GB2299394A - Computer input devices - Google Patents

Abstract

The computer input device consists of two oppositely facing touch- and position-sensitive panels 5 which are set in a suitable mounting. Most usually, the mounting 1 is held or supported in one hand of the user while the opposed thumb and a finger (usually the forefinger) of that hand touch one or both panels. Depending upon the position and, e.g., relative movements of positions of the contact points of thumb and forefinger with the respective panels, a wide variety of different manipulative commands may be distinguished by suitable circuitry and translated, e.g., into analogous manipulative commands to change the position of a representation of a three-dimensional object viewed on the computer screen.

Description

COMPUTER INPUT DEVICES This invention relates to computer input devices.

There are many instances of computer programs which, in order to be used successfully, require interaction with the (human) user. Various devices have been developed as computer technology has advanced and are in widespread use. The commonest such device by far is the keyboard, often including a variety of keys unknown to the standard typewriter keyboard. Thus, in addition to the standard alphanumeric keyboard, it is common to have extra shift keys, dedicated so-called function keys, and cursor manipulation keys. Some keyboards, particularly on laptop computers, incorporate a fixed position rollable ball set in a housing, which causes cursor movement when rolled in its socket using the fingers.

In more recent years, so-called graphical user interfaces have been developed involving the use of a "mouse", by the bodily movement of which a cursor may be moved to a desired point on a screen and action initiated, depending upon the position of the cursor, by actuating one or more keys on the "mouse". Particularly for use in interactive computer games, so-called "joystick" controls have also been developed.

Finally, mention should be made of so-called digitising tablets which consist of a touch sensitive plate configured with appropriate electronic circuitry to determine the position at which it is touched relative to notional fixed axes. Some digitising tablets have a cooperative "pen" which is positioned relative to the tablet and which may include one or more actuation buttons.

Many of these input devices are relatively cumbersome or clumsy to use and/or require the user to adopt unnatural hand, wrist or arm positions and/or movements. Although some attempts have been made to provide improved designs, difficulty of operation is still a problem for many computer users, thus rendering the use of the computer less straightforward, and increasing the incidence of erroneous operation. There may also be a risk of repetitive strain injury if the user is continuously made to engage in awkward or unnatural movements.

We have now found that computer input devices of considerable simplicity of manufacture may nevertheless provide extremely sensitive computer input in a very user-friendly fashion.

According to a first feature of the present invention, there is provided a computer input device consisting of a mounting, two touch- and position-sensitive panels mounted back-to-back on the mounting and means for converting pressure applied at a point on either touch sensitive panel into positional information in a form suitable for being fed to a computer.

The idea underlying the invention is to make use of the extreme positional and manipulative sensitivity of the opposed thumb and finger, usually though not exclusively the forefinger. In use, the data input device in accordance with the invention is positioned with the two panels facing the thumb and a finger respectively of their user. The mounting may be configured to be easily supported in the hand of the user while leaving the thumb and finger free to move relative to one another. When one or both touch the respective oppositely facing touch sensitive panels, the relative positions of the thumb and finger contact can be determined, as can whether the two relative positions are moving relative to one another and/or relative to the mounting.It can be seen that by appropriate detector and processing electronic circuitry, which may include timing circuits to detect dynamic change, a wide variety of thumb and finger manipulative movements can be rapidly distinguished, and these can thus correspond to a set of distinguishable "commands" with which to operate the computer program.

Yet further sophistication further enhancing the range of possibilities may be envisaged. For example, the touch sensitive panels may discriminate between light, medium and heavy pressure applied thereto. Additionally, the device may have associated with the panels or mounted on the mounting adjacent the panels, one or more function switches. For some applications, it may even be appropriate to use two side-by-side touch sensitive panels to be contacted in use by two adjacent fingers of the user.

The two oppositely facing touch sensitive panels may be the same size or different sizes and may be registered one with another if of the same size or may be staggered slightly one with respect to the other.

The input device in accordance with the invention is, of course, designed to act interactively with the computer itself. In the same way as known input devices such as keyboards and mice interact with one or more central processing units in a computer via interface devices, so an appropriate interface device can be used with the input device of the present invention. The exact design and construction of such interface devices may vary widely, but need involve no more than the standard application of known principles. In this connection, appropriate interface circuitry for converting movement of a finger pressure area across known types of touch sensitive screen is well known, customarily involving analogue position sensing and analog to digital conversion integrated circuitry.

The computer may be programmed to discriminate between different inputs from the device in accordance with the present invention, and the approach may well differ depending upon the particular program being operated by the computer at the time. Thus, for example, an interactive animated graphics games program may require a different approach from that used with a threedimensional computer aided design program. The device is of especial value in computer game control, where it can cooperate with a programme to produce proportional control rather than the "on/off" control exercisable using a joystick or cursor keys.

The device in accordance with the present invention may be self-standing, powered, e.g., by means of batteries, and transmit data to a computer in wire-less fashion, e.g. via radio or modulated infra-red radiation, or via a conventional wire lead, either connected to keyboard bus circuitry or connected to the main processor board via the standard RS232 interface. If desired, a device in accordance with the present invention could be formed as an accessory to a keyboard, e.g. a keyboard may carry an extension piece serving as a mounting and carrying at a convenient height above the surface on which the keyboard is laid, two touch- and position-sensitive panels arranged back-to-back. Alternatively, the device may be set in an appropriate stand adapted to rest on a horizontal working surface and hold the device vertically or suitably inclined, or the device may incorporate such a stand, optionally foldable to a stowed position.

The invention is illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic view of an input device in accordance with the present invention held by a user's hand Figure 2 shows a diagrammatic plan view of the input device shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 shows a schematic section through the device, Figure 4 shows a diagrammatic perspective view of a device with an integral stand, and Figures 5 to 9 show diagrammatically different types of finger and thumb manipulation of the device which can produce different effects.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, these show a data input device consisting of a generally rectangular box-like housing or mounting 1 having towards one end of the rectangle members defining essentially two oppositely facing frames 2 in each of which is seated a touch-and position-sensitive panel consisting of an outer layer 3, 5 and an underlying printed circuit board 4, 6 respectively. The layers 3, 5 may be opaque, transparent or translucent depending upon the particular type of panel. The centre of each panel may be provided with a centre marking 15 making it easier for the user to position his finger and thumb appropriately, and may be divided by a ring of dots into an inner zone 13 and outer zone 14. Standard XY-directions are also marked (see Figure 2).

For the sake of simplicity, the electrical connections to the edges of the panels, which are standard, are not shown, and the associated circuit board and dedicated chip are simply diagrammatically indicated at 11. The device includes a number of actuation switches of various sorts. Thus, a pressure actuated switch 7 is located between the two panels 5 so that on squeezing the two panels together, the pressure actuated switch 7 is operated. Switch 7 requires much greater pressure on the touch-sensitive panels than that required to actuate the panels themselves. On the underneath of the mounting frame there is a recessed press button switch or key switch 8, positioned conveniently for operation by the fourth or little finger of the user.Shown mounted the opposite side from the switch 8 is a line of three function switches in the form of key switches, press buttons or the like 9 which can enable further variations in the data input stream. The switches may incorporate, in known fashion, indicators, e.g. light emitting diodes, indicating by the presence or absence of illumination, or by colour, the current operating state of the device.

Within the mounting 1, as well as the circuit boards 4, 6, there may be a power supply (not shown) such as a battery. Data is fed from boards 4, 6 via a multi-core lead 10 to an appropriate input of a computer, e.g. to a socket on an interface board mounted on the computer's main information bus. Power may also be fed via such a lead 10, e.g. from the keyboard bus.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the device can be easily grasped in one hand of the user, denoted 12, and the tips of thumb and opposed finger used to apply pressure to one or both panels. Alternatively, the user may hold the device away from the touch-sensitive screens in one hand, and use the finger and thumb of the other hand in contact with the screens. The "meaning" of any particular combination of pressure position and movement may be dependent upon appropriate internal programming, but, for example, one can easily envisage the use of the device in accordance with the present invention appropriately programmed to interact with a three-dimensional computer aided design package.Such packages often have features enabling the user cause the image of an object shown, e.g. in perspective or isometric view on a conventional computer monitor screen, about vertical, horizontal or other appropriate axes. Customarily such a feature is implemented by the use of various function keys or the use of a mouse, or both in combination. It is difficult to learn to control the rotation of the image. In contrast, using the device of the present invention, it becomes easy to achieve. Thus, it is straightforward to programme the computer to recognise movements made by the thumb and forefinger as corresponding to the movements of a ball held between that thumb and forefinger.Thus one could move the image on screen by making the corresponding movement on an imaginary ball between the finger and thumb, the actual movements being effected on the oppositely facing panels which are located between the finger and thumb of the user. Pressure of the thumb or finger on one side or the other, or on both sides in corresponding areas, could cause the size representation of the object shown on screen to increase or diminish in size, a so-called zoom type of control. Other permutations are possible simply by changing the programming.

The device of Figures 1 to 3 needs to be held by the user. In the alternative form shown in Figure 4, the housing has an integral foot 16 which may sit, e.g. on a desk or other surface. When so placed, the screens may lie in planes inclined to the vertical, e.g. by 25 to 45 , preferably around 300, enabling easy access to both screens by the thumb and finger of the user. Foot 16 may clip into a suitable shoe, e.g. mounted on the desk or on a keyboard, for increased stability.

Figures 5 to 9 show diagrammatically possible approaches suitable for use, for example, with a computer aided design system having a capability of showing on screen an image corresponding to a three dimensional object.

In each of the Figures, one touch sensitive panel is denoted A, and this can, for example, be one contactable by the user's right thumb, i.e. it is panel 3 as shown in Figures 1 to 3, while the underneath oppositely facing panel B (panel 5 in Figures 1 to 3) is contacted by the forefinger. The panels A and B are shown slightly staggered for the sake of clarity and the sides of the screen are parallel to conventional X and Y axes, as shown.

In each of Figures 5 to 9, screen A carries a dashed circle, which represents the boundary between an inner and an outer zone of the panel. As shown in Figure 2, the panel 3 itself physically bears a circular marking corresponding to that division, but as the division of the overall area of each panel into two or more sub areas is carried out electronically rather than physically, this is not necessary, save as a guide to the user. The associated circuitry may discriminate between pressure within the circular area 13 and pressure on the outside area 14.

The control programme operating the computer and interface device, may translate pressure and/or movement on one or both panels into commands to alter the appearance of the image on the screen of the computer's video display unit. It should be emphasised that the operational approaches outlined below are ones which can be chosen from an extremely wide range of possibilities.

User friendliness is enhanced by having some form of perceptible movement correlation between the thumb and forefinger movements made in contact with the touch sensitive panels and the apparent movement of the simulated three-dimensional image as viewed on the screen.

Thus, referring to Figure 5, this shows pressure on both panels A and B in the inner circular zone. If, with such pressure applied, the thumb and forefinger are moved in the desired direction, for example X or Y as indicated, the change in the viewed image can correspond to panning left, right, up or down.

If, as shown in Figure 6, both panels are subjected to pressure in the outer area, substantially half way along as seen in the drawing, and the fingers together moved towards the centre of the panels, this may effect a zoom action. For example, pressing and moving from +Y in the upper section of the pair of panels may cause the image to enlarge giving a zoom in effect to the viewer, while applying pressure and movement to both sides of the panels in the outer area at the bottom, at -Y as shown in Figure 6, may give a corresponding zoom away effect.

As shown in Figure 7, both layers are pressed in the inner zone but with a differential rolling movement being applied between thumb and forefinger. This may cause the image to appear to rotate, the direction and axis of rotation being determined by the relative movement of thumb and forefinger.

Referring to Figure 8, if both touch sensitive panels are pressed in the outer zone near a corner and then movement of both occurs in the same direction, this can be arranged to cause the image on screen to rotate in, e.g.

a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction relative to an appropriate axis, for example a notional "vertical" axis indicated as Z on Figure 8, and which may correspond to an axis passing up through the centre of the object as it appears on a computer monitor screen.

In Figure 9, the device is shown used as a simple cursor control or "XY-mouse". A preferred software configuration is to cause the device to operate with general stationary pressure on the upper screen by the thumb with the forefinger moving in contact with the underneath panel B to cause the cursor movement. This generally gives more sensitive control since people are physiologically better trained to use their fingers in precise manipulation than their thumbs, particularly (but not exclusively) their forefingers. The device can be switched, e.g. using a suitable switch 9, between operation as described above with reference to Figures 5 to 8 and operation as described with reference to Figure 9.

The operational mode of the device in accordance with the invention may also be controlled directly by software rather than needing the user to actuate a switch on the device.

In many applications, a single device in accordance with the present invention may be used with a stand-alone computer or, e.g. computer workstation. It is, however, conceivable to use two such devices, either held in the two hands of a single user or, for example, in games applications, held in the hands of two competing user/players.

Claims (7)

1. A computer input device consisting of a mounting, two touch and position sensitive panels mounted back-toback on the mounting, and means for converting pressure applied at a point on either touch sensitive panel into positional information in a form suitable for being fed into a computer.

2. A computer input device according to Claim 1 wherein the mounting is adapted to be held in a human hand with one panel in contact with the end of a finger of that hand and the other in contact with the end of the thumb of that same hand.

3. A device according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the touch sensitive panels are connected to electronic circuitry capable of distinguishing two or more different degrees of pressure applied to each such panel.

4. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the mounting additionally incorporates one or more switches.

5. A device in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 4 and including a power supply and means for wire-less transmission of signals corresponding to the presence or absence of contact with the panels and the position of such contact thereon.

6. A device in accordance with any one of the preceding Claims and mounted or adapted to be mounted in fixed relationship to a conventional computer keyboard.

7. A computer input device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.