MOBILE INFORMATION TERMINAL AND CELLULAR PHONE

• US 20100291973A1
• Filed: 04/02/2008
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakahara, Yasutomo, Kiyoshi, Suzuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,255,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A mobile information terminal has: an operating position detecting part 37 that detects an operating position of a user on the basis of an output of an electrostatic capacitance sensor 30 that includes a thin film having a plurality of electrodes and detects an electrostatic capacitance of each of the electrodes; a direction input control part 31 that senses movement of the operating position on the basis of an output of the operating position detecting part, and generates a direction input signal; a key input part 32 that detects a pressing operation of the user on a pressing face of an operation key, and generates a key input signal; a display 22 having a display screen; and a display control part 34 that controls a display position of image information in the display screen on the basis of the direction input signal. A part of the thin film of the electrostatic capacitance sensor 30 is formed with overlapping with at least a part of the pressing face of the operation key, and upon sensing of the movement of the operating position, the direction input control part 31 determines whether or not to generate the direction input signal on the basis of an operating position upon start of the movement. Upon operation of the operation key that is arranged with overlapping with an electrostatic pad, a direction input for moving a screen display can be suppressed from being erroneously provided.

Claims

1. A mobile information terminal comprising:

an electrostatic capacitance sensor including a thin film arranged with a plurality of electrodes, and detecting an electrostatic capacitance of each of said electrodes;

operating position detecting means detecting an operating position of a user on a basis of an output of said electrostatic capacitance sensor;

direction input control means sensing movement of said operating position on a basis of an output of said operating position detecting means, and generating a direction input signal indicating a direction of the movement;

key input means detecting a pressing operation of the user on a pressing face, and generating a key input signal;

display means having a display screen for displaying image information; and

display control means controlling a display position of said image information in said display screen on a basis of said direction input signal, wherein

a part of said thin film of said electrostatic capacitance sensor is formed with overlapping with at least a part of said pressing face of said key input means, and

said direction input control means determines, upon sensing of the movement of the operating position, whether or not to generate said direction input signal, on a basis of an operating position upon start of the movement.

2. The mobile information terminal according to claim 1, wherein

said direction input control means generates said direction input signal when the operating position upon start of the movement is outside an input start forbidden area formed on said thin film in relation to said pressing face, and does not generate said direction input signal when the operating position is inside said input start forbidden area.

3. The mobile information terminal according to claim 2, wherein

said input start forbidden area includes an overlapping area between said pressing face and said thin film.

4. The mobile information terminal according to claim 3, wherein

said input start forbidden area includes an area sandwiched between an edge side of said thin film and said overlapping area, the edge side being closest to said overlapping area.

5. The mobile information terminal according to claim 2, wherein

said pressing face of said key input means is arranged below a middle of said thin film, and

said direction input control means senses vertical movement of the operating position to generate a direction input signal indicating any of an upper direction and a lower direction, and upon sensing of upward movement of which the operating position upon start of the movement is inside said input start forbidden area, forbids upward movement of said image information.

6. A mobile information terminal comprising:

an electrostatic capacitance sensor including a thin film arranged with a plurality of electrodes, and detecting an electrostatic capacitance of each of said electrodes;

operating position detecting means detecting an operating position of a user on a basis of an output of said electrostatic capacitance sensor;

direction input control means, on a basis of an output of said operating position detecting means, sensing movement of said operating position, and generating a direction input signal indicating a direction of the movement;

key input means detecting a pressing operation of the user on a pressing face, and generating a key input signal;

display means having a display screen for displaying image information; and

display control means controlling a display position of said image information in said display screen on a basis of said direction input signal, wherein

said pressing face of said key input means is arranged adjacent to said thin film of said electrostatic capacitance sensor, and

said direction input control means determines, upon sensing of movement of the operating position, whether or not to generate said direction input signal, on a basis of an operating position upon start of the movement.

7. The mobile information terminal according to claim 6, wherein

said direction input control means generates said direction input signal in the case where the operating position upon start of the movement is outside an input start forbidden area on said thin film adjacent to said pressing face, and does not generate said direction input signal when the operating position is inside said input start forbidden area.

8. A cellular phone comprising:

a display screen for displaying image information;

an operation key having a pressing face;

an electrostatic pad being provided between said display screen and said operation key, including a thin film arranged with a plurality of electrodes, and detecting an operating position of a user on said thin film on a basis of variations of electrostatic capacitances of said electrodes;

direction input control means sensing movement of said operating position on a basis of a result of the detection by said electrostatic pad, and generating a direction input signal indicating a direction of the movement;

key input means detecting a pressing operation of the user on said pressing face, and generating a key input signal; and

display control means displaying said image information in said display screen on a basis of said direction input signal, wherein

a part of said thin film of said electrostatic pad is formed with overlapping with at least a part of said pressing face of said operation key, and

said direction input control means forbids, upon sensing of the movement of the operating position, upward movement of said image information on a basis of an operating position upon start of the movement.