Operation input device and terminal device which uses the operation input device

• US 20060007136A1
• Filed: 07/06/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakagome, Shin
• Application Number:
  US11/176,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20060007136A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

The present invention provides an operation input device which can intuitively perform an operation to turn over papers, an operation to snap an object and the like, and a terminal device which uses the operation input device. As a specific examples the terminal device includes an elastic body that is resilient, and the operation input device which detects an amount of deflection of the elastic body attributed to the operation of a user and outputs information relating to the detected amount of deflection.

Claims

1. An operation input device comprising;

an elastic body which is resilient;

a device which detects an amount of deflection of the elastic body attributed to an operation of a user; and

a device which outputs information relating to the detected amount of deflection.

2. An operation input device comprising:

an elastic body which is resilient;

a support portion which supports a portion of the elastic body and constitutes a fulcrum when the elastic body is deflected;

at least one pressure sensor portion which is mounted on at least one surface side of the elastic body and in the vicinity of the support portion, and detects an amount of deflection of the elastic body; and

an information outputting portion which outputs information releating to the amount of deflection of the elastic body detected by the pressure sensor portion.

3. An operation input device according to claim 2, wherein the pressure sensor portion is arranged on both surfaces of the elastic body respectively.

4. An operation input device comprising:

an elastic body which is resilient;

a support portion which supports a portion of the elastic body and constitutes a fulcrum when the elastic body Is deflected;

at least one strain gauge portion which is mounted to be deflected integrally with the elastic body and detects an amount of deflection of the elastic body; and

an information outputting portion which outputs information relating to the amount of deflection of the elastic body detected by the strain gauge portion.

5. A terminal device comprising:

(a) an operation input part which includes an elastic body that is resilient, a device which detects an amount of deflection of the elastic body in accordance with an operation of a user, and a device which outputs information relating to the detected amount of deflection;

(b) a recording part which records information relevant to the amount of deflection of the elastic body of the operation input part plural times; and

(c) a control part which detects variation over time in the amount of deflection of the elastic body based on plural information recorded in the recording part, and performs given processing based on a result of the detection.

6. A terminal device according to claim 5, wherein the control part determines an operation mode of a user for the elastic body based on the detection result of the variation over time in the amount of deflection, and outputs a result of the determination.

7. A terminal device according to claim 5, wherein the terminal device includes an accommodating portion which accommodates the elastic body of the operation input device in a casing of the terminal device.

8. A terminal device according to claim 5, wherein a grip portion which allows the gripping of casing of the terminal device is mounted on a side of the elastic body of the operation input device.

9. A terminal device according to claim 5, wherein the operation input device is provided on both sides of a casing of the terminal device respectively.

10. A terminal device comprising:

(a) an operation input part which includes an elastic body that is resilient, a device which detects an amount of deflection of the elastic body in accordance with an operation of a user, and a device which outputs information relating to the detected amount of deflection; and

(b) a control part which performs processing to display a document constituted of a plurality of pages, and changes a page turning speed of the document in response to the amount of deflection of the elastic body of the operation input device.

11. A computer readable recording medium storing a program which is executed by a computer to which an operation input device which includes an elastic body that is resilient, a device which detects an amount of deflection of the elastic body attributed to an operation of a user, and a device which outputs information relating to the detected amount of deflection is connected, wherein

the program executes the steps of:

receiving inputting of information relating to the amount of deflection of the elastic body from the operation input device;

displaying a document constituted of a plurality of pages; and

changing a page turning speed of the document in response to the received information.