ELECTRONIC DEVICE, METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20150160851A1
• Filed: 07/23/2014
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Michihata, Saori, Takano, Toshiya
• Application Number:
  US14/339,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20150160851A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0442 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an electronic device is provided with a first detection module, a second detection module and a rendering module. The first detection module detects the region of a detection surface that contacts an indicator. The second module detects, using a method different from a method of the first detection module, a pressure corresponding to a load that occurs when the indicator contacts the detection surface. The rendering module renders the shape of the region, detected by the first detection module, on the screen of a display with a concentration corresponding to the pressure detected by the second detection module.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first detector configured to detect a region of a detection surface that contacts an indicator;

a second detector configured to detect, using a method different from a method of the first detector, a pressure corresponding to a load that occurs when the indicator contacts the detection surface; and

a rendering controller configured to render a shape of the region, detected by the first detector, on a screen of a display with a concentration corresponding to the pressure detected by the second detector.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the indicator comprises a variable capacitor and a resonance circuit, the variable capacitor having a capacitance varied in accordance with a pressure applied to a tip of the indicator, the resonance circuit having a resonance frequency varied in accordance with a capacitance of the variable capacitor;

the second detector is configured to detect a magnetic field generated by the resonance circuit to detect a pressure corresponding to the load that occurs when the indicator contacts the detection surface.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein

the second detector is configured to further detect coordinates of a position on the detection surface indicated by the indicator;

and

the rendering controller is configured to adjust a position, in which the shape of the region detected by the first detector is rendered, in accordance with the coordinates detected by the second detector.

4. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the second detection module is configured to further detect coordinates of a position on the detection surface indicated by the indicator,

the electronic device further comprises a selector configured to select at least one region from regions based on the coordinates detected by the second detector, when the first detector has simultaneously detected the regions, and

the rendering controller is configured to render, on the screen, the at least one region selected by the selector.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the selector is configured to select a region including the coordinates, when a position indicated by the coordinates is included in one of the regions.

6. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the second detector is configured to detect the pressure by converting a load that occurs when the indicator contacts the detection surface, based on a pressure characteristic indicating a relationship between the load and the pressure, and

the electronic device further comprising a determination controller configured to determine the pressure characteristic used for detection of the pressure.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the determination controller is configured to determine the pressure characteristic based on an area of the region detected by the first detector.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the determination controller is configured to determine the pressure characteristic used by the second detector for detection of the pressure, based on at least one of areas of the regions sequentially detected by the first detector in a first stroke made from when the indicator is brought into contact with the detection surface, until the indicator is detached from the detection surface, the determination controller determining the pressure characteristic in a second stroke made subsequent to the first stroke from when the indicator contacts the detection surface until the indicator is detached from the detection surface.

9. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the first detector is of an electrostatic capacitance method.

10. A method comprising:

detecting a region of a detection surface that contacts an indicator;

detecting, using a method different from a method of the first detection module, a pressure corresponding to a load that occurs when the indicator contacts the detection surface; and

rendering a shape of the detected region on a screen of a display with a concentration corresponding to the detected pressure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein

the indicator comprises a variable capacitor and a resonance circuit, the variable capacitor having a capacitance varied in accordance with a pressure applied to a tip of the indicator, the resonance circuit having a resonance frequency varied in accordance with a capacitance of the variable capacitor, and

the detecting the pressure includes detecting a magnetic field generated by the resonance circuit to detect a pressure corresponding to a load that occurs when the indicator contacts the detection surface.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting coordinates of a position on the detection surface indicated by the indicator,

wherein the rendering includes adjusting a position, in which the shape of the detected region is rendered, in accordance with the detected coordinates.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting the coordinates of a position on the detection surface indicated by the indicator; and

selecting at least one region from regions based on the detected coordinates, when the regions are detected,

wherein the rendering includes rendering the selected at least one region on the screen.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein when a position indicated by the coordinates is included in one of the regions, the selecting includes selecting the one region including the coordinates.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the detecting the pressure includes detecting the pressure by converting a load that occurs when the indicator contacts the detection surface, based on a pressure characteristic indicating a relationship between the load and the pressure, and

the method further comprising determining the pressure characteristic used for detection of the pressure, based on an area of the detected region.

16. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program which is executable by a computer, the computer program controls the computer to execute function of:

detecting a region of a detection surface that contacts an indicator;

detecting, using a method different from a method of the first detection module, a pressure corresponding to a load that occurs when the indicator contacts the detection surface; and

rendering a shape of the detected region on a screen of a display with a concentration corresponding to the detected pressure.

17. The storage medium of claim 16, wherein

the indicator comprises a variable capacitor and a resonance circuit, the variable capacitor having a capacitance varied in accordance with a pressure applied to a tip of the indicator, the resonance circuit having a resonance frequency varied in accordance with a capacitance of the variable capacitor, and

the detecting the pressure includes detecting a magnetic field generated by the resonance circuit to detect a pressure corresponding to a load that occurs when the indicator contacts the detection surface.

18. The storage medium of claim 17, wherein the computer program controls the computer to execute further function of detecting coordinates of a position on the detection surface indicated by the indicator, and

the rendering includes adjusting a position, in which the shape of the detected region is rendered, in accordance with the detected coordinates.

19. The storage medium of claim 17, wherein the computer program controls the computer to execute further function of:

detecting the coordinates of a position on the detection surface indicated by the indicator; and

selecting at least one region from regions based on the detected coordinates, when the regions are detected,

wherein the rendering includes rendering the selected at least one region on the screen.

20. The storage medium of claim 17, wherein

the detecting the pressure includes detecting the pressure by converting a load that occurs when the indicator contacts the detection surface, based on a pressure characteristic indicating a relationship between the load and the pressure;

and

the computer program controls the computer to execute further function of determining the pressure characteristic used for detection of the pressure, based on an area of the detected region.