JP2000200148A - Touch position detector for flat display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve detection accuracy of a coordinate position and to perform application to the display of a large screen. SOLUTION: This detector is provided with a pair of reflection mirrors MX and MY respectively extended along the edge part and attached in the state of inclining a reflection plane at the angle of 45 degrees to an inner side toward the display surface side of a display part 10 to the front surface of the edge parts orthogonal to each other of the display part 10 of a plasma display panel. Further, it is provided with two sets of phototransistors RX1-RXn and RY1-Rym arrayed so as to respectively face the reflection mirrors MX and MY at the edge part on the opposite side facing the edge part where the pair of the reflection mirrors MX and MY are attached of the display part 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an apparatus for optically detecting a touch position on a display surface of a flat display panel such as a plasma display panel.

[0002]

As shown in FIG. 5, a conventional optical touch panel has a plurality of light emitting elements Ax1 to Axn and Ay1 to one vertical side and one horizontal side of a display surface 1. As shown in FIG.
Ayms are respectively arranged, and a plurality of light receiving elements Bx1 to Bxn and By1 to Bym are arranged on the other vertical side and horizontal side, respectively, so that light emitted from each light emitting element is received by the opposing light receiving element. It has become.

When an arbitrary point (hereinafter referred to as a touch position) p on the display surface 1 is touched by a finger or a touch pen, the touch panel
The light emitted from the corresponding light emitting element on the horizontal side and the vertical side is cut off and is not received by the opposing light receiving element, so that the touch position p The touch position p is specified by detecting the x coordinate and the y coordinate of.

[0004] Such an optical type touch panel is expected to be used in the future, for example, to be mounted on the front of a flat display such as a PDP (plasma display panel) to operate a screen.

However, in the conventional touch panel as described above, the number of light emitting elements corresponding to the coordinate position detection accuracy is required. To increase the detection accuracy, the number of light emitting elements needs to be increased. There is a limit to the increase in the number of light emitting elements due to space restrictions for installing the elements.

Further, since it is necessary to attach a large number of light emitting elements to the periphery of the flat display, the position setting is complicated, and there is a problem that a mounting error easily occurs. Further, when the touch panel is mounted on a large-screen flat display such as a PDP, the light quantity of a light emitting diode used as a light emitting element is not sufficient, so that there is a problem that light receiving accuracy is reduced.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional touch panel. That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a touch position detecting device for a flat display panel that can improve the detection accuracy of a coordinate position and can be applied to a large-screen display.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a touch position detecting device for a flat display panel is provided on the front surface of the mutually orthogonal edges of the flat display panel. And a pair of reflecting mirror members attached in a state where the reflecting surfaces extend inwardly and are inclined at an angle of 45 degrees inward toward the display surface side of the flat display panel, and a pair of reflecting mirror members of the flat display panel And two sets of light receiving means arranged on opposite edges opposite to the edge on which the reflector is attached, respectively, so as to face the reflecting mirror member.

The touch position detecting device for a flat display panel according to the first aspect of the present invention includes two flat mirrors arranged on opposite sides of a pair of reflecting mirror members attached to mutually perpendicular edges of the flat display panel. The set of light receiving elements constitutes an optical touch position detection device. The detection light for touch position detection is supplied by an image displayed on the flat display panel.

That is, light from an image displayed on the flat display panel is reflected by the reflecting mirror member inclined at an angle of 45 degrees inward at the edge of the flat display panel to which the reflecting mirror member is attached. Then, the light travels in parallel on the display surface of the flat display panel toward the opposite edge, and is incident on the light receiving means arranged on the opposite edge, respectively.

[0011] When an arbitrary position on the flat display panel is touched, the reflected light from the intersecting reflecting mirror members at the touched position is blocked, and is not received by the light receiving means.

By blocking the reflected light from the reflecting mirror member, the reflected light is blocked from the position of the pair of light receiving means that did not receive the reflected light among the two sets of light receiving means arranged at right angles to each other. By detecting the coordinates of the touched position, the touched position is specified.

As described above, according to the first aspect,
Since the touch position on the display surface is optically detected using the light from the image displayed on the flat display panel, a number of light emitting elements corresponding to the detection accuracy are provided on the edge of the display surface as in the past. There is no need to arrange them, and the detection accuracy can be improved with a simple configuration.

The problem of insufficient light quantity can be solved by adjusting the brightness of the image of the portion used for detecting the touch position on the display surface of the flat display panel, and the present invention can be applied to a large-screen flat display panel. In addition, malfunction can be prevented and detection accuracy can be improved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a touch position detecting device for a flat display panel according to the first aspect of the present invention further comprises a flat type display having the pair of reflecting mirror members attached thereto. It is characterized by further comprising a brightness increasing means for increasing the brightness of the area at the edge of the panel.

In the touch position detecting device for a flat display panel according to the second aspect of the present invention, the brightness increasing means is used to display an image displayed on an edge region of the flat display panel where a pair of reflecting mirror members are mounted. Brightness is increased.

Therefore, according to the second aspect, it is possible to secure a sufficient amount of light necessary for detecting the touch position,
Malfunction can be prevented, and detection accuracy can be improved.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch position detecting device for a flat display panel, wherein the flat display panel is a plasma display panel in addition to the configuration of the first invention. Features.

The touch position detecting device for a flat display panel according to the third aspect of the present invention is a plasma display panel which has been widely used as a large-screen display.
It can be used for applications such as screen operations.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flat type display panel touch position detecting apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, wherein the pair of reflecting mirror members is mounted. It is characterized by comprising addressing means for designating an address of a discharge cell arranged at the edge of the panel to emit light.

In the touch position detecting device for a flat display panel according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the supply of the detection light for detecting the touch position on the display surface of the plasma display panel is performed by attaching the reflecting mirror member of the plasma display panel. This is performed by light emission in the discharge cells arranged along the row electrodes and the column electrodes located at the edges, and the discharge cells supplying the detection light are designated by the addressing means to emit light.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, in the plasma display panel which is a flat display panel, the discharge cells whose addresses are designated emit light to increase the luminance of the image on the display surface of that portion, and thus the diffusion is performed. Insufficient light quantity is prevented by such factors, and by securing sufficient light quantity necessary for detection of the touch position, malfunction is prevented,
Detection accuracy can be improved.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, in addition to the configuration of the fourth aspect, the address designating means modulates a carrier with an address signal. It is characterized in that a designated discharge cell is caused to emit light by a video signal.

In the touch position detecting apparatus for a flat display panel according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the address designating means supplies detection light for touch position detection by a video signal generated by modulating a carrier with an address signal. Light emission is performed by designating a discharge cell.

According to the fifth aspect, since the designation and emission of the discharge cells are performed by the video signal obtained by modulating the carrier with the address signal, malfunction is prevented, and the detection accuracy is improved.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, in addition to the configuration of the fifth aspect, the two sets of light receiving means are provided with light received respectively. Detection means for detecting the photoelectrically converted electric signal is connected.

In the touch position detecting device for a flat display panel according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, when the detection light output from the display surface of the plasma display panel and reflected by the reflecting mirror member is received by the light receiving means, the detection is performed. The light is photoelectrically converted into an electric signal, and the electric signal is detected by a detecting means and demodulated into an address signal.

According to the sixth aspect, the coordinates of the touch position can be detected based on the presence or absence of the address signal demodulated by the detection means.

A touch position detecting device for a flat display panel according to a seventh invention is characterized in that, in order to achieve the above object, in addition to the structure of the fifth invention, the address signal is a pulse signal. .

In the touch position detecting device for a flat display panel according to the seventh aspect, light emission for detecting the touch position is performed based on an address signal which is a pulse signal.

Thus, the light emission for detecting the touch position can be performed in synchronization with the retrace period of the video signal controlled by the timing pulse.

[0032]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. The following example shows a case where the present invention is applied to a plasma display panel (hereinafter, referred to as a PDP) which is a flat panel display.

In FIG. 1, a reflection mirror M is provided on the left edge of the display unit 10 of the PDP so as to extend along the left edge.
X is attached, and a reflection mirror MY is attached to the lower edge so as to extend along the lower edge.

As shown in FIG. 2, the reflecting mirror MX has a reflecting surface 45 in an inward direction toward the display surface 10a of the display unit 10 at a position facing a column electrode on the left end of the display unit 10 to be described later. It is attached so as to be inclined at an angle of degrees so that light emitted from discharge cells arranged along the leftmost column electrode of the display unit 10 is reflected toward the right edge in parallel with the display surface 10a. Is set.

The reflecting mirror MY is also positioned at a position facing a later-described row electrode at the lower end of the display unit 10 so as to reflect the reflecting mirror MX.
Similarly to the above, discharge cells are mounted so that the reflection surface is inclined inward toward the display surface 10a side of the display unit 10 at an angle of 45 degrees, and are arranged along the row electrodes at the lower end of the display unit 10. Is set so as to reflect the light emitted from the upper side in parallel with the display surface 10a.

On the right edge of the display unit 10, phototransistors RX1 to RXn, which are light receiving elements, are arranged at regular intervals so as to correspond to predetermined discharge cells of a PDP to be described later, which constitute the display unit 10. I have. Similarly, the display unit 10
The phototransistor R as a light receiving element is
Y1 to RYm are arranged at regular intervals.

These phototransistors RX1 to RXn
The phototransistors RY1 to RYm are connected to the detection circuit 11 so that the photoelectric conversion signals output from these phototransistors are input.

The detection circuit 11 demodulates an address signal described later. A coordinate detection circuit 12 is connected to the detection circuit 11 so that the address signal demodulated by the detection circuit 11 is input. The coordinate detection circuit 12 detects a touch position on the display surface 10a based on an address signal input from the detection circuit 11.

FIG. 3 shows an image control circuit of the PDP. In FIG. 3, the input video signal is
The A / D converter 13 of the signal processing unit A converts the digital pixel data signal into, for example, an 8-bit digital pixel data signal in synchronization with an imaging pulse input from a timing pulse generation circuit 17 described later. The converted digital pixel data signal is output to the frame memory 14.

The frame memory 14 sequentially captures pixel data from a digital pixel data signal input from the A / D converter 13 based on a capture signal and a read signal input from a memory control circuit 18 described later. The read pixel data is read out and output to the output processing circuit 15.

The output processing circuit 15 generates an input digital pixel data signal into a pixel data signal of a mode corresponding to the luminance gradation for each field, and then outputs a read timing from a read timing signal generation circuit 19 described later. The signal is supplied to the pixel data pulse generation circuit 20 of the display section B in synchronization with the signal.

In the signal processing section A, the input video signal is also input to a sync separation circuit 16, which extracts horizontal and vertical sync signals from the input video signal. The extracted horizontal and vertical synchronization signals are output to the timing pulse generation circuit 17.

The timing pulse generating circuit 17 generates various timing pulses based on the input horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals, and outputs the generated timing pulses to the above-described A / D converter 13 and memory control circuit. 18 and a read timing signal generation circuit 19. In synchronization with this timing pulse, the A / D converter 1
3 performs analog / digital conversion of the input composite video signal as described above.

The memory control circuit 18 controls the frame memory 1
4, a capture signal synchronized with a timing pulse input from the timing pulse generation circuit 17 and a read signal synchronized with a read timing signal input from a read timing signal generation circuit 19 described later are generated as described above. Next, the frame memory 14 is caused to capture pixel data represented by the digital pixel data signal input from the A / D converter 13 and to read the captured pixel data.

The read timing signal generating circuit 19 receives a timing pulse output from the timing pulse generating circuit 17 to the memory control circuit 18, generates a read timing signal based on the timing pulse, and generates the read timing signal. The signal is output to the memory control circuit 18, the output processing circuit 15, and the row electrode drive pulse generation circuit 21 of the display section B, respectively.

According to the read timing signal, as described above, the memory control circuit 18 generates a read signal and outputs it to the frame memory 14, and the output processing circuit 15 outputs the pixel data signal to the pixel data pulse generation circuit 20 of the display unit. Output to

The above configuration is the same as the configuration of the control circuit of the conventional PDP. The operation of the pixel data pulse generation circuit 20 based on the pixel data signal and the operation of the row electrode drive pulse generation circuit 21 based on the readout timing signal are performed. By operation, by selective light emission of the discharge cells on the display surface 10,
An image is formed on the display surface 10.

A light emission control unit C for detecting a touch position is connected to the image control circuit shown in FIG. The light emission control unit C includes an address signal generation circuit 30, a modulation circuit 31, a carrier generation circuit 32, and an A / D conversion circuit 33. Then, the address signal generating circuit 30 outputs an address signal for identifying the address and the carrier wave generating circuit 3.
2 outputs the carrier to the modulation circuit 31, respectively. The modulation circuit 31 modulates the carrier based on the address signal, and outputs the modulated signal to the A / D conversion circuit 33.

The A / D conversion circuit 33 converts the carrier modulation signal input from the modulation circuit 31 into a digital pixel data signal in synchronization with the timing pulse input from the timing pulse generation circuit 17 of the signal processing section A. I do.

The converted digital pixel data signal is output to the pixel data pulse generation circuit 20 via the frame memory 14 and the output processing circuit 15, as in the case of the video signal described above.

The address signal output from the address signal generating circuit 30 indicates an address of a light emitting portion in the display section 10. The address signal specifies a column electrode and a row electrode which cause light emission. That is,
By the operation of the pixel data pulse generation circuit 20 based on the digital pixel data signal from the light emission control unit C, the leftmost column electrode D of the display unit 10 specified by the address signal
1 and a row electrode pair x at the lower end.
Discharge cells arranged along n and yn emit light for touch position detection.

The light emission for the touch position detection is performed by the timing pulse output from the timing pulse generating circuit 17 in synchronization with the retrace period of the video signal.

As described above, the designated portions of the peripheral portion in the X direction and the Y direction of the display unit 10 are made to emit light at predetermined intervals and the brightness level is constantly increased because the light for forming an image on the display unit 10 is always used. If the touch position is to be detected using, the amount of light will be insufficient due to diffusion or the like, and there is a possibility that a malfunction that the light is not detected by the light receiving element may occur.

In the above touch position detecting device, in order to prevent malfunction, an address signal for designating a discharge cell which emits light (a discharge cell arranged along the column electrode D1 and the row electrode pair xn, yn) is further provided. The modulated signal is supplied to the display section B as a video signal.

Then, the column electrode D1 and the row electrode pair xn,
The light emitted by the discharge in the discharge cells arranged along yn is reflected by the reflection mirrors MX and MY attached to the opposing positions, respectively. Phototransistors RX1 to RXn and RY1 to RY
It proceeds in the direction of m (see FIG. 2).

When there is no touch on the display surface 10a of the display unit 10, as shown in FIG. 2, the light received by each of the phototransistors RX1 to RXn and RY1 to RYm is converted into an electric signal by photoelectric conversion. After being converted,
The address signal is demodulated by the detection in the detection circuit 11.

Then, the demodulated address signal is input to the coordinate detection circuit 12.

Here, when an arbitrary position on the display surface 10a is touched and light emitted from the reflection mirrors MX and MY in the directions of the phototransistors RX1 to RXn and RY1 to RYm is blocked, the touch position is set. p1
Light having an address corresponding to (see FIG. 1) is not received by the phototransistors RX1 to RXn and RY1 to RYm.

Based on the address signal input from the detection circuit 11, the coordinate detection circuit 12 determines which address has a light emission at the phototransistors RX1 to RXn and RY1 to RXn.
By determining whether or not the light is received by RYm, the coordinates of the touch position p1 in the X and Y directions are detected. As described above, the coordinate position of an arbitrary touch position p1 on the display surface 10a is specified.

The light emission of each discharge cell of the display unit 10 corresponding to the address signal for touch position detection may be performed simultaneously, or may be performed sequentially in the X direction and the Y direction by scanning light emission. You may. In addition, the light emission of the discharge cells arranged along the column electrode D1 and the row electrode pair xn, yn does not correspond to all the discharge cells but corresponds to, for example, as shown in FIG. May be performed in every other column and every other row of discharge cells c.
The choice is arbitrary.

In the above touch position detecting device, the PD
A separate panel may not be provided as a touch panel on the display surface 10a of P. Further, as the flat panel display, in addition to the above-described PDP, the present invention can be applied to a display having a flat display panel such as a liquid crystal or an organic EL.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of a configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the same example.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an image control circuit of the PDP in the same example.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of arrangement of discharge cells of a PDP in the same example.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Display part 10a ... Display surface 11 ... Detection circuit (detection means) 12 ... Coordinate detection circuit 13 ... A / D converter 14 ... Frame memory 15 ... Output processing circuit 16 ... Sync separation circuit 17 ... Timing pulse generation circuit 18 ... Memory control circuit 19 Readout timing circuit 20 Pixel data pulse generation circuit 21 Row electrode drive pulse generation circuit 30 Address signal generation circuit 31 Modulation circuit 32 Carrier generation circuit 33 A / D conversion circuit A Signal processing unit B: display unit C: light emission control unit (address designating unit) MX, MY: reflective mirror MX (reflective mirror member) RX1 to RXn, RY1 to RYm: phototransistor (light receiving unit)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme court ゛ (Reference) G09G 3/28 G09G 3/28 Z (72) Inventor Chiharu Miwa 15-1 Nishinoya, Washinasu, Fukuroi-shi, Shizuoka Shizuoka F-term in Pioneer Corporation (reference) 2F065 AA03 BB05 CC16 DD00 FF02 GG15 HH05 HH13 HH15 JJ02 JJ05 JJ09 JJ25 LL12 NN08 NN20 QQ03 QQ13 5B068 AA04 AA21 BB19 5B087 AA02 CC03 JJ13 JJ12A05

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A state in which a reflection surface extends in front of mutually orthogonal edges of a flat display panel and extends at an angle of 45 degrees inward toward the display surface side of the flat display panel. A pair of reflecting mirror members attached to the flat display panel, and a pair of reflecting mirror members arranged on opposite sides of the flat type display panel opposite to the pair of reflecting mirror members, respectively, so as to face the reflecting mirror members. A touch position detecting device for a flat display panel, comprising: a set of light receiving means; 2. The touch position of the flat display panel according to claim 1, further comprising a luminance increasing unit for increasing luminance of an edge region of the flat display panel to which the pair of reflecting mirror members are attached. Detection device. 3. The touch position detecting device for a flat display panel according to claim 1, wherein the flat display panel is a plasma display panel. 4. An apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising addressing means for designating an address of a discharge cell disposed at an edge of said flat display panel to which said pair of reflecting mirror members are attached to emit light. Touch position detection device for flat display panel. 5. The touch position detecting device for a flat display panel according to claim 4, wherein said address designating means causes a designated discharge cell to emit light by means of a video signal whose carrier is modulated by an address signal. 6. The touch position detecting device for a flat display panel according to claim 5, wherein detecting means for detecting an electric signal obtained by photoelectrically converting the received light is connected to the two sets of light receiving means. 7. The touch position detecting device for a flat display panel according to claim 5, wherein the address signal is a pulse signal.