Input device of rotational operation quantity and operating device using this
First Claim
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1. A rotational-operation-quantity input device for inputting an operation quantity indicating a predetermined rotation angle, comprising:
- a two-dimensional force sensor for inputting an operational force applied by an operator in time series as coordinate values (x, y) in an XY two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system;
a polar-coordinate converting section for sequentially converting the coordinate values (x, y) in the rectangular coordinate system given in time series into polar coordinate values (r, θ
) in a polar coordinate system; and
an operation-quantity recognizing section for recognizing a variation in a value θ
of the polar coordinate values (r, θ
) obtained in time series as an operation quantity indicating a rotation angle;
wherein said two-dimensional force sensor includesa substrate having an upper surface on which said XY two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system with an X-axis and a Y-axis intersecting on said upper surface is defined,a group of detection electrodes fixed on said upper surface,a pair of outer electrodes fixed on said upper surface and disposed on an area outside of an area on which said detection electrodes are fixed,an elastic deformable body disposed on said substrate so as to cover said detection electrodes and said pair of outer electrodes,displacement conductive layers formed on a lower surface of said elastic deformable body so as to oppose said detection electrodes and said pair of outer electrodes, a group of capacitance elements being formed between said detection electrodes and respective opposing displacement conductive layers,an operating panel disposed on an upper surface of said elastic deformable body, said operating panel can be inclined by said operational force so as to change capacitance values of said capacitance elements, anda detection circuit for detecting said coordinate values (x, y) based on capacitance values of said detection capacitance elements as long as a displacement conductive layer is in contact with both of said pair of outer electrodes.
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Abstract
An efficient rotational-operation-quantity input device suitable to be built into a small electrical appliance is provided. An operational force applied by an operator is input in time series as a coordinate value (x, y) in an XY two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system by a two-dimensional force sensor 100, and is converted into a coordinate value (r, θ) by a polar-coordinate converting section 200. When a value r of the coordinate value (r, θ) obtained in time series is larger than a predetermined threshold rt, an operation-quantity recognizing section 300 recognizes the coordinate value (r, θ) as a significant coordinate value, and, when the value θ generates a variation Δθ exceeding a predetermined threshold θt with respect to a value “θ before” immediately therebefore during a period during which a significant coordinate value (r, θ) is obtained continuously, it recognizes a value corresponding to the variation Δθ as an operation quantity indicating a rotation.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A rotational-operation-quantity input device for inputting an operation quantity indicating a predetermined rotation angle, comprising:
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a two-dimensional force sensor for inputting an operational force applied by an operator in time series as coordinate values (x, y) in an XY two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system; a polar-coordinate converting section for sequentially converting the coordinate values (x, y) in the rectangular coordinate system given in time series into polar coordinate values (r, θ
) in a polar coordinate system; andan operation-quantity recognizing section for recognizing a variation in a value θ
of the polar coordinate values (r, θ
) obtained in time series as an operation quantity indicating a rotation angle;wherein said two-dimensional force sensor includes a substrate having an upper surface on which said XY two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system with an X-axis and a Y-axis intersecting on said upper surface is defined, a group of detection electrodes fixed on said upper surface, a pair of outer electrodes fixed on said upper surface and disposed on an area outside of an area on which said detection electrodes are fixed, an elastic deformable body disposed on said substrate so as to cover said detection electrodes and said pair of outer electrodes, displacement conductive layers formed on a lower surface of said elastic deformable body so as to oppose said detection electrodes and said pair of outer electrodes, a group of capacitance elements being formed between said detection electrodes and respective opposing displacement conductive layers, an operating panel disposed on an upper surface of said elastic deformable body, said operating panel can be inclined by said operational force so as to change capacitance values of said capacitance elements, and a detection circuit for detecting said coordinate values (x, y) based on capacitance values of said detection capacitance elements as long as a displacement conductive layer is in contact with both of said pair of outer electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A rotational-operation-quantity input device for inputting an operation quantity indicating a predetermined rotation angle, comprising:
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a two-dimensional force sensor for inputting an operational force applied by an operator in time series as coordinate values (x, y) in an XY two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system; a polar-coordinate converting section for sequentially converting the coordinate values (x, y) in the rectangular coordinate system given in time series into polar coordinate values (r, θ
) in a polar coordinate system; andan operation-quantity recognizing section for recognizing a variation in a value θ
of the polar coordinate values (r, θ
) obtained in time series as an operation quantity indicating a rotation angle;wherein said two-dimensional force sensor includes a substrate having an upper surface on which said XY two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system with an X-axis and a Y-axis intersecting on said upper surface is defined, a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode and a fourth electrode fixed on said upper surface, said first electrode being disposed on a positive area of said X-axis, said second electrode being disposed on a negative area of said X-axis, said third electrode being disposed on a positive area of said Y axis and said fourth electrode being disposed on a negative area of said Y axis, a pair of outer electrodes fixed on said upper surface and disposed around said first to fourth electrodes, an elastic deformable body disposed on said substrate so as to cover said first to fourth electrodes and said pair of outer electrodes, a displacement conductive layer formed on a lower surface of said elastic deformable body so as to oppose said first to fourth electrodes and said pair of outer electrodes, a first capacitance element being formed between said first electrode and an opposing part of said displacement conductive layer, a second capacitance element being formed between said second electrode and an opposing part of said displacement conductive layer, a third capacitance element being formed between said third electrode and an opposing part of said displacement conductive layer and a fourth capacitance element being formed between said fourth electrode and an opposing part of said displacement conductive layer, an operating panel disposed on an upper surface of said elastic deformable body, said operating panel can be inclined by said operational force in said X axis direction and said Y axis direction with respect to said substrate, wherein an inclination in said X axis direction of said operating panel changes capacitance values of said first capacitance element and said second capacitance element and an inclination in said Y axis direction of said operating panel changes capacitance values of said third capacitance element and said fourth capacitance element, and a detection circuit for detecting a coordinate value x based on capacitance values of said first capacitance element and said second capacitance element and a coordinate valve y based on capacitance values of said third capacitance element and said fourth capacitance element as long as said displacement conductive layer is in contact with both of said pair of outer electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeWacoh Company
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Original AssigneeWacoh Company
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InventorsTaniguchi, Nobumitsu, Takagi, Shigeo, Okada, Kazuhiro
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Primary Examiner(s)Osorio, Ricardo
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Assistant Examiner(s)Said, Mansour M.
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Application NumberUS10/619,965Publication NumberTime in Patent Office1,092 DaysField of Search345156-167, 345173-179, 345/184, 345/679, 345680-681, 345/773US Class Current345/184CPC Class CodesG05G 1/10 Details, e.g. of discs, kno...G05G 9/047 the controlling member bein...G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited l...G06F 3/038 Control and interface arran...
