INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD

• US 20130135087A1
• Filed: 01/24/2013
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Anabuki, Mahoro, Nogami, Atsushi, Sonoda, Tetsuri
• Granted Patent: US 8,841,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/407.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/003 using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/36 Repeater circuits H04B3/58 takes precedence

Abstract

Contact detection units (101-1-101-M) are attached to an information transfer device (100) in a predetermined arrangement pattern to detect direct/indirect contact. Stimulus presentation units (104-1-104-N) are attached to the information transfer device (100) in a predetermined arrangement pattern to present a tactile stimulus. A contact pattern recognition unit (102) specifies a contact detection unit that has detected direct/indirect contact. A stimulus pattern generation unit (103) specifies, based on the arrangement distribution of the specified contact detection unit and the type of information to be presented via a tactile stimulus, a stimulus presentation unit to be driven, and drives and controls the specified stimulus presentation unit.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a plurality of sensor units which are attached to the information processing apparatus in a predetermined arrangement pattern to detect direct/indirect contact;

a plurality of presentation units which are attached to the information processing apparatus in a predetermined arrangement pattern to present a tactile stimulus;

a first specifying unit which specifies, out of said plurality of sensor units, a sensor unit that has detected direct/indirect contact;

a second specifying unit which specifies, based on an arrangement distribution of the sensor unit specified by said first specifying unit and a type of information to be presented via a tactile stimulus, a presentation unit to be driven out of said plurality of presentation units; and

a control unit which drives and controls the presentation unit specified by said second specifying unit.

2-25. -25. (canceled)