TOUCH INPUT DEVICE

• US 20150268786A1
• Filed: 06/08/2015
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: KITADA, HIROAKI
• Granted Patent: US 9,746,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A touch input device has a touch sensor, an operation moving amount detection unit, a pressing force detection unit, and a control unit. The touch sensor has an electrostatic sensor, and a piezoelectric sensor, and outputs an operation position detection signal and a pressing sensing signal. The operation moving amount detection unit detects an operation moving amount from the operation position detection signal. The pressing force detection unit detects a pressing force from the pressing sensing signal. The control unit previously sets threshold value Th of the pressing force, and starts the drag operation when the pressing force is threshold value Th or more. Threshold value Th whose initial value is a maximum value is decreased with time.

Claims

1. A touch input device comprising:

a pressing force detection unit configured to detect a pressing force on an operation surface of the touch input device; and

a control unit configured to;

compare a value of the pressing force with a predetermined threshold value,

decrease the predetermined threshold value with time if the value of the pressing force is less than the predetermined threshold value, and

enable an operation to be performed on an object displayed on the touch input device.

2. The touch input device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to set a final value of the threshold value to a non-zero predetermined value, and maintain the threshold value as the non-zero predetermined value after a predetermined time.

3. The touch input device according to claim 1, further comprising a movement detection unit configured to detect movement of an operation position on the operation surface of the touch input device, wherein the control unit is further configured to compare the value of the pressing force with the predetermined threshold value after the movement detection unit detect the movement of the operation position.

4. The touch input device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is further configured to compare the value of the pressing force with the predetermined threshold value only after a delay of a predetermined time from a point in time when the movement detection unit detects the movement of the operation position.

5. The touch input device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is further configured to determine a moving speed from a moving distance of the operation position at a plurality of times, and decrease the predetermined threshold value according to the determined moving speed.

6. The touch input device according to claim 1, wherein the value of the pressing force is proportional to an amplitude level of the pressing force on the operation surface of the touch input device.

7. The touch input device according to claim 6, wherein the pressing force detection unit comprises a piezoelectric sensor that detects an electric charge generated when a finger of a user presses the operation surface and generates a pressing sensing signal corresponding to the amplitude level of the pressing force.

8. The touch input device according to claim 1, wherein the operation to be performed on the object is a drag operation to move the objection to a different positional location on the touch input device.

9. A touch input device comprising:

a pressing force detection unit configured to a pressing force onto an operation surface of the touch input device;

a movement detection unit configured to detect movement of the operation position on the operation surface of the touch input device; and

a control unit configured to;

compare a value of the pressing force with a predetermined threshold value,

determine a moving speed based on the detected movement of the operation position at a plurality of times,

decrease the predetermined threshold value based on the determined moving speed, and

enable an operation to be performed on an object displayed on the touch input device.

10. The touch input device according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured to compare the value of the pressing force with the predetermined threshold value only after a delay of a predetermined time from a point in time at which the movement detection unit detects the movement of the operation position.

11. The touch input device according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is further configured to decrease the predetermined threshold value as the moving speed increases.

12. The touch input device according to claim 9, wherein the value of the pressing force is proportional to an amplitude level of the pressing force on the operation surface of the touch input device.

13. The touch input device according to claim 12, wherein the pressing force detection unit comprises a piezoelectric sensor that detects an electric charge generated when a finger of a user presses the operation surface and generates a pressing sensing signal corresponding to the amplitude level of the pressing force.

14. The touch input device according to claim 9, wherein the operation to be performed on the object is a drag operation to move the objection to a different positional location on the touch input device.

15. The touch input device according to claim 9, wherein the movement detection unit comprises an electrostatic sensor that generates an operation position detection signal at predetermined time intervals when a finger of a user moves position on the touch input device.

16. A method for performing an operation on a touch input device, the method comprising:

detecting, by a pressing force detection unit, a pressing force on an operation surface of the touch input device;

comparing, by a control unit, a value of the pressing force with a predetermined threshold value;

decreasing, by the control unit, the predetermined threshold value with time if the value of the pressing force is less than the predetermined threshold value; and

enabling, by the control unit, an operation to be performed on an object displayed on the touch input device.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

setting, by the control unit, a final value of the threshold value to a non-zero predetermined value; and

maintaining, by the control unit, the threshold value as the non-zero predetermined value after a predetermined time.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

detecting, by a movement detection unit, movement of an operation position on the operation surface of the touch input device; and

comparing, by the control unit, the value of the pressing force with the predetermined threshold value after the movement detection unit detect the movement of the operation position.

19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising comparing, by the control unit, the value of the pressing force with the predetermined threshold value only after a delay of a predetermined time from a point in time when the movement detection unit detects the movement of the operation position.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising performing a drag operation to move the objection to a different positional location on the touch input device.