Touch-panel input device having a function for providing vibration and method for providing vibration in response to input operation

• US 20060022958A1
• Filed: 05/18/2005
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shiga, Masayoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,728,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

A touch-panel input device having a function for providing vibrations includes a touch panel receiving an operation on an operation item on a display panel, a vibration-controlling unit vibrating the touch panel, an operation detector detecting an operation on the touch panel, and an operation-mode controlling unit setting an operation mode of the touch panel to an input operation mode for vibrating the touch panel upon detecting a touch on the touch panel, or either a speaker mode for vibrating the touch panel to produce sounds or a microphone mode for allowing voice input by transmitting vibrations generated on the touch panel when the operator speaks to the touch panel. The operation-mode controlling unit changes the operation mode to the input operation mode when the operation mode is set to the speaker mode or the microphone mode upon detecting an operation on the touch panel.

Claims

1. A touch-panel input device having a function for providing vibrations, the device comprising:

a touch panel for receiving an operation on an operation item displayed on a display panel;

a vibration-controlling unit for vibrating the touch panel;

an operation detector for detecting an operation on the touch panel; and

an operation-mode controlling unit for setting an operation mode of the touch panel to either an input operation mode for vibrating the touch panel by the vibration-controlling unit upon detecting an operation on the touch panel or a speaker mode for vibrating the touch panel by the vibration-controlling unit to produce sounds, the operation-mode controlling unit changing the operation mode to the input operation mode when the operation mode is set to the speaker mode upon detecting an operation on the touch panel by the operation detector.

2. The touch-panel input device according to claim 1, wherein the operation detector includes an infrared sensor.

3. The touch-panel input device according to claim 2, wherein

the infrared sensor includes a plurality of infrared-emitting units disposed along at least one first edge of a housing provided with the touch panel and a plurality of infrared-receiving units disposed along at least one second edge opposing said at least one first edge;

and

the operation detector determines that the operator operates the touch panel when infrared rays emitted from the infrared-emitting units are intercepted by the operator.

4. The touch-panel input device according to claim 1, wherein the operation detector includes a heat sensor and determines that the operator operates the touch panel when the heat sensor detects an increase in temperature around the touch panel.

5. The touch-panel input device according to claim 1, wherein the operation detector includes a motion sensor for detecting a three-dimensional motion of an object in a space and determines that the operator operates the touch panel when a predetermined motion of the operator in the space is detected.

6. The touch-panel input device according to claim 5, wherein the motion sensor includes a three-dimensional image sensor for detecting a three-dimensional position of the object in the space and a motion detector for detecting the three-dimensional motion of the object by monitoring a change in position data supplied from the three-dimensional image sensor.

7. The touch-panel input device according to claim 1, wherein the operation detector includes a touch sensor used with the touch panel and determines that the operator operates the touch panel when the touch sensor detects a touch on the touch panel.

8. A touch-panel input device having a function for providing vibrations, the device comprising:

a touch panel for receiving an operation on an operation item displayed on a display panel;

a vibration-controlling unit for vibrating the touch panel;

an operation detector for detecting an operation on the touch panel; and

an operation-mode controlling unit for setting an operation mode of the touch panel to either an input operation mode for vibrating the touch panel by the vibration-controlling unit upon detecting an operation on the touch panel or a microphone mode for allowing voice input by transmitting vibrations generated on the touch panel when the operator speaks to the touch panel, the operation-mode controlling unit changing the operation mode to the input operation mode when the operation mode is set to the microphone mode upon detecting an operation on the touch panel by the operation detector.

9. A touch-panel input device having a function for providing vibrations, the device comprising:

a touch panel for receiving an operation on an operation item displayed on a display panel;

an operation detector for detecting an operation on the touch panel; and

a vibration-controlling unit for vibrating the touch panel upon detecting an operation on the touch panel and for vibrating the touch panel so as to produce sounds, the vibration-controlling unit controlling the magnitude of vibrations so that the magnitude of vibrations for producing the sounds is less than the magnitude of vibrations for force feedback in response to a touch of the operator on the touch panel while the touch panel vibrates to produce output the sounds, upon detecting an operation on the touch panel by the operation detector.

10. A touch-panel input device having a function for providing vibrations, the device comprising:

a touch panel for receiving an operation on an operation item displayed on a display panel;

an operation detector for detecting an operation on the touch panel; and

a vibration-controlling unit for vibrating the touch panel upon detecting an operation on the touch panel and for vibrating the touch panel so as to produce sounds, the vibration-controlling unit generating the sounds based on a frequency band of vibrations for producing the sounds that does not include a frequency band of vibrations for force feedback in response to a touch of the operator on the touch panel while the touch panel vibrates to produce the sounds, upon detecting an operation on the touch panel by the operation detector.

11. A method for providing vibrations in response to an input operation, the method comprising:

determining whether an operation mode of a touch panel is set to a speaker mode for vibrating the touch panel to produce sounds;

detecting an operation on the touch panel when it is determined that the operation mode is set to the speaker mode;

changing the operation mode to an input operation mode for vibrating the touch panel in response to a touch of an operator on the touch panel when an operation on the touch panel is detected;

detecting a touch of the operator on the touch panel after the operation mode is changed to the input operation mode; and

vibrating the touch panel when a touch of the operator on the touch panel is detected.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein it is determined whether the operator operates the touch panel by monitoring a change in received signals using an infrared sensor provided near the touch panel.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein it is determined whether the operator operates the touch panel by monitoring an increase in temperature around the touch panel using a heat sensor provided near the touch panel.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein it is determined whether the operator operates the touch panel by monitoring a predetermined motion of the operator within a space using a motion sensor for detecting a three-dimensional motion of an object in a space.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein it is determined whether the operator operates the touch panel by monitoring a touch on the touch panel using a touch sensor included in the touch panel.

16. A method for providing vibrations in response to an input operation, the method comprising:

determining whether an operation mode of a touch panel is set to a microphone mode for allowing voice input by transmitting vibrations generated on the touch panel when an operator speaks to the touch panel;

detecting an operation on the touch panel when it is determined that the operation mode is set to the microphone mode;

changing the operation mode to an input operation mode for vibrating the touch panel in response to a touch of the operator on the touch panel when the operation on the touch panel is detected;

detecting a touch of the operator on the touch panel after the operation mode is changed to the input operation mode; and

vibrating the touch panel when a touch of the operator on the touch panel is detected.

17. A method for providing vibrations in response to an input operation, the method comprising:

detecting an operation on a touch panel;

controlling the magnitude of vibrations of the touch panel so that the magnitude of vibrations for producing sounds is less than the magnitude of vibrations for force feedback in response to a touch of an operator on the touch panel when the operation on the touch panel is detected; and

producing the sounds at the magnitude of vibrations adjusted and vibrating the touch panel in response to a touch of the operator on the touch panel.

18. A method for providing vibrations in response to an input operation, the method comprising:

detecting an operation on a touch panel;

removing a frequency band of vibrations for force feedback in response to a touch of an operator on the touch panel from a frequency band of sounds to be produced when the operation on the touch panel is detected; and

generating sounds having the frequency band other than the removed frequency band and vibrating the touch panel at a frequency in the removed frequency band in response to a touch of the operator on the touch panel.