This application contains subject matter related to and claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-230828 filed on Oct. 20, 2011, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to an input device which includes an operation body restricted so as to be fixed or only move by a limited distance and to which an input operation is performed by the sliding of a finger on the operation surface of the surface of the operation body, and more particularly, to an input device giving a feeling to a finger as though an operation surface is moved when the finger slides along the operation surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Input devices, which include operation bodies operated by a finger and vibrating units applying an impact force or vibration to the operation bodies, are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 11-305938 and 2003-337649.
A trackball device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-305938 includes a ball that freely rotates in multiple directions, an encoder that detects the rotational direction and the rotational distance of the ball, and a solenoid that applies a force to the ball. While the ball is operated, a force is irregularly (aperiodically) applied to the ball from the solenoid. Accordingly, it is possible to feel the force of the solenoid through a finger that operates the ball.
The trackball device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-305938 can select items displayed on a screen or move a scrollbar displayed on a screen by rotating a ball with a finger. Further, when the selected item is changed, a momentary force is applied to the ball from the solenoid. Alternatively, when the scrollbar reaches the movement end of the scrollbar, a momentary force is applied to the ball from the solenoid.
An input device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-337649 includes a ring-shaped or linear recess and electrodes of which the capacitances are coupled. When a finger is moved along the recess while contacting the recess, the position and movement of the finger are detected by the electrodes. That is, the recess itself, which is an operation body, does not move and the finger comes into contact with and slides on the recess, so that an input operation is performed.
The input device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-337649 is provided with a vibrator. Accordingly, when the finger in contact with the recess moves by only a constant distance, a pulse is sent to the vibrator, the vibrator temporarily vibrates, and temporary vibration is applied to the recess. Therefore, a click feeling is given to the finger in contact with the recess, so that an operator can perceive that the finger moves by a constant distance.
Since the trackball device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-305938 uses a method where the ball is rotated by a finger, the trackball device requires a mechanism by which the ball is rotatably supported. For this reason, the structure of the trackball device is complicated. Further, since the trackball device requires a height exceeding the diameter of the ball, it is not possible to mount the trackball device on a thin device. Furthermore, there is a defect that dirt or dust adhering to the ball easily enters the device due to the rotation of the ball.
Since the input device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-337649 uses a method where a finger comes into contact with the ring-shaped or linear recess and slides on the surface of the recess, the input device does not require a rotation support mechanism. For this reason, it is easy to make the input device thin overall. However, since a frictional reaction force is applied to a finger when the finger comes into contact with and slides on the recess, the operation feeling is inferior to a case where a ball actually rotates. Further, since a finger merely slides two-dimensionally to perform an operation, it is not possible to perform an operation for three-dimensionally moving a finger. For this reason, it is difficult to cope with the diversity of input operations.
The trackball device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-305938 is provided with the solenoid that applies a force to the ball, and the input device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-337649 is provided with the vibrator that applies vibration to the recess. However, the solenoid irregularly generates a force when items displayed on the screen are changed. Further, the vibrator applies a momentary vibration when the finger moves by a constant distance, and the generation interval of vibration is changed according to the moving speed of the finger sliding on the recess. Accordingly, the vibrator can merely generate an irregular vibration.
These and other drawbacks exist.
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an input device that includes an operation body not capable of moving or merely capable of moving by a limited distance when an operation surface is operated by a finger and can provide a feeling to a finger as though an operation surface is moved when the finger slides on the operation surface.
According to an embodiment, an input device includes an operation body and a detecting member. The operation body includes an operation surface with which a finger comes into contact, and the detecting members detect the operating state of the operation surface operated by the finger. The operation body is fixed so as not to move when the finger in contact with the operation surface moves along the operation surface or the movement of the operation body is restricted so as to only move by a distance shorter than a movement distance of the finger that moves along the operation surface. The input device includes a vibration applying mechanism that continues applying a continuous vibration having a predetermined frequency to the operation body while at least the finger comes into contact with the operation surface.
In such an embodiment, the operation body generates a continuous vibration having a predetermined frequency when a finger slides on the operation surface of the surface of the operation body which is fixed or of which the movement is restricted. For this reason, a frictional force between the operation surface and a finger is reduced. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the resistance force that is felt by a finger when the finger slides on the operation surface. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a feeling as though the finger and the operation surface move, and to improve operability.
Further, since the operation body is fixed or the movement of the operation body is restricted, a support mechanism for moving the operation body is not required. Accordingly, there is no problem of dirt or dust adhering to the ball entering the device due to the rotation of the ball as in the trackball device in the related art.
Also, the operation surface may have the shape of a protrusion that protrudes in a direction in which the operation surface faces to the finger, and for example, the operation surface may be a part of a spherical surface.
The operation surface also may have a concave shape that is recessed in a direction opposite to a direction in which the operation surface faces to the finger, and the operation surface may have a substantially flat shape.
The operation surface may be supported by an elastic body so as to only move by the distance shorter than the movement distance of the finger.
The input device according to various embodiments may further include a controller that generates the continuous vibration using the vibration applying mechanism by controlling the vibration applying mechanism and applies an irregular vibration to the operation body from the vibration applying mechanism when a predetermined operation is performed by the finger.
In these embodiments, a continuous vibration, which includes an amplitude component parallel to a movement direction of the finger on the operation surface, may be applied to the operation body from the vibration applying mechanism.
For example, the operation surface may include an inclined surface, which is inclined with respect to the direction of the amplitude of the continuous vibration applied to the operation body from the vibration applying mechanism, on at least a part thereof.
The detecting members may be pressure sensors detecting that the operation surface is pushed by the finger. Also, the detecting members may be electrostatic sensors that detect the approach and movement of the finger.
Even though the operation body cannot freely move, the input device can obtain an operation feeling as though the operation surface follows a finger by reducing a resistance force when a finger slides on the operation surface of the surface of the operation body.
Further, since a support mechanism by which the operation body is rotatably supported is not required, it is possible to simplify the structure of the input device and it is easy to make the input device thin.
The following description is intended to convey a thorough understanding of the embodiments described by providing a number of specific embodiments and details involving an input device. It should be appreciated, however, that the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments and details, which are exemplary only. It is further understood that one possessing ordinary skill in the art, in light of known systems and methods, would appreciate the use of the invention for its intended purposes and benefits in any number of alternative embodiments, depending on specific design and other needs.
An input device 1 shown in
The operation body 2 may be fixed so as not to be capable of moving, but may be adapted to be capable of tilting in all directions by an angle α as shown in
The operation body 2 may include a flange portion 4. A center line CL, which passes through the center O of curvature of the spherical surface forming the operation surface 3 and extends in the vertical direction, is shown in
Elastic members 6 may be fixed to a base 7 of the input device 1, pressure sensors 5, which are first detecting members, may be fixed to the surfaces of the elastic members 6, and a lower surface 4a of the flange portion 4 of the operation body 2 is installed on the pressure sensors 5. The elastic member 6 may be a synthetic rubber sheet or a sheet made of a foamed resin material. The pressure sensor 5 may be a MEMS sensor or the like, and may be provided with an action plate that faces a substrate with a gap interposed therebetween. The pressure sensor 5 may be adapted to detect the deflection of the action plate, when the action plate is pushed by the flange portion 4, by a piezoelectric element or the like.
As shown in
As shown in
The operation surface 3 of the operation body 2 may be positioned within the hole 8a of the cover member 8, and a vertex 3b of the spherical surface of the operation surface 3 may protrude toward the operation side from the hole 8a. Further, the concave surface 8b may be positioned so as to surround the periphery of the operation surface 3 that protrudes from the hole 8a. Accordingly, when the operation surface 3 of the operation body 2 is operated by the finger 30, the finger 30 may approach the concave surface 8b or may come into contact with the concave surface 8b.
Electrostatic sensors 9, which are second detecting members, may be provided on a back 8d of the cover member 8 opposite to the concave surface 8b as shown in
The inner periphery-side electrostatic sensors 9a and the outer periphery-side electrostatic sensors 9b may include conductor layers that are independent of each other.
As shown in
As shown in
A detection-drive circuit 20 provided in the input device 1 is shown in
The detection outputs obtained by the electrostatic detection circuit 21 may be sent to a controller 25 through an A/D converter 23, and the detection outputs obtained by the pressure detection circuit 22 may be sent to the controller 25 through an A/D converter 24. The controller 25 may include memories and a CPU of a microcomputer. In the controller 25, the movement direction and movement distance of the finger 30 in contact with the operation surface 3 of the operation body 2 may be calculated from the detection outputs obtained by the electrostatic detection circuit 21, and the direction in which the operation body 2 is pushed by the finger 30 may be calculated from the detection outputs obtained by the pressure detection circuit 22. Then, a calculation output 26 may be sent to a main controller of an electronic device mounted on the input device 1. Further, the display contents of a screen provided in the electronic device are controlled by the calculation output 26.
In the detection-drive circuit 20 shown in
To operate the input device 1, when the finger 30 approaches the operation surface 3 of the operation body 2, any one of the plurality of electrostatic sensors 9 may detect this. Accordingly, the controller 25 can ascertain the approach of the finger 30. Further, when the finger 30 comes into contact with the operation surface 3 and the operation body 2 is lightly pushed, any one of the plurality of pressure sensors 5 may detect this. Accordingly, the controller 25 can ascertain that the finger 30 comes into contact with the operation surface 3.
If the controller 25 determines that the finger approaches or comes into contact with the operation surface 3, a command may be output to the vibration driving circuit 27 and drive current may be supplied to the coil 19 from the vibration driving circuit 27. Accordingly, vibration may be applied to the operation body 2. At this time, a pulse pattern corresponding to a continuous vibration may be called from the vibration pattern database 28 by the controller 25 and may be sent to the vibration driving circuit 27, so that a continuous vibration of which the amplitude F is parallel to the center line CL is applied to the operation body 2. That is, a continuous pulse, which may be stored in the vibration pattern database 28 and has a predetermined frequency, may be sent to the vibration driving circuit 27, so that continuing AC drive current is supplied to the coil 19. Accordingly, the operation body 2 may be continuously vibrated. Here, the continuous vibration means a state where it may be possible to make the finger 30 in contact with the operation surface 3 feel a continuing vibration without giving a feeling in which the vibration is disrupted or making the finger feel intermittent impact.
As a basic vibration pattern, a pulse having a constant frequency may be sent to the vibration driving circuit 27 without being discontinued. The frequency of a pulse at this time may be in the range of about 50 to 100 Hz. When the finger in contact with the operation surface 3 slides in each direction if a continuous vibration having a constant cycle is applied to the operation body 2, the operation surface 3 can make the finger 30 feel as though the operation surface is rotated according to the movement direction of the finger 30. That is, when the operation surface 3 continuously vibrates at a frequency that is felt by the finger 30, the frictional resistance force between the operation surface 3 and the finger 30 may be reduced. Accordingly, when the finger 30 slides along the operation surface 3, a large resistance force may not be applied to a contact portion between the finger 30 and the operation surface 3. As a result, it may be possible to obtain a feeling as though the operation surface 3 is rotated as a spherical body together with the finger 30.
In particular, if the uneven surface 3a is formed on the operation surface 3 as shown in
Vibration to be applied to the operation body 2 may be continuously applied with a constant frequency so that the finger 30 comes into contact with any position on the operation surface 3 without discontinuity and the finger 30 contacting the operation surface 3 may be moved in any direction at any speed by any distance. That is, vibration, which may be stored in the vibration pattern database 28 and may have a predetermined constant frequency, may be continuously applied to the operation body 2 regardless of the operation position or sliding speed of the finger 30 relative to the operation surface 3.
Meanwhile, the input device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-305938 or 2003-337649 is to apply a momentary impact force or vibration to a finger so as to give a click feeling to the finger whenever items of a screen are toggled or the finger moves by a predetermined distance. The vibration for this click feeling is persistently irregularly applied according to the operating state of the input device or the state of a screen, and is very different from a case where the vibration having a predetermined frequency is continuously applied to the operation body 2 without being restricted by the moving state of the finger 30 contacting the operation surface 3 as in the input device 1 according to the embodiment.
When the finger 30 comes into contact with the operation surface 3, a continuous vibration may be applied to the operation body 2 and may be a continuous vibration having a constant frequency as described above. However, the frequency of vibration may be changed according to the position where the finger 30 comes into contact with the operation surface 3. For example, when the finger 30 is moved to a position (ii) close to a skirt portion of the operation surface 3 since the finger 30 has come into contact with the vertex 3b of the operation surface 3 or come into contact with a portion (i) close to the vertex 3b as shown in
However, in a case where a control for changing the frequency of vibration is to be performed when the finger 30 comes into contact with the operation surface 3, it may be necessary to change the frequency during a continuous vibration so that a feeling where vibration is discontinued is not applied to the finger 30. The frequency of vibration in this case may correspond to a continuous vibration in the range of 50 to 100 Hz as described above.
Since the operation surface 3 is a part of a spherical surface as shown in
The center of a contact area where the finger 30 comes into contact with the operation surface 3 at a position except for the vertex 3b as shown in
Forces in the vertical direction, which is the direction of the amplitude F applied to the finger 30 from the operation surface 3 at the contact portion T, are +f and −f and the absolute values |f| of +f and −f may be equal to each other. When the force applied to the finger 30 is +f, a component force +s, which is parallel to the direction of the tangent line S, of the force +f may be applied to the finger 30 at the contact portion T. When the force applied to the finger 30 is −f, a component force −s, which is parallel to the direction of the tangent line S, of the force +f is applied to the finger 30 at the contact portion T.
When the finger 30 slides toward the flange portion 4 from the vertex 3b, a downward force W may be applied to the operation surface 3 from the finger 30. Accordingly, a component force Ws in the direction of the tangent line S may be applied to the operation surface 3 from the finger 30. Since the component force −s is applied in the same direction as the direction of the component force Ws of a sliding force 540 of the finger 30, it may be easy to obtain a feeling as though the operation surface 3 is rotated in the slide direction while following the sliding of the finger 30 when the finger 30 contacting the contact portion T slides toward the flange portion 4.
On the contrary, even when the finger 30 contacting the operation surface 3 slides toward the vertex 3b from the skirt portion close to the flange portion 4, the direction of a component force, which is parallel to the tangent line S, of the sliding force of the finger 30 may be the same as the direction of the component force +s that is generated in the direction parallel to the tangent line S by the amplitude F of a continuous vibration. Accordingly, it also may be easy to obtain a feeling as though the operation surface 3 is rotated following the movement of the finger 30.
In addition, since the operation body 2 is supported by the elastic members 6, the operation body 2 can tilt by a small angle α as shown in
The angle α at this time may correspond to a degree where the movement of the operation body 2 in the tilt direction is slightly felt, and the angle α may be approximately 5° or less and more specifically approximately 3° or less as described above.
When the finger 30 contacting the operation surface 3 slides toward the skirt portion from the vertex 3b, or slides toward the vertex 3b from the skirt portion, or slides along the locus (iii) or the locus (iv) as shown in
Further, when the finger 30 slides on the operation surface 3, the direction and magnitude of a force applied to the operation body 2 are detected by the pressure sensors 5. It may be possible to detect the slide direction of the finger 30 and a force, which may be applied to the operation surface 3 at that time, even by the detection outputs.
Furthermore, it may be possible to perform a switch operation, which may press the entire operation body 2 downward, by the finger 30 in contact with the vertex 3b of the operation surface 3. In this case, the controller 25 may determine that the switch operation is performed when all of the four pressure sensors 5 detect a predetermined pressure. At this time, the controller 25 may call a vibration pulse having a pattern which sets the click feeling of the switch operation from the vibration pattern database 28 and may send the vibration pulse to the vibration driving circuit 27. Accordingly, drive current may be supplied to the coil 19 from the vibration driving circuit 27. At this time, a continuing pulse may be sent to the vibration driving circuit 27 for only a short time, so that momentary impact vibration may be applied to the operation body 2. Accordingly, the finger 30 can feel an impact such that the finger receives a reaction force of the switch operation.
Vibration, which causes this switch reaction force, may be irregularly generated when a switch operation is performed by the operation body 2. The vibration, which may cause this switch reaction force, may be different from the continuous vibration causing a feeling as though the operation surface 3 is rotated. Irregular vibration for a switch reaction force and a continuous vibration, which causes the finger to feel rotation, may be applied to the operation body 2 while being superimposed.
In addition, by the vibration patterns stored in the vibration pattern database 28, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-305938, impact vibration may be only momentarily applied to the operation body 2 from the vibrating unit 15 when items such as a menu displayed on the screen of the electronic device are toggled, and impact vibration may be only momentarily applied to the operation body 2 from the vibrating unit 15 when a scrollbar of the screen is moved to the position of an end point of the scrollbar. Also, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-337649, whenever a finger in contact with the operation surface 3 is moved along the operation surface 3 by a constant distance, that is, whenever it is felt such that the operation surface 3 is rotated by a constant distance, impact vibration may be only momentarily applied to the operation body 2 from the vibrating unit 15. In these cases, each impact vibration is applied to the operation body 2 while being superimposed on the continuous vibration causing a feeling as though the operation surface 3 is rotated.
In an input device 101 according to an embodiment shown in
The same electrostatic sensors 9 as the electrostatic sensors shown in
A flange portion 104 of the operation body 102 may be installed on a movable base 109 with an elastic member 106, which may be made of synthetic rubber or a foamed resin material, interposed therebetween. The right end portion of the movable base 109 may be rotatably supported through a shaft 109a by a stationary base 107. A press switch 110 may be provided between a left end portion of the movable base 109 and the stationary base 107. The press switch 110 may be a mechanical switch, an actuator 110a may be mounted on the upper portion of the press switch 110 so as to freely move forward and backward, and the actuator 110a may be pushed by a built-in spring member so as to protrude. Further, a contact with which the actuator 110a may come into contact when being pushed is provided in the press switch 110.
Furthermore, a vibrating unit 15, which may have the same structure as the structure shown in
When the approach of a finger is detected by the electrostatic sensor 103 and the electrostatic sensors 9, the input device 101 may start and continuing vibration may be applied to the operation body 102. For this reason, when the finger slides along the operation surface 103a, it may be possible to feel as though the operation surface 103a is rotated following the movement of the finger. Moreover, it may be possible to find out the movement position of the finger by the electrostatic sensor 103 and the electrostatic sensors 9 and to move a cursor on a screen of an electronic device or change the screen in accordance with the movement of the finger.
Further, when the operation body 102 is pushed, the press switch 110 operates, a switch input may be performed, and the feeling of a mechanical switch reaction force (click feeling) can be given to the finger pushing the operation surface 103a by a spring built in the press switch 110.
Meanwhile, the input device 101 shown in
In the input device 1 according to an embodiment shown in
In an input device 201 according to an embodiment shown in
A vibrating unit 15 may be provided between the operation body 202 and the base 207. Accordingly, when a finger 30 comes into contact with the operation surface 203, a continuous vibration of which the amplitude F is parallel to a vertical direction may be applied to the operation body 202. Therefore, when the finger 30 comes into contact with and slides on the operation surface 203 of the concave surface, it may be possible to obtain a feeling as though the hemispherical concave surface is rotated following the movement of the finger 30.
In an input device 301 according to an embodiment shown in
The operation body 302 may be supported by a base 307 with an elastic member 306 interposed therebetween. A vibrating unit 315 may be provided between the operation body 302 and the base 307. A continuous signal may be sent to the operation body 302 by the vibrating unit 315. The direction of the amplitude of the continuous vibration may be a Fy direction perpendicular to the operation surface 303 and a Fx direction parallel to the operation surface 303. A vibration having an amplitude in the Fy direction and vibration having amplitude in the Fx direction are continuously applied, and the direction of the amplitude of the composite vibration thereof is inclined with respect to the operation surface 303. That is, the operation surface 303 may be formed of an inclined surface that may be inclined with respect to the direction of the amplitude of vibration applied from the vibrating unit 315.
Accordingly, when the finger 30 contacting the operation surface 303 is moved along the operation surface 303 in a Wx direction, the operation surface 303 may have an amplitude component parallel to the Wx direction. Accordingly, it may be possible to obtain a feeling as though the operation surface 303 moves in the Wx direction while following the finger 30.
It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims of the equivalents thereof.
Accordingly, the embodiments of the present inventions are not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein. Further, although some of the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein in the context of a particular implementation in a particular environment for a particular purpose, those of ordinary skill in the art should recognize that its usefulness is not limited thereto and that the embodiments of the present inventions can be beneficially implemented in any number of environments for any number of purposes. Accordingly, the claims set forth below should be construed in view of the full breadth and spirit of the embodiments of the present inventions as disclosed herein. While the foregoing description includes many details and specificities, it is to be understood that these have been included for purposes of explanation only, and are not to be interpreted as limitations of the invention. Many modifications to the embodiments described above can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2011-230828 | Oct 2011 | JP | national |