Coordinate detecting device for outputting coordinate data when two points are simultaneously depressed, method therefor and computer control device

• US 6,255,604 B1
• Filed: 05/29/1996
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Atsushi, Sato, Hajime, Kobayashi, Katsuyuki, Tokioka, Masaki, Yoshimura, Yuichiro, Yanagisawa, Ryozo
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US08/654,745
• Time in Patent Office: 1,861 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/178, 345/179, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/18.05, 178/18.06, 178/18.07, 178/19.01, 178/19.03, 178/19.04
• US Class Current: 178/18.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

In the coordinate detection of resistive film system, detection of the coordinates of simultaneously designated two points is made possible. On a touch panel composed of two conductive films, whether input is made in a point or simultaneously at two points is judged by a current monitor. Simultaneous inputs at two points decrease the apparent resistance of the conductive film, and can be detected by an increase in the current. If the input of a point is identified, the coordinate data of the input point are retained as latest coordinate data in a RAM. If simultaneous inputs at two points are identified, coordinate data are obtained from the coordinate data retained in the RAM and from the potentials in the x and y directions, obtained from two conductive films constituting a touch panel, through amplifiers, and are outputted, together with the coordinate data retained in the RAM, as the coordinate data of the two points.

Claims

1. A coordinate detecting device provided with a panel composed of two conductive films, comprising:

discrimination means for discriminating whether two points are simultaneously depressed on said panel;

retaining means adapted, in case said discrimination means identifies that a point is depressed on said panel, to retain a coordinate of the depressed point as latest coordinate data;

obtaining means adapted, in case said discrimination means identifies that two points are simultaneously depressed on said panel, to obtain coordinate data based on the coordinate data retained by said retaining means and potentials in x and y directions obtained from said conductive films; and

output means for outputting the coordinate data retained by said retaining means and the coordinate data obtained by said obtaining means as the coordinate data of the simultaneously depressed two points,

wherein said obtaining means includes;

switch means for switching a direction of application of a voltage to said conductive films, based on the coordinate data retained in said retaining means;

calculation means for calculating the coordinate data based on the coordinate data retained in said retaining means and the potentials in the x and y directions obtained from said conductive films; and

conversion means for converting the coordinate data, calculated by said calculation means, based on the direction of application of the voltage controlled by said switch means.

2. A coordinate detecting device according to claim 1, wherein said discrimination means is adapted to discriminate whether two points are simultaneously depressed on said panel, based on a decrease in resistance of at least either of said two conductive films.

3. A coordinate detecting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

varying means adapted, in case said discrimination means identifies that two points are simultaneously depressed on said panel, to vary an amplification range for the potentials in the x and y directions, obtained from said conductive films.

4. A coordinate detecting device according to claim 3, wherein said varying means includes slicing means for eliminating an unnecessary output potential level based on ranges of the potentials in the x and y directions, obtained from said conductive films.

5. A coordinate detecting method utilizing a panel composed of two conductive films, comprising:

a discrimination step for discriminating whether two points are simultaneously depressed on said panel;

a retaining step adapted, in case said discrimination step identifies that a point is depressed on said panel, to retain a coordinate of the depressed point as latest coordinate data;

an obtaining step adapted, in case said discrimination step identifies that two points are simultaneously depressed on said panel, to obtain coordinate data based on the coordinate data retained by said retaining step and potentials in x and y directions obtained from said conductive films; and

an output step for outputting the coordinate data retained by said retaining step and the coordinate data obtained by said obtaining step as the coordinate data of the simultaneously depressed two points,

wherein said obtaining step includes;

a switch step for switching a direction of application of a voltage to said conductive films, based on the coordinate data retained in said retaining step;

a calculation step for calculating the coordinate data based on the coordinate data retained in said retaining step and the potentials in the x and y directions obtained from said conductive films; and

a conversion step for converting the coordinate data, calculated by said calculation step, based on the direction of application of the voltage controlled by said switch step.

6. A coordinate detecting method according to claim 5, wherein said discrimination step is adapted to discriminate whether two points are simultaneously depressed on said panel, based on a decrease in resistance of at least either of said two conductive films.

7. A coordinate detecting method according to claim 5, further comprising:

a varying step adapted, in case said discrimination step identifies that two points are simultaneously depressed on said panel, to vary an amplification range for the potentials in the x and y directions, obtained from said conductive films.

8. A coordinate detecting device according to claim 7, wherein said varying step includes a slicing step for eliminating an unnecessary output potential level based on the ranges of the potentials in the x and y directions, obtained from said conductive films.

9. A computer controlling device for controlling a computer by reading a predetermined program from a memory medium, wherein said memory medium includes:

a process code of a discrimination step for discriminating whether two points are simultaneously depressed on a panel composed of two conductive films;

a process code of a retaining step adapted, in case said discrimination step identifies that a point is depressed on said panel, to retain a coordinate of the depressed point as latest coordinate data;

a process code of an obtaining step adapted, in case said discrimination step identifies that two points are simultaneously depressed on said panel, to obtain coordinate data based on the coordinate data retained by said retaining step and potentials in x and y directions obtained from said conductive films; and

a process code of an output step for outputting the coordinate data retained by said retaining step and the coordinate data obtained by said obtaining step as the coordinate data of the simultaneously depressed two points,

wherein the process code of the obtaining step includes;

a process code of a switch step for switching a direction of application of a voltage to said conductive films, based on the coordinate data retained in the retaining step;

a process code of a calculation step for calculating the coordinate data based on the coordinate data retained in the retaining step and the potentials in the x and y directions obtained from said conductive films; and

a process code of a conversion step for converting the coordinate data, calculated by the calculation step, based on the direction of application of the voltage controlled by the switch step.

10. A coordinate detecting device provided with a panel having detecting means comprising a plurality of members that are electrically contactable with each other, comprising:

discrimination means for discriminating whether two points are simultaneously depressed on the panel;

retaining means adapted, in case the discrimination means identifies that a point is depressed on the panel, to retain a coordinate of the depressed point as latest coordinate data;

obtaining means adapted, in case the discrimination means identifies that two points are simultaneously depressed on the panel, to obtain coordinate data based on the coordinate data retained by the retaining means and potentials in x and y directions obtained from the plurality of electrically contactable members of said detecting means; and

output means for outputting the coordinate data retained by the retaining means and the coordinate data obtained by the obtaining means as the coordinate data of the simultaneously depressed two points.

11. A coordinate detecting method utilizing a panel having detecting means comprising a plurality of members that are electrically contactable with each other, comprising:

a discrimination step for discriminating whether two points are simultaneously depressed on the panel;

a retaining step adapted, in case the discrimination step identifies that a point is depressed on the panel, to retain a coordinate of the depressed point as latest coordinate data;

an obtaining step adapted, in case the discrimination step identifies that two points are simultaneously depressed on the panel, to obtain coordinate data based on the coordinate data retained by the retaining step and potentials in x and y directions obtained from the plurality of electrically contactable members of said detecting means; and

an output step for outputting the coordinate data retained by the retaining step and the coordinate data obtained by the obtaining step as the coordinate data of the simultaneously depressed two points.

12. A computer controlling device for controlling a computer by reading a predetermined program from a memory medium, wherein said memory medium includes:

a process code of a discrimination step for discriminating whether two points are simultaneously depressed on a panel having detecting means comprising a plurality of members that are electrically contactable with each other;

a process code of a retaining step adapted, in case the discrimination step identifies that a point is depressed on the panel, to retain a coordinate of the depressed point as latest coordinate data;

a process code of an obtaining step adapted, in case the discrimination step identifies that two points are simultaneously depressed on the panel, to obtain coordinate data based on the coordinate data retained by the retaining step and potentials in x and y directions obtained from the plurality of electrically contactable members of said detecting means; and

a process code of an output step for outputting the coordinate data retained by the retaining step and the coordinate data obtained by the obtaining step as the coordinate data of the simultaneously depressed two points.