Information processing apparatus and storage medium storing item selecting program

• US 20060256091A1
• Filed: 08/03/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Systems Co. Ltd., Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Hino, Takanori
• Granted Patent: US 7,825,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/363 Graphics controllers

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a touch panel provided on a menu selection screen including a plurality of items, a direction key for instructing a moving direction of a cursor, and an execution key for instructing execution of a process corresponding to a selecting item. The display of the cursor can be moved according to a position instructed by the touch panel as well as the direction key. A process corresponding to a selected item is executed by a touch-off as well as by an operation of the execution key. It is noted that in a case that a touch input is continued for equal to or more than a predetermined time period after the touch-on, in a case that a touch input is present until the touch-off in an area except for the area corresponding to the item pointed at a start of touch, or in a case that a touch input is present until the touch-off in an area at a predetermined distance away from the position instructed at a start of touch, the process corresponding to the selected item is not executed.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus provided with a display for displaying a screen including a plurality of items, a direction key for changing a selecting item out of the plurality of items, a specifying means for specifying a selecting item by the direction key, an execution key for instructing execution of a process corresponding to the item specified by said specifying means, and an executing means for executing the process corresponding to the item specified by said specifying means when said execution key is operated, further comprising:

a pointing device for pointing a position on said screen;

an input detecting means for detecting presence or absence of an input by said pointing device;

a measuring means for measuring a time continued in an input-present-state detected by said input detecting means;

a first condition determining means for determining whether or not the time measured by said measuring means is above a threshold value;

a coordinates detecting means for detecting coordinates of the position input by said pointing device, and

a storing means for storing item position data indicative of position coordinates corresponding to each of said plurality of items, wherein

said specifying means specifies and changes said selecting item by specifying said item corresponding to said coordinates detected by said coordinates detecting means on the basis of said item position data,

said executing means, when it is detected that the input-present-state is shifted to an input-absent-state by said input detecting means, does not execute a process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying means in a case that it is determined that said time is above said threshold value by said first condition determining means, and executes the process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying means in a case that it is determined that said time is not above said threshold value by said first condition determining means.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a specified-item-representing-image display controlling means for displaying an image representing the selecting item specified by said specifying means.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said executing means, when it is detected that the input-present-state is shifted to said input-absent-state by said input detecting means, and said coordinates detected at a time of detecting that state by said coordinates detecting means indicate the position corresponding to said item based on said item position data, does not execute the process corresponding to the selecting item specified by said specifying means in a case that it is determined that said time is above said threshold value by said first condition determining means, and executes the process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying means in a case that it is determined that said time is not above said threshold value by said first condition determining means.

4. A storage medium storing an item selection processing program of an information processing apparatus provided with a display for displaying a screen including a plurality of items, a direction key for changing a selecting item out of said plurality of items, an execution key for instructing execution of a process corresponding to the selecting item by said direction key, a pointing device for pointing a position on said screen, and a storing means for storing item position data indicating position coordinates corresponding to each of said plurality of items,

said item selection processing program causes a processor of said information processing apparatus to execute:

a specifying step for specifying the selecting item by said direction key;

an executing step for executing a process corresponding to the item specified by said specifying step when said execution key is operated;

an input detecting step for detecting presence or absence of an input by said pointing device;

a measuring step for measuring a time continued in an input-present-state detected by said input detecting step;

a first condition determining step for determining whether or not said time measured by said measuring step is above a threshold value, and

a coordinates detecting step for detecting the coordinates of the position input by said pointing device, wherein

said specifying step specifies and changes said selecting item by specifying said item corresponding to said coordinates detected by said coordinates detecting means on the basis of said item position data,

said executing step, when it is detected that the input-present-state is shifted to an input-absent-state by said input detecting step, does not execute the process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying step in a case that it is determined that said time is above said threshold value by said first condition determining step, and executes the process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying step in a case that it is determined that said time is not above said threshold value by said first condition determining step.

5. An information processing apparatus provided with a display for displaying a screen including a plurality of items, a direction key for changing a selecting item out of said plurality of items, a specifying means for specifying a selecting item by said direction key, an execution key for instructing execution of a process corresponding to the item specified by said specifying means, and an executing means for executing the process corresponding to the item specified by said specifying means when said execution key is operated, further comprising:

a pointing device for pointing a position on said screen;

an input detecting means for detecting presence or absence of an input by said pointing device;

a start determining means for determining whether or not an input detected by said input detecting means is shifted from the input-absent-state to the input-present-state;

a coordinates detecting means for detecting coordinates of the position input by said pointing device;

a storing means for storing item position data indicative of position coordinates corresponding to each of said plurality of items, and

a second condition determining means for determining whether or not said coordinates detected by said coordinates detecting means after it is determined that the input-absent-state is shifted to the input-present-state by said start determining means continues to be in the position of said item specified on the basis of said item position data in correspondence to said coordinates detected by said coordinates detecting means when it is determined that the input-absent-state is shifted to the input-present-state by said start determining means;

wherein

said specifying means specifies and changes said selecting item by specifying said item corresponding to said coordinates detected by said coordinates detecting means on the basis of said item position data,

said executing means, when it is detected that the input-present-state is shifted to the input-absent-state by said input detecting means, does not execute a process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying means in a case that it is determined that being in the position of said item is not continued by said second condition determining means, and executes the process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying means in a case that it is determined that being in the position of said item is continued by said second condition determining means.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a specified-item-representing-image display controlling means for displaying an image representing the selecting item specified by said specifying means.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

said executing means, when it is detected that the input-present-state is shifted to the input-absent-state by said input detecting means, and said coordinates detected at a time of detecting that state by said coordinates detecting means indicate the position corresponding to said item based on said item position data, does not execute a process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying means in a case that it is determined that being in the position of said item is not continued by said second condition determining means, and executes the process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying means in a case that it is determined that being in the position of said item is continued by said second condition determining means.

8. A storage medium storing an item selection processing program of an information processing apparatus provided with a display for displaying a screen including a plurality of items, a direction key for changing a selecting item out of said plurality of items, an execution key for instructing execution of a process corresponding to the item selected by said direction key, a pointing device for pointing a position on said screen, and a storing means for storing item position data indicating position coordinates corresponding to each of said plurality of items,

said item selection processing program causes a processor of said information processing apparatus to execute:

a specifying step for specifying the selecting item by said direction key;

an executing step for executing a process corresponding to the item specified by said specifying step when said execution key is operated;

an input detecting step for detecting presence or absence of an input by said pointing device;

a start determining step for determining whether or not an input detected by said input detecting means is shifted from the input-absent-state to the input-present-state;

a coordinates detecting step for detecting coordinates of the position input by said pointing device; and

a second condition determining step for determining whether or not said coordinates detected by said coordinates detecting step after it is determined that the input-absent-state is shifted to the input-present-state by said start determining step continues to be in the position of said item specified on the basis of said item position data in correspondence to said coordinates detected by said coordinates detecting step when it is determined that the input-absent-state is shifted to the input-present-state by said start determining step;

wherein

said specifying step specifies and changes said selecting item by specifying said item corresponding to said coordinates detected by said coordinates detecting step on the basis of said item position data,

said executing step, when it is detected that the input-present-state is shifted to the input-absent-state by said input detecting step, does not execute a process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying step in a case that it is determined that being in the position of said item is not continued by said second condition determining step, and executes the process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying step in a case that it is determined that being in the position of said item is continued by said second condition determining step.

9. An information processing apparatus provided with a display for displaying a screen including a plurality of items, a direction key for changing a selecting item out of said plurality of items, a specifying means for specifying a selecting item by said direction key, an execution key for instructing execution of a process corresponding to the item specified by said specifying means, and an executing means for executing the process corresponding to the item specified by said specifying means when said execution key is operated, further comprising:

a pointing device for pointing a position on said screen;

an input detecting means for detecting presence or absence of an input by said pointing device;

a start determining means for determining whether or not an input detected by said input detecting means is shifted from the input-absent-state to the input-present-state;

a coordinates detecting means for detecting coordinates of the position input by said pointing device;

a storing means for storing item position data indicative of position coordinates corresponding to each of said plurality of items, and

a third condition determining means for determining whether or not the coordinates detected by said coordinates detecting means after it is determined that the input-absent-state is shifted to the input-present-state by said start determining means continues to be within a predetermined distance from said coordinates detected by said coordinates detecting means when it is determined that the input-absent-state is shifted to the input-present-state by said start determining means;

wherein

said specifying means specifies and changes said selecting item by specifying said item corresponding to said coordinates detected by said coordinates detecting means on the basis of said item position data,

said executing means, when it is detected that the input-present-state is shifted to the input-absent-state by said input detecting means, does not execute the process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying means in a case that it is determined that being within the predetermined distance is not continued by said third condition determining means, and executes the process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying means in a case that it is determined that being within the predetermined distance is continued by said third condition determining means.

10. An information processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a specified-item-representing-image display controlling means for displaying an image representing the selecting item specified by said specifying means.

11. An information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

said executing means, when it is detected that the input-present-state is shifted to the input-absent-state by said input detecting means, and said coordinates detected at a time of detecting that state by said coordinates detecting means indicate the position corresponding to said item based on said item position data, does not execute the process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying means in a case that it is determined that being within the predetermined distance is not continued by said third condition determining means, and executes the process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying means in a case that it is determined that being within the predetermined distance is continued by said third condition determining means.

12. A storage medium storing an item selection processing program of an information processing apparatus provided with a display for displaying a screen including a plurality of items, a direction key for changing a selecting item out of said plurality of items, an execution key for instructing execution of a process corresponding to the selecting item by said direction key, a pointing device for pointing a position on said screen, and a storing means for storing item position data indicating position coordinates corresponding to each of said plurality of items,

said item selection processing program causes a processor of said information processing apparatus to execute:

a specifying step for specifying the selecting item by said direction key;

an executing step for executing a process corresponding to the item specified by said specifying step when said execution key is operated;

an input detecting step for detecting presence or absence of an input by said pointing device;

a start determining step for determining whether or not an input detected by said input detecting means is shifted from the input-absent-state to the input-present-state;

a coordinates detecting step for detecting coordinates of the position input by said pointing device; and

a third condition determining step for determining whether or not the coordinates detected by said coordinates detecting step after it is determined that the input-absent-state is shifted to the input-present-state by said start determining step continues to be within a predetermined distance from the coordinates detected by said coordinates detecting step when it is determined that the input-absent-state is shifted to the input-present-state by said start determining step;

wherein

said specifying step specifies and changes said selecting item by specifying said item corresponding to said coordinates detected by said coordinates detecting step on the basis of said item position data,

said executing step, when it is detected that said input-present-state is shifted to the input-absent-state by said input detecting step, does not execute a process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying step in a case that it is determined that being within the predetermined distance is not continued by said third condition determining step, and executes the process corresponding to said selecting item specified by said specifying step in a case that it is determined that being within a predetermined distance is continued by said third condition determining step.