ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM

• US 20120026110A1
• Filed: 06/02/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: YAMANO, Ikuo
• Granted Patent: US 8,686,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• 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 electronic apparatus includes a casing, a movement detection sensor that detects a movement of the casing, an input unit having an input operation surface, a pressing force detection sensor that detects a pressing force applied to the input unit through the input operation surface, and a control unit. The input unit is provided to the casing and capable of detecting an input operation position within the input operation surface. The control unit judges whether one of the pressing force detected and an amount of a change based on the change in the pressing force exceeds a first threshold value, performs a process of an input determination in a case where the one of the pressing force and the amount of the change in the pressing force exceeds the first threshold value, and changes the first threshold value in accordance with a degree of the movement of the casing detected.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a casing;

a movement detection sensor configured to detect a movement of the casing;

an input unit having an input operation surface, the input unit being provided to the casing and capable of detecting an input operation position within the input operation surface;

a pressing force detection sensor configured to detect a pressing force applied to the input unit through the input operation surface; and

a control unit configured to judge whether one of the pressing force detected and an amount of a change based on the change in the pressing force exceeds a first threshold value, perform a process of an input determination in a case where the one of the pressing force and the amount of the change in the pressing force exceeds the first threshold value, and change the first threshold value in accordance with a degree of the movement of the casing detected.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit judges whether the pressing force that exceeds the first threshold value falls below a second threshold value that is smaller than the first threshold value, and restricts, during a time period from when the pressing force exceeds the first threshold value until the pressing force falls below the second threshold value, the process of the input determination based on a fact that the pressing force exceeds the first threshold value.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the control unit changes the second threshold value in accordance with the degree of the movement of the casing.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the control unit judges whether a predetermined time period elapses from when the pressing force exceeds the first threshold value before the pressing force falls below the second threshold value, and in a case where the predetermined time period elapses, performs the process of the input determination in a predetermined cycle during a time period from when the predetermined time period elapses until the pressing force falls below the second threshold value.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the control unit changes the predetermined time period in accordance with the degree of the movement of the casing.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit judges whether the pressing force turns into an increase from a decrease, in a case where the pressing force turns into the increase, calculates the amount of the change in the pressing force with the pressing force at a time of turning into the increase as a reference, judges whether the calculated amount of the change in the pressing force exceeds the first threshold value, and in a case where the change in the pressing force exceeds the first threshold value, performs the process of the input determination.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit calculates the amount of the change in the pressing force during a predetermined time period, judges whether the calculated amount of the change in the pressing force exceeds the first threshold value, and performs the process of the input determination in a case where the amount of the change in the pressing force exceeds the first threshold value.

8. A processing method, comprising:

detecting a movement of a casing;

detecting a pressing force applied to an input unit through an input operation surface, the input unit having the input operation surface, being provided to the casing, and being capable of detecting an input operation position within the input operation surface;

judging whether one of the pressing force detected and an amount of a change based on the change in the pressing force exceeds a first threshold value;

performing a process of an input determination in a case where the one of the pressing force and the amount of the change in the pressing force exceeds the first threshold value; and

changing the first threshold value in accordance with a degree of the movement of the casing detected.

9. A program that causes an electronic apparatus to execute

detecting a movement of a casing,

detecting a pressing force applied to an input unit through an input operation surface, the input unit having the input operation surface, being provided to the casing, and being capable of detecting an input operation position within the input operation surface,

judging whether one of the pressing force detected and an amount of a change based on the change in the pressing force exceeds a first threshold value,

performing a process of an input determination in a case where the one of the pressing force and the amount of the change in the pressing force exceeds the first threshold value, and

changing the first threshold value in accordance with a degree of the movement of the casing detected.