Input device, input control method, and input control program

• US 10,642,486 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2013
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Iida, Yusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Chavez, Renee D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsiao, Sean
• Application Number:
  US14/394,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20150095828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,581 Days
• Field of Search: 345173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting

Abstract

A game device 10 includes: a keyboard display section 112 displaying a plurality of input regions corresponding to a plurality of input objects on a screen of a display device, receiving a first operation input on a rear touch pad, and displaying, in an enlarged state, a predetermined input region among the plurality of input regions; and an input receiving section 111 receiving a second operation input for determining an input object, and inputting the input object corresponding to an input region identified by the second operation input.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon an input control program for a computer having a front touch screen and a rear touch pad, the input control program comprising:

a function of displaying a plurality of input regions corresponding to a plurality of input objects on the front touch screen;

a function of receiving a first operation input on the rear touch pad, and displaying, in an enlarged state on the front touch screen, a predetermined input region including a first subset of input objects from the plurality of input objects; and

a function of receiving a second operation input on the front touch screen while the first operation input on the rear touch pad is maintained, and inputting an input object corresponding to an input region identified by the second operation input;

the function of receiving the second operation input further disabling any input on the front touch screen received outside the input region displayed in the enlarged state and an adjacent input region on a periphery of the input region displayed in the enlarged state while the first operation input on the rear touch pad is maintained,

wherein the adjacent input region includes a second subset of the plurality of input objects different than the first subset, and

in response to receiving the second operation input function, a function of changing an arrangement of the second subset of the plurality of input objects so that a distance, in both a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, between the second subset of the plurality of input objects is increased without enlarging a size of the second subset of the plurality of input objects.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1,

wherein the front touch screen displays, in the enlarged state, an input region corresponding to an input position of the first operation input on the rear touch pad.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1,

wherein the function of changing changes the arrangement of the second subset of the plurality of input objects increases the distance between the second subset of the plurality of input objects in accordance with an input time of the first operation input.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1,

wherein an enlargement amount of the predetermined input region is proportional to an input time of the first operation input and an input strength of the first operation input.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1,

wherein the function of displaying in the enlarged state sets the predetermined input region as a home position in advance, and, at a later point in time, displays the input region set as the home position in the enlarged state when receiving the first operation input.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1, further comprising:

a function of receiving a third operation input as a movement in position of the first operation input on the rear touch panel while the function of displaying in the enlarged state is displaying the predetermined input region in the enlarged state, and moving the input region displayed in the enlarged state.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 6,

wherein the input control program receives a change in orientation from a sensor provided to the portable terminal,

wherein, while the first operation input is maintained, a tilt of the portable terminal in a first direction causes the input region displayed in the enlarged state to move in the first direction, and

wherein, while the first operation input is maintained, a tilt of the portable operation terminal in a second direction opposite the first direction causes the input region displayed in the enlarged state to move in the second direction.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1,

wherein the first subset of input objects is displayed at a magnification greater than the second subset of input objects.

8. An input device comprising:

a front touch screen

a rear touch pad;

a keyboard display section configured to display a plurality of input regions corresponding to a plurality of input objects on the front touch screen, receive a first operation input on the rear touch pad, and display, in an enlarged state on the front touch screen, a predetermined input region including a first subset of input objects from the plurality of input; and

an input receiving section configured to receive a second operation input on the front touch screen while the first operation input on the rear touch pad is maintained, and input an input object corresponding to an input region identified by the second operation input;

in response to the second operation input, disabling any input on the front touch screen received outside the input region displayed in the enlarged state and an adjacent input region on a periphery of the input region displayed in the enlarged state while the first operation input on the rear touch pad is maintained,

wherein the adjacent input region includes a second subset of the plurality of input objects different than the first subset, and

in response to receiving the second operation input function, changing an arrangement of the second subset of the plurality of input objects so that a distance, in both a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, between the second subset of the plurality of input objects is increased without enlarging a size of the second subset of the plurality of input objects.

9. An input control method comprising:

a step of a keyboard display section displaying a plurality of input regions corresponding to a plurality of input objects on a front touch screen;

a step of the keyboard display section receiving a first operation input on a rear touch pad, and displaying, in an enlarged state on the front touch screen, a predetermined input region including a first subset of input objects from the plurality of input objects; and

a step of an input receiving section receiving a second operation input on the front touch screen while the first operation input on the rear touch pad is maintained, and inputting an input object corresponding to an input region identified by the second operation input,

in response receiving the second operation input, disabling any input on the front touch screen received outside of the input region displayed in the enlarged state and an adjacent input region on a periphery of the input region displayed in the enlarged state while the first operation input on the rear touch pad is maintained,

wherein the adjacent input region includes a second subset of the plurality of input objects different than the first subset, and

in response to receiving the second operation input, changing an arrangement of the second subset of the plurality of input objects so that a distance, in both a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, between the second subset of the plurality of input objects is increased without enlarging a size of the second subset of the plurality of input objects.