Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program

• US 10,346,027 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2010
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyazaki, Reiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Ketema, Benyam
• Application Number:
  US12/783,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20100300771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,338 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An information processing apparatus is provided which includes an operation tool detection unit for detecting at least a contact operation by an operation tool on the information processing apparatus, a state detection unit for detecting a static/non-static state or an orientation of the information processing apparatus, and a mode control unit for controlling a mode for detecting an operation by the operation tool on the information processing apparatus according to the detected static/non-static state or orientation of the information processing apparatus. This enables the mode for detecting the operation by the operation tool on the information processing apparatus to be controlled according to the static/non-static state or orientation of the information processing apparatus, so that the detection mode can be appropriately controlled according to an operating state of a user.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an operation tool detection unit configured to detect one or more of a remote operation by an operation tool to the information processing apparatus or a non-remote operation by the operation tool to the information processing apparatus;

a state detection unit configured to detect a static state of the information processing apparatus or a non-static state of the information processing apparatus during a vibrating movement,

wherein the static/non-static state of the information processing apparatus is determined based on feedback from an acceleration sensor of the state detection unit,

wherein when the static state of the information processing apparatus is detected for a predetermined time or more, the information processing apparatus is further configured to enable the remote operation, and

wherein when the non-static state of the information processing apparatus is detected or the static state of the information processing apparatus is detected for less than the predetermined time, the information processing apparatus is further configured to disable the remote operation; and

a mode control unit configured to control a mode for detecting the remote operation by the operation tool to the information processing apparatus according to the detected static/non-static state of the information processing apparatus,

wherein the operation tool detection unit comprises a remote sensor configured to detect the remote operation by the operation tool based on an imaging result, and

wherein the operation tool detection unit, the state detection unit, and the mode control unit are each implemented via at least one processor.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the non-remote operation is an operation by the operation tool closer to the display panel than the remote operation.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the operation tool detection unit is configured to detect the remote operation by the operation tool to the information processing apparatus using the remote sensor while detecting the non-remote operation using a second sensor different from the remote sensor, and

wherein the non-remote operation is an operation by the operation tool closer to information processing apparatus than the remote operation.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the non-remote operation includes at least one of a contact operation by the operation tool on the information processing apparatus or a proximity operation by the operation tool to the information processing apparatus.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the information processing apparatus is further configured to enable detection of a proximity operation when detection of the remote operation is disabled and to disable detection of the proximity operation when detection of the remote operation is enabled.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the remote sensor comprises a stereo camera.

7. An information processing method, implemented via at least one processor, the method comprising:

detecting one or more of a remote operation by an operation tool to an information processing apparatus or a non-remote operation by the operation tool to the information processing apparatus;

detecting a static state of an information processing apparatus or a non-static state of the information processing apparatus during a vibrating movement,

wherein the static/non-static state of the information processing apparatus is determined based on feedback from an acceleration sensor,

wherein when the static state of the information processing apparatus is detected for a predetermined time or more, the information processing apparatus is further configured to enable the remote operation, and

wherein when the non-static state of the information processing apparatus is detected or the static state of the information processing apparatus is detected for less than the predetermined time, the information processing apparatus is further configured to disable the remote operation; and

controlling a mode for detecting the remote operation by the operation tool to the information processing apparatus according to the detected static/non-static state of the information processing apparatus,

wherein the remote operation is detected based on an imaging result obtained from a remote sensor.

8. The information processing method according to claim 7,

wherein the non-remote operation is an operation by the operation tool closer to the display panel than the remote operation.

10. The information processing method according to claim 7,

wherein the non-remote operation includes at least one of a contact operation by the operation tool on the information processing apparatus or a proximity operation by the operation tool to the information processing apparatus.

12. The information processing method according to claim 7, further comprising:

detecting the remote operation by the operation tool on the information processing apparatus using the remote sensor while detecting the non-remote operation using a second sensor different from the remote sensor,

wherein the non-remote operation is an operation by the operation tool closer to information processing apparatus than the remote operation.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a program, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform an information processing method, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting one or more of a remote operation by an operation tool to an information processing apparatus or a non-remote operation by the operation tool to the information processing apparatus;

detecting a static state of an information processing apparatus or a non-static state of the information processing apparatus during a vibrating movement,

wherein the static/non-static state of the information processing apparatus is determined based on feedback from an acceleration sensor,

wherein when the static state of the information processing apparatus is detected for a predetermined time or more, the information processing apparatus is further configured to enable the remote operation, and

wherein when the non-static state of the information processing apparatus is detected or the static state of the information processing apparatus is detected for less than the predetermined time, the information processing apparatus is further configured to disable the remote operation; and

controlling a mode for detecting the remote operation by the operation tool to the information processing apparatus according to the detected static/non-static state of the information processing apparatus,

wherein the remote operation is detected based on an imaging result obtained from a remote sensor.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 9,

wherein the non-remote operation is an operation by the operation tool closer to the display panel than the remote operation.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting the remote operation by the operation tool to the information processing apparatus using the remote sensor while detecting the non-remote operation using a second sensor different from the remote sensor,

wherein the non-remote operation is an operation by the operation tool closer to information processing apparatus than the remote operation.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 9,

wherein the non-remote operation includes at least one of a contact operation by the operation tool on the information processing apparatus or a proximity operation by the operation tool to the information processing apparatus.

15. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an acceleration sensor configured to detect a static state of the information processing apparatus or a non-static state of the information processing apparatus during a vibrating movement;

a remote sensor configured to detect one or more of a remote operation by an operation tool to the information processing apparatus or a non-remote operation by the operation tool to the information processing apparatus, based on an imaging result; and

at least one processor configured to

when the static state of the information processing apparatus is detected, enable the remote operation, and

when the non-static state of the information processing apparatus is detected, disable the remote operation, and

wherein the remote operation is detected based on an imaging result obtained from a remote sensor.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 15,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to

when the static state of the information processing apparatus is detected, enable the remote operation by activating the remote sensor, and

when the non-static state of the information processing apparatus is detected, disable the remote operation by deactivating the remote sensor.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to disable the remote operation by preventing a power supply system from supplying power to the remote sensor when the non-static state of the information processing apparatus is detected.