INPUT DEVICE

• US 20150324022A1
• Filed: 05/17/2013
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tsurumoto, Takashi, Yamasaki, Takayoshi, Sugita, Naoki
• Application Number:
  US14/410,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20150324022A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts

Abstract

There is provided an information input device including an operator on which a user operates a sliding operation in a first direction, a first detection unit disposed at a rear surface of the operator detects a position and a pressure of the sliding operation operated by the user in the first direction, a second detection unit disposed adjacent to the first detection unit parallel to the first direction at the rear surface of the operator detects a position and a pressure of the sliding operation operated by the user in the first direction, a position measurement unit that measures an instructed position in the first direction based on the slide position detected by first detection unit or the second detection unit, and measures an instructed position in a second direction based on a difference of the pressures detected by the first detection unit and the second detection unit respectively.

Claims

1. An information input device comprising:

an operator on which a user operates a sliding operation in a first direction;

a first detection unit that is disposed at a rear surface of the operator and detects a position and a pressure of the sliding operation operated by the user on the operator in the first direction;

a second detection unit that is disposed adjacent to the first detection unit so as to be parallel to the first direction at the rear surface of the operator, and detects a position and a pressure of the sliding operation operated by the user on the operator in the first direction;

a position measurement unit that measures an instructed position in the first direction based on the slide position detected by at least one of the first detection unit or the second detection unit, and measures an instructed position in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction based on a difference of the pressures detected by the first detection unit and the second detection unit respectively.

2. The information input device according to claim 1,

wherein the rear surface of the operator includes a first opposing surface and a second opposing surface that are parallel to the first direction and intersect at a predetermined angle respectively, and

wherein the first detection unit is disposed opposing the first opposing surface and the second detection unit is disposed opposing the second opposing surface, respectively.

3. The information input device according to claim 2,

wherein the operator is formed of an elastic material and propagates the pressure applied to the slide position by the user in the first direction, to the first detection unit and the second detection unit.

4. The information input device according to claim 3,

wherein the first detection unit and the second detection unit respectively includes a plurality of pressure-sensitive elements arranged along the first direction, and

wherein the position measurement unit measures the instructed position in the first direction based on the output of the position in the first direction detected by the pressure-sensitive element, on which the detection level peaks, in the first detection unit or the second detection unit, and calculates an instructed position in a second direction based on the difference between the detection level by the pressure-sensitive elements of the first detection unit and the second detection unit which are located on the same position in the first direction.

5. The information input device according to claim 4,

wherein the first detection unit is formed of a plurality of pressure-sensitive elements arranged on a first substrate disposed opposing the first opposing surface of the operator along the first direction, and wherein the second detection unit is formed of a plurality of pressure-sensitive elements arranged on a second substrate disposed opposing the second opposing surface of the operator along the first direction.

6. The information input device according to claim 5,

wherein each pressure-sensitive element of the first detection unit is formed of a pressure conductive rubber or a pressure conductive carbon print disposed on the first substrate, and contacts with a conductor pattern formed on the corresponding position to the first opposing surface to change a resistance value between both ends thereof according to the applied pressure,

wherein each pressure-sensitive element of the second detection unit is formed of a pressure conductive rubber or a pressure conductive carbon print disposed on the second substrate, and contacts with a conductor pattern formed on the corresponding position to the second opposing surface to change a resistance value between both ends thereof according to the applied pressure, and

wherein the position measurement unit calculates a pressing pressure based on the resistance value of each pressure-sensitive element.

7. The information input device according to claim 6,

wherein the operator includes a protrusion formed on the corresponding position to each of the pressure-sensitive elements on the first substrates of the first opposing surface with the conductor pattern on an upper surface respectively, and includes a protrusion formed on the corresponding position to each of the pressure-sensitive elements on the second substrates of the second opposing surface with the conductor pattern on an upper surface respectively.

8. The information input device according to claim 6,

wherein the operator includes a slit that separates each conductor pattern formed on the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface.

9. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

an information input unit which includes an operator on which a user operates a sliding operation in a first direction, a first detection unit that is disposed at a rear surface of the operator and detects a position and a pressure of the sliding operation operated by the user on the operator in the first direction, a second detection unit that is disposed adjacent to the first detection unit so as to be parallel to the first direction at the rear surface of the operator, and detects a position and a pressure of the sliding operation operated by the user on the operator in the first direction, and a position measurement unit that measures an instructed position in the first direction based on the slide position detected by at least one of the first detection unit or the second detection unit, and measures an instructed position in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction based on a difference of the pressures detected by the first detection unit and the second detection unit respectively;

a display unit; and

a control unit that controls a screen display on the display unit based on the instructed position in the first direction and the instructed position in the second direction obtained by the information input unit.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a mounting unit that mounts a main body of information processing apparatus main body on the user'"'"'s head such that the display unit-displays an image toward the right and left eyes of the user.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the control unit makes a cursor indicating a contacted horizontal position on the input unit be displayed in the displayed image on the display unit, in response to the contact of the hand fingers to the input unit by the user.

12. A remote control system comprising:

a remote control device that includes an operator on which a user operates a sliding operation in a first direction, a first detection unit that is disposed at a rear surface of the operator and detects a position and a pressure of the sliding operation by the user on the operator in the first direction, a second detection unit that is disposed adjacent to the first-detection unit so as to be parallel to the first direction at the rear surface of the operator, and detects a position and a pressure of the sliding operation by the user on the operator in the first direction, a position measurement unit that measures an instructed position in the first direction based on the slide position detected by at least one of the first detection unit or the second detection unit, and measures an instructed position in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction based on a difference of the pressures detected by the first detection unit and the second detection unit respectively, and a transmission unit for transmitting a remote control signal based on the instructed position in the first direction and the instructed position in the second direction-measured by the position measurement unit; and

a display device that includes a display unit, a receiving unit for receiving the remote control signal from the remote control device, and a control unit that controls a screen display on the display unit based on the remote control signal received by the receiving unit.