ELECTRONIC DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, PROGRAM, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE SYSTEM

• US 20120281018A1
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Kazuyuki, Komori, Akihiro, Mizunuma, Hiroyuki, Yamano, Ikuo, Sato, Nariaki
• Application Number:
  US13/416,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20120281018A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/634
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0383 Remote input, i.e. interface arrangements in which the signals generated by a pointing device are transmitted to a PC at a remote location, e.g. to a PC in a LAN
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

There is provided an portable electronic device including a touch sensor which acquires operation information input by an operation subject based on an operation performed by an operator on an operation surface, a control section which generates a picture image on which the operation subject is reflected, based on the operation information, and an image generation section which generates an image in which the picture image is superimposed on an original image. According to such a configuration, a user can perform an input with a natural operation while visually recognizing the picture image.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

an operation information acquisition section which acquires operation information input by an operation subject based on an operation performed by an operator on an operation surface;

an image processing section which generates a picture image on which a picture of the operation subject is reflected, based on the operation information; and

an image generation section which generates an image in which the picture image is superimposed on an original image.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display section which is provided at a different part from the operation surface, and displays the image in which the picture image is superimposed on the original image.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the operation information is information received from another device which is provided separately from the electronic device and has the operation surface.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the image processing section generates information of a position of a representative point of the operation subject based on the operation information, and

wherein the image generation section generates an image in which an image at the position of the representative point of the operation subject is superimposed, together with the picture image, on the original image.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the image processing section generates the picture image as an image obtained by making the original image semitransparent or by trimming the original image.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein, in a case where a signal strength of the operation information detected by the operation information acquisition section is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, the image processing section does not generate information of the picture image.

7. The electronic device according to claim 4,

wherein, in a case where a signal strength of the operation information acquired by the operation information acquisition section is equal to or less than a first threshold, the image processing section does not generate information of the picture image, and in a case where a signal strength of the operation information detected by the operation information acquisition section is equal to or less than a second threshold, which is larger than the first threshold, the image processing section does not generate the information of the position of the representative point.

8. The electronic device according to claim 4,

wherein the image processing section performs first low-pass filter processing having a strength to information of the picture image, and also performs second low-pass filter processing to information of an image of the representative point, the strength of the first low-pass filter processing being higher than a strength of the second low-pass filter processing.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein, in a case where a signal strength of the operation information acquired by the operation information acquisition section becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value, the image processing section estimates and generates the picture image based on a signal strength of the operation information acquired in the past.

10. The electronic device according to claim 7,

wherein, in a case where the signal strength of the operation information detected by the operation information acquisition section is equal to or less than a second threshold, which is larger than the first threshold, an input performed by the operation subject is not accepted.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the image processing section generates a graphic that is set in advance as information of the picture image, based on the operation information.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the image processing section generates the picture image corresponding to a distance between the operation surface and the operation subject, based on the operation information.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12,

wherein the image processing section generates the picture image having a size corresponding to a signal strength of the operation information.

14. The electronic device according to claim 12,

wherein the image processing section generates the picture image having a density corresponding to a signal strength of the operation information.

15. The electronic device according to claim 13,

wherein, in a case where the size of the picture image is equal to or less than a predetermined value, an input performed by the operation subject is not accepted.

16. An information processing method comprising:

acquiring operation information input by an operation subject based on an operation performed by an operator on an operation surface;

generating a picture image on which a picture of the operation subject is reflected, based on the operation information; and

generating an image in which the picture image is superimposed on an original image.

17. A program for causing a computer to function as:

means for acquiring operation information input by an operation subject based on an operation performed by an operator on an operation surface;

means for generating a picture image on which a picture of the operation subject is reflected, based on the operation information; and

means for generating an image in which the picture image is superimposed on an original image.

18. An electronic device system comprising:

a controller including

an operation information acquisition section which acquires operation information input by an operation subject based on an operation performed by an operator on an operation surface, and

a transmission section which transmits the operation information; and

an electronic device including

a reception section which receives the operation information,

an image processing section which generates a picture image on which a picture of the operation subject is reflected, based on the operation information, and

an image generation section which generates an image in which the picture image is superimposed on an original image.

19. An electronic device system comprising:

a controller including

an operation information acquisition section which acquires operation information input by an operation subject based on an operation performed by an operator on an operation surface,

an image processing section which generates a picture image on which a picture of the operation subject is reflected, based on the operation information, and

a transmission section which transmits information of the picture image; and

an electronic device including

a reception section which receives the information of the picture image, and

an image generation section which generates an image in which the picture image is superimposed on an original image.