INPUT DEVICE, INPUT METHOD, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20140292689A1
• Filed: 03/19/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: YAMANO, IKUO, AKATSUKA, YUHEI, SAWAI, KUNIHITO
• Application Number:
  US14/219,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20140292689A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

There is provided an input device including an input face including a plurality of input regions having different touch feelings, a detection unit configured to detect an operation of an operating body in the plurality of input regions, and an assignment unit configured to assign different output values according to operations of the operating body in each of the input regions based on detection results of the detection unit.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

an input face including a plurality of input regions having different touch feelings;

a detection unit configured to detect an operation of an operating body in the plurality of input regions; and

an assignment unit configured to assign different output values according to operations of the operating body in each of the input regions based on detection results of the detection unit.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the different touch feelings are touch feelings in which it is possible to perceive a position on the input face and an orientation without a movement of the operating body made by an operator.

3. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the input face forms the plurality of input regions as angles of surfaces are changed.

4. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the input face includes a flat face positioned at a center and inclined faces formed to be inclined around the flat face.

5. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the input face is a curved face.

6. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the assignment unit assigns an output value corresponding to an operation performed on a display screen of a display device as the output value.

7. The input device according to claim 6, wherein the assignment unit assigns the output value in a manner that an operation performed on the display screen corresponds to an operation in the input regions.

8. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the assignment unit assigns different output values according to operations of the operating body performed between the plurality of input regions.

9. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the assignment unit assigns different output values according to operation positions of the operating body in the input regions.

10. The input device according to claim 1,

wherein the operating body is a finger of an operator, and

wherein the assignment unit assigns different output values according to an operation of a plurality of fingers in the plurality of input regions.

11. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the assignment unit assigns an output value corresponding to at least one of operations including display of a menu on a display screen, scrolling of the display screen, switching of an application to be executed, turning of a page on the display screen, division of the display screen, enlargement and reduction of the display screen, a specific key operation, a change in volume of sound, a shift to a standby mode of the display screen, display of a search menu, and unlocking of the display screen.

12. An input method comprising:

detecting an operation of an operating body in a plurality of input regions on an input face including the plurality of input regions having different touch feelings; and

assigning different output values according to operations of the operating body in each of the input regions based on detection results.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a program recorded thereon, the program causing a computer to execute:

detecting an operation of an operating body in a plurality of input regions on an input face configured to include the plurality of input regions having different touch feelings; and

assigning different output values according to operations of the operating body in each of the input regions based on detection results.