INPUT DEVICE, INPUT CONTROL METHOD, AND INPUT CONTROL PROGRAM

• US 20150095828A1
• Filed: 04/11/2013
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Iida, Yusuke
• Granted Patent: US 10,642,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting

Abstract

A game device 10 includes: a keyboard display section 112 displaying a plurality of input regions corresponding to a plurality of input objects on a screen of a display device, receiving a first operation input on a rear touch pad, and displaying, in an enlarged state, a predetermined input region among the plurality of input regions; and an input receiving section 111 receiving a second operation input for determining an input object, and inputting the input object corresponding to an input region identified by the second operation input.

Claims

1. An input control program for a computer, comprising:

a function of displaying a plurality of input regions corresponding to a plurality of input objects on a screen of a display device;

a function of receiving a first operation input, and displaying, in an enlarged state, a predetermined input region among the plurality of input regions; and

a function of receiving a second operation input, and inputting an input object corresponding to an input region identified by the second operation input;

the inputting function disabling an input of an input object corresponding to an input region other than the input region displayed in the enlarged state and an adjacent input region on a periphery of the input region displayed in the enlarged state.

2. The input control program according to claim 1,

wherein the displaying function receives an input to a touch pad provided to a rear of a portable terminal as the first operation input, and displays, in the enlarged state, an input region corresponding to an input position on the touch pad.

3. The input control program for the computer according to claim 1, further comprising

a function of changing an arrangement of an input region on a periphery of the input region displayed in the enlarged state such that a distance between the input region on the periphery of the input region displayed in the enlarged state and the input region displayed in the enlarged state is lengthened.

4. The input control program according to claim 3,

wherein the changing function arranges the adjacent input region such that the adjacent input region is shifted in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction.

5. The input control program according to claim 3,

wherein the changing function changes the arrangement of the input region on the periphery of the input region displayed in the enlarged state such that the stronger an input strength of the first operation input or the longer an input time of the first operation input, the longer the distance between the input region on the periphery of the input region displayed in the enlarged state and the input region displayed in the enlarged state.

6. The input control program according to claim 1,

wherein the stronger an input strength of the first operation input or the longer an input time of the first operation input, the more the function of displaying in the enlarged state increases an enlargement ratio of the predetermined input region.

7. The input control program according to claims 1,

wherein the function of displaying in the enlarged state sets the predetermined input region as a home position in advance, and displays the input region set as the home position in the enlarged state when receiving the first operation input.

8. The input control program for the computer according to claim 1, further comprising

a function of receiving a third operation input while the function of displaying in the enlarged state is displaying the predetermined input region in the enlarged state, and changing the input region displayed in the enlarged state.

9. The input control program according to claim 8,

wherein the function of changing the input region displayed in the enlarged state receives a change in attitude of the portable terminal from a sensor provided to the portable terminal as the third operation input, and changing the input region displayed in the enlarged state to an input region adjacent in a direction in which the attitude of the portable terminal is changed.

10. (canceled)

11. An input device comprising:

a display section configured to display a plurality of input regions corresponding to a plurality of input objects on a screen of a display device, receive a first operation input, and display, in an enlarged state, a predetermined input region among the plurality of input regions; and

an input receiving section configured to receive a second operation input, and input an input object corresponding to an input region identified by the second operation input;

the input receiving section disabling an input of an input object corresponding to an input region other than the input region displayed in the enlarged state and an adjacent input region on a periphery of the input region displayed in the enlarged state.

12. An input control method comprising:

a step of a display section displaying a plurality of input regions corresponding to a plurality of input objects on a screen of a display device;

a step of the display section receiving a first operation input, and displaying, in an enlarged state, a predetermined input region among the plurality of input regions; and

a step of an input receiving section receiving a second operation input, and inputting an input object corresponding to an input region identified by the second operation input;

the input receiving section disabling an input of an input object corresponding to an input region other than the input region displayed in the enlarged state and an adjacent input region on a periphery of the input region displayed in the enlarged state.

13. A computer readable recording medium on which an input control program for a computer is recorded, the input control program comprising:

a function of displaying a plurality of input regions corresponding to a plurality of input objects on a screen of a display device;

a function of receiving a first operation input, and displaying, in an enlarged state, a predetermined input region among the plurality of input regions; and

a function of receiving a second operation input, and inputting an input object corresponding to an input region identified by the second operation input;

the inputting function disabling an input of an input object corresponding to an input region other than the input region displayed in the enlarged state and an adjacent input region on a periphery of the input region played in the enlarged state.

14. An input control program for the computer, comprising:

a first function of receiving a drawing input of a figure requested to input a character string, referring to a database storing a character string and information on a figure requested to be drawn to input the character string in association with each other, and searching for a figure coinciding with the received figure; and

a second function of, when the figure coinciding with the received figure is retrieved, reading the character string associated with the figure from the database, and inputting the character string;

the database further storing access information for accessing contents and information on a figure requested to call the access information in association with each other;

the input control program further including

a function of receiving a drawing input of a figure requested to call the access information, referring to the database, and searching for a figure coinciding with the received figure, and

a function of, when the figure coinciding with the received figure is retrieved, reading the access information associated with the figure from the database, and accessing the contents using the access information.

15. The input control program according to claim 14,

wherein the character string includes authentication information for accessing contents that require authentication,

the first function receives the drawing input of the figure requested to input the character string when the contents are accessed, and

the second function reads the character string associated with the received figure from the database, and inputs the character string as the authentication information for accessing the contents.

17. The input control program for the computer according to claim 14, further comprising

a function of presenting a list of character strings stored in the database.

16. (canceled)

18. An input device comprising:

a figure search section configured to receive a drawing input of a figure requested to input a character string, refer to a database storing a character string and information on a figure requested to be drawn to input the character string in association with each other, and search for a figure coinciding with the received figure; and

an input section configured to, when the figure coinciding with the received figure is retrieved, read the character string associated with the figure from the database, and input the character string;

the database further storing access information for accessing contents and information on a figure requested to call the access information in association with each other;

the figure search section receiving a drawing input of a figure requested to call the access information, referring to the database, and searching for a figure coinciding with the received figure;

the input device further including means configured to, when the figure coinciding with the received figure is retrieved, read the access information associated with the figure from the database, and access the contents using the access information.

19. An input control method comprising:

a step of a figure search section receiving a drawing input of a figure requested to input a character string, referring to a database storing a character string and information on a figure requested to be drawn to input the character string in association with each other, and searching for a figure coinciding with the received figure; and

a step of, when the figure coinciding with the received figure is retrieved, an input section reading the character string associated with the figure from the database, and inputting the character string;

the database further storing access information for accessing contents and information on a figure requested to call the access information in association with each other;

the input control method further including

a step of the figure search section receiving a drawing input of a figure requested to call the access information, referring to the database, and searching for a figure coinciding with the received figure, and

a step of, when the figure coinciding with the received figure is retrieved, means configured to access the contents reading the access information associated with the figure from the database, and accessing the contents using the access information.

20. A computer readable recording medium on which an input control program for a computer is recorded, the input control program comprising:

a first function of receiving a drawing input of a figure requested to input a character string, referring to a database storing a character string and information on a figure requested to be drawn to input the character string in association with each other, and searching for a figure coinciding with the received figure; and

a second function of, when the figure coinciding with the received figure is retrieved, reading the character string associated with the figure from the database, and inputting the character string;

the database further storing access information for accessing contents and information on a figure requested to call the access information in association with each other;

the input control program further including

a function of receiving a drawing input of a figure requested to call the access information, referring to the database, and searching for a figure coinciding with the received figure, and

a function of, when the figure coinciding with the received figure is retrieved, reading the access information associated with the figure from the database, and accessing the contents using the access information.