INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD AND PROGRAM

• US 20120326994A1
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyazawa, Yusuke, Okumura, Yasushi, Suzuki, Seiji
• Granted Patent: US 9,323,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/128 Adjusting depth or disparity

Abstract

An information processing apparatus may include a display, a touch acquisition unit, a rotation acquisition unit, and a display control unit. The touch acquisition unit may be configured to receive a proximity signal indicative of a user input to a touch panel of the information processing apparatus. The rotation acquisition unit may be configured to receive a rotation signal indicative of a rotation of the information processing apparatus. The display control unit may be configured to generate a first signal to cause the display to display an image. Additionally, the display control unit may be configured to, when the rotation signal indicates a rotation while the proximity signal indicates a user input, generate a second signal to cause the display to change the image.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a display;

a touch acquisition unit configured to receive a proximity signal indicative of a user input to a touch panel of the information processing apparatus;

a rotation acquisition unit configured to receive a rotation signal indicative of a rotation of the information processing apparatus; and

a display control unit configured to;

generate a first signal to cause the display to display an image; and

when the rotation signal indicates a rotation while the proximity signal indicates a user input, generate a second signal to cause the display to change the image.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display control unit is configured to generate the second signal to cause the display to change the image by offsetting at least a portion of the image with respect to the display.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotation acquisition unit is configured to determine an amount of rotation of the information processing apparatus about an axis parallel to a surface of the display, based on the rotation signal.

4. The information processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the display control unit is configured to generate the second signal only when the determined amount of rotation exceeds a threshold amount of rotation.

5. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotation acquisition unit is configured to determine a direction of rotation of the information processing apparatus about an axis parallel to a surface of the display, based on the rotation signal.

6. The information processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the display control unit is configured to generate the second signal to cause the display to change the image by offsetting at least a portion of the image with respect to the display, a direction of the offset being based on the determined direction of rotation.

7. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display control unit is configured to generate the second signal to:

cause the display to change the image by adding a cursor to the image identifying a position of the user input; and

cause the display to change the image by offsetting at least a portion of the image, including the cursor, with respect to the display.

8. The information processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the display control unit is configured to, when the proximity signal indicates the position of the user input has changed, generate a third signal to cause the display to further change the image by moving the cursor such that the cursor identifies the changed position of the user input.

9. The information processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the display control unit is configured to generate the second signal to cause the display to change the image by adding a line to the image connecting the offset cursor to the position of the user input.

10. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display control unit is configured to, after generating the second signal, when the proximity signal indicates no user input while the rotation signal indicates a rotation, generate a third signal to cause the display to undo the changes to the image caused by the second signal.

11. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch acquisition unit is configured to receive the proximity signal from a capacitive touch sensor.

12. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch acquisition unit is configured to receive the proximity signal from a pressure-sensitive touch sensor.

13. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotation acquisition unit is configured to receive the rotation signal from an acceleration sensor.

14. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotation acquisition unit is configured to receive the rotation signal from a camera.

15. A method of controlling a display of an information processing apparatus, comprising:

generating a first signal to cause the display to display an image;

receiving a proximity signal indicative of a user input to a touch panel of the information processing apparatus;

receiving a rotation signal indicative of a rotation of the information processing apparatus; and

when the rotation signal indicates a rotation while the proximity signal indicates a user input, generating a second signal to cause the display to change the image.

16. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing a program that, when executed by a processor, causes an information processing apparatus to:

generate a first signal to cause the display to display an image;

receive a proximity signal indicative of a user input to a touch panel of the information processing apparatus;

receive a rotation signal indicative of a rotation of the information processing apparatus; and

when the rotation signal indicates a rotation while the proximity signal indicates a user input, generate a second signal to cause the display to change the image.

17. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a storage medium storing a program; and

a processor configured to execute the program to cause the information processing apparatus to;

generate a first signal to cause the display to display an image;

receive a proximity signal indicative of a user input to a touch panel of the information processing apparatus;

receive a rotation signal indicative of a rotation of the information processing apparatus; and

when the rotation signal indicates a rotation while the proximity signal indicates a user input, generate a second signal to cause the display to change the image.

18. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a display;

touch acquisition means for receiving a proximity signal indicative of a user input to a touch panel of the information processing apparatus;

rotation acquisition means for receiving a rotation signal indicative of a rotation of the information processing apparatus; and

display control means for;

generating a first signal to cause the display to display an image; and

when the rotation signal indicates a rotation while the proximity signal indicates a user input, generating a second signal to cause the display to change the image.