JP2001216078A - Touch panel type operation unit - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide a touch panel type operation unit capable of performing key operations accurately without always looking at the hand. A part (11) in which keys on a front panel are displayed,
Unevennesses 12, 14, 16 for key identification are formed on 13, 15 and keys can be identified by confirming the unevenness by tactile sensation, so that key operation is possible without relying on vision, or always at hand. Key operation can be performed without confirming the operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in a touch panel type operation unit which serves both as a display unit and an operation unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Ten keys are provided on a display unit as one of operation units.
There is a touch panel type operation unit that displays function selection keys and the like and allows key input by touching the displayed keys. The touch panel type operation unit has advantages such as a reduction in the number of components and a reduction in space since the operation unit having various keys can be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 3, a mobile phone having a touch panel type operation unit will be described.

A display unit 2 extends over substantially the entire front surface of a housing 1.
Are provided, and a receiving unit 3 is provided above the display unit 2 and a transmitting unit 4 is provided below the display unit 2. Further, in the figure, reference numeral 5 denotes a light emitting unit indicating a reception state, and reference numeral 6 denotes an antenna for transmission and reception.

When the mobile phone is not in a call, the display unit 2 displays operation keys such as a ten-key unit 7 and a function selection key unit 8.

By touching a portion of the display unit 2 where a key is displayed, a number can be input and a function can be selected. For example, a telephone number can be input by touching the ten-key unit 7, and the result of the input is displayed in a place other than the part where the operation keys are displayed. When the input of the telephone number is completed, the function selection key section 8 is selected and touched, and the call is started and the call is disconnected.

When a call is made, the entire display section 2 replaces the information display section and displays character data.

[0008]

A display unit currently used in a mobile phone or the like is generally a liquid crystal display (LCD). The LCD has a transparent front panel on its surface. This is performed by directly touching the front panel with a finger.

Conventionally, the touch panel type operation unit visually perceives and distinguishes the type of the displayed key, and operates by touching the displayed predetermined key.

Therefore, in the conventional touch panel type operation unit, it is impossible to press the key accurately unless the key display is directly seen.
Or, since it can be judged only visually whether it has been pressed correctly, if the operation is performed without looking at the hand, it cannot be recognized or corrected if there is a position shift, and it does not respond even if the key is pressed, or There was a problem such as the key reacting.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a touch panel type operation unit capable of performing key operations accurately without always looking at the hand.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a touch panel-type operation unit having a key-identifying projection and depression formed on a portion of a front panel where keys are displayed. It is possible to determine the type of key by tactile sensation, and it is possible to perform key operation without relying on the visual sense, or to perform reliable key operation without constantly checking the hand.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, in which a display unit 2 is extracted and shown.

In the figure, a portion indicated by a two-dot chain line of the display portion 2 is a portion where keys are displayed, and a portion of the front panel of the display portion 2 where keys are displayed, for example, which corresponds to the center of a numeric keypad.
One-point projection 12 having one projection at the center of number key portion 11
In addition, a two-point projection 14 having two protrusions is formed on the call start key portion 13 of the function selection key, and a three-point protrusion 16 having three protrusions is formed on the call disconnection key portion 15.

The fifth key can be identified by confirming the one-point projection 12 by the tactile sensation of the fingertip, and the call start key can be identified by identifying the two-point projection 14.
By identifying the three-point projection 16, the call disconnection key can be identified. Thus, by forming the required projections on the key display portion of the display unit 2, the type of the key can be determined by tactile sensation, and the key can be operated without relying on the visual sense.
Alternatively, reliable key operation can be performed without always checking the hand.

The projections are slight, and the displayed image is not difficult to see due to the projections. By forming the projections, the display function is not impaired.

The position at which the projection is provided is described in the following.
It is not limited to the number key portion 11, the call start key portion 13, and the call disconnection key portion 15, but may be any position such as a first key portion, a fourth key portion, or the like.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the shape of the projection is changed. For example, as shown in FIG.
, A triangular projection 18 on the call start key portion 13,
Further, a quadrangular projection 19 is formed on the call disconnection key portion 15.

The operator can determine which key the touched portion corresponds to by judging the shape of the projection. Thus, as in the first embodiment, by forming a required projection on the key display portion of the display unit 2, the type of the key can be determined by tactile sensation, and the key can be operated without relying on the visual sense. Alternatively, reliable key operation can be performed without always checking the hand. The shape of the protrusion formed on the key is round,
The shape is not limited to a triangle and a square, but may be various shapes such as a star, or a three-dimensional pattern such as a vertical stripe or a horizontal stripe may be formed. Further, easily identifiable numbers, 1 or 0, etc. may be formed.

In the above embodiment, a projection or a projection is formed at a key portion at a required position. However, it goes without saying that a depression may be formed. Alternatively, it is also possible to use projections and recesses together.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, unevenness for key identification is formed in a portion of the display surface panel where keys are displayed, so that the key can be identified by confirming the unevenness by touch. Key operation is possible without relying on vision, or it is possible to perform key operation reliably without always checking the hand, and it is possible to easily determine the pressing position and prevent erroneous operation. I do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a main part showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a main part showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a mobile phone to which the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 display section 7 numeric keypad section 8 function selection key section 11 5th key section 12 one-point projection 13 call start key section 14 two-point projection 15 call disconnection key section 16 three-point projection 17 projection 18 projection 19 projection

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H01H 13/14

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A touch panel type operation unit, wherein a key identification unevenness is formed on a portion of a front panel where keys are displayed.