C-1 and 77C-2 in this way, the position of an object in the longitudinal direction of the key 80 can also be detected.

[0083] 14 is a diagram showing the configuration of a proximity sensor according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. As described above, the proximity sensor 70C includes two receiving electrodes 77C-1 and 77C-2, and a detection unit 73C connected to the receiving electrodes 77C-1 and 77C-2.

[0084] 15 is a diagram showing the configuration of the detection unit in the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The detection unit 73C includes detection blocks 730C-1 and 730C-2, a multiplexer 736, and an output terminal 739C. A reception signal RS1 is supplied to the detection block 730C-1 from a reception electrode 77C-1, and a reception signal RS2 is supplied to the detection block 730C-2 from a reception electrode 77C-2. The detection blocks 730C-1 and 730C-2 have the same configuration except that the reception signal input to the input terminal 731 is different. The detection block 730C-1 further includes a switch 732s that separates the ground resistor 732 from the ground potential, in comparison with the detection unit 73 in the first embodiment.

[0085] The multiplexer 736 sequentially switches between the detection block 730C-1 and the detection block 730C-2 and connects them to the output terminal 739C, thereby sequentially supplying the output signal of the detection block 730C-1 and the output signal of the detection block 730C-2 to the output terminal 739C. The period during which each output signal is supplied to the output terminal 739C may correspond to, for example, the first half and the second half of the period during which the drive signal DS is transmitted to one transmission electrode 75. The multiplexer 736 may switch the output signal supplied to the output terminal 739C every time the drive signal DS is supplied to all the transmission electrodes 75. The proximity sensor 70C generates a detection signal PS based on the signal output from the output terminal 739C.

[0086] As in the third embodiment, the proximity sensor 70C may disable the receiving electrode 77C-1 or the receiving electrode 77C-2. When neither the receiving electrodes 77C-1 nor the receiving electrodes 77C-2 are disabled, the switch 732s is turned on to ground the ground resistor 732. On the other hand, when the receiving electrode 77C-1 is disabled, for example, the switch 732s of the detection block 730C-1 is switched to a non-conductive state so that the multiplexer 736 does not connect the detection block 730C-1 to the output terminal 739C. In order to make the receiving electrode 77C-1 floating, depending on the impedance of the amplifier 733, a switch may be provided immediately after the input terminal 731 to separate the input terminal 731 from the ground resistor 732 and the amplifier 733. When it is not necessary to disable the receiving electrode 77C-1 or the receiving electrode 77C-2, the switch 732s may not be present in the detection unit 73C.

[0087] <Fifth embodiment> Instead of providing two detection blocks 730C-1, 730C-2 corresponding to a plurality of receiving electrodes 77C-1, 77C-2 in detection unit 73C as in the fourth embodiment, a detection unit 73D that shares at least a part of the configuration of detection blocks 730C-1, 730C-2 will be described.

[0088] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the configuration of the detection unit in the fifth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 16, the configuration from the high-pass filter 734 to the output terminal 739 in the detection unit 73D is the same as that of the detection unit 73 in the first embodiment. On the other hand, the configuration from the input terminal 731 to the amplifier 733 is provided corresponding to each of the multiple receiving electrodes 77C-1 and 77C-2. For example, a ground resistor 732-1, a switch 732s-1, and an amplifier 733-1 are provided corresponding to the receiving electrode 77C-1. A ground resistor 732-2, a switch 732s-2, and an amplifier 733-2 are provided corresponding to the receiving electrode 77C-2.

[0089] The multiplexer 736 sequentially switches between the amplifier 733-1 and the amplifier 733-2 and connects them to the high-pass filter 734, thereby sequentially supplying the output signal of the amplifier 733-1 and the output signal of the amplifier 733-2 to the output terminal 739C. The period during which each output signal is supplied to the high-pass filter 734 may correspond to, for example, the first half and the second half of the period during which the drive signal DS is transmitted to one transmitting electrode 75. The multiplexer 736 may switch the output signal to be supplied to the high-pass filter 734 every time the drive signal DS is supplied to all transmitting electrodes 75.

[0090] As in the third and fourth embodiments, the proximity sensor 70C may disable the receiving electrode 77C-1 or the receiving electrode 77C-2. When neither the receiving electrodes 77C-1 nor 77C-2 are disabled, the switches 732s-1 and 732s-2 are in a conductive state to ground the ground resistors 732-1 and 732-2. On the other hand, when the receiving electrode 77C-1 is disabled, for example, the switch 732s-1 is switched to a non-conductive state so that the multiplexer 736 does not connect the amplifier 733-1 to the high-pass filter 734. In order to make the receiving electrode 77C-1 floating, depending on the impedance of the amplifier 733-1, a switch may be provided immediately after the input terminal 731-1 to separate the input terminal 731-1 from the ground resistor 732-1 and the amplifier 733-1. When there is no need to disable the receiving electrode 77C-1 or the receiving electrode 77C-2, the switches 732s-1 and 732s-2 may not be present in the detection unit 73D.

[0091] Sixth Embodiment In the proximity sensor 70A having the transmitting electrode 75A and the receiving electrode 77A that intersect with each other as in the second embodiment, the fourth and fifth embodiments are examples in which the receiving electrode 77A is configured with a plurality of electrodes. In the sixth embodiment, a proximity sensor 70E in which the receiving electrode 77 is configured with a plurality of electrodes in the relationship between the transmitting electrode 75 and the receiving electrode 77 as in the first embodiment will be described.

[0092] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the transmitting electrodes and the receiving electrodes in the sixth embodiment of the present invention (when the proximity sensor is viewed from above the keyboard device). As shown in FIG. 17, the transmitting electrodes 75E (75E-1, 75E-2, ..., 75E-10) are arranged side by side in the first direction D1. The receiving electrodes 77E-1 and 77E-2 are electrodes extending along the first direction D1 and arranged side by side in the second direction D2. The multiple transmitting electrodes 75E are arranged between the receiving electrodes 77E-1 and 77E-2. Even if the transmitting electrode 75 in the first embodiment is used as a premise, a proximity sensor 70E provided with two receiving electrodes 77E-1 and 77E-2 can be realized.

[0093] Seventh embodiment In the above-mentioned embodiment, only the proximity sensor having multiple transmission electrodes has been described, but the present invention can be applied to a proximity sensor having one transmission electrode and multiple reception electrodes. In the seventh embodiment, the proximity sensor 70F having multiple reception electrodes 77F and one transmission electrode 75F will be described by replacing the transmission electrode and the reception electrode in the proximity sensor 70A in the second embodiment.

[0094] 18 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the transmitting electrodes and the receiving electrodes in the seventh embodiment of the present invention (when the proximity sensor is viewed from above the keyboard device). Multiple receiving electrodes 77F (77F-1, 77F-2, ..., 77F-10) extend along the second direction D2 and are arranged side by side in the first direction. The transmitting electrode 75F is an electrode that intersects with the multiple receiving electrodes 77F and extends along the first direction D1.

[0095] 19 is a diagram showing the configuration of a proximity sensor in the seventh embodiment of the present invention. A driving signal generating unit 711 supplies a driving signal DS to a transmitting electrode 75F. Since there is one transmitting electrode, a multiplexer 715 is not required. Receiving signals RS1, RS2, ..., RS10 received at receiving electrodes 77F-1, 77F-2, ..., 77F-10 are input to a detecting unit 73F. The detecting unit 73F may have a configuration in which the receiving signals RS1 and RD2 are processed in parallel in the detecting unit 73C in the fourth embodiment or the detecting unit 73D in the fifth embodiment is expanded to RS1, RS2, ..., RS10.

[0096] <Modification> Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this embodiment can be modified in various ways as described below. Furthermore, the above-described embodiment and the modifications described below can be applied in combination with each other.

[0097] (1) The keyboard device 1 in the above-described embodiment is not limited to having one proximity sensor, and may have a configuration having multiple proximity sensors. The multiple proximity sensors may be arranged side by side in the first direction D1 or in the second direction D2.

[0098] (2) The sound source control method in the above-described embodiment is merely an example, and can be used to control various sound sources. For example, when an object moving from a low-pitched range to a high-pitched range is detected based on the detection signal PS, the control unit 10 may start a glissando process on the sound source unit 30.

[0099] The glissando process is, for example, a process of generating a sound with a pitch that changes from a low range to a high range according to a change in the position of an object even if the key 80 is not actually operated. Similarly, when an object moving from a high range to a low range is detected, a process of generating a sound with a pitch that changes from a high range to a low range may be started. In this way, the control unit 10 may control the sound source unit 30 to generate a sound signal by specifying the sound generation timing based on the detection result of the proximity sensor, separately from the operation on the key 80. That is, the control unit 10 may generate a sound source control signal Ct based on the detection signal PS. In the glissando process, a sound signal may be generated with a signal level controlled so that the closer the distance between the detected object and the key 80 is, the louder the sound is.

[0100] As another method of controlling the sound source, the control unit 10 may recognize the movement of an object immediately before operating the key 80 (e.g., the speed at which the object approaches the key 80) based on the detection signal PS, and change parameters for generating a sound signal according to the movement. The parameters may be, for example, tone color, or parameters for determining an envelope such as attack, decay, sustain, and release.

[0101] (3) The object controlled in response to the detection signal PS does not have to be the sound source unit 30. For example, if the keyboard device 1 has a load unit 89 (see FIG. 5) that electrically applies a load to the operation of the key 80 to provide a reaction force, the detection signal PS may be used to control this reaction force. The load unit 89 is, for example, a mechanism that uses a solenoid to provide a reaction force to the key 80. In this case, the control unit 10 may recognize the movement of an object immediately before the operation of the key 80 (for example, the speed at which the object approaches the key 80), and control the magnitude of the load in response to the movement so as to change the reaction force applied to the key 80 around the object.

[0102] (4) In the above-described embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the receiving electrode 77 does not intersect with the transmitting electrodes 75, and is not disposed in a region (region SA) connecting a plurality of transmitting electrodes 75. The receiving electrode 77 may have a shape that does not intersect with the transmitting electrodes 75 and is disposed in the region SA. For example, the receiving electrode 77 shown in Fig. 3 may have an electrode that extends into the region SA. [Explanation of symbols]

[0103] 1...keyboard device, 8...keyboard, 10...control section, 18...storage section, 20...operation section, 30...sound source section, 50...display section, 60...speaker, 65...signal output section, 70...proximity sensor, 71...drive section, 73...detection section, 74...wiring, 75...transmitting electrode, 76...ground resistor, 76s...switch, 77...receiving electrode, 79...support substrate, 80...key, 80d...lower surface, 80u...upper surface, 84...guide section, 85...axis, 89...load section, 90...interface 730C-1, 730C-2, 731, 732, 733, 734, 735, 736, 737, 738, 739, 739C, 739D, 739E, 739F, 739G, 739H, 739I ...

Claims

1. a keyboard including a first key and a second key arranged in an arrangement direction relative to the first key; a mutual capacitance type proximity sensor including a first electrode having a portion extending from at least a first region below the first key to a second region below the second key, a second electrode disposed in the first region, and a third electrode disposed in the second region, the mutual capacitance type proximity sensor using a change in electrostatic capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode and a change in electrostatic capacitance between the first electrode and the third electrode; Equipped with The first key and the second key are arranged in a first direction, Each of the first key and the second key has a longitudinal direction in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first area is an area immediately below the first key or an area extended in the second direction from the area immediately below the first key, A keyboard device, wherein the second area is an area directly below the second key or an area extended in the second direction from the area directly below the second key.

2. the keyboard includes a third key adjacent to the first key, the second electrode has a portion extending from a third region below the third key to the first region, the third key is arranged in the first direction of the first key and the second key, The third key has a longitudinal direction in the second direction, 2. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the third area is an area directly below the third key or an area extended in the second direction from the area directly below the third key.

3. 3. A keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein when the first electrodes, the second electrodes and the third electrodes are viewed along a direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction of the first key and the arrangement direction, the second electrodes and the third electrodes do not intersect with the first electrodes.

4. 4. The keyboard device according to claim 3, wherein when the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode are viewed along a direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction of the first key and the arrangement direction, the first electrode is not positioned in a region between the second electrode and the third electrode.

5. 3. A keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein when the first electrodes, the second electrodes, and the third electrodes are viewed along a direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction of the first key and the arrangement direction, the second electrodes and the third electrodes intersect with the first electrodes.

6. a drive unit that supplies drive signals to the second electrode and the third electrode; A detection unit that acquires a detection signal generated in the first electrode; The keyboard device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

7. The keyboard device according to claim 6 , wherein the drive section provides the drive signal to the second electrode in a first period, and provides the drive signal to the third electrode in a second period that is different from the first period.

8. A drive unit that supplies a drive signal to the first electrode; A detection unit that acquires detection signals generated by the second electrode and the third electrode; The keyboard device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

9. The keyboard device according to claim 8 , wherein the detection section acquires the detection signal generated at the second electrode in a first period, and acquires the detection signal generated at the third electrode in a second period that is different from the first period.

10. the second electrode and the third electrode are connected to a fixed potential via a resistor; The keyboard device according to claim 1 , wherein the proximity sensor further includes a switching unit that switches between a connection and a disconnection between the second electrode and the fixed potential.

11. the proximity sensor further includes a fourth electrode; 11. The keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein the fourth electrode is disposed at a position shifted in the longitudinal direction relative to the first electrode when the first electrode is viewed along a direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction of the first key and the arrangement direction.

12. a sound source unit that generates a sound signal based on the set parameters; a control unit that controls the parameters based on a detection result by the proximity sensor; The keyboard device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

13. The keyboard device according to claim 12, wherein the sound source section generates a sound signal of a tone color based on the parameters in response to an operation on the keyboard.

14. The keyboard device according to claim 13 , wherein the parameters include key range information for identifying a first key range and a second key range of the keyboard.

15. the parameters include information for changing a signal level of the sound signal; 15. The keyboard device according to claim 12, wherein the sound source section generates the sound signal at a timing based on the detection result.

16. a load unit that applies a load in response to a depression of the first key; A control unit that controls the magnitude of the load in the load unit based on a detection result by the proximity sensor; The keyboard device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

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