Display control device

• US 6,121,959 A
• Filed: 05/14/1997
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Oda, Osamu, Konuma, Kenichi, Morota, Etsuko, Kono, Kayo, Fukumoto, Masaharu, Segawa, Hiroyuki, Yoritate, Miwako, Hirano, Tsuyoshi, Shiomi, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Dennis-Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): AWAD, AMR A
• Application Number:
  US08/856,128
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 345/10, 345/123, 345/145, 345/115, 345/173, 345/168, 345/54.1, 348/569, 348/734, 348/564, 348/563, 348/558, 348/554
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

A monitor device capable of setting and adjusting various function items with an operation system having fewer number of keys and fitting an operation sense of a user. The movement of the cursor, and the change of the sound volume display and all kinds of adjustment values in a submenu can be performed with a tablet key which can be pressed and slide-operated with the result that almost all of the setting and adjustment on all kinds of functions of the monitor device can be performed with fewer required than keys of the conventional operation system.

Claims

1. A display control device incorporated into a monitor for controlling adjustment of a value of each set item displayed on the monitor and selection of a set item, said device comprising:

a tablet key having a pressing region for outputting positional information corresponding to a pressed position on said pressing region, said pressed position being a result of one of a sliding operation and a pressing operation by a finger of a user;

detecting means for detecting, based on said positional information, whether the pressed position pressed on said pressing means has moved and, when it is detected that said pressed position has moved, generating movement information indicating an amount of change of said positional information, and for detecting whether the amount of change of said positional information is the result of one of said sliding operation and said pressing operation;

control means for controlling the adjustment of the value of said each set item and the selection of said set item from a menu screen of a plurality of set items, on the basis of said movement information when said detecting means detects that said pressed position has moved, or on the basis of said positional information when said detecting means detects that said pressed position has not moved;

a control key for outputting display on/off switching information for the menu screen of the plurality of set items on the basis of an input operation by a user, wherein

said control means controls switching on/off the menu screen on the basis of said display on/off switching information; and

an enter key for outputting decision information on the basis of an input operation by a user, wherein

said control means controls a decision processing on a current selected set item on the basis of said decision information.

2. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein

said detecting means generates said movement information on the basis of a difference between positional information indicating a position where one of sliding and pressing of said pressing means is started and positional information indicating a current pressed position.

3. The display control device according to claim 2, wherein:

said detecting means, when it is detected that said pressed position does not move, divides the pressing region of said pressing means into plural sub-regions and generates sub-region information indicating on which sub-region the pressed position indicated by said positional information exists; and

said control means controls the adjustment of the value of said each set item and the selection of said set item on the basis of said sub-region information.

4. The display control device according to claim 3, wherein

said detecting means divides said pressing region into a first sub-region, a second sub-region, and a third sub-region which exists between said first sub-region and said second sub-region;

and

said control means controls the adjustment of the value of said each set item and the selection of said set item with said third sub-region as a non-sensitive region.

5. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein said control means changes a transition state of switching an adjustment amount of the value of said each set item and the selection of said set item for said movement information on the basis of the selected set item.

6. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein

said display control device comprises a monitor device having said monitor and a remote control device for controlling said monitor device, and

said pressing means is provided in said remote control device.

7. The display control device according to claim 6, wherein

said detecting means and said control means are provided in said monitor device.

8. A method of controlling adjustment of a value of each set item displayed on a monitor, comprising the steps of:

outputting positional information corresponding to a pressed position on a pressing region of a tablet key located on the monitor, said pressed position being a result of one of a sliding operation and a pressing operation by a finger of a user;

detecting, based on the positional information from said step of outputting, whether the pressed position pressed on said pressing region has moved and, when it is detected that said pressed position has moved, generating movement information indicating an amount of change of said positional information, and detecting whether said amount of change of said positional information is the result of one of said sliding operation and said pressing operation;

controlling the adjustment of the value of said each set item and the selection of said set item from a menu screen of a plurality of set items, on the basis of said movement information when said detecting means detects that said pressed position has moved or on the basis of said positional information when said detecting means detects that said pressed position has not moved;

outputting display on/off switching information for the menu screen of the plurality of set items on the basis of an input operation by a user and controlling switching on/off the menu screen on the basis of said display on/off switching information; and

outputting decision information on the basis of an input operation by a user and controlling a decision processing on a current selected set item on the basis of said decision information.