Pointing information processing apparatus with pointing function

• US 5,621,438 A
• Filed: 10/12/1993
• Issued: 04/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Oeda, Shigeto, Nishiyama, Kazuhide, Kamimura, Toshio, Matsuda, Yasumasa, Mese, Michihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHIN, VIVIAN C
• Application Number:
  US08/134,004
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/178, 345/179, 345/180, 345/156, 178/18, 178/19
• US Class Current: 345/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038

Abstract

An integrated information processing apparatus is provided with a display device and a generally transparent input tablet having an input surface placed on a display surface of the display device for outputting a pointing coordinate which is a coordinate on the input surface pointed by a user'"'"'s finger or an indicator. The apparatus includes a circuit for determining an indication direction extended point coordinate from the pointing coordinate output by the input tablet and a predetermined value, and a display processing section for displaying a point on the display surface of the display device corresponding to the determined indication direction extended point coordinate so that it is distinguishably displayed on the display device.

Claims

1. An input/output integrated information processing apparatus including a display device and a substantially transparent input tablet having an input surface placed on a display surface of said display device for outputting a pointing coordinate which is a coordinate on said input surface pointed to by a user utilizing a finger or an indicator, comprising:

indication direction extended point determining means for determining an indication direction extended point coordinate, which is an intersection of an extended projection of the finger or the indicator intended by the user and the display surface of said display device, from the pointing coordinate output by said input tablet and a predetermined value by utilizing information including the set diameter of a tip of the user'"'"'s finger or the indicator, the set tilt angle of the user'"'"'s finger or the indicator in a direction normal to said input surface, and said pointing coordinate; and

display processing means for displaying a point, by utilizing a cursor, on the display surface of said display device, corresponding to the determined indication direction extended point coordinate so as to distinguishably display the determined indication direction extended point coordinate on said display device.

2. An input/output integrated information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display processing means displays said cursor point on the display surface of said display device corresponding to the determined indication direction extended point coordinate.

3. An input/output integrated information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

means for displaying a figure accepting the designation of a requested processing on said display device; and

processing means for performing a processing corresponding to a figure indicated on the display surface by said cursor displayed on said display device.

4. An input/output integrated information processing apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said display processing means displays, on the display surface of said display surface, a cursor which has a form to generally include a point corresponding to the pointing coordinate output by said input tablet and a point corresponding to the determined indication direction extended point coordinate.

5. An input/output integrated information processing apparatus according to either of claims 2 and 3, wherein said display processing means displays, on the display surface of said display device, a cursor of a form having as a central axis a straight line connecting a point on the display surface of said display surface corresponding to the pointing coordinate output by said input tablet and a point on the display surface of said display surface corresponding to the determined indication direction extended point coordinate.

6. An input/output integrated information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said normal direction tilt angle information includes a plurality of tilt angle information set corresponding to respective coordinates on said input surface, and said indication direction extended point detecting means uses, as said normal direction tilt angle information, the normal direction tilt angle information set corresponding to a coordinate on said input surface designated by said pointing coordinate to determine said indication direction extended point coordinate.

7. An input/output integrated information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said indication direction extended point detecting means uses information of the set tilt angle of the user'"'"'s finger or the indicator for a predetermined reference line on said input surface in an input surface direction in addition to information of the set diameter of the user'"'"'s tip of the finger or the indicator, information of the set tilt angle of the user'"'"'s finger or the indicator in a direction normal to said input surface, and said pointing coordinate to determine said indication direction extended point coordinate.

8. An input/output integrated information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said input surface direction tilt angle information includes a plurality of tilt angle information set corresponding to respective coordinates on said input surface, and said indication direction extended point detecting means uses, as said input surface direction tilt angle information, the input surface direction tilt angle information set corresponding to a coordinate on said input surface designated by said pointing coordinate to determine said indication direction extended point coordinate.

9. A pointing device for outputting an input position coordinate, comprising:

an input tablet for outputting a pointing coordinate which is a coordinate on an input surface pointed by a user utilizing a finger or an indicator;

indication direction extended point detecting means for determining an indication direction extended point coordinate, which is an intersection of an extended projection of the finger or the indicator intended by the user and the input surface of the input tablet from the pointing coordinate output by said input tablet and a predetermined set value by utilizing information including the set diameter of a tip of the user'"'"'s finger or the indicator, the set tilt angle of the user'"'"'s finger or the indicator in a direction normal to said input surface, and said pointing coordinate; and

means for outputting the determined indication direction extended point coordinate as an input position coordinate.

10. An input/output integrated information processing apparatus comprising the pointing device according to claim 9 and a processor for performing a processing which corresponds to the input position coordinate output by said pointing device.

11. A pointing device according to claim 9, further comprising means for correcting said pointing coordinate or said input position coordinate in accordance with the value thereof.

12. A method of accepting an indication of a position in an integrated information processing apparatus including a display device and a substantially transparent input tablet having an input surface placed on a display surface of said display device for outputting a pointing coordinate which is a coordinate on said input surface pointed to by a user utilizing a finger or an indicator, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving the pointing coordinate output by said input tablet utilizing a cursor;

estimating, from the received pointing coordinate, a position on said input surface of said display surface which is an intersection of an extended projection of the finger or the indicator intended by the user and the display surface of said display device of a direction indicated by the user'"'"'s finger or the indicator; and

performing a processing which corresponds to the estimated position by utilizing information including the set diameter of a tip of the user'"'"'s finger or the indicator, the set tilt angle of the user'"'"'s finger or the indicator in a direction normal to said input surface, and said pointing coordinate.

13. An information processing apparatus provided with a display/input device having a display/input surface for display and input, in which an indicating position on said display/input surface by indicating means such as a pen or a finger is detected and the detected position is inputted by said display/input device, comprising:

tilt angle acquiring means for acquiring information concerning a tilt angle which a direction indicated by said indicating means forms relative to the display/input surface of said display/input device;

thickness information setting means for setting information of the thickness of said indicating means;

said thickness information including a set diameter of said indicating means and

position determining means for determining a position of the point of intersection of the direction indicated by said indicating means and said display/input device on the basis of a position of said indicating means detected by said display/input device, said information of the thickness of said indicating means and said tilt angle,

wherein said display/input device inputs the determined intersection point position in lieu of said detected position as a position indicated by said indicating means.

14. An information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said tilt acquiring means includes a correspondence table which defines said tilt angle for each predetermined position region on said display/input surface by said indicating means and uses said correspondence table to determine said tilt angle for an individual position detected by said indicating means.

15. An information processing apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising display control means for displaying said point of intersection in an emphasized form on said display/input device.

16. An information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said display control means displays said point of intersection in the emphasized form on said display/input device by displaying a cursor which represents said point of intersection.

17. An information processing apparatus according to claim 13, 14, 15 or 16, further comprising:

first recognizing means for recognizing, information displayed at a position on said display/input device inputted as the position indicated by said indicating means in said display/input device, as being information inputted by said indicating means;

second recognizing means for recognizing, information provided by the trace of a position on said display/input device inputted as the position indicated by said indicating means in said display/input device, as being information inputted by said indicating means; and

change-over control means for using said first recognizing means and said second recognizing means in a changed-over manner.

18. An information processing apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

recognizing means for recognizing, information displayed at a position on said display/input device inputted as the position indicated by said indicating means in said display/input device, as being information inputted by said indicating means; and

attribute information displaying means for providing attribute information to said cursor by changing at least one of the form, size and color of said cursor in accordance with information recognized by said recognizing means.

19. An information processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said attribute information displaying means displays said cursor so that the form of said cursor is changed to an inverted triangle and the position indicated by said indicating means is represented by a vertex of said inverted triangle and displays words representative of information recognized by said recognizing means in the vicinity of said cursor.

20. An information processing apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:

address book display control means for displaying on said display/input device an address book which includes at least the full names of plural persons or the company names of plural companies and identifiers given to said full names or said company names,

wherein, in the case where the information recognized by said recognizing means is an identifier of said address book, said attribute information displaying means displays the family name of a full name or a company name corresponding to said identifier as said attribute information in the vicinity of said cursor.

21. An information processing apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising:

function identifier displaying means for displaying a function identifier together with said address book on said display/input device, said function identifier being provided for setting the transmission of a telephone call, the transmission of an electronic mail or the transmission of a facsimile to a person or a company described in said address book as a receiver of transmission; and

communication control means for performing, when an identifier of said address book is indicated and inputted by said indicating means and said function identifier is indicated and inputted, the transmission of a telephone call, the transmission of an electronic mail or the transmission of a facsimile to a person or a company corresponding to the identifier of said address book and in accordance with the indicated function identifier.

22. An information processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said function identifier has a concave recess structure or a convex projection structure at the surface of said input area.

23. An information processing apparatus according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the information processing apparatus is of a portable type and has a weight and a form with which it can be held by a single hand, and the information processing apparatus includes at least a part of an input area in a region on the information processing apparatus where the operation by a finger of the hand to hold the information processing apparatus is possible.

24. An information processing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the information processing apparatus is provided with a concave cut-out structure at a portion thereof which contacts the thumb of the hand to hold the information processing apparatus.

25. A display information indicating method in an information processing apparatus provided with a display/input device having a display/input surface for display and input, in which an indicating position on said display/input surface by indicating means such as a pen or a finger is detected and the detected position is inputted by said display/input device, comprising:

acquiring information concerning a tilt angle which a direction indicated by said indicating means forms relative to the display/input surface of said display/input device;

setting information of the thickness of said indicating means;

said thickness information including a set diameter of said indicating means and

determining a position of the point of intersection of the direction indicated by said indicating means and said display/input device on the basis of a position of said indicating means detected by said display/input device, said information of the thickness of said indicating means and said tilt angle,

wherein said display/input device inputs the determined intersection point position in lieu of said detected position as a position indicated by said indicating means.

26. An input/output integrated information processing apparatus including a display device and a substantially transparent input tablet having an input surface placed on a display surface of said display device for outputting a pointing coordinate which is a coordinate on said input surface pointed to by a user utilizing a finger or an indicator, comprising:

indication direction extended point determining means for determining an indication direction extended point coordinate, which is an intersection of an extended projection of the finger or the indicator intended by the user and the display surface of said input tablet, from the pointing coordinate output by said input tablet and a predetermined value by utilizing information including the set diameter of a tip of the user'"'"'s finger or the indicator, the set tilt angle of the user'"'"'s finger or the indicator in a direction normal to said input surface and said pointing coordinate; and

display processing means for displaying a point, by utilizing a cursor, on the display surface of said display device, corresponding to the determined indication direction extended point coordinate so as to distinguishably display the determined indication direction extended point coordinate on said display device.