Coordinate input apparatus, coordinate input method and computer-readable recording medium including a coordinate input control program recorded therein

• US 6,252,563 B1
• Filed: 04/21/1998
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wada, Yoshihiro, Tada, Noburu, Kugimiya, Shuzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kovalick, Vincent E.
• Application Number:
  US09/063,432
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/179, 345/1, 178/18.1, 178/18.3, 178/18.4, 178/18.6, 178/18.7, 178/19.1, 178/19.2, 178/19.3, 382/186
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0382 Plural input, i.e. interface arrangements in which a plurality of input device of the same type are in communication with a PC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to make it possible to input coordinate information continuously among a plurality of input faces in inputting such coordinate information from the plurality of input faces by specifying coordinate positions. When a time measured between an end of a first input on the first input face and a start of a second input on the second input face is within a predetermined time, the first and second inputs are recognized as one continuous input even if the first input is stopped. Furthermore, when the end position of the first input is within a predetermined region, the first and second inputs are recognized as one continuous input even if the first input is stopped. Accordingly, it becomes possible to make a series of inputs by using the plurality of input faces.

Claims

1. A coordinate input apparatus for inputting coordinate information of a plurality of input faces by specifying coordinate positions, comprising:

time measuring means for measuring a time from an end of a first input on a first input face to a start of a second input on a second input face, wherein said first and second input faces are spaced apart and physically separated from one another;

judging means for judging whether or not the time measured by the time measuring means is within a predetermined time;

means for determining whether or not to recognize the first and second inputs as one continuous input based at least in part upon whether the time is judged to be within the predetermined time by the judging means; and

wherein coordinates at a lower right hand corner of the first input face are set as an end of a selected range for a first screen and coordinates at an upper left hand corner of the second input face are set as an origin of a selected range for a second screen.

2. A coordinate input apparatus for inputting coordinate information of a plurality of input faces by specifying coordinate positions, comprising:

judging means for judging whether or not a position where a first input has been ended on a first input face is within a predetermined region;

means for determining whether or not to recognize the first input and a second input following the first input, on a second input face, as one continuous input based at least upon whether the position where the first input has been ended is determined to be within the predetermined region by the judging means, and wherein said first and second input faces are spaced apart and physically separated from one another; and

wherein coordinates at a lower right hand corner of the first input face are set as an end of a selected range for a first screen and coordinates at an upper left hand corner of the second input face are set as an origin of a selected range for a second screen.

3. A coordinate input method for inputting coordinate information of a plurality of input faces by specifying coordinate positions comprises the steps of:

measuring a time from an end of a first input on a first input face to a start of a second input on a second input face, and wherein said first and second input faces are spaced apart and physically separated from one another;

judging whether or not the time measured at the time measuring step is within a predetermined time;

determining whether or not to recognize the first and second inputs as one continuous input based at least upon whether the time is judged to be within the predetermined time at the judging step; and

wherein coordinates at a lower right hand corner of the first input face are set as an end of a selected range for a first screen and coordinates at an upper left hand corner of the second input face are set as an origin of a selected range for a second screen.

4. A coordinate input method for inputting coordinate information of a plurality of input faces by specifying coordinate positions comprises the steps of:

judging whether or not a position where a first input has been ended on a first input face is within a predetermined region; and

determining whether or not to recognize the first input and a second input following the first input, on a second input face, as one continuous input based at least in part upon whether the position where the first input has been ended is determined to be within the predetermined region at the judging step, and wherein said first and second input faces are spaced apart and physically separated from one another, wherein coordinates at a lower right hand corner of the first input face are set as an end of a selected range for a first screen and coordinates at an upper left hand corner of the second input face are set as an origin of a selected range for a second screen.

5. A computer-readable recording medium comprising a coordinate input control program recorded therein for causing a computer in which coordinate information of a plurality of spaced apart input faces can be input by specifying coordinate positions, to execute:

a time measuring procedure of measuring a time from an end of a first input on a first input face to a start of a second input on a second input face that is spaced apart from the first input face;

a judging procedure of judging whether or not the time measured in the time measuring procedure is within a predetermined time;

an input controlling procedure of determining whether or not to recognize the first and second inputs as one continuous input based at least in part upon whether the time is judged to be within the predetermined time in the judging procedure; and

wherein coordinates at a lower right hand corner of the first input face are set as an end of a selected range for a first screen and coordinates at an upper left hand corner of the second input face are set as an origin of a selected range for a second screen.

6. A computer-readable recording medium comprising a coordinate input control program recorded therein for causing a computer in which coordinate information of a plurality of input faces can be inputted by specifying coordinate positions, to execute:

a judging procedure of judging whether or not a position where a first input has been ended on a first input face is within a predetermined region; and

an input controlling procedure of determining whether or not to recognize the first input and a second input following the first input, on a second input face, as one continuous input based at least upon whether the position where the first input has been ended is determined to be within the predetermined region in the judging procedure, and wherein said first and second input faces are spaced apart and physically separated from one another and wherein coordinates at a lower right hand corner of the first input face are set as an end of a selected range for a first screen and coordinates at an upper left hand corner of the second input face are set as an origin of a selected range for a second screen.

7. A coordinate input method for inputting coordinate information of a plurality of input areas by specifying coordinate positions comprises the steps of:

providing first and second distinct coordinate input areas in which coordinates may be input via a pointer, wherein the first input area comprises a first coordinate system and the second input area comprises a second and different coordinate system;

measuring a time from an end of a first input in the first input area to a start of a second input in the second input area;

determining whether or not the time measured at the time measuring step is less than a predetermined value; and

determining whether or not to recognize the first and second inputs as one continuous input based at least upon whether the time is judged to be less than the predetermined value, wherein coordinates at a lower right hand corner of the first input face are set as an end of a selected range for a first screen and coordinates at an upper left hand corner of the second input face are set as an origin of a selected range for a second screen.

8. A coordinate input method for inputting coordinate information of a plurality of input areas by specifying coordinate positions comprises the steps of:

providing first and second distinct coordinate input areas in which coordinates may be input via a pointer, wherein the first input area comprises a first coordinate system and the second input area comprises a second coordinate system different from the first coordinate system;

determining whether or not a first input in the first input area ended within a predetermined region of the first input area; and

determining whether or not to recognize the first input, and a second input in the second input area performed subsequent to the first input, as a continuous input based at least upon whether the first input is determined to have ended in the first input area within the predetermined region, and wherein said first and second input faces are spaced apart and physically separated from one another and wherein coordinates at a lower right hand corner of the first input face are set as an end of a selected range for a first screen and coordinates at an upper left hand corner of the second input face are set as an origin of a selected range for a second screen.

9. A coordinate input apparatus for inputting coordinate information of a plurality of input faces by specifying coordinate positions, comprising:

a processor for determining whether or not a position where a first input has been ended on a first input face is within a predetermined region;

said processor further determining whether or not to recognize the first input and a second input following the first input, on a second input face that is spaced from the first input face, as one continuous input based at least upon whether the position where the first input has been ended is determined to be within the predetermined region; and

wherein coordinates at a lower right hand corner of the first input face are set as an end of a selected range for a first screen and coordinates at an upper left hand corner of the second input face are set as an origin of a selected range for a second screen.