Storage medium storing input position processing program, and input position processing device

• US 7,750,893 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2005
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Hideyuki, Kitayama, Shigetoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Said; Mansour M
• Application Number:
  US11/290,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20060227106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 345/87, 345156-179, 345901-905, 178 1801- 1905
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An input position processing program detects a series of pieces of position data based on input positions outputted from a pointing device, and defines a reference position. When the last piece of position data indicates a point within a defined area other than a reference area, an operation is to be performed determined based on a direction that extends from the reference position to the defined area indicated by the last piece of position data. When an intermediate piece of position data indicates a point within a defined area other than the reference area and the last piece of position data indicates a point within the reference area, the operation to be performed is determined based on the combination of directions representing a reciprocal movement between the reference position and the defined area indicated by the intermediate piece of position data.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium storing an input position processing program executed by a computer of a device that is operated based on an input position outputted from a pointing device according to a user operation, wherein:

the computer is instructed to perform;

detecting a series of pieces of position data in a predetermined coordinate system based on input positions outputted from the pointing device;

defining a reference position based on a first piece of position data among the detected series of pieces of position data and storing the reference position in a memory;

defining a plurality of areas based on the reference position with one of the defined areas being a reference area in which the reference position is located; and

determining an operation to be performed based on a last piece of position data among the detected series of pieces of position data and the reference position; and

said determining an operation includes;

determining a first operation including, when the last piece of position data indicates a point within a defined area other than the reference area, determining the operation to be performed based on a direction that extends from the reference position to the defined area indicated by the last piece of position data; and

determining a second operation including, when an intermediate piece of position data among the detected series of pieces of position data indicates a point within a defined area other than the reference area and the last piece of position data indicates a point within the reference area, determining the operation to be performed based on a combination of directions, including a direction that extends from the reference position to the defined area indicated by the intermediate piece of position data, and a direction that extends from the defined area indicated by the intermediate piece of position data to the reference position.

2. The computer-readable storage medium storing an input position processing program according to claim 1, wherein:

said determining an operation further includes;

setting a flag including, when a position indicated by the last piece of position data moves from the reference area into another defined area, setting a flag corresponding to the other defined area and storing the flag settings in the memory;

updating a first flag including, when a position indicated by the last piece of position data moves from the defined area for which the flag has been set into yet another defined area other than the reference area after the flag is set in the flag setting, updating the flag settings so that a flag corresponding to the defined area indicated by the last piece of position data is set and storing the flag settings in the memory; and

updating a second flag including, when a position indicated by the last piece of position data further moves from the defined area for which the flag has been set into the reference area after the flag is set in the flag setting or the first flag updating, updating the flag settings so that a flag corresponding to a reciprocal movement between the reference area and the defined area for which the flag has been set is set and storing the flag settings in the memory;

said determining the first operation performed by the computer determines the operation to be performed based on the flag settings from the flag setting or the first flag updating; and

said determining the second operation performed by the computer determines the operation to be performed based on the flag settings from the second flag updating.

3. The computer-readable storage medium storing an input position processing program according to claim 1, wherein the computer is instructed to further perform a display control of displaying, on a display device, an indicator indicating the direction from the reference position to the defined area indicated by the last piece of position data based on which operation to be performed is determined in said determining the first operation , and an indicator indicating the combination of directions based on which operation to be performed is determined in said determining the second operation.

4. The computer-readable storage medium storing an input position processing program according to claim 1, wherein the computer is instructed to further perform a display control of displaying, on a display device, an image indicating the reference area defined in said defining the areas.

5. The computer-readable storage medium storing an input position processing program according to claim 1, wherein:

the computer is instructed to further perform a display control of displaying, on a display device, an image based on the coordinate system; and

said defining the area performed by the computer defines the plurality of areas by dividing an area of the image centered about the reference area into a plurality of pieces.

6. A computer-readable storage medium storing an input position processing program executed by a computer of a device that is operated based on an input position outputted from a pointing device according to a user operation, wherein:

the computer is instructed to perform;

detecting a series of pieces of position data in a predetermined coordinate system based on input positions outputted from the pointing device;

defining a reference position based on a first piece of position data among the detected series of pieces of position data and storing the reference position in a memory;

determining a first operation including determining an operation to be performed based on a direction that extends from the reference position to a position indicated by a last piece of position data among the detected series of pieces of position data ;

determining a second operation including determining the operation to be performed based on a combination of directions, including a direction that extends from the reference position to a position indicated by an intermediate piece of position data among the detected series of pieces of position data, and a direction that extends from the position indicated by the intermediate piece of position data to the reference position; and

controlling a display including displaying, on a display device, an image based on the coordinate system, and displaying, on the image near a position indicated by the last piece of position data, an indicator indicating the direction based on which operation to be performed is determined in said determining the first operation and an indicator indicating the combination of directions based on which operation to be performed is determined in said determining the second operation.

7. A computer-readable storage medium storing an input position processing program executed by a computer capable of performing a display operation of displaying images separately on a first display section and a second display section, together forming a display device, based on an input position outputted from a pointing device according to a user operation, wherein:

the computer is instructed to perform;

detecting a series of pieces of position data in a display coordinate system of an image displayed on the first display section based on input positions outputted from the pointing device, and storing the position data in a memory, wherein

said series of pieces of position data result from a sliding operation of the pointing device;

defining, as a reference position, a first piece of position data among the series of pieces of stored position data , and storing the reference position in the memory;

processing to obtain a display image based on at least one piece of position data among the series of pieces of position data; and

controlling a display including, when an operation direction indicated by the series of pieces of position data in the display coordinate system with respect to the reference position indicates a reference direction that extends from a position of the first display section toward a position of the second display section, displaying the display image obtained in the processing on the second display section.

8. The computer-readable storage medium storing an input position processing program according to claim 7, wherein:

the computer performs, based on the input position, a display process of a web browser for downloading a file via a communications section capable of communicating with a network and displaying the file on the display device;

when the reference position is located within an active area of the web browser, the processing performed by the computer obtains a response image corresponding to the active area; and

when the operation direction indicates the reference direction, said controlling the display performed by the computer includes displaying the response image on the second display section.

9. The computer-readable storage medium storing an input position processing program according to claim 8, wherein:

when the reference position is located within a background area of the web browser, the processing performed by the computer obtains at least a portion of an image displayed on the first display section; and

when the operation direction indicates the reference direction, said controlling the display performed by the computer displays the at least a portion of an image displayed on the first display section on the second display section.

10. The computer-readable storage medium storing an input position processing program according to claim 8, wherein:

the reference direction is an upward direction or a downward direction in which the second display section of the display device is provided with respect to the first display section of the display device;

when the reference position is located within a background area of the web browser and the operation direction indicates a leftward direction or a rightward direction, the processing performed by the computer obtains a previous image that was obtained previously in the processing ; and

when the operation direction indicates a leftward direction or a rightward direction, said controlling the display performed by the computer includes displaying the previous image on the first display section.

11. The computer-readable storage medium storing an input position processing program according to claim 7, wherein:

when a trace represented by the series of pieces of position data substantially encircles a predetermined area of an image displayed on the first display section, the processing performed by the computer obtains an enlarged image by enlarging a portion of the image within the predetermined area; and

said controlling the display performed by the computer includes displaying the enlarged image on the second display section.

12. The computer-readable storage medium storing an input position processing program according to claim 7, wherein:

the reference direction is an upward direction or a downward direction in which the second display section of the display device is provided with respect to the first display section of the display device;

when the operation direction indicates a leftward direction or a rightward direction, the processing performed by the computer obtains an image of a different page from a current page being displayed on the first display section; and

when the operation direction indicates a leftward direction or a rightward direction, said controlling the display performed by the computer includes displaying the image of the different page on the first display section.

13. The computer-readable storage medium storing an input position processing program according to claim 7, wherein the position data in the display coordinate system based on input positions outputted from the pointing device can be defined only on one of an image displayed on the first display section and an image displayed on the second display section.

14. A computer-readable storage medium storing an input position processing program executed by a computer capable of performing a display operation of displaying images separately on a first display section and a second display section, together forming a display device, based on an input position outputted from a pointing device according to a user operation, wherein the computer is instructed to perform:

detecting a series of pieces of position data in a display coordinate system of an image displayed on the first display section based on input positions outputted from the pointing device, and storing the position data in a memory, wherein

said series of pieces of position data result from a sliding operation of the pointing device;

defining, as a reference position, a first piece of position data among the series of pieces of stored position data , and storing the reference position in the memory;

obtaining a display image based on at least one piece of position data among the series of pieces of position data; and

controlling a display including, when an operation direction indicated by the series of pieces of position data in the display coordinate system with respect to the reference position indicates a reciprocal movement along a direction in which the first display section and the second display section are arranged with respect to each other, displaying the display image obtained in the processing on the second display section while at least a portion of an image displayed on the second display section is displayed on the first display section.

15. A video game device comprising:

a touch panel that detects input positions outputted from a pointing device;

a computer-readable storage medium that stores a processing program; and

a processor that executes the processing program, based on an input position outputted from the pointing device according to a user operation, in order to perform;

detecting a series of pieces of position data in a predetermined coordinate system based on input positions detected by the touch panel and outputted from the pointing device;

defining a reference position based on a first piece of position data among the detected series of pieces of position data and storing the reference position in a computer-readable memory;

defining a plurality of areas based on the reference position with one of the defined areas being a reference area in which the reference position is located; and

determining an operation to be performed based on a last piece of position data among the detected series of pieces of position data and the reference position, said determining an operation including;

determining a first operation including, when the last piece of position data indicates a point within a defined area other than the reference area, determining the operation to be performed based on a direction that extends from the reference position to the defined area indicated by the last piece of position data; and

determining a second operation including, when an intermediate piece of position data among the detected series of pieces of position data indicates a point within a defined area other than the reference area and the last piece of position data indicates a point within the reference area, determining the operation to be performed based on a combination of directions, including a direction that extends from the reference position to the defined area indicated by the intermediate piece of position data, and a direction that extends from the defined area indicated by the intermediate piece of position data to the reference position.

16. The video game device according to claim 15, wherein:

said determining an operation further includes;

when a position indicated by the last piece of position data moves from the reference area into another defined area, setting a flag corresponding to the other defined area and storing the flag settings in the memory;

updating a first flag including, when a position indicated by the last piece of position data moves from the defined area for which the flag has been set into yet another defined area other than the reference area after the flag is set in the flag setting, updating the flag settings so that a flag corresponding to the defined area indicated by the last piece of position data is set and storing the flag settings in the memory; and

updating a second flag including, when a position indicated by the last piece of position data further moves from the defined area for which the flag has been set into the reference area after the flag is set in the flag setting or the first flag updating, updating the flag settings so that a flag corresponding to a reciprocal movement between the reference area and the defined area for which the flag has been set is set and storing the flag settings in the memory;

said determining the first operation performed by the processor determines the operation to be performed based on the flag settings from the flag setting or the first flag updating; and

said determining the second operation performed by the processor determines the operation to be performed based on the flag settings from the second flag updating.

17. The video game device according to claim 15, further comprising a display device that displays an indicator indicating the direction from the reference position to the defined area indicated by the last piece of position data based on which operation to be performed is determined in said determining the first operation, and an indicator indicating the combination of directions based on which operation to be performed is determined in said determining the second operation.

18. The video game device according to claim 15, wherein the processor executes the processing program to further perform a display control of displaying, on a display device, an image indicating the reference area defined in said defining the areas.

19. The video game device according to claim 15, wherein:

the processor executes the processing program to further perform a display control of displaying, on a display device, an image based on the coordinate system; and

said defining the areas performed by the processor defines the plurality of areas by dividing an area of the image centered about the reference area into a plurality of pieces.

20. A video game device comprising:

a touch panel that detects a series of pieces of position data in a predetermined coordinate system based on input positions outputted from a pointing device;

a computer-readable storage medium that stores a processing program; and

a processor that executes the processing program based on an input position outputted from the pointing device according to a user operation in order to perform;

defining a reference position based on a first piece of position data among the detected series of pieces of position data and storing the reference position in a computer-readable memory;

determining a first operation including determining an operation to be performed based on a direction that extends from the reference position to a position indicated by a last piece of position data among the detected series of pieces of position data;

determining a second operation including determining the operation to be performed based on a combination of directions, including a direction that extends from the reference position to a position indicated by an intermediate piece of position data among the detected series of pieces of position data, and a direction that extends from the position indicated by the intermediate piece of position data to the reference position; and

a display device that displays an image based on the coordinate system, and displays, on the image near a position indicated by the last piece of position data, an indicator indicating the direction based on which operation to be performed is determined in determining the first operation and an indicator indicating the combination of directions based on which operation to be performed is determined in determining the second operation.

21. A game device comprising:

a display device including a first display section and a second display section that is separate from the first display section;

a touch panel, associated with one of the first display section and the second display section of the display device;

a computer-readable storage medium that stores a processing program; and

a processor that executes the processing program based on an input position detected by the touch panel and outputted from a pointing device according to a user operation in order to perform;

detecting a series of pieces of position data in a display coordinate system of an image displayed on the first display section based on input positions outputted from the pointing device, and storing the position data in a computer-readable memory, wherein

said series of pieces of position data result from a sliding operation of the pointing device;

defining, as a reference position, a first piece of position data among the series of pieces of stored position data, and storing the reference position in the memory;

processing to obtain a display image based on at least one piece of position data among the series of pieces of position data; and

controlling a display including, when an operation direction indicated by the series of pieces of position data in the display coordinate system with respect to the reference position indicates a reference direction that extends from a position of the first display section toward a position of the second display section, displaying the display image obtained in the processing on the second display section.

22. The video game device according to claim 21, wherein:

the processor executes the processing program to perform, based on the input position, a display process of a web browser for downloading a file via a communications section capable of communicating with a network and displaying the file on the display device;

when the reference position is located within an active area of the web browser, the processing performed by the processor obtains a response image corresponding to the active area; and

when the operation direction indicates the reference direction, said controlling the display control performed by the processor includes displaying the response image on the second display section.

23. The video game device according to claim 22, wherein:

when the reference position is located within a background area of the web browser, the processing performed by the processor obtains at least a portion of an image displayed on the first display section; and

when the operation direction indicates the reference direction, said controlling the display performed by the processor displays the at least a portion of an image displayed on the first display section on the second display section.

24. The video game device according to claim 22, wherein:

the reference direction is an upward direction or a downward direction in which the second display section of the display device is provided with respect to the first display section of the display device;

when the reference position is located within a background area of the web browser and the operation direction indicates a leftward direction or a rightward direction, the processing performed by the processor obtains a previous image that was obtained previously in the processing; and

when the operation direction indicates a leftward direction or a rightward direction, said controlling the display performed by the processor includes displaying the previous image on the first display section.

25. The video game device according to claim 21, wherein:

when a trace represented by the series of pieces of position data substantially encircles a predetermined area of an image displayed on the first display section, the processing performed by the processor obtains an enlarged image by enlarging a portion of the image within the predetermined area; and

said controlling the display performed by the processor includes displaying the enlarged image on the second display section.

26. The video game device according to claim 21, wherein:

the reference direction is an upward direction or a downward direction in which the second display section of the display device is provided with respect to the first display section of the display device;

when the operation direction indicates a leftward direction or a rightward direction, the processing performed by the processor obtains an image of a different page from a current page being displayed on the first display section; and

when the operation direction indicates a leftward direction or a rightward direction, said controlling the display performed by the processor includes displaying the image of the different page on the first display section.

27. The video game device according to claim 21, wherein the position data in the display coordinate system based on input positions outputted from the pointing device can be defined only on one of an image displayed on the first display section and an image displayed on the second display section.

28. A video game device comprising:

a display device including a first display section and a second display section that is separate from the first display section;

a touch panel, associated with one of the first display section and the second display section of the display device;

a computer-readable storage medium that stores a processing program; and

a processor that executes the processing program based on an input position detected by the touch panel and outputted from a pointing device according to a user operation in order to perform;

detecting a series of pieces of position data in a display coordinate system of an image displayed on the first display section based on input positions outputted from the pointing device, and storing the position data in a memory, wherein

said series of pieces of position data result from a sliding operation of the pointing device;

defining, as a reference position, a first piece of position data among the series of pieces of stored position data, and storing the reference position in the memory;

obtaining a display image based on at least one piece of position data among the series of pieces of position data; and

controlling a display including, when an operation direction indicated by the series of pieces of position data in the display coordinate system with respect to the reference position indicates a reciprocal movement along a direction in which the first display section and the second display section are arranged with respect to each other, displaying the display image obtained in the processing on the second display section while at least a portion of an image displayed on the second display section is displayed on the first display section.