INPUT PRECISION

• US 20090225053A1
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Platforms, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Infrontia Corporation (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: HU, Wanhua
• Granted Patent: US 8,269,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

Input precision on a touch panel is improved An input apparatus includes a sensor for detecting external pressure. A display unit displays an object icon, a first auxiliary icon corresponding to a first detection area on which the sensor detects the pressure, with the size of the first auxiliary icon greater than that of the object icon, and a second auxiliary icon corresponding to a second detection area, with the size of the second auxiliary icon greater than that of the object icon. An operation signal output unit outputs different operation signals according to positional relationships of a pressure-detected position on which the sensor detected the external pressure, in relation with a display position of the first auxiliary icon and a display position of the second auxiliary icon displayed by the display unit.

Claims

1. An input apparatus for receiving input data in response to user operation, comprising:

a sensor for detecting external pressure;

a display unit for displaying an object icon to be processed in response to pressing on the sensor, a first auxiliary icon corresponding to a first detection area on which the sensor detects the pressure, with the size of the first auxiliary icon greater than that of the object icon, and a second auxiliary icon corresponding to a second detection area, with the size of the second auxiliary icon greater than that of the object icon; and

an operation signal output unit for outputting different operation signals according to positional relationships of a pressure-detected position, on which the sensor detected the external pressure, in relation with a display position of the first auxiliary icon and a display position of the second auxiliary icon displayed by the display unit.

2. The input apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

a detection position determiner for determining the pressure-detected position; and

an operation determiner for determining the positional relationship among the pressure-detected position that is determined by the detection position determiner, the display position of the first auxiliary icon and the display position of the second auxiliary icon,

wherein the operation signal output unit outputs a first operation signal when the operation determiner determines that the pressure-detected position is identical to the display position of the first auxiliary icon.

3. The input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, in the case where the pressure-detected position is two different positions detected by the sensor, the operation signal output unit outputs a second operation signal when the operation determiner determines that the two pressure-detected positions are identical to the display position of the first auxiliary icon and the display position of the second auxiliary icon, respectively.

4. The input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation signal output unit outputs a movement operation signal to move the first auxiliary icon when the operation determiner determines that the pressure-detected position is identical to the display position of the second auxiliary icon.

5. The input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein,

in the case where the pressure-detected position is two different positions detected by the sensor, the operation signal output unit outputs an icon display end signal when the operation determiner determines that the two pressure-detected positions constitute an area, that excludes the display area of the first auxiliary icon and constitute an area, that excludes the display area of the second auxiliary icon, respectively, and

the display unit stops displaying the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon when the icon display end signal is outputted.

6. The input apparatus according to claim 2, comprising:

a detection position number determiner for determining whether or not the number of the detected positions is plural; and

an icon display determiner for determining whether or not the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon are displayed,

wherein, in the case where the icon display determiner determines that the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon are not displayed, the display unit displays the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon when the detection position number determiner leads to the conclusion that the number of the detected positions is plural.

19. The input apparatus according to claim 3, comprising:

a detection position number determiner for determining whether or not the number of the detected positions is plural; and

an icon display determiner for determining whether or not the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon are displayed,

wherein, in the case where the icon display determiner determines that the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon are not displayed, the display unit displays the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon when the detection position number determiner leads to the conclusion that the number of the detected positions is plural.

20. The input apparatus according to claim 4, comprising:

a detection position number determiner for determining whether or not the number of the detected positions is plural; and

an icon display determiner for determining whether or not the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon are displayed,

wherein, in the case where the icon display determiner determines that the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon are not displayed, the display unit displays the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon when the detection position number determiner leads to the conclusion that the number of the detected positions is plural.

7. A method for inputting data into an input apparatus, which has a sensor for detecting external pressure, the method comprising:

displaying an object icon to be processed in response to pressing on the sensor, a first auxiliary icon corresponding to a first detection area on which the sensor detects the pressure, with the size of the first auxiliary icon greater than that of the object icon, and a second auxiliary icon corresponding to a second detection area, with the size of the second auxiliary icon greater than that of the object icon; and

outputting different operation signals according to positional relationships of a pressure-detected position, on which the sensor detected the external pressure, in relation with a display position of the first auxiliary icon and a display position of the second auxiliary icon displayed in the displaying.

8. The method according to claim 7, comprising:

determining the pressure-detected position; and

determining the positional relationship among the pressure-detected position that is determined by the determining of the pressure-detected position, the display position of the first auxiliary icon and the display position of the second auxiliary icon,

wherein the outputting of different operation signals includes outputting a first operation signal when the determining of the positional relationship of the pressure-detected position determines that the pressure-detected position is identical to the display position of the first auxiliary icon.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, in the case where the pressure-detected position is two different positions detected by the sensor, the outputting of different operation signals includes outputting a second operation signal when the determining of the positional relationship of the pressure-detected position determines that the two pressure-detected positions are identical to the display position of the first auxiliary icon and the display position of the second auxiliary icon, respectively.

10. The method according to claim 8, where the outputting of different operation signals includes outputting a movement operation signal to move the first auxiliary icon when the determining of the positional relationship of the pressure-detected position determines that the pressure-detected position is identical to the display position of the second auxiliary icon.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein,

in the case where the pressure-detected position is two different positions detected by the sensor, the outputting of different operation signals includes outputting an icon display end signal when the determining of the positional relationship of the pressure-detected position determines that the two pressure-detected positions are an area, that excludes the display area of the first auxiliary icon and an area, that excludes the display area of the second auxiliary icons respectively, and

the displaying stops displaying the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon when the icon display end signal is outputted.

12. The method according to claim 8, comprising:

determining whether or not the number of the detected positions is plural; and

determining whether or not the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon are displayed,

wherein, in the case where the determining of the positional relationship of the pressure-detected position determines that the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon are not displayed, the displaying displays the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon when the determining whether or not the number of the detected positions is plural leads to the conclusion that the number of the detected positions is plural.

13. A record medium having recorded thereon a computer-readable program for running an operation signal output process on a computer, the program comprising:

displaying an object icon to be processed in response to pressing on the sensor, a first auxiliary icon corresponding to a first detection area on which the sensor detects the pressure, with the size of the first auxiliary icon greater than that of the object icon, and a second auxiliary icon corresponding to a second detection area, with the size of the second auxiliary icon greater than that of the object icon; and

outputting different operation signals according to positional relationships of a pressure-detected position, on which the sensor detected the external pressure, in relation with a display position of the first auxiliary icon and a display position of the second auxiliary icon displayed in the displaying.

14. The record medium according to claim 13, the program comprising:

determining the pressure-detected position; and

determining the positional relationship among the pressure-detected position that is determined by the determining of the pressure-detected position, the display position of the first auxiliary icon and the display position of the second auxiliary icon, and

wherein the outputting of different operation signals includes outputting a first operation signal when the determining of the positional relationship of the pressure-detected position determines that the pressure-detected position is identical to the display position of the first auxiliary icon.

15. The record medium according to claim 14, wherein, in the case where the pressure-detected position is two different positions detected by the sensor, the outputting of different operation signals includes outputting a second operation signal when the determining of the positional relationship of the pressure-detected position determines that the two pressure-detected positions are identical to the display position of the first auxiliary icon and the display position of the second auxiliary icon, respectively.

16. The record medium according to claim 14, wherein the outputting of different operation signals includes outputting a movement operation signal to move the first auxiliary icon when the determining of the positional relationship of the pressure-detected position determines that the pressure-detected position is identical to the display position of the second auxiliary icon.

17. The record medium according to claim 14, wherein,

in the case where the pressure-detected position is two different positions detected by the sensor, the outputting of different operation signals includes outputting an icon display end signal when the determining of the positional relationship of the pressure-detected position determines that the two pressure-detected positions are an area, that excludes the display area of the first auxiliary icon and an area, that excludes the display area of the second auxiliary icon, respectively, and

the displaying stops displaying the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon when the icon display end signal is outputted.

18. The record medium according to claim 14, the program comprising:

determining whether or not the number of the detected positions is plural; and

determining whether or not the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon are displayed,

wherein, in the case where the determining of the positional relationship of the pressure-detected position determines that the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon are not displayed, the displaying displays the first auxiliary icon and the second auxiliary icon when the determining whether or not the number of the detected positions is plural leads to the conclusion that the number of the detected positions is plural.