JP2014032485A - Input operation device and input operation method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow an input operation to a mobile information terminal.SOLUTION: An input operation device comprises: a plurality of sensors 111a-111e that are provided corresponding to different positions of a fingertip, respectively, and output an electric signal when the fingertip is pressed to another object; an operation content identification unit 112 that identifies content of an input operation to a mobile information terminal 130 on the basis of an output of the sensors 111a-111e; and a communication unit 113 that transmits data indicating the content of the input operation calculated by the operation content identification unit 112 to the mobile information terminal 130.

Description

  The present invention relates to an input operation device and an input operation method. In particular, the present invention relates to an input operation device and an input operation method for performing an input operation on a portable information terminal.

  There are two methods for selecting a hyperlink or input field of a Web page displayed on the Web browser: a method of moving a cursor using a mouse and a method of moving a focus using a tab key of a keyboard.

  However, it is not easy for a beginner to use the mouse to move the cursor using the mouse. Therefore, it takes time and effort to move the cursor to the hyperlink or input field with the mouse, and comfortable surfing cannot be performed.

  As for the method of moving the focus to a desired hyperlink or input field using the tab key on the keyboard, the order of focus movement by the tab key is determined in advance by the Web page creator. Further, since the focus position is not necessarily on the currently displayed screen, it is not convenient for a user to perform a hyperlink for surfing the Internet and an operation for moving to an input field.

  Various techniques related to such a background are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  For example, Patent Document 1 describes a Web browser remote control configured to move a cursor to a hyperlink on a Web page displayed on a Web browser or an input field using a cross key. More specifically, this Web browser remote control assigns the cursor up / down and left / right movement control signals to the cross key provided on the remote control, and moves the cursor by the cross key control signal. In this way, depending on the remote controller for the Web browser, the cursor can be easily moved to a desired hyperlink or input field on the Web page by operating the cross key, so that the user can surf the Internet comfortably. It has a remarkable effect on.

  In recent years, mobile phones and PHS that incorporate various game software and can perform various games have become widespread. For example, game software can be launched using function keys provided in a mobile phone, and a game can be played using multi-cursor keys or the like. When a game is played on such a mobile phone, the game is played by operating various buttons attached to the mobile phone while holding the mobile phone. That is, a game is played by operating a button while holding the mobile phone with either the left or right hand or both hands.

  However, when a game is played on a mobile phone or PHS, since specific buttons are assigned for the game, the frequency of use of those buttons may be remarkably increased and the buttons may be easily broken. Furthermore, while holding a mobile phone using either the left or right hand or both hands, a game is played by button operation. However, the buttons on the mobile phone etc. are too small, and the operation is troublesome or erroneous. There are problems such as. In addition, when the button operation is troublesome, there is a problem that the game operation becomes difficult depending on the game content. Furthermore, when playing a game on a mobile phone with a flip, the game cannot be played unless the flip is purposely opened.

  Various techniques relating to such a background are known (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

  For example, Patent Document 2 describes a mobile terminal controller for performing various operations on information displayed on a screen of a mobile terminal. More specifically, this mobile terminal controller includes a mounting means for mounting the mobile terminal. Further, the mobile terminal controller includes an operation unit having the same function as the function of the mobile terminal operation button laid on the mobile terminal. The portable terminal controller includes an interface for performing communication between the operation means and the portable terminal. In this way, depending on the mobile terminal controller, when a game is played on the mobile phone, the game can be played with the operation buttons of the mobile terminal controller without operating the buttons laid on the mobile phone. .

  In addition, some mobile phones can play a game by incorporating game software in the mobile phone in advance or downloading game software through packet communication. Such game software displays an image during a game on a display display unit of a mobile phone, and uses the various operation buttons of the mobile phone to perform operation inputs necessary for the progress of the game.

  However, in recent mobile phones, the display screen has become vertically long in order to display more information on the screen for a limited external size. On the other hand, many game softwares are ported to game consoles and game software for personal computers for mobile phones, and most of them are made on the premise of a landscape screen. For this reason, in the vertically long display display unit of the mobile phone, game software based on a landscape screen is difficult to play, and in some cases, it cannot be played.

  Furthermore, since the various operation buttons of the mobile phone are designed to perform input necessary for the function of the mobile phone, if the operation input necessary for the game software is performed as it is, an unnatural operation may be required. , It may become difficult to operate.

  Various techniques related to such a background are known (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

  For example, Patent Document 3 describes a mobile phone game controller for facilitating various game input operations on a mobile phone. More specifically, this mobile phone game controller includes at least one operation unit. The mobile phone game controller includes a control unit that generates a control signal in response to an operation of the operation unit. The mobile phone controller also includes a connection unit connected to a connector of the mobile phone in order to input a signal output from the control unit to the mobile phone. Thus, depending on the mobile phone game controller, when the connection unit is connected to the connector of the mobile phone and the game software is started on the mobile phone, the control unit outputs a control signal in response to the operation of the operation unit. It can be generated and input to the mobile phone from the connection unit.

  Some virtual keyboard input devices have an infrared sensor installed on the top of a portable computer such as a cellular phone and read the movement of a finger by image processing.

  However, as with the keyboard, there are restrictions on the operation posture, such as the need to place both fingers on the keyboard, and it is difficult to accurately read finger movements by image processing in various surrounding environments. .

  Various techniques related to such a background are known (see, for example, Patent Document 4).

  For example, Patent Document 4 describes an input device using a fingertip mounting sensor in order to enable input without using a keyboard, or click and drag operations with both fingertips. More specifically, this input device is a glove in which a motion detection sensor composed of a laser mouse or an optical mouse and a tactile sensor are attached to each fingertip. Wearing this glove on both hands, the movement information of each fingertip is transmitted to various information processing devices such as a personal computer, PDA, mobile phone, etc., and each fingertip position is displayed on the virtual keyboard displayed on the display of these various information processing devices. Is displayed. A pressure applied to the fingertip by pressing the fingertip against an arbitrary object such as a desk is detected by a tactile sensor, and key input corresponding to the fingertip pressed against the arbitrary object is enabled. Then, on the virtual keyboard displayed on the display, a home position where the index finger is placed is set in the same manner as a normal keyboard. Then, a cursor corresponding to the index finger is displayed at that position, and cursors corresponding to the other fingertips are displayed side by side. Then, the user can recognize as if the actual fingertip is on the virtual keyboard displayed on the display, and the cursor on the virtual keyboard is moved according to the actual fingertip movement. Enable virtual keyboard input. In this way, depending on the input device, a keyboard that has been difficult to downsize becomes unnecessary, so that various information processing apparatuses are reduced in size and weight.

JP 2001-209495 A JP 2002-341999 A JP 2003-273980 A Japanese Patent No. 4029410

  In recent years, many portable information terminals have a touch panel. In general, a user of such a portable information terminal performs an input operation of the portable information terminal by holding the portable information terminal in one hand and touching a fingertip of the other hand with a touch panel.

  However, there is often a problem that one hand cannot be used because it has a load, and it is difficult to operate the touch panel with one hand.

  In order to solve this problem, when using the Web browser remote control described in Patent Document 1, the portable information terminal is held in one hand and the Web browser remote control is held in the other hand. It will be blocked and you will not be able to carry other items.

  In addition, when the portable terminal controller described in Patent Document 2 is used in order to solve this problem, since the portable terminal controller is held with both hands, both hands are blocked and other luggage is held. I can't.

  In addition, when the mobile phone game controller described in Patent Document 3 is used in order to solve this problem, both hands have different mobile phone game controllers. I can't carry my luggage.

  Further, when the input device described in Patent Document 4 is used in order to solve this problem, the input device is worn on both hands, so that the portable information terminal and other luggage cannot be held.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an input operation device and an input operation method that solve the above-described problems.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an input operation device for performing an input operation on a portable information terminal, each provided corresponding to a different position of a fingertip, Calculated by a plurality of sensors that output an electrical signal when pressed by another object, an operation content specifying unit that specifies the content of an input operation on the portable information terminal, and an operation content specifying unit based on the output of the sensor A communication unit that transmits data indicating the contents of the input operation to the portable information terminal.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an input operation method for performing an input operation on the portable information terminal, provided respectively corresponding to different positions of the fingertip, and when the fingertip is pressed by another object In addition, based on the outputs of a plurality of sensors that output electrical signals, an operation content specifying stage for specifying the content of the input operation on the portable information terminal, and data indicating the content of the input operation calculated in the operation content specifying stage, A communication step of transmitting to the portable information terminal.

  The above summary of the invention does not enumerate all necessary features of the present invention. Also, a sub-combination of these feature groups can also be an invention.

  As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, even if the portable information terminal is held in one hand and the other baggage is held in the other hand, the input operation to the portable information terminal is performed only by moving the fingertip. be able to.

It is a figure which shows an example of the utilization environment of the input operation apparatus 110 which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of an Example. It is a figure which shows another Example.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the claimed invention, and all combinations of features described in the embodiments are described below. However, this is not always essential for the solution of the invention.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a usage environment of an input operation device 110 according to an embodiment. The input operation device 110 is a device for performing an input operation on the portable information terminal 130. More specifically, the input operation device 110 has a shape that can be attached to the fingertip F.

  The input operation device 110 includes a plurality of piezoelectric sensors 111a to 111e (hereinafter collectively referred to as a piezoelectric sensor 111), an operation content specifying unit 112, and a communication unit 113. The piezoelectric sensor 111 may be an example of the “sensor” in the present invention.

  The piezoelectric sensor 111 is a power receiving element using a piezoelectric effect that converts a force applied to a piezoelectric body into a voltage. More specifically, the piezoelectric sensors 111 are respectively provided corresponding to different positions of the fingertip F when the input operation device 110 is mounted on the fingertip F. The piezoelectric sensor 111 is electrically connected to the operation content specifying unit 112. The piezoelectric sensor 111 outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the force when the fingertip F is pressed by another object.

  The operation content specifying unit 112 is a processing unit that specifies the content of the input operation on the portable information terminal 130 based on the output of the piezoelectric sensor 111. More specifically, the operation content specifying unit 112 is electrically connected to the piezoelectric sensor 111 and the communication unit 113. In addition, in this embodiment, five piezoelectric sensors 111 are provided, and each is assigned to each of the upper, lower, left, and right directions for moving the input position on the screen display, and the determination of the input at the input position. .

  The communication unit 113 has a wireless interface such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and can communicate with the portable information terminal 130.

  The portable information terminal 130 includes a communication unit 131, an operation unit 132, and a display unit 133.

  The communication unit 131 of the portable information terminal 130 has a wireless interface such as Bluetooth similar to the input operation device 110, and can command the operation unit 132 from the communication unit 131. The operation unit 132 displays the detected operation on the display unit 133 with a cursor or highlight of a selection item.

  FIG. 2 shows the operation of the embodiment. First, in order to connect the input operation device 110 and the wireless interface of the portable information terminal 130, a pairing operation is performed for both to establish a connection (S101).

  When the connection establishment is completed, the input operation device 110 starts detection of the piezoelectric sensor 111 and calculation of the operation content specifying unit 112 (S102).

  When the potential difference of the piezoelectric sensor 111 exceeds the threshold value Vth (S103: Yes), the operation content specifying unit 112 determines that the button has been pressed. When Vth is not exceeded (S103: No), each is set to 0. Further, the determination is performed exclusively with other sensors (S104). Then, the detection results corresponding to the left / right up / down determination in FIG. 1 are set as left: X = −1, right: X = 1, top: Y = 1, bottom: Y = −1, and determination: Z = 1. (S105, S110). For example, when only the left side is pressed, the calculation result is (X, Y, Z) = (− 1, 0, 0) (S105). When left and up are pressed, the calculation result is (X, Y, Z) = (− 1, 1, 0). When determination is pushed, the calculation result is (X, Y, Z) = (0, 0, 1). Even when the determination and other sensors are pressed, the calculation result is (X, Y, Z) = (0, 0, 1).

  While the upper, lower, left, and right piezoelectric sensors 111 exceed the potential difference Vth, that is, while pressure is applied, the operation content specifying unit 112 always outputs the calculation result continuously to the communication unit 113 (S106). The determination is counted once every time Vth is exceeded.

  The communication unit 113 converts the calculation result into a wireless signal, and transmits the operation calculation result to the portable information terminal 130 through the wireless interface (S107).

  The portable information terminal 130 converts the radio signal received by the communication unit 131 into digital data, and outputs the data to the operation unit 132 of the portable information terminal 130 (S108).

  The operation unit 132 moves the cursor displayed on the display unit 133, changes the menu list item, highlights the selected item, or executes the selected operation according to the operation result received (S109). .

  By using the function of the present invention, for example, the user holds the portable information terminal 130 with the left hand and wears the input operation device 110 with the right hand. The portable information terminal 130 can be easily operated simply by moving F.

  Another embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The sensor output voltage changes according to the pressure applied to the piezoelectric sensor 111. Therefore, by providing a plurality of threshold voltages, it is possible to set the cursor movement speed as v1, v2, v3, or to change the menu transition speed, for example, as Vth1, Vth2, Vth3. is there.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the portable information terminal 130 includes a touch panel 134, it is possible to improve operability by operating both the operation on the touch panel 134 and the operation in the present invention at the same time. It is.

  It is also possible to replace the piezoelectric sensor 111 with a capacitance detection sensor. In that case, a dielectric such as metal is attached to the fingertip F, or the fingertip F is placed on a metal plate. It is also possible to detect a change in capacity and perform an operation. A strain gauge may be used instead of the piezoelectric sensor 111.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes or improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment. It is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such changes or improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  The execution order of each process such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages shown in the claims, the specification, and the drawings is not clearly indicated as “before”, “before”, or the like. It should also be noted that the output of the previous process can be realized in any order unless it is used in the subsequent process. Regarding the operation flow in the claims, the specification, and the drawings, even if it is described using “first”, “next”, etc. for the sake of convenience, it means that it is essential to carry out in this order. It is not a thing.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 110 Input operation apparatus 111 Piezoelectric sensor 112 Operation content specific | specification part 113 Communication part 130 Portable information terminal 131 Communication part F Fingertip

Claims (6)

An input operation device for performing an input operation on a portable information terminal,
A plurality of sensors that are provided corresponding to different positions of the fingertips, and that output an electrical signal when the fingertip is pressed by another object; and
Based on the output of the sensor, an operation content specifying unit for specifying the content of the input operation on the portable information terminal,
An input operation device comprising: a communication unit that transmits data indicating the content of the input operation calculated by the operation content specifying unit to the portable information terminal. The input operation device according to claim 1, wherein the operation content specifying unit specifies a direction in which the input position on the screen display is moved as the content of the input operation on the portable information terminal. The input operation device according to claim 1, wherein the operation content specifying unit specifies a speed at which an input position on a screen display is moved as content of an input operation on the portable information terminal. The input operation device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a sensor that outputs an electrical signal corresponding to a pressing force generated when the fingertip is pressed by another object. The input operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sensor is a sensor that outputs an electrical signal corresponding to a capacitance generated when the fingertip is pressed by another object. An input operation method for performing an input operation on a portable information terminal,
Based on the outputs of a plurality of sensors that are provided corresponding to different positions of the fingertip and output an electrical signal when the fingertip is pressed by another object, the contents of the input operation to the portable information terminal are The operation content identification stage to be identified,
A communication step of transmitting data indicating the content of the input operation calculated in the operation content specifying step to the portable information terminal.

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