Function control unit and method thereof

• US 20040021704A1
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Mitsutake, Katsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,461,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/865
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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

Positions of the user'"'"'s fingers placed on a touch panel are detected, and buttons are arranged at the detected positions so that the buttons can be used for selecting a function. Due to the foregoing, even when a visually handicapped user does not memorize the button positions, it is possible for the user to conduct operation. It is possible to provide a user interface environment in which the visually handicapped user can conduct operation highly effectively without using specific parts.

Claims

1. A function control unit comprising:

an operating position detector for detecting a first operating position, the number of which is one or more, at which a first operation, the number of which is one or more, is respectively conducted on an operation face on which operation is received from the outside;

a function correspondence making section for making the first operating position detected before, the number of which is one or more, respectively correspond to a predetermined function, the number of which is one or more;

an operation detector for detecting a second operation for the first operating position, the number of which is one or more; and

a function execution controller for controlling the execution of the function which is made to correspond to the first operating position, the number of which is one or more, on which the second operation is conducted.

2. The function control unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a touch panel for receiving operation via the operation face.

3. The function control unit according to claim 2, wherein

said touch panel includes a position display, the number of which is one or more, for respectively displaying a position, the number of which is one or more, on the operation face of said touch panel by the sense of touch.

4. The function control unit according to claim 1, wherein

the first operation includes operation for pointing a position on the operation face, the number of which one or more, and

the operating position detector detects the pointed position on the operation face, the number of which is one or more, as the first operating position.

5. The function control unit according to claim 4, wherein

the second operation is successively conducted at the first position, the number of which is one or more, for a predetermined period of time or more.

6. The function control unit according to claim 4, wherein

the second operation is conducted when pointing for the first position, the number of which is one or more, is stopped.

7. The function control unit according to claim 4, wherein

the second operation is conducted by pointing the first position after the completion of the first operation.

8. The function control unit according to claim 1, wherein

the second operation is conducted once or more at either of the first positions,

the operation detector further detects the number of times of the second operation, and

said function execution controller executes the function according to the first operating position at which the second operation is conducted and also according to the detected number of times of the second operation.

9. The function control unit according to claim 1, wherein

the second operation is conducted once or more at either of the first positions,

said operation detector further detects the number of the number of times of the second operation, and

said function execution controller executes the function after a state of the function corresponding to the first operating position, at which the second operation is conducted, is changed according to the number of times of the second operation.

10. The function control unit according to claim 1, wherein

the third operation, which is conducted on the respective first operating position, the number of which is one or more, being combined with the second operation, is further conducted on the operation face,

said operation detector further detects the third operation, and

said function execution controller starts or finishes the function being combined with the third operation according to the detected third operation.

11. The function control unit according to claim 4, wherein

the first operation of pointing at least one position on the operation face is operation in which a plurality of fingers simultaneously touch a plurality of positions on the operation face, and

said operating position detector detects the region and a periphery thereof, which the plurality of fingers touch, or said operating position detector detects either the region or a periphery thereof, with which the plurality of fingers touch, as the first operating position.

12. The function control unit according to claim 11, wherein

said operating position detector further makes the first operating position correspond to one or more of the thumb, forefinger, middle finger, third finger and little finger according to the positional relation of the first operating position.

13. The function control unit according to claim 12, further comprising:

a first voice guidance section for conducting voice guidance by utilizing the name of the finger which is made to correspond to the first operating position.

14. The function control unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second voice guidance section for conducting voice guidance of operation for the operation face according to the function which is made to correspond to the operating position.

15. The function control unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a voice output section for outputting a predetermined voice according to operation for the operation face.

16. A function control unit comprising:

a function control unit described in claim 1;

another function control unit for controlling the execution of the function by receiving operation; and

a selector for selectively starting either of the function control unit or another function control unit according to operation.

17. The image forming apparatus comprising:

a function control unit described in claim 1.

18. The information processor comprising:

a function control unit described in claim 1.

19. A function control method comprising the steps of:

detecting a first operating position, the number of which is one or more, at which a first operation, the number of which is one or more, is conducted on an operation face receiving operation from the outside;

making the first operating position detected, the number of which is one or more, correspond to a predetermined function, the number of which is one or more;

detecting the second operation for the first operating position, the number of which is one or more; and

controlling the execution of the function which is made to correspond to the first operating position, the number of which is one or more, at which the second operation is conducted.

20. A recording medium for recording a program to make a computer execute the steps of:

detecting a first operating position, the number of which is one or more, at which a first operation, the number of which is one or more, is conducted on an operation face receiving operation from the outside;

making the first operating position detected, the number of which is one or more, correspond to a predetermined function, the number of which is one or more;

detecting the second operation for the first operating position, the number of which is one or more; and

controlling the execution of the function which is made to correspond to the first operating position, the number of which is one or more, at which the second operation is conducted.