Coordinate input system and method of controlling same

• US 6,037,929 A
• Filed: 08/19/1997
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ogura, Tsuyoshi, Itoh, Akihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Application Number:
  US08/914,430
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/168, 345/173, 345/157, 178/18.01, 178/18.03
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0338 Fingerprint track pad, i.e. fingerprint sensor used as pointing device tracking the fingertip image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Disclosed are a coordinate input system and a method of controlling the coordinate input system, which can protect work of a user under progress against troubles even when the user touch an operating surface of a pad by mistake during key input operation on a keyboard. When the user operates a coordinate detecting device (PD) such as a pad, the operating action is sent to a coordinate outputting device (PC) such as a personal computer and analyzed by a data analyzer (12). If the user enters key inputs through a keyboard (19), a controller (15) instructs a mode converter (13) not to inform the operating action detected and sent from the data analyzer (12). After that, the controller (15) clears a timer built in a measuring unit (14) each time an key input is entered. Subsequently, if the key input operation is stopped, the measuring unit (14) actually starts counting of the timer. If the timer value exceeds a certain threshold, this is informed to the controller (15). In response to this notice, the controller (15) instructs the mode converter (13) to resume notice of the operating action detected and sent from the data analyzer (12).

Claims

1. A keyboard device comprising:

a keyboard,

key operation detecting means for detecting key operations produced on said keyboard,

a coordinate input device arranged near said keyboard and having an operating surface operated by a coordinate indicator,

operating state detecting means for detecting an operating state of one of a tap and a slide on said operating surface,

screen operating means operative to perform a screen operation in response to information attained from said key operation detecting means and information attained from said operating state detecting means, and

control means for inhibiting said screen operation in response to said screen operation operating on said operating screen while said key operation is being detected,

wherein said control means includes a processing means operative to initiate inhibiting of processing of said screen operation in response to said key operation being detected by said key operation detecting means and operative to end said inhibiting of said processing after a predetermined time has after said key operation is no longer detected.

2. The coordinate input system of claim 1, wherein said predetermined period of time is variable by setting from the outside.

3. A keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein said coordinate input device is an electrostatic capacitive-type coordinate input device.

4. A keyboard device according to claim 1, wherein said coordinate input device is a pressure-sensitive type coordinate input device.

5. A method of controlling a keyboard device comprising at least:

a keyboard,

key operation detecting means for detecting key operations produced on said keyboard,

a coordinate input device arranged near said keyboard and having an operating surface operated by a coordinate indicator,

operating state detecting means for detecting an operating state of one of a tap and a slide on said operating surface,

screen operating means for performing a screen operation in response to information attained from said key operation detecting means and information attained from said operating state detecting means, and

control means operational to inhibit said screen operation in response to said screen operation operating on said operating screen while said key operation is being detected, said method comprising;

inhibiting processing of said screen operation when said key operation is detected,

resuming said screen operation corresponding to said operating state on said operating surface after determining that an elapsed time after said key operation is no longer detected is greater than a predetermined time.