INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM

• US 20110242029A1
• Filed: 03/29/2011
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: YAMAMOTO, Kazuyuki, KASAHARA, Shunichi
• Granted Patent: US 9,092,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus may include a touch panel configured to detect a position of a user input. The apparatus may also include a force sensor physically separated from the touch panel and configured to detect a magnitude of a force. Additionally, the apparatus may include a controller configured to determine an operation based on the detected position and the detected magnitude.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a touch panel configured to detect a position of a user input;

a force sensor physically separated from the touch panel and configured to detect a magnitude of a force; and

a controller configured to determine an operation based on the detected position and the detected magnitude.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a display that physically separates the force sensor from the touch panel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the force sensor is a first force sensor;

the apparatus includes a second force sensor; and

the display physically separates the second force sensor from the touch panel.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the magnitude of the force is a magnitude of a first force;

the second force sensor is configured to detect a magnitude of a second force; and

the controller is configured to determine the operation based on the detected magnitudes of the first and second forces.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to:

operate the display to display a virtual keyboard; and

determine a key of the keyboard pressed by the user based on the detected magnitudes of the first and second forces.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to determine the operation based on changes in the detected magnitudes of the first and second forces.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein all of the display separates the force sensor from the touch panel.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein only a portion of the display separates the force sensor from the touch panel.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a case having a surface, wherein the force sensor is situated on the surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the force sensor is a first force sensor;

the apparatus includes a second force sensor;

the surface is a first surface; and

the second force sensor is situated on a second surface of the case.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first surface is situated opposite the second surface.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a display, wherein the magnitude of the force is a magnitude of a force upon the display.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller determines the operation based on whether the detected magnitude exceeds a threshold magnitude.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller determines the operation based on an amount of time for which the detected magnitude exceeds a threshold magnitude.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller determines the operation based on whether the detected position is within a certain region of a display of the apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a display, wherein the controller is configured to operate the display to indicate the detected magnitude.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the display indicates the detected magnitude using a color.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the controller operates the display to change the color when the detected magnitude changes.

19. A method of determining an operation to be performed by an apparatus, comprising:

detecting, with a touch panel of the apparatus, a position of a user input;

detecting, with a force sensor of the apparatus that is physically separated from the touch panel, a magnitude of a force; and

determining the operation based on the detected position and the detected magnitude.

20. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing a program that, when executed by a processor, causes an apparatus to perform a method of determining an operation, the method comprising:

detecting, with a touch panel of the apparatus, a position of a user input;

detecting, with a force sensor of the apparatus that is physically separated from the touch panel, a magnitude of a force; and

determining the operation based on the detected position and the detected magnitude.