JPH04184826A - Liquid crystal pannel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a proper press operation part to be guided by forming frame-shaped protrusion on the front surface of a touch pannel in correspondence with the display of operation keys. CONSTITUTION:At a transparent switch part 4b superposed on a liquid display pannel 4c, contacts which are closed when they are respectively pressed from the front surface of a touch pannel operation part 4 are provided. In a remote commander 1, various operation keys of touch pannel type operated, when the surface of display parts are respectively pressed down, by the transparent switch part 4b are provided. On the front surface of the front face board 4a frame-shaped protrusions 4d are provided to encircle the portions of various figures and characters of respective operation keys 4k just in correspondence with the display of the frame showing each key.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is applicable to television monitors, disc players, V
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal touch panel used as an operating means in various electronic devices such as TRs and near conditioners.

[Summary of the Invention] In the liquid crystal touch panel of the present invention, operation keys are displayed on an LCD (liquid crystal) display panel, and key operation is performed manually by pressing the displayed operation keys. By forming a frame-shaped protrusion corresponding to the operation key display on the surface of the touch panel, it is possible to guide the appropriate pressing operation part.

[Prior Art] Devices equipped with liquid crystal touch panels as operation means have been widely put into practical use in recent years.

For example, by generating a specific command signal in response to a pressed operation key, converting this command signal into an infrared signal using a light emitting diode and outputting it, the command signal can be transmitted to a monitor device located at a remote location. For remote commanders, not only can the operation keys be configured as a keyboard with multiple suppression switches, but also some or all of the operation keys can be configured with an LCD display screen. Also known are devices configured as a touch panel operation section using a touch sensor.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, in the case of a liquid crystal touch panel, operation keys are displayed on the LCD display screen, and L is pressed according to the display of the operation keys.
When the surface of the CD display screen is pressed, a touch sensor detects which part of the LCD display screen is pressed, and an operation signal corresponding to the pressed position, that is, the operation key displayed at that pressed position, is generated. However, the surface of the LCD display screen is flat, and the arranged operation keys are distinguished only by the displayed image.

In other words, the operation keys themselves do not have irregularities like on a keyboard with normal push switches, so in order to perform accurate key operations, you have to press carefully while checking the boundaries between keys with your eyes. There is a problem in that it is not easy to operate, and it often happens that the adjacent operation key is operated by mistake.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and includes a liquid crystal display means for displaying images of a plurality of operation keys, and each operation key displayed by the liquid crystal display means. In a liquid crystal touch panel including an operation detection means capable of detecting a pressing operation of a key, a frame-shaped projection is formed on the surface of the touch panel in correspondence with the display of an operation key.

[Function] If a protrusion is formed on the surface of the touch panel that represents the frame of the operation key displayed by the liquid crystal display, the user can use the touch of his/her finger to determine the appropriate pressing position, that is, the center of the displayed operation key. Can be distinguished.

[Embodiment] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an embodiment of a mote commander using the liquid crystal touch panel of the present invention, and in particular, a mote commander for a television monitor.
In addition to television monitors, it is also possible to remotely control various AV devices such as multi-disc players, VTRs, DAT players, tuners, and main amplifiers.

1 is the main body of the beam remote commander, 2 is an infrared transmitter that converts a command signal generated as an electric signal into infrared rays using a light emitting diode, and outputs it; 3 (3a, 3b) are operation keys composed of push switches. . In addition,
3a is a mode switching key for changing the operation mode for each electronic device that you want to operate, and 3b is an operation key such as a power key, volume key, channel key, etc. used for normal operation of the television monitor device. be.

4 is a touch panel operation section, and as shown in the exploded view of FIG. 2(a), this touch panel operation section 4 has a surface plate 4a,
Transparent switch section 4b and liquid crystal display panel (LCD) 4
It is composed of c.

The liquid crystal display panel 4C has liquid crystal sealed between two glass substrates, and is further provided with a light distribution layer and transparent electrodes.

In order to display various symbols, the transparent electrode is formed such that a common electrode and a fixed pattern electrode patterned in the shape of a predetermined display symbol face each other with the liquid crystal interposed therebetween.

In this liquid crystal display panel 4c, as symbols for displaying operation keys, frames indicating keys and various characters and figures displayed within the frames can be displayed, as shown in the plan view of FIG. By pressing one of the mode switching keys 3a to switch the compatible device mode, the necessary operation keys corresponding to the electronic device are selectively displayed from among those shown in the touch panel operation section 4 in the figure. It is something that will be done. Note that there are many parts where multiple characters or figures are prepared within the frame of one key (for example, "VIDEOI").
"and"CLEAR'' are provided in the same key frame), one of which is also selectively displayed in each key frame based on the corresponding device mode at that time.

For example, when the "M key" for switching to the mode corresponding to the multi-disc player among the mode switching keys 3a is pressed, the touch panel operation section 4 displays various operations for the multi-disc player, as shown in FIG. 4(a). The necessary operation keys 4k are displayed.

Similarly, when the MONITOR key corresponding to the monitor device is pressed among the mode switching keys 3a, the touch panel operation section 4 displays operation keys 4k necessary for various operations of the monitor device, as shown in FIG. 4(b). is displayed.

In addition, “MONITOR” of the mode switching key 3a
/TUNER key'"" VTRI/2/3 key "C
D key” “AMP key” DAT key” and “0PTIO
Similarly, for the N key, operation keys 4k necessary for each corresponding device are displayed. Note that the "0PTION key" is used by the user arbitrarily setting the target electronic device and necessary operation keys.

The transparent switch part 4b superimposed on such a liquid crystal display panel 4C as shown in FIG. In the remote commander 1 of this embodiment, which is provided with a contact point that closes when the display is closed, the operation can be performed by pressing the surface of the display area using the liquid crystal display panel 4C as the display means and the transparent switch section 4b as the operation detection means. Various touch panel operation keys are provided. By switching the corresponding device mode as described above, it is possible to output an infrared command signal corresponding to each device such as a multi-disc player or a VTR.

Here, the surface portion of the surface plate 4a is provided with a frame-shaped projection 4d, as shown in an enlarged partially cross-sectional view of FIG. 2(b), and this frame-shaped projection 4d is Corresponding to the display of the frame indicating the operation keys shown in , 4k and
It is formed so as to surround each figure and character part. In other words, the operation keys 4 displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 4c
It is a physical representation of the frame.

Therefore, the user can confirm the exact pressed position of the operation key on the touch panel operation section 4 by feeling the touch of the finger, and can perform accurate pressing operations without paying undue attention to the displayed operation key frame. It becomes like this. In particular, in the case of the liquid crystal display panel 4c, the display may be considerably distorted depending on the viewing angle, so it is more effective as a guide.

Note that the shape of the protrusion 4d is not limited to a semicircular cross section as shown in FIG. 2, but may be any shape that allows the center position of the operation key to be confirmed with a finger.

Further, the shape of the frame formed by the protrusion 4d naturally depends on the shape, size, and arrangement of the operation keys displayed on the touch panel operation section 4.

Although this embodiment has been described with reference to a case where a liquid crystal touch panel is mounted on a remote commander of an AV device, the present invention is applicable to a liquid crystal touch panel mounted as an operating means for any device.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the liquid crystal touch panel of the present invention has protrusions that represent the frames of the displayed operation keys formed on the surface of the touch panel, so that the touch panel can be pressed appropriately by the touch of the finger. Since the position can be determined, accurate key operations can be performed easily, and erroneous operations can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 (a) and (b) are structural diagrams of the touch panel operation section and an enlarged view of the surface plate of the embodiment, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the touch panel operation section of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the operation keys displayed on the touch panel operation section of this embodiment. 1 is a remote commander, 2 is an infrared transmitter, 3a is a mode switching key, and 3b and 4 are operation keys. Reference numeral 4 indicates a touch panel operation section, 4a indicates a surface plate, and 4d indicates a projection. Jt) Remote commander of this embodiment Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 4d 4d (a) 3b Fig. 3 Fig. 4

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A liquid crystal touch panel comprising a liquid crystal display means for displaying images of a plurality of operation keys, and an operation detection means capable of detecting that each operation key displayed by the liquid crystal display means has been pressed. , A liquid crystal touch panel characterized in that a frame-shaped protrusion is formed on the surface of the touch panel in accordance with the display of operation keys.