Data processor, I/O device, touch panel controlling method, recording medium, and program transmitter

• US 7,088,344 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2001
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terrace Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Akai, Takayuki, Ohmori, Yuhko, Maezawa, Yasunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kimnhung
• Application Number:
  US09/968,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20020067347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,772 Days
• Field of Search: 345/159, 345/160, 345173-179, 345/856, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 715863-864, 715/784
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Provides control movement of a display area to an image displayed outside a display screen by means of a touch operation using a touch panel in such a general-purpose environment as a desk-top screen of an operating system. In an example embodiment, a data processing apparatus employs a touch panel unit as an input unit. The data processing apparatus includes an operation event detector for detecting an operation preset, to be distinguished from other normal inputs to the panel touch unit; a cursor movement information generator for generating movement information used to move a cursor positioned at the periphery of a display screen to the outside thereof; a cursor movement controller for moving the position of the cursor on a display image according to the generated movement information; and a virtual screen controller for scrolling an item displayed on the display screen according to a cursor movement.

Claims

1. A data processor that employs a touch panel as an input device for accepting an input made by touching the display of a display area of an image displayed on a display screen, wherein image information for said image is larger in size than said display screen and wherein only a display area of said image is displayed at any one time, and converts said input to a movement of a cursor, comprising:

an operation event detector for detecting touch input, made by touching the image displayed on an image display area of a display screen, as operational input of an operation preset for an operation type as distinguished from other normal inputs to be done on the same display area of said touch panel;

a movement information generator for generating movement information used to move said cursor positioned at the periphery of said display screen to the outside thereof according to the operation type detected by said operation event detector;

a cursor movement controller for moving the position of said cursor on said displayed image according to said movement information generated by said movement information generator; and

a display controller for moving the display area relative to the image according to a movement of said cursor moved by said cursor movement controller.

2. The data processor according to claim 1;

wherein said operation event detector detects said touch input of an operation preset made in an operation area set on the input screen of said touch panel, said operation area matching with said display screen in size.

3. The data processor according to claim 1;

wherein said operation event detector detects said touch input of an operation preset made in said operation area set at the periphery of said input screen of said touch panel, said operation area matching with said display screen in size.

4. The data processor according to claim 1;

wherein said operation event detector detects said touch input of an operation preset made in said operation area set at the periphery of said input screen of said touch panel, wherein said preset comprises a touch being continued in said operation area for a certain time; and

said movement information generator decides a moving direction of said cursor in said movement information generated according to a position touched in said operation area.

5. The data processor according to claim 1;

wherein said operation event detector detects said touch input of an operation preset, wherein said preset comprises said cursor being moved by said touch input in a predetermined manner in said operation area set at the periphery of said input screen of said touch panel; and

said movement information generator decides a moving direction of said cursor in said movement information generated according to a moving direction of said cursor in said operation area.

6. A data processor that employs a touch panel as an input device for accepting an input made by touching an image displayed on a display screen, comprising:

a basic controller for creating an input/output screen for accepting and outputting various input processings via a GUI so as to control the action of a cursor on said input/output screen;

an input controller for converting an input made via said touch panel to movement information of said cursor in said basic controller and for sending the input to the basic controller; and

a display controller for generating a display image larger than said display screen on the basis of said input/output screen, setting a display area in a size corresponding to said display screen on said display image, and displaying said display area on said display screen,

wherein said input controller includes;

an operation event detector for detecting touch input, made by touching the image displayed on an image display area of a display screen, as operational input of an operation preset for an operation type so as to be distinguished from other normal inputs to be done in the same area on said touch panel;

a movement information generator for generating movement information used to move said cursor positioned at the periphery of said display screen to the outside thereof according to the operation type detected by said operation event detector, then sending said generated movement information to said basic controller; and

said display controller moving said display area in a moving direction of said cursor on said display image in case said cursor moves beyond said display area.

7. The data processor according to claim 6;

wherein said operation event detector of said touch input controller detects said touch input of an operation preset made in said operation area set at the periphery of said input screen of said touch panel, said operation area matching with said display screen in size; and

said movement information generator of said input controller decides a moving direction of said cursor in said movement information generated according to a position of said operation made in said operation area.

8. An input/output device, comprising:

a display screen for displaying an image, wherein image information for said image is larger in size than said display screen and wherein only a display area of said image is displayed at any one time;

a touch panel unit for accepting an input made by touching the display area displayed on a display screen; and

a processor for converting an input made via said touch panel unit to movement of a cursor,

wherein said processor generates movement information used to move said cursor positioned at the periphery of said display screen to the outside thereof in case of input, made by touching the image displayed on an image display area of a display screen, as operational input of an operation preset, as distinguished from other touch normal inputs to said same area of the touch panel unit, on said input screen of said touch panel unit; and

said touch panel unit changes the display area of said image on said display screen according to a display instruction on the basis of said movement information generated by said processor.

9. The input/output device according to claim 8;

wherein said touch panel unit has an input screen in the same size as said display screen and an operation area for accepting both preset and other normal input operations at the periphery of said input screen; and

said processor generates said movement information of said cursor according to an operation done in said operation area on said input screen.

10. A touch panel controlling method for accepting an input made by touching an image displayed on a display screen, wherein image information for said image is larger in size than said display screen and wherein only a display area of said image is displayed at any one time, comprising the steps of:

detecting an operation type based on touch input, made by touching the image displayed on an image display area of a display screen, as operational input of an operation preset as distinguished from other normal inputs done on the display area displayed on said touch panel; and

generating movement information used to move said cursor positioned at the periphery of said display screen to the outside thereof according to the operation type of said detected operation; and

moving the display area relative to the image according to movement of said cursor.

11. The touch panel controlling method according to claim 10;

wherein said step of detecting said operation type includes a step of detecting an operation input done in a certain area at the periphery of said display screen.

12. The touch panel controlling method according to claim 10;

wherein said step of detecting said operation type includes a step of detecting said operation type when said operation preset comprises a touch continued for a certain time in said certain area at the periphery of said display screen; and

said step of generating movement information of said cursor includes a step of deciding a moving direction of said cursor in said movement information generated according to a position touched in said certain area.

13. The touch panel controlling method according to claim 10;

wherein said step of detecting said operation type includes a step of detecting said operation type when said operation preset comprises said cursor being moved in said certain area at the periphery of said display screen; and

said step of generating movement information of said cursor includes a step of deciding a moving direction of said cursor in said movement information generated, according to said moving direction of said cursor in said certain area.

14. A recording medium for storing a program to be executed by a computer, said program being enabled to be read by an input device of said computer;

wherein said program enables said computer to execute;

a processing for detecting an operation based on touch input, made by touching the image displayed on an image display area of a display screen, as operational input of an operation preset as distinguished from other normal inputs done on the same area of a touch panel used as an input device;

a processing for generating movement information used to move a cursor positioned at the periphery of said display screen to the outside thereof according to a type of said detected operation; and

a processing for moving a display area relative to an image according to movement of said cursor.

15. A program transmitter, comprising:

a memory device for storing a program that enables a computer to execute a processing for detecting an operation based on touch input, made by touching the image displayed on an image display area of a display screen, as operational input of an operation preset, as distinguished from other normal inputs done to the same area on a touch panel used as an input device, a processing for generating movement information used to move a cursor positioned at a periphery of a display screen to the outside thereof according to a type of said detected operation and a processing for moving a display area relative to an image according to movement of said cursor; and

a transmitter for reading said program from said memory device so as to transmit it.