JP2019152988A - Touch sensor device and touch coordinate estimation program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a touch sensor device and a touch coordinate estimation program that make it possible to expand an operation range of a touch operation.SOLUTION: A device, at a time of a tracing operation of a touch pad, judges that the tracing operation continues outside a coordinate computing range E, if a touch coordinate P(x,y) reaches at an end of the coordinate computing range E and reduction of a finger area Sf is detected. At the time, the device replaces a projection shape 14 of a finger of a touch operation in the coordinate computing range E with a virtual touch operation outside the coordinate computing range E, and estimates a touch coordinate P(x,y) outside the coordinate computing range E.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to a touch sensor device that detects a touch operation by a user and a touch coordinate estimation program.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a kind of touch sensor device, a touch pad device that remotely operates a screen on a display using a touch pad arranged separately from the display is well known. In this type of touchpad device, when a specific item is selected from a plurality of selection items displayed on the screen, a selection mark indicating that the selection is in progress is made by tracing the touchpad. According to the selection, after selection, a selection with a will of selection is selected and determined by performing a determination operation with the touch pad. In the case of detecting a touch operation, there is a high need to detect the touch operation on the outer edge portion of the touch operation surface without omission (see Patent Document 1).

JP2013-206341A

  By the way, at the time of touch operation, the projected shape of the finger of the touch operation may be detected from the output of the touch pad, the center coordinate of the finger may be calculated from the projected shape, and the coordinate position of the touch operation may be determined. At this time, in order to obtain accurate finger center coordinates, it is necessary to correctly recognize the projected shape of the finger. For this reason, since the edge part of a touchpad cannot be used as a detection area | region of touch operation, the range (coordinate calculation range) which can detect the center coordinate of a finger | toe will be an area smaller than the sensor part of a touchpad. Therefore, although the user expects that the user can perform a tracing operation on the entire operation surface of the touchpad, there is a problem that this cannot be realized and the operation feeling is not sufficient.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a touch sensor device and a touch coordinate estimation program capable of extending an operation range of a touch operation.

  A touch sensor device that solves the above problems includes a coordinate position calculation unit that calculates a touch coordinate on a touch operation surface based on a detection signal of a sensor unit that detects a touch operation, and a finger of a touch operation from an output of the sensor unit. A position estimation unit that estimates a touch coordinate defined outside the coordinate calculation range when a finger of a touch operation exceeds the coordinate calculation range, Equipped with.

  According to this configuration, when the touch position exceeds the coordinate calculation range, the touch coordinates are determined through estimation of the touch coordinates. As a result, even when a touch operation is performed outside the coordinate calculation range, the touch coordinates at this time can be recognized. Therefore, the operation range of the touch operation can be expanded.

  In the touch sensor device, the position estimation unit holds a projected shape of a finger of a touch operation within a coordinate calculation range, and when the touch operation exceeds the coordinate calculation range, the projection shape is replaced with a virtual touch operation. It is preferable to estimate the touch coordinates. According to this configuration, it is possible to estimate touch coordinates outside the coordinate calculation range by a simple process of replacing the finger projection shape held in advance with a virtual touch operation.

  In the touch sensor device, it is preferable that the position estimation unit performs the estimation of the touch coordinates when detecting that the tracing operation is continued beyond the coordinate calculation range. According to this configuration, the touch coordinates are estimated only when the tracing operation is continued. For example, even if one point outside the coordinate calculation range is suddenly touched, the touch operation is not recognized as being present. That's it.

  In the touch sensor device, when the position estimation unit detects that the finger coordinate obtained from the output of the sensor unit decreases while the center coordinate of the finger of the touch operation reaches the end of the coordinate calculation range, It is preferable to determine that the tracing operation of the finger has continued beyond the coordinate calculation range. According to this configuration, it is possible to accurately recognize the continuation of the tracing operation using the coordinates of the touch operation and the finger area obtained from the output of the sensor unit.

  The touch coordinate estimation program that solves the problem is a program of a touch sensor device that calculates touch coordinates on a touch operation surface based on a detection signal of a sensor unit that detects a touch operation, and a sensor that detects a touch operation. And calculating the touch coordinates on the touch operation surface based on the detection signal of the part, and assuming that the range in which the projected shape of the finger of the touch operation can be recognized from the output of the sensor part is a coordinate calculation range, When the coordinate calculation range is exceeded, the computer is caused to execute a step of estimating touch coordinates defined outside the coordinate calculation range.

  According to the present invention, the operation range of the touch operation can be expanded.

The block diagram of the touch sensor apparatus of one Embodiment. Operation diagram of touchpad. (A), (b) is the operation figure of the touchpad within the coordinate calculation range E. FIG. Operation diagram of the touch pad outside the coordinate calculation range E. FIG. The flowchart of coordinate estimation. Explanatory drawing of the logic of coordinate estimation. Explanatory drawing of the logic of coordinate estimation. The state figure by which touch operation was carried out to the edge of a sensor part.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a touch sensor device and a touch coordinate position estimation program will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, the touch sensor device 1 is a touch pad device 4 that remotely operates the display 2 with a touch pad 3 that is provided as a separate member from the display 2. In the case of the on-vehicle touchpad device 4, the touchpad 3 is disposed on a center console or the like in the vehicle. The touch pad 3 includes a touch operation surface 5 that is operated by a user touching with a finger or the like, and a sensor unit 6 that detects a touch operation on the touch operation surface 5. The touch pad device 4 is preferably a capacitance type that detects a touch operation on the touch operation surface 5 by a change in capacitance. In this case, the sensor unit 6 is a capacitance sensor.

  The touch pad device 4 includes a display control device 8 that controls the operation of the touch pad device 4. The display control device 8 includes a controller 9 that controls the operation of remote operation of the display 2 by the touch pad 3. The controller 9 is connected to the sensor unit 6 of the touch pad 3 via the interface unit 10 of the display control device 8.

  The touch sensor device 1 (touch pad device 4) includes a coordinate position calculation unit 12 that determines the coordinate position of the touch operation based on the detection signal S (detected capacitance Sa) of the sensor unit 6. The coordinate position calculation unit 12 inputs the detection signal S (detected capacitance Sa) output from the sensor unit 6 via the interface unit 10. Then, the coordinate position calculation unit 12 recognizes the touch coordinates P (x, y) on the touch operation surface 5 based on the detection signal S input from the sensor unit 6. In the case of this example, the center coordinate of the finger of the touch operation is detected as the touch coordinate P (x, y). Then, the controller 9 controls the selection determination operation on the screen 11 of the display 2 based on the detection signal S input from the touch pad 3.

  FIG. 2 shows an operation diagram when the touch operation surface 5 is touch-operated. The sensor unit 6 is provided in an area smaller than the board surface of the touch operation surface 5 (shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2) because the end portion of the finger does not touch the board surface when the finger of the touch operation is positioned at the end. ing. FIG. 2 illustrates a “finger projection image (hereinafter referred to as a projection shape 14)” detected by the controller 9 from the detection signal S of the sensor unit 6. The coordinate position calculation unit 12 recognizes the projection shape 14 on the touch operation surface 5 based on the detection signal S of the sensor unit 6, and uses the projection shape 14 as the touch coordinate P (x, y) to determine the center coordinate of the finger. calculate. The center coordinate of the finger is preferably the center of the projection shape 14. Then, the controller 9 associates the center coordinate of the finger on the touch operation surface 5 with the coordinate position on the screen 11 and determines which coordinate position on the screen 11 is currently selected on the touch operation surface 5. recognize.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, in the case of a normal operation in which a finger is operated by tracing a portion that is not an edge on the touch operation surface 5, the center coordinates (touch coordinates P (x, y)) of the finger are detected by the sensor unit 6. It can be detected without problems. Then, as shown in FIG. 3B, since the entire finger can be detected by the sensor unit 6 until the “finger end” reaches the edge of the sensor unit 6, the center coordinates of the finger (touch The coordinates P (x, y)) can be detected accurately. In this example, this range is referred to as “coordinate calculation range E”.

  For this reason, in this type of touch pad device 4, the center coordinates (touch coordinates P (x, y)) of the finger are accurately detected within the coordinate calculation range E that is smaller than the detection area of the sensor unit 6. be able to. Therefore, when the center coordinate of the finger of the touch operation reaches the end of the coordinate calculation range E, for example, even if the tracing operation is continued in the X-axis direction in the figure, the output of the sensor unit 6 (X-axis coordinate value) is It does not change.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 4, when the tracing operation is continued in the X-axis direction of the touch operation surface 5 beyond the coordinate calculation range E, for example, the finger center coordinates (touch coordinates P (x, y)) Suppose the computation is continued. In the case of this example, since the sensor unit 6 does not exist at the edge portion of the touch operation surface 5, the area of the projection shape 14 that can be detected from the output of the sensor unit 6 is small, and what is the actual finger center? Different finger center coordinates (touch coordinates P (x, y)) are detected.

  Specifically, for example, when the tracing position protrudes to such an extent that the finger center is positioned at the end of the sensor unit 6, an elliptical projection shape 14 whose width in the X-axis direction is “Ds” is recognized. Then, the center of the elliptical projection shape 14 is recognized as “finger center coordinates”, and the position closer to the part where the sensor unit 6 exists is erroneously recognized as the finger center with respect to the actual finger center position. Will end up. This example is a technique for dealing with this problem.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the touch sensor device 1 (touch pad device 4) includes a position estimation unit 20 that estimates the touch coordinates P (x, y) when the finger of the touch operation exceeds the coordinate calculation range E. The position estimation unit 20 of this example is provided in the controller 9. The position estimation unit 20 estimates the touch coordinates P (x, y) defined outside the coordinate calculation range E when the finger of the touch operation exceeds the coordinate calculation range E. The position estimation unit 20 of this example holds the projected shape 14 of the finger of the touch operation within the coordinate calculation range E, and when the touch operation exceeds the coordinate calculation range E, the projection shape 14 is replaced with a virtual touch operation. The touch coordinates P (x, y) are estimated.

Next, operations and effects of the touch sensor device 1 (touch pad device 4) according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 5, in step 101, the controller 9 acquires the detection signal S from the sensor unit 6.

  In step 102, the coordinate position calculation unit 12 calculates the projected shape 14 of the finger on the touch operation surface 5 based on the detection signal S acquired from the sensor unit 6. That is, the coordinate position calculation unit 12 recognizes the fingertip shape when the user performs a touch operation.

In step 103, the coordinate position calculation unit 12 calculates the center coordinates (touch coordinates P (x, y)) of the finger on the touch operation surface 5 based on the calculated projection shape 14.
In step 104, the position estimation unit 20 determines whether or not the calculated center coordinates (touch coordinates P (x, y)) of the finger have reached the end of the coordinate calculation range E. At this time, if the center coordinates of the finger (touch coordinates P (x, y)) have reached the end of the coordinate calculation range E, the process proceeds to step 105. On the other hand, if the center coordinates (touch coordinates P (x, y)) of the finger have not reached the end of the coordinate calculation range E, the process is terminated and the routine is re-executed.

  In step 105, the position estimation unit 20 determines whether or not the finger tracing operation is continued outside the coordinate calculation range E after the finger is positioned at the end of the coordinate calculation range E. Whether or not the tracing operation is continued outside the coordinate calculation range E is, for example, whether or not the finger projection shape 14 has reached the end of the coordinate calculation range E and the finger area Sf calculated from the projection shape 14 has decreased. Judgment by Therefore, in this case, if the finger area Sf decreases after the finger is positioned at the end of the coordinate calculation range E, it is determined that the tracing operation has been continued. If it is determined that the tracing operation has been continued, the process proceeds to step 106. On the other hand, if it is determined that the tracing operation is not continued, the process is terminated and the routine is re-executed. When the tracing operation is continued outside the coordinate calculation range E, the position estimation unit 20 holds the projected shape 14 of the finger immediately before the tracing operation is continued outside the coordinate calculation range E.

In step 106, the position estimation unit 20 estimates the center coordinates (touch coordinates P (x, y)) of the finger when the finger tracing operation is performed beyond the coordinate calculation range E.
Here, as shown in FIG. 6, it is assumed that the tracing operation is extended outside the coordinate calculation range E with the finger horizontally along the X-axis direction. In this case, the finger area Sf does not change in the Y-axis direction and decreases only in the X-axis direction. The position estimation unit 20 determines that the tracing operation has been extended outside the coordinate calculation range E horizontally along the X-axis direction by detecting this area change. Therefore, the position estimation unit 20 replaces the projected shape 14 of the finger held just before continuing the tracing out of the coordinate calculation range E with a virtual touch operation by allocating it so as to slide in the X-axis direction. Then, the position estimation unit 20 extracts the touch coordinates P (x, y) from the replaced projection shape 14.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, it is assumed that the drag operation is extended in a diagonal direction outside the coordinate calculation range E. In this case, the movement of the projected shape 14 of the finger in the Y-axis direction can be detected from the amount of change in coordinates in the Y-axis direction. Further, the amount of movement in the X-axis direction can be recognized from the amount of decrease in the finger area Sf, for example. Therefore, the position estimation unit 20 shifts the finger projection shape 14 held immediately before continuing the tracing out of the coordinate calculation range E by the amount of movement in the Y-axis direction recognized from the coordinate change, and the change in the finger area Sf. By assigning to the position slid by the amount of movement in the X-axis direction recognized from the amount, the virtual touch operation is replaced. Then, the position estimation unit 20 extracts the touch coordinates P (x, y) from the replaced projection shape 14.

  As shown in FIG. 8, if the touch coordinates P (x, y) outside the coordinate calculation range E can be estimated, for example, when the finger diameter obtained from the projected shape 14 of the finger is “D”, “ D / 2 ", the distance for touch position detection can be extended. That is, it is possible to extend the touch position detection distance for one finger from the end of the coordinate calculation range E. Therefore, even if it is necessary to reduce the sensor size (the size of the touch operation surface 5 or the sensor unit 6) for the convenience of mounting or cost reduction, it is possible to secure a wide touch surface seat.

  In the case of this example, when the touch position exceeds the coordinate calculation range E, the touch coordinates P (x, y) is determined through the estimation of the touch coordinates P (x, y). As a result, even when a touch operation is performed outside the coordinate calculation range E, the touch coordinates P (x, y) at this time can be recognized. Therefore, the operation range of the touch operation can be expanded.

  The position estimation unit 20 holds the projected shape 14 of the finger of the touch operation within the coordinate calculation range E. When the touch operation exceeds the coordinate calculation range E, the position estimation unit 20 replaces the projection shape 14 with a virtual touch operation, and touch coordinates Estimate P (x, y). Therefore, the touch coordinates P (x, y) outside the coordinate calculation range E can be estimated by a simple process of replacing the finger projection shape 14 held in advance with a virtual touch operation.

  When the position estimation unit 20 detects that the tracing operation has been continued beyond the coordinate calculation range E, the position estimation unit 20 estimates the touch coordinates P (x, y). Therefore, since the touch coordinates P (x, y) are estimated only when the tracing operation is continued, for example, even if one point outside the coordinate calculation range E is suddenly touched, this is recognized as a touch operation. You do n’t have to.

  The position estimation unit 20 confirms that the finger area Sf obtained from the output of the sensor unit 6 is reduced while the center coordinates (touch coordinates P (x, y)) of the finger of the touch operation reach the end of the coordinate calculation range E. When detected, it is determined that the tracing operation has been continued with the finger of the touch operation exceeding the coordinate calculation range E. Therefore, the continuation of the tracing operation can be accurately recognized using the coordinates of the touch operation and the finger area Sf obtained from the output of the sensor unit 6.

In addition, this embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. The present embodiment and the following modifications can be implemented in combination with each other within a technically consistent range.
The logic for estimating the touch coordinates P (x, y) is not limited to a method of replacing the finger projection shape 14 held immediately before with a virtual touch operation. For example, other methods such as estimating the touch coordinates P (x, y) from the operation direction and operation speed of the tracing operation when the coordinate calculation range E is exceeded may be applied.

  The determination as to whether or not the stroking operation has continued beyond the coordinate calculation range E is not limited to using a decrease in the finger area Sf as a determination parameter. For example, another method may be applied, such as determining that the tracing operation is continued when the touch coordinates P (x, y) are simply located outside the coordinate calculation range E.

The touch pad 3 (sensor unit 6) is not limited to the capacitive type, but may be changed to another sensing type such as a pressure sensitive type.
The touch sensor device 1 is not limited to the touch pad device 4, and may be a touch panel that performs a touch operation on the screen 11 of the display 2, for example. As described above, the touch sensor device 1 can be changed to a type other than the touch pad type.

  -The touch sensor apparatus 1 is not limited to vehicle-mounted use, You may use it for another apparatus and apparatus.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Touch sensor apparatus, 2 ... Display, 3 ... Touch pad, 4 ... Touch pad apparatus, 5 ... Touch operation surface, 6 ... Sensor part, 11 ... Screen, 12 ... Coordinate position calculation part, 14 ... Projection shape, 20 ... Position estimation unit, S ... detection signal, P (x, y) ... touch coordinates, E ... coordinate calculation range, Sf ... finger area.

Claims (5)

A coordinate position calculation unit that calculates touch coordinates on the touch operation surface based on a detection signal of the sensor unit that detects the touch operation;
When the range in which the projected shape of the finger of the touch operation can be recognized from the output of the sensor unit is set as the coordinate calculation range, when the finger of the touch operation exceeds the coordinate calculation range, it is defined outside the range of the coordinate calculation range. A touch sensor device comprising: a position estimation unit that estimates touch coordinates. The position estimation unit holds a projected shape of a finger for a touch operation within a coordinate calculation range, and if the touch operation exceeds the coordinate calculation range, the projected shape is replaced with a virtual touch operation to estimate a touch coordinate The touch sensor device according to claim 1. The touch sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the position estimation unit performs the estimation of the touch coordinates when detecting that the tracing operation is continued beyond the coordinate calculation range. When the position estimation unit detects that the finger coordinate obtained from the output of the sensor unit has decreased while the center coordinate of the finger of the touch operation reaches the end of the coordinate calculation range, the finger of the touch operation calculates the coordinate calculation The touch sensor device according to claim 1, wherein it is determined that the tracing operation has been continued beyond the range. A touch coordinate estimation program for a touch sensor device that calculates touch coordinates on a touch operation surface based on a detection signal of a sensor unit that detects a touch operation,
Calculating touch coordinates on the touch operation surface based on a detection signal of a sensor unit that detects a touch operation;
When the range in which the projected shape of the finger of the touch operation can be recognized from the output of the sensor unit is set as the coordinate calculation range, when the finger of the touch operation exceeds the coordinate calculation range, it is defined outside the range of the coordinate calculation range. A touch coordinate estimation program for causing a computer to execute the step of estimating touch coordinates.