INPUT DEVICE, TERMINAL EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME, AND INPUTTING METHOD

• US 20100328211A1
• Filed: 02/23/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Norieda, Shin
• Granted Patent: US 8,730,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface

Abstract

An input device includes an input section having a detection section which detects a force transmitted via a human body when a trailing operation is performed on a part of the body contacting the input device, and outputs the force as detection data “a”; a timer management control unit which generates a timing for converting the detection data “a” into time-series data and outputs the timing as timing data “c”; an input information specifying unit which converts the detection data “a” into time-series data based on the timing data “c”, compares the time-series data with stored data “b” in a database which has been set beforehand, to thereby specify an input operation and output the input operation as input information specifying data “d”; and an information presenting unit which, upon receiving the input information specifying data “d”, displays a function assigned to the input operation.

Claims

1. An input device, in which a detection section is contacted by a portion of an object, and when a trailing operation (an operation of sliding a portion other than a contact portion of the object in the vicinity of the contact portion of the object) is performed in the vicinity of the contact portion of the object, the trailing operation is specified and a display corresponding to the trailing operation is presented, the device comprising:

a detection section which is contacted by a portion of the object, and when trailing is performed in the vicinity of a contact portion of the object, detects a force transmitted via the object and outputs the force as detection data;

a timer management control unit which generates a timing for recording the detection data at a time interval, and outputs the timing as timing data; and

an input information specifying unit which creates time-series data of the detection data based on the detection data and the timing data, compares the time-series data with stored data in a database which has been set beforehand, specifies an input operation, and outputs the input operation as input information specifying data.

2. The input device, according to claim 1, wherein a function includes presentation of a pointer position, an operation of a pointer, a scrolling operation, a text handwriting operation, or a page forwarding function.

3. The input device, according to claim 1, wherein the detection section is arranged to be contacted by a tip of the object, and when a portion of the object is applied with a pressing operation or a trailing operation by an input, the detection section detects a force transmitted through the object.

4. The input device, according to claim 1, wherein the detection section includes at least one of a force sensor capable of detecting three directional components, a pressure sensor capable of detecting press distribution of a plurality of points, or a plurality of pressure sensors arranged in a plane.

5. The input device, according to claim 1, wherein the timer management control unit regularly generates timings.

6. The input device, according to claim 1, wherein the timer management control unit regularly monitors the detection data, starts generation of a timing at the same time as occurrence of the detection data, and stops generation of the timing when the detection data ends.

7. The input device, according to claim 1, wherein the input information specifying unit performs matching between the stored data in the database and the time-series data of the detection data to thereby specify the input operation.

8. The input device, according to claim 1, wherein the database stores, as the stored data, a time-series change in forces in a pressing direction, a fingertip sliding direction, and a finger side face vertical sliding direction, which are output from the detection section, or a time series change in a ratio of the force in the fingertip sliding direction to the force in the pressing direction and a ratio of the finger side face sliding direction to the force in the pressing direction, or a time-series change in a normalized center of gravity position of a load relative to the detection section, in association with an input operation.

9. The input device, according to claim 1, further comprising an information presenting unit which, upon receiving the input information specifying data, displays a predetermined symbol, data, or a function assigned to the input operation.

10. The input device, according to claim 1, wherein the object is a finger.

11. A terminal including the input device according to claim 1.

16. The input device, according to claim 2, wherein the detection section includes at least one of a force sensor capable of detecting three directional components, a pressure sensor capable of detecting press distribution of a plurality of points, or a plurality of pressure sensors arranged in a plane.

17. The input device, according to claim 3, wherein the detection section includes at least one of a force sensor capable of detecting three directional components, a pressure sensor capable of detecting press distribution of a plurality of points, or a plurality of pressure sensors arranged in a plane.

18. The input device, according to claim 2, wherein the timer management control unit regularly generates timings.

19. The input device, according to claim 3, wherein the timer management control unit regularly generates timings.

20. The input device, according to claim 4, wherein the timer management control unit regularly generates timings.

12. An inputting method, in which a detection section is contacted by a portion of an object, and when a trailing operation is performed in the vicinity of a contact portion of the object, the trailing operation is specified and a display corresponding to the trailing operation is presented, the method comprising:

when a portion of an object is contacted and trailing is performed in the vicinity of a contact portion of the object, detecting a force transmitted via the object and outputting the force as detection data;

generating a timing for recording the detection data at a time interval, and outputting the timing as timing data; and

creating time-series data of the detection data based on the detection data and the timing data, comparing the time-series data with stored data in a database which has been set beforehand, specifying an input operation, and outputting the input operation as input information specifying data.

13. The method, according to claim 12, further comprising, upon receiving the input information specifying data, displaying a predetermined symbol, data, or a function assigned to the input operation.

14. The method, according to claim 12, wherein the object which contacts with the detection section is a finger, and the vicinity of the contact portion is an area between joints of the finger or above a bone ahead of a joint or an area including the surrounding thereof.

15. An input device, in which detection means is contacted by a portion of an object, and when a trailing operation (an operation of sliding a portion other than a contact portion of the object in the vicinity of the contact portion of the object) is performed in the vicinity of the contact portion of the object, the trailing operation is specified and a display corresponding to the trailing operation is presented, the device comprising:

detection means which is contacted by a portion of the object, for detecting a force transmitted via the object and outputting the force as detection data when trailing is performed in the vicinity of a contact portion of the object,;

timer management control means for generating a timing for recording the detection data at a time interval, and outputting the timing as timing data; and

input information specifying means for creating time-series data of the detection data based on the detection data and the timing data, comparing the time-series data with stored data in a database which has been set beforehand, specifying an input operation, and outputting the input operation as input information specifying data.