Input device for touch operation
View Patent ↗An input device includes a manipulation surface, a light emitting circuit disposed along the manipulation surface, and a detection circuit configured to detect an action of a finger on the manipulation surface. The light emitting circuit has first and second segment groups. The second segment group is disposed along the first segment group. The first segment group emits light at a first intensity if the detection circuit is restricted to receive a prescribed input. The first segment group emits light at a second intensity if the detection circuit is allowed to receive the prescribed input. A part of the second segment group emits light if the detection circuit detects an action of the finger alongside the first segment group while the first segment group is emitting light at the second intensity.
1. An input device comprising:
a manipulation surface configured to be touched by a finger;
a light emitting circuit disposed along the manipulation surface and configured to emit light; and
a detection circuit configured to detect an action of the finger on the manipulation surface, wherein:
the light emitting circuit has a first segment group and a second segment group;
the first segment group is disposed along a prescribed shape in a plan view;
the second segment group is disposed along the first segment group in a plan view;
the first segment group emits light at a first intensity if the detection circuit is restricted to receive a prescribed input;
the first segment group emits light at a second intensity that is higher than the first intensity if the detection circuit is allowed to receive the prescribed input;
at least part of the second segment group emits light if the detection circuit detects an action of the finger alongside the first segment group while the first segment group is emitting light at the second intensity;
the second segment group has a first segment, a second segment, and a third segment that are arranged along the first segment group in this order and serve to indicate magnitudes of a prescribed quantity;
if the prescribed quantity has a first value, the first segment emits light at a third intensity and neither the second segment nor the third segment emits light at the third intensity;
if the prescribed quantity has a second value that is larger than the first value, the first segment and the second segment emit light at the third intensity and the third segment does not emit light at the third intensity;
if the prescribed quantity has a third value that is larger than the second value, all of the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment emit light at the third intensity; and
if the detection circuit detects an action of the finger alongside the first segment group while the first segment group is emitting light at the second intensity, the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment emit light at the third intensity in this order according to the action of the finger.
2. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the first intensity is equal to 0.
3. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit is a touch panel circuit that is disposed along and between the manipulation surface and the light emitting circuit.
4. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein each segment of the first segment group has at least one LED and each segment of the second segment group has at least one LED.
5. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the light emitting circuit is a display circuit; and
the first segment group and the second segment group are images displayed by the display circuit.
6. The input device according to claim 5 , wherein the display circuit is an organic EL display circuit or a liquid crystal display circuit having a backlight.
7. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the prescribed shape is a circle or a line segment.
8. The input device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a sheet disposed along the manipulation surface and configured to transmit the prescribed light.
9. The input device according to claim 8 , wherein the sheet is a decorated sheet.
10. The input device according to claim 9 , wherein the decorated sheet has wood grain.
11. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the prescribed quantity changes so as to have the first value, the second value, and the third value as the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment emit light at the third intensity in this order according to the action of the finger.
12. The input device according to claim 11 , wherein if the detection circuit detects an action of the finger alongside the first segment group while the first segment group is emitting light at the second intensity, the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment emit light at the third intensity in this order according to the action of the finger; and then
even if the finger has left the manipulation surface thereafter, a state that the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment are emitting light at the third intensity is maintained.
13. The input device according to claim 12 , wherein:
the second segment group further has a fourth segment, a fifth segment, and a sixth segment that are arranged along the first segment group in this order and serve to indicate magnitudes of the prescribed quantity;
if the prescribed quantity has a fourth value that is larger than the third value, the first segment to the fourth segment emit light at the third intensity and neither the fifth segment nor the sixth segment emits light at the third intensity;
if the prescribed quantity has a fifth value that is larger than the fourth value, the first segment to the fifth segment emit light at the third intensity and the sixth segment does not emit light at the third intensity;
if the prescribed quantity has a sixth value that is larger than the fifth value, all of the first segment to the sixth segment emit light at the third intensity; and
if the finger has left the manipulation surface, a state that the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment are emitting light at the third intensity is maintained, and then if the detection circuit detects an action of the finger alongside the first segment group, the fourth segment, the fifth segment, and the sixth segment emit light at the third intensity in this order.
14. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit detects, as positions of the finger moving alongside the first segment group while the first segment group is emitting light at the second intensity, positions corresponding to the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment, respectively.
15. The input device according to claim 14 , wherein if the detection circuit detects an action of the finger alongside the first segment group while the first segment group is emitting light at the second intensity, the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment emit light at the third intensity in this order according to the action of the finger; and then
even if the finger has left the manipulation surface thereafter, a state that the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment are emitting light at the third intensity is maintained.
16. The input device according to claim 15 , wherein:
the second segment group further has a fourth segment, a fifth segment, and a sixth segment that are arranged along the first segment group in this order and serve to indicate magnitudes of the prescribed quantity;
if the prescribed quantity has a fourth value that is larger than the third value, the first segment to the fourth segment emit light at the third intensity and neither the fifth segment nor the sixth segment emits light at the third intensity;
if the prescribed quantity has a fifth value that is larger than the fourth value, the first segment to the fifth segment emit light at the third intensity and the sixth segment does not emit light at the third intensity;
if the prescribed quantity has a sixth value that is larger than the fifth value, all of the first segment to the sixth segment emit light at the third intensity; and
if the finger has left the manipulation surface, a state that the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment are emitting light at the third intensity is maintained, and then if the detection circuit detects an action of the finger alongside the first segment group, the fourth segment, the fifth segment, and the sixth segment emit light at the third intensity in this order.
17. An input device comprising:
a manipulation surface configured to be touched by a finger;
a light emitting circuit disposed along the manipulation surface and configured to emit light; and
a detection circuit configured to detect an action of the finger on the manipulation surface, wherein:
the light emitting circuit has a first segment group and a second segment group;
the first segment group is disposed along a prescribed shape in a plan view;
the second segment group is disposed along the first segment group in a plan view;
the first segment group emits light at a first intensity if the detection circuit is restricted to receive a prescribed input;
the first segment group emits light at a second intensity that is higher than the first intensity if the detection circuit is allowed to receive the prescribed input;
at least part of the second segment group emits light if the detection circuit detects an action of the finger alongside the first segment group while the first segment group is emitting light at the second intensity;
the detection circuit is configured to detect plane coordinates that are inside the first segment group or the second segment group and are defined in the manipulation surface;
the manipulation surface has a prescribed area where the plane coordinates can be detected;
the detection circuit is configured to detect plane coordinates in at least prescribed direction across the manipulation surface;
the manipulation surface has a display indicating the prescribed direction; and
at least part of the display is included in the prescribed area.
18. The input device according to claim 17 , wherein the display is expressed as an arrow.
19. The input device according to claim 17 , wherein the first intensity is equal to 0.
20. The input device according to claim 17 , wherein:
the light emitting circuit is a display circuit; and
the first segment group and the second segment group are images displayed by the display circuit.
21. An input device comprising:
a manipulation surface configured to be touched by a finger;
a light emitting circuit disposed along the manipulation surface and configured to emit light; and
a detection circuit configured to detect an action of the finger on the manipulation surface, wherein:
the light emitting circuit has a first segment group and a second segment group;
the first segment group is disposed along a prescribed shape in a plan view;
the second segment group is disposed along the first segment group in a plan view;
the first segment group emits light at a first intensity if the detection circuit is restricted to receive a prescribed input;
the first segment group emits light at a second intensity that is higher than the first intensity if the detection circuit is allowed to receive the prescribed input;
at least part of the second segment group emits light if the detection circuit detects an action of the finger alongside the first segment group while the first segment group is emitting light at the second intensity; and
the detection circuit is configured to detect plane coordinates that are inside the first segment group or the second segment group and are defined in the manipulation surface while the first segment group is emitting light at the second intensity.
22. The input device according to claim 21 , wherein the first intensity is equal to 0.
23. The input device according to claim 21 , wherein:
the light emitting circuit is a display circuit; and
the first segment group and the second segment group are images displayed by the display circuit.