Information input device and method

• US 20050225529A1
• Filed: 03/25/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation, Tosikazu Fukuda
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation, Tosikazu Fukuda
• Inventors: Fukuda, Tosikazu, Shinokura, Kiichiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,652,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03548 Sliders, in which the moving part moves in a plane

Abstract

An information input device and an information input method are provided which can provide portability to thereby improve manipulation flexibility and has a high manipulation resolving power. The device includes two relatively slidable plate-shaped input members held between fingertips or parts of fingers of a hand to slide relative to each other, and an information producing portion for producing input information in accordance with at least a relative position or a relative movement of the plate-shaped input members.

Claims

1. An information input device comprising:

two relatively slidable plate-shaped input members held between fingertips or parts of fingers of a hand to slide relative to each other; and

an information producing portion for producing input information in accordance with at least a relative position or a relative movement of the plate-shaped input members.

2. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein

the two plate-shaped input members are retained inseparably from each other.

3. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein:

the two plate-shaped input members comprise opposing slidable contact faces and each have a contact face on a back thereof for the fingertip or part of a finger to contact with; and

one of the contact faces on the plate-shaped input members can contact with the surface of a thumb.

4. The information input device according to claim 3, wherein

at least one of the contact faces on the two plate-shaped input members is provided with a recessed and projected portion for defining an orientation of retaining a fingertip.

5. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein:

one of the two relatively slidable plate-shaped input members is provided with a hole; and

the hole comprises an opening portion through which an operator'"'"'s fingertip or a part of his/her finger senses a relative positional displacement of one plate-shaped input member as a change in the fingers'"'"' sense as received from the other plate-shaped input member, and a side surface with which the fingertip or the part of his/her finger contacts.

6. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein:

both the two relatively slidable plate-shaped input members are provided with holes, respectively; and

each hole comprises an opening portion through which operator'"'"'s fingertips or parts of his/her fingers sense a relative positional displacement of the two relatively slidable plate-shaped input members as a change in the fingers'"'"' sense as received through being contacted with each other, and a side surface with which the fingertip or the part of his/her finger contacts.

7. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein

the information producing portion produces input information in accordance with a relative movement of the two plate-shaped input members in a particular planar direction.

8. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein

the information producing portion comprises a pressure sensor for sensing a depressing pressure applied to the plate-shaped input members, and produces input information in accordance with an output from the pressure sensor.

9. The information input device according to claim 8, wherein

the pressure sensor produces input information associated with a position or a magnitude of pressure applied to the plate-shaped input members.

10. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein

the information producing portion comprises a tilt sensor for sensing a tilt of the plate-shaped input members and produces input information in accordance with an output from the tilt sensor.

11. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein:

the information producing portion comprises a rotative ring for rotating around the plate-shaped input members and sensor for sensing a relative rotation of the rotative ring with respect to the plate-shaped input members; and

the information producing portion produces input information in accordance with an output from the sensor.

12. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein

the information producing portion has a toggle switch function.

13. An information input method comprises the steps of:

holding two relatively slidable plate-shaped input members between fingertips or parts of fingers of a hand to slide the two plate-shaped input members relative to each other; and

thereby producing input information in accordance with a relative position or a relative movement of the plate-shaped input members.