Input display device

Abstract

To provide an input display device capable of detecting the presence / absence of a touch operation of a keyboard like / projection like switch with high accuracy.SOLUTION: An input display device of the present invention, comprises: a display 110 for displaying an image; an electrostatic capacitance type touch panel 120 that is attached onto the display 110; a keyboard like / projection like switch 132 that is attached onto the touch panel 120; a touch detection part 150 that detects a position of an operation object when the operation object approaches the touch panel 120; and an operation determination part 160 that determines the presence / absence of a touch operation to the keyboard like / projection like switch 132 on the basis of variation of the position of the operation object detected by the touch detection part 150.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an input display device having an interface function between a human and a machine, and more particularly to an input display device including a three-dimensional operation unit.

Background Art

[0002] An input display device is disclosed in which convex portions are provided on a touch panel disposed so as to overlap a display, and an image such as an operation icon is displayed at a position overlapping the convex portions (for example, Patent Document 1). The user inputs by touching the convex portions.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a display device that performs capacitive touch operations, a user interface (hereinafter referred to as a three-dimensional UI) has been proposed in which the touch position can be tactilely recognized by providing the cover glass with an uneven shape, and the touch position can be understood without visual attention.

[0005] FIG. 1(A) shows an operation example of a conventional flat touch panel. The user U visually recognizes the operation icon 12 displayed on the display 10 and inputs by performing a touch operation on the position of the operation icon 12 (the example in the figure is a musical note).

[0006] Figure 1(B) shows an example of operation of a touch panel with a 3D UI, and Figure 1(C) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the 3D UI. A transparent cover lens 26 with an uneven surface is attached to the touch panel 24, which includes a capacitive sensor, and the display 20 displays operation icons 22 in a position that overlaps with the cover lens 26. User U performs input by touching the cover glass 26 with their finger. For touch detection, a highly sensitive electrostatic sensor is used that can detect the capacitance (distance) of the finger even when it is far from the sensor, making it possible to determine whether or not a touch has been made even through the thick cover lens 26. This makes it possible to reduce touch errors (operation errors) in situations where it is difficult to pay attention to the in-vehicle display while driving.

[0007] In a 3D UI, the touch panel must be able to simulate the shapes of various physical switches (buttons, knobs, sliders, etc.) found inside the vehicle, and its operation detection must be performed using a wide variety of gestures.

[0008] One example of this is a keyboard-shaped or protruding switch 30 that protrudes horizontally from the display, as shown in Figures 2(A) and (B). The keyboard-shaped / protruding switch 30 has an operating surface 32 that extends laterally from the touch panel 40. The method of operating such a keyboard-shaped / protruding switch 30 differs from the method of operating a normal flat-shaped switch. With a flat-shaped switch, as shown in Figure 2(C), a finger U is touched or pressed toward the screen onto the flat operating surface 42 on the touch panel 40, but with a keyboard-shaped / protruding switch, as shown in Figure 2(D), touch operation is performed by placing a finger U on an operating surface 44 that protrudes laterally from the touch panel 40.

[0009] Figures 3(A) and 3(B) illustrate the operation method in more detail. Figure 3(A) is a schematic cross-section of a flat switch, with a flat cover glass 42 mounted on the touch panel 40. The user moves their finger U in the X direction, bringing their finger U close to the cover glass 42 to perform a touch operation. As a result, the distance from the sensor on the touch panel 40 to the finger U changes significantly, and the difference in capacitance values ​​measured between touch and non-touch states becomes large, making it easy to determine the threshold for whether or not a touch operation has occurred.

[0010] In contrast, in the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch, as shown in Figure 3(B), a cover glass 42 is mounted on the touch panel 40, and the cover glass 42 has protrusions 44 that project away from the touch panel 40.

[0011] When a user performs a touch operation on the protrusion 44, they move their finger U in the Y direction from a position P1, which is a distance D from the touch panel 40, and place their finger U on the surface of the protrusion 44 at position P2. At position P1, although the finger U is at a distance D from the touch panel 40, it is floating in the air without contacting the cover glass 42, so the capacitance measured by the sensor is small and the touch operation of the finger U is not detected. At position P2, although the finger U is at a distance D from the touch panel 40, the finger U is in contact with the surface of the protrusion 44, so the capacitance measured by the sensor becomes large and the touch operation of the finger U is detected.

[0012] However, when a finger U is placed on the surface of the protrusion 44, the difference between the capacitance at position P1 (when not in contact) and the capacitance at position P2 (when in contact) does not change significantly because the finger U is at a distance D from the touch panel 40. This makes it difficult to determine whether or not a touch operation has been performed. For this reason, a detection method is needed that can accurately determine whether or not a touch operation has been performed when touching a keyboard-shaped / protruding switch.

[0013] The present invention aims to solve these conventional problems and to provide an input display device that can accurately detect whether or not a keyboard-shaped / protruding switch has been touched. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The input display device according to the present invention includes a display for displaying an image, a capacitive touch panel mounted on the display, a keyboard-shaped / protruding switch provided on the touch panel, a detection means for detecting the position of an object to be operated when the object approaches the touch panel, and a determination means for determining whether or not a touch operation has been performed on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch based on the variation in the position of the object to be operated detected by the detection means.

[0015] In one embodiment, the determination means determines whether the variation in the positions of the detected targets is large or small, and determines that no touch operation has been performed on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch if the variation is large, and determines that a touch operation has been performed on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch if the variation is small. In another embodiment, the determination means compares the variation in the positions of the detected targets with a threshold, and determines that no touch operation has been performed on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch if the variation is greater than or equal to the threshold, and determines that a touch operation has been performed on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch if the variation is less than the threshold. In another embodiment, the determination means acquires a certain number of positions of the detected targets and calculates the variation in the positions of the targets from the acquired number of positions. In another embodiment, the input display device further includes a cover glass on the touch panel, the cover glass includes at least one keyboard-shaped / protruding switch, and the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch includes a surface extending laterally from the surface of the touch panel. In another embodiment, the display is an in-vehicle display. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, since the presence or absence of a touch operation on a keyboard-shaped / protruding switch is determined based on the variation in the position of the detected target of operation, the accuracy of determining touch operations on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch can be improved and false determinations can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] Figure 1(A) shows an operation example of a flat touch panel, Figure 1(B) shows an operation example of a touch panel of a three-dimensional UI, and Figure 1(C) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the three-dimensional UI. [Figure 2] Figures 2(A) and (B) are perspective views showing a configuration example of a keyboard-shaped / protruding switch, Figure 2(C) is an operation example of a flat switch, and Figure 2(D) is a view showing an operation example of a keyboard-shaped / protruding switch. [Figure 3] Figure 3(A) is a specific operation example of a flat switch, and Figure 3(B) is a view showing a specific operation example of a keyboard-shaped / protruding switch. [Figure 4] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of an input display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a graph showing the transition of finger positions (x, y coordinates) detected when the finger is in the air and when the finger is placed on a keyboard-shaped / protruding switch. [Figure 6] It is an operation flow showing a detection algorithm for touch operations of a keyboard-shaped / protruding switch according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] The input display device of the present invention provides an interface between a person and a machine. The input display device of the present invention is not particularly limited, but for example, it is applied to an electronic device equipped with a display with a touch panel. An electronic device equipped with a display with a touch panel is, for example, an in-vehicle device having a navigation function, an audio-visual function, a television function, and the like.

Examples

[0019] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an input display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The input display device 100 of the present embodiment includes a display 110 for displaying images and videos, a touch panel 120 including a capacitive sensor mounted on the display 110, a cover glass 130 attached to the surface of the touch panel 120 and including a keyboard-like / protrusion-like switch 132 as a stereoscopic UI, and a controller 140 for controlling image display on the display 110, touch detection on the touch panel 120, and the like.

[0020] The display 110 is not particularly limited, and includes, for example, a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL panel, and displays image data provided from the controller 140. For example, an operation icon representing an input operation may be displayed at a corresponding position of the keyboard-like / protrusion-like switch 132.

[0021] The touch panel 120 includes, for example, a plurality of sensors (detection units) formed at positions where a plurality of X-side and Y-side electrode lines intersect, and the sensors detect the capacitance when a user's finger, hand, etc. approaches or touches the cover glass 130 or the keyboard-like / protrusion-like switch 132. The touch panel 120 is mounted on the display 110 and provides an input interface for a user to input to an icon or the like displayed on the display 110.

[0022] A cover glass 130 is attached to the surface of the touch panel 120. The cover glass 130 may be a part of the touch panel 120, or may be prepared separately from the touch panel 120.

[0023] One or more keyboard-shaped / protruding switches 132 are formed on the cover glass 130 as a three-dimensional UI. The keyboard-shaped / protruding switches 132 have a keyboard-shaped or protruding shape, and this protruding shape includes at least a surface that extends laterally from the cover glass 130, that is, a surface that extends away from the touch panel 120. This surface is at least large enough for a user's finger to rest on.

[0024] The shape, size, thickness, material, etc., of the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch 132 are not particularly limited, but for example, as shown in Figures 2(A) and (B), it includes an operating surface 32 that extends laterally from the surface of the touch panel 40. The operating surface 32 does not necessarily have to be transparent, and may have characters, symbols, graphics, etc., representing the content of the input operation drawn on it. Also, the operating surface 32 does not necessarily have to be flat, and may have some irregularities, be inclined in a straight line, or be curved.

[0025] Furthermore, the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch 132 may be formed integrally with the cover glass 130, or it may be a separate component from the cover glass 130. For example, the sides of the rectangular keyboard-shaped / protruding switch 132 may be attached to the cover glass 130 with double-sided adhesive or the like. In this case, the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch 132 can be made of a different material from the cover glass 130, for example, acrylic or polycarbonate.

[0026] The coordinate positions of the keyboard-shaped / protruding switches 132 on the touch panel 120 are registered in the memory of the controller 140. When the controller 140 detects a finger approaching the touch panel 120, it determines whether that finger is touching the keyboard-shaped / protruding switches 132. The controller 140 can also display icons representing input operations near the keyboard-shaped / protruding switches 132 via the display 110. The user visually identifies the icons drawn on the operating surface of the keyboard-shaped / protruding switches 132 or the icons displayed on the display 110, and performs the input operation by touching the keyboard-shaped / protruding switches 132.

[0027] The controller 140 includes hardware and / or software resources, and is responsible for all processing of the input display device, for example, by using a microcontroller including an arithmetic processing unit and ROM / RAM. For example, it performs display processing for the display 110, touch detection and operation determination (detection of touch position and finger distance, determination of whether a touch operation has been performed) from the output values ​​of the touch panel 120, and processes such as video display / video switching accordingly.

[0028] In one embodiment, the controller 140 is configured to include a touch detection unit 150, an operation determination unit 160, a display control unit 170, and a memory 180, as shown in Figure 4. The touch detection unit 150 drives multiple electrode lines on the X and / or Y sides of the touch panel 120, measures the capacitance of each detection unit (sensor) on the driven electrode lines, detects the touch position based on the measurement results, and provides the detection results to the operation determination unit 160.

[0029] The operation determination unit 160 determines whether a touch operation has occurred on the touch panel 120 or on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch 132, based on the measurement results of the touch detection unit 150. Here, "touch" includes not only contact between the user's finger and the cover glass 130 or the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch 132, but also approaching the cover glass 130 or the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch 132. For example, when the user's finger contacts or approaches the flat surface of the cover glass 130, the operation determination unit 160 determines whether a touch operation has occurred based on the change in capacitance of the corresponding detection unit (sensor). Similarly, when the user's finger contacts or approaches the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch 132, the operation determination unit 160 determines whether a touch operation has occurred on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch 132 based on the change in capacitance of the corresponding detection unit (sensor).

[0030] The display control unit 170 displays images and videos on the display 110, and, if necessary, displays icons at the corresponding positions on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switches 132. If no icons are drawn on the operating surface of the keyboard-shaped / protruding switches 132, the display control unit 110 can display icons on the display 110 that represent the operation of the keyboard-shaped / protruding switches 132. In addition, the display control unit 170 switches the image displayed on the display 110 to a different image when the operation determination unit 160 determines that a touch operation has occurred.

[0031] The memory 180 stores information such as the coordinates and size of the keyboard-shaped / protruding switches 132, as well as the coordinates of the touch position (finger position) detected by the touch detection unit 150. The memory 180 may also store image data such as icons to be displayed near the keyboard-shaped / protruding switches 132.

[0032] Next, the detection operation of touch operation of the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch according to this embodiment will be described. This embodiment uses an algorithm that determines whether the finger is in the air and not touching the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch, or whether it is touching it, based on the amount of deviation or variation in the detected finger position.

[0033] Figure 5 is a graph of the finger position (x, y coordinates) detected when a finger is brought close to the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch, and the graph below is a magnified view of the detected finger position. ● indicates the finger position when the finger is in the air, i.e., the finger position when finger U is not in contact with the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch 44 at position P1 in Figure 3(B), and ▲ indicates the finger position when the finger is placed on the surface of the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch 132, i.e., the finger position when finger U is in contact with the operating surface of the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch 44 at position P2 in Figure 3(B).

[0034] As is clear from the graph, the amount of finger position deviation (variation) detected when finger U is touching the surface of the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch is small, but the amount of finger position deviation (variation) detected when the finger is in the air is large. In other words, there is a difference in the magnitude of the detected finger position deviation (variation) depending on whether the finger is touching the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch or not. Based on the detected amount of finger position deviation (variation), the detection algorithm determines that there has been a touch operation on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch if the amount of deviation is small, and determines that there has been no touch operation on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch if the amount of deviation is large.

[0035] A specific example of a detection algorithm is shown below. 1. The touch detection unit 150 records a certain number of finger position transitions. For example, the coordinates of a certain number of detected finger positions are stored in the memory 180. 2. Regarding the transitions in the recorded finger position (coordinate position), the variability of the transition amount in finger position is calculated, for example, from the variance and standard deviation. 3. If the variation is below a threshold, it is determined that a finger is placed on the key-shaped / protruding switch. In other words, it is determined that a touch operation has been performed on the key-shaped / protruding switch.

[0036] Here, the threshold for determining the magnitude of the variation is determined based on the detection accuracy of the touch panel 120's sensor. For example, when calculating variation using variance, the threshold can be set by determining whether the variance is above a certain value, or by calculating the moving average of the x and y coordinate positions. If it exceeds 1σ of the normal distribution, the variation is large (a finger is in the air), and if it is within 1σ, the variation is small (a key-shaped switch is being touched). Note that the determination of the amount of variation is not limited to the algorithm described above; any method that can determine the difference in the amount of variation as shown in the graph is acceptable.

[0037] Figure 6 shows the operation flow of the detection algorithm in this embodiment. The touch detection unit 150 detects the finger distance based on the measured capacitance (S100). The finger distance is the distance from the sensor of the touch panel 120 to the finger. The finger distance detected by the touch detection unit 150 is provided to the operation determination unit 160.

[0038] The operation determination unit 160 determines whether the detected finger distance is above a threshold (S110), that is, if the finger distance is below the threshold, it determines that a finger is approaching the touch panel 120. When the operation determination unit 160 determines that a finger is approaching, it starts acquiring the coordinates (X, Y coordinates) of the finger position and stores a certain number of finger position coordinates in the memory 180 (S120). The number of finger positions to acquire is arbitrary, but for example, the coordinates of 10 consecutive finger positions are acquired. If the sensor detects capacitance at 60 fps (frames / second), the coordinates of 10 consecutive finger positions will be acquired in 0.1 seconds.

[0039] Next, the operation determination unit 160 calculates the variation in finger position from a certain number of finger position coordinates stored in memory (S130). The method for calculating the variation is arbitrary, and for example, variance or standard deviation can be used. Furthermore, this variation is calculated for both the X and Y coordinates of the finger position.

[0040] Next, the operation determination unit 160 determines whether the variation is large or not (S140). For example, if variance is used to calculate the variation, it determines whether the variation exceeds a threshold, and if standard deviation is used, it determines whether the variation is within 1σ. This determination is made for both the X and Y coordinates of the finger position, and if the variation of both the X and Y coordinates is greater than or equal to a threshold, it is determined that the variation of the finger position is large.

[0041] When it is determined that the variation is large, it is determined that the finger is not touching the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch (the finger is in the air), and this routine is terminated, and preparations are made for the next finger detection. On the other hand, when it is determined that the variation is small, it is determined that the finger has touched the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch located in the detected finger coordinate area (S150). As a result, the controller 140 determines that an input operation has been performed on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch.

[0042] As described above, this embodiment utilizes the fact that there is a difference in the amount of finger position deviation (variation) detected depending on whether or not a finger is touching the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch. By using this phenomenon to determine whether or not a touch operation has been performed on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch, the accuracy of determining touch operations on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch is improved, and false judgments can be suppressed.

[0043] In the above embodiment, an example was used in which the user touches the touch panel (cover glass) with their finger. However, the present invention is not limited to fingers, and can also be applied when the hand or other body parts touch the touch panel (cover glass). In the above embodiment, variance and standard deviation were used to calculate the variation, but this is just one example, and the variation may be calculated using other methods.

[0044] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to any particular embodiment, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention as described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 30, 44: Keyboard-shaped / protruding switches 100: Input display device 110: Display 120: Touch panel 130: Cover glass 132: Keyboard-shaped / protruding switches 140: Controller

Claims

1. A display for displaying images, A capacitive touch panel mounted on the aforementioned display, A keyboard-shaped / protruding switch is provided on the touch panel, When the object to be operated approaches the touch panel, a detection means for detecting the position of the object to be operated is provided. A determination means for determining whether or not a touch operation was performed on a keyboard-shaped / protruding switch based on the variation in the position of the target being operated on detected by the detection means, A device with a black and white input display.

2. The input display device according to claim 1, wherein the determination means determines whether or not there is a large variation in the position of the detected target to be operated on, determines that no touch operation has been performed on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch when the variation is large, and determines that a touch operation has been performed on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch when the variation is small.

3. The input display device according to claim 1, wherein the determination means compares the variation in the position of the detected target to a threshold, determines that no touch operation has been performed on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch when the variation is greater than or equal to the threshold, and determines that a touch operation has been performed on the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch when the variation is less than the threshold.

4. The input display device according to claim 1, wherein the determination means acquires a certain number of positions of detected targets and calculates the variation in the positions of the targets from the acquired number of positions of the targets.

5. The input display device further includes a cover glass on the touch panel, and the cover glass includes at least one keyboard-shaped / protruding switch. The input display device according to claim 1, wherein the keyboard-shaped / protruding switch includes a surface extending laterally from the surface of the touch panel.

6. The input display device according to claim 1, wherein the display is an in-vehicle display.

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