INPUT APPARATUS THAT ACCURATELY DETERMINES INPUT OPERATION, CONTROL METHOD FOR INPUT APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20110157048A1
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakatani, Yu
• Granted Patent: US 8,553,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• 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

Abstract

An input apparatus that accurately determines an input operation intended by a user without erroneously determining an operation including no move as an operation including move. Touch positions in a time period from touch-down to touch-up by an input operation performed on a touch panel by the user are recorded in chronological order. A statistical variance of the touch positions is calculated based on the obtained touch positions. Whether the input operation is an operation including no move or an operation including move is determined based on the calculated variance. When the calculated variance is smaller than a threshold value, it is determined that the input operation is the operation including no move, and when the calculated variance is not smaller than the threshold value, it is determined that the input operation is the operation including move.

Claims

1. An input apparatus comprising:

a touch panel on which an input operation is performed by a user;

an obtainment unit configured to obtain, in chronological order, touch positions in a time period from touch-down to touch-up by the input operation on said touch panel;

a calculation unit configured to calculate a statistical variance of the touch positions based on the touch positions obtained by said obtainment unit; and

a determination unit configured to determine whether the input operation is an operation including no move or an operation including move based on the statistical variance calculated by said calculation unit;

wherein when the calculated statistical variance is smaller than a threshold value, said determination unit determines that the input operation is the operation including no move, and when the calculated statistical variance is not smaller than the threshold value, said determination unit determines that the input operation is the operation including move.

2. An input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the touch-up is performed before a predetermined time period elapses after the touch-down, said determination unit determines the input operation based on the calculated statistical variance.

3. An input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when a predetermined time period elapses after the touch-down before the touch-up is performed, said determination unit determines that the input operation is the operation including move without determining the input operation based on the calculated statistical variance.

4. An input apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a unit configured to calculate a threshold value based on a statistical variance of touch positions when touch-down is performed on a trial basis through different input operations by the user, and set the calculated threshold value as the threshold value.

5. An input apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second determination unit configured to, when an input operation is performed on a predetermined region of said touch panel in which predetermined operations are invalid, determine that the input operation is an input operation different from the predetermined operations.

6. An input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when an input operation is performed on a region of said touch panel in which a direction in which an input operation including move is allowed is determined in advance, said calculation unit calculates a statistical variance of touch positions in a direction different from the direction in which an input operation including move is allowed based on the touch positions obtained by said obtainment unit, and

when the statistical variance of the touch positions in the direction different from the direction in which an input operation including move is allowed is not smaller than a threshold value, said determination unit determines that the input operation is invalid.

7. A control method for an input apparatus having a touch panel on which an input operation is performed by a user, comprising:

an obtainment step of obtaining, in chronological order, touch positions in a time period from touch-down to touch-up by the input operation on the touch panel;

a calculation step of calculating a statistical variance of the touch positions based on the touch positions obtained in said obtainment step; and

a determination step of determining whether the input operation is an operation including no move or an operation including move based on the statistical variance calculated in said calculation step;

wherein when the calculated statistical variance is smaller than a threshold value, it is determined that the input operation is the operation including no move, and when the calculated statistical variance is not smaller than the threshold value, it is determined that the input operation is the operation including move.

8. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium storing a program for controlling an input apparatus having a touch panel on which an input operation is performed by a user, comprising:

an obtainment step of obtaining, in chronological order, touch positions in a time period from touch-down to touch-up by the input operation on the touch panel;

a calculation step of calculating a statistical variance of the touch positions based on the touch positions obtained in said obtainment step; and

a determination step of determining whether the input operation is an operation including no move or an operation including move based on the statistical variance calculated in said calculation step;

wherein when the calculated statistical variance is smaller than a threshold value, it is determined that the input operation is the operation including no move, and when the calculated statistical variance is not smaller than the threshold value, it is determined that the input operation is the operation including move.