Touch responsive display unit and method

• US 20020196238A1
• Filed: 06/18/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Takano, Masaki, Tsukada, Yujin
• Granted Patent: US 7,002,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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

Abstract

As shown in FIG. 3A, a touch panel 2 is provided on a display screen 1, and a touch panel 3 using infrared rays is provided thereon. A shown in FIG. 3B, when a finger 6 touches the touch panel 3, its touching position is detected, and screen displaying is carried out on the display screen 1 according to the touching position. Then, the finger 6 is brought closer to the display screen 1. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3C, when the finger 6 touches the touch panel 2, its touching position is detected, and screen displaying is carried out on the display screen 1 according to the touching position. For example, in the case of an operation button 7, in FIG. 3B, displaying is carried out in a state different from that of FIG. 3A and, in FIG. 3C, displaying is carried out in another different state.

Claims

1. A touch responsive display unit comprising:

a second touch panel disposed on a display screen;

a first touch panel disposed on the second touch panel;

first position detecting means for detecting a touching position of an indicator on the first touch panel when the indicator designates a predetermined position on the display screen;

second position detecting means for detecting a touching position of the indicator on the second touch panel when the indicator designates the predetermined position on the display screen; and

control means for executing first transaction according to a detection result of the first position detecting means, setting a display state on the display screen to a first display state according to the touching position of the indicator on the first touch panel detected by the first position detecting means, executing second transaction according to a detection result of the second position detecting means, and setting a display state on the display screen to a second display state according to the touching position of the indicator on the second touch panel detected by the second position detecting means.

2. The touch responsive display unit according to claim 1, wherein operation buttons are displayed on the display screen, the touching positions of the indicator are in positions on the first and second touch panels of the indicator designating the operation buttons, and the control means sets display states of the operation buttons to the first and second states according to the detection results of the first and second position detecting means.

3. The touch responsive display unit according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of operation buttons are displayed on the display screen, the touching positions of the indicator are in positions on the first and second touch panels of the indicator designating the respective operation buttons, and the first display state displays information regarding the operation buttons designated by the indicator according to the detection result of the first position detecting means.

4. The touch responsive display unit according to claim 1, wherein an area for displaying character messages is set on the display screen, and the control means displays a part or all parts of the area in an enlarged manner when at least the first position detecting means detects a touching position corresponding to the area.

5. The touch responsive display unit according to claim 1, wherein a hiding area for hiding a predetermined image is set on the display screen, and the first display state opens an area of a predetermined size including an indication point by the indicator in the hiding area according to the detection result of the first position detecting means, and displays a part of the hidden predetermined image from the open area.

6. The touch responsive display unit according to claim 1, wherein a detailed image, and a schematic image indicating only a main portion of the detailed image are provided, the schematic image is displayed on the display screen, and the first display state displays the detailed image at an indication point by the indicator in the schematic image according to the detection result of the first position detecting means.

7. The touch responsive display unit according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of icons are displayed on the display screen, the first display state enables the icons designated by the indicator to be moved associatively with a movement of the indicator according to the detection result of the first position detecting means, and the second display unit fixes positions of the icons designated by the indicator according to the detection result of the second position detecting means.

8. The touch responsive display unit according to claim 1, wherein the first display state displays a pointer at an indication point by the indicator according to the detection result of the first position detecting means, and the second display state designates and decides an indication point by the pointer.

9. The touch responsive display unit according to claim 1, wherein the first display state displays an image of an operation panel in a position designated by the indicator on the display screen according to the detection result of the first position detecting means.

10. The touch responsive display unit according to claim 1, wherein the fist display state displays an image of a pen in the position designated by the indicator on the display screen, moves the pen associatively with a movement of the indicator, and displays a moving track of the pen, according to the detection result of the first position detecting means, and the second display state decides displaying of the track of the pen.

11. The touch responsive display unit according to claim 1, wherein the control means displays a warning image on the display screen as the first display state when the first position detecting means detects two or more touching positions on the first panel.

14. The touch responsive display unit according to claim 13, wherein the touch panel is a first touch panel, and a second touch panel is disposed on the lower portion of the paper display.

15. The touch responsive display unit according to claim 13, wherein the touch panel is a first touch panel, a second touch panel is disposed on the lower part of the paper display to detect distortion caused by pressing of the paper display, and a cushion material is disposed between the second touch panel and the paper display.

16. The touch responsive display unit according to claim 14, further comprising:

first position detecting means for detecting a touching position of an indicator on the first touch panel when the indicator designates a predetermined position on a screen of the paper display;

second detecting means for detecting a touching position of the indicator on the second touch panel when the indicator designates the predetermined position on the display screen; and

control means for executing first transaction according to a detection result of the first position detecting means, and setting a display state on the display screen to a first display state according to the touching position of the indicator on the first touch panel detected by the first position detecting means, and executes second transaction according to a detection result of the second detecting means, and setting a display state on the display screen to a second display state according to the touching position on the second touch panel detected by the second position detecting means.

17. The touch responsive display unit according to claim 14, wherein operation buttons are displayed on the display screen, the touching positions of the indicator are on the first and second touch panels of the indicator designating the operation buttons, and the control means sets display states of the operation buttons to first and second display states according to the detection results of the first and second position detecting means.

12. A display method of a touch responsive display unit including a second touch panel disposed on a display screen, and a first touch panel disposed on the second touch panel, comprising the steps of:

detecting touching of an indicator on the first touch panel, and changing a display state on the display screen to set a first display state; and

detecting advancing of the indicator from the state of touching on the first touch panel to touching on the second touch panel, and changing a display state on the display screen from the first display state to a second display state.

13. A touch responsive display unit comprising:

a flexible paper display; and

a touch panel disposed on a lower portion of a screen of the paper display.