Input apparatus

An input apparatus that moves an instruction sign displayed on a display device to any position, the display device being connected to an information processing apparatus, including: an operation portion that includes a magnet, and operates the movement of the instruction sign; a restoration portion that is composed of an elastic member, supports the operation portion, and restores the operation portion to a reference position when the operation portion has inclined; magnetic members that are arranged at maximum displacement positions of the operation portion where an attractive force of the magnet exceeds the restoring force of the restoration portion; a detection portion that detects an inclined direction and an inclined angle of the operation portion; and an output portion that outputs the inclined direction and the inclined angle detected by the detection portion to the information processing apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an input apparatus that moves a cursor or a pointer displayed on a display device to any position.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, there has been known a coordinate inputting device having an origin return means (See Japanese Patent Publication No. 08-185257). In the coordinate inputting device, a first permanent magnet3is fixed to a resin-molded button1, and a second permanent magnet6is fixed to a printed wired board7. Two or more spheres4intervene between the first permanent magnet3and the second permanent magnet6.

Conventionally, there has been known an input apparatus (i.e., a pointing device) that returns an operating element to a former position by using a coil spring (See Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-353109).

However, in the conventional techniques, it is possible to return the operating element to an origin, but the operating element cannot be fixed at a maximum displacement position.

Therefore, when a user moves a pointer or a cursor to any position, the user must continue the operation of the operating element until the pointer or the cursor moves to a desired position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an input apparatus that can fix an operation portion at a maximum displacement position, and return the operation portion to a reference position.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an input apparatus that moves an instruction sign displayed on a display device to any position, the display device being connected to an information processing apparatus, including: an operation portion that includes a magnet, and operates the movement of the instruction sign; a restoration portion that is composed of an elastic member, supports the operation portion, and restores the operation portion to a reference position when the operation portion has inclined; magnetic members that are arranged at maximum displacement positions of the operation portion where an attractive force of the magnet exceeds the restoring force of the restoration portion; a detection portion that detects an inclined direction and an inclined angle of the operation portion; and an output portion that outputs the inclined direction and the inclined angle detected by the detection portion to the information processing apparatus.

With the above arrangement, the attractive force of the magnet exceeds the restoring force of the restoration portion at one of the maximum displacement positions of the operation portion, and hence the operation portion is fixed to the corresponding maximum displacement position. At a position where the attractive force of the magnet does not exceed the restoring force of the restoration portion, the operation portion is restored to the reference position by the restoration portion. Therefore, it is possible to fix the operation portion at one of the maximum displacement positions, and return the operation portion to the reference position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A description will now be given, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of an information processing apparatus to which an input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invent is connected.

As shown inFIG. 1, a PC1as the information processing apparatus includes: a CPU2that controls the entire PC1; a ROM3that has control programs; a RAM4that functions as a working area; a hard disk drive (HDD)5that has various information and programs, and an OS (Operating System); a video interface6to which a monitor10is connected; a PS/2 interface7and a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface8to which a keyboard11and a pointing device12are connected. The CPU2is connected to the ROM3, the RAM4, the HDD5, the video interface6, the PS/2 interface7and a USB interface8via a system bus9.

FIG. 2Ais a cross-section diagram showing the configuration of a pointing device12, andFIG. 2Bis a diagram showing the schematic configuration of the pointing device12as viewed from above.

As shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B, the pointing device12includes a printed board21, four magnetic bodies22(magnetic members), planar springs23and23′ (restoration portions), an operation element24(operation portion), a magnet25, four detection elements26(detection portions), and a signal processing circuit27(output portion). The planar spring23is provided at the center of the printed board21in a vertical direction. In addition, the planar spring23′ is provided on the planar spring23such that the planar spring23′ is horizontally twisted90degrees from the planar spring23. The operation element24is fixed on the planar spring23′. The operation element24can incline toward an X-direction and a Y-direction of a horizontal plane by elastic forces of the planar springs23and23′. The magnet25is attached to the operation element24in a state where it is detachable from the operation element24. Thereby, when a user brings the operation element24close to any one of the magnetic bodies22, the operation element24is attracted to the corresponding magnetic body22by an attractive force of the magnet25.

The four magnetic bodies22are arranged on the printed board21so as to enclose the operation element24at maximum displacement positions of the X-direction and the Y-direction of the operation element24. The maximum displacement position indicates a position where the operation element24can be maximally away from the origin (i.e., the center of the printed board21) in the X-direction or the Y-direction.

Each of the four detection elements26is composed of a magnetoelectric conversion element that converts a change in a magnetic field from magnet25when the operation element24is inclined, into an electric signal. The four detection elements26are arranged on the printed board21so as to enclose the operation element24. Each of the four detection elements26is connected to the signal processing circuit27, and outputs the electric signal generated by the operation of the operation element24to the signal processing circuit27. The signal processing circuit27detects an inclined direction and an inclined angle of the operation element24from the input electric signals, converts the inclined direction and the inclined angle into digital data for PC, and outputs the digital data to the PC1.

FIG. 3is a block diagram showing the configuration of the signal processing circuit27.

As shown inFIG. 3, the signal processing circuit27includes two amplifiers30aand30b, an A/D (Analog/Digital) converter31, and a central processing unit (CPU)32. The central processing unit (CPU)32includes a calculation unit33, a storage unit34, a clock unit35, and an interface unit36. The output voltages of two detection elements26arranged in parallel with an X-axis are differentially amplified with the amplifier30a. The output voltages of two detection elements26arranged in parallel with a Y-axis are differentially amplified with the amplifier30b. The amplified voltages are A/D-converted with the A/D converter31, and the A/D-converted voltages are output to the CPU32as digital data. The calculation unit33in the CPU32calculates the inclined direction and the inclined angle which the digital data output from the A/D converter31indicates in synchronization with a clock from the clock unit35, based on table data indicating the inclined direction and the inclined angle of the operation element24previously stored into the storage unit34. In addition, the calculation unit33outputs the result of the calculation to the interface unit36. The interface unit36converts the result of the calculation from the calculation unit33into digital data which the computer can recognize, and outputs the digital data to the PC1. The PC1moves the pointer or the cursor as an instruction sign based on the digital data.

FIG. 4Ais a view showing planar springs23and23′ as viewed from above,FIG. 4Bis a side view showing the planar springs23and23′ as viewed from front faces thereof, andFIG. 4Cis a side view showing the planar springs23and23′ as viewed from a right side thereof.

The planar springs23and23′ are formed integrally with each other by bonding or welding two planar springs together. The planar springs23and23′ are formed such that right and left sides of a single planar spring are cut, and an upper part of the single planar spring is twisted 90 degrees from a lower part thereof. It should be noted that a twisted part between the upper part of the single planar spring and the lower part thereof is called a twisted position.

When the conditions are “a=b” and “c>d” inFIGS. 4B and 4C, the user has an operational feeling of the Y-direction heavier than that of the X-direction. In this case, the restoring force of the Y-direction to the origin is stronger than that of the X-direction. When the conditions are “c=d” and “a>b”, the user has an operational feeling of the X-direction heavier than that of the Y-direction. In this case, the restoring force of the X-direction to the origin is stronger than that of the Y-direction. Thus, an any operational feeling can be made by adjusting the sizes of the planar springs23and23′ (concretely, each length of “a”, “b”, “c”, and “d”).

FIG. 5Ais a diagram showing a relationship between an attractive force of a magnet25and restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′,FIG. 5Bis a diagram showing a relationship between the attractive force of the magnet25and the restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′ when the attractive force of the magnet25is changed, andFIG. 5Cis a diagram showing a relationship between the attractive force of the magnet25and the restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′ when the restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′ are changed.

The attractive force of the magnet25and the restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′ are applied to the operation element24. InFIG. 5A, when the user applies to the operation element24a force that goes beyond a point T (i.e., a point where the attractive force of the magnet25is the same as the restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′ in an opposite direction) in an “A” side direction, the attractive force of the magnet25to the magnetic body22is larger than the restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′ in the opposite direction, and hence the operation element24inclines or is attracted at the maximum displacement position. On the other hand, when the user applies to the operation element24a force that goes beyond a point T in a “B” side direction, the restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′ are larger than the attractive force of the magnet25in the opposite direction, and hence the operation element24returns to the origin position by the restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′.

As shown inFIG. 5B, when the attractive force of the magnet25is made strong, the point T moves to an origin position side. On the other hand, when the attractive force of the magnet25is weakened, the point T moves to a maximum displacement position side. The attractive force of the magnet25is changed by changing the size or the material of the magnet25.

As shown inFIG. 5C, when the restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′ are made strong, the point T moves to the maximum displacement position side. On the other hand, when the restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′ are weakened, the point T moves to the origin position side. The restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′ are changed by changing the sizes or the materials of the planar springs23and23′.

Thus, the user can freely decide a range where the operation element24is attracted to the maximum displacement position or a range where the operation element24is restored to the origin position, by combining the attractive force of the magnet25and the restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′. Also, the user can make the any operation feeling of the operation element24by combining the attractive force of the magnet25and the restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′.

FIGS. 6A to 6Care diagrams showing the arrangement of the north pole and the south pole of the magnet25.

In the present embodiment, the north pole and the south pole of the magnet25are arranged as shown inFIGS. 6A and 6B. The magnet25has a cubic shape. In this case, the attractive forces of the X-direction and the Y-direction of the magnet25are equal to each other. On the other hand, the north pole and the south pole of the magnet25may be arranged as shown inFIG. 6C. In this case, the attractive force of the X-direction can be made stronger than that of the Y-direction. The attractive force for each direction can be changed by changing the size of the magnet25of the X-direction or the Y-direction.

FIG. 7Ais a cross-section diagram showing a variation of the configuration of the pointing device, andFIG. 7Bis a diagram showing the schematic configuration of the pointing device as viewed from above.

In the pointing device12′ ofFIG. 7A, a restriction member28(a restriction portion) is added to the pointing device12′ ofFIG. 2A. As shown inFIG. 7B, the restriction member28restricts the movement of the operation element24to a double-H shape. Thereby, it is possible to provide the user with an operation feeling like a manual transmission of a vehicle.

FIG. 8is a diagram showing a variation of the arrangement of the magnetic bodies.

As shown inFIG. 8, eight magnetic bodies22are arranged at eight directions where the operation element24can incline. In this case, when the user inclines the operation element24in a single arrow direction of solid lines, and the operation element24goes beyond a given position (i.e., the point where the attractive force of the magnet25is the same as the restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′ in the opposite direction), the operation element24is attracted to one of the eight magnetic bodies22in the corresponding direction. On the other hand, when the user inclines the operation element24in a single arrow direction of short dashed lines, the operation element24returns to the origin (i.e., the center of the printed board) even if the operation element24reaches the maximum displacement position.

Thus, the magnetic bodies22may be arranged at the positions where the user wants to lock the operation element24.

As described in detail hereinabove, according to the present embodiment, the attractive force of the magnet25exceeds the restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′ at the maximum displacement position, and hence the operation element24is fixed to the maximum displacement position. At the position where the attractive force of the magnet25does not exceed the restoring forces of the planar springs23and23′, the operation element24is restored to the origin (i.e., reference position) by the planar springs23and23′. Therefore, it is possible to fix the operation element24at the maximum displacement position, and return the operation element24to the origin.

When the user moves the pointer or the cursor (i.e., instruction sign) to a single direction, the user can move the pointer or the cursor without continuing the operation to a target position, by applying a force to the operation element24along the single direction. In addition, the user applies a force exceeding the restoring forces to the operation element24, so that the sense of the force can be presented to the user by the attractive force of the magnet, and it is possible to make the user recognize the strong operation.

When the elastic member supporting the operation element24is composed of a piece of planar spring having a plane in parallel with a perpendicular direction, the upper part and the lower part of the single planar spring are mutually twisted 90 degrees at the any position of the plane, and hence it is possible to provide the user with an operation feeling corresponding to the position where the single planar spring is twisted. Also, when the position where the single planar spring is twisted is the center of the plane, the operation element24can evenly incline forward, backward, rightward and leftward. In addition, when the sizes of the upper part and the lower part of the single planar spring are different from each other, it is possible to provide the user with the operation feeling depending on the different sizes of the upper part and the lower part of the single planar spring.

When the elastic member supporting the operation element24is composed of the planar springs23and23′ each having a plane in parallel with the perpendicular direction, the planar spring23is joined to the planar spring23′ so that the planar spring23is twisted 90 degrees from the planar spring23′. Therefore, it is possible to provide the user with the operation feeling depending on each of the sizes of the planar springs23and23′ and a joint position. When the sizes of the planar springs23and23′ are the same as each other, the operation element24can evenly incline forward, backward, rightward and leftward.

Also, the magnet included in the operation element24can exchanged for other magnet having different magnetism, it is possible to adjust the operation feeling of the operation element24.

Although in the present embodiment, the permanent magnet is used as the magnet25, an electromagnet40may be used on behalf of the permanent magnet.FIG. 9shows the configuration of the signal processing circuit27in this case. In the signal processing circuit27ofFIG. 9, a current adjustment circuit38(a current adjustment portion) composed of a plurality of resistances or the like is added to the signal processing circuit27inFIG. 3. Also, a driver that sets the intensity of magnetism of the electromagnet40in the operation element24is previously installed into the HDD5of the PC1.FIG. 10is a diagram showing an example of the driver that sets the intensity of magnetism of the electromagnet40in the operation element24.

When the user sets the intensity of magnetism of the electromagnet40with the driver, a setting value is transmitted to the calculation unit33(an acquisition portion) via the interface unit36. A current is supplied from the PC1to the current adjustment circuit38via the interface unit36. The calculation unit33adjusts values of the resistances included in the current adjustment circuit38depending on the received setting value, and controls a value of the current supplied from the current adjustment circuit38to the electromagnet40. Thereby, the intensity of magnetism of the electromagnet40in the operation element24is controlled. Accordingly, it is possible to adjust the operation feeling of the operation element24depending on the setting value of magnetism of the electromagnet40set by the PC1.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications may be made to them without departing from the scope of the invention.

The Present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-160373 filed Jun. 19, 2008, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.