Position input apparatus encluding a position detector input apparatus

• US 4,989,040 A
• Filed: 12/20/1988
• Issued: 01/29/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Corporation (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Corporation (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Okuda, Masakiyo, Ougita, Kazuyuki, Matsuo, Toshihisa, Kajiwara, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendegrass, Joan H.
• Application Number:
  US07/286,961
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 355/218, 355/202, 341/4, 341/5, 346/706, 338/99, 338/114, 178/18, 178/19, 340/711, 340/712
• US Class Current: 399/185
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/36 Editing, i.e. producing a composite image by copying one or more original images or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5016 User-machine interface; Display panels; Control console
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A position detector outputs an electrical signal of a level corresponding to a pressed position. The detector has at least three reference points, each reference region begin set therebetween. When the position detector is pressed, the region to which the pressed position belongs is discriminated, and the pressed position is operated relative to the two reference points defining the region, on the basis of the previously stored outputs from the reference points and the output from the pressed position. The position detector has a strip of upper and lower electrode both with wiring members and a grounded conductor provided under the lower electrode. The upper and lower electrodes and the wiring members for the electrodes are disposed so that they are positioned inwardly of the periphery of the conductor at least by the distance equal to that from the upper surface of the upper electrode to the upper surface of the conductor. The electromagnetic effects to the apparatus are absorbed in the grounded conductor, protecting the electrodes and wiring members from noise. On the upper surface of the upper electrode is attached are a plurality of touch protrusions.

Claims

1. A position input apparatus comprising

position detecting means for applying output corresponding to a pressed position;

complementary operating means for operating to complement the pressed position on the basis of both an output applied from the position detecting means and an output applied from the position detecting means when reference position is pressed by pressing the position pressing means;

region discriminating means for discriminating a region to which the pressed position belongs when the position detecting means is pressed;

control means for controlling the complementary operating means to perform complementary operation based on the reference points in the region to which the pressed position belongs, and

at least more than three reference points and the regions between the neighboring reference points being set into the position detecting means.

2. A position input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position detecting means comprises a strip of conductor and a strip of resistor being disposed opposite each other with a space provided therebetween.

3. A position input apparatus according to claim 1, the complementary operating means performs the complementary operation using the following equation:

##EQU10## wherein Xi is coordinate of the reference points Pi (i-1, 2, . . . , N), Vi is analog output corresponding to the coordinate Xi, AD_Vi is digital data corresponding to the analog output Vi, and AD is digital data corresponding to the pressed position X, when the digital data AD belongs to the region Ai between the reference points Pi and P(i+1).

4. A position input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positin detecting means comprises a strip upper electrode and strip lower electrode being disposed opposite each other, which functions to output an electrical signal corresponding to a pressed position;

a grounded conductor provided under the lower electrode, the upper and lower electrodes operatively connected to wiring members;

the upper and lower electrode sand the wiring members disposed so that they are positioned inwardly of the periphery of the grounded conductor at least by the distance equal to that from the upper surface of the upper electrode to the upper surface of the conductor.

5. A position input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position detecting means comprises:

upper and lower sheets being disposed opposite each other,

an upper electrode installed on the back surface of the upper sheet, and

a lower electrode installed on the upper surface of the lower sheet,

wherein the position detecting means outputs an electrical signal of level corresponding to a position pressed on the upper sheet and has a plurality of protrusions provided on the upper surface of the upper sheet in accordance with the resolution of the position input.

6. A position detector provided in a position input apparatus comprising:

a strip upper electrode operatively connected to a lead,

a strip lower electrode operatively connected to a wiring member, said lower electrode being disposed opposite said upper electrode and functioning to output an electrical signal of a level corresponding to a pressed position,

a grounded conductor located under the lower electrode; and

,

the upper electrode and the lower electrode and said wiring member are all positioned inwardly of the periphery of the conductor at least by the distance equal to that from the upper surface of the upper electrode to the upper surface of the conductor.

7. The position apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the said wiring member has one end connected to one end of the lower electrode and another end connected to a lead, a major portion of the wiring member between the one end and another end being located substantially parallel to an edge of the lower electrode.

8. The position apparatus according to claim 7, wherein another end of the lower electrode is operatively connected to a lead.

9. The position detector according to claim 6 wherein said wiring member of the lower electrode is positioned inwardly from the edge of the ground plate a greater distance than the distance from the upper electrode to the lower electrode.

10. A position detector provided in a position input apparatus comprising:

upper and lower sheets being disposed opposite each other;

an upper electrode located on the back surface of the upper sheet and a lower electrode located on the upper surface of the lower sheet, the electrodes functioning to output an electrical signal of a level corresponding to a position pressed on the upper sheet; and

means provided on the upper surface of the upper sheet for providing a protruding surface so that the protruding surface provides the only usual contact surface for fingers when fingers are used to apply pressure to the upper sheet so that input for achieving the output can be made precisely.

11. The position apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said upper electrode is a strip resistor and said lower electrode is a strip conductor.

12. The position detector of claim 10, wherein the protruding surface includes a plurality of closely spaced separated protrusions.

13. The position detector of claim 12, wherein said upper electrode is a strip resistor and said lower electrode is a strip conductor.

14. The position detector of claim 10, wherein there is a spacer with protrusions located between the upper and the lower electrodes.