Input device, information terminal device, and mode switching method

• US 20060170649A1
• Filed: 03/03/2004
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kosugi, Ichiro, Fujimuma, Keiichi, Yanagida, Toshiharu
• Granted Patent: US 7,791,587 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

A display portion 3 and a camera portion 4 are disposed in a main body 1. A housing of the main body 1 is made of an non-electroconductive material. One side surface of the main body 1 is an information input surface 5 of an input apparatus. Disposed in the housing on the side surface of the information input surface is a light, thin-film shaped electrostatic sensor. By moving a finger tip 6 on the information input surface 5 upward and downward while contacting thereon, a cursor moves on the display portion 3. Tap positions U, C, and L into which the information input surface 5 is divided in its height direction are defined. When each tap position is lightly tapped one time, releasing and touching states of the finger tip 6 are detected by the sensor and a tap operation is recognized. The tap operation includes a confirmation of a menu at the cursor position, a shutter operation, and so forth. The difference of tap positions can be detected by the sensor.

Claims

1. An input apparatus for an information terminal device, comprising:

a position sensor disposed at a part of outer surfaces of a main body of the information terminal device,

wherein said position sensor detects a touching position of a finger on said position sensor and touching and releasing of the finger to and from said position sensor, and

wherein operation signals corresponding to the position of the finger and touching and releasing operations of the finger are supplied to a controller that controls the information terminal device.

9. The input apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2,

wherein the sensing portion of said position sensor is formed in a film shape and said position sensor detects a change of static capacitance that takes place when the finger touches said position sensor or the front surface of the housing.

10. The input apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2,

wherein said position sensor has a plurality of pressure sense switches arranged at least in one direction, the pressure sense switches being turned on when the finger touches the pressure sense switches.

2. An input apparatus for an information terminal device, comprising:

a position sensor having a sensing portion housed in a housing of a main body of the information terminal device,

wherein said position sensor detects a touching position of a finger on a front surface of the housing of the sensing portion and touching and releasing of the finger to and from the front surface of the housing, and

wherein operation signals corresponding to the position of the finger and touching and releasing operations of the finger are supplied to a controller that controls the information terminal device.

3. The input apparatus as set forth in claim 2,

wherein a selection position is changed by moving the finger on the front surface of the housing while the finger is touching the front surface of the housing.

4. The input apparatus as set forth in claim 2,

wherein a confirmation input is preformed by touching and releasing the finger to and from the front surface of the housing.

5. The input apparatus as set forth in claim 2,

wherein a display portion is disposed in the main body.

6. The input apparatus as set forth in claim 2,

wherein the position of the touching and releasing of the finger is a predetermined position on the front surface of the housing.

7. The input apparatus as set forth in claim 2,

wherein the housing is made of a non-electroconductive material.

8. The input apparatus as set forth in claim 8,

wherein the non-electroconductive material is ceramic or plastic.

11. An information terminal apparatus, comprising:

an input device; and

a controller that controls the information terminal apparatus and receives an operation signal from said input device,

wherein said input device includes;

a position sensor disposed at a part of outer surfaces of a main body of the information terminal apparatus,

wherein the position sensor detects a touching position of a finger on the position sensor and touching and releasing of the finger to and from the position sensor, and

wherein operation signals corresponding to the position of the finger and touching and releasing operations of the finger are supplied to said controller that controls the information terminal apparatus.

19. The information terminal apparatus as set forth in claim 11 or 12,

wherein the sensing portion of the position sensor is formed in a film shape and the position sensor detects a change of static capacitance that takes place when the finger touches the position sensor.

20. The information terminal apparatus as set forth in claim 11 or 12,

wherein the position sensor has a plurality of pressure sense switches arranged at least in one direction, the pressure sense switches being turned on when the finger touches the pressure sense switches.

12. An information terminal apparatus, comprising:

an input device; and

a controller that controls the information terminal apparatus and receives an operation signal from said input device,

wherein said input device includes;

a position sensor having a sensing portion housed in a housing of a main body of the information terminal apparatus,

wherein the position sensor detects a touching position of a finger on the front surface of the housing of the sensing portion and touching and releasing of the finger to and from the front surface of the housing, and

wherein said input device generates operation signals corresponding to the position of the finger and touching and releasing operations of the finger.

13. The information terminal apparatus as set forth in claim 12,

wherein a selection position is changed by moving the finger on the front surface of the housing while the finger is touching the front surface of the housing.

14. The information terminal apparatus as set forth in claim 12,

wherein a confirmation input is preformed by touching and releasing the finger to and from the front surface of the housing.

15. The information terminal apparatus as set forth in claim 12,

wherein a display portion is disposed in the main body.

16. The information terminal apparatus as set forth in claim 12,

wherein the position of the touching and releasing of the finger is a predetermined position on the front surface of the housing.

17. The information terminal apparatus as set forth in claim 12,

wherein the housing is made of a non-electroconductive material.

18. The information terminal apparatus as set forth in claim 17,

wherein the non-electroconductive material is ceramic or plastic.

21. A mode switching method of an information terminal device having a plurality of modes, each mode having sub setting items, the method comprising the steps of:

tracing an upper portion of a position sensor with a finger to switch mode items;

touching with the finger a predetermined position on the position sensor and releasing the finger therefrom to switch the setting items; and

displaying a screen that indicates a current mode on a display.

22. The mode switching method as set forth in claim 21,

wherein a mode of which the mode items have been just switched is set to a preceding mode.

23. The mode switching method as set forth in claim 21,

wherein whenever the predetermined position is touched with the finger and the finger is released therefrom, the mode items are changed.