INFORMATION INPUT SYSTEM, METHOD FOR INPUTTING INFORMATION AND INFORMATION INPUT PROGRAM

• US 20110134082A1
• Filed: 06/25/2009
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Mitsuhashi, Hideo, Norieda, Shin
• Application Number:
  US13/057,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20110134082A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• 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 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves

Abstract

Provided is an information input system, wherein an operator can easily conduct information input actions to a small information device. The information input system is provided with a vibration element that applies a vibration to a forefinger of an operator, a vibration sensor that measures the vibration transmitted through the forefinger and the thumb, and a first input information specifying module that specifies the position on the thumb where another finger of the operator is in contact with the thumb based on a change in transmission property of the transmission system caused by the fact that the finger of the operator, which is in contact with the thumb, is in contact with the vibration transmission system formed by including the forefinger and the thumb. The information input system outputs the detected position of the contact of the finger as positional information.

Claims

1. An information input system, comprising:

a physical amount applying module which applies a specific physical amount to a signal transmitting object;

a transmitted physical amount measuring module which measures the physical amount transmitted via the object; and

a contact position specifying module which detects a change in a transmission property generated when another object touches a transmission system of the physical amount formed by including the object, wherein

the contact position specifying module specifies a contact position of the object based on, a measurement signal of the physical amount transformed by corresponding to the change in the transmission property, and outputs positional information of the specified contact position.

2. The information input system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the physical amount is a vibration, and the contact position specifying module specifies the contact position of another object mentioned above based on a change generated in a transmitted vibration waveform due to a change in a vibration transmission function of the object.

3. The information input system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the physical amount is a vibration, and the contact position specifying module specifies the contact position of another object mentioned above based on a change generated in a resonance frequency of the transmission system including the object and a vibration source due to a change in a vibration transmission function of the object.

4. The information input system as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

the contact position specifying module comprises a reference frequency storage module which stores reference frequencies that are set in advance by corresponding to different positions on the object; and

the contact position specifying module specifies the contact position of another object mentioned above by comparing the change generated in the resonance frequency of the transmission system with the reference frequency.

5. An information input method, comprising:

applying a specific physical amount to a signal transmitting object;

measuring the physical amount transmitted via the object;

specifying a contact position of another object based on a change generated in a transmission property of a transmission system generated when another object mentioned above touches the transmission system of the physical amount formed by including the object; and

outputting the specified contact position of another object mentioned above as positional information.

6. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing an information input program for applying a specific physical amount to a signal transmitting object, measuring the physical amount transmitted via the object, and outputting information specified based on a change in a result of the measurement, the program causing a computer set in advance to execute:

a contact position specifying function which detects a change in a transmission property generated when another object touches a transmission system of the physical amount formed by including the object, and specifies a contact position of another object mentioned above based on a measurement signal of the physical amount that changes in accordance with the detected change.

7. An information input system, comprising:

physical amount applying means for applying a specific physical amount to a signal transmitting object;

transmitted physical amount measuring means for measuring the physical amount transmitted via the object; and

contact position specifying means for detecting a change in a transmission property generated when another object touches a transmission system of the physical amount formed by including the object, wherein

the contact position specifying means specifies a contact position of the object based on a measurement signal of the physical amount transformed by corresponding to the change in the transmission property, and outputs positional information of the specified contact position.