JPH01154091A - Matrix display - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To adapt this display device to various stimulators of different matrix constitution by performing different drive control over a light emitting element according to the kind of an input signal inputted through a signal input means. CONSTITUTION: This device is provided with the signal input means 8 which can input different drive signals for different matrix constitution and a control means 9 which performs different drive control over the light emitting element 4a according to the kind of the input signal inputted through the signal input means 8. Therefore, a proper driving method can be selected for the light emitting element 4a according to a drive signal corresponding to a different matrix of, for example, 5×20, 6×24, etc. Consequently, the device can be used together with various stimulators of different matrix constitution.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a matrix display device, and particularly to a matrix display device capable of inputting drive signals having a plurality of different matrix configurations.

[Prior Art] Shun Kenhata's bimorph tactile stay emitter (hereinafter referred to as stay emulator), which is known as a tactile information output device for blind people, is driven based on character information read by an optical reader. , which allows blind people to tactile non-Braille text information with their fingertips. With this type of device, a certain amount of training is required, but it is possible for blind people to read sentences such as the sentence M expressed in normal letters without waiting for Braille.

A matrix display described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-46154, for example, is known as a display device used with this type of device. In this matrix display, multiple LEDs are arranged in the same matrix as the tactile needle of the stay simulator, and the LEDs are arranged in the same matrix as the vibrating tactile needle of the stay simulator.
Drive D. This type of device allows a sighted person to know the vibration pattern of the stay simulator, and is a very useful device for teaching blind people how to use the stay simulator.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The matrix display as described above is configured separately from the stay simulator and is often supplied as an optional device for the tactile device. In addition to a device with a matrix, a stay simulator with a small matrix of about 5x20 is also known to reduce costs.

However, conventional matrix displays have a problem in that they can only be used with a stay simulator having the same matrix configuration.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a plurality of light emitting lights 1 arranged in a predetermined matrix,
In a matrix display device having a light-emitting element, there is provided a signal input means capable of inputting a plurality of different drive signals corresponding to different matrix configurations; A configuration is adopted in which control means is provided to perform different drive controls.

[Function] According to the above configuration, an appropriate driving method for the light emitting element can be selected according to drive signals corresponding to different matrices such as 5x20 and 6x2a, so the device can be used with various stay simulators having different matrix configurations. Can be done.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on the example shown in the drawings.

Fig. 1 shows the structure of a tactile information output device used together with a matrix display device 4 employing the present invention. In Fig. 1, the reference numeral 1 indicates a camera using an optical reading element, which is read by the camera l. The matrix information is input to the tactile information output device 7. The information read as matrix information is displayed by the stay simulator 3.

In this case, the letter T on the document 2 is being read by the camera l, and the tactile needle of the stay simulator 3 is vibrating in the shape of the read letter "T." The matrix display device 5!4 is connected to the tactile information output device 7, and has an LE having the same matrix pattern as the stay simulator.
D4a is lit in the shape of the letter T. Note that the lever 6 provided on the camera 1 is for zooming and is used to determine the size of the reading area so that each character of various sizes will fit within the matrix of the stay simulator 3. be. Further, a knob 5 provided on the magnetic information output device 7 is used to adjust the binarization threshold during optical reading.

In the case of this embodiment, the stay simulator 3 and the matrix display device 4 have a matrix configuration of 24 rows by 6 columns as shown in the figure. The drive signals output from the tactile information output device 7 to the matrix display device 4 are shown in FIG. 2, and the 144 LEDs of the matrix display device
is controlled by eight signals as shown.

In the figure, reference numeral 21 is a synchronization signal, reference numeral 22 is a clock, and one periodic signal 21 is output for every 24 (corresponding to the number of matrix rows) pulses of the clock 22. Further, numerals 23 to 26 are data having driving information for each matrix column, and the length corresponds to the pulse (1, 2, 3, . . . ) corresponding to the LED of the clock 22 that needs to be lit in that column. Each data shown in the figure shows the state when the letter T in FIG. 1 is displayed.

Such a drive signal is the same as the signal that drives the bimorph element of the stay simulator 3.

FIG. 3 shows a drive circuit for driving the LED 4a based on the signals shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. The control section 9 is the signal input section 8
When the input synchronization signal 21 is detected, the data 23 to 28 are read in synchronization with the rising edge of the clock 22.The signal input section 8 is composed of a buffer amplifier, the control section 9 is composed of a latch circuit, etc.

The data read into the control section 9 is outputted to the LED 4a via the data output section IO and the lighting control section 11. FIG. 4 shows the structure around the data output section lO and the lighting control section 11.As shown in FIG.
Drive signal lines connected in a wooden matrix are extended, and each LED 4a of the matrix is connected between the signal lines.

The six signal lines output by the control unit 9 are the data 23 in FIG.
28, and controls the base of each transistor of the data output section 10. The collectors of these transistors are connected to the cathode of LED4a.

On the other hand, the seven nodes of the LED 4a are connected to the emitters of each transistor of the lighting control section 11, and the power supply voltage Vdd is input to the connectors of these transistors. Control unit 9
One of the 24 signals outputted by the LED simultaneously controls the bases of the transistors of the lighting control section 11 connected to one row of LEDs of the matrix display device 4, as shown in the figure.

For example, when the first pulse of the clock 22 is input, the control unit 9 reads high-level data among the data 23 to 28 and outputs it to the transistor of the data output unit IO, and at the same time corresponds to the first pulse. lighting control section 11
Select and output high level to this. This results in
Necessary LEDs 4a in the corresponding row are lit. Thereafter, as the clock advances, the row corresponding to the pulse of the clock is selected, and the necessary LEDs 4a are lit. That is, each row is lit up sequentially at intervals of clock pulses, and the intervals between clock pulses are approximately 57L! By setting it to +, the entire display appears to be shining at the same time.

Although the configuration in which the LEDs are driven by parallel signals has been described above, the following method can also be considered as a different driving method.

FIG. 5 shows drive signals in a different tactile information output device in which the matrix configuration of the stay simulator is 20 rows by 5 columns in order to reduce costs. In this case, the tactile information output device 7 outputs a serial signal as shown. Reference numeral 51 in FIG. 5 is a synchronization signal, and reference numeral 52 is a clock, each clock consisting of a pulse group 101-120 consisting of five pulses representing each column. Pulses 1 to 5 of each clock group correspond to the LEDs in any column of one row.

Normally, drive signals having different formats as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 cannot be input simultaneously, and therefore a correct matrix display cannot be obtained.

Therefore, in the present invention, we consider a structure that can input both drive signals as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 5, and can obtain a correct display regardless of which drive signal is input. As shown in FIG. 1, the letter T may be displayed in a 20×5 matrix using a part of the 6×24 matrix in FIG. 1, for example, the upper right area as shown.

Therefore, the control system of the matrix display device 4 was
In FIG. 0, which is configured as shown in the figure, reference numeral 8 denotes a signal input section, which is configured to be able to input any of the signals shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. In other words, the pin arrangement of the connector is such that all of the signals shown in Figure 2 can be input, and the connector that inputs the signals shown in Figure 5 has the same terminal for the synchronization signal and clock, and the data 53 in Figure 5 is set to the same terminal as shown in Figure 2. It is assumed that any of data 23 to 28 is input to the input terminal.

Furthermore, unlike the previous configuration, the control section 9 is composed of a microprocessor, an input/output port, etc., and is used to identify which of the signal formats shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 is input from the signal input section 8. A data comparison section 9b is provided. Although this data comparison section 9b may be configured by either hardware or software, an example will be shown below in which the data comparison section 9b is configured by a program stored in a ROM 9a connected to the control section 9.

The comparison process performed by the control unit 9 is, for example, as follows. The clock period in the signal format shown in FIG. 2 is approximately 200 μs, while in the format shown in FIG. It is possible to identify which of the signal formats shown in FIGS.

In addition, in the signal format shown in Figure 5, the information in the columns of each row is output in a time-division manner, so the five matrix information for one row is latched by the five pulses constituting one of the clock pulse groups, and the five matrix information for one row are latched at the same time. The pulses are output all at once to the data output unit 10 shown in FIG. 4, and one row of transistors in the lighting control unit 11 are made conductive while one pulse group is input.

By performing such control, it is possible to input drive signals from tactile devices having different signal formats to light up the LEDs of the matrix.

The flowcharts in FIGS. 8 and 9 outline the data comparison process performed by the control unit 9. The procedure shown in FIG.
Store it as a program in .

The control section 9 starts the procedure shown in FIG. 8 when the power is turned on. In step S81 in FIG. 8, it is determined which of the synchronization signals 21 and 51 in FIG. 2 or 5 has been input. When the synchronization signal is input, in step S82, a timer of 100 pS composed of software or the like is started. Next, in step 383, the timer overflow is waited for. If there is a clock input during this time, it is determined that the clock is being input at the cycle shown in FIG. 5, and the process proceeds to the processing routine shown in FIG. 1θ by 1 interrupt processing. If the timer overflows in step S83, it is determined that the signal shown in FIG. 2 with a long clock cycle is being input, and the process moves to the routine shown in FIG. 9.

If the signal in the format shown in FIG. 2 is input, 1 is input to the counter N indicating the row of the matrix in step S91 of FIG. Next, in step 392, a clock is input. When the clock is input, it is determined in step S93 whether the counter N is 1 or not. If the counter N is 1, the process moves to step 394; otherwise, the process moves to step S97.

In step S94, six columns of data, ie, data 23 to 26 in FIG. 2, are input and output to the data output section IO. Subsequently, in step 395, a high level is output to the lighting control unit in the first row to light up the necessary LEDs in the first row. In step 596, 2 is input to the counter N and the process returns to step S92.

On the other hand, in step S97, the value of the counter N is subtracted by 1,
In step 398, a low level is output to the lighting control section 11 indicated by the counter. As a result, the LED of the line that was lit just before is turned off.Next, step 3
99, input the data for 6 columns, and output the data to the data output section 1.
Output to 0. Subsequently, in step 5100, the value of counter N is incremented. As a result, when the counter value reaches 25, that is, when all lines are lit, the process returns to step S95. If the counter N has not reached 25, a high level is output to the lighting control section 11 indicated by the counter in step 5102, and the value of the counter N is incremented in step 5103.

By repeating the above operations, the LED 4a can be turned on based on the drive signal input in the signal format shown in FIG.

On the other hand, if the clock is input at an interval of 100 JLS or less, it is assumed that the signal format shown in FIG. 5 is used, and the process shifts to the procedure shown in FIG. 1θ.

In step 5104 of FIG. 1θ, counter N is set to 1.
is set, and in step 5105, 1 is input to the counter M. This counter M is for counting pulses that identify serially input columns.

In step 5106, the input of the clock 52 is waited, and when the clock is input, the data 53 is input in step 5107.
(FIG. 5) is input to the shift register. Next, in step 5108, the value of the counter M is incremented by 1, and in step 5109, it is determined whether the counter M has reached 5. When five pulses are input and data corresponding to the five pulses are input to the shift register, step S1
10, it is determined whether the value of the counter N is 1 or not. If the lighting in the first row is controlled, step 5tt
Move to t. Steps 5ill-5113 are exactly the same as steps 394-396 described above.

On the other hand, if the value of the counter N is not 1 in step 5ilo, the process moves to step 5114. Step Sl 14~
Step 5120 is the same as steps 397 to 5103 in FIG. However, the counter determination in step 5118 is to determine whether the counter N has reached 21 or not.

According to the above processing, even if a drive signal is input in the signal format shown in FIG. As in the case of Fig. 9, LED4
A can be turned on. In this case, five pieces of data are output in each line, and when the counter indicates line 21, it returns to the first line, so 6 pieces of data are output as shown in Figure 6.
Characters can be displayed using part of the ×24 matrix.

In the case of FIG. 6, the column numbers are set to be smaller on the right side, so the characters are closer to the upper right.

Although an example in which drive signals having 24×6 and 20×5 matrices are inputted has been described above, it goes without saying that similar techniques can be implemented in devices using other formats. Furthermore, by changing the conditions for counter determination in FIG. 1O, it is easy to support three or more signal formats. In that case, the -y) matrix size of the matrix display device 4 requires that the LEDs be arranged in correspondence with the matrix having the largest configuration.

, [Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above, according to the present invention, in a one-y matrix display device having a plurality of light emitting side elements arranged in a predetermined matrix, a plurality of light emitting side elements corresponding to different matrix configurations can be used. The present invention adopts a configuration including a signal input means capable of inputting different drive signals, and a control means that performs different drive control on the light emitting element depending on the type of input signal inputted via the signal input means. Therefore, 5X20.6×
Since an appropriate driving method for the light emitting elements can be selected according to drive signals corresponding to different matrices such as 24, it is possible to provide an excellent matrix display device that can be used with various stay simulators having different matrix configurations.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of the entire system in which a matrix display device employing the present invention is used, and FIG.
The figure is a waveform diagram showing the signals input to the matrix display in the device shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the structure of the control system of the matrix display, and Fig. 4 shows a part of Fig. 3 in detail. Figure 5 is a waveform diagram showing different drive signal formats, Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the LED lighting state during operation, and Figure 7 shows different configurations of the control system. The block diagrams of FIGS. 8 to 1O are flowcharts showing the control procedure of the control section of FIG. 7. l... Camera 2... Document 3... Stay simulator 4... Matrix display device 4a... LED 5... Knob 6... Lever 7... Tactile information output device 8...・Signal input section 9...Control section lO...Data output section 11...Lighting control section 21.51...Synchronization signal 2
2.52...Clock 23-28.53...Data

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In a matrix display device having a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a predetermined matrix, a signal input means capable of inputting a plurality of different drive signals corresponding to different matrix configurations, and this signal input means 1. A matrix display device comprising a control means for performing different drive control on the light emitting elements depending on the type of input signal inputted through the matrix display device.