Information processing apparatus, operation input method, and sensing device
First Claim
1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:
- an operation surface;
a first sense unit for electrically detecting whether said operation surface is being directly touched;
a second sense unit for detecting whether a position pointing device approaches or contacts said operation surface based on an electromagnetic interaction generated between the position pointing device and said second sense unit;
an approach detecting unit for detecting whether the position pointing device is within a first detection range from said operation surface and whether the position pointing device is within a second detection range based on an output from said second sense unit, the first detection range extending further from said operation surface than said second detection range; and
a display control unit for disabling display processing based on a detection output from said first sense unit and for enabling display processing based on a detection output from said second sense unit if said approach detecting unit determines that the position pointing device is within of said second detection range.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An information processing apparatus includes an operation surface, a first sense unit for electrically detecting whether the operation surface is directly touched, a second sense unit for detecting whether the position pointing device approaches or contacts the operation surface based on an electromagnetic interaction, an approach detector for detecting whether the position pointing device approaches a first detection range from the operation surface and whether the position pointing device approaches a second detection range based on an output from the second sense unit. The second detection range is closer to the operation surface than the first detection range. The information processing apparatus further includes a display controller for disabling display processing based on an output from the first sense unit if the approach detector determines that the position pointing device approaches the second detection range and for performing display processing based on an output from the second sense unit.
91 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:
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an operation surface;
a first sense unit for electrically detecting whether said operation surface is being directly touched;
a second sense unit for detecting whether a position pointing device approaches or contacts said operation surface based on an electromagnetic interaction generated between the position pointing device and said second sense unit;
an approach detecting unit for detecting whether the position pointing device is within a first detection range from said operation surface and whether the position pointing device is within a second detection range based on an output from said second sense unit, the first detection range extending further from said operation surface than said second detection range; and
a display control unit for disabling display processing based on a detection output from said first sense unit and for enabling display processing based on a detection output from said second sense unit if said approach detecting unit determines that the position pointing device is within of said second detection range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8)
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6. (canceled)
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9. An operation input method of accepting input at an operation surface of an information processing apparatus, the method comprising:
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a first detection processing for electrically detecting whether the operation surface is directly touched;
a second detection processing for detecting whether a position pointing device approaches or contacts the operation surface based on an electromagnetic interaction with the position pointing device;
an approach detection processing for detecting whether the position pointing device approaches within a first detection range from the operation surface and whether the position pointing device approaches within a second detection range based on an output from said second detection processing, the first detection range extending further from the operation surface than the second detection range; and
a display control processing for disabling display processing based on a detection output from said first detection processing if said approach detection processing determines that the position pointing device approaches the second detection range, and for enabling display processing based on a detection output from said second detection processing if said approach detection processing determines that the position pointing device approaches within the second detection range. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. (canceled)
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12. (canceled)
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13. (canceled)
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14. (canceled)
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15. An information processing apparatus having a display device with a display surface operable as an operation surface, the apparatus comprising:
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a sense unit formed on a transparent substrate and having a first sensor electrode disposed on the display surface of said display device to electrically detect whether said display surface is directly touched and a second sensor electrode to detect whether a position pointing device approaches or contacts said display surface based on an electromagnetic interaction generated between said second sensor electrode and the position pointing device;
an approach detecting unit for detecting whether the position pointing device is located within a first detection range from said display surface and whether said position pointing device is located within a second detection range based on an output from said second sensor electrode, the second detection range being closer to said display surface than the first detection range; and
a display control unit for disabling display processing at said display device based on an output from said first sensor electrode and for enabling said display device to perform display processing based on an output from said second sensor electrode if said approach detecting unit determines that the position pointing device is within the second detection range. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. (canceled)
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19. (canceled)
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20. (canceled)
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21. A sensing device usable with an information processing apparatus, the device comprising:
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an operation surface having a predefined first detection region and a predefined second detection region disposed thereabove; and
a sensing unit having a plurality of detection mechanisms to sense a position of a position pointing device with reference to the first and second detection regions and to selectively operate the detection mechanisms based on the sensed position of the position pointing device with reference to the first and second detection regions. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of controlling a sensing device having at least two detecting mechanisms disposed below an operation surface in an information processing apparatus, the method comprising:
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detecting a distance of a pointing device from the operation surface using a first detection mechanism with reference to first and second detection regions above the operation surface;
if the position pointing device is in the first detection region, preparing the first detection mechanism to determine a coordinate position of the position pointing device with respect to the operation surface;
if the position pointing device is in the second detection region, enabling the first detection mechanism to determine the coordinate position of the position pointing device with respect to the operation surface and enabling processing of the determined coordinate position; and
if the position pointing device is in neither one of the first and second detection regions, enabling a second detection mechanism to determine a coordinate position of contact on the operation surface and enabling processing of the determined coordinate position of the contact.
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Specification