Input device using touch panel

• US 20070200830A1
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Tomoki
• Application Number:
  US11/604,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20070200830A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means

Abstract

There provided is an input device comprising a pressure-sensitive type touch panel; a housing for supporting the touch panel so as to contact the touch panel at a position which is away from a detection area on a surface of the touch panel; and a guide frame which is disposed on the surface of the touch panel so as to be attached to a periphery of an opening portion of the housing and is a member independent from the housing. By employing such an input device, even if the housing is strongly pressed, no erroneous inputting will arise and operability will not be impaired.

Claims

1. An input device, comprising:

a pressure-sensitive type touch panel;

a housing for supporting the touch panel so as to contact the touch panel at a position which is away from a detection area on a surface of the touch panel; and

a guide frame which is disposed on the surface of the touch panel so as to be attached on a periphery of an opening portion of the housing and is a member independent from the housing.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the guide frame covers at least one part of a portion, which is not covered by the housing, of a non-detection area of the touch panel.

3. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising a pen for operating the touch panel, wherein

in the guide frame, a position of a tip of the pen, which contacts the touch panel, is limited so that the tip of the pen does not contact the non-detection area of the touch panel.

4. The input device according to claim 3, wherein when a side face of the pen is caused to contact the guide frame while the pen is caused to contact the touch panel in a perpendicular manner, the tip of the pen is positioned in a detection area of the touch panel.

5. The input device according to claim 1, wherein in a side view, a top of the guide frame is lower than a top of a portion neighboring the guide frame in the housing.

6. The input device according to claim 1, wherein in the housing, a gradient which slopes toward an opening portion of the housing in a gentle or step-like manner is formed.

7. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the guide frame is attached to the surface of the touch panel.

8. The input device according to claim 1, wherein at least one operation switch is provided on a surface where the opening portion of the housing is disposed.

9. A mobile game device comprising the input device according to claim 1.

10. A controller for a game device comprising the input device according to claim 1.

11. An input device comprising a housing having an opening portion and a pressure-sensitive type touch panel which is disposed inside of the housing and exposed from the opening portion, wherein

the touch panel has a detection area and a non-detection area surrounding the detection area and is disposed so that an edge of the opening portion of the housing contacts or faces the non-detection area and a part of the non-detection area is exposed from the opening portion, the input device comprising

a guide frame which is disposed so as to cover the exposed portion of the non-detection area and is a member independent from the housing.