USER INPUT APPARATUS, COMPUTER CONNECTED TO USER INPUT APPARATUS, AND CONTROL METHOD FOR COMPUTER CONNECTED TO USER INPUT APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20150347009A1
• Filed: 08/11/2015
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Rekimoto, Junichi
• Granted Patent: US 10,140,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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

Abstract

A user input apparatus is provided with user input means for the user to input data or a command by using the user'"'"'s human body, and use-form detection means for detecting a form in which the user uses the user input means by the user'"'"'s human body. A computer connected to the user input apparatus changes the operation of the application being executed by application execution means, according to a detection result obtained by the use-form detection means. Therefore, input operations can be performed without inconvenience even if the user cannot use one hand due to another work.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a display apparatus configured to display contents of a graphical user interface;

an input apparatus includes a user input area superposed on the display apparatus, the input apparatus including a plurality of first electrodes arranged along a first direction and a plurality of second electrodes arranged along a second direction different than the first direction;

a transmitter connected to the first electrodes and configured to supply a first signal to at least one of the first electrodes; and

a receiver connected to the second electrodes and configured to receive a second signal from at least one of the second electrodes,

wherein each of the first electrodes is arranged to cross the second electrodes, and

wherein a plurality of objects in the user input area of the input apparatus can be independently recognized.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the contents apparatus are from the group consisting of a program in a computer system.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to authenticate a user by pressing a password.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to operate as a keyboard that is configured to allow key inputs.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the display apparatus is an organic LED display.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the input apparatus has a curved surface.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the input apparatus is configured to detect a multi-dimensional value formed of an output obtained at each intersection of the first electrodes and the second electrodes.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the input apparatus is configured to recognize a shape of one of the objects.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the input apparatus is configured to recognize a shape of a palm of a user.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second signal is configured to be altered according to positions of objects.

11. A device comprising:

a display apparatus configured to display contents of a graphical user interface; and

an input apparatus includes a user input area superposed on the display apparatus,

wherein a user can input commands to the device while guided by the contents of the graphical user interface displayed on the display apparatus,

wherein the input apparatus includes a plurality of first electrodes arranged along a first direction and a plurality of second electrodes arranged along a second direction different than the first direction,

wherein each of the first electrodes is arranged to cross the second electrodes,

wherein each of the second electrodes is arranged to cross the first electrodes, and

wherein a plurality of objects in the user input area of the input apparatus can be independently recognized.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein a plurality of fingers in the user input area can be independently recognized.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein a plurality of inputs by a plurality of users in the user input area can be independently recognized.

14. The device according to claim 11, wherein the contents are from the group consisting of a program in a computer system.

15. The device according to claim 11, wherein the device is configured to authenticate a user by pressing a password.

16. The device according to claim 11, wherein the device is configured to operate as a keyboard that is configured to allow key inputs.

17. The device according to claim 11, wherein the display apparatus is an organic LED display.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the input apparatus has a curved surface.

19. The device according to claim 11, wherein the input apparatus is configured to detect a multi-dimensional value formed of an output obtained at each intersection of the first electrodes and the second electrodes.

20. The device according to claim 11, wherein the input apparatus is configured to recognize a shape of one of the objects.

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein the input apparatus is configured to recognize a shape of a palm of a user.

22. The device according to claim 11, wherein the second signal is configured to be altered according to positions of objects.

23. A device comprising:

a display apparatus configured to display contents of a graphical user interface; and

an input apparatus includes a user input area superposed on the display apparatus,

wherein the input apparatus includes a plurality of first electrodes arranged along a first direction and a plurality of second electrodes arranged along a second direction different than the first direction,

wherein each of the first electrodes is arranged to cross the second electrodes,

wherein each of the second electrodes is arranged to cross the first electrodes, and

wherein a plurality of objects in the user input area of the input apparatus can be independently recognized.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein a plurality of fingers in the user input area can be independently recognized.

25. The device according to claim 23, wherein a plurality of inputs by a plurality of users in the user input area can be independently recognized.

26. The device according to claim 23, wherein the contents are from the group consisting of a program in a computer system.

27. The device according to claim 23, wherein the device is configured to authenticate a user by pressing a password.

28. The device according to claim 23, wherein the device is configured to operate as a keyboard that is configured to allow key inputs.

29. The device according to claim 23, wherein the display apparatus is an organic LED display.

30. The device according to claim 29, wherein the input apparatus has a curved surface.

31. The device according to claim 23, wherein the input apparatus is configured to detect a multi-dimensional value formed of an output obtained at each intersection of the first electrodes and the second electrodes.

32. The device according to claim 23, wherein the input apparatus is configured to recognize a shape of one of the objects.

33. The device according to claim 32, wherein the input apparatus is configured to recognize a shape of a palm of a user.

34. The device according to claim 23, wherein the second signal is configured to be altered according to positions of objects.