Information input device, information input method, information input/output device, and information input program

• US 20100053098A1
• Filed: 08/11/2009
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Tsutomu, Tsuzaki, Ryoichi
• Granted Patent: US 9,389,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133707 Structures for producing distorted electric fields, e.g. bumps, protrusions, recesses, slits in pixel electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13396 Spacers having different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13398 Spacer materials; Spacer properties
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134372 for fringe field switching [FFS] where the common electrode is not patterned
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

An information input device with a simple structure is provided, which allows information on an external proximity object to be conveniently inputted. The information input device includes: an input panel having a detection function of detecting an external proximity object; a position detection section acquiring position information and area information of the external proximity object based on a detection signal of the external proximity object obtained by the input panel; and an image generation section generating drawing data, which is to be used in a drawing process according to a behavior of the external proximity object, based on the position information and the area information so that the drawing process is performed in a manner according to an area value of the external proximity object represented by the area information.

Claims

1. An information input device, comprising:

an input panel having a detection function of detecting an external proximity object;

a position detection section acquiring position information and area information of the external proximity object based on a detection signal of the external proximity object obtained by the input panel; and

an image generation section generating drawing data, which is to be used in a drawing process according to a behavior of the external proximity object, based on the position information and the area information so that the drawing process is performed in a manner according to an area value of the external proximity object represented by the area information.

2. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein

the drawing data includes drawing attributive information and the position information, the drawing attributive information including one or more drawing attribution of line width, a tone, and a hue to be specified in the drawing process, and

the image generation section generates the drawing data such that the drawing attribution varies in accordance with the area value of the external proximity object.

3. The information input device according to claim 2, wherein the image generation section has a conversion table defining a correspondence relationship between the area value of the external proximity object and the drawing attributive information.

4. The information input device according to claim 3, wherein the correspondence relationship between the area value of the external proximity object and the drawing attributive information is defined by a linear function in the conversion table.

5. The information input device according to claim 2, wherein

when a plurality pieces of the area information are acquired along time base in accordance with movement of the external proximity object, the image generation section determines drawing attributive information according to each piece of the area information, and then performs, based on the obtained drawing attributive information, an interpolation process which allows additional drawing attributive information to be generated and inserted, so that drawing attribution gradually varies when the drawing process is performed.

6. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein

the input panel has a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other, and has a first sensor electrode and a second sensor electrode formed between the first substrate and the second substrate and allowed to contact to each other when the second substrate is partially dented, and

the input panel detects a denting position of the second substrate corresponding to a position of the external proximity object based on a change in electric potential due to contact between the first sensor electrode and the second sensor electrode.

7. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein the input panel has a plurality of light-receiving elements arranged along an image pickup surface, and receiving light reflected by the external proximity object.

8. An information input method comprising steps of:

acquiring position information and area information of an external proximity object based on a detection signal of the external proximity object obtained by the input panel having a detection function of detecting the external proximity object, and

generating drawing data, which is to be used in a drawing process according to a behavior of the external proximity object, based on the position information and the area information so that the drawing process is performed in a manner according to an area value of the external proximity object represented by the area information.

9. An information input/output device comprising:

an input/output panel having a detection function of detecting an external proximity object, and an image display function;

a position detection section acquiring position information and area information of the external proximity object based on a detection signal of the external proximity object obtained by the input/output panel; and

an image generation section generating drawing data, which is to be used in a drawing process according to a behavior of the external proximity object, based on the position information and the area information so that the drawing process is performed in a manner according to an area value of the external proximity object represented by the area information,

wherein the input/output panel performs image display based on the drawing data generated by the image generation section.

10. The information input/output device according to claim 9, wherein

the input/output panel has a display panel including a first substrate, a second substrate and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and has a first sensor electrode and a second sensor electrode formed in the display panel and allowed to contact to each other when the second substrate is partially dented, and

the input/output panel detects a denting position of the second substrate corresponding to a position of the external proximity object based on a change in electric potential due to contact between the first sensor electrode and the second sensor electrode, and then performs the image display on the display panel.

11. The information input/output device according to claim 9, wherein the input/output panel has:

a plurality of display elements arranged along a display surface, and displaying an image based on image data; and

a plurality of light-receiving elements arranged along the display surface, and receiving light emitted from the display surface to be reflected by the external proximity object.

12. An information input program allowing a computer to execute steps of:

acquiring position information and area information of an external proximity object based on a detection signal of the external proximity object obtained by the input panel having a detection function of detecting the external proximity object; and

generating drawing data, which is to be used in a drawing process according to a behavior of the external proximity object, based on the position information and the area information so that the drawing process is performed in a manner according to an area value of the external proximity object represented by the area information.