Pen including haptic element

Abstract

[Problem] To provide, without shaking the entire pen, tactile feedback at a finger position by a haptic element installed at a position separated from the finger position. [Solution] A pen 2 includes: a structure that includes a housing 60; a circuit 24b that receives a vibration control signal; a circuit 24a that sends a pen signal in accordance with a command of the circuit 24b; a haptic element 28 that is controlled on the basis of the command of the circuit 24b corresponding to the vibration control signal and that has one end fixed to the structure; and an offset transmission unit 67a disposed in the interior of the housing 60. The offset transmission unit 67a is configured to transmit vibration of the haptic element 28 to a position, of the structure, offset when viewed from the position at which the haptic element 28 is fixed.

Description

A pen containing a haptic element

[0001] The present invention relates to a pen that includes a haptic element.

[0002] Pens that have the function of generating tactile feedback using haptic elements are known. Patent Document 1 describes an example of this type of pen in which external vibrators are arranged on the surface of the pen at positions where the index finger and thumb touch. Patent Document 1 also describes an example in which a rotary vibrator is provided at the end of the pen and the entire pen is vibrated by this rotary vibrator to apply vibrations to the position where the index finger touches.

[0003] JP 2014-222492 A

[0004] To effectively provide haptic feedback to a user holding a pen, it is preferable to generate haptic feedback at the positions on the surface of the pen where the index finger and thumb rest (hereinafter referred to as the "finger positions"), as described in Patent Document 1. However, because the tip of a pen is densely packed with pressure sensors for detecting writing pressure and transmitters for transmitting pen signals, the only conventional methods for providing vibration at the finger positions have been to attach an external vibrating unit, as in the pen described in Patent Document 1, or to provide a vibrating unit at the end of the pen and vibrate the entire pen. However, attaching an external vibrating unit is unsightly and prone to malfunction. Furthermore, vibrating the entire pen would vibrate locations other than the finger positions, which not only fails to achieve the desired effect but also increases power consumption.

[0005] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a pen that can provide tactile feedback to the finger position without shaking the entire pen by using a haptic element built in at a position away from the finger position.

[0006] A pen according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a structure including a housing, a control unit that receives a vibration control signal, a signal sending unit that sends a pen signal in accordance with instructions from the control unit, a haptic element that is controlled based on instructions from the control unit in response to the vibration control signal and has one end fixed to the structure, and an offset transmission unit that is arranged inside the housing, wherein the offset transmission unit is configured to transmit the vibration of the haptic element to a position on the structure that is offset from the position at which the haptic element is fixed.

[0007] A pen according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a structure including a housing, a control unit that receives a vibration control signal, a signal transmission unit that transmits a pen signal in accordance with instructions from the control unit, a first haptic element having one end fixed to the structure, a second haptic element that is provided on the rear end side of the pen as viewed from the first haptic element, and an offset transmission unit that is arranged inside the housing, wherein the first haptic element and the second haptic element are each controlled based on instructions from the control unit in response to the vibration control signal, and the offset transmission unit is configured to transmit the vibration of the first haptic element to a position on the structure that is offset as viewed from the position at which the first haptic element is fixed.

[0008] According to the present invention, the vibration of the haptic element can be transmitted by an offset transmission unit located inside the housing, so that the haptic element built into a position away from the finger position can provide tactile feedback to the finger position without shaking the entire pen.

[0009] 1A and 1B are perspective views of a position detection system 1 including a pen 2 according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1C is a process flow diagram showing processing executed by a sensor controller 32 according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a pen 2 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the pen 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1C is an exploded perspective view of an internal module 64 according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of the pen 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of an area A shown in FIG. 1A; FIG. 1C is a diagram showing the top surface and a partial cross-section of an internal module 64 according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1C is a perspective view of a knob holder 67 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as seen from below, and FIG. 1C is a bottom view of the knob holder 67 according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1C is a diagram showing simulation results of vibrations caused by a haptic element 28 according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1C is a diagram showing the knob holder 67 of a pen 2 according to first and second modified examples of the first embodiment of the present invention, respectively; and FIG. 1C is a diagram showing the configuration of a position detection system 1 including a pen 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an internal module 64 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a pen 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is an enlarged view of an area D shown in (a). Fig. 3 is a view showing the top surface of an internal module 64 according to a second embodiment of the present invention and a see-through view showing a part of the internal structure. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a knob holder 67 according to a second embodiment of the present invention as seen from below. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a pen 2 according to a third modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a position detection system 1 including a pen 2 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the position detection system 1 is configured to include a pen position detection device 3 in addition to the pen 2.

[0012] 1, the pen position detection device 3 is a computer having a function for detecting the pen 2, and is configured to include a panel surface 3a, a sensor 30 and a display 31 arranged in a stacked manner directly below the panel surface 3a, a sensor controller 32, a host processor 33, and a wireless communication unit 34. In a typical example, the pen position detection device 3 is a personal computer such as a tablet terminal or a notebook computer.

[0013] The display 31 is a display device having a display surface such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. In the pen position detection device 3, the panel surface 3a constitutes the display surface of the display 31. The host processor 33 is a central processing unit of the pen position detection device 3 that has the function of controlling each part of the pen position detection device 3, including the display 31. The host processor 33 is configured to be able to execute the operating system of the pen position detection device 3 and various applications, including drawing applications, by executing programs stored in its built-in memory. The display 31 plays a role in displaying various screens (images or videos) on the display surface based on video signals generated by the operating system or applications.

[0014] The wireless communication unit 34 is a device for communicating with other devices, including the pen 2, by short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). The host processor 33 is configured to be able to communicate with the pen 2 by short-range wireless communication via the wireless communication unit 34.

[0015] The sensor 30 is a device used by the sensor controller 32 to communicate with the pen 2, and includes a plurality of X electrodes each extending in the y direction within the panel surface 3a and juxtaposed at equal intervals in the x direction, and a plurality of Y electrodes each extending in the x direction within the panel surface 3a and juxtaposed at equal intervals in the y direction. The plurality of X electrodes and the plurality of Y electrodes are each independently connected to the sensor controller 32. One of the plurality of X electrodes and the plurality of Y electrodes may also serve as a common electrode within the display 31, in which case the pen position detection device 3 is called an "in-cell type." On the other hand, the plurality of X electrodes and the plurality of Y electrodes may not also serve as a common electrode within the display 31, in which case the pen position detection device 3 is called an "on-cell type" or "out-cell type."

[0016] The sensor controller 32 is an integrated circuit that has the functions of deriving the position of the pen 2 on the panel surface 3a by communicating with the pen 2 via the sensor 30, acquiring data from the pen 2, and sequentially supplying reports including the derived position and acquired data to the host processor 33. The sensor controller 32 realizes these functions by executing a program implemented as hardware or a program stored in an internal memory, and is configured to be able to execute various processes described below.

[0017] Communication between the sensor controller 32 and the pen 2 via the sensor 30 is preferably performed using, for example, an active capacitance method. The following description assumes the use of the active capacitance method, but it goes without saying that electromagnetic induction or other methods may also be used. Hereinafter, the signal that the sensor controller 32 transmits to the pen 2 via the sensor 30 will be referred to as the "uplink signal US," and the signal that the pen 2 transmits to the sensor controller 32 via the sensor 30 will be referred to as the "pen signal PS."

[0018] The sensor controller 32 is configured to communicate with the pen 2 in units of frames of a predetermined length, and transmits an uplink signal US at the beginning of each frame using multiple X electrodes or multiple Y electrodes. The uplink signal US transmitted in this manner serves to notify the pen 2 of the time position of the frame and the timing (time slot) within the frame at which the pen 2 should transmit the pen signal PS. The uplink signal US also includes a command indicating an instruction from the sensor controller 32 to the pen 2.

[0019] The pen signal PS may include a position signal for causing the sensor controller 32 to detect the position of the pen 2 and a data signal modulated by data transmitted from the pen 2 to the sensor controller 32. The sensor controller 32 receives the position signal from each of the X and Y electrodes constituting the sensor 30, approximates the distribution of the received strength of the position signal in each of the x and y directions using a normal distribution curve, and derives the respective peak positions, thereby deriving the position of the pen 2 on the panel surface 3a (hereinafter referred to as the "pen position"). The sensor controller 32 also receives the data signal from the X or Y electrode closest to the most recently derived pen position and demodulates it to obtain data transmitted by the pen 2 (hereinafter referred to as the "pen data"). The pen data may include a response to a command in the uplink signal US, a writing pressure value indicating the pressure applied to the tip of the pen 2, and switch information indicating the on / off state of pushbutton switches 27a and 27b (described below) provided on the pen 2.

[0020] 2 is a process flow diagram showing the process executed by the sensor controller 32. The process executed by the sensor controller 32 will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 2. First, the sensor controller 32 transmits an uplink signal US at the beginning of a frame (step S1). Next, the sensor controller 32 executes the processes of steps S3 to S7 each time the pen 2 transmits a pen signal PS within the corresponding frame (the timing notified by the uplink signal US) (step S2).

[0021] Specifically, the sensor controller 32 first attempts to detect the pen signal PS using the sensor 30 (step S3). Then, as a result, it determines whether the pen signal PS has been detected (step S4). If it determines that the signal PS has not been detected, it proceeds to the next step. On the other hand, if the sensor controller 32 determines that the signal PS has been detected in step S4, it derives the pen position (step S5) and acquires pen data (step S6) based on the detected pen signal PS. Then, it outputs a report including the derived pen position and the acquired pen data to the host processor 33 (step S7), and returns to step S3.

[0022] Returning to Figure 1, the series of reports supplied by the sensor controller 32 to the host processor 33 are used for processing by a drawing application in the host processor 33. The processing of the drawing application here includes generating and displaying digital ink, moving a cursor, detecting various gestures such as tapping and dragging, and controlling a haptic element 28 (described later) built into the pen 2.

[0023] To briefly explain the generation and display of digital ink, the drawing application is configured to first generate one piece of stroke data based on a series of pen positions and pen data continuously acquired when the pen pressure value is greater than 0, and then generate digital ink using the series of stroke data thus generated. Each time the drawing application derives a new pen position, it also uses one or more previous pen positions included in the same stroke data to generate and render a spline curve such as a Catmull-Rom curve. At this time, the drawing application also performs processing to control the appearance of the generated spline curve based on the pen data. This processing includes processing to control the line width or transparency based on the pen pressure value. The drawing application generates a video signal based on the spline curve thus rendered and supplies it to the display 31. The spline curve rendered by the drawing application is then displayed on the display 31.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the pen 2 is composed of a core body 20, a pen tip electrode 21, a pressure sensor 22, a battery 23, an integrated circuit 24, a wireless communication circuit 25, a seesaw switch 26, push button switches 27a and 27b, and a haptic element 28.

[0025] The core body 20 is a columnar member that forms the pen shaft of the pen 2. The tip of the core body 20 forms the pen tip of the pen 2, and the end abuts against the pressure sensor 22. The pen tip electrode 21 is a conductor that is disposed at the pen tip of the pen 2, and is electrically connected to the integrated circuit 24.

[0026] The pressure sensor 22 is a sensor that detects the pressure applied to the tip of the core body 20. The pressure detected by the pressure sensor 22 is supplied to the integrated circuit 24, and is placed in the pen signal PS by the integrated circuit 24 as the above-mentioned writing pressure value. The battery 23 serves to supply the power necessary for the integrated circuit 24, wireless communication circuit 25, and haptic element 28 to operate.

[0027] The integrated circuit 24 is an integrated circuit composed of various circuits including a boost circuit, a transmission circuit, a reception circuit, and a processing circuit. The reception circuit is connected to the pen tip electrode 21 and serves as a receiver that receives the uplink signal US by detecting the uplink signal US using the pen tip electrode 21. The transmission circuit is also connected to the pen tip electrode 21 and serves as a signal transmitter that transmits a pen signal PS by using a boost circuit to change the pen tip electrode 21 at the timing indicated by the uplink signal US. The processing circuit functions as a controller that controls each part of the pen 2, generates a pen signal PS based on the uplink signal US received by the reception circuit, and processes the generated pen signal PS to be transmitted to the transmission circuit.

[0028] The wireless communication circuit 25 is a device for communicating with other devices, including the pen position detection device 3, via short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). Because short-range wireless communication is two-way communication, the wireless communication circuit 25 functions as a transmitter for transmitting signals and also as a receiver for receiving signals. The integrated circuit 24 is configured to be able to communicate with the pen position detection device 3 via this wireless communication circuit 25 via short-range wireless communication.

[0029] The host processor 33 is configured to transmit a vibration control signal to the pen 2 via this short-range wireless communication. The vibration control signal is a signal for instructing the operation of the haptic element 28. Specifically, the vibration control signal may be a signal for simply instructing the haptic element 28 to operate, or may be a signal for instructing the haptic element 28 to operate at a predetermined timing. When the integrated circuit 24 receives the vibration control signal via the wireless communication circuit 25, the integrated circuit 24 is configured to control the operation of the haptic element 28 in accordance with the received vibration control signal.

[0030] The seesaw switch 26 is a switch-pressing member having a plate-shaped portion 26p arranged along the surface of the housing and two legs 26a, 26b protruding from the plate-shaped portion 26p toward the inside of the housing 60. The legs 26a, 26b are provided near one end and the other end of the plate-shaped portion 26p in the pen axis direction, respectively, and abut against push-button switches 27a, 27b at their tips. When a user presses the surface of one end of the seesaw switch 26 in the pen axis direction, the leg 26a moves inward and presses the push-button switch 27a. On the other hand, when a user presses the surface of the other end of the seesaw switch 26 in the pen axis direction, the leg 26b moves inward and presses the push-button switch 27b. The push-button switches 27a, 27b are configured so that when one is turned on, the other is turned off, and when one is turned off, the other is turned on. The on / off states of the push button switches 27a and 27b are supplied to the integrated circuit 24 and are arranged in the pen signal PS by the integrated circuit 24 as the above-mentioned switch information.

[0031] The haptic element 28 is an element that operates in response to control by the integrated circuit 24 and is disposed in the region between the two legs 26 a and 26 b of the seesaw switch 26. Typically, the haptic element 28 is configured as a vibrator or actuator. For example, the haptic element 28 is preferably configured as a piezo vibrator that houses a weight and a piezo ceramic in a case and moves the weight by expanding and contracting the piezo ceramic under control of the integrated circuit 24, thereby generating vibrations. The haptic element 28 is disposed in the region between the legs 26 a and 26 b in order to particularly vibrate the portion of the surface of the pen 2 that comes into contact with (or is close to) the finger of the person holding the pen 2. However, the haptic element can also be disposed in a position other than between the legs 26 a and 26 b, and the second embodiment describes an example of such an arrangement.

[0032] Fig. 3(a) is a perspective view of the pen 2, and Fig. 3(b) is an exploded perspective view of the pen 2. Referring first to Fig. 3(a), the pen 2 further comprises a housing 60, a front cap 61, a battery cap 62, and a clip 63. Of these, the front cap 61 and the battery cap 62 are fixed to the end of the housing 60 on the pen tip side and the end on the pen rear side, respectively, by screws, snap fit, or the like. In addition, an opening is provided at the tip of the front cap 61 for passing the core body 20, and an opening is provided on the surface of the housing 60 for passing the seesaw switch 26. The clip 63 is fixed between the housing 60 and the battery cap 62.

[0033] 3(b), an internal module 64 and a battery subassembly 65 are arranged inside the housing 60, in that order from the pen tip. The internal module 64 is a component including the pressure sensor 22, battery 23, integrated circuit 24, wireless communication circuit 25, push button switches 27a and 27b, and haptic element 28 shown in FIG. 1. The core body 20 and pen tip electrode 21 are attached to the tip of the internal module 64 through holes provided in the tip of the front cap 61. The seesaw switch 26 is attached to the side of the internal module 64 through a hole provided in the side of the housing 60. The battery subassembly 65 is a component including a board on which a charging circuit for charging the battery 23 is formed.

[0034] 4 is an exploded perspective view of the internal module 64. As shown in the figure, the internal module 64 further includes a board holder 66, a knob holder 67, a circuit board 80, and flexible printed circuit boards 81 and 82. Of these, the board holder 66 and the knob holder 67 are in close contact with the housing 60 and together with the housing 60 constitute the structure of the pen 2. The circuit board 80 and the knob holder 67 are fixed to the board holder 66 by snap fitting.

[0035] Two recesses 66a and 66b are provided at the rear end of the board holder 66, starting from the rear. The battery 23 is stored in the recess 66a. In this embodiment, nothing is stored in the recess 66b. Cylindrical polyimide films 69a and 69b are attached to the portions of the board holder 66 that correspond to the recesses 66a and 66b, respectively. These polyimide films 69a and 69b serve to hold items stored in the recesses 66a and 66b to the board holder 66.

[0036] The battery 23, the integrated circuit 24, the wireless communication circuit 25, the push button switches 27a and 27b, the flexible printed circuit board 81, and the like are fixed to the circuit board 80. The circuit 24a shown in Fig. 4 indicates a transmission circuit within the integrated circuit 24, and the circuit 24b indicates other circuits within the integrated circuit 24. Although the circuits 24a and 24b are located at positions separated from each other as shown in Fig. 4, they electrically constitute an integrated circuit 24.

[0037] A plurality of electrodes, each connected to the integrated circuit 24, is formed on the upper surface of the flexible printed circuit board 81. In addition, the haptic element 28, which is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped member, is disposed on the upper side of the flexible printed circuit board 81, and the plurality of electrodes formed on the upper surface of the flexible printed circuit board 81 are in contact with a plurality of electrodes disposed on the lower surface of the haptic element 28. The integrated circuit 24 is electrically connected to the haptic element 28 through this contact and is configured to play a role in controlling the operation of the haptic element 28.

[0038] The haptic element 28 is not fixed to the flexible printed circuit board 81, but is fixed to the underside of the knob holder 67 with double-sided tape 68. As a result, vibrations of the haptic element 28 generated by the control of the integrated circuit 24 are transmitted to the housing 60 via the knob holder 67, and are ultimately transmitted to the user. Details of this transmission will be explained again later.

[0039] The flexible printed circuit board 82 serves to connect the integrated circuit 24 to the charging circuit in the battery subassembly 65. The integrated circuit 24 is configured to receive power from the charging circuit via the circuit in the flexible printed circuit board 82 and supply it to the battery 23.

[0040] Fig. 5(a) is a cross-sectional view of the pen 2, and Fig. 5(b) is an enlarged view of area A shown in Fig. 5(a). Fig. 6 is a view showing the top surface and partial cross section of the internal module 64. Referring first to Fig. 5(a), in addition to the circuit 24a, the pressure sensor 22 and the like are arranged near the tip of the board holder 66. Therefore, it is difficult to secure space for arranging the haptic element 28 near the tip of the board holder 66.

[0041] 5B and 6, an offset transmission unit 67a and a base 67b are disposed between the upper surface of the haptic element 28 and the lower surface of the seesaw switch 26, in that order from the upper surface side of the haptic element 28. Both the offset transmission unit 67a and the base 67b are integrally formed parts of the knob holder 67. The lower surface of the offset transmission unit 67a is fixed to the upper surface of the haptic element 28 with the double-sided tape 68 shown in FIG. 4. As can be seen from FIG. 5B, a portion of the upper surface of the haptic element 28 contacts the offset transmission unit 67a via the double-sided tape 68, while the remaining portion of the upper surface does not contact the offset transmission unit 67a. As a result, vibrations of the upper surface of the haptic element 28 are concentrated on the offset transmission unit 67a. The upper surface of the base 67b is in contact with the lower surface of the seesaw switch 26 without being fixed. As will be described in more detail later, the offset transmission unit 67a serves to transmit the vibration of the haptic element 28 to a position (specifically, one or more finger positions) that is offset from the position where the haptic element 28 is fixed within the structure of the pen 2, including the housing 60 and the knob holder 67.

[0042] 7(a) and 7(b) are perspective views of the knob holder 67 as viewed from below. Fig. 7(b) shows only the vicinity of the offset transmission portion 67a and the base portion 67b. Fig. 7(c) is a bottom view of the knob holder 67. As can be understood by first referring to Figs. 7(a) and 7(b), the base portion 67b forms part of the outer wall of the knob holder 67, and the offset transmission portion 67a is a convex portion that protrudes from the bottom surface of the base portion 67b.

[0043] The offset transmission unit 67a is formed in a generally V-shape in plan view, and as shown in FIG. 7C , includes a base BA and a first branch BR1 and a second branch BR2 connected to the base BA. The base BA is formed to straddle the center line C of the base 67b, which is a generally rectangular parallelepiped, in the pen axis direction. The first branch BR1 is formed to protrude obliquely from the base BA toward one side of the pen 2 in the direction of the pen tip, and the second branch BR2 is formed to protrude obliquely from the base BA toward the other side of the pen 2 in the direction of the pen tip. By forming the offset transmission unit 67a in this shape, vibrations of the haptic element 28 are transmitted primarily to portions of the surface of the housing 60 on both sides forward of the seesaw switch 26. Since these positions correspond to the finger positions mentioned above (the positions where the index finger or thumb of the user holding the pen 2 rests), the pen 2 of this embodiment makes it possible to provide tactile feedback to the finger position by using the haptic element 28 built in at a position away from the finger position without shaking the entire pen 2.

[0044] Figures 8(a) and 8(b) are diagrams showing the results of a simulation of vibrations caused by the haptic element 28, and both show a cross section of the pen 2 corresponding to line B-B shown in Figure 7(c). Figure 8(a) shows a state in which the haptic element 28 is displaced upward, and Figure 8(b) shows a state in which the haptic element 28 is displaced downward. The direction of the arrows in these figures indicates the direction of displacement, and the length of the arrow indicates the magnitude of the displacement.

[0045] 8(a) and 8(b), in the pen 2 according to this embodiment, the amount of displacement of the surface of the base 67b (the surface facing the housing 60) is large on the tip side (left side of the drawing) of the pen 2 and is small on the rear end side (right side of the drawing) of the pen 2. From this result, it can be said that by providing the offset transmission unit 67a, it is possible to transmit the vibration of the haptic element 28 to a position that is offset from the position where the haptic element 28 is fixed.

[0046] As described above, according to the pen 2 of this embodiment, the vibration of the haptic element 28 can be transmitted by the offset transmission unit 67a arranged inside the housing 60, so that the haptic element 28 built in at a position away from the finger position can provide tactile feedback to the finger position without shaking the entire pen 2.

[0047] In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which the offset transmission part 67a is configured by a substantially V-shaped protrusion, but the shape of the offset transmission part 67a is not limited to a substantially V-shape. Below, an example of an offset transmission part 67a that is not substantially V-shaped will be described.

[0048] 9(a) and 9(b) are diagrams showing the knob holder 67 of the pen 2 according to the first and second modifications of this embodiment, respectively. Similar to FIG. 7(b), these diagrams are perspective views of the knob holder 67 as seen from below, and show only the vicinity of the offset transmission portion 67a and the base portion 67b.

[0049] 9A differs from the offset transmission unit 67a of the present embodiment in that the first branch BR1 and the second branch BR2 each extend parallel to the pen axis direction along the edge of the base 67b, and that instead of the base BA shown in FIG. 7C, the offset transmission unit 67a has a first base BA1 spanning the rear end of the first branch BR1 and the second branch BR2, and a second base BA2 protruding parallel to the pen axis direction from the center of the first base BA1 toward the rear end of the pen 2. The offset transmission unit 67a having such a shape also makes it possible to transmit the vibration of the haptic element 28 to portions of the surface of the housing 60 on both sides in front of the seesaw switch 26. Therefore, as in the present embodiment, the haptic element 28 built in at a position away from the finger position can provide tactile feedback to the finger position without shaking the entire pen 2.

[0050] 9(b) differs from the offset transmission unit 67a of the present embodiment in that it does not have the second branch portion BR2. With the offset transmission unit 67a having this shape, it is possible to transmit the vibration of the haptic element 28 to a portion of the surface of the housing 60 on one side in front of the seesaw switch 26 (the side of the first branch portion BR1), while the vibration of the haptic element 28 is not transmitted to a portion of the surface of the housing 60 on the other side in front of the seesaw switch 26. Therefore, it is possible to selectively provide tactile feedback to either the user's index finger or thumb.

[0051] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of a position detection system 1 including a pen 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view of an internal module 64 according to this embodiment, Fig. 12(a) is a cross-sectional view of the pen 2 according to this embodiment, and Fig. 12(b) is an enlarged view of region D shown in Fig. 12(a). The configuration of the pen 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to these figures.

[0052] As shown in Figures 10(a) (b) and 11, the pen 2 of this embodiment differs from the pen 2 of the first embodiment in that it has a seesaw switch 70 instead of the seesaw switch 26, a haptic element 71 instead of the haptic element 28, and an offset transmission unit 72 instead of the offset transmission unit 67a.

[0053] 12(a) and 12(b), the seesaw switch 70 is a switch pressing member having three legs 70a to 70c each provided to protrude toward the inside of the housing of the pen 2. Of these, legs 70a and 70b are provided near one end and the other end of the pen axis direction of the seesaw switch 70, respectively, similar to legs 26a and 26b shown in Fig. 5, and their tips abut against push button switches 27a and 27b. On the other hand, leg 70c is provided in the center of the seesaw switch 70 in the pen axis direction, and its tip abuts against the surface of the circuit board 80.

[0054] When a user presses the surface of one end of the seesaw switch 70 in the pen axis direction, the leg 70a moves inward and presses the push button switch 27a, and when a user presses the surface of the other end of the seesaw switch 70 in the pen axis direction, the leg 70b moves inward and presses the push button switch 27b, just like the seesaw switch 26. The leg 70c functions as a fulcrum for the seesaw switch 70.

[0055] Because the seesaw switch 70 has legs 70c, in the pen 2 according to this embodiment, it is not possible to ensure space directly below the seesaw switch 70 for arranging the haptic element 28. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 11, the haptic element 71 is arranged in the recess 66b (at a position closer to the rear end of the pen 2 than the circuit 24b) described with reference to Fig. 4. The offset transmitter 72 plays a role in transmitting the vibration of the haptic element 71 arranged in the recess 66b, which is thus far from the finger position, to the finger position.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 11 , the offset transmission unit 72 includes a base BA and a first branch BR1 and a second branch BR2 connected to the base BA. The base BA is formed in a disk shape with the pen axis direction as its normal. The surface of the base BA on the pen rear end side is fixed to the surface of the haptic element 71 on the pen tip side with double-sided tape 73. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 12 ( b ), a buffer material 74 is disposed between the surface of the base BA on the pen tip side and the inner surface of the recess 66 b. The first branch BR1 and the second branch BR2 are each formed in a long rod shape, and one end of each is fixed to the base BA.

[0057] Like haptic element 28, haptic element 71 is an element that operates under the control of integrated circuit 24 and is typically configured with an actuator that can vibrate the surface on the pen tip side. However, haptic element 71 may also be configured with a vibrator similar to haptic element 28. Because an offset transmission unit 72 is fixed to the surface on the pen tip side of haptic element 71 with double-sided tape 73, the offset transmission unit 72 also vibrates in conjunction with the vibration of haptic element 71.

[0058] Fig. 13 is a diagram showing the top surface of the internal module 64 and a see-through diagram showing part of the internal structure, and Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the knob holder 67 as seen from below. Fig. 14 also shows the haptic element 71, the offset transmission unit 72, and the cushioning material 74. The configuration and operation of the offset transmission unit 72 will be described in detail below with reference to these figures.

[0059] 13, the offset transmission unit 72 is arranged so that the first branch BR1 and the second branch BR2, each of which is a rod-shaped member, extend straight from the base BA toward the pen tip along the inner side surface of the knob holder 67 to a position directly below the seesaw switch 70. This allows the vibration of the haptic element 71 to be transmitted to the vicinity of the seesaw switch 70 via the offset transmission unit 72.

[0060] 14, the knob holder 67 has slits SL1 and SL2 on both inner side surfaces at positions below the seesaw switch 70. The other end of the first branch BR1 is inserted into the slit SL1, and the other end of the second branch BR2 is inserted into the slit SL2. The depth of each of the slits SL1 and SL2 in the pen axis direction is adjusted in advance so that when the first branch BR1 and the second branch BR2 vibrate in response to the vibration of the haptic element 71, their tips strike the bottom surfaces SL1a and SL2a (inner surfaces on the pen tip side) of the slits SL1 and SL2. This causes the offset transmitter 72 to function as a beater that repeatedly strikes the knob holder 67 in response to the vibration of the haptic element 71. Since the positions of the bottom surfaces SL1a and SL2a are respectively in contact with the finger positions mentioned above (the positions where the index finger or thumb of the user holding the pen 2 rests), the pen 2 of this embodiment makes it possible to provide tactile feedback to the finger position by using the haptic element 71 built in at a position away from the finger position.

[0061] Furthermore, the pen 2 according to this embodiment prevents the entire pen 2 from vibrating due to the vibration of the haptic element 71. That is, if the surface of the base BA on the pen tip side were in direct contact with the inner surface of the recess 66b, the vibration of the haptic element 71 would be transmitted to the knob holder 67 and the circuit board 80 through contact between the surface of the base BA on the pen tip side and the knob holder 67, resulting in the entire pen 2 vibrating. However, in this embodiment, the buffer material 74 is disposed between the surface of the base BA on the pen tip side and the inner surface of the recess 66b, and the buffer material 74 serves to absorb the vibration of the surface of the base BA on the pen tip side. Therefore, the above-described vibration transmission path is blocked, preventing the entire pen 2 from vibrating.

[0062] As described above, even with the pen 2 according to this embodiment, the vibration of the haptic element 28 can be transmitted by the offset transmission unit 72 arranged inside the housing 60, and the buffer material 74 can prevent the entire pen 2 from vibrating. Therefore, the haptic element 28 built in at a position away from the finger position can provide tactile feedback to the finger position without shaking the entire pen 2.

[0063] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0064] For example, in each of the above embodiments, an example in which one haptic element is provided inside the pen 2 has been described, but a plurality of haptic elements may be provided inside the pen 2.

[0065] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a pen 2 according to a third modification of the first embodiment. The pen 2 according to this modification includes a second haptic element 29 at the rear end of the pen 2, as viewed from the haptic element 28. In this case, the second haptic element 29 is preferably positioned at least 100 mm away from the first haptic element 28 in the pen axis direction (the illustrated length L is 100 mm or greater) so that the user can easily distinguish between the vibrations of the two haptic elements. Furthermore, the integrated circuit 24 preferably includes a switch unit that switches the connection destination of the circuit controlling the operation of the haptic element 28 between the haptic element 28 and the haptic element 29 in response to a vibration control signal. The integrated circuit 24 is preferably configured so that this switch unit can be switched under control of the host processor 33 via near-field wireless communication. This allows the integrated circuit 24 to exclusively control the haptic elements 28 and 29, preventing the user from becoming confused by the simultaneous vibration of the two haptic elements 28 and 29.

[0066] 1 Position detection system 2 Pen 3 Pen position detection device 3a Panel surface 20 Core body 21 Pen tip electrode 22 Pressure sensor 23 Battery 24 Integrated circuit 24a Transmitter circuit in integrated circuit 24 24b Other circuits in integrated circuit 24 25 Wireless communication circuit 26, 70 Seesaw switch 26a, 26b, 70a to 70c Leg 26p Plate-shaped portion 27a, 27b Push button switch 28, 29, 71 Haptic element 30 Sensor 31 Display 32 Sensor controller 33 Host processor 34 Wireless communication unit 60 Housing 61 Front cap 62 Battery cap 63 Clip 64 Internal module 65 Battery subassembly 66 Board holder 66a, 66b Recess 67 Knob holder 67a, 72 Offset transmission unit 67b Base 68, 73 Double-sided tape 69a, 69b Polyimide film 74 Cushioning material 80 Circuit board 81, 52 Flexible printed circuit board 82 Flexible printed circuit board BA Base BA1 First base BA2 Second base BR1 First branch BR2 Second branch PS Pen signal SL1, SL2 Slits SL1a Pen tip side bottom surface of slit SL1 SL2a Pen tip side bottom surface of slit SL2 US Uplink signal

Claims

1. a structure including a housing; a control unit that receives a vibration control signal; a signal sending unit that sends a pen signal in accordance with an instruction from the control unit; a haptic element controlled based on an instruction from the control unit in response to the vibration control signal, and having one end fixed to the structure; an offset transmission unit disposed inside the housing, the offset transmitter is configured to transmit vibration of the haptic element to a position of the structure that is offset from a position at which the haptic element is fixed. pen.

2. The position of the structure offset from the position where the haptic element is fixed is a position where the index finger or thumb of a user holding the pen touches.

10. The pen of claim 1.

3. the offset transmitter is configured to transmit vibration of the haptic element to a plurality of positions that are offset from a position on the structure where the haptic element is fixed.

3. A pen according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The plurality of positions of the structure that are offset from the position where the haptic element is fixed are positions where the index finger and thumb of a user holding the pen touch.

4. The pen of claim 3.

5. the offset transmission portion includes a base portion, and a first branch portion and a second branch portion connected to the base portion.

4. The pen of claim 3.

6. a seesaw switch attached to the housing; the seesaw switch includes a plate-like portion disposed along a surface of the housing, and first and second legs protruding from the plate-like portion toward an inside of the housing, the haptic element is disposed between the first leg and the second leg.

3. A pen according to claim 1 or 2.

7. the haptic element has a flat surface that contacts the offset transmission portion; the haptic element contacts the offset transmission portion in a portion of the plane, but does not contact the offset portion in a remainder of the plane; 7. The pen of claim 6.

8. the structure includes a knob holder through which the seesaw switch passes; The vibration of the haptic element is transmitted to the housing via the knob holder.

7. The pen of claim 6.

9. the haptic element is disposed at a position closer to the rear end of the pen than the control unit; the offset transmission unit is configured by a beater that transmits vibration of the haptic element to the tip side of the pen.

6. The pen of claim 5.

10. The haptic element is configured so that a surface on the tip side of the pen vibrates; a buffer material disposed between the base of the beater and a circuit board on which the control unit is mounted, 10. The pen of claim 9.

11. a structure including a housing; a control unit that receives a vibration control signal; a signal transmitting unit that transmits a pen signal in accordance with an instruction from the control unit; a first haptic element having one end fixed to the structure; a second haptic element provided on the rear end side of the pen as viewed from the first haptic element; an offset transmission unit disposed inside the housing, the first haptic element and the second haptic element are each controlled based on an instruction from the control unit in response to the vibration control signal; the offset transmitter is configured to transmit vibration of the first haptic element to a position of the structure that is offset from a position at which the first haptic element is fixed. pen.

12. the second haptic element is disposed at a position 100 mm or more away from the first haptic element in the pen axis direction; 12. The pen of claim 11.

13. a switch unit that switches a connection destination of the control unit between the first haptic element and the second haptic element; 13. A pen according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising:

14. the first haptic element and the second haptic element are exclusively controlled by the control unit.

13. A pen according to claim 11 or 12.