Coordinate input apparatus with pen and finger input detection

• US 5,790,106 A
• Filed: 11/14/1995
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Transhield Technology Co., LLC
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Manome, Tadashi, Higuchi, Shinichi, Endo, Yoshihisa, Hirano, Shinji, Inoue, Kinya, Matsumoto, Mikio
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US08/557,507
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18, 178/19, 178/20, 345/173, 345/174, 345/179, 341/33
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

A coordinate input apparatus which performs an input operation with high precision by use of either an operator'"'"'s finger or an input pen. The input apparatus includes a tablet having a plurality of X electrodes and Y electrodes arranged in the form of a matrix on the respective top and bottom surfaces of a glass substrate. The input apparatus also has a first oscillation circuit connected to the X electrodes through an analog switch. It is further provided with an input pen containing a second oscillation circuit. When the pen is used to perform the input operation through use of coordinates, the following method of determining the coordinates designated by the pen is employed. A voltage oscillating from the pen is applied to each electrode through capacitance, and the resulting output voltage varies depending on the distance from each electrode to the pen. Based on the varied output voltages, a predetermined computation process is executed to determine the coordinates designated by the pen. On the other hand, when the operator'"'"'s finger is used to perform the input operation, the analog switch is switched to the first oscillation circuit. Then, a voltage at a predetermined frequency is sequentially applied to each of the X electrodes from the first oscillation circuit, and the voltage applied across the X and Y electrodes is changed due to a decrease in the capacitance therebetween caused by the touching of the finger. Based on this change, coordinates designated by the finger is detected.

Claims

1. A coordinate input apparatus comprising:

a tablet including a plurality of X electrodes and Y electrodes arranged at an equal pitch in the form of a matrix and an insulating layer located between the plurality of X electrodes and the plurality of Y electrodes;

first coordinate detection means for detecting a position on said tablet designated by an input pen;

second coordinate detection means for detecting a position on said tablet designated by a finger; and

change-over means for selecting one of said first and second coordinate detection means,

wherein said first coordinate detection means has pulse generating means contained in said input pen for generating an oscillating voltage at a predetermined frequency, voltage detection means connected to the tablet for detecting a voltage applied to each of said X and Y electrodes from the oscillating voltage generated by said input pen, and computation means for computing coordinates of the position designated by said input pen based on the voltage detected by said voltage detection means,

wherein said second coordinate detection means has pulse generating means for applying a voltage at a predetermined frequency to at least one of said X and Y electrodes, voltage means for detecting a change in the voltage across said X and Y electrodes caused by the proximity of the finger, and computation means for computing coordinates of the position designated by the finger based on the voltage detected by said voltage detection means.

2. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said change-over means includes means for comparing the voltage that is output from each of said X and Y electrodes with a reference voltage, and upon this comparison, means for selecting said first coordinate detection means when the output voltage is increased relative to said reference voltage and for selecting said second coordinate detection means when the output voltage is decreased relative to said reference voltage.

3. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said change-over means includes switching means that is driven in a time sharing manner and switches after predetermined time periods so as to select between said first and second coordinate detection means in accordance with a switching operation of said switching means.

4. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said insulating layer of said tablet is formed of a glass substrate, said X and Y electrodes of said tablet are each formed of a transparent material, and said tablet is stacked onto a liquid crystal display with a transparent shield film located there between.

5. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said insulating layer of said tablet is formed of a glass substrate, said X and Y electrodes of said tablet are each formed of a transparent material, and said tablet is stacked onto a liquid crystal display with a transparent shield film located there between.

6. A coordinate input apparatus comprising:

a tablet including a plurality of X electrodes and Y electrodes arranged at an equal pitch P in the form of a matrix and an insulating layer located between the plurality of X electrodes and the plurality of Y electrodes;

an input pen for generating an oscillating voltage at a predetermined frequency;

voltage detection means for detecting a voltage applied to each of said electrodes by said oscillating voltage based on a change in capacitance between said input pen and each of said X and Y electrodes; and

computation means for computing the amount of displacement L from said input pen to the a selected one of the X and Y electrodes located in proximity nearest to said pen input in the direction in which said X and Y electrodes are arranged, according to the following equation;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">L=P(V.sub.1 V.sub.2 -V.sub.1 V.sub.3)/2(V.sub.1 V.sub.3 +V.sub.1 V.sub.2 -2V.sub.2 V.sub.3)

wherein V₁ indicates the voltage that is output from the X and Y electrode having the largest applying voltage;

V₂ and V₃ represent the voltages that are output from both the X and Y electrodes adjacent to the X and Y electrode that outputs the largest voltage V₁.

7. A coordinate input apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said insulating layer of said tablet is formed of a glass substrate, said X and Y electrodes of said tablet are each formed of a transparent material, and said tablet is stacked onto a liquid crystal display with a transparent shield located there between.

8. A coordinate input apparatus comprising:

a sensor part in which a plurality of X electrodes and Y electrodes arranged at an equal electrode pitch are formed in a matrix through an insulating layer and said X electrodes are laminated by a protective film;

an X electrode multiplexer part connected to one end of each of said X electrodes;

a Y electrode multiplexer part connected to one end of each of said Y electrodes;

pulse generating means for applying a driving pulse having a predetermined frequency to at least one of said X electrode or Y electrode;

varying value detecting means connected to said X electrodes or Y electrodes and for detecting varying voltages of said X electrodes and Y electrodes generated by contact of an instruction operating member with said sensor part; and

control means for controlling said X electrode multiplexer and said Y electrode multiplexer to select a connected X electrode or Y electrode and for calculating a contacted position of said instruction operating part on the basis of a voltage value of each of the X electrodes and Y electrodes detected by said varying value detecting means,

wherein said control means calculates said position of said operation instructing part by determining three voltage values including a first electrode having the maximum varying voltage and second and third electrodes adjacent to the first electrode, and calculating a peak point of a parabola using said three voltage values and a formula based on said electrode pitch, where said peak point of said parabola indicates said contact point of said instruction operating member.