Display unit with touch panel

• US 6,118,435 A
• Filed: 04/08/1998
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IDEC Izumi Corporation
• Original Assignee: IDEC Izumi Corporation
• Inventors: Inaoka, Keisuke, Shioji, Takuya, Fujita, Toshihiro, Okamoto, Akito, Kawakami, Masahiko, Nishiki, Tomonori
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US09/056,870
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/176, 345/177, 345/178, 345/179, 345/180, 345/181, 345/182, 345/183, 178/18.01, 178/18.1, 178/19.04, 178/19.01, 178/18.02, 178/18.04
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/008 with a haptic or a tactile feedback controlled by electrical means, e.g. a motor or magnetofriction
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/052 piezoelectric

Abstract

A display unit with touch panel includes a press detection switch for detecting a press on a touch panel at a pressure exceeding a predetermined level so as to output a press detection signal, a driving-signal generating circuit responding to the press detection signal to generate a driving signal, a driving portion actuated by the driving signal to drive the touch panel into displacement thereby providing an operator with a tactile feedback, and an AND circuit for outputting an AND signal upon receipt of both of a coincidence detection signal from a coincidence detecting circuit and the press detection signal from the press detecting switch, and a gate circuit for inhibiting a passage of the operated-position signal from the operated-position detecting circuit when the AND signal from the AND circuit is not supplied and permitting the passage of the operated-position signal when the AND signal from the AND circuit is supplied. The display unit with touch panel ensures the prevention of operation errors caused by the operator merely sliding his finger on the touch panel or accidentally touching the touch panel.

Claims

1. A display unit with touch panel comprising a display body having a display screen for displaying images including characters, patterns, symbols and the like, a transparent or translucent touch panel disposed above the display screen of said display body, and operated-position detecting means for detecting a place at which an operator has touched said touch panel,

said touch panel outputting at least one kind of component positional signal indicative of the place touched by the operator, said operated-position detecting means receiving said component positional signal from said touch panel for detecting said place of the touch panel touched by the operator and outputting an operated-position signal indicative of the place thus detected,

the display unit with touch panel further comprising:

switch-region defining means for defining a switch region used as a switch in the overall touchable area of said touch panel;

coincidence detecting means for comparing the switch region defined by said switch-region defining means with the place detected by said operated-position detecting means so as to output a coincidence detection signal when the place detected by said operated-position detecting means overlaps with said switch region;

press detecting means for detecting a press on said touch panel when the operator touches and presses said touch panel and outputting a press detection signal;

output control means for determining whether to permit or inhibit a flow of said operated-position signal from said operated-position detecting means to an external output terminal, and permitting the flow of said operated-position signal to said external output terminal on condition that said coincidence detection signal and said press detection signal are both inputted; and

tactile feedback providing means driving said touch panel into displacement to provide the operator with a tactile feedback to the press on said touch panel on condition that at least said coincidence detection signal is inputted.

2. A display unit with touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said output control means comprises:

an AND circuit for outputting an AND signal upon receipt of both the coincidence detection signal from said coincidence detecting means and the press detection signal from said press detecting means, and

a gate circuit interposed between said operated-position detecting means and said external output terminal, and responsive to input of said AND signal to permit the flow of said operated-position signal to said external output terminal,

the display unit with touch panel further comprising;

driving-signal generating means responding to input of said AND signal from said AND circuit to generate a driving signal; and

wherein said tactile feedback providing means comprises driving means responding to input of said driving signal generated by said driving-signal generating means to drive said touch panel into displacement thereby providing the operator with a tactile feedback to the press on said touch panel.

3. A display unit with touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said output control means comprises:

an AND circuit for outputting an AND signal upon receipt of both the coincidence detection signal form said coincidence detecting means and the press detection signal form said press detecting means, and

a gate circuit interposed between said operated-position detecting means and said external output terminal, and responsive to input of said AND signal to permit the flow of said operated-position signal to said external output terminal,

the display unit with touch panel further comprising;

driving-signal generating means responding to input of said press detection signal to generate a driving signal, and

wherein said tactile feedback providing means comprises driving means responding to input of said driving signal generated by said driving-signal generating means to drive said touch panel into displacement thereby providing the operator with a tactile feedback to the press on said touch panel.

4. A display unit with touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coincidence detecting means outputs an anticoincidence detection signal when the place detected by said operated-position detecting means does not overlap with said switch region, and

wherein said output control means comprises:

a first AND circuit for outputting a first AND signal upon receipt of both of said coincidence detection signal and said press detection signal,

a second AND circuit for outputting a second AND signal upon receipt of both of said anticoincidence detection signal and said press detection signal, and

a gate circuit interposed between said operated-position detecting means and said external output terminal and responsive to input of said first AND signal to permit the flow of said operated-position detection signal to said external output terminal,

the display unit with touch panel further comprising;

a first driving-signal generating means responding to input of said first AND signal to generate a first driving signal, and

a second driving-signal generating means responding to input of said second AND signal to generate a second driving signal of a different characteristic from that of said first driving signal, and

wherein said tactile feedback providing means comprises driving means responding to input of said first driving signal generated by said first driving-signal generating means to drive said touch panel into displacement thereby providing the operator with a tactile feedback to the press on said touch panel and responding to input of said second driving signal generated by said second driving-signal generating means to drive said touch panel into displacement thereby providing the operator with a different tactile feedback from said feedback.

5. A display unit with touch panel as claimed in claim 4, wherein said driving means further includes:

a first driving means responding to input of said first driving signal generated by said first driving-signal generating means to drive said touch panel into displacement thereby providing the operator with a first tactile feedback to the press on said touch panel; and

a second driving means responding to input of said second driving signal generated by said second driving-signal generating means to drive said touch panel into displacement thereby providing the operator with a second tactile feedback to the press on said touch panel, the second tactile feedback differed from said first tactile feedback.

6. A display unit with touch panel as claimed in claim 2, further including another external output terminal for establishing a flow of said operated-position signal from said operated-position detecting means via a different route from that employed by said output control means.

7. A display unit with touch panel as claimed in claim 3, further including another external output terminal for establishing a flow of said operated-position signal from said operated-position detecting means via a different route from that employed by said output control means.

8. A display unit with touch panel as claimed in claim 4, further including another external output terminal for establishing a flow of said operated-position signal from said operated-position detecting means via a different route from that employed by said output control means.

9. A display unit with touch panel as claimed in claim 5, further including another external output terminal for establishing a flow of said operated-position signal from said operated-position detecting means via a different route from that employed by said output control means.

10. A display unit with touch panel as claimed in claim 1, further including a touch-panel retaining mechanism for retaining said touch panel in a manner to allow said touch panel to be depressed at a predetermined stroke,

wherein said tactile feedback providing means comprises a lock mechanism for inhibiting said touch panel from being depressed when said coincidence detection signal from said coincidence detecting means is not supplied and permitting the depression of said touch panel on condition that said coincidence detection signal is supplied from said coincidence detecting means.

11. A display unit with touch panel as claimed in claim 10, wherein said output control means comprises:

an AND circuit for outputting an AND signal upon receipt of both the coincidence detection signal from said coincidence detecting means and the press detection signal from said press detecting means, and

a gate circuit interposed between said operated-position detecting means and the external output terminal and responsive to input of said AND signal to permit the flow of said operated-position detection signal to said external output terminal.

12. A display unit with touch panel as claimed in claim 10, further including a click-touch generating mechanism for providing the operator with a tactile click touch when the operator depresses said touch panel.

13. A display unit with touch panel as claimed in claim 11, further including a click-touch generating mechanism for providing the operator with a tactile click touch when the operator depresses said touch panel.

14. A display unit with touch panel as claimed in claim 10, further including another external output terminal for establishing a flow of said operated-position signal from said operated-position detecting means via a different route from that employed by said output control means.

15. A display unit with touch panel as claimed in claim 11, further including another external output terminal for establishing a flow of said operated-position signal from said operated-position detecting means via a different route from that employed by said output control means.

16. A display unit with touch panel as claimed in claim 12, further including another external output terminal for establishing a flow of said operated-position signal from said operated-position detecting means via a different route from that employed by said output control means.

17. A display unit with touch panel as claimed in claim 13, further including another external output terminal for establishing a flow of said operated-position signal from said operated-position detecting means via a different route from that employed by said output control means.