Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device – Cursor mark position control device
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-10
2001-10-23
Lao, Lun-Yi (Department: 2673)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
Cursor mark position control device
C345S162000, C345S159000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06307539
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to input apparatuses for moving a pointer or a figure displayed on a computer screen, and more particularly, to a data input apparatus providing easy operation even for large movement on the screen.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a data input apparatus for a computer, there have been used various types of apparatuses, such as a mouse type operated on a desk, a trackball type in which a spherical ball is operated, built in a notebook-type personal computer or used as a single unit, a touch-sensitive pad type which the user rubs by a finger, and a joystick type. With these input apparatuses, a character for indicating the current position, such as a cursor and a pointer, displayed on a computer screen is moved to the desired position.
FIG. 5
is a plan of a conventional data input apparatus employing a trackball.
A spherical operation member
1
called a trackball is supported rotatably in the three-dimensional space and drives an X encoder
2
and a Y encoder
3
.
The X encoder
2
has a roller
2
a
rotating about an axis extending in the Y direction and a circular plate
2
b
rotating together with the roller
2
a.
At the periphery of the circular plate
2
b,
notches are formed at a certain interval in the circumferential direction. A optocoupler
2
c
is disposed at part of the periphery of the circular plate
2
b
so as to sandwich the plate. In the optocoupler
2
c,
a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device are disposed oppositely, and the periphery of the circular plate
2
b
is disposed between the light-emitting device and the light-receiving device. When the roller
2
a
and the circular plate
2
b
rotate, a pulse output having the frequency corresponding to the rotation speed of the circular plate
2
b
is obtained from the optocoupler
2
c
as an operation signal.
In the same way, the Y encoder
3
has a roller
3
a
rotating about an axis extending in the X direction, a circular plate
3
b
rotating together with the roller
3
a,
and an optocoupler
3
c
disposed at a part of the periphery of the circular plate
3
b
so as to sandwich the plate. At the periphery of the circular plate
3
b,
notches are formed at a certain interval in the circumferential direction. A pulse output having the frequency corresponding to the rotation speed of the roller
3
a
and the circular plate
3
b
is obtained from the optocoupler
3
c.
A general input operation will be described below in a case when this trackball-type input apparatus is connected to a computer.
When the spherical operation member
1
is rotated in the X direction, the roller
2
a
and the circular plate
2
b
of the X encoder
2
rotate. A pulse output is obtained from the optocoupler
2
c
and is converted to coordinate data. When this coordinate data is input to the computer, a cursor, a pointer or a character displayed on a screen connected to the computer is moved in the X direction. When the spherical operation member
1
is rotated in the Y direction, the roller
3
a
and the circular plate
3
b
of the Y encoder
3
rotate. A pulse output obtained from the optocoupler
3
c
is converted to coordinate data. When this coordinate data is input to the computer, the cursor or the pointer is moved in the Y direction on the screen.
When the operation member
1
is rotated, for example, in the direction indicated by &agr;, which is at angles from the X and Y axes, both rollers
2
a
and
3
a
rotate. Pulses obtained from the optocouplers
2
c
and
3
c
are converted to coordinate data, and the cursor or the pointer is moved in the direction indicated by &agr; on the screen.
According to the screen size and the movement speed of the cursor, the operation member
1
is rotated once or a plurality of times to move the cursor to the desired position in the two-dimensional manner.
When the screen size of a display unit connected to the computer is large, it may be required to move the cursor or the pointer long. In this case, by the use of the trackball-type input apparatus, the operation member
1
(trackball) needs to be rolled a number of times by a finger and hence easy operation is not provided.
In a usual touch-sensitive-pad-type input apparatus, the pad is rubbed by the digital pulp of a finger. When the cursor needs to be moved long, like the situation for the trackball-type input apparatus, inputs are repeatedly required by reciprocating the finger on the pad. This operation is troublesome.
A mouse-type input apparatus can move in a limited area due to the use of a mouse pad or a space on a desk. Therefore, to move the cursor or the pointer long, it is necessary to reciprocate the mouse a number of times. Easy operation is not provided.
With the use of a joystick-type input apparatus, the cursor or the pointer can be moved just by leaning the stick section in the desired direction and the movement continues while the stick section is being leaned. Whereas the cursor can be continuously moved with the use of the joystick-type input apparatus without reciprocating a hand or a finger a number of times, the apparatus is unsuitable for precise positioning on the screen.
To reduce reciprocative movement of a hand or a finger, the movement speed of the cursor or the pointer can be increased by a setting of an input apparatus or an internal setting of the computer to extend a movement distance. When the movement speed of the cursor or the pointer is very high, precise positioning is difficult to achieve. Although the diameter of the trackball can be extended or the area of a touch-sensitive pad or the mouse pad can be enlarged, the condition is not improved due to a space required for installation on the computer or the desk.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a data input apparatus having a usual size, which allows a character on a screen, such as a cursor or a pointer, to be easily operated without reciprocating a hand or a finger a number of times even when a large movement is required on the screen, and which can be easily used for precise positioning.
The foregoing object is achieved according to the present invention through the provision of a data input apparatus including: an operation member operated by a hand; an encoder for outputting a operation signal according to the operation of the operation member; signal storing means for storing the operation signal sent from the encoder; coordinate-data generating means for generating coordinate data according to the output of the signal storing means; detecting means operable by a hand; and control means for continuously outputting the operation signal stored in the signal storing means to the coordinate-data generating means while a detection state continues if the detecting means is set to the detection state by a hand when the operation member is being operated or immediately after the operation has been completed.
In the present invention, when the operation member is operated, the operation signal from the encoder is stored in the signal storing means such as a register. When the detecting means is set to a detection state during the operation of the operation member, or when the detecting means is set to a detection state immediately (for example, within one second) after the operation member is operated, coordinate data continues being output according to the operation signal stored in the signal storing means.
Therefore, when the operation member is operated, a figure is moved or rotated on the screen at the speed corresponding to the operation speed. If the detecting means is being set to the detection state, the figure continues being moved or rotated at the operation speed being maintained.
In the data input apparatus, the detecting means is preferably provided in the vicinity of the operation member so that a hand can touch the detecting means immediately after the operation member is operated.
The detecting means includes a touch-sensitive switch provided in the vicinity of the operation me
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Lao Lun-Yi
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