JPH03256111A - Optical coordinate input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to use the optical coordinate input device also under a bad environmental condition and to expand its service life by detecting a coordinate position by the variation of a light receiving quantity due to the flection of optical fibers arranged like a matrix in a direction vertical to a coordinate input face. CONSTITUTION:The coordinate input device 1 is constituted of arranging many optical fibers 12, 13 like a matrix in the X and Y directions of the coordinate input face 11. Light emitting elements 14, 15 input light from one end parts of respective fibers 12, 13 and light receiving elements 16, 17 receive light from the other end parts of the fibers 12, 13 and output light quantity detecting signals S1, S2 corresponding to the received light quantity. A coordinate position detecting part 21 consists of X and Y coordinate detection parts 22, 23, which detect the X and Y coordinates of a depressed point on the face 11 based upon the signals S1, S2 outputted from respective elements 16, 17 and output X and Y coordinate signals S3, S4.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] The present invention relates to an optical coordinate input device for inputting coordinate positions by pressing with a touch pen or a finger, which can be used even under adverse environmental conditions, has a long life, and is easy to operate. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a simple optical coordinate input device, in which a plurality of 7-tricks arranged in the X direction and the Y direction on the coordinate input surface and flexible in the direction perpendicular to the coordinate input surface is provided. an optical fiber, a light emitting means for inputting light from one end of each of the optical fibers, a light receiving means for receiving the light at the other end of each of the optical fibers and outputting a light amount detection signal according to the amount of received light; and a coordinate position detection means that detects the coordinate position by variation in the light amount detection signal from each of the light receiving means by bending in a direction perpendicular to the coordinate input surface.

(Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an optical coordinate input device for manually inputting coordinate positions by pressing with a touch pen, a finger, or the like.

In general, display devices and the like use coordinate input devices as a means of man-machine interface, but there is a demand for coordinate input devices that are highly reliable and have a long life under various environmental conditions.

[Conventional technology]

In the past, resistive touch panels were often used as coordinate input devices.

However, this type of coordinate input device detects coordinates by turning on and off electrical contacts.
Use under adverse environmental conditions such as a gas atmosphere is undesirable, and the applications are limited, as well as being limited by the lifespan of the contacts.

In contrast, an optical coordinate system has been proposed that can be used even under adverse environmental conditions and has a long service life (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-97735).

This is done by arranging a large number of optical fibers in a matrix on the tube surface of a CRT, and by absorbing the light inside the optical fibers using a stick with a light absorber, the light inside the optical fibers reaches the output side. It is designed to block the

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the conventional optical coordinate system mentioned above, a special stick with a light absorber is used and it must be pressed against the optical fiber. It is not possible to input data and it is not easy to operate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention addresses the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide an optical coordinate input device that can be used even under adverse environmental conditions, has a long lifespan, and is easy to operate.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above problems, the coordinate input device according to the present invention is arranged in a matrix in the X direction and the Y direction on the coordinate input surface 11, and perpendicular to the coordinate input surface 11, as shown in FIG. a plurality of optical fibers 12.13 having visibility in a direction, and each of the optical fibers 12.13
A light emitting means 14.15 that allows light to enter from one end, and a light receiving means 16.17 that receives light at the other end of each of the optical fibers 12.13 and outputs light amount detection signals Sl and S2 according to the amount of received light. and coordinate position detection means 21 which detects the coordinate position by fluctuations in the light amount detection signals Sl and S2 from each of the light receiving means 16 and 17 due to the bending of the optical fibers 12 and 13 in a direction perpendicular to the coordinate input surface 11.
It consists of.

[For production]

By pressing the coordinate input surface 11 with a touch pen, a finger, or the like, the optical fibers 12 and 13 bend (bend) in a direction perpendicular to the coordinate input surface 11.

When the optical fiber 12.13 bends, the light transmission 1aJL decreases, and therefore the light amount detection signals Sl, S2 from the light receiving means 16.17 fluctuate.

The coordinate position detection means 21 detects the coordinate position of the pressed point based on fluctuations in the light amount detection signal 5IS2.

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

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of a coordinate input device 1 according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view showing a state in which the coordinate input surface 11 of the coordinate input device 1 is pressed with a finger, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the magnitude of each light amount detection signal S1 in the state of FIG. 2. FIG.

The coordinate input device 1 includes a large number of optical fibers 12, 12, . . . , 1313, .
．． light-emitting elements 14 and 15 into which light enters from one end of 13;
It is composed of a light receiving element 1617 that receives light at the other end of each optical fiber 1213 and outputs light amount detection signals Sl and S2 according to the amount of received light, a coordinate position detecting section 21, and the like.

The optical fibers 12 and 13 are hardened by filling their gaps with soft transparent rubber or the like so that their relative positions do not shift. Further, the upper surface of the optical fiber 12.13 is covered with a transparent protective film 18, and the lower surface is supported by a soft transparent mat 19.

Therefore, the optical fibers 12, 13 can be bent in the direction perpendicular to the coordinate input surface 11 by pressing them with a finger or the like from the surface of the protective film 18.

When the optical fibers 12, 13 are bent, the amount of light propagation decreases in accordance with the amount of bending.

FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) are diagrams showing the state of light propagating within the optical fiber 12. FIG.

FIG. 4(a) shows a state in which the optical fiber 12 is not bent, and the light that enters the optical fiber 12 from one end of the light emitting element 14 is completely reflected within the optical fiber 12 and propagates to the other end. The light is incident on the light receiving element 16.

When the optical fiber 12 bends, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the angle of incidence of light on the interface between the core and cladding of the optical fiber 12 becomes smaller, and part or all of it becomes transmitted light, so that the light is not received. The amount of light incident on element 16 decreases. This reduces the magnitude of the light amount detection signal S1.

The light emitting elements 14 and 15 include, for example, light emitting diodes, laser diodes, and the like.

The light receiving elements 16 and 17 are composed of photodiodes, phototransistors, and the like.

The coordinate position detection section 21 includes an X coordinate detection section 22 and a Y coordinate detection section 23.

The X coordinate detection section 22 and the Y coordinate detection section 23 detect the X coordinate and Y coordinate of the pressed point on the coordinate input surface 11 based on the light amount detection signals St and S2 from each light receiving element 16.17, and A coordinate signal S3 and a Y coordinate signal S4 are output.

For example, the X coordinate of point P in the state shown in FIG. 2 is determined as follows.

Three of the light amount detection signals 31 (light amount detection signals 5la-e) of the five light receiving elements 16 (light receiving elements 16a-e) are extracted in descending order (light amount detection signals Slb, Slc, 5ld), and the three A curve passing through the point is calculated and its minimum point is set as the X coordinate of point P.

The Y coordinate of point P is determined by processing similar to this.

In addition, as another example of how to obtain the coordinates, the smallest light amount detection signal Slc among the five light amount detection signals Sl (light amount detection signals 5la-e) is extracted, and its position is set as the X coordinate of point P. . In this way, the optical fiber 12.13
Since only the coordinates for the number of lines can be determined, the resolution is low, but the processing by the coordinate position detection section 21 is simple.

According to the above embodiment, since no contacts are used, it can be used even under bad environmental conditions, has a long life, and
A simple pen-like touch pen, ballpoint pen,
Alternatively, input can be easily performed using a finger or the like, and the operation is extremely simple.

In the embodiments described above, the number and spacing of the optical fibers 12 and 13, the type and format of the light emitting elements 14.15 or the light receiving elements 16.17, the structure of the coordinate input device 1, etc. can be changed in various ways other than those described above. .

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an optical coordinate input device that can be used even under bad environmental conditions, has a long life, and is easy to operate.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of the coordinate input device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional side view showing the state in which the coordinate input surface of the coordinate input device is pressed with a finger, and Fig. 3 is the state shown in Fig. 2. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the magnitude of each light amount detection signal in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the state of light propagating within the optical fiber. In the figure, 1 is a coordinate input device, 11 is a coordinate input surface, 12.13 is an optical fiber 14. 15 is a light emitting element (light emitting means), 16.17 is a light receiving element (light receiving means), 21 is a coordinate position detection unit ( Coordinate position detection means) Sl, S2
is a light amount detection signal. To - Gekigeki 1 + 1 - 1 + 1 - Ichime Boji 81 -

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Arranged in a matrix in the X direction and Y direction on the coordinate input surface (11), and
) with multiple optical fibers having flexibility in the direction perpendicular to
12) (13), light emitting means (14) (15) for inputting light from one end of each of the optical fibers (12) (13), and light emitting means (14) (15) for inputting light at the other end of each of the optical fibers (12) (13); A light amount detection signal (S1) (S
2), and the optical fibers (12) and (13) are connected to the coordinate input surface (11).
) by bending in a direction perpendicular to each light receiving means (
16) Coordinate position detection means (2) that detects the coordinate position based on fluctuations in the light amount detection signals (S1) (S2) from (17).
1) An optical coordinate input device comprising: